Archive through June 15, 2004

[kweaver]

Dennis -- I have the Bobcat as mentioned before plus a 460 Amp Miller Tig / Stick BUT I bought the Century MIG. When I got the MIG I had tried using a 175 Miller and it was crap! I think they have changed them since then. The 175 I tried to use only had prest adjustments for the heat. I was trying to weld 1/4" steel and one setting was to cold and the next "click" was to hot. My Century is infinite on the heat and speed plus it has a "spot" , "stitch" setting too. Century Electric has been in biz a long time. The only time I couldn't walk into my local supply shop (60 mile round trip) and get what I wanted was with my spool gun. They didn't carry the type of tips it used so I had to order them from BRwelder. I used a Century 135 MIG before I bought mine and I liked it enough to get my 225. I've welded 1 inch thick aluminum with the 225 before I got the spool gun. A factory rep told me that it wasn't built to weld 1" aluminum and I shouldn't be trying it. I told him if it wouldn't do it then for them to come and get it out of here. It's still here! If 225 amps on a .045 wire wont burn into 1" aluminum then what would !

 

[kweaver]

Wyatt -- wish I still had my tcnet account ...
I've never heard of an M Detroit. Where those a later diy mod or a factory option ?

 

[wcompton]

Ken-
It looked aftermarket. I think there was some sort of diesel engine available from the factory before the famed MD, seems like it was a Perkins or something.

 

[dfrisk]

WYATT - It was a SHEPPARD Diesel. According to someone on the RPM forum it was the Quickest, most expensive way to change an M into an H. CUMMINS made a kit for the 400/450's in the late 1950's also that was pretty awesome. Big article several years ago in RPM about that. WYATT, Your old Buddy Jon Kinzbaugh has one I think. That 1456 Wheatland looks AWESOME! 1206 has to be one of the sharpest looking tractors IH ever made however. KEN - Your 225 Century was the welder I almost bought. Son & I keep looking at the new smaller TIG welders, Miller Synchrowave 180, Lincoln Squarewave 175, etc. I think We need to wait just a Little Longer for the price to come down some more. With the Mig, a 200A A/C Buzzbox arc welder, and gas torch, it's tough to convice the Wife I "Need another Welder"

 

[dkirk]

I always buy American made tools from Harbor Freight. With names like Chicago Pneumatic, Chicago Electric, Pittsburgh Forge, you know your getting quality American made stuff. I know the cardboard boxes are made in Taiwan, but who keeps the box?

I've got so many tools that next time the Stack-On man's truck drives by, I'm gonna flag him down and buy a new tool box.

 

[kweaver]

Dennis -- My buddy tried to buy my 460amp TIG and I drug my feet for a couple years not wanting to sell it , then I thought I'd sell it to him and buy a little carry TIG and take it to the marina to weld on the house boats down there. He didn't want it anymore ! The trouble with the little machines is the duty cycle. If I had only one rule to go by when choosing a machine I'd go with duty cycle. The big Miller TIG is 100% at max amps and it'll draw 105 amps on the 220v mains at full load ! It'll run on 3 phase too. Whish I had 3phase. I can't get it to weld pop cans as good as the Lincoln Idealarc we had at school back in the 70's. I prefer the Idealarc but for the price I guess I can live with the blue one. Auction buyers can't be real choosy

Wyatt -- so that's a Wheatland? Looks good , only needs a thousand pounds of bumper weights to look really good

I grew up on an old M with duals and wide front , I'd never seen a diesel other than in pics of the MD and I knew they weren't Detroits.

Tools from HF will never be in my tool box ! Snap -On or Craftsman or Mac only ! I've looked in the HF store at their quality , no way no how.

 

[wcompton]

Dave-
Since taking a vow of not stepping back to a (now known as) Blain's Scam & Retreat because of the A-hole manager of the store in Cedar Falls, I've gone to buying some Craftsman, and mostly Proto and S-K stuff.

 

[wcompton]

Ken-
Most Wheatland tractors didn't get much if any front weight. None were factory-equipped with a 3-point hitch, just a drawbar. The drawbar was low enough that it wouldn't have made much use of front weights. Most just have LOTS of fluid & rear weights.

 

[kweaver]

Wyatt -- I forgot ....... no hills up in your country

We ran oversized rears on everything with fluid and lots of weights up front. I've stood them up like they were hollowing at the moon. Pulling the 6 foot round baler on the road up one hill with our 2675 MF with cab it would need downshifted everytime and it'd pull the front wheels so we had 1k pounds put on the front to tame it.

 

[rdehli]

Wyatt wasn't the tractorcade NEAT!!!!!!!!!got some great video on tuesday. Idought if it will ever get within 2 blocks of my place again .

 

[rdehli]

Wyatt THE 660 thats what ya call a Big Dog isn't it . Didn't see my favorite red one, the 1026, suppose they were still in the field somewhere

(Message edited by rdehli on June 16, 2004)

 

[kweaver]

No Rob he missed that one ... sssssh don't tell him

 

[rdehli]

Ken He'll blam the skeeters I hear in Guttenburg they are as big as small dogs.

 

[mvondenstein]

I have just purchased a Model 108, or at least what could be a 108. It does have a 10hp kohler but none of the numbers jive with the year. Serial number on the engine is 3232642 and the chassis number is 385058R1. Do I have a pieced together Cub or is this possibly all original. Either way I know it is a Cub and I am happy.

 

[sblunier]

FWIW,

ALL of our pipeline welders at work use gas powered BLUE machines. Big-inch pipeline welders are usually equally split between Miller Bobcats and Lincoln Pipeliners.

My reasearch showed me that for "garage" welding, the Hobart products are an ideal value...Miller quality in many areas (most components are same and even say "Miller" on them), and small sacrifices in areas like transformer windings etc.

I have successfully welded 1/4" and 3/8" with carefull use of my 135 Hobart. Preheating is necessary for the 3/8" and preferred for the 1/4" stuff, but for Cub projects 1/4" is about the limit anyway.

I agree with the "buy big and turn it down" mindset, But don't discount some of the small machines.......I'd rather have my little 135 in the garage (that works for 99% of what I need to weld) than nothing !!!!

 

[sblunier]

Denny,

"Quickest, most expensive way to change an M into an H."........I love it!!!!!!!

 

[bmcmeen]

Mike V. -

Please read the FAQ mentioned at the top of the page - it has a question written JUST for you

<font size="-2">hint - 385058R1 isn't a serial number...</font>

 

[wcompton]

Nice Wheatland/Elwood tractor. I can't imagine they would have sold too many with the said drawbar-only use, but it sure looks neat!

 

[rmunday]

Quick question - anyone know what this cover plate is for?

,

I see two cover plates on the deck (one on each outer pulley), none over the center where the belt comes in from the mule. But if this covers that pulley I'll be damned if I can see where.

Quick profile with the deck pulled:

,

And I couldn't argue with the price:

,

 

[bmcmeen]

Rick M -

That goes on the bottom of the frame - the slot fits around the steering rod.