What's on your WORK BENCH - JULY 2021

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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Michelle is at the beach this week so that means all the shop time I can stand. I've been up there midnight and later since Sat trying to knock out a few projects.

First order of business is to get my recent auction win, an Oliver 550, field ready. To trailer it I need a tie down point on the front and for bush hogging I need a grill guard. So with those two needs I headed to the scrap yard and $120 later I had a small pile of steel to work with. Below is the bumper I came up with. I'm a welder with limited experience but am getting really good, at GRINDING :) This is the first time I've ever worked with tube steel and I must say I like the process of notching and fitting. It is simple and strong. I've ordered paint to match the tractor and hope to paint this weekend.


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The second project I've knocked out was completing the restoration of the basket case Baldor 2x48 belt sander I bought last fall. As I broke it down it turned out to be in terrible condition. Most parts were broken, half-ass welded, or simply wrong. For example, the original motor with one-piece extended shaft built for the lower wheel was replaced with a crappy standard motor that used a shaft adapter held in place by one set screw. That wheel is far too heavy and spins too fast for that mickey-mouse set-up, plus it wobbled badly. I scrounged around for quite some time looking for a suitable replacement motor until I found one with a very long and large dia. shaft I could turn down. I found blueprints for the motor on Baldor's site and that took all the guess work out of the machining. It works perfectly now and I'm really pleased. Below are the before and after shots. I think this sander will see a lot of use in my shop as I have an upcoming hatchet restoration project and not only does it run sanding belts but I found some scotch-brite belts too. I expect it will clean metal nicely with those on.

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MIKE-SID said:
Great job on both projects
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Thanks Mike. I'm getting too old to keep up this pace :) I'm starting another project in a day or two. The friend of Thomas who I built my Toyota's bumper with bought a house so we are making him an epoxy river table. Something new for me to try.

Eric
 
Eric,

I love seeing what you do with your tractor. I am partial to that color of green myself. You may want to think about a way to add weight to the front end of the tractor sometime. It could be abox to hold rocks.

Tom
 
Tom Wall said:
Eric,

I love seeing what you do with your tractor. I am partial to that color of green myself. You may want to think about a way to add weight to the front end of the tractor sometime. It could be abox to hold rocks.

Tom
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Actually there was a weight that the bumper replaced. Funny. It comes off fairly easily so I figure if I need weights up there swapping won't be that big of a deal. Having said that I'll be using the same attachments as I did with my MF 135 tractor of the same size and never needed front weight. Thanks.

Eric
 
Eric~


Gorgeous work as ever! I always envy you guys who know how to work metal.


As you proceed, please show the step involved in painting that new brush guard.


I've been working in the NDR realm for the past week - finishing (wiring, insulating, shiplap Pine paneling) a couple of walls at our camp on Lake Champlain. The South wall is done - but the Lake wall will not get my attentions again until late August or September.


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All the best,


SJS

 
Steve, that looks gorgeous. I'm not good at wood working or artistic painting, but I do metal working and motor repairs. To me every you do is amazing and impossible for me to do and takes a different level of skill. Maybe it depends on which side of the fence that you are sitting on.
 
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Steve

Maybe I missed it but is the camp on Lake Champlain a hunting camp or more along the lines of a family retreat? Sure looks inviting whichever the case. I'll post a few pictures of the painting process of the bumper. I'll also be painting an original Oliver swinging drawbar I scrounged up. Paint should be here next week.

Eric
 
Eric,

Always astounded by your ability to bring those machines back from the grave!

Finished up piece # 7 in my After the Hunt series. This one is called: "Cloverleaf Hole Blind at Beaver Dam." My interpretation of what 'Mr. Nash' might have gazed upon after taking the first duck of the morning.
Spatter-painted wigeon:


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That's an old Maurillo pintail/wigeon whistle I added to the tableau. I think that was purchased when Sarah and I were on our honeymoon on the Eastern Shore a long. long time ago. Almost impossible to find one of these now, but probably the best duck whistle I have ever heard. Actually has a little grooved wooden roller in the chamber that spins as air hits it. I tried to reverse engineer one once, but it's beyond me how they pulled it off in order to turn & fit all the parts.

Also pretty excited to have one of my 'After the Hunt' pieces on display in the juried show at the Springfirld Museum of Art, starting at the end of this month and running through October. I've always wanted to get one of these placed in a gallery setting to be seen by the general public.
 
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Eric~


Susan's Dad built the camp circa 1954 - definitely as a family retreat. Susan grew up several miles north of there.


I have hunted from there a few times - for the opener of the Lake Champlain Zone. It is separate from either NY or VT viz. season dates. We are at the widest part of the Lake. Best gunning is at either end. It's 124.9 miles top to bottom - so we do not enjoy the best opportunities.


If I see you at Tuckerton, I will give you a fuller back story.


All the best,


SJS

 
Eric,

You know what they say,,,,,, anybody that has a good grinder, can be a welder. [cool] [ninja]

Looks like another couple projects nicely done.
 
Eric, Bob, Patrick, Dave and others all great work. Bob, that wigeon is art and belongs in a proper display. Dave, you are making me envious of your turning abilities and the time you have to make such nice pieces.
 
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