# Wow, it's almost as lively as a cemetery here.



## skunkhome

*What did you do with or to your Simplicity Today?*

I fired up the 3414s and mowed the yard what was getting way too tall. 


















Then I put her to some less glamorous but essential duty.


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## Thomas

Most of us just starting to come out from hibernation.

Take it you live lower half of 48 states?


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## pogobill

:bouncy: :skull: :skull: :bouncy: 

It's not so lively as everything is still frozen! We're still sitting with 2 or 3 feet of snow yet, but we are dreamin' of better, warmer days!

:bouncy:


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## PeteNM

Don't see any snow in your grass. Looks like it's about time to start your mowing for the year. Nice looking rig and nice pics too!!


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## skunkhome

Today I did the 25 hr service on my Simplicity 3414S. 

















And Clyde my AC 916H got the job of doing the second mowing for the season. 









Wanted to throw the plow on and turn my garden under but ran out of time.


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## Country Boy

Its nice to see those old beasts still out there humming along! I envy you. We still have 5-7' of frost in the ground around these parts, though it is 40 and raining right now. That should help a bit. My mower is still hibernating in the shed, frozen in the ice actually. The last big thaw made water run into the shed under the door and around my mower, and now its in about 2" of ice. frown


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## pogobill

I hear you CB, it's been a long winter, snowing here as we speak.
That Simplicity that you have there skunkhome looks like a great little tractor... wishing I had something like that!


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## skunkhome

Today I used two! I hooked up my Johnny Bucket Jr and scraped up my compost pile and spread and chopped it again on the garden .

















Then I hooked up the moldboard plow on my 916H and turned it all under. 


















The ground is still too wet for tilling but hopefully turning it over will allow it to dry out quicker. 

A little washup and coat of linseed oil on moldboard and we will be ready to store for next fall. 










I really like these OTR 24x9.00-12, 440 Magnum ATV/UTV tires on the back as they seem to have a lot more bite than my Deestones lugs. They aren't even loaded and they didn't slip a bit and they are American made. I gave $75 for a set of 4. Put one pair on a tractor I sold. Wish I had more.


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## Thomas

That's sign spring in the air..prep garden,still another couple months for us.


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## kemperhills

skunkhome said:


> Today I did the 25 hr service on my Simplicity 3414S.
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> And Clyde my AC 916H got the job of doing the second mowing for the season.
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> Wanted to throw the plow on and turn my garden under but ran out of time.


Reminds me of when I first started working on small engine equipment, 1974 after I got out of the USAF. Worked at that job for ten years then starting working on autos. Then about 2005 went back to small engine equipment because age and arthritis stared creeping up on me and have been doing that since. Great pics.


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## skunkhome

I finally found pod light bezels for my 3414s after looking for them for nearly 7 years. They came in the mail today , so I cleaned them up and installed them. 










Now I'm glad I stuck with it over the years. Now my old rattle can paint job is getting a little long in the tooth.


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## imbill

Looks good !! I hope winter is done with us ;o))


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## skunkhome

Maybe we need to rename this the "Bill & Phil Forum"....or maybe we could just PM one another.


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## GTcollector

I'm reading, just not posting, great bunch of tractors you got there Phil. I've been sick for quite a while (losing blood)and haven't been able to do a lot. I have the Homelite T-16 to work on, The 7016 to fix a float on and install the electric lift I bought, then I have to but the Johnson loader on the Bolens 1476 large frame, as well as put a new steering box on an Ariens GT20H, I'm taking 15 hours this semester, next week is finals and right after that I'm volunteering for a internship program as a court appointed special advocate. It takes it out of me just to post, sorry


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## skunkhome

GTcollector said:


> I'm reading, just not posting, great bunch of tractors you got there Phil. I've been sick for quite a while (losing blood)and haven't been able to do a lot. I have the Homelite T-16 to work on, The 7016 to fix a float on and install the electric lift I bought, then I have to but the Johnson loader on the Bolens 1476 large frame, as well as put a new steering box on an Ariens GT20H, I'm taking 15 hours this semester, next week is finals and right after that I'm volunteering for a internship program as a court appointed special advocate. It takes it out of me just to post, sorry


Mike? Is that u? Regardless that makes a 50% increase in "simplicity" posters.


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## imbill

W.O.W. it sounds like Mike is a busy feller !! That loosin blood dont sound good at all is it solver ? Welcome to the Bill and Phil forum !!!!!!! My other hobby is Banshee 4 whelers and that will be the progect of the day ! OOOO I was made a GREATGRAND PA yester day we now have a Miss Annabell in the family !!!


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## GTcollector

Yep it's me, My first names Alain, that's what I go by at school, so you'll see it both ways. I doubt I will use the 7016 much, I have a 716H, I'm using for mowing, the 7016 is too nice of an original. I have 15-16 running or close to running tractors of various brands, nobody gets too much of a work out. Just got a Johnson loader and factory 3 point for my Bolens 1476
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb6drmM7F74&feature=youtu.be[/ame]



skunkhome said:


> Mike? Is that u? Regardless that makes a 50% increase in "simplicity" posters.


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## GTcollector

Thanks Bill, I got a leak in my intestines somewhere, they might be able to find it if they would look for it, but it's been 5 months since we found out and still the VA has not scheduled a test, we'll they scheduled a test, then they cancelled it, because they were busy.


imbill said:


> W.O.W. it sounds like Mike is a busy feller !! That loosin blood dont sound good at all is it solver ? Welcome to the Bill and Phil forum !!!!!!! My other hobby is Banshee 4 whelers and that will be the progect of the day ! OOOO I was made a GREATGRAND PA yester day we now have a Miss Annabell in the family !!!


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## skunkhome

It is a crime how our veterans are treated. I used to go out and pay out of pocket for medical services when I was on active duty simply because the medical care was just awful and tedious. Multiply that times 100 for VA.


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## GTcollector

I used to get upset, now I only hope and pray other guys that need attention worse than me are being served.



skunkhome said:


> It is a crime how our veterans are treated. I used to go out and pay out of pocket for medical services when I was on active duty simply because the medical care was just awful and tedious. Multiply that times 100 for VA.


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## imbill

I can only say W.O.W. about the vid and all the cool tractors !! Thanks for sharing the vid ! One of my buddies gave up on the VA and went to a DR and just payed the bill BUT it got taken care of then !!


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## GTcollector

Wish I could do that. I'm a full time student, and at 57 y.o. no one wants to hire me part time. The wife and I made under 12,000 last year together, she's disabled and has a small pension, so she is not going to being making anymore than she is now. I hope in another two years to have a good paying job, but most people don't understand what a struggle it is, they say sell your tractors, sell your stuff, because to some people they could care less about anything or anybody. I've never drawn a paycheck from anyone in civilian life, always been self employed, I've also never gotten one thin dime from our "government" and don't intend on taking any in the future. I amassed this collection in the six years of bad health and a worse economy, making barely enough to pay the bills, but I also don't have a car payment, credit card, or mortgage because I don't believe in them.



imbill said:


> I can only say W.O.W. about the vid and all the cool tractors !! Thanks for sharing the vid ! One of my buddies gave up on the VA and went to a DR and just payed the bill BUT it got taken care of then !!


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## imbill

In two tears what is the plan??


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## GTcollector

In the last two years I have over 60 credit hours. In two more years I hope to graduate with a B.S. in psychology and go to work counseling veterans while working on a Masters degree



imbill said:


> In two tears what is the plan??


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## imbill

I hope it all works out for you !!


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## skunkhome

Yesterday I unloaded a yard of river silt on the garden until I broke the dump actuator on my Johnny bucket. 




























It had been operation intermittidly and I found I could get it moving by tapping it with a hammer. It got to where it was stopping about every load. It then stopped and would not start again. 

I ended up having to finish up with a wheelbarrow and shovel 










What was worse was when I opened the motor on the actuator I realized that I shouldn't be hitting it with a hammer. I shattered one of the magnets. 
And the replacement motors are very expensive. Best price on a replacement k2g10-12v-br-06 actuator or equivelant is at Johnny bucket for $250. Ouch!


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## imbill

Dang that hurt $250 lesson learned ;o))) I mowed 3 acres yesterday and yep power steering is the answer !!!


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## skunkhome

Glad that new tractor is working out for ya.
Well, the actuator wasn't working .... But I ruined any chance of figuring it out. 
I looked for just the motor and it was more than the complete actuator. I have a line on a double speed unit that might fit the bill.


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## GTcollector

Sorry about that Phil, but it wouldn't be fun if there wasn't some tinkering, but 250 dollar tinkering hurts



skunkhome said:


> Glad that new tractor is working out for ya.
> Well, the actuator wasn't working .... But I ruined any chance of figuring it out.
> I looked for just the motor and it was more than the complete actuator. I have a line on a double speed unit that might fit the bill.


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## skunkhome

Well Mike, the Johnny bucket has served me well in the last 6.5 years and completely paid for itself in the first few days I used it. With a little luck and a little creative engineering I should be able to manage a higher speed actuator for about half the price.


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## GTcollector

I did not know you had it that long, thanks pretty good for today's equipment. Glad to hear you have a line on a improved replacment



skunkhome said:


> Well Mike, the Johnny bucket has served me well in the last 6.5 years and completely paid for itself in the first few days I used it. With a little luck and a little creative engineering I should be able to manage a higher speed actuator for about half the price.


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## skunkhome

*Garden 2014... At last*

Finally got a chance to prepare a seed bed in my garden. I hauled in a yard of river silt last week to fill some low spots and used the " new to me" grader blade to evenly spread about the garden. Tilled it in and planted corn, okra, and squash.


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## GTcollector

skunkhome said:


> Finally got a chance to prepare a seed bed in my garden. I hauled in a yard of river silt last week to fill some low spots and used the " new to me" grader blade to evenly spread about the garden. Tilled it in and planted corn, okra, and squash.


I just bought the exact same grader blade, same color, hardly any wear on the blade


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## skunkhome

I really like the belly blade, even after the first use. I have been using a rear mounted blade and boy is this thing a lot easier to control. No washboarding. 
I'm anxious to get it on a nice long gravel drive where I could do some speed patrolling.


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## pogobill

That's a pretty cool st up with that belly blade! Looks like it works great. Did you have to build the mount for it, or did you get it like that?


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## GTcollector

pogobill said:


> That's a pretty cool st up with that belly blade! Looks like it works great. Did you have to build the mount for it, or did you get it like that?


They come like that pogo, you could make one using a snow blade frame, or build one using the blade frame as a patter, shame to ruin a blade frame. The blade instelf on these belly blades must weigh close to 40-50 lbs and is reversible for another wear edge


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## imbill

skunkhome said:


> I really like the belly blade, even after the first use. I have been using a rear mounted blade and boy is this thing a lot easier to control. No washboarding.
> I'm anxious to get it on a nice long gravel drive where I could do some speed patrolling.


 HMMMM I have a long drive of gravel that need attention !!';o)))


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## skunkhome

The blade is at least 7/16" thick and angles right and left so you can grap that gravel that gets pushed to the edge of the drive and pull it back to the crown just like a real grader. This one I got for $75. It turned out that it had an elongated hole in the saddle pivot and hidden crack. I am a very novice welder so I hammered the crack closed and held my breath as I welded it up then added a heavy duty flat washer to reinforce the hole. 









It isn't pretty but hopefully I will never see the repair again. 



















Boomer approved.


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## GTcollector

Great job Phil! your lucky you noticed it


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## imbill

Looks like a pro did it !! I noticed there weren't any bears or lions around I guess your guard dog takes care of that !!!


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## skunkhome

Haven't done a lot since tilling garden. Just been too wet with more than five inches of rain last weekend. But I did manage to finally mow my lawn again right about dusk this evening. Still mowing rye grass this late in the year is strange.


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## GTcollector

We're 7-8 inches behind on rain so far this year. I have plowed, diked, and tilled, but I haven't planted a garden, no rain just dust. Grass is growing so slowly I'm only mowing once every 10 days, send some rain this way Phil, I did get the Bolens 1476 just about ready to tear down and restore. Just have to buy hoses and another pump mount


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## skunkhome

Pretty impressive looking machine, Mike.


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## imbill

Good lookin Bolins !!!!


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