Tractor Restoration Threads

[MasseyWV]

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.

From your response, I get the impression that you believe that even suggesting something as an alternate to TBN is tantamount to committing heresy, but you must understand that what I have in mind for documenting my restoration exceeds anything I have found online, at TBN or otherwise. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist, only that I haven't found it, at least not for free anyway. I'd rather not get into the details right now, but suffice it to say that it would literally be a step by step illustrated and highly detailed guide through the entire process.

The biggest problems I forsee with the presentation aspect of my project as it relates to forums (and perhaps even a blog) are in the format in which it's presented. Additions, changes, and corrections also become problematic, as I explained previously. That said, I'm starting to believe a hybrid approach might be best.

With regard to the knowledge I've gained, the vast majority of it (30 years worth) was gained from real life experience long before I had ever heard of TBN. Most (80%) of my knowledge specific to tractors is gained from reading my manuals and actually working on my tractor, with the rest being gained from multiple sources, including TBN. Otherwise, I rarely ask questions because I seldom get the answers I seek before I find them on my own. As for taking without giving, I think my posting history speaks for itself, I give plenty.

In all honesty, I'm surprised to have gotten this kind of reaction to considering the possibility of a blog, especially when I had also mentioned the possibility of creating a CD/DVD which would not be free like a blog would be.

 

[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

I've been giving this a lot of thought, and have decided that a combination of options 1 and 3 would provide the best of both worlds. A TBN forum thread for people to participate in and share in my progress, followed by a highly detailed CD/DVD for those who want a more structured and organized presentation of my tractor restoration.

 

[bushy48]

I can see advantages of 'as you go' and 'finished product', so if you're not sure yourself, do both, every so often give us an update, with plenty of pics of course, then at completion you could put together an even more comprehensive CD.
Can't wait for you to start the resto as I have a 135 sitting in the shed just hollering for a makeover.

 

[Soundguy]

i like restoration threads. especially ones showing daily progress pics and updates on what you ran into during that work session.

surprises.. or smooth sailing.

any parts you had to farmer-fab up.. or found fabbed up parts.. etc.

soundguy

 

[MasseyWV]

surprises.. or smooth sailing.

Mostly it's been smooth sailing, and there have been a few surprises. In fact I was surprised by something this morning, but more on that later. :confused2:

 

[Soundguy]

a cliffhanger i see!

 

[MasseyWV]

a cliffhanger i see!

I posted about it here:

My 1966 Massey 135 Tractor (Pics) - Page 12 - TractorByNet.com

 

[Soundguy]

ahh-ha!

 

[MasseyWV]

A TBN forum thread for people to participate in and share in my progress

I must admit that I find myself rapidly losing interest in a restoration thread because it's a little less "interactive" than I had hoped it would be. The general idea was to exchange information, but that doesn't seem to be happening.

 

[Soundguy]

can always check the # times viewed. think of it as a running blog...