[kmacaoidh]

What a wonderful cover photograph on the The Cultivator this month! Think it’s the best yet? Lovely old tractor, great bit of ploughing, a sunny day as backdrop. What more do you need.
Makes me take a note to check back on previous ‘covers’ again, and read through some of those old copies and articles.
The second note, to check through those articles to see if there have been many articles on ploughing good practice, advice, tricks of the trade, and suchlike? Information on setting up Ploughs? Lists even, of some of the classic old, and new, ploughs. The tried and trusted tools of the trade, the methods, the tractors that pulled them, and the artists that turned the soil as beautifully as that pictured on the Cultivator 146, April 2023

[kmacaoidh]

I can’t help you with the PDF booklet for your machine, I’ve searched around plenty myself looking for general information on the lineage, history, and Honda model progression down over the years. Without much success. Apart from link I was given to their own Honda website, that has good information on their first tillers.
Where do the F90 & F100 come in early 70’s, 60’s??
Does your tiller have differential lock? Selection of gears? What hp is it even!?
It’s a fine looking machine and I’m always shopping around myself, looking for similar or newer versions of these multi usage Honda tillers.

[kmacaoidh]

That is a very interesting, and detailed, article on the development of their mini tillers, and as alluded to they were making rotavators, bigger ones for agricultural use, we’ll before that. The 50’s maybe? I couldn’t find anything more on bigger tillers on their website!? Lots about motorbikes, racing cars, and so much more as you said. The history of the Kubota and Yanmar equivalents would be equally as interesting. Even the social history that the move to mini-tillers infer, that people had moved away from food growing on a larger, domestic, scale to recreational gardening? Or is this even the case, there does seem to have been a lot of varied equipment out there on the market year ago, as evidenced by VHGM, that’s not really there now. Any other directions of enquiry on the Honda History much welcomed

[kmacaoidh]

Thank you Will, for the photo and Merry Tiller suggestion. I’m still a bit confused as to how the tool fits into the hitch? Or I’m over thinking how complicated the hitch is? Has it got two bolts to tighten it securely into position? A side photo of the hitch would be great if, you Will or anyone else, had one?

[kmacaoidh]

I didn’t know that either!? It’s just that I have both types of spade.i must check the exact labeling on them next time. I’m not sure if the two brand names are historically related? Or a more modern coming together, or just a coincidental marketing name they share, or have appropriated? Either way the old spades I have are fine fine tools, but I have no experience of working with the newly manufactured versions. Very interesting if it is the same company making them both all these years? Think I must take a closer look at all these old work tools when I get a chance.

[kmacaoidh]

Never end! That’s corrective txt for you. Neverbend was what I intended. But kind of appropriate anyway, in the context. Spades that last a lifetime, or two.

[kmacaoidh]

I have two Never end spades, not stainless steel so they need a lick of oil to keep them clean, but very strong well made spades. Comfortable to work with. And bought for a song at a sale. Didn’t realize they might, possibly, be that old! The 30’s? I have old Spears & Jackson spades also, well worn with work, old, but they were great tools as well.

[kmacaoidh]

Thanks for that Alan, hadn’t spotted those amongst the photo options. That great, these wheel hoes will whet the apatite till we get to search out some more. I’m interested in looking around to see what might be the wheel hoes with the best features and tool attachments compatability, ease of use, design, for general field and garden work.

I new VHGMC would have the good stuff hidden away somewhere!

[kmacaoidh]

Look forward to seeing your pictures of your Honda, if it’s from the 50’s it’s definitely not the one I posted pictures of. It’s just that the handle bar neck and engine mounting looks so similar! Must check year and serial no.s on what I have. Interesting. Great that you have it together and work again anyway

[kmacaoidh]

Smaller files! We always forget. But this might be the Honda rotavator you have?

Attachments:

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[kmacaoidh]

This is what you have maybe?

[kmacaoidh]

It’s a Honda I’d say, but the rotary drums/blades look to be for another machine? They seem to be round bar, where as the Honda has a hexagonal bar axle

[kmacaoidh]

Also, I always have to chuckle when i see a Greyhound plough, thinking of your words, in your Trusty book i believe, referring to an original advert for the plough, saying it ‘could be fitted or dismounted easily by one man. Yes, if you want to give yourself a hernia’ !

[kmacaoidh]

Well done Geoff, the plough is looking great. That’s the same green the Trusty Tractor would be painted/sprayed with on the factory floor? What exact green is it, and where best to find it?
The plough share and slide do look like polished steel as well! It was all look great with a small splash of colour when the stickers go on. By the way, im still interested in those stickers. Its just like yourself,there’s so much work and distractions, ive not even got close to cleaning up my own Trusty, Greyhound or anything! But they are dry and safe, a first step to any restoration and preservation?

When i see how well you, and others, have conserved these tractors and equipment, i have to pinch myself that these things are not being still made! And are looking after things that will never be made again!

Unless you’ve heard they are going to start making Trusty Tractors again, due to increased interest and demand!?

Keep up the good work

[kmacaoidh]

That’s interesting about the Kubota hex-bar, and thats for the axles of their two wheel tractor/rotavators? A bit like the search for small farm tractor wheels, I have been searching around for Kubota dealers that carry the small stuff? Its always their mid range tractor, diggers, etc that i find. Never seem to come up with their two-wheel tractor range? Any ideas?

The same seems to be true of Iseki, so any ideas or leads welcome?

And isn’t it great that we have a forum here at VHGMC to air these questions, and find others with similar interests and pursuits. Long may it continue.

We are at heart, I guess, collectors, but finding these small, niche, pieces of, at times, overlooked, equipment makes our working lives so much easier. They often make otherwise laborious chores a pleasure, and rewarding on many extra levels.

[Author]

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