Gravely Tractor

[Techtchr]

I've been in the process of rebuilding my old Gravely model L, and I had to purchase a parts machine to do so. Dealers seem to get a fortune for the parts but I was lucky enough to find a very cheap parts machine. I was going to ship the rest of the parts either to e-bay or the metal recycler, but I thought I would give you guys dibbs on them.The parts are free with the exception of the shipping charge. I ask that if you want them, you pay the exact UPS shipping (Ill ship it in an old used box so no cost for packing materials), and that you actually intend to use them to repair your own tractor or a friends. I have a Magneto, Handle bars, some transmission parts, some Kohler engine parts... If you are interested, send me an e-mail with either a Gravely part number or a picture of the part you need, and I will check to see if it is there. I will send you an e-mail with a picture of the part if I have it. Then you can decide if you want it.

I'll let this post run for a few days to see what happens, then e-bay here I come.

Matt

[hms50]

Hi Techtchr,

I have a 1964 modle l that served me well for years. The magneto is tired and I sure would like to have a replacement. Please keep me in mind.
Thanks
hms50

[Techtchr]

You've got dibbs on the Magneto. Glad you will be able to use it. Let me know if you want it after you see the picture.
I'll take a picture this weekend and send it to you. I don't know how to test the Mag to see if it works, other than putting it on a machine.If you can tell me let me know. No sence in shipping you junk if I don't need to.

Matt

[BC21OSH]

Matt,

There are some serious Graverly collectors out this way. We went to a Graverly collectors gathering out here and there were collectors that came in from across the country. They had many models of the machines completely restored and some as is. They had many of the attachments with some of the machines also.They also had what they believed to be the oldest known model still in existance. I believe it was a 1922 model.
Before you scrap any parts you might surf the web for a collectors site.

Bernard

[hms50]

Matt, the Gravely used magnetos by two companies but they are interchangable. You can do a quick and dirty test by rotating the input shaft,(it has an "impulse" coupling on it), until it snaps. At this point the mag will produce a very painful spark! It's a good idea to have it conected to a sparkplug resting on the engine and to run a ground wire from the mag to the block. The purpose of the impulse coupling is to allow the mag to produce a good spark even when the engine is rotating slowly when starting up. The problem with mine is that the bearings that support the armature failed and the armature then rubbed on the shoes. The guy at the local shop prnounced it DOA, and told me to find a new mag.

Thanks
Hugh

[Techtchr]

Bernard,
I'm aware of the collectors. I was hoping to be helpful to one or two of those guys like me who needed something for their work machine and didn't want to pay collector prices. If I make my shipping back on the parts I'm happy. Besides, I paid $50 or the used machine and sold 2 parts on e-bay for over this amount so I'm free and clear.

I've kinda decided if something sits in my garage for a year or so and I don't use it I'm going to consider getting rid of it. Yea I know, my mag will probably fail as soon as the parts one hits the UPS truck.


Matt

[BC21OSH]

Matt,

I appreciate your generosity as I know the owners of working machines surely would not want to pay collector or Graverly prices.

I just have a hard time seeing anything get scrapped and my wife will confirm that.

Sometimes a guy just has to close his eyes and let all those treasures go to make room for less important items like cars and furniture and the kids.

Bernard

[docsteve66]

No No Bernard. cars do not impact treasue storage if you have any land it all!! If not land, pile stuff in and one the car. Furniture allows you to hide stuff UNDER and on the furniture. Now kid? sve them, store them out side what ever but save both the treasure and the kids. Kids make Grand kids. Life begins with grandkid!!! And ifyou are smart the Gkids will play with your treasues with you. so goes the cycle of life .
Steve

[CCWKen]

Yea BC, I have what I call a "reclamation area". There's not one single ounce of junk in it. I find myself going to that "pile" and pulling things out of it all the time. Needed to make a flywheel for a project once. Walked out to the area and there it was--a 10 inch cast iron brake rotor!
An old house air conditioner unit became a cooler for one of my compressors. The fan off another became an exhaust fan for the barn. The list goes on...

[Techtchr]

I'm starting to get to the point with my "treasures" that if I keep going the way I have been, when I trip over the piles and go to the hospital, my deductable will pay for the thing I was saving the treasure for. Cost/risk benifit analysis? I have a large detached garage as well as a work shop attached to my house full of my stuff, with no room to park my car. I also have 4 acres of land. Lots of room no organization skills.

OK, I'm sick of tripping over the ****! Sold my brass instruments, selling my gravely stuff, next the roto tiller, and the snow blower. My wife shovels, what the heck do I need a snow blower or tiller for? Just gotta fix it.

Matt

[docsteve66]

"there is no limit to what a man can make if he has big enough junk pile"!

[BC21OSH]

I'm with you all on the treasure collecting and suggest we start a support group for addicts such as ourselves.

Some of the symptoms of the disease that are easy to recognize include; when driving to work in the morning on garbage day you drive slowly so you can spot the good stuff that your neighbors are throwing out so you can stop and put it in the back of your truck. At work you make a routine trip through the shop and stop at the scrap barrels and glean the good stuff out and take it home. You make a trip to the scrap yard to sell junk iron and then wander through the yard for hours seeking out good stuff and end up taking more home then you brought, but only "good" stuff. You go to an estate auction and go home with no less than a truckload of "good" stuff from the shop and garage area. Every time the company you work for decides to clean house, you volunteer to get rid of the junk for them.

Hey guys,I know, been there, we need help. Oh on second thought, maybe we just ought to just stay sick and learn to enjoy it.

I've relocated several times and sadly had to leave the treasures behind. That was the most difficult part of relocation.

Bernard

[Techtchr]

Hugh,
I sent an e-mail with pics of the magneto. Hope it is what you expected or better.
NY state got hit with an ice storm last night. Our county was in a state of emergency. Luckily only a few small branches came down around my house. Three different counties got hit.120+thousand people without power according to Niagra Mohawk(power co) They set up emergency shelters in a couple of schools near by including the elementary school in the district i teach.

I spent the day cleaning my garage of all the dust and dirt on the treasures. Of course my Dad came over to see if I had something to cut the metal closet organizer he was installing. Translated into English that means will you cut this on your metal cutting band saw for me . And a friend came over to see if I could repair a cabinet door for him. All in all a good day, still got all of my fingers, my garage is clean, and I made a couple of people happy.

Matt