Works For Chicken Feed

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You will see corn shelling and lots of corn being ground when you attend the American Thresherman Show at Pinckneyville, Illinois.  The weather was perfect October 19, 2019.  There were antique tractors, gas engines, corn shelling, knife sharpening, apple cider making, apple butter cooking, sorghum making, and sawmilling.  Put it on your calendar for next year, plus the show in August.

American Thresherman Fall Festival, Pinckneyville

We took a brief road trip today over to Pinckneyville for the Fall Festival.  The weather was perfect, the crowd was light, the food was great.  The first activity we watched was the sorghum press, powered by a 6 HP Famous engine. Gas engines sure took a load off the mules on a farm.

Weekend Steam: Five Locomotives In Two Days In Pennsylvania!

Today we visit Merle's home state to see the great locomotives opportunities there.  Thank You for spotting, Merle!

Early Morning Visual Treat

We always enjoy watching the Belt of Venus, usually at sunset on clear days.  Earlier this week I got lucky and the Belt formed up nicely in the west before sunrise, with the full Moon right in the pink band.  Nice.

Things To Look For At Fall Festivals

Mumbooths.  If mumbooth was not a word, it is now. 

Where Were We Five Years Ago?

Time flies.  Five years ago there were some good highlights.  We went to an Appleseed weekend, The Alma Dogwood was beautiful, Patti was having a great time at Pistol League, I saw a neat old truck on a hook, we were waiting for a chimney to fall, one of my landowners survived being whacked by a barberchair, I fought a killer tree and won, the fall colors were beautiful, and there is the last rose of summer.

Glad Possum

This little guy dropped into an empty trash can and had no way to climb out.  Luckily, I happened to look in and see him.  No telling how long he had been there, but he was getting disheartened.  I turned the can on its side and pretty soon he headed to the woods.

Ruger's Auctions To Benefit The USA Shooting Team and the Light Foundation

                                                                                $405
 Ruger is offering a couple of great ones again this week.  A Mk II Standard built in 1982 is being sold to benefit the USA Shooting Team.  A U.S. marked Mk II with 6 7/8" tapered barrel is being sold to benefit the Light Foundation.  This one may be a prototype for the pistols manufactured for the U.S. Army.  Click the photos to read all about them and to place those bids.  Both of these guns will sell mid-day, Wednesday, October 16, 2019.

                                                                        $1151

Tuesday Torque: 7 HP Sears Economy

Sears sold a bunch of Economy engines, so it's hardly an engine show without a few of these.  Boonville is just a stone's throw from Evansville where they were made. The weather was pretty darn cool Saturday, and a hot bowl of bean soup really hit the spot for lunch.  

Big Week Ahead

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Boonville, Indiana Engine Show

I went over to Boonville today to see the Fall show, and had a good time visiting with engine friends that we haven't seen for a few years.  A visitor from England got to do the honors cranking over the big Buckeye engine.  He was thrilled, but somewhat aghast at "Unguarded" equipment. The sawmill really bothered him.  I have seen a lot of people who joined the Nub Club because of farm equipment, and you do have to wonder why manufacturers were not more concerned about the safety of their customers.  "What happened to your hand, Oly?"  "I lost a finger to the saw blade." "How'd that happen?"  "Yust like dis...Yumpin' Yimminy, Dere Goes Anodder One!"

Anyway, here's the big Buckeye.

Weekend Steam: Durango And Silverton

Merle keeps finding 'em, and we keep posting 'em! Thanks, Merle!

Engine 168 was a Denver & Rio Grande engine, built in 1883.  It has been on display in Colorado Springs since 1937.  Cumbres and Toltec Railroad has restored it and will be using it on their line.

Hey, Our Neighbor Is On The News!

WSIL-TV 3 Southern Illinois

Boonville, Indiana, October 11-13; Don't Miss It!

Knocking Out Projects

We've been working around this flagpole base for several years, and the flagpole is long-gone.  Enough's enough, and we dug around it, wiggled it loose, and plucked it out.  Tilling the garden is much easier now.

Ruger's Auctions To Benefit The USA Shooting Team and the Light Foundation

                                                                           $846
Ruger is doing a double every week lately. This M77 Mark II in a Desert Color Laminated Stock was not a cataloged item.  This fine rifle was made in 1988 and is chambered in .223. The description makes me think that this is a one-of-a-kind rifle.  It sells mid-day, Wednesday, October 9, 2019.  CLICK HERE to read about it and to bid.

                                                                           $1025
This P 94 in 9 mm was sent out and returned, then it was sent out again as a police loan, and returned again to the Prescott factory.  It looks new, but the laser does not work.  The bidding shows that there is some collector interest in this pistol.  It also sells mid-day, Wednesday, October 9, 2019.  CLICK HERE to read about it and to bid.

Tuesday Torque: 1893 Otto Engine, Rollag, Minnesota

This one goes back to the early days of internal combustion.  It's a four stroke cycle engine, but good luck figuring out what is happening with the links on this rare survivor.  I watched for a long time, and I was flummoxed!

Mark Another Off The List!

The downspout drain is replaced and buried. We have tilled and reshaped the yard off the basement, and now we have it limed, fertilized, seeded, and strawed.  Now, on to the next project!


Back To The Old Grind!

Just In Time For Columbus Day!

We made a journey to Menard's yesterday for supplies and celebrated Christmas while we were there!  Great Fun!

Weekend Steam Bonus: Triple Expansion Engines On The Texas

Two, Two! Low Pressure cylinders on each engine!!! This video is a good one to gain an understanding of compounding in steam engines. Most triple expansion engines have three cylinders.  The engines on the Texas split the exhaust steam from the second cylinder into two low pressure cylinders.  They figured this system more than a century ago and this is the first time I have heard of a four cylinder triple expansion engine.  Live and Learn!  Thanks, Merle!

Weekend Steam: Let's Go Boating Again!

Coventry Boat Rally, 2014, Steam On The Canal.  Thanks, Merle!

Shade Tree Calls Are Still Coming In

I had a call from an old friend who wanted advice on dead trees.  I started with this elm.  The answer is obvious here.

The bigger problem is that this cowboy action shooting range is situated in an old field situation, which means most of the trees are ash.  This year was the big die-off from emerald ash borer.  There are lots of trees to take down, and many of them want to fall on buildings. Most of the trees can be taken down with chainsaw and wedging, but there are several that need a pull in a safe direction, or to be taken down with a bucket truck. I did not volunteer, but did recommend a logger who can teach some club members how to drop the easy ones safely.  The difficult cases will be easy to reach with a truck after the easy ones are removed.

I had another call yesterday for pruning needs on young yard trees.  I think that if I wanted to go back to work I would be busy every day, but we aren't going there.  We are enjoying the luxury of working on our own projects every day instead of trying to take care of the place two days a week.  We are going to finish up some dirt work on the back yard today.  We are thinking about getting a set of bocce balls after this project is done!

Minneapolis 35-70 On The Prony Brake

This tractor was made in 1919 and was rated for 70 horsepower on the belt.  It starts out a bit rough, but the engine seemed to settle in and it turned out 74 horsepower.

How Do You Make Music For Century-Old Band Organs?

Band organs exist in a very small world. There are a few roll makers, but only one that has machinery that can use midi files from a computer.   If you want to have a new roll made for a band organ, you probably will have to buy an entire run of rolls, and then sell your unneeded ones to other band organ enthusiasts.  This gentleman was cutting a new roll at the Rollag engine show during the Labor Day weekend show.

Ruger's Auctions To Benefit The USA Shooting Team and the Light Foundation

                                                                           $1075
Ruger Police Carbine, 1996.  CLICK HERE to read the description.  It was at a police department on loan for many years.  Looks pretty much new, though.

                                                                         $805
Ruger Stainless Speed Six, 1985.  Returned from a distributor.  Looks new, but has some fingerprints visible on right side in the photo.  CLICK HERE to read all about it.  Both guns sell mid-day, Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Susan Went Back To The Eye Doctor Today

She had surgery last Thursday, and had extensive work done directly on the retina, plus laser tacks, and a gas bubble.  She will be mostly blind in that eye until the gas bubble is replaced by fluid.  Today they tested the vision in both eyes, and the one they worked on can't even see the big E. That brought to mind a little inspiration I had many years ago when we were having repeated retinal surgeries.

Orpheus At The Eye Doctor

Biannually, that's twice a year
Pile in the car, put it in gear
In the early morning mist,
Go see the ophthalmologist.

My wife, our boy, her parents, too
I always take the whole darn crew
The Doctor is of course, elated
To have a family dilated

Can, can you see the next line, can you
See the next line, can you?
I sincerely hope you can!
Can you see the Big E?
That one should be easy!
Oh Dear, can you count the fingers on my hand?

Today, Susan could see movement when the tech wiggled fingers, but could not count them, or see them.  If we weren't familiar with how eye surgeries go, I would be nervous.

Tuesday Torque: A Couple Of Nice Models

You will see numerous model engines when you visit Rollag.  The flame licker and the Gade air cooled were a couple that caught my eye.

Life Was Simpler Then?

Back To The Old Grind!

Weekend Steam Bonus: Big Rumely

This Rumely is one of the big engines at the Western Minnesota Threshers Reunion at Rollag, Minnesota.  There are also a bunch of gas and kerosene prairie tractors at this show. 

Weekend Steam: Steamboating!

Merle picked a good one!  Thanks, Merle!

Face Down

Eye surgery today.  Susan's left eye developed macular holes and repair work has been done.  She has to stay face down for three days, but that is better than her retinal surgeries twenty years ago when it was six weeks.  Her bad eye will now be her good eye, but she should be able to see pretty well.

This Video Will Give You Collector Itch!

So, this guy's neighbor says an excavator has been sitting in his woods for sixteen years, and he wants it to leave.  What a deal, if you have the skills to pull it off!

Ruger's Auctions To Benefit The Light Foundation and The USA Shooting Team

                                                                           $2005
There are a couple of good ones again this week!  The Mini-14 was not a cataloged item, and is an example of the Minis that Ruger made for the Oklahoma State Patrol.  (NOT Ohio, as in the writeup.  A correction is included on the GunBroker page just above the description.)  Interest is high, so take a deep breath before CLICKING HERE or on the photo.

                                                                             $660
The price appears to be a bit more tolerable on this new P90 Decocker in .45 ACP.  CLICK HERE to read all about it and to place that winning bid.

Tuesday Torque: 125 HP De La Vergne Engine...

...at Rollag, Minnesota.  They acquired this engine in 1976.  The flywheels are 9 feet in diameter! This video is the second upload.  It is in Hi Def, and I added a shot of the exhaust stack at the end.

IHC M and Feed Mill at Rollag, Minnesota

                                      Back To The Old Grind!