Finding Just the Right Tool

This weekend (bear in mind I still need to fill you in on last weekend) I spent my day Saturday at The Bowman Field Airport.  It was their annual Fly in and car/engine show.  I naturally wanted to bring one of my Hit and Miss engines but unfortunately was on call and didn't want to load the trailer, haul it all the way there and then get called into work.  I did however come up with this great idea to bring Grampa's Model Headless Witt that I have been working on. 

You all have probably seen it in the background of some of my pictures as I have had it at the house for quite a while.  I merely threw the Witt in my van along with a can of Coleman camp fuel and an oilier and away I went.  I had a lot of fun at the show seeing quite a few of the other Maine Antique Power Association Members and running the Witt. 

Allyssia was also at the fly in as a vendor with LuLaRoe.  She was there quite early and stayed all day as well as went back Sunday for day two of the event.  Towards the end of the day I got the opportunity to drive a Ural, motorcycle with a sidecar and even convinced Allyssia to ride with me.  After the fly in the two of us traveled down to Auburn to do a little shopping.  While Allyssia went into T.J. Maxx I moseyed my way into Harbor Freight.  Now I am not always amazed by Harbor Freight but I went in looking for an engine hoist and left with just what I needed and then some. 

I bought the higher end, two ton lift that reaches further and lifts higher plus, with the coupon I had I paid the same as the one ton lift.  I also picked up a free engine stand, I was going to buy one so this free one saved me some money.  Now down to the real fun,

While I was putting the lift together Cricket wanted nothing more than to play fetch and so she gathered four of her tennis balls to try to entice me.  We did play fetch for a while after the lift was put together and I got to play with it for a few minutes.  Once I was back to work it came to that the bucket would have to be gone to get the lift close enough to remove the engine.  So using the lift I took the tension off the bucket and pulled the pins and rolled the bucket out of the way.  I was only able to roll it as far as the edge of the garage but that got it enough out of the way that it could be reached with the tractor.  After the bucket was gone of course out came the engine!!!

Allyssia and I teamed up with her running the lift cylinder while I pried and twisted on the engine. It slid right out with hardly any problems at all.  This now leaves me with a whole new set of things to do.  The current to do list on the Oliver is to time and install the magneto on the new/used motor then slide it back into the tractor then, bolt it up and start the Oliver to drive it out of the garage.  This may go on hold slightly as I am finishing installing the heat pump air conditioner in the house this week as well as installing the heat pump water heater and starting on the new boiler which you will see pictures of soon.  As always thanks for sticking with me and following the farm and my blog.  Check back often and as always leave a comment and let me know what you think.