MT160D

[techwrtr2]

Was looking to see if I had "before" & "after" photos. These two, while not exactly aligned, show pretty-much the same area:

View attachment 390695





View attachment 390696

Those bushes it looks like you mowed around center of picture, they aren't bush honeysuckle are they?

 

[Capricious]

If you had a cabin there, you could make a weekend of the visit. And plan to bring the tractor home during the winter maybe etc. I think having to drive 200 miles to mow the grass would be a serious hassle regardless of how I cut it. But that's me. I'm not exactly fond of long drives.

Oh, it is a hassle. No doubt. I had been making weekend trips, spending Saturday nights camped out in the back of the truck, although to do that I have to unload all my gear (chainsaws, shovel, axe, tools, cooler, etc.) and tarp it on the ground. In 2012 I made 14 trips down there, all but one were 2-day trips. 27 days working on site- almost a month. But back then I was re-clearing several years of growth. I'm now pretty much at the point where I just need to "hold what I got."

With the rotary cutter I really only need to cut it once a year (although twice would be better) vs. mowing it several times when I was cutting with the Sears garden tractor, so that will cut down on the driving quite a bit, which was the goal. I don't really care for long drives, either. Plus it costs money to make a 400 mile round trip. I am hoping the reduced number of trips will more-or-less pay for this old tractor & cutter over the next few years.

I considered trying to hire someone to cut it, but then I would still need to go down and make sure they did what they were supposed to do.

 

[Capricious]

Those bushes it looks like you mowed around center of picture, they aren't bush honeysuckle are they?

I wouldn't know how to identify them.

But what that is, is a big pile of half-burned logs/debris from the bulldozing a decade ago.

I have several such debris piles, and have been slowing dismantling them, as well as slowing picking up and piling the rocks.
That smaller growth in lower center is a rock pile.

Yea, I know how to have a good time.

 

[Capricious]

Those bushes it looks like you mowed around center of picture, they aren't bush honeysuckle are they?

You know, 90% (or more) of the stuff I am dealing with I can not identify. I have just learned what stuff to stay away from, such as trees with big thorns (maybe locust, maybe something else, I don't know.)

 

[oliver28472]

I came through St. Louis a week ago yesterday. If I had been thinking I would have brought my spare (used but OK) ignition switch for you. I was in Boonville for the Steam Engine show. Have friends in Fulton.

 

[Capricious]

I came through St. Louis a week ago yesterday. If I had been thinking I would have brought my spare (used but OK) ignition switch for you. I was in Boonville for the Steam Engine show. Have friends in Fulton.

A long way from NC.

I used to go to swap meets of a different type, but have not had the time in recent years. Missed one this past weekend:

Quincy Classic Boat & Outboard Show - Home

I need to run the tractor about another 4 hrs to finish my cutting for the year, and then I have all winter to play with it, and will probably replace the switch. It works, but it takes two hands to start the engine. With both hands on the switch i can't see the pre-heat indicator light, but i can feel it heating-up.

So far the thing is running pretty well, other than the fast idle when hot, but I still have this feeling that this thing is gonna bite me on the butt at some point.

Time will tell.

 

[techwrtr2]

You know, 90% (or more) of the stuff I am dealing with I can not identify. I have just learned what stuff to stay away from, such as trees with big thorns (maybe locust, maybe something else, I don't know.)

I mentioned bush honeysuckle because it's invasive. Anywhere you have open ground around here, there's a really good chance that stuff will pop up. If you have it growing, it's best to do whatever you can to remove it.

I spent most of a week running an excavator to rip it out of the ground on my family's property.

 

[Capricious]

I mentioned bush honeysuckle because it's invasive. Anywhere you have open ground around here, there's a really good chance that stuff will pop up. If you have it growing, it's best to do whatever you can to remove it.

I spent most of a week running an excavator to rip it out of the ground on my family's property.

One "invasive species" I know I have is the Ozarks Cedar, or what everyone around here calls cedar, but is really some type of juniper, as I understand it. It's takes over everywhere the ground has been cleared around here, but is not native. I have cut and burned several hundred of the things.

I have not noticed anything that seems to resemble bush honeysuckle, as pictured here:
Invasive Species in the Field Guide | Missouri Department of Conservation

...but I'm sure I have others from the list.

 

[techwrtr2]

Invasive stuff is a royal pain to say the least. I have more than one of the plants mentioned on that site, plus others not mentioned.

 

[Capricious]

Stayed at home this weekend. Mowed about 1.5 to 2 acres for the non-profit, but used the old Sears garden tractor.


Decided to check valve lash on the Mitsubishi- it sounded a bit clattery.

Valve cover off;






Really really sludgy:





Clearances were not bad all all. Tightened-up two, loosened two, and left two alone:






Tried to clean out some of the sludge laying on the head:






The drawbar only has two of its four bolts; pulled one bolt and took it to the hardware store to match-up, but
this bolt is something different. I'ts not metric fine thread or coarse thrread. It's close to 1/2 by 20, but it's not 1/2 by 20.

I will need to stop by a fastener store to try to match the thing.