Late last year I was lucky enough to purchase a very good copy of a Ferguson tractor cover. The pattern had been taken from an original cover. There was however one thing missing. It had the Ferguson logo printed on both sides, It had cord to hold the cover down around the tractor, It ever had panels of soft cotton inside so the side lights would not get scratched. Missing was a slot at the end of the bonnet with a pocket to take the single headlight. I of course on my tractor have such a headlight. So the cover has been draped half heartedly over the tractor until now.

Yesterday I visited the person who sold me the cover and I took a pattern from his original cover which DOES have the pocket in.

Tonight I’ve been eagerly turning that paper template into a trial version of the light cover. I hope to make or have made a canvas version once I’m happy with the dimensions.

The start:

I found an old shirt with a whole in the arm that I wear whilst in the garage. Ideal for the job of being cut up and used as trial fabric.

The Pattern:

I cut out the panels to match the measurement I tool last night. The front is one panel, the back is in 3 pieces to match the curved shape of the back of the 7″ diameter FT57 lamp.

Stitching:

The three back panels have been stitched together first from the middle out to make them symetrical.

Finished Stitching:

Now the back is stitced on as well. The cover is inside out as the moment.

Trial:

With the cover turned inside out so all the stiching is on the inside I tried the cover, it fits. The only change, I think I will allow more material all the way round the templates to allow for stitching but on the whole I’m please with this first attempt. now I have to find som canvers similar to the cover, unpick the stiching in the cover and sow the finished lamp pocket in.

15/01/2009 Update

I’ve updated the template and made all panels 1/2″ bigger to allow room for a seams to be added. The cover made from thin cotton is a snug fit so with stiff canvas the light might not have fitted over.

I’ve taken the cover and template to:
M & N Canvas Service LTD

They say it will take about a week to carry out the modifications. I was also told visually the new canvas will look brighter.

29/01/2010 Update

I’ve got the cover back and it looks fab. It’s not 100% as I wanted it but it’s close. The colour difference is the most noticeable  think at the moment. I also had my pocket larger than the normal/original one as the normal size tends to be to tight.

Here  is an original cover and pocket.

Five days and counting (well from when I posted this) Until the Reborn tractor MF135 restoration DVD is available. After over 14,000 hits on their website in October alone I anticipate demand for the DVD to be high. I’ll be ordering my DVD and I can’t wait to see how they have got on. All I’ve seen so far has been the tantalising snippets on the website and pictures on Flickr.com. The team seem keen to promote the ups and downs of the restoration process a touch which I’m sure will lend great honesty to the whole thing. Sometimes it’s better passing on what you get wrong and would do differently next time that means more than the things you got right.

Stephen the producer did also mention in his email about the release that if all goes well they may look at restoring another tractor and they would let the readers decide on the tractor. If this happens I’ll be voting for A TE-20 and getting you lot to do the same.

Order your copy from friday at www.reborntractor.net

Usually only a Horse ploughing match, this year Beamish decide to show what replaced horses on the farm. Enter me. I was asked to demonstrate using the museums TE-A20 (TVO converted) Ferguson and my 2 Furrow plough. I had so much fun. A big thank you to Beamish for letting me be there.

The day started very much earlier than the opening picture. I Had travelled up from Sheffield the day before and spent the evening chatting to the plough match competitors. I was told it was a very friendly sort of an event.  At about 7:30am I made my way to where the tractor was stored. Why did I get up so early when the ploughing didn’t star until 10:30am. I had to build my plough before I could use it.

Armed only with two trusty Ferguson spanners and a pot of grease It took about an hour to put the whole thing back together. I’m glad I remembered to  take a couple of pictures of it all assembled to know how to reassemble it from pieces.

Not bad for £75 Well that’s what I paid for it originally. I’d struggle to get one as good for £275 now. The mouldboards and skimmers and coulters are covered in grease from the last time I used the plough It is not rust on them.

Ferguson Tractor Jack

With the plough assembled with plenty of time to spare I could experiment with the Ferguson Tractor Jack I had bought as Auction a couple of months earlier. I can’t remember why I only bought the back section. I have the front. With the right lower links fitted to the tractor (the original lwer links not new replacements like my tractor) it was easy to attach the jack.

So then the moment of truth the lift. Needless to say it all went according to plan both back wheels off the ground ready to either change the wheels or alter the track width.

It works and it works so well. You can see a movie below of the lowering process.

With the Tractor filled with TVO it was off to the plough field.

First Job marking out. one stake at either end and one in the middle. I measured from the next plot over about 15ft. I’m not sure in a real plough competition what this distance should be. I was on the start of a row and was only ploughing as a demonstration.

I am not sure what happened the as I made several passes up and down the field but somehow in the excitement and concentration I forgot to get off the tractor and take some pictures.

I was following the opening on Stubble start as recommended by the ferguson manual. opening on Stubble

This is a marke cotrat to opening on Grass. opening on Grass

So the first time I remembered to take some pictures I had completed the “Open”.

More to follow tomorrow night

Ploughmyfield.com gets a logo

To me there is nothing that represents Ferguson tractors better than the Ferguson spanner. Nearly all the bolts on the tractor and implements can be tightened or loosened using the double ended Ferguson spanner. Whilst ploughing the notches on the side indicate depth of furrow in Inches and on the other side millimetres.  So to me there was nothing other than to have a representation of the spanner as the logo for the website. I also like the idea that a spanner represents mechanical and it’s the mechanical repair and restoration of tractors that I am also trying to demonstrate with the site.

So the next step ploughmyfield.com t-shirts!

Thanks Stephen Looking forward to seeing your work. The Flickr photo’s look great and really wet your appetite.

• Re arrange the garage – I can’t get in to work at the moment
• Lighting Kit,
  Clean the side lights and paint.
  Source new cork packers top and bottom, grommits for bonnet, wire braid(black) Heat shrink. – Newark
  Finish the wiring loom and install it on the tractor.
  Complete a wiring loom for the back of the tractor.
• Finish Painting the tractor.
  This is a large task so splitting it down to smaller items might make it more manageable. It’s also more items to tick off when complete. Everyone likes crossing completed tasks off a list don’t they?
• Half shaft seals Replace.
• New mudguard skins + Paint.
• Steering box seals.
• Fill sand and paint the rear wheel centres.
• Shotblast, fill sand and paint the rear wheel rims.
  I also need new tyres for the back wheels these will have to be Goodyears 11.2×28 at the same time I should fit new inner tubes.
• Use the Ferguson jack I’ve bought. To do this I need to replace the new repro lower link arms I have bought with some original ones as the new ones are a different size and shape to the originals which means the connection for the jack doesn’t fit.
• Ferguson Link Box – Renovate, new skin, welding needed

I’m never going to get that lot done in a winter!

One distraction I have booked is the Newark Vintage tractor & Heratage show on the 7th -8th November at the Newark showground. By pre entering you save £2 on the ticket price. I’m going with Roy and after the show we will be going to have a look at his TE-D20 he bought earlier this year, the restoration progress of which has been documented on these pages

Great Picture.
Have you ever seen that picture of Harry Ferguson driving the Ferguson Tractor out of the Hotel in London? Originally the photo was taken at the time of the tractors launch. Great publicity shot. Well this picture isn’t that one. It is however just as fun. I’d love to have a go at this it looks a great challenge.

http://www.englishheritageimages.com/pictures_430568/st-etheldredas-church-hatfield-aa054112.html

reborntractor.net trailer video (not 3ton trailer) available for you to take a look at. I must admit the presenter is a little easier on the eye than Harold Beer! I wonder when the DVD is going to be ready and how much it will cost?

Wheel Weight Purchase.

After a conversation with Colin Taylor he had the bright idea that I should be looking at collecting Ferguson accessories rather than implments. I barely have the room to store and work on my tractor let alone implements. I came across this ferguson front wheel weight with 4 bolt holes rather than the 3 bolt holes for the earlier front wheel weights and rims. So I’m on the lookout for another one. It should be cheeper to buy one rather than a pair. I’ll add it to my list of items to buy.

I can’t find any information about these weights anywhere. When where they introduced? Which models will they fit?  I know the earlier Ferguson wheels had only 3 bolt holes.  Anyone with information, advice?

Also Where can I get new bolts from the ends must be square to fit in the holes on the back. I’d like to use the weights in conjunction with my transport box to pick a bit more up in the box without the tractor front end lifting.

Lighting Wiring loom.

I’ve spent quite a lot of time recently trying to reproduce the wiring loom that came as part of the Joseph Lucas lighting kit. With the side lights I purchased I have one length of original wire which I have measured. I have then compared this against the wire in this picture.

I have then with the aid of a bit of string made a wire harness to test on the tractor.

BA Bolts

The 0BA bolts have arrived and they are very close to the originals. not exactly sure if they are the same as the originals seem to be worn.

(photo’s to follow)

Beamish Weekend + Vid
I spent a great weekend at Beamish where an agricultural weekend was held. A great FE35 and 3ton trailer in very original condition also two fordsons with very different specifications.

Using a TE-D20 to bale straw from the thresher.

Setup and servicing a Moldboard plough

Then as I don’t own any land I was hoping a local farmers would have some small fields they needed ploughing and let me plough them. This would allow me to practice and get them a free ploughed field.

I can catch up on the Ploughing competition rules here. The ferguson tractor with ferguson plough has it’s own set of rules

I don’t own a car with a towbar so transporting the plough was as much hassle as getting it there in the first place. I have to break it down into small enough pieces to carry it in the back of my estate car then re assemble it at the other end, not Ideal I know. I’ll keep you posted on my progress, after all this site is called plough my field and there hasn’t been much of they going on!

Ferguson Jack
Saturday 22nd August 2009 saw a Cheffins auction sale at the Harrogate showground. A friend went and I am now the owner of a working Ferguson Jack. The plate is missing from the back section, but is in place although unreadable on the front section. There where two types of jack produced for the TE-20 before a 3rd type for the FE35 was produced. The difference between the two types was the introduction of the TE-F20. Because the diesel model had battery boxes fitted to the trumpet housings of the rear axles the original design interfered with the battery holders so a re-designed version working off the connection point for the lower ling arms instead. This later modification ment the jack could be used my all types of TE20 tractor. I do own a ferguson jack already but as the front and back have been welded together and  number of holes drilled in the frames so that the former owner could turn them into a go kart it was going to require a lot of effort to turn it back into a working example.

I found it a great pain using a car jack to change the back wheels of the tractor when I recently had to swap the centres so that the originals could be shot blaster. Whe the originals to go back on and the current wheels needing to be painted I will be swapping wheels a lot in the coming weeks. The jack should make life a little easier and with the lack of space to collect implements then collecting accessories seems to fit better with my situation.

I presume an instruction manual was produced although I have never seen one. I will also try to track down at least a photocopy. Do you have a copy you can let me have please get in touch. As well as the original instructions on the jacks use I would also like to put together a short video demonstration its use.

Here you can see Colin’s Video of the Tractor Jack in action lifting all 4 wheels of the tractor clean off the ground.

I’ve been away on my holidays as many of you are (or your getting in the harvest) the emails have fallen off as everyone has better things to do other than look at websites!

Before I left I was bidding on a pair of fold out side arms on eBay. They made £150 and there weren’t even any lights on the end!

If any one does have one or both of these lights they would like to sell. Please get in touch as it’s the last Item I need for the lighting kit on my tractor.

I’ve been down to Cornwall on my holidays and whilst away of course I’m always on the lookout for Fergusons or any other tractor for that matter. Near to were we where staying was the 54th West of England Steam Engine Society’s Rally. Well worth a look I thought. Not only over 52 steam engines but motocycles, vintage cars, scale steam engines, stationary engines and VINTAGE TRACTORS over 220 in all. below are some of my highlights from the show…….

Included in the Vintage tractor section was an area marked “Hedgerow Display, Items as found unrestored condition” I think all shows should have a section like this it was a refreshing change to the high gloss and paint jobs of a normal show.

Amongst them was this TE-F20, even in this state there are still some really useful parts I can see.

I’ve seen this Idea of having a small secure box on the back to carry items on the lower link arms. I have a spare 9 hole drawbar and I’ll be off to my local army surplus to get a box to bolt to it.

Here are some other pictures from the show.

I didn’t know they made a Diesel Porsche tractor!

Steam Power the order of the day

and the stream power came in all shapes and sizes.

I always thought it was the ferguson butterfly plough that was a revolution. Nothing is new as this example of a reversible horse plough will demonstrate.

But the crowning glory of the show for me was discovering this Ferguson Brown Serial number 1200, owned by Robert Irving. He let me sit on it and then took my picture. It was in great condition. I hope to add more pictures of this tractor under the photo section later. I also have more information about this tractor from the owner still to add.

fishboy Clothing, Penzance, Cornwall.

Finally I went back to a shop in Penzance whose slogan is “KEEP it RURAL” it sells very nice T-shirts, Jumpers and Hoodies with Rural pictures on them. A couple of years ago I bought a -shirt with a tractor print on it. It seems as though this has become a bit of a trademark and the range has been expanded.  I bought a hoodie in black  with a white tractor (only a fordson on this one) on it and a yellow land rover on a blue t-shirt. You can but online as Penzence is a long way to go. The website says they will also do any colour print on any colour T-shirt. A friend bought a pink combine harvester on a green T-shirt! No, he isn’t colour blind. speaking to the owner he said he will be expanding the range of prints very shortly.

I’ll be very interested in what new designs will be available.

www.fishboypz.co.k Buy T-shirts Jumpers Hoodies here

image by kind permission of fishboypz.co.uk

fishboy@
64 chapel St
Penzance
01736 331846

Wheel Centres
My dad came to visit a couple of weeks ago and it was great to show him how to drive the tractor, then let him have a drive around the block. Yes I know we look alike. Oh well at least I know what I’ll look like when I’m older.

From the photo above one thing was clear, the back wheels where shocking. At least all the other parts of the tractor have some grey paint on them.

So I decided to paint the back wheels. Currently I cannot afford new tyres, (£150 each + inner tubes) So I thought I’d make a start on the centres swapping the current set for another two I have. I spent a couple of days applying WD40 to the nuts to free them off.  They eventually all came off with a socket and  600mm long bar. There is a lot of rust.

I took the centres to Darren the shot blasters in Derby. Where as usual I had a fantastic survice. Anyone in the Derby area who needs shot blasting, I’d say take it there.

and this is the result…..

The funny colour on the inside is car body filler.  I hope to fill the wheels, sand and apply paint in order to get the wheels to a mirror finish you can see your face in. 2 o’clock final coats, 4 o’clock polished.

This is the template I’m working to.

At the 6 o’clock position is the painted only shot blasted face, 7 o’clock just shot blasted, 8 o’clock filled and sanded, 9 o’clock 2 pack primer (I’m not going to do this) 10 o’clock smoothed 2 pack,  12 o’clock primer coats and sanding, 2 o’clock final coats, 4 o’clock polished.

I saw this being demonstrated at the Newark tractor show in 2007.

http://www.ploughmyfield.com/Newark.htm

I will let you know how the progress is going.

Lucas PPG1 Side and Main Light Switch.

An eBay purchase I have picked up A Lucas P.P.G 1 light switch as included in the lucas (Cyclops)lighting Kit. It is a two stage switch for side and main lights. It isn’t exact a bit later year wise but as close as.

Trailer plug.

Small quantity of Parts.

I’ve found a company on the internet that will supply just one and two’s of the nuts and bolts. I also got some copper washers and electrical parts. I originally looked for the site as I was looking for a 1/2″ BSF bolt  (20TPI) to go in the Hydraulic  corner plugs. I want to make sure it is a 1/2″ BSF thread. As you’d expect they are expensive because it’s one and two off’s, but you can get small quanitities at short notice.

http://www.namrick.co.uk

Sheffield Tractors Number Plate Bracket.

If you’ve taken a look at the Local History page you’ll know I have an interest in tracing the history of my local Sheffield ferguson dealership from the 1950′s. As well as fitting a name plate to the tractors,  all the tractors that where road registered had a bracket made by Mr Charlesworth of Holland St. The bracket was of strip steel welded into a cross with the long end bent over and two holes drilled in to mount to the mudguard bracket, on the right hand mudguard in a similar fashion to the Lucas lighting kit numberplate holder   here are some photo’s

I went to a Farm sale a couple of weeks ago and an old pair of mudguard had one of the brackets fitted. The mudguards went for more than I was willing to pay but approaching the buyer he was willing to sell me the bracket.  The bracket is a present for a friend who has a Sheffield registered tractor but no number plate bracket.

Colins Visit.

I had a visit from Colin last week. http://www.myfergie.co.uk/ He has an impressive collection of tractors and implements. He was over in England collecting items he had bought on eBay. My heart goes out to his wife who came with him and has spent a lot of time driving around the country collecting things. It was great to meet him and next time we may get longer. Next time I’m over I’m definitly going to visit him. A lot more interesting than my small garage.

Steering Seal Post

Jeff at Holland Brand Tractors has posted a fabulous article on replacing the steering box seals. I thought you had to remove the dashboard and all the steering before you could replace them. I do know as an alternative you can grind off the top part of the steering arms and the seals will them slide over. I’ve seen a couple of tractors that have been done like this and for me this isn’t an option. I’ve spent so much time restoring the engine properly I have to continue with the rest of the tractor. I don’t like the look of this ground method either.

http://workshop.tractorbit.co.uk/blog/_trackback/4255058

I see now looking at the Holland Brand Workshop site that this was to be Jeff’s last post. Jeff has now left Holland Brand Workshops. They don’t seem to have much luck at that place. May be a name change would be a good Idea?

As an outsider I have no idea what went on within the company, I don’t really want to. I do know Ferguson tractor restoration has lost a good “engineer1260″ I hope Jeff isn’t lost to tractor  restoration as he is too good. Jeff if you do read this I’d love you to write some posts for this site. All the best in what you do in the future.

Electronics Manual

The first is a Finish site where I have found a whole ferguson Tractor manual available for download. It is 46MB in size and over 460 pages. It is similar to an electronic copy I have and print out to take into the workshop to stop my paper original copy getting covered in grease and oil.

http://www.ferguson-talli.net/FE-20.php and the item to download is “FE 20 TE Service Manual”

Pictures Available

I am trying to create an online picture resource of interesting ferguson pictures. It would be useful to have a pictorial representation of an original ferguson item to check yours against, remember where to put so and so. The hope is I will add more as Time goes by. If you have a set of photo’s you think others would be interested in then please get in touch and if suitable I will get them added. I hope soon to add, 2 furrow plough, TE-F20 engine rebuild and dismantle.

Two are available so far.
1. Ferguson 3 Ton Trailer –  a friend is rebuilding his 3 Ton Trailer and I thought it would be a good idea to take some pics along the way.

2. Ferguson TE-F20 Engine – after completing the rebuild of the engine I just wanted to add some pictures of it to the web. If there is something not right with the way it looks please tell me.

The original manual measured 7 1/2″ x 5 1/2″  and consisted of 23 pages

Take a look at these diagrams from the original 3ton trailer manual.

Now take a look at these  pictures I took of my tractor, (below). I have gathered these items together over a period of several years. Trying to buy them all at once can prove expensive. Recently the autohitch part has been fetching very high prices on the internet and at auctions. Recently the tipping pipe has also seen prices double or tripple for an off tractor example. I believe as people have got hold of the autohitch they are now looking for the pipe.  The last piece of the set I aquired was the tipper pipe that connects from the tractors hyrdaulic pump  to the trailers hydraulic ram via a hose to raise and lower the trailers body.  I swapped one of my number plate holders with Roy for the pipe supplied with his tractor. A none tipping trailer was also available which didn’t need the tipper pipe.

Tipper pipe showing the end that connects to the trailers flexible hose.

Connection of tipper pipe to the back corner of the tractor’s hyrdaulic pump. The thread needed to connect to the tractor is listed in ferguson manual as two sizes, a: 1/2″ BSF at 16 threads per inch (TPI), b: 1/2″ UNF which has 20 TPI.

The combination of the Auto hitch I have is unusual. the t-bar (lying in the floor in the middle) is from a TE-20. You can tell this as it has the destinctive button shape half way along used to engage the latch which when pressed lowers the hitch. Or when raised locks the hitch in the up carrying position.  The hook (hanging down from the tractor) is from and later FE/MF35 it was fatter than the skinnier TE-20. I have a TE-20 hook but prefer the later fatter type.

On page 42 as part of the article ” Our Tractors” Scott Lambert mentions this website. I sold him one of my excellent number plate brackets some time ago to complete the restoration of his TE-D20 tractor. Scott wanted to promote the site as he feels the standard of the reproduction number plate bracket should be talked about.  Thanks Scott.

Loads of other great articles in the spring edition including buyers tips for the TE-D20. Roy are you reading this now there is no excuse to delay the buying of your very own TE-20 as the guide gives you all the info on how to find the right tractor.

Your email really cheered me up today, Thank You. I know people are looking at the website (309 yesterday)but  communication from you readers is a little on the thin side. As for the donations page well no one’s thought ploughmyfield is worth a £1 to help running costs.

I don’t have a spare Diesel engine lying around sorry. Take a look at YouTube to see the v8′s and other engines people have fitted to fergies. Are you a member of FoFH? if not join £15ish and you can get on the forum and ask hundreds of people. Colin Taylor do you know of anyone I know you live over the water? please send me an email or can I put John in touch with you directly.  

Work still to do.

Next Jobs,
Rocker cover- wash, dismantle,  clean, assemble, mask, etch primer, undercoat, 
Exhaust Manifold- degrease,wash, clean,  high temperature Paint – black. 

Block - 
Sump plug-  gasket, fit
Sump filter – clean, undercoat, fit
Block- seal (pump x2, dip stick, front cover, Manifolds, Injectors, Water pumps, starter), clean, clean gasket compound, primer, paint 

Control Linkages,
Decompressor,
Inlet manifold,
Air filter,
Fuel Lines,
Fuel FIlters,
Fuel pump,
Fuel Compressor
Oil Breather,
Water Pump,
Fuel Tank,
Starter,
Dynamo,
Wiring,
Front axle frame, 
Front axle assembly,

Podcasts
I’ve been loving the farming today Podcasts from the BBC. 15mins in the car on the way to work of farming topics.
Farming Today Website 

And I notice the Yorkshire post does a weekly farming related podcast as well.

Yorkshire post Weekly farming podcast

I hope you have been good and santa has been good to you?
I’ve received  no tractor related presents’s for christmas. I take this as sort of a blessing as it means I am free to buy my own stuff. There isn’t much in the world of tractor items I do want (except a full lucas lighting kit).

I did see an advert on television tonight which made me chuckle.
http://www.tractorcollection.co.uk/

Collect tractors part 1

When you read the small print it will cost you about £8 a magazine every fortnight and they don’t say how many are in the collection.
Still it would only be the first one I was interested in and it’s £1.99, I might get it to see how good the model is.