twostepn2001

l saw that pic of the F-20 on FB yesterday too. The big question on most people's mind in that group was what are those wheels on the implement made of? Big consensus was they were made of concrete. But l disagree. First off, they look awful thin to be concrete. Plus l don't think concrete wheels would withstand running on a plow of any type. BUT... if they were metal of some sort, l would think there would be some "shiny" metal on the edges where they had run in the dirt. But like the ancient astronaut scientists say..."the truth is out there.'

X2

Found this article about the wing spar problem on B-17's. Supposed to been written by the lead restoration mechanic on the "Sentimental Journey": "With B-17 wing spars being a hot topic, here is some information regarding how they are made and why it is challenging to reproduce them. In the picture the wing spars locations are circled in blue. The spar carry thrus that go thru the bomb bay have been reproduced. The wing attach fittings have been reproduced. The wing spar tubes themselves have not been reproduced yet. Each wing takes 4 tubes, so 8 tubes per plane. The B-17 has a forward and a rear wing spar, and each spar is a truss, consisting of an upper and lower tube, hereby referred to as the "Spar Tubes". The Spar Tubes are square tubes with round corners. The outside dimension of the tube is constant (2.688" or 2 11/16"), while the wall thickness tapers to the other end. It actually tapers at a linear rate to a point around the outboard nacelles, and then tapers at a different linear rate to the end, where the outboard wing panel is attached. (1/8"). The Upper tube differs from the Lower tube in both the thickness and the double taper rate, due to the differing tension and compression loads placed upon the upper and lower Spar Tubes. These tubes were 2024 aluminum alloy, originally drawn over a mandrel (which is basically a steel form of the inside of the tube) in order to give it the correct dimensions. Thickness tolerances were +/- 10% per the Boeing drawing. 2024 aluminum is a heat-treatable, aerospace grade aluminum with high tensile and yield strengths, due to Copper being an alloy metal. This also makes 2024 difficult to weld, due to the weld changing the heat treatment of the material and how the other alloy metals are affected by the heating and cooling process, causing cracks which will propagate under load. Ideas about casting the tubes or making them out of carbon fiber face an uphill climb, as any changes from the original part or material need an engineering assessment and approval by the FAA - the "Experimental" designation aside. Remember, the B-17s are part of the warbird experience ride program, and operate on a non-experimental license (I believe it is a Limited license, but don't quote me). Casting aluminum does not have the same strength characteristics of 2024. Milling the center out of the tube might work if the spar tube was 6 inches long. As it is, they are 300 inches long. Chemical milling? Looked into that. Nested tubes riveted together to get the right thicknesses? *THAT'S* a lot of tubes, work, money, and it would STILL need FAA approval. Carbon Fiber? They use that on wings these days, but the wing spars are still aluminum. The rivets would need to be a different metal, due to the epoxies and other material associated with carbon fiber parts - Remember Boeing and their problems with the 787 fasteners? Not to mention the HUNDREDS of rivets in each Spar Tube. That would need to be looked at by engineers. Probably the easiest way to get any wing spar problem solved is to make the Spar Tubes just like Boeing did. They have lasted this long, haven't they?"

Howdy my name is Billy Jo Bob Gudrench and l is lookin' fer a job wurkin' on tracturs and such. l gots expuriance on them green and yeller tracturs and the red'uns too. l wurked on a orange'un onced l think thay said it was a alice chambers. l can wurk on them big trucks to. One had a big crome duck on the hood and the other'un had a big crome dog on the hood. l kin furnish my own tewls except fer screwdrivers and sockits. But my pappy says he'll lone me enuff money buy some good renches at harbur frate. And my Ma says she'll fix me sum baloney sandwishs fer my lunch so iffen you was har me to wurk fer ya you wont have to furnish no lunch. And l heerd that there was some fellers that like mopar motors. lffen that is the same as briggs and strattun l kin fix those to. thank ya fer lookin' at my rezzymay, Billy Jo Bob Gudrench PS l'm sendin a pitcher so in case ya'll have to go to sears to git me one of them thar drivin' lysense. My cuzin Bubba got his from a box of cracker jacks but his sister says thay ain't no good. Only the sears kind is legal. But Bubba drives one them there big trucks fer Swift so l dunno.

Yes you did and l think it is a excellent reminder and tribute to Anson "Delta Dirt" Sheldon. l sure miss his reports on the Mississippi Delta cotton crops.

l don't think steam powered tractors is too far off topic here considering there has been discussions of "UFO's on tape" And Bigfoots (Bigfeet..?) accused of watermelon theft. To the role that the Confederate Air Force played in the Civil War. And don't forget all the gourmet foods that get mentioned from time to time...

Was sneakin' around the internet earlier and saw this ad for a winch set up. Guess it would work on a Model TT...?

My nephew is part owner/manager of Carson County Gin, the 2nd largest cotton gin Texas at White Deer, Texas which about 40 miles NE from Amarillo. Depends on when you go whether they would be running or not. But even if they're not, l think it would still be a interesting to see and go through for someone that hasn't seen the cotton ginning process.

Gary,l sure enjoy the variety and diversity of your "photo essays." l'm sure a lot of us have interesting stories about our lives but you are fortunate to have pictures to go along with your stories. And also like you, if it goes 3 or 4 days and nobody posts anything here, l start thinking "l hope nothing bad has happened to somebody and l haven't heard about it."

Far as the IH graders go, l've never seen anything but M's used for this type of grader. Was there any later models like a 400, 450 or 560 used to make a grader?

Friend of mine was checking on some cows on his ranch yesterday near Matador, Texas. Said his horse all the sudden started acting spooked. Then he heard the familiar "rattle" of a rattlesnake. About 20 feet in front of him about eye level with the horse was a big 'ol rattler......in the mesquite tree!! Like a lot of us born in rattler country, from a early age always taught to "look where you step", but never taught to look up when it comes to rattlesnakes.

There wasn't a reason why the hotel was moved that far. Most of the Llano Estacado region of Texas was settled starting in the 1880's so towns sprang up just about anywhere but because railroads and different ranches selling or giving away land, some towns boomed while others turned into ghost towns and eventually disappeared. So that was one reason for moving buildings. Another reason was that when the Texas legislature started laying out counties on the high plains, the county seats had to be within 15 miles of the geographical center of the county. One example of that was Old Emma, Texas was the original county seat of Crosby county. But when the county was laid out, Old Emma was outside the 15 mile limit so a new town was built named Crosbyton and the old courthouse was moved there, supposedly in the center of the county. But Plainview and Dimmitt still exist to day. l've seen pics of hotels and even courthouses being moved by huge teams of horses or mules but don't have any in my files. Didn't mean to go into a full history lesson but l really enjoy learning about Texas history, especially in the areas where l've lived. Below is a map of the Llano Estacado. Translated it means "Staked Plains" because Spanish Trail from Santa Fe to San Antonio was marked by 'palos,' or stakes. OK...class dismissed!! 🙂

OBG since you have experience with moving houses, thought you might like this pic. Shows moving a 2 story hotel from Dimmitt, Texas to Plainview, Texas, in 1893. A distance of about 45 miles. Lots of real horsepower..lol

This 560 LP was the one my Dad farmed with back in the early 60's. Bought it in late November of 1963. The man my Dad worked for was also the local IH dealer so Dad always had the latest and greatest cotton equipment to use. Also had two older 560's that the other hands used. A few months later the owner got the second 806 LP on the south plains of Texas. The owner's son still had the 560 when l took these pics and offered to sell it to me but at the time l didn't have the funds to buy it.

@Fred B l found this pic on FB the other day and though you might be interested in. Didn't you grow up near Taft, Texas? l remember you talking about Taft and thought you might like the pic of the pickers at the JD dealer. Think it was supposed to been taken in 1959...? On the FB post, folks were more excited about the '56 Chevy taxi than the cotton pickers. lol