I agree with you too; it’s better to know how to do things yourself, especially since we live in a consumerist society these days. It’s rare to find someone who actually bothers to make repairs; usually, a repairman just shows up, says it’s beyond fixing, and tells you it needs to be replaced.
For instance, the fan on my heat pump stopped starting up properly. I could have called a repairman, which would have cost me 200 euros, but I did a little research and found out it was just the start capacitor. Replacing it cost me 2 euros and took me 15 minutes, working at a leisurely pace.
I know people who get their lawnmowers serviced every year at a cost of 150 euros. I’ve never done that, not even myself (I only worry about it if there’s a problem). Just imagine the high-end lawnmower I could buy with the money I’ve saved.
But then again, DOW enthusiasts are naturally more resourceful and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty.
Maybe someone is wondering if Fergie is still working, I literally don’t have much to report, it has become an indispensable machine on the farm. Today I started cleaning the radiators, because a lot of dust and grass had accumulated, the water reached the boiling point under load, there were no other problems, it works in the “fill up and drive (work)” mode.
Some people say that wood gas is for old people who drive slowly, but with a tractor I find the opposite, on diesel fuel the Fergie works lazily and slowly, you stop and interrupt work whenever you feel like it, well, wood gas is a more “bouncy” fuel, when the fire is burning, you won’t stop to drink a “spritzer” or a beer, the engine works lively and softly and pushes you to work, … similar to a race, …
tone , it is obviously also some kind of fanatism, at least at my side,
a real gasifierer not let it more for the rest of the life…
nd this is true, when the engine is fired up, no stop for a beer or a gspritzter, this can be done after work…but maybee a charcoal gasifier would be easier to restart after a short working break, maybee with partially open hopper lid the glowing area will remain for a new start…
you mentioned the cooler temperature…on my fiat crawler, ex petrol engine, is written in the manual that water temperatur should be 85 - 95 degree, the last number seems high, but depends it for petrol use?
I delivered my 1972 Simplicity Baron downdrafter to the farm where they show old tractors and engines. The public show is tomorrow. They usually have 200 guests. The guys who are helping set up had never seen a gasifier. I started it up and they we duly impressed.
Yesterday morning, I had these visitors in the garden; they’re probably checking to see what’s left to eat for the winter.
It looks like this today—the worst frost so far. I can only hope the deer keds died off last night, though that’s hardly likely.
Even Swedish deer are polite and patient. Unlike the Swedish deer, the American ones move in as soon as stuff starts growing, and don’t stop browsing until it is all gone or the gardener gave up. I find woodchucks and other vermin have the same attributes as the deer. Although admittedly, i reduced the woodchuck population by 7 and the coon population by at least 3 this year, and I need to go get more ammo before deer season.
I had to replace the pump, fittings, and hoses in the well; then I set up a sprinkler on the lawn outside the well (drawing water from the lake), and after a few days, I had water in the well again.
Something like that must be around here too. You earned a medal, and for having the same politicians for four years. Here, we are longer without then with some steering . And as long as there are none, things go better
Same at work. If we (workers) are having a day off we have to be replaced. Our bosses on the other hand can be away for ever and things keep going anyway
Yesterday i was invited to show chainsaws at a farming and forestry museum, i got some time to help starting up the woodgas tractor that the museum has access to. (I have probably written about it before)
This time it was under insurance, and could join the tractor parade.
I got the honor to drive it
As the guy’s that converted this tractor some years ago, had no woodgas experience, it was a little special, the speed governor didn’t work perfectly, and the secondary air valve was waaay to sensitive, but it was real fun anyway, and it started fast and easy. Now i need to speed up my fergie project again…
just a little update. Trany is starting to go in my dakota, havnt driven that much at all lately. Dad on the other hand has been working his truck on a regular basis. He mostly hy-breds with it. but it has been far more efficiant than on straight Dino. he probably gets 7ish/mpg on straight Dino, and he is getting at least 4 times that with the mix
He is running cheep soft wood though, getting it for $4 a bundle from a local mill. He hasn’t yet, but would like to get some hardwood to chunk up and do a comparison.
His distributor is stuck. and he still hasn’t taken the time to free it up. so im sure he would gain some horsepower there when he manages to adjust the timing.
but if you ask him, he enjoys loading upthe hopper and putting it to work…he is deffinatly glad he built it.
Just FYI this was an earlier WK design. I believe this one only has 8 ports in the gassifier.
göran, moving your tractor project forward, is a good idea, i think the motor is like ours on the fiat, kerosene engine with 2250 ccm…i must say it has good power with working on the field with our hard clay ground full with stones…we wait to see your fergie driving on wood…
Something like that must be around here too. You earned a medal, and for having the same politicians for four years. Here, we are longer without then with some steering 
