IT WORKS!

The apron went on without much trouble, apart from the usual hassles with a come-along. Anticipating that it wouldn't let go when I wanted it to, I tied a loop of rope around the track on one end and hooked into the loop. Then I simply cut the rope to free the come-along.

I ended up using a lot of rope over the afternoon, as the front left idler was mis-alligned and it took two derailments before I was able to remedy the problem. Two 5/8" washers straightened the idler and the apron ran relatively smoothly after that. Further tests tomorrow.

I dumped a 5 gallon pail of old transmission/ hydraulic oil onto the bed and apron, so the machine isn't too pretty right now. I'll go back with clean hands and a camera tomorrow to make of the project what I can, as far as photos go.

I'll try to put up a picture of the project.

• New Holland 513 Firewood Spreader

Back in my salad years (before the knees got stiff) I used to run the spring races in an open 16' canoe. Good fun and survivable, as long as the canoe had enough displacement for its crew.

The sport has evolved a great deal since the seventies. A recent colleague was on the Olympic White Water Kayak team before teacher's college and the mishapen blob of plastic on his Honda didn't do much for my aesthetic sense, but apparently it works very well in the rough stuff.

If you are up this way in September of 2007, stop by my woodlot: it will be on the grounds of the International Plowing Match, held at Crosby, Ontario. Between now and then I'll be doing lots of tree-hugging to get ready for it.

Good talking to you,

Rod