Howdy! from Bryan, TX
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:14 pm
About 2 years ago, I wandered into a junk yard and was looking around. No plans, no need, just lookin'... And I saw an old red tractor. It looked a little smaller than most tractors I'd seen, but being a city boy, that didn't mean a whole lot. But there was something about that tractor that just connected with some primal part of me. I paid the man and he would deliver it to the house.
It had a belly mower, so I tried to convince the spouse that I was actually saving money by owning a tractor and cutting my own lawn. 'Course we only have about a 1/4 acre of grass, the rest is pond, trees, deck, driveway etc. But still...
Fast forward 2 years and I decided that the Cub needed new tires. It had a mismatched set of 12" car tires. Everybody knows you don't but radial and bias ply tires on the same vehicle. Well, new tires, required the wheels be painted. Mounting the shiny wheels led me to discover that one of the wheel bearings needed some work. Can you see how this story goes?
I've got a machine shop* in the backyard, so I figured that I ought to be able to tackle anything on the Cub that needs to be repaired. It looks like I may be able to get everything fixed, painted, and back together in time for the next Texas Tumble. Maybe even in time to join the Christmas Parade here in Bryan.
Whenever I'm about to work on the Cub, I stop and ask myself "How would I do this on a farm in 1951?" A little Shade Tree engineering and thought almost always leads to a dirt simple solution. Working on the Cub has given me great respect for the engineers who designed it so long ago and the farmers who used and maintained them.
I'm not usually a "joiner", but I found this group a couple of weeks ago and after lurking for awhile, decided that I'd like to join (if they would have me). As much fun as the Cub can be, this group makes it even sweeter.
I guess that is introduction enough.
Rick Dulas
*The machine shop facilities are available, gratis, to any member of the forum. Just let me know when you are going to be in town and I'll clear some space.
It had a belly mower, so I tried to convince the spouse that I was actually saving money by owning a tractor and cutting my own lawn. 'Course we only have about a 1/4 acre of grass, the rest is pond, trees, deck, driveway etc. But still...
Fast forward 2 years and I decided that the Cub needed new tires. It had a mismatched set of 12" car tires. Everybody knows you don't but radial and bias ply tires on the same vehicle. Well, new tires, required the wheels be painted. Mounting the shiny wheels led me to discover that one of the wheel bearings needed some work. Can you see how this story goes?
I've got a machine shop* in the backyard, so I figured that I ought to be able to tackle anything on the Cub that needs to be repaired. It looks like I may be able to get everything fixed, painted, and back together in time for the next Texas Tumble. Maybe even in time to join the Christmas Parade here in Bryan.
Whenever I'm about to work on the Cub, I stop and ask myself "How would I do this on a farm in 1951?" A little Shade Tree engineering and thought almost always leads to a dirt simple solution. Working on the Cub has given me great respect for the engineers who designed it so long ago and the farmers who used and maintained them.
I'm not usually a "joiner", but I found this group a couple of weeks ago and after lurking for awhile, decided that I'd like to join (if they would have me). As much fun as the Cub can be, this group makes it even sweeter.
I guess that is introduction enough.
Rick Dulas
*The machine shop facilities are available, gratis, to any member of the forum. Just let me know when you are going to be in town and I'll clear some space.
Welcome aboard 
and they would be really useful to demonstrate what you are describing.