Tortoise & the hare!!

[marine-mp]

Hello the forum!! It’s been a while since I last posted…life an all!! Still working to revive my G5200 in memory of my Dad. He had the G4200. Sure do miss my Pops. But, the “tractor” part is done, all the odds an ends buttoned up, new tires, body work ‘n all and I’ll paint it come springtime.
As y’all know, the decks on these things were “less than stellar” and boy howdy, did I ever get a doozie!!! I lef the deck till lasting it has become, as my better half puts it, “my winter, keep out of her hair, project”!!!! I had to cut a lot of it out, but with some good measurements, it’s coming back to life. I included some pictures of the start and the working on it part!! I hope this isn’t, as Roger Welsch put it, “hubris“!!! I’m certainly not a fabricator, but I be trying my best to revive this deck. Take care. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[je1279]

Damn. I had an older Deere deck that I did some rot repair on but yours is a whole other level. Well done and I'm sure your father would have been proud.

 

[85Hokie]

Looking good - cannot wait to see final result!

 

[Lil Foot]

I’m certainly not a fabricator

Uhh, yes, you are.
Looking good!

 

[D2Cat]

It just goes to show what some patience, time and a goal can accomplish. Nice work!

 

[marine-mp]

Thanks for the kind words, fellas. I didn’t think I could tackle such a job…but I decided that it wouldn’t get done, until I actively started at it with the real desire to see this project thru, to the end, done by myself. Your right, D2Cat…the end goal!! Again, I’m grateful for the kind words and , yes 85Hokie, I’ll post a few more pictures and a final when it’s done. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[NCL4701]

Only part about the story I don’t believe is “I’m certainly not a fabricator.” Pics say otherwise. Nice work!

 

[greenacresnorth]

Just remember Mike, A grinder and paint make you the welder you aint!!

Good job, looks fantastic!!

 

[marine-mp]

Greenacresnorth, I like that!!! A painter friend of mine says “paint is worth a $1000 a gallon on the finished product“!!!!!! The little Lincoln 125 buzzbox and fluxcore wire can make even me, lay a somewhat, halfway partially decent bead!!!!!! Thanks for the kind words. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[armylifer]

Greenacresnorth, I like that!!! A painter friend of mine says “paint is worth a $1000 a gallon on the finished product“!!!!!! The little Lincoln 125 buzzbox and fluxcore wire can make even me, lay a somewhat, halfway partially decent bead!!!!!! Thanks for the kind words. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

You are certainly doing a great job. Hoorah!

 

[Henro]

View attachment 54082

How did you bend that piece so nicely? Are the cuts so you could bend it small section by section?

Looks good!

 

[marine-mp]

Hey Henro, I clamped a heavy walled, 2” diameter pipe to the edge of the 12 gauge steel and locked it in a 6” Wilton bullet vise. I then wailed on it with a 5 lb sledge!!!! The cuts in it are exactly as you suspected. I used that old verbiage, “ how do you eat an elephant?? One bite at a time”!!!!! Take care. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[Dennis.D]

As others have said, that is an awesome job. I love working with my mig welder.

 

[skeets]

MP you aint from around 29 are you? And you are doing a fine job, slow and steady,, you remember slow is smooth and smooth is fast

 

[marine-mp]

Skeets, if you mean 29 Stumps, no. I’m from western NC., off Hwy 64. Thanks for the kind words, though. Semper-fi & This We’ll Defend, Mike

 

[chim]

Very nice work! Thanks for the pics

 

[RCW]

MP - like the others....good for you! Fantastic job!!

 

[skeets]

Yes Sir 29 Palms, S I L is a WO2 out there, now in Japan again, and on ship board with the expeditionary force.
Non sibi sed patriae

 

[SidecarFlip]

Looks excellent... The one thing that eats up decks is not keeping the grass clippings cleaned off of the underside and as the clippings rot, they produce acid and heat and it eats up the steel. Keep it clean underneath and it will outlast you.

 

[Ping]

MP,
Outstanding job on breathing life back into that deck! Your dad would be proud. Let us know how it turns out.
And, i fully understand the 'winter keep out of her hair' project! That was me a couple years ago fabbing a cab for my BX.
Regards