SEASONS GREETINGS

A happy Christmas and peaceful new year to all following my blog.

Baring some mechanical tweaking this restoration is complete and I’m anxious to show some photos of the finished article but for the moment this is proving impossible. Although well lit there’s no room to photograph the mower with the ride-on attachment in my garage and outside we’re still under several inches of snow.  I’m awaiting a clear sunny day but not holding my breath ! 

Back in the new year.

VIDEOS

At long last I've managed to add a couple of videos to this blog.
The first has been included in my post of Sunday 14th November 2010 regarding the problem I was having with the frame alignment. This is of course now history as the problem was resolved. The second brief video has been added to my post of Sunday 7th November 2010 and shows the rear roller being de-rusted prior to lacquering.
Work on the grassbox is now finished, I'm awaiting a transfer and then a photo will be posted.
 

MORE WORK ON THE BOX

I’ve now finished preparing the grass box ready for painting. This has taken much longer than anticipated.  I used Plastic Padding Chemical Metal as a filler over the small irregularities which I had previously used on other projects. As a metal to metal adhesive and although obviously not as strong as welding I would certainly recommend it for non load bearing joints or where ferrous and non ferrous metals need to be jointed. As a filler however it sets far too hard and is a devil of a job to sand down. Anyway after a great deal of elbow grease the box is now as smooth as I can get it and will have to be brought indoors for painting this coming week.

WORKING ON THE GRASS BOX

With my garage now a barmy +2 deg C I’ve spent today preparing the grass box. A few areas have filler and this has been rubbed down and smoothed. One panel on the front face is just a bit lumpy and bumpy so I’m trying to hammer this flat but as I’m no panel beater I may only succeed in converting a few small bumps into numerous tiny ones as in a planished effect.

As the box has a matt finish in what I think is red oxide primer the bumpy section doesn’t show clearly enough to photo but certainly would be apparent when gloss painted.  As I attempt to smooth the panel I’m wetting the surface to show up the irregularities ( plus my poor panel beating!) but if my efforts don’t succeed I may resort to layering a piece of thin aluminium over the irregular area.

This prep’ing of the grass box will take a while and it’s far too cold for painting so I’ll only post again when there’s some progress to report.  

AL GORES GONE QUIET

8am 2/12/10 update from last nights post.  We’re now under 11” of snow with more falling as I type and forecast to continue for the rest of the day. If I don’t post again within a couple of days could someone please organise a rescue party – me first then the Atco and finally Mrs Grass.

Anyway I digress. Helping push the van driver out of the snow yesterday should have been the last thing to do given my back problems but miraculously this morning I’m pain free so something must have clicked back into place. I may even venture into the freezer which is my garage to start work on the grass box. Or maybe not!

CHRISTMAS BOX ? NO, GRASS BOX !

A follower –topgunhorse- has very kindly given me his grass box and, furthermore, gone to great lengths even to have it delivered. I really am most grateful.  Here on Epsom Downs we’re under a good 6” of snow (correction now 8") and it only took an hour and a half to push the delivery van the 30 yards to the top of the Close !  So my sincere appreciation also goes to the driver who may not yet have thawed out.

The box is in remarkable condition given its age but I may resort to some minor metal bashing, painting etc but not ‘till the weather improves as my enthusiasm for this restoration doesn't extend to working on frozen steel in my arctic garage. As I posted earlier this project is on ice – now literally.

 Weather permitting this should keep me busy over the Christmas break and anyway what else would I be doing – eating, drinking and making merry ? No thanks, bah humbug!