Jim, they’re calling for a bit of snow about 30 miles from here…
My grandfather bought this Fergie in the 60s for 1500SEK = 200USD. It’s been with us ever since. My father also still uses it from time to time. He’s now a pensionist since 10 years.
It’s a robust tractor compared to it’s size. Requires almost no maintenance. A little bit of grease in the joints every year, that’s all. Can’t remember even changing the oil in the last 15 years. That was when the oil plug was knockad off by a stump. I didn’t realise until it was to late. The crankrod bearings were damaged and couldn’t hold oil pressure. I shimmed them with cut stripes from a can of beans. Still holding up.
The only downside is that it has no hydraulic outlet. I think newer years has. But the 3-point works fine.
This 1947 was the first year taken into Sweden. Some have dual tanks. Gas and kerosene, wich was easier to get right after the war. You start up on gas and switch to kerosene when the engine is warmed up.
There are still plenty of Fergies here. Quite a few enthusiast clubs driving them in parades and stuff. Mine has still many years of work to do before it will be allowed to attend to such nonsense
It’s hard to get a tractor down. I’ve got two Farmall H’s. One was made the same year I was–1937 I keep it to see who will last longer. It has two tanks and then it had a shroud that you closed on the radiator to keep the engine running hot on kerosene. The other is about a '47. I have pulled the baler with them but they are mostly for light duty-- pulling hay wagons. I bought a Ford which is a brother to your fergerson. Took a couple of years of putsing with it to get it to run and now I am too busy with woodgas to use it. I got a cord wood saw with it and I don’t use that either now that I got my hay baler chunkier working.TomC
Ferguson only introduced the live pto with the 35 I think. My tea20 is a 1953 and does not have live pto either. I don’t think the dual tank model ever showed up here. I love mine I just spent the money for a new ring gear and starter. The tractor is Currently in two pieces in the garage. It’s just a great little beast.
OMG, I’ll never be able to stop building now!
Thanks Herb now I know how to get through that pile of patties faster. I never thought to use my camera !
That is making some mighty fine chunks. Seeing, you sold the Caddy, how about shipping some chunks this way. Just don’t ship me any with fingers or finger tips in them. TomC
hey if there is free chunks out there I’m not picky i’ll take fingers and all
Hello Wayne
Good wood pile, Do you think wood can get to old and dry to make good fuel.
I chopped some boards out of a bran that had ben dry for at least 70 years they burn good but with not as much power. They were like petrified oak maybe to dry.
Hi Jim, all wood dries to a level consistant with the relative humility of the air around it. The south is a little higher than the north, which is a little higher than the southwest. Air drying will yield about 20-25% moisture in the south. For 1" or 2" boards, 6 months is the same as 6 years. That’s why a kiln is required to reach optimum levels for cabinetry (8-12%) or a little higher for framing lumber. Wood will deteriorate due to extreme heat or high moisture levels, and wood that has undergone some mold or mildew can never be restored to original quality.
edit: here is the table I was using to find Wood Equilibrium Moisture Content
http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html
Hello Jim
. [quote=“smokeyjim, post:533, topic:220”]
Do you think wood can get to old and dry to make good fuel.
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The wood can get too dry to chunk in a hurry but as for too dry to use in the gasifier I don’t know .
I think Carl nailed it pretty good.
The humidity here as I type is 93%
Hello Wayne & Carl
I guess I used the wrong words when I said to dry.
Should have said old and brittle, when prying off 1x6 boards a lot of them will just break before they pop loose. But not rotten just rock hard giving the appearance of being bone dry so to speak.
Cut this up with a table saw and some times I could see sparks. Mixed some fresh cut green chunks with it and made the old truck run like a wild cat.
I’m no expert on this, but I seem to remember some discussion of adding a bit of water for more hydrogen in the gas. Perhaps if this wood is dryer than normal, it is containing less hydrogen and less power. Since you gained power when you added some wetter stuff with it, seems to support that idea.
Green wood would also have a lot of the sap (sugars and tars) in it, which are energy-dense. Since the rest of the wood was so dry, the average moisture content would still be low, allowing extra heat energy to be used to breakdown the sap chemicals.
You are absolutley right Jim, wood looses its energy density over time. The air, heat, fungi, bacteria ect. slowly break down wood to a point eaven if it is kept dry.
hi wayne I see you were very lucky with that near mis
I see you run the branches through your chunker did you mill the rest then chunk it . that pile looks mighty big for just branches.