A friend of mine came over today to help turn wrenches on my 1975 Troy Bilt Horse tiller. Which means that I spent the last two days clearing shit out of the garage, adding to the metal pile and loading the truck with landfill food. Resisted the urge to keep all that “perhaps useful at some point” stuff and further cram pack the barn loft. I’m beginning to like wide open spaces. I gathered up every mechanic type tool I could find scattered between the basement, barn, back porch and underneath and behind the seats of my truck. Made a big pile on the floor and set out to decide what stays and what gets dumped in the 135 dollar a ton scrap metal barrel. Four band cutters? Down to one. Culled at least 2 dozen mangled screwdrivers. Decided I didn’t need eleventeen claw hammer heads. Now my Craftsman roll away tool cabinet holds all my tools… and they’re all in one place. Life is good.
Didn’t take very long to pull the engine assembly off the tiller and the new one straight out of the box slipped in without a hitch. Then we found a small bushing on the floor… Tore it all down again and of course the bushing went on the first thing we disassembled, but that’s how it always goes, eh? Since the motor swap took so little of the day I tore out the tiller tine shaft to get at the bearings and the seals that were leaking gear oil all over the place. A little shopping online at custompartsinc.com and after downloading the original owners manual that came with the tiller in the old days, figuring out the sequence of part number changes over the years, and fifty bucks later, I’ll be waiting for the postman to bring it to me.
It’s a 180 page manual that shows not only how to operate and maintain the tiller, but also how to tear the whole thing apart and put it back together. Back in the old days when people were human. Too bad it runs on petroleum…
Here’s a paragraph from the manual:
The business of supplying replacement parts to former Rototiller dealers and thousands of Rototiller owners was sold to our present company, which at that time was called Watco Machine Products Corp. In 1968 we changed our name to Garden Way Manufacturing Company Inc., to more aptly describe the company’s commitment to promoting home vegetable gardening as a better way of life.(italics mine).
!968 Hippie shit. Today the market is flooded with cheap assed made in china throwaway after a couple of seasons wannabe tillers. I’ll do my part and toss that piece of shit front tine MTD that I bought a couple of years ago when I couldn’t find the time to fix the Tro Bilt into the metal pile after it sits out in the rain and rots for a couple of years. Maybe sell it for a hundred bucks on Craig’s List and buy a new set of Bolo tines.
One more backlogged major deal off the list of shit to do. One step closer to spring…
comrade simba 
January 21, 2011 at 3:03 am |
Hey Comrade,
Yup, Troy Built stuff is pretty good, I’ve run some of the rear tine tillers. Most of the front tillers are a pain in the ass to use and are generally pretty cheesy shit.
Ever heard of Gravely? Some of the most overbuilt tough do anything machines I’ve ever seen. Back in early 80’s I wanted one. Basic power unit was over $5 grand, then you had to buy the attachments. Now the company is only making mowers. Too bad, their farm/garden equipment was the best of the best.
I’ve got a pair of Mantis tillers. Tough little machines and not that expensive at all and cheap to run and maintain. Do just fine for our little 1500 sq ft garden and not hard to use. Work well on raised beds.
Boy do I sympathize with the extra stuff around and no space for it all. My shop is aisle ways with some bench space.
We got another 3 months to spring. Long winters up here.
January 21, 2011 at 6:04 am |
Made arrangements for a 6ft PTO tiller to come out, traded hay for services. (got hay cut for free on shares last summer, hehe) Kinda hard to think about spring right now, since can’t even see any dirt here! Got 17 tons of really nice composted dairy cow manure coming, unemployed dumptruck driver wants 30 bucks to deliver…sheesh, can’t beat that!
Your post reminds me I got to get my shed in order. all winter run in toss tools anywhere and everywhere in a hurry, what a mess.
Speaking of cheap china crap, couldn’t find a decent pair of winter muck boots, that actually last, all crap! Finally broke down and bought a pair of Sorel’s…holy moley, no more cold assed feet! rated to -40….mmmm toasty! Someone actually makes something in this country!
January 21, 2011 at 2:07 pm |
Guy who returned trying to talk me out of more of my ole cars, who I sent away empty, told me junk cars are $200 per ton. That was just a couple a three days ago. But then that’s me talking about time, something I don’t seem to have a clue about. Ask anybody.
Apparently, getting whatever much out of the scrap yard depends on how it arrives. Tossing your other scrap into a junk car to fatten it out, weight-wise, can get you more if you don’t over-do it. I try to take out the marketable parts and put in other junk to make it weigh about the same. Don’t even be tossing out copper or aluminum. It is probably gonna be currency if your doom scenario plays out like you are banking on. I figure a rocket stove can melt down those metals into ounce or even smaller-sized pellets, coins, whatever shape you like.
Of course, I haven’t built my own rocket stove yet, having way too many “roun-too-its” in the queue.
I can’t see much of the floor in any of my buildings right now. But it is Winter, which changes that some.
January 28, 2011 at 3:18 am |
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If I write a pissy enough comment will you do a new post?
How about this: sell carbon offsets online. Peeple send you money and you sequester carbon in a bucket. Everyone feels better afterwards. If anyone asks for their carbon, you can ship it UPS.
[Inset diabolical laughter]
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January 28, 2011 at 8:35 am |
jB, in this nation of asshattery that would probably sell. And no one would recognize the net loss after shipping.
To the hopper with the lot of ’em.
January 28, 2011 at 1:51 pm |
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Sigh. You’re probably right.
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