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The Next Project is heading back to Indy!

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 19:34:57 GMT

February 16th, 2019 - the next project arrives...

The year is 1948...

...The Olympics are being held in London, Howdy Doody is on TV, President Harry S Truman re-elected with all these great happenings going on there is one more to talk about, Allis Chalmers is starting production on the G Series Tractor, featuring a massive 4-cylinder engine, producing a whopping 10 horse power. All kidding aside this tractor was designed for small scale farming, the design is unique and one that is mimicked to this day by Tilmor Tractor company, who admits to modeling their machine after the G.

So what do we have:

1948 Allis Chalmers G Serial #9581, I'm unsure of the complete family history on this one, but it was not one of the original primary tractors used on the farm, it was bought by Robert Vonderau for his AC collection consisting of an B, CA, WD45 and an AC all-crop combine or two. It has been barn kept since purchased but running condition has been unknown, stories of the tractor running this century have been heard but I still haven't seen or heard it run.

What's the plan:

Let's get this piece of agricultural history back up and running! At first look I have a good project ahead of me, good news is the engine is not stuck, which is not surprising since all the equipment I have been playing with/fixing from the farm have always been well winterized. The tires will need to be replaced since dry rot has ruined the ones currently on it but it does roll very easily and the tubes are holding some air. 6V battery is dead which isn't surprising. Needless to say, the Prius (yes, I know...) is getting kicked out of the garage for the next couple of months.

Triage:

Please understand I am not a mechanic, don't claim to be, but I do enjoy fixing things on the side, so this is a great learning experience for me. Here is how I am planning to attack this project:

1st- get a rolling chassis, for this we will need two new front tires. The rears seem to be holding air even though they are horribly dry rotted but non the less, they will hold air and the weight of the tractor. This will allow me to get it off the trailer and into the garage.

2nd: Engine is free, but will she fire? Battery purchase, then find if we have spark, compression and combustion.

3rd: Once running, replace all fluids.

4th: New rear tires, this is the part that will hurt the piggy bank.

4th: drop the plow in the yard because what the hell else am I going to use this for!?

Check back for progress later and thanks for reading! Ben

Can someone grow $500 dollars worth of chicken in their 1/4 acre backyard?

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 19:34:57 GMT

So here is the deal, I'm not a huge fan of most the chicken offered in the grocery store; white fats, no flavor and what really gets me is I have no clue where it comes from. Keep in mind I live in Indiana where many of the large poultry producers and processors are located.

To answer the question above about what to do, well buy local or grow it yourself.

Hold on tight, this is going to be a quick journey only lasting 8 weeks. Yes, you heard correct 8 weeks approximately from hatch to harvest.

Day old chicks arrive home:

So you picked up 25 fuzzy little peeping chicks from the local supply house or had them shipped to the local postal service. Do you have everything you need? The brooder should be setup at least 24 hours to chicks arriving. Water, heat, shavings, should all be in place in a secure structure where the chicks can grow for the next 3-4 weeks. Don't wait until they arrive to do this. You will be scrambling and wishing you had done it earlier.

Brooder setup

I've done a variety of different brooder setups in the past from large Tupperware bins to my current plywood and tarp setup. here are a few pointers I have.

1) Make it out in the shed or barn when possible, this prevents a lot of dust and odors from happening in your home.

2) Make it expandable, I now am using 2' tall plywood with a tarp laid over it.

3) Make it secure from predators (including house cats) and cold drafts.

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duda-owner-ionos@ionos.com (Duda Owner IONOS) — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 19:34:56 GMT

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