Zen and the Art of Tractor Parts Cleaning 

The never-ending search for Quality, indeed.

Reminds me of the winters spent in our shop, a 44 x 70 Quonset hut heated by a couple of kerosene fired torpedo heaters. Countless hours spent repairing, re-building and re-fitting both farm equipment and construction equipment. It was a more relaxed environment in which myself and my two brothers worked alongside my Dad. He was more joking and took many things in a lighter vein in the winter. Dad passed away August 31, 2020 at he age of 92 and I still tear up thinking of the times spent in the workshop with him and my brothers. Funny, we don't appreciate these things in the moments we are living them...

Yup I love getting lost in a project...centres the soul!

That is a lot of work. Well done Pete,

This is how I cleaned up my M for paint and it wasn’t too bad of a job. I did however contract out the rear hubs to a local sandblaster just because of the time involved. I wanted to work on others parts and move forward faster!

I just know Prudence approves. Looks great!!

I Love The Smell of old dirt grease, and old paint In The Morning!!! 😂🚜💨

Pete I don’t know anything what your doing I just like watching you you have a very good attitude in life towards everything and your wife

I love that you never cut corners and do things the right way the first time!

That rough casting must have been done on a Friday afternoon when the workers were having a Zen moment thinking about having a Beer after work.

Lol! The thumbnail made it look like you'd grown a fu manchu mustache and rocking that trucker look. :D

The deep thought you get into cleaning parts is the kind of thought I would dove into during the miles of walking with a pack on my back when I was a Jarhead.

Looking forward to seeing her done and running out on your farm.

Hey Pete you smudged your makeup. Thanks for sharing your therapy session with us. Ed

Im happy to see this video is back. The determination and care shown in this video is to be admired.

We used to have a saying at the factory. “Close enough for this place”!

A Pete good to see you again today yeah you got you just flamers out there I'm glad to hear that we all do things different and I tried not to be judgmental on that we all think different I used to laugh when I go to work and I hear these guys talking about what they would do I thought they were coaching about Labor coach in the high school football something come to find out all they were doing was watching TV so I tried to mind my own business and enjoy the show for what it is and I want to thank you for that and tell Miss Hillary I said hello and God bless you and your family thank you so much mr. Pete

Excellent video, as someone who has done this with my tractors I get it…

It's fun to see how the dirt spots move from place to place, on your face, as the video progresses. Entertaining.

Pete the glasses today are polycarbonate, will not shatter. They are safety glasses for in the shop have worn them for years. Forget safety glasses you already have them.

Ok, I admit, I was one of the subscribers that didn't watch the tractor restoration videos, mostly due to time and I didn't think they would be entertaining enough. Boy, was I wrong. I really enjoy how particular you are without being ridiculous. You're a natural in front of the camera. I really enjoy your channel. Thanks!

Hi Pete, hope you are having a good 😌 day cleaning 🧼 the old tractor 🚜 parts. I also watch the young farmers riding their new shiny tractors. I think of you and your old tractors. I know that you get much joy 🤩 from preserving the past. I being older appreciate your efforts and what you do in honoring the past. Great 👍 restoration videos, love them all. Thanks 🙏 so much Pete, have a great day.

I so agree about how a repetitive task can *free* your mind! For me when I am gardening or quilting, it is the same way. There’s satisfaction in the work, but it leaves room for a great deal of mental *space*!! A very *zen* place indeed!! Well done on the cleaning tasks!!

200% Done to achieve perfection makes sense. We do it nice, because we do it TWICE!

After I retired I learned that being able to take the time to do things right was a great asset to enjoy. Less stress for sure. It's kind of like you are now being self employed and having a profitable paid for farm. Keep up your hard labor of love for us to enjoy and admire.

I was going to change my tractor over to electronic ignition, but I figured it would be pointless! Hahaha!

Great job Mr. Pete! I can't wait to see the old boy when you're done.

Shift pattern decal always went in the lower left on the light bar, because when looking at the gearshift your eyes are already in the direction of it. So the decal would land in your line of sight every time. IH was good at doing that. Putting everything where it was either easy to reach, or east to see.

Something we’ve said over and over in our home, “The enemy of ‘good’, is ‘perfect’.” Reduces anxiety and a lot of wasted of time. Nice video!

I really enjoy your perspective and seeing the way you go through this tractor.

We're with you, Pete. Work in a way that's comfortable for you. A little dust and dirt only builds up one's immunity. Enjoying the process of maintaining your tractor parts!

Thanks Pete 🚜

i can't wait to see the paint job on that tractor

👍👍👏👏👍👍 Thanks for sharing Pete, always enjoy your videos and talks. Take care

i hear a real farmer in him

Pete, talking about the deep thinking while you're in the middle of cleaning tractor parts, reminds me that my wife doesn't like me to weed eat fence rows because I have too much time to think. 🤣

Pete I cant wait when its finished

Happy 2'sday on 2-22-22

She’s sure getting there. Almost ready for her new “dress”! ❤️🥰

I absolutely love your videos all of them hope you never stop but I have to admit I favor the tractor restoration one's the most thanks again from western PA

👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🙏🏻🗽 Enjoyed! When I’m doing dusty/dirty/smelly "whatever" I put a fan at an angle that blows the "whatever" away from me…simple and works well. Love your tenacity, makes me smile and enjoy what you’re doing.

Your tractor looks very good you did a nice job you’re pretty thoroughly what you do so thank you I am watching you God bless

I find myself contemplating other things while doing “mundane repetitive tasks” which often get me into trouble!! I’m very impressed with your knowledge of the old tractors! Learn to drive a tractor on my grandfathers Farmall!! Wish I had it now that I have a small farm!

Hello Pete. I am looking forward to seeing the finished product. Great work!

I love watching your videos! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I am SOOOO glad you clipped that tag from your hat, it was pretty distracting! LOL!!

Wonderful job Pete

Pete good to see that you are going for perfection in cleaning up the parts to paint. Many times you will find painting jobs where it is just spray over without little or no prep work. Looking forward for the next part of the process.

Your in the "ZONE" Pete! Fun to watch. Thank you!

The electrical box looks like the one that was on my dad's WD9. Exciting that the soon to be painted back end will join the newly painted front.

Love your videos

The shift pattern sticker is quite interesting. I believe on both my MD and my Super M they were on the gas tank.

As the saying goes... "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time" I love that phase, especially for folks that are always in a big hurry to get something done fast... Looking forward to the paint video.

Learning how to "Eat the Elephant" is an important part of life (especially an project!) You beat me to the subject of thinking when doing a task like this. It's good for the soul (yes, ZEN!) Far out!! When I ran my business (lots of restoration work) & even in anything I have done in life I've used the 90/10 Rule! I'm annoyed with myself though for missing this video earlier. Oh! & yes, at both the I.H dealerships I worked for here in Oz, though I was a parts guy, I used to do body & paint after hours so I've painted a lot of I.H tractors & trucks in my day (plus many other things) It's certainly the prep work that makes for good results! Thanks for another wonderful, very calming video even if you did have that tag on your hat hanging out for part of it!! 🤣🤣 Cheers!

Hi Pete! I’m a little behind on the videos. Glad to see your sharing wealth of tractor knowledge!

I would agree about going into deep thought while doing work like that do it all the time.

I restore old military vehicles and just finished up restoring a '41 M2A1 half track. I use almost exactly the same process you described here. Works great and a bit "therapeutic"!! 😉

hello Pete and family love to see all the hard work that it takes to do it very fun and informative thank you

Thanks for the video Pete 👍

Labour of love. It will be worth it. in the end. The result will be amazing an finish. 😎😎

Another fine video thank you Pete.

Awesome video as always Pete. Totally enjoyed it!!!

i know you're not done, but it's been wuite the journey. it's amazing the minds that went into building these machines, regardless of who the manufacturer was. ok a quick dad joke: WHAT'S faster than a calculator? a calculnow.HAHAHAHAHAHA.

Another GREAT video! Thanks for sharing! Also, you look pretty good with a "goatee"!! Keep on keeping on my friend!!

Ha, liked the "Light Bar", these days that's the LEDS that show how much the GPS guidance is telling you to turn.

9:27. 😂😂. Lol. Thanks Pete, that did bug me🤷🤷😁👍👍🤣

I hope the word stupid is never said again on your channel. Too bad of a word and there's nothing "stupid" about cleaning tractor parts at all. I'm excited to see it all painted and going back together. Truly fantastic, Pete. Thank you.

Nice job Pete👍

Thanks for sharing

I've been using a needle scaler on my truck frame it's good for applying por 15 treatment directly after.

Love your videos, Pete. 🖐🏽 Hi to the family from NW MO. 🤗✌🏽❤️

Quality content, Peter.

Good hard work

Pete, thank you for the time to show us how you restore the old red tractors. It also has been a history lesson, and learned a lot of what was what, and how to recognize if the unit had been updated or not! I spent many years restoring old snowmobiles and the process is the same pretty much, except the parts are bigger and heavier! Thank you for showing us your way of doing things! From the shores of Lake Champlain, in Plattsburgh, NY, thank you!

Going to look great!

Does this mean you have read 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance', but I know what you mean, yes it is hard work requiring little thought so your mind can go else ware, but the finished result, FANTASTIC and well worth the effort, you should be a philosopher.

There are two particular repetitive tasks where I tend to do my best thinking; driving and pooping. I always keep a pencil and paper nearby when doing either of these tasks. If I could figure a way to keep the paper dry, I would add showering to this list.

The Italian economist Pareto did a great job describing what you talked about regarding the pursuit of perfection.

I completely agree, normally that last 10% no one notices, well on my line of work!

Really excited to see the MD completed some day. Love watching the process. Have you ever thought of doing a blooper real?

Great stuff Pete,missed the visit with those piggers and cows

I’m enjoying your RU-vid channel ,, I’m binge watching ,, I’m on your first year on RU-vid

Your videos are great ,I am currently rebuilding my grand father’s gravely tractor, not as big as what you are doing. I like what you said about a labor of love, it is more than a labor of this was the first tractor learn mow lawns with and I am hoping when I get it done so my four year old grandson will learn to use it. Thank you for the videos they are fun to watch and informative. Oh sorry about you cow . Have a super day.

Dust galore! Enjoyed you doing the work! LOL

I have noticed most restored vehicles are slicker and shinier than when new.

Minnie Pearl with that hat tag sticking out. Howwwww. Deeeee!!!!

i love watching your videos. love the way you do stuff. keep up the Awesome work! GOD' Bless your whole family. Amen :) :)

Greetings to you, I was so saddened by the death of the cow that I did not even contact you, but today you are in good health and so is your wonderful wife. May your days be happy, God willing.

I knew that watching you clean tractor parts would be interesting, because you make things interesting. Now, on to the painting!

Words to life by: “I’m not dead yet” - grit “Work with what you got” - resourceful “I can do your dentistry” - questionable

One other things I've learned from watching you and the Salvage Workshop channel is that good mechanics throughly clean what they are working on. It is part of the repair process. Cleaning the assembly facilitates good repair. :) It is not all mechanical all mechanical genius. Attention to detail counts. lean

Love your videos, keep them coming!

Nothing is as satisfying like when the paint flows on smoothly. You carefully select a durable industrial coating, understand and apply for optimum performance and know positively that it holdup.

Pete your having to much fun, I love doing this kind of work. You do a Qualty job on everything you approach and complete on your channel. Well done sir.

Love your rebuild videos. I can't wait to see what all of your hard work looks like when you're done. I'm hoping you post before and after pics/videos. As always, awesome video Pete!

I like your 90-10% and then 10-90% thinking....

Awesome video. Would love to see a Farmall cub restoration in the future!

For some reason I have a thought of Minnie Pearl 🤣👍🏼 Love your videos

You're exactly right on the "Zen" when you're doing repetitive tasks. It's an experience I think we as a culture are losing.

Awright, Pete... where does the toy department keep their Arnold Schwarzenegger action figures? Isle B, back. Tedious, yet, ohhhh, so rewarding to have parts down to clean/bare status. A serious feller would get a grinding wheel and take those rough castings down to baby-butt smooth before paint. Saves bloody knuckles later on down the road. Yup, I'm with you, let the shop swap out tires on the "moo-sheen". And, ya know... some rust converting Rust-O-Leum could do good things for you in those hard to reach spots. In any case, lookin' good there Kemosabe. That type of work is good for the soul.