My Week this Week, My workshop videos

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I get the jockey pulley mechanism for the grass deck drive finshed, and really that is the end of the Toro project, apart from paint, alternator bearings, and an annoying oil leak from the sump plug, Will this project never end! Then on Wednesday, Andy comes over fot the day and we start the "antique" trycicle build! Curioser and curioser!!
Phil, The rain has got colder in East Yorkshire

 

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I get the trycicle forks Tigged up, but not without problems, the metal is very dirty, and also I didnt notice that the argon was running low, so that probably didn't help, but I could see black nasties bubbling out of the old forgings, not surprising, but we persevered and got there in the end, and then back to the tidy up, which is going really well and will soon be finished, Once I have filtered out the sdrap, and the rubbish, it is on to selling of what I don't need!
Phil, bathed in sunshine in East Yorkshire!

 

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A short week due to bank holiday, but lots crammed in to this video, some bench repairs, a homelite strimmer, a karcher K2 pressure wash, and then theres the oil tank swap up at Keiths, replacing the top bearing in the Harrison mill vertical head, and then Richard Kirkman arrives to make a T nut for the topslide of his Colchester Student in order to fit a Quick change toolpost! all these jobs in only four days! A busy week, and lots of fun was had by all!
Phil, Summer at least in East Yorkshire, but the monsoon is coming!

 

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Clean all the machines down after Fridays furious T nut machining session, and find out that 304 stainless is not magnetic! then on to the tractor, new bearings go in the alternator, the oil leak gets sorted, and finally strip the grass deck and its operating mechanism for repainting. In the meantime, the heavens open, and Langtoft floods!
Phil, in East Yorkshire, sunny and hot, with occasional floods!

 

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I finish the cleanup on all the grass deck parts, and then go up to the field, and repair a Hayter mower, and a westwood garden tractor, the sandblasted deck comes home on Friday, and we get all the priming finished!
Phil, in scorching East Yorkshire

 

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Monday was ok, got on well. Tuesday the car failed its MOT on emissions, and is BER! Wednesday, bought a new(to me) car. Thursday I got some more work done, and Friday, took the new motor for a 60 mile round trip for my wife's appointment. Luckily there was half a tank of fuel in it, as I discovered that I couldn't undo the filler door! All fixed in this video! The wheelhorse grass deck gets finished, and looks really good! My stress level is subsiding!
Phil, in Early monsoon East Yorkshire

 

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Yes, unbelievable but true, the Wheel horse 2CV tractor is complete, the project is finished, now all that remains to do is take it to the field and see what breaks first! In order to do this however, we must first find the gateway, which has disapeared under a jungle of head high brambles and nettles, so out come the strimmers, and in we go!! Phil, Dodging the raindrops in East Yorkshire!

 

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I start the Fordson rebuild with fitting a new water pump, and almost immediately, it all goes wrong, and then goes right again, but I get the cowl bonnet and radiator off, and then have a problem with an innacesible bolt on the pump, but persistence (and bodging) pays off in the end, the pump fits, but there is a difference in the pulley arrangment which means I need to get another pulley, but ebay comes up trumps!
Phil, in damp and humid East Yorkshire

 

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I get the water pump fitted to the Fordson, have one of my tidy ups, and then have a look at the topper and see what we will need to join the two together, I have the driveshaft, but quite a lot of the heavy metalwork on the topper is bent, and one of the flail cutters is stiff, so in we go! I need a new top link, and immediately immersing myself in the mysterious world of tractor subculture, I learn that I may need a cat 1 top link.......maybe, and also some bigger pins for the bottom link connections, and some bottom link arm balls, as mine are worn out (Fnar Fnar) I get the driveshaft sliding in and out (Fnar fnar again) after a generous application of lube (what else?) but the safety cover for the driveshaft is missing, and as they are all plastic, and £70! I may have a look at making one. It has obviously been used without one, but it obviously needs one to keep it safe, I will see what I can come up with, we may have some plastic turning to do!
Phil, in the East Yorkshire rain forest, on a jungle taming course!

 

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The Fordson Major E1A refurb continues, with some Time spent hammering the Big Bee topper straight again! Another short week I am afraid. Had two lost days for trips to York, so much for getting a full week in!, lots of dirty work done, and the panels go off for blasting, water pump pulley arrives, and thank goodness it fits! I only just seem to have started this project, and it is really coming together. I shall be painting and power washing next week! It all came together on Friday when I took all the parts for Blasting and got a top link and pins for the tractor from my local Agri merchants, Scrutons of Foxholes!! Cheaper than the internet!
Phil, in damp and humid East Yorkshire

 

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This weeks highlights are sidetracks and interuptions!, and tales of the work I intended to do, but others had other ideas! My antique dealer mate turned up with four boxes of what is known as (in the trade) "Donkey" too good to throw away, but difficult to sell into anything but the small item collectors market, which functions very much on personal taste rather than any known make or value of item! On the basis of, "if you dont like it, burn it" I accepted it for cleaning and listing, but I am not sure I would do it again, because of the time it takes! I got the bushes that I need for the topper made and fitted, and some other little jobs like straightening drawbar pins done, but the sandblasting isn't ready yet, so I may end up putting the radiator back on the tractor on monday, and moving it outside for a steam clean, and to fit the girder trolley, so I can lift the topper, so that I can get it all put togther! Onward!
Phil in blisteringly hot East Yorkshire, 27 deg today!!

 

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The workshop advances a tech level when we fit the new girdar trolley and get the chain hoist up, Rocker cover and other bits get painted, and I finally get onto the broken bolt in the front axle carrier casting, the results aren't good!! I hope persistence pays off!! I am posting this as parts 3 and 4 because I have shot over an hours worth of footage This week!
Phil Still hot in East Yorkshire.

 

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I work on the air filter and pre cleaner, fix the dodgy handbrake, which has been a pain since I bought this tractor , and work towards the three point linkage removal, remove the tow hitch and link arms, and start to free them all off using the dreaded Blowlamp of death, alternately known as the Flamefast Brazing hearth! In part 6 (out now!) We continue with the air cleaner get the hydralic/transmission drained and the filter out, what a mess!!
Phil, Some rain, some shine, in the East York Shire!

 

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Parts 7&8
Fordson Major rebuild, the hydraulics and rear transmission case. I removed the top cover, and realised there was 3" depth of black sludge in the bottom of the transmission case, and this had remained after 30 litres of "oil" was drained off! I set on cleaning it with kerosene, and by the end of day one I was beginning to see the castings, and the unmarked gears etc. Thankfully there seems to be no grit or metal in the sludge, as the fordson does have a good filter, and two magnetic plugs before the pump! We have a wander in the field, and get the 2cv tractor up there.....eventually!
Phil, thunderstorms and a wet start to the Harvest, in the East York Shire!

 

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Work on the Fordson Major E1A continues. I bite the bullet and remove the PTO gearbox, and it is a good thing, because both it and the gearbox were full of black sludge, everything gets a good powerwashing out and we use the weldanuton technique to get a sheared bolt out! I put on overalls, and elbow length gloves!, it was hot, but it kept me more or less clean! Part 10 out now at https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos
Phil, Some rain, some shine, in the East York Shire!

 

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Fordson Major rebuild parts 11 and 12
Rebuilding the hydraulic pump for the Fordson Major E1A. Not hard, but cleanliness and an O ring kit are essential, and patience, quite a bit of patience! Hydralic pump and most ancilliaries get refitted, and I add a hot gunk parts washer to my wish list! Part 12 available now at https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos Phil,
August is the new September in the East York Shire!

 

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Fordson Major Rebuild part 13, we clean out the top cover, refit the piston, cylinder and valve block, and refit it to the tractor, along with the PTO gearbox and the PTO shaft, and quite suddenly, it is a who;e tractor again.....more or less!! Part 14, out now at https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos
Phil, Dull all week, but a warm and sunny Saturday in East Yorkshire

 

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Fordson Major Steering box strip and rebuild. Parts 15&16. 1955 E1A Fordson Diesel Major. In Part 16, out now, I finsh the steering box and refit it to the tractor, and get some paint on! Part 16 out now at https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos
Phil, in definitely autumnal East Yorkshire

 

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Fordson E1A major, strip and rebuild of the front steering and kingpins (steering swivels) It is not pretty, but all is repairable! luckily the parts I do need are all available, and not expensive, which is amazing for a 1955 tractor!! Part 18, out now at https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos
Phil, In humid and hot East Yorkshire!!

 

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Fordson E1A major, Only one video this week chaps, because we did a "poo" run on Moday afternoon, and the workshop power was off on Wednesday! I get the wheels finished in two coats of primer each, and then onto the kingpins/steering swivels. I put the extra grease slot on the RHS and then start the LHS, but find when I get the nuts off the bolts, the bolts are seized in the axle, It all makes life interesting, and I get it all in bits by Friday, and show the process of fitting the kingpins to the new bushes if you don't have the factory reamer available! (Video scheduled for release at 4pm GMT)
Phil, Warm and wet in East Yorkshire