Wednesday Windage: Dr. Chris Raynor and Kentucky Ballistics

Tuesday Torque: Once A Common Chore

 Shelling corn with a hand cranked sheller was a daily task in farms all over the country. An old corn sheller was always one of the things you would see at a farm estate auction. I haven't cranked one in years, but we still have a few in the barn, and some hand cranked bur mills, too. Many Thanks to Merle for spotting this one.

Belting Up Monday?

 Holiday for many, just another day for others.

Surrounded by work at home! Back To The Old Grind!

Fifteen to split, thirty five more cut and ready to pick up! Much more to buck.

Weekend Steam IV: Oldie Carl's 1964 Old Threshers!

 

Weekend Steam III: Don't Forget Rollag!

 Big news for the Sandbox at Rollag. Head north!

Fixed it! Sorry about the wrong vid!

Weekend Steam II: Midwest Old Threshers This Weekend!

 Get yourself over to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for Old Threshers this weekend. The weather is forecast for a little cooldown on Sunday, so no excuses. There is more to see than you can do in one day. Traction engines, antique tractors, old gas engines, steam locomotives, and much, much more. If you are a middle aged man, do not stand close to the stage in the saloon when the girls are singing. They will pull you on stage to embarrass you!

                                               This photo is from Dana Close Jennings' book, Old Threshers at XXX, published in 1979. I like to show this because my brother Ben and his son Mike are in it.

Number 9 Shay is back from its stay at Georgetown Loop and will be hauling passengers again.

                                  Number 6 will be on duty!

You might catch a ride in the caboose. Climb up to the cupola for a great view as you circle the grounds. 

Old technology is always surprising me. This Avery firebox door is one of the neatest inventions I have seen.

Ride the trolley to the pioneer village on the south end and catch the medicine show. This is Sanford D. Lee's (and his wife, Mary K. Elder-Lee) 36th year at Old Threshers! Guaranteed to Cure Melancholy!

Lots of old tractors, too!

Weekend Steam: Steampunk Motorcycle!

 Many Thanks, Merle for spotting this one! It took a bit of genius level thought to put this together.

On The Road Again

The '01 Nissan is back on the road again after the brake line replacements. It made a trip up north of Bluford to get some new straw. We had straw baled in 1987, stowed it in the north barn and have been using it ever since. We are getting down to the end, so I picked up a dozen bales and have them in the barn now. Susan spread a couple of the new bales in the dog yard. It sure smells nice. The forty year old straw looks pretty good, but the fresh cut aroma of wheat straw has been missing for decades.  The dogs love it. Our dog yard gets heavy use, and straw is a necessity.

 

Dealing With Storm Damaged, Extremely Bent Over Trees

 Occasionally you will have to deal with trees that are big springpoles, loaded with energy and ready to knock your head off if you cut one of them wrong. Nipping in the inside middle of the bend works if you don't have to work above your shoulders. Take too big of a nip and you will have your saw pinched, so that can be a problem. I have been using a different technique that has worked for me every time. Make a face cut down low on the inside, and then make a vertical bore cut behind the face cut to establish the hinge without taking out much of the tensioned back strap. As you do this, go easy and work the saw in and out, because the compression will try to come down on your chain and bar. You will feel it, but you can stay in charge. After you have the hinge made, stand back as far as you can and cut the back strap. Do not stand in line with the stem, because it might kick back. Practice this on a safe tree and you will be ready when a real challenge comes along. 

Wednesday Windage: Tim Sundles Talks About The .223, and Some Other Stuff

Down And Dirty Under The Old Truck

 Drive an old vehicle and you will have to deal with brake repairs. A brake line was dripping on the old pickup and another adjacent line was nearly rusted through. After removing both of those lines, the entire brake system was full of air, so after replacing the lines we began bleeding at the far end of the system and worked our way back. A patient assistant is a must, and you must get out from under after several pumps to replenish the brake fluid in the master cylinder. You may have to touch up the bleeding after you have made the full round, but you can do this. The old beater is back on the road today! Replace the protectors on your bleeders to keep them from clogging with road grime. (PS, This is the easy part after removing rusty brake line fittings and assembling new line into your system!) (PPS, Do NOT use incandescent trouble lights under your vehicle while working with brake fluid! That stuff will light up your garage. The Studebaker garage in Swedesburg, Iowa caught fire many years ago when a light bulb broke. The mechanic was under a car and barely escaped.)

Tuesday Torque II: Portland, Indiana

 Here's a quick visit to the Tri State Gas Engine and Tractor Show, by Engineering Johnson.  Many Thanks, Zeke!