Have Deere Will Aerate

I know this isn't breaking news for some of you, but this is one of those projects for the books. I was donated this little bucket of bolts and you couldn't have slapped the smile off my face as I trailered it home. It was October at the time and snowy. I was so excited I pushed it at least 80' through 6'' of snow, up the trailer ramp and drove off before they changed their mind. Don't ask me where the snow went. Over the following couple weeks I resurrected the beast temporarily.

After looking around in the snow and waist high weeds I found the mower deck under the front of a junked van that must to have housed at least 20 generations of ferrel cats. It stunk bad! Being motivated by the stink I summoned super human strength and hefted the stinky mower deck on to my back and dump it into the trailer and off I went.

The restoration project took place in the spring and I eventually dissected the beast down to its frame. It looks like cosmetic surgery gone bad, but it gets better.

Just another shot of the breakdown.

Project Completed. After many hours and a few new parts ( bearings, fuel pump, after market lights, John Deere Green/Yellow paint, JD stickers of course, seat, custom billet nobs, V belts, battery and some electrical wiring.) this lockjaw causing rust bucket is now the cute $35.00 dollar per lawn aeration machine you now see. I kid you not, the whole make over cost me about $80.00. (Lawn aerator not included) In the spring and fall Bradley and I Have a great time aerating lawns. The extra $ makes me feel better every time I go to the gas pump (Dirty buggers) and whats left over goes towards our ski fund.

A funny story... After I completed the restoration I was one day mowing our small to medium sized lawn when a friend/neighbor drove by. She yelled from her drive by "You've got to be the most lazy man on the block!" To which I replied "YEAH, BUT I'M DONE, NOW GO HOME AND PUSH MOW YOURS!"

Good times!