Tractor Thread

[Rufus T. Firefly]

One last question...I was planning to mortar the bricks in. Do you think that's a bonehead move? I like the look of the mortar joints...

Only if you want to be repairing that mortar on a regular basis; same problem as with putting 3-4" concrete under it all - it's going to fail and make more work for you. Maybe putting a perimeter of brick buried on end would be useful to "anchor" the edges a bit.

I put in slate on edge to create the boundary for the front garden flush up against the slate walk way. Made or a tight & clean right angle.

[robert.]

these bricks have been mortared in for 30+ years may even be 50 years. So far the mortar has held tight. look long enough and you'll see cracked bricks. Not mortar. The fresh mortar you see is from me removing a tree root. There was a base of 2 inches of crushed stone and 2 inches of mortar. I pulled up a section of the walkway to remove a tree stump. Now i'm in the same boat as you. dry lay the bricks( sounds painful ) or mortar them.


I'm 20 miles north of philly. That should help with how our weather is.

[healey36]

Thanks Robert...nice pattern. I had previously used a half-basket-weave pattern, but that won't work if the bricks aren't mortared in (two bricks side-by-side exceed the length of a single brick). Your pattern would work if laid tight without mortar. No way I'm going herring-bone - I'd have to cut a couple of hundred bricks.

I fear I've destroyed the new tractor thread with all of this talk of brickwork...

Healey

[The Dirt]

Bullsh*t, bricks and rock and stone belong on a tractor thread. Besides, you made it up and then some with that great pic of the Eclipse steamer belted to the saw!

[rogruth]

Besides this is MTJ and most here are not bothered by thread drift. Usually.

[The Dirt]

Hey Hev, what's shakin' man?
Spent all day wondering where you are, wondering where I'm headed, wondering how much is left, and figuring nothing out.
Brain going all day, but I spent a day and remembered....

Can't bring these cups with me when its my turn, so you best get something ready.





Happy birthday, man.

[rogruth]

Pete,

[healey36]

While the rains come down I have been doing a bit of research on bricklaying. A number of great men have had at it. I have seen Jefferson's serpentine walls he constructed at Monticello, quite ingenius. Apparently ol' WSC was quite the bricklayer as well:

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/publications/finest-hour/finest-hour-157/churchill-as-bricklayer

There is something therapeutic in it, although it includes a significant back-breaking element.

Healey

[Rufus T. Firefly]

There is something therapeutic in it, although it includes a significant back-breaking element.

Indeed. Zen-like. Same when cutting & laying slate, or just out back with the axe or hammer and wedges splitting wood. Tactile sense of accomplishment.

[The Dirt]

Third the motion, and include building a rock wall.

A local restaurant/inn has a serpentine wall like that, which is, of course, much stronger than a straight wall. It too is a nice-looking structure.

[The Dirt]

-Tony! It's... (*gasp*)... so... so... BEA-YOO-TIFUL!!






Look at all those oil lines. Making me hungry for a plate of spaghetti.
Quite a hunk of iron in that head, too. Wonder what THAT sucker weighs?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Quite a hunk of iron.............

Must have missed something - what's that from?

[The Dirt]

It's Tony's 1918 International 8-16. (Page 2)
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sit ... ional+8-16

Love the garage, Tony. It's a perfect metaphor for my life! I'd be completely at home there.




And here's some real progress. Look at the length of those pushrods. How does the inside of the head look?
And, was it running before you bought it? Or, are the pistons free?




Great pictures!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

It's Tony's 1918 International 8-16. (Page 2)

Cool!

[healey36]

Somehow the cross-cut saw laying across the front of the engine bay does not look out of place...