Mc Donald Model tractor

Superb that you have now had the engine running.

What a thrill for you, (and your followers )!

Howard

Always look forward to your posts Fred. Marvellous work.

Andy

Hat off to you Sir.

Well done.

Martin

Indeed, marvellous work, and a running engine deserves a video if you can manage it in due course.

Thank you all for your comments. I am in the process of painting the model and now have many parts hanging on a washing line in the shed. I did make a very short video of the engine running but will try to make a better effort when the paint has cured through. Trying to identify the colour has been difficult as on the full size tractor there appears to be many shades of the green or the same colour with various degrees of fading!. I tried to match the paint with the paint chart in the shop but when you open the tim they never quite the same. I am using a two pack paint but must admit that this part of the project is not my favourite activity, especially the cleaning up. It seems that paint has the affinity to stick to yours truly. I do try to do all the work myself even if the end project is not quite up to professional standards but as they say “ I did it my way.” The next photo should show the finished project but that will be in a couple weeks time.

Fred.

The photographs show the end of four years work ( pleasure and pain!). Having chosen the colour from a paint card in the paint shop I had a bit of a shock when I opened the tin as it was more of a duck egg blue when viewed in the day light. I did start the painting process thinking that the colour would grow on me but that was not to be. A sleepless night followed and no it wouldn’t grow on me. Next morning a return to the paint shop and a meeting with a very helpful lady assistant produced a more acceptable colour. Painting to me is not a very enjoyable part of the process and all that cleaning up! After leaving the paint to harden up ( two pack) the process of reassembling began only this time all the cheese head screws were changed for hex head and bolts cut to the correct length. Fortunately all the parts went back in the correct order except for two of the radiator rubber connections - these are of different lengths and I had fitted a longer one where a short one was supposed to fit with the result that the fuel tank did not end up in the correct position. What have I managed to learn over the last four years and about four thousand hours. This model was a real challenge and pushed me to the limits but it made me explore areas of our hobby that I would not have taken if I had not made this tractor. I can now use CAD ( Fusion 360) and a 3D printer and can accept that challenges keep me thinking and give me some thing to look forward to each morning. There are just not enough hours in the day and best use must be made if every hour. This weekend I will be thinking of all those attending the Model Engineering Exhibition in Harrogate and wishing I was there to enjoy the experience - hope the weather improves. Perhaps next year I may bring the Mc Donald over and have a chance to meet fellow like minded model engineers. “Fred” is sitting on the tractor model and he will be pleased to meet you all. Thanks to all those who have offered help and followed this experience and I hope you enjoy your hobby as much as I do.

Regards,

Fred

P.S. I hope to continue the development of the injector, pump and hot bulb as an independent system and if and when I can make it work add it to the finished tractor.

Fred

Thanks for taking the trouble to log the build and take us through the project with you, it's much appreciated; I'm particularly in awe of the purposeful directness and pace with which you got this out of your 'head' and into tangible metal.

Inspiring.

Thank you for sharing the build of this outstanding model.

Very impressed with what you have achieved.

Best wishes for successful conclusion of the fuel system.

Michael

Excellent I wish you success with getting it running as a hot bulb engine.

FANTASTIC work, looks marvellous.

And wonderfully interesting log of the buildm and the problems that you have overcome.

Howard

Well done that man! What a great result from all those hours, the tractor looks the part and Fred seems rather pleased with his machine...

I've enjoyed your documentation of the project and am in awe of your dedication and the outcome, thank you so much for sharing...

Looking forward to the next one, regards, Henry.

Truly outstanding!

Very well done.