Surprise T-Storms

 We went to the range for practice yesterday and had a surprise storm deliver 9/10 of an inch while we were gone. That made for three rains of 9/10 in one week! The garden and the crops appreciate it. We are getting another little one Friday noon, and it will probably be another 1/10. Nice weather for July, when the grass usually begins to die. Here's a bit of the rain we got from Hurricane Beryl. 

Side Lean Past The Limit? Something Will Fail!

 The back lean was too much to wedge, but the tractor could handle it. There was not enough room to get the tractor squared away, so I had six feet of side lean. That would never hold if you were wedging, but the tractor can push quickly, so I went ahead. The tree stayed off the barn, but some splitting occurred at the hinge. A 90 segment tree is relatively safe with about one foot of side lean. Six was well past my maximum! A good lesson to tuck away!

The Hurricane Will Come Through Your Neighborhood...A Week From Tuesday.

 There is always a good warning with hurricanes. It came over us today, and is almost done slobbering on us. We heeded the warning and dug our taters. They did really well this year. 

Tuesday Torque: Looking For Steam Innovations

 Many Thanks to Merle for spotting this post on Facebook! Steam powered cars are always being thought about by a few, but the ultimate happened with Doble steamers early in the Twentieth Century, and Doble disappeared in 1931. Jay Leno has a couple Dobles in his collection, and you can't help but be impressed by the century-old sophistication. It is much more than a Stanley!

Bolton Peck

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Presented for your consideration is this Stanley Steam engine. In 1906, a production Stanley Steamer was the first vehicle to reach 127mph. This record for steam propelled speed was held for 103 years, til another steam powered rig broke it in 2009.

The Stanley brothers made cars with aluminum bodies and later, tubular steel frames-before 1920.

Efficient and safe, the Stanley Steamer had no neutral, no clutch or transmission because the broad torque curve and four power strokes per 360 degrees of crank rotation (like a gas 8 cylinder) provided by its double acting two cylinder engine meant it didn't need one. Engine power was routed directly to the rear differential. Also of note is that there was never a single documented case of a Stanley Steamer boiler exploding. Each one was wrapped in three layers of piano wire; tested to twice its nominal 600PSI operating pressure at the factory before being installed.

A combination of ICE electric starting and increased power output, and the Stanley brothers' inability to garner sufficient advertising and marketing momentum while mandating only 1000 cars a year be made, meant that internal combustion engines took over. Funny how it took Mercedes Benz over a thousand cubic inches of four banger to equal on the track, what the Stanley did with just 20 rated horsepower and two 4 inch bore x 5 inch stroke cylinders.

However, looking at this kerosene burning design, it could be a very effective machine with modern computer controls. It's much easier to control fuel combustion in a continuous Bunsen burner style boiler than it is with the continuously variable demands of what goes on inside a piston engine.

A modern, steam powered vehicle like this could be a compelling option.

Check out Jay Leno's 1925 Doble!

This Week's Assignment: Buck, Split, Stack

 Back To The Old Grind!

Sassafras Pushovers

Here are a couple trees that died, just on the edge of the yard and leaning toward the power line that goes around the garden. Rot, and limited room for wedging means that pulling or pushing were the options to use.

Weekend Steam: Christine North Dakota, Threshing And Steam Engines

 An old Super Eight film was found at a threshing show in North Dakota, and it is a great look into the not so distant past. Merle spotted it, and we thank him profusely! I will post information from the YouTube post under the video.

This 8mm film reel was found in a cabinet at the LRPTA (Dalton, MN) threshing show., Tim Larson

"Once owned by the late Daniel Anderson. This 35hp Buffalo Pitts engine was originally bought new in 1905 by the late Jacob Johnson of Christine, ND. who used the engine for custom threshing for some 28 years. "

"Carl and Joseph Anderson bought the engine in 1938, and it was still in the family and owned by Carl’s son Daniel Anderson until 2014 when it was sold by auction. Except for one year, from 1939 until the spring of 1967 the Andersons used their 1905 Buffalo Pitts engine to thresh grain. The unique part is Andersons always stacked-threshed and always threshed with steam on their farm for 87 years, from 1880 to 1967. Think of this, the Rollag Steam Show had been operating some 12 to 13 years when Andersons quit threshing. During the years the Andersons threshed with their 1905 35hp Buffalo Pitts. They used mainly straw for fuel in firing the engine. Other fuels used have been wood with rubber tires, wood only, but no coal.  From 2005 till 2014, it was the only engine fired by straw on the Rollag Showground’s. This 1905 35hp Buffalo Pitts sat idle from 1967 until 1995 when repairs were done before heading for Steamer Hill at Rollag. In 2015, this engine and rebuilt straw and water tender (restored by Daniel and Gerry Stange), was up for auction and was bought by Jered Ruble of Forrest City, IA. The engine stayed on the WMSTR show grounds for another 2 years, then moved to Iowa. This information provided was from excerpts of the article about this 1905 35hp Buffalo Pitts Steam Engine written by Richard Birklid in the 1995 WMSTR Show book and information given from Karl Stange."

Paul Harvey: The Declaration Of Independence

Sally's Daylilies (and More!)

Susan and her friend, Sally, have collaborated on their daylilies for years; visiting gardens, sharing plants, and comparing notes. We visited Sally the other day and took a couple hundred pictures. Sally does not have the problem with deer that we currently have, so her flower garden is glorious right now. 

Titan And Bear, Fosters in 2017

 Titan and Bear were joys to have with us. Bear had heartworms, and we kept him through his treatment. Both were happy little dogs. Bear was a cuddler and Titan had boundless energy. Titan went east, and Bear went out to the Rockies. 

How Do You Like Them Apples?

 We planted apple, pear, and plum trees about forty years ago after we moved to the farm, and they are at the end of their lives. The plums and all but one of the apple trees are done for. We still have three good pear trees. Susan is planning to order trees to rebuild our orchard for next spring.  You gotta use your shovels, or they will rust away, you know!

The wood is split, and the hollow sections have been hollowed out a bit more, and an angle is cut on each one. We will have them set up for migrating birds to use on their Fall trip.

Tuesday Torque: Mogul Tractors, 15-30 and 30-60

 What could be easier? If you want to double your horsepower, double your cylinders! That is what IHC did with their Mogul tractors.  The single cylinder is a 15-30, the two cylinder opposed version is a 30-60. Thank You, Merle!