Chores for today 10 May 08

Today I completed the newspaper post extension. I milled two pieces of aluminum to hold the added 4X4 treated lumber to the top of the plastic post which was too short from day one. I started the milling process last night and finished it this morning. Two yellow jackets had taken up residence in the news box. I sprayed one last night and the other this morning as he disputed ownership of the abode. (Pix 15 and 16) The holes in the plastic were off so I had to adjust the holes in the aluminum plates. It is quarter inch thick and I enjoyed cutting it, squaring it, and milling the holes.

Next I mowed half the yard and treated a few fire ant mounds. My Ford 640 tractor covered by a slightly too small tarp is visible to the right. (pic 17)

The two-inch water pump got all the water from the swimming pool that it could. I have a small electrical pump that attaches to a garden hose and will get most of what is left. There are at least four frogs living in the pool. I am sure they wonder what happened to their deep safe haven. The pump is visible to the left. (pix 18 and 19)

Gunner is the dog on the left, and Mocha is the one on the right. Mocha can eat a baseball in minutes. So, no more baseballs for her to play with. The two dogs stay active rough housing with each other. (pic 20)

I almost forgot to mention it was about 92 degrees today and I got sun burned.

Tractor Boy

Farmall Cub Switch Replacement

It was a cold, wet, dreary day in Central Texas. Perfect weather in which to replace the light switch I replaced last week. The first replacement was blowing a 20-amp fuse in less than a second when turned to the farthest right position. Fortunately, I had added a separate fuse holder to the circuitry when the replacement did not have a fuse position. I spoke with the nice folk at Farmall Cub Forever and ordered a three position six-volt switch which arrived a few days ago. This time I took pictures so you can see what I was doing. Again, I replaced one wire at a time. The switch has a protrusion which fits in a notch in the console, and I replaced it so the two were properly aligned. I discovered it was easier to take the console off this time, and I did not need a small monkey to reach in the confined space. I did; however, forget that I placed a piece of board between the hydraulic housing and the hood/fuel tank. So, when I started up the Cub to see how well it would run, there...

Farmall Cub greasing

Replacing gear oil and greasing the ’49 Cub ought to be a straight forward task(s). Well it hasn’t been. The transmission fluid was tan, looking like tan paint. Folks on Yesterday’s Tractor Farmall forum said it meant water had got inside the transmission. I wonder whether this tractor was under water at one time. I bought a Spectricide brand insecticide pump, put kerosene in it, and flushed the transmission, then refilled with 90 weight gear oil. The gear oil looked like and had the consistency of thin honey. Pic 1300 shows the transmission filler plug. A lot easier to reach than the plug for emptying the transmission. Note it has a square head. All of these plugs are square headed. Three and a half pints later, the transmission was back together. After the transmission, I decided to check the steering gear oil. It was not tan. It was black as could be so I flushed the housing with kerosene again and refilled with ¾ pint of 90 weight gear oil and replaced the filler plug. Pic 1301 s...

8N Ford Nears Completion

The past two weeks I have been working furiously on the 1952 * N to get it ready to be a show piece (another name for Parade Queen) for the opening of Vacation Bible School. Painting is pretty complete. I bought a OEM tool box and realized it goes in the location where the solenoid has been on this old 8N since I bought it dead in a field about three years ago. Pics 004-007 show the solenoid on the brace under the hood. The hood is off the body at this time. That was a three person job both to remove it and to replace it again. I still had a quarter tank of fuel which added about 24 pounds to the weight of the hood. Pic 011 and 012 show the solenoid atop the starter where it is supposed to be. I lengthened one wire by soldering a piece in the line, and replaced another, being careful to work one at a time after studying what was supposed to happen electrically. Once the battery was in place I turned the key and pressed the starter (gear shift in neutral) and the starter turned as it...

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