Tractor Restoration Threads

[MasseyWV]

As I slowly prepare to begin restoring my Massey 135 tractor, I've been considering the possibility of creating a restoration thread when the time comes. That said, I'd like to get some input from my fellow TBN members. To give you a better idea of what I would like to know, here are a few questions that come to mind. Please feel free to add your own.

1. Do you like or dislike restoration threads? Why?
2. What would you like to see or not see?
3. How much detail is too much?
4. How should it be organized and/or presented?
5. Can one have too many pictures?
6. Should the thread be created before or after the restoration is complete?

 

[flusher]

As I slowly prepare to begin restoring my Massey 135 tractor, I've been considering the possibility of creating a restoration thread when the time comes. That said, I'd like to get some input from my fellow TBN members. To give you a better idea of what I would like to know, here are a few questions that come to mind. Please feel free to add your own.

1. Do you like or dislike restoration threads? Why?
2. What would like to see or not see?
3. How much detail is too much?
4. How should it be organized and/or presented?
5. Can one have too many pictures?
6. Should the thread be created before or after the restoration is complete?

1. Like you, I restore old tractors--so I'm all in favor of as many such threads as possible. I've been working for nearly 4 years on a 1951 Minneapolis Moline BF complete restoration. Lord willing, I'll finish it one of these days. Also have a 1951 Farmall Super A on the to-do list. Have already done a partial restoration on a 1964 MF 135 diesel Deluxe with multipower. Just finished junking a 1948 Farmall Cub (busted off bolster flange on the engine block can't be welded so the block is trash) and am looking for another one to restore.

2 and 5. Photos, photos and more photos. Also tips on problem solving--removing rusted bolts, stuck pulleys. Welding broken parts. Unique tools either purchased or build DIY.

3. More detail the better.

4 and 6. Chronologically during the restoration.

 

[MIKE R]

1. Do you like or dislike restoration threads? Why?
2. What would you like to see or not see?
3. How much detail is too much?
4. How should it be organized and/or presented?
5. Can one have too many pictures?
6. Should the thread be created before or after the restoration is complete?

1. I like restoration threads. I similar to FLUSHER have antique tractors and restore them. I like the restoration threads because it helps others when they are restoring their tractor giving them a idea of what to expect and how far into a restoration they want to go.

2 and 3. Show every thing. From the stuck piston to the rusted/ broken off bolt the more detail the better and when you look back on it after you can feel proud that many people will enjoy the journey of your restoration.

4. Organize it in chronological order.

5. Never to many pictures. They also help resembling the machine as to where parts go and how things were mounted.

6. Created during the restoration. People can look forward to hearing from you every day with pictures and a shorter more detailed explanation compared to one big blurb about the machine and a few of the major issues.

7. Keep track of the time you spend on the restoration. You will be surprised how fast the time adds up.

 

[CTPhil]

I like tractor restoration threads, any way you want to do it.

 

[banjodunn]

Great to read through these type of threads and yes lots of pics you never know when someone else is doing one the same and can't remember whether it was the doodaddy or the whatsit that goes onto the thingamyjig


Jon

 

[MasseyWV]

Lately, I've been giving more thought to my upcoming restoration and how I could share it with others. However, I'm torn about the method of presentation, which is the primary reason why I created this thread.

Option 1: I could share my progress during the restoration, but doing so might make a forum thread difficult to follow because things are often not done in any given order during a restoration. Forum threads frequently stray off topic, which only further complicates matters.

Option 2: I could wait until the restoration is complete, then present it in a logical ordered progression, showing each major step in a categorized fashion, with each major step being it's own post within the restoration thread. Each section could be created and edited ahead of time, then posted in rapid succession so they would be in the correct order. However, this option requires that the restoration be complete, which can take a long time, sometimes years, if it's done properly.

Option 3: I could wait until the restoration is complete, then create a CD, much like the one that was previously offered by Big Dean before he passed away. This option would also require that the restoration be complete, but it would allow me to precisely control the presentation format while providing much more detail than could ever be done in a forum thread, with the added benefit of allowing me to generate revenue to help offset the cost of the restoration.

Option 4: I could use a combination of options 1-3.

As for option 1, I do (sort of) have an ongoing progress thread going now. However, much detail has been omitted, and it's anything but easy to follow certain steps of the process because it was never intended to be a restoration thread.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...rating/241531-my-1966-massey-135-tractor.html

 

[Domush]

The "as you go along" method has worked very well for me. If you have a question during a restore and there is no thread to follow, do you plan to start a new thread for every possible question? Seems like forum spam doing it that way.

I use photo hosting, that way I can post the helpful photos in the thread, but if people want/ need more photos they can visit the hosting site as well.

Check out my restore threads in my signature, especially part three. You will begin to see just how useful a long running thread can be to you and those following along, both in helping you with problems and learning from it.

I would definitely not post it all at once, for one simple reason: you forget all of the best details when you look back. It's the details most people have questions about, so you aren't helping anyone by posting vague before and after photos with a summary.

Cheers on posting a restore thread. Not enough people pay it forward, as it were.

 

[MasseyWV]

The "as you go along" method has worked very well for me. If you have a question during a restore and there is no thread to follow, do you plan to start a new thread for every possible question? Seems like forum spam doing it that way.

I use photo hosting, that way I can post the helpful photos in the thread, but if people want/ need more photos they can visit the hosting site as well.

Check out my restore threads in my signature, especially part three. You will begin to see just how useful a long running thread can be to you and those following along, both in helping you with problems and learning from it.

I would definitely not post it all at once, for one simple reason: you forget all of the best details when you look back. It's the details most people have questions about, so you aren't helping anyone by posting vague before and after photos with a summary.

Cheers on posting a restore thread. Not enough people pay it forward, as it were.

You make good points, and I agree that the "as you go along" method has certain advantages. However, I'm meticulous about keeping detailed notes and taking high resolution pictures, so the "all at once" method also has certain advantages. Thus, my conundrum.

Unfortunately, you hit the nail on the head by saying that not enough people pay it forward. Documented restorations are often hard to find, and as more and more time passes, I'm beginning to learn why. Lets just say that the internet, especially forums, can be "interesting" and perhaps even discouraging at times.

 

[MasseyWV]

I've been thinking, and just realized that there is an alternative for presentation that I hadn't considered until now, I could create a blog.

Creating a blog would allow me full control of everything, with the added benefit of being able to make edits and/or corrections whenever I wanted, without having the burden of edit time constraints imposed by most forums. Having a blog would also solve the image hosting problem, while giving me full control of them as well.

Granted, a blog does have some drawbacks, but it solves many problems, and I really like having full control of everything at all times. It would also permit me to share my progress via many social media outlets, including TBN, without the need to post it to multiple sources. A simple link to the blog could be included in my signature so people could visit it whenever they wanted.

Simple and effective, I like it.

 

[Domush]

I tend to consider personal blogs to be the bane of the internet. They never stick around long term, are one off's at best and take away from specialized info centers like this one.

Besides, I never click on outside links on forums. "If it were relevant, it would be on the forum" is how I approach outside links. Not to mention the link could lead anywhere. Just not worth the hassle or the risk.

Call me cynical, but I see a personal blog as a forum vampire. Will you only post your questions on your blog? Or will you use the forum for taking knowledge, but only give knowledge via your outside blog?

Now, if you planned on restoring tractors for a living, and starting a blog with many restores and helpful tips, articles, then sure a blog would be a real site with real information. But a blog with one restore.. What's the point? If anything it's a slap in the face of tbn, saying "thanks for the help, now I'll take my knowledge elsewhere."

Maybe I'm missing some great benefit which outweighs all of these negatives, but I doubt it.