Friday 25/07/2008

Future news is now at http://www.catseyepress.co.uk/news.asp

Wednesday 23/07/2008 We have now got the guillotine up and running in the dining room as planned. We have cut some paper and we are pleased with it's accuracy.

The point of this is that we can now offer a wider range of printed products, because we can cut the completed job to it's fininished size.

The main special job we want to offer is books for new authors. I can now print A5 hard-backed books for £3.00 pper book for the covers and about 1.5 pence per page.

All customers have to do is to send me their book, all type up and i can print it.

Compliments slips can now be added to the range.

Wednesday 23/07/2008

I just had the folowing e-mail from one of my first customers for the new Parts Manual:-

Hello Graham

I received yesterday the T20 parts book I ordered, thank you very much.

It is a excellent book, very well illustrated and the detail is price less. I can imagine it was hours of work proof reading this one.

This is a book all T20 owners should have.

Thanks again

I thank the customer for his kind remarks.

I thought you'd like to see this. It's a solar powered headlight, I mounted on the front of my bike this afternoon.

Below there is Mark erecting the Guillotine, ready for use by Catseye Private Press

You can tell from all the practical activity that it's Mark's day off.

Between the 2 photos above, you may get a sense of the ancient and modern in the one houshold! Oh yes! and that IS our dining room. Mark has, very reluctantly, and very generously agreed to let me have the guillotine in the dining room, as indeed he has agreed to errect the big presses (the Albion in particular, in the living room. The only condition seems to be that I be careful not to make too much mess!

Some Chicken Pics!

The older girls have gone broody on us again!

The babies are growing up quickly now. They'll soon be leaving home if we don't clip their wings.

There are some really cheap manuals out there in the world. Let's be clear! Some are no more than PC discs and some are simple photocopies. I believe I am alone in having a licence from the copyright owners. Copyright in the UK is good for 70 years. My manuals and books are printed on a digital press. I have pasted a picture of a digital press below. It's a different make to mine and rather dearer to buy, but the principles remain the same. The point of it is that it is open so you can see what goes on inside is nothing like a photocopier. One big difference with mine is that the one I have is all arranged in a straight line, so as to avoid bending the stock and so that I can print much thicker card, when I want to.

I am very proud of my latest press. It is the result of the sale of my industrial tractor. It is most certainly NOT a photocopier.

I have selected the paper with the greatest care, to emulate that used when Ferguson chose his paper. It can never be the same, as paper like that just isn't made any more (I do know how to make it, but you lot would never pay the costs), but it looks a treat and is not just any old cheap copier paper.

The Manuals I produce, are printed legally, not breaching copyright, are hard-bound with fabric-effect grey covers, gold foiled and bound with a steel spine, covered in blue fabric. They are something for the bookshelf, as well as the workshop, which will last for years, if cared for.

Ten pounds! It's impossible to print a 464 page book to a decent standard for £10!

Monday 21/07/2008

The first of the parts books went in the post this morning. I have more in stock and a couple on which I await payment or part-payment (carriage). Brilliant stuff! I have to say that it is such a relief to get these out at last.

Just for a laugh! -- -- -- for now

I've got a press like the one in the photo, but the sun collector, boiler and engine may be a bit more expensive to make; although I do know exactly how to make them. In fact I have made a fair number of boilers and steam engines in my time.

It does make one think! I wonder!

Anyway, here's a link to the printing price list!
http://www.catseyepress.co.uk/July2008PriceList.pdf

Saturday 19/07/2008

It's 21:37hrs on Saturday night and I am 10 pages away from completing the proof corrections to the Ferguson Tractor Parts Manual. Woopie! I hope to have it ready to start production on Monday morning.

Monday 14/07/2008

Today I am ready to launch the 2009 Calender and expect soon, to be ready to do post cards too!

That is(especially in the case of the calenards), all except for pictures. I do not want to use old, grey, photos under licence. Most of my customers have seen them all by now, any way. I would like great new colour ones. All of Ferguson tractors

I considered running a competition. That seemed to me to be corny. I saw a TV promotion of such a thing, yesterday and they were giving the idea that winners would be included in the calender and isn't that an honour etc. It's clearly a commercial thing.

Having said that, I don't suppose I would sell more than a handful or two and so it's not really that big a deal. They are going to cost about £2.86 for colour and £1.81 for black and white. There's no costing in there for the photographer. So I reckon, that if I am only likely to sell a few, there's no point in me paying even £10 each (£120) for photos to be taken and then have to charge, let us say £6.00 each extra for the calenders for the photographer (assuming I get lucky and sell 20). I've tried this sort of thing before and fallen down, over and over again.

SO! If you'd like to send me a photo, please drop me a line if you know my e-mail address, or contact me using the form at http://www.fergusontractor.co.uk/contact/. I will be eternally grateful. I will send you a link, by e-mail, for you to upload them. They need to be quite big files, so please don't send them by ordinary e-mail. It's OK to post them on a disc, if that's what you would prefer to do. Obviously I can only do 12, so whilst I don't expect to get more than that, if yours doesn't get on there, sorry in advance!

Legal stuff
I will be publishing these, so your permission is implied by sending the photo/s.
I would prefer photos not published elsewhere please.
I mustn't publish photos, the copyright of which is held elsewhere.

Thanks so much folks! I look forward to your communications.

Finally
I can also print calenders to order, with your own photos at the same price plus a fiver setup. Now that has to be the offer of the century, when it comes to family gifts.

Once the greetings cards are up and ready, they can be with your own photos or drawings and your own wording, too. Set up for those is no more than a fiver and the pricing looks, at the moment, to be itro 17p for black and white and 26p for colour, each.

All these products are also good for any business or organisation! Prices are the same as they are designed as low as they can go. I think you'll agree that they are pretty darned good!

There's the bones of a Catseye Private Press price ist at
http://www.fergusontractor.co.uk/pricelist.html

Sunday 13/07/2008

I got the new web shop up today. I have had only 2 orders since I have resorted to the temporary system. Thats about £25 in 2 weeks.

What I have done is to obtain the latest version of the software, which is totaly up to date to avoid any security problems. The new software will direct to pay by cheque, give me a ring or pay using PayPal. NEVER put your credit or debit card details into MY web site. I don't do it that way.

The ONLY way I take debit or credit cards is via PayPal.

Ejoy the new shop guyz!

Friday 11/07/2008

I am aware that a number of people have been wondering if I'm OK. Yes thanks. Sory I have been busy with some special jobs. I also dated my 04/07 report as 04/06, in error. Sorry!

I have been preparing calenders (£1.81 for mono and £2.86 for colour, + art work [send me your pot's for me to just paste in, and that's about a fiver to add to the whole run.] You can have as many as a thousand orr as few as 1. It's all the same price!) for Christmas, and Christmas cards. These are for local groups, to here and for general release. In particular, I can do special greetings cards for any event with a photo of my customers' choice and special messages as required by the customer.

Mark & I have had a very smelly day today cleaning out Steve's pond, in our garden. I am not sure, quite, why I think of it as Steve's pond, but I just do. Steve? It's all clean now, but we smell, instead! You have been away in the USA, so I don't know if you know that we have been heroned. I got up one morning to find one fishing in the pond. I shoo'd it away, same again next day, fitted a pump to spray it when it landed, bought two electric bikes as a direct result of buying the pump, etc. etc. etc. The pond takes 1.2 cubic meters of water. That's £4.12 worth.

The bikes are great! Everybody should try one, once at least! They are saving us a fortune in petrol for the cars and not costing much, at all, in electricity. Brilliant!

The guillotine is cleaned, painted and part-erected, in the dining room. It ground to a halt over three missing bolts and 4 othr missing parts. It's been some years in storage, since I left Holland-Brand Workshop. Hmmmmm!

Friday 04/07/2008

My online web shop is now replaced with a simple e-mail form. All folk have to do is to look down the list, see what they want, paste it into the text box and hit send.

I sincerely hope people find this a pleasant new way of doing things on my site.

Of course, I still love to talk, so give me a ring if you want to!

On a different subject, our guillotine is coming on very well. it is going to stand in the living room. That's Mark's choice. I hope he doesn't come to regret it. He has painted it a gorgeous jet black and it is spotlessly clean. All he needs to do now is to assemble it. No mean task, as far as I can see.

Once that is done, I intend to get on with the business of printing books for people who have written work that they want to publish. I will then be able to print the books for them, on demand, as they sell.

Thursday 03/06/2008

I am taking my Web Shop off line because of repeated attacks by some cowardly idiot, who thinks that she/he is a clever hacker. How it can make tweprs like this feel clever eludes me!

When you want a book, just give me a ring please. 01692 582 292 or e-mail me through the contacts page.

HACK MY BRAIN YOU STUPID HACKERS! now there's a computing challenge!

Apart from that:-

The book club books are all printed for June and ready to be posted. That's a very good thing indeed.:-)

I have just had a hone order for a manual. That's a good thing too. That should go out in the morning.

Monday 30/06/2008

The next Book Club publication is now ready for production.

My thanks to my friend for his excellent copy from which to better the photographs!

I shall now try to find the time to make a block, with which to foil the covers.

The beer festival is over, so Mark and I are seeing a little more of each other. We went out for a ride on our bikes last night. That was a pleasant experience! It's not something we have done together before. Quite uplifting! I recommend it as a couple-thing. It's good excersise and, provided you cycle at the same pace, it's good company.

Erm! I suppose, in the interest of honesty, I aught to mention that these are electric bikes! We bought them together, ex-hire, when the hire company wanted shot of them. Brilliant things! They didn't actually work when we got them, so they were no expensive, but Mark is, of course, a genious with things-mechanical and a couple of expletives later (sorry Chris, but in the privacy of our own living room...), off we went!

When we bought them, apart from the fact that I expected nothing much more than a couple of used hub motors for an experimental project. When it turned out that the things worked, I thought they'd be murderously slow. As it turns out, 8mph is quite fast enought for me, on a bike and I really enjoy the experience. They really are an awfully quiet and very smooth ride! They appear to cost about 1/20th the price of running a car, at the moment, require no MOT, tax, insurance and all that stuff, and I am excited about the notion of charging them from the sun, using solar cells. One day, when I can afford it, that would seem to me to be the ultimate in free engergy, second only to walking, which costs a fortune in food.

Saturday 21/06/2008

I have been preparing the 3rd Book Club edition over the past few days. It is now almost ready to produce. I am just waiting for an original to arrive, from which I want to pull some of the photos. When blown up from the original I used in the first place are not so good for the larger format.

I hope that will arrive Tuesday/wednesday and that I can get on with the job on Wednesday/Thursday. Not that there is any rush, I have yet to do the covers as well.

Pop the search words 'book club' into
http://www.fergusontractor.co.uk/retail/shopsearch.asp

I would like very much to increase numbers in the book club. It's very low priced and I only have 4 members at this time, which goes no-where near covering the costs of platemaking for the covers, alone. Frankly, it is not yet a commercial viability, even by my standards, as I am having to subsidise it heavily.

Happy days,
Graham

Writing your own book?
Some people really do have a book inside them, waiting to get out. The problem can be that getting a book published is often difficult and very costly. From the outset, we have no idea how many will sell, or indeed, if and will sell any. I want to encourage self-publishing. Can you write a manual or history book? Do you write poetry? Would you like to share your life experiences? Now you really can.

Write your book using MS Word, Acrobat or some other common enough PC program and I will print it for you, either in full, glorious colour, or in monochrome. Just as you prefer.

I have here some gorgeous leatherette covers in a variety of tasteful colours, which can be foiled with your title etc. I'm not sure that a photo will do them justice, but intend to give it a try some day soon.

Provided that you make sure that you accept full responsibility for the typing, layout and proof-reading, I will be happy to print in any language you like to write in.

I will send between one and 5 to The British Library and others, for you. I will set up an ISBN for you, if you like to have one. That will make selling the book to a publisher, easier.

I can put your book on a web site for you, if you like, from which potential customers can buy it. I can even send them out for you, printing each one, as required, on demand, so that you never have huge bills for printing, runs of them. I will just PayPal you over your monies, when each book is sold.

Give me a ring if you want to know more, on 01692 582 292

Thursday 19/06/2008

Mark has spent the past fortnight helping in preparations at The Hill House Inn at Happisburgh for their Beer Festival. It begins today. There are 63 different beers, from all over the country, to sample and I am sure that a fine time will be had by all. There are all sorts of entertainments, bands, groups and so on.

An overflow camp site has been made available for those wishing to stay overnight - a good idea as the camping and caravan site behind the pub is full up. Dozens will be camping on the overflow site, which has postaloos, electricity, water and all the things needed these days before people can camp. Odd that! I seem to be old fashioned in so many things as I approach the age of 54. What ever happened to 3 sticks, a bit of old canvas and a canvas bucket to fetch the water from the nearest stream? Hmm! I used to enjoy all that and it brings very happy memories.

I have been printing, folding, collating and stapling 1000 copies of the Tasting Notes and a number of posters and other promtional printed ware. That is done now.

In between all of that, I have been producing books about Ferguson tractors and Implements for customers. That's the thing I most enjoy doing, other than spending time time helping people by telephone.

Monday 16/06/2008

I have kept my political opinions to myself for some time now, and that’s about what other people think of what I think. Well! Maybe I will benefit from writing this down, and maybe some others will benefit by knowing that they are not alone in their thoughts.

Our Irish friends across the water there just voted against the new version of the European Treaty. They will have had their own reasons for that, and & I suspect that I agree with them. Whatever their reasons, they voted NO, as did other nations on very similar questions, in very recent months. I just wish the EU officials would get the message they their ideas are NOT being well received by the majority of the people and that they would either modify those ideas to suit their employers of GO AWAY and leave us alone.

As regular readers all know, I am a natural Tory who votes Lib-Dem. I do this because I value my civil liberties; my freedoms to be me and to do as I please as long as it harms no-body else. I do NOT support the Lib-Dem policies regarding Europe, (they seem to me to support the view that membership of Europe keeps us safer from European war - I do not agreee with that view, in particular) for the most part. It is a matter of the deepest shame to me that I depend upon Europe to maintain, what I consider to be, some of the basic human rights that I currently enjoy. That, to me, is lamentable. Neither New Labour. or the Conservatives. Seem able see their ways to support my most simple and harmless human needs. For that they can get lost, as far as I am concerned. Their behaviour is shameless and shameful in my view.

David Davies just stood against the 42 day rule for false imprisonment (which my memory tells me Brown wanted, and I believe still wants, to be 90 days) and the erosion of basic civil liberties. He is right to defend these for us and I respect him for it. The Liberal Democrats, very politely, declined to stand against him because they agree with him. New labour promptly threw their toys out of the pram and suggested that it’s not an issue upon which they are prepared to enter into political discussion and contest an election. It is my opinion that, in the case of New Labour, the move demonstrates cowardice, certainty that he is right and a deep-seated fear that the people have rumbled them. I hope David Davies gets his election, that the electorate’s eyes are not drawn off the ball and that New Labour is resoundingly trumped. I further hope that New Labour realise that the people mean it and realise, further, what they mean. I expect them to be beaten into a cocked hat but further expect that they will spin some other excuse for their abject failure, than their treatment of their employers – The People!

I admit, that whilst delighted that our constituency managed to elect a Lib-Dem, believing that the Lib-Dems were not likely to achieve a majority in Parliament, I preferred New Labour to Conservative when that change took place. I would still prefer the Liberal Democrats to win a majority in Parliament, but fear that the people do not have the faith that they can, and as a result there will be, yet another, insane, desperate and mighty swing; this time from left to right. Heaven help us!

Finally As should be obvious to all readers, the two subjects above are inextricably interlinked.

Thursday 12/06/2008

Stock of paper arrived today. Despite that I continue to specialise in the Ferguson Tractor and Implement Instruction Books and Manuals. The reading of the Parts List is coming on, but rather slowly. It will come in due course, I am confident.

The new products which I intend to make available are letter headings, as a start along with leaflets, posters flyers and the like. I can print in full, glorious colour or in simple black and white, I can fold and I can laminate. That's not a bad start then, is it? Just give me a ring to arrange your job. 01692 582 292

SO!

If you are taking a tractor or implement to a show and want a sign to tell folk what it is that they are seeing, I can do you a laminated poster in either A3 or A4 to describe your exhibit. Cost? Let's say you have 2, one for each end of your tractor, and that you send me a word document from which to print it. Price = £7.97 plus £2.50 P&P. All that in full colour and they will not bleed in the rain. These laminated posters will last you for years.

Tuesday 10/06/2008

Pete was duly collected on Saturday and has now been replaced by an up to date printing machine for my books. I also have a folder, laminator and Gold Foiling press.

I hope to recieve some paper in the next day or so. Then I can extend my range of printed products.

The guillotine blade has gone off for sarpening and the machine itself is to be stripped, cleaned and re-assembled in the next couple of weeks.

The forum at www.FoFH.co.uk is now up and running and more inovations are due shortly on that site.

Mark is helping the Hill House Inn to prepare for their Solstic Beer Festival in a few days time. He is, therefore, a busy person and I am not seeing much of him.

Saturday 07/06/2008

The loader is off to Germany today. We very much enjoyed the company of the buyer and his wife.

Pete the TE P 20 is due to be collected this afternoon.

I got the Friends of Ferguson Heritage forum working yesterday. That is a job I am pleased to have got done.

I have had an enquiry from a customer who restores old wirelesses. He needs some transfers for his wireless sets. I will be working on that today, for him.

Tuesday 03/06/2008

My Industrial tractor, Pete the TE P 20 sold today, for quite a lot less than I was offerered to take it off ebay. Such is life! That is the cost of doing things right. Never mind!

I am expecting a folding machine to arrive by Parcelforce today too. That is quite exciting for me! It will fold A3, A4 and A5 into 2 or three folds at quite a quick speed and accuracy.

The laminator, which arrived a week or more ago is delightful as it turns out. Very good value! I can now laminate up to 250microns and have 250 and 125 micron in stock. That will be everso handy for A3 and A4 posters, menus, low-cost book covers and the like.

I am expecting the grit spreader to be collected today. I sincerely hope the buyer can make a good job of that. It is such a rare thing. It sold for 99p, buth that's not the point. The point is finding it a good home.

Sunday 01/06/2008

The Grit Spreader sells on e-bay today. I would hope it will go to somebody who very much wants it to go with the Industrial tractor. Whoever buys it, getting it away from our old bungalow is of paramount importance as it's costing us rent to leave it there.

Here's asking for some help. You know how it is that catch-phrases and punch lines are so important that every bussinesman uses them, along with policians and who knows who else. Well! You have seen, from yesterdays news what I am trying to communicate about the printing job. I want to serve the ordinary person who wnats to get something printed in small quantities.I really don't mind if it's one poster for the showground or one book of poetry or remeniceses. I am happy to do just a few business cards, compliments slips, invoices or letterheads for somebody who wants to try setting p in business on their own.

I want to print a few flyers for clubs and societies. I can print in colour, black, or even metalic foil. I can print one sheet or thousands. I do start getting expensive at about the 2000 run mark, so I am best suited to smaller jobs. But everybody can now present themselves in a modern, and high quality way. 'Image is all', I hear them say. Well, images is the business I am in.

The question is, Mark thinks that "Printer to The Little People/Person" would alienate the very people to whom I am trying to apeal. He sees the phrase as derogatory or belittling. I see it as me and the likes of me. Mark prefers the line "Short run Printer", Print on damand", "Digital or Traditional Printing" or something like that. I want to involve the individual in the thought conveyed. What do you think? Usual e-mail address:- . Thanks, in advance, for your help!

I am looking for something which presents as being:-
People-friendly
No run too small
Very affordable
Accessible to everybody
A blend of High Tech and Traditional
Professional, yet approachable
Knowledgable, yet not arrogant.
Can print pretty well anything on paper
or make transfers to go on anything from Tractors to Tee Shirts and mugs.

Saturday 31/05/2008

We have had 2 visits today from potential bidders for my TE P 20.

Mark has now gone off to work at The Hill House Inn at Happisburgh.

PRINTING

What I am doing with the printing project is trying to make it available to even the smallest user of printed paper. We now have access to the Internet and that is a wonderful thing. But there are still things that we want, and sometimes need, to have on paper.

I noticed a while ago that it's not so easy to buy say 25 or 50 little visiting or business cards, compliments slips or letter headings. I have set up to start exactly there. For the little person. For the person new to business, for the person who wants, maybe, a single laminated sign to set next to the tractor at the showground or a few little flyers to give out to explain to folk what it is they are looking at. These can be folded in two or three to make little leaflets, they can be either in black on any coloured paper or in full colour.

You can design the job yourself or send it to me to design. obviously, if you ask me to design it, you have to pay me so to do. If you do it yourself, you just pay me £7.50 to set it up for you. I them print at a few pence per sheet. send me a word or publisher file or a .jpg/.gif

Once printed I can fold your flyers into leaflets and/or laminate them to keep them looking fresh and to keep the weather off. The colour last for simply ages and if ever you need more, there is no need to start the designing thing all over again. We just start from where we left off. The £7.50 set-up and then the few pence per sheet. All you have to do is to send me an e-mail or give me a phone call and I will get on and do it for you. Postage starts at £2.50 for a Post In Proportion box, either A4 or A5 in size.

Turn around can be a few short days, if all goes according to plan. I always try to use first class mail.

Heree's and idea of prices! 5 A5 laminated sheets, ready to post next to your tractor or implement at a show, A4 in size, to your Word or Publisher artwork, or even a .jpg or BMP - whetever we can sort out - for only £7.50 to set up from your file + 10p for 5 prints in black or 14p for 5 prints in colour, 23p for paper and £1.75 for laminating. The whole job, in colour is only 9.58 plus £2.50 postage or in black, 9.54 plus £2.50 postage

For leaflets add 40p per 100 for one fold or 60p per 100 for 2 folds. There you go, Catseye Private Press! Printing for the little people!

Wednesday 28/05/2008

We just heard from someone who wanted to offer £5000 buy-it-now for my TEP 20. We had to turn him down and ask him to bid on e-bay in the usual way.

We have now left the old place, so anything bough recently, which is still there is at the new owners' risk.

27/05/2008

The Cordwood Saw sold at £191.00. to a Dutch bidder.

I have not heard from the buyer of the MIL Loader boom. I would be grateful if they would, please, get in touch to remove their property.

Bank Holiday Monday 26/05/2008

It's under 2 hours to go on several of my ebay auctions!

320255447117 Pickup Hitch. Sold at £21.00.

320255445558 Tool bar with ridger and plater stuff with it. Sold at £31.00. I think that's about right!

320255444555 High Lift Loader. Sold at £36.00. That's a nasty shock!

320255446167 MIL Loader Boom. Sold at £0.99. I don't have a problem with that. Enjoy!

320255801541 Cordwood Saw. Stands at £170, which is coming on OK, with a day to go. At that price it's darned good value but not madly low.

At these numbers some people are going to get one heck of a bargain! Congratulations!

Sunday 25/05/2008

Today we went to our old place and picked up all the rubbish, sorted it and binned it. We then set about cleaning surfaces and vacuuming. We got through 3 vacuum cleaners, of various makes, so far. Now we are on our last "henri". Funny old game!

I'm beginning to get fairly optomistic about Pete's sale. There are a number of bidders, although it is still going too low. I cannot sell below £1500. That's where the reserve is set. It is pretty common knowledge, so I am not clear why folk are still bidding below that.

The otehr items are all getting wuite close to the end of auction now. So if you want to bid, get in there before the end!

We now, at last, have replaced our lost camera.

Saturday 24/05/2008

The trailer in the picture of the Industrial tractor ad. on e-bay is SOLD and has been collected.

I so wish I could go back in to the ad to answer this question in public. I have done so by e-mail quite a few times now.

The trailer in the photo to which you refer is now sold. It was not one that went with the tractor, just one I had collected at some time or another.

However, the item which is still for sale on ebay, which is connected, if vaguely, with the Industrial tractor is the grit spreader, which was used to keep the roads clear back in the old days, towed by an industrial tractor. if you ring me, i will guide you to a web site which has a bit of history about this old machine and it's like. It is very special, being the only one of it's type still running around today.

There is so much history about this tractor that I simply have not been able to put it all in the advert and loads of people are asking questions,.

01692 582 292
Graham Pressman
I love to talk, and to listen!

I just added our Cordwood Saw to ebay too! Item number 320255801541

Happy bidding folks!

Well! I've done it. My TE P 20 is advertised on e-bay. Item number 320255753441

This is a big day!

Ferguson TE P 20 Full Industrial, Council Type Tractor

I believe this to be a unique tractor. I have never seen another like it surviving anywhere in the world.

There is no question but that a buyer absolutely MUST come to see it before bidding. It is not perfect, but it is the very best available. It could be made to be impecable, and as such could turn an honest profit for a top class restorer. The difficult and expensive work is done. I have set the auction to the longest time I can to give as much time as possible for bidders to arrange to visit. I have set the reserve at a very modest level indeed, for what it is you are buying; just to protect myself from giving away altogether.

Full Industrial brakes, with newly refurbished slave cylinders all round. The master cylinder needs doing now to make the brakes perfect. The independants turn the tractor on a sixpence and hand-branke is spot on too.

This fantastic work-horse originally worked for West Riding Coucil, delivered in 1952 along with a collection of implements, including grit spreader like the one I am also advertising on ebay, for use maintaining the roads in that area and keeping them clear of ice and snow in winter. There were, originally 44 of them in the batch. This one still has it's original fleet number '17' on the dash board. The original number was LWU 67, but DVLA have issued a temporary number until proof can be provided. I did send the proof to them, but they lost it so it will be necessary to get it again from Yorkshire Archive. and other sources. The archive has a lot of data on the original purchases, from the period.

The tractor has a full set of Industrial wings and front bumper, as can be seen in the photos. The restoration was a project for trainees and apprentices at Holland-Brand of Stalham a few years ago. It has it's Council Lighting Set and Horn. The engine has a new set of pistons, rings, liners, seals etc. etc. No expense has been spared on the mechanics. A fettle and a lick of paint, in either grey or maroon (I never could decide) would be the finishing touch.

This is a fantastic opportunity to buy what seems to me to be the most rare Ferguson tractor in the world. It is NOT a semi or Basic version, it is certainly a FULL Industrial WITH Council Lighting. The Serial Number is verified by FoFH as being TEP 291909. Although it does sport a brand new bonnet, I have kept the original with the original registration number hand-painted on the front. the original maroon paint (applied by the dealers after delivery to Yorkshire) can be seen on it too. the council archives refer to this subject. It is Road Registered and taxed etc.

I will sell this beautiful tractor complete with a unique hard-backed Ferguson TE 20 Series Workshop Service Manual, numbered and printed with the serial number of the tractor and an Industrial Suppliment in a Ferguson Petrol Tractor Instruction book, just as it would have arrived from the dealers in 1952.

I call this tractor Pete the TEPe. Perhaps I am silly about it, but I really am very fond of it and it represents many months and a huge sum of money in effort and care. I just cannot do any more with it at our new house, which is tiny. Added to that, I absolutely must invest the few bob I have in something which will earn me a living. This is going to be the most nerve-racking few days of my life! There is a lot of me gone into this project!

Chicken photos! - New camera!

Friday 23/05/2008

If I were to put my TE P 20 up for sale on e-bay, what might I hope to get for it? I know full well that I have had over-stretched ideas on this in the past. I think I am getting more realistic now. I would be over the moon if I were to clear £4500 because that would buy me the printing machine I want. If I were get £2500 I would not weep. If I were to get under a £1500, I would be very upset. I would have to put a reserve on it of £1500, to be safe, and that can be expensive with e-bay. probably about £30.00 plus the advertising fee. then again! E-bay is the way I would want to do it.

Why do I ask?
well, I really do want to try to earn a decent living again, and would like to invest a few bob in my new printing project. Mark has left tractor repairing, and whilst I will continue to do the books for Ferguson tractors, that's just not enough to keep body and soul together. Perhaps my tractor is what it will take to set me up properly. If it's not, then it's not worth selling it, as I am very fond of it.

If you have any thoughts on the subject, do drop me an e-mail at the address on this picture.

I have never before seen a TE P 20 so much like it was when new. In that respect, I 'THINK' it's unique. Erm! The words "very rare" come to mind and really are true in this case.

My goodness! This tears at the heart strings!

Thursday 22/05/2008

Crikey! It's Thursday already! Erm? how did that happen?

Sales of books about tractors is going as usual. Print sales are slowly picking up. that's all good!

We have the youngest chickens here. That's good

The people who had agreed to take the Grit Spreader have changed their minds. That means it has to be re-advertised. We are supposed to have left Rosmound by now, so I feel very betrayed. Nothing new there then!

FOR SALE
To be removed VERY SOON INDEED!

Atkinson 2 Ton Road Grit Spreader
In need of complete restoration
Complete with special gearboxes
for driving the rubber feed belt
and spreader discs
Can be bought on e-bay (320255245404) Bid as much as you like and YOU pay the e-bay fees and the gritter is FREE.
I LIKE THAT IDEA!
Very rare machine for TE 20, FE35 or MF35 Industrial

~~~

Ferguson Tool Frame with
2 Ridger Bodies
£50.00

~~~

My laminator has arrived and will arrive again soon. It curles the paper too much and so I am changing it for one which works properly.

I have ordered spare parts for my Foil Blocking Press. They are due in a few days. Things are moving forwrd slowly.

Monday 19/05/2008

Today was the day we intended to have cleared Rosemound. We are a day or two behind. The last of the big items left today, and now all we have to do is the cleaning, more or less! We can start that after Mark has used my Ferguson Crane replica form ProTop to empty the van.

I heard today that my replica Dump Skip, from protop is on it's way, and should be here in a day or three. I am so looking forward to that. I will get photos up as soon as I can, along with my evaluation of it. I hope to get it to a show or several this year, for all to see and enjoy, behind my TE P 20.

One thing I must do in the next day or two is to use my ProTop topper to cut the grass at Rosemound. We had a little bit of trouble with moles over the winter, so it's all a bit too bumpy for our mower. The topper will munch it's way through with no trouble and re-flatten it all.

I have to say that we really would have stuggled with the move, without the reproduction Crane.

I have a new gold foil printing press (well, not new, but very good) arriving on Wednesday. I have a Laminator coming the day after that. The card cutter arrived today and I already have a few little enquiries for general jobbing printing. That should add another little string to the bow!

Workshop Service Manuals have been selling well. I almost need to do another foiling run of covers for them. I have also sold a Desk Diary (for export) and sent it off. Those are SO usefull for anybody doing up their TE 20 series tractor!

Satursday 17/05/2008

Much more stuff has been moved down to the new house. Mark, Steve and huggie have all been heros.

I have been printing books and have just done one for an order I am expecting later today.

I have also been working on my new web site.

I will soon be able to print a range of business and personal stationary as well as my books about ferguson tractors.

I went and collected my TE P 20 from the old place this morning along with my Verge plough. Of course, it poured with rain a couple of minutes after I set off. I got home drenched. I wish I had not sold my cab now!

Thursday 15/05/2008

The water bill arrived this morning. it's £343.93, which represents £383.89 a year. Wow! Do we really value water as much as we should? If that's the average water bill, which I guess is how they calculate the fixed price, for folk without a meter, I guess our bill for our previous place, which is metered, is not too bad, being £185.00 per year (48% of the standard rate). That must mean that the average family uses twice as much water as we do.

Enough of that! I said yesterday that I have set up my new web site for printing. I am going to spend part of today putting a copy of my books site on the new web site. Then in time, I will move the entire Ferguson Books operation into the new Catseye Press business.

I should explain about the name Catseye Press. Much of the equipment I use (especialliy the antique and vintage machinery and type) is on loan to me from the widow of my, secondary school, printing teacher, from back in the 1960's. We had stayed in touch until he died a few years ago. He lived in a street called Catsey Lane, all his adult life (or at least, since he was de-mobed after the war). The name Catseye Press, for his 'Private Press' was a simple play on words, based on his street name. Catseye Press has, therefore existed since about 1947, long before I was born.

As well as retaining all the old skills, in which Catseye Press was justly proud, from the begining, and using all the early 19th century equipment acquired back then and over the years, I am dragging The Press into the 21st century with some new modern machinery, which is right up to date. It is becoming a wonderful mixture of the ancient and modern.

Through all this forward movement, my main trade continues to be all around the fantastic Ferguson TE 20 range of tractors. I still publish an extensive range of Tractor and Implement Instruction Books and Workshop Manuals, Parts Lists, a Diary, research papers and advertising materials and much, much more, all about Ferguson tractors. I am in the process of developing a special range of stationary related to Ferguson tractors, for my existing tractor customers. I hope to be able to offer a very decent range of material, which will be of particular interest come Christmas and for birthdays. Anybody wanting to make suggestions about the sort of printed ware, which would be desirable is welcome so to do, by e-mailing or telephoning me. I shall try to use all ideas, within the limitations of my skills and equipment.

Only the tool frame with the ridger bodies is left to sell:-

~~~

Ferguson Tool Frame with
2 Ridger Bodies
£50.00

~~~

Wednesday 14/05/2008

Crikey the days do slip by! We are certainly in our new place, but we are by no means out of the old place. My 2f plough went off today. Our TV arial (yes, I sucame and bought a high gain arial) has arrived, toner stock has arrived. A work-table arrived yesterday. It's all go here! I dare not go out till the weekend, lest I miss a delivery or collection!

The phone is busy too. That's the bit I enjoy most. helping folk to sort out their tractor troubles. I'm typing this whilst talking.

I registered a domain name for my printing business yesterday. I have been working away at a web site for it for weeks. I am extending myself back into general printing and foiling. It's what I do best, I suppose! it has, after all, been my main trade for well over forty years (Yes, I started at Secondary School, aged 11 years). I going back into printing letterheadings, business cards, compliments slips and all that sort of thing. I am hoping to be printing a special range for Ferguson enthusiasts. Just you wait and see!

Tractor Logs/Desk diaries are selling very slowly. Does everybody really wait till Christmas to buy a diary? Funny game!

Tuesday 13/05/2008

07:09

Nothing has happened yet! Woopie! - Oh! Unless you count me walking to the post box with the last of yesterday's dispatches and then making the climb to the top of the sand dunes to see the sea.

Just a note to people paying by e-cheque on PayPal. The system prevents me buying postage via PayPal until the e-chque has cleared. E-cheques, therefore, casuse a delay in despatch, which I cannot help. Best to use debit or credit cards for PayPal payment if you want your book quickly, please.

Monday 12/05/2008

All post ready to go.

Phew! Thanks Steve, for all your help with moving. I just couldn't help Mark, with the heavy lifting, as much as you do. I really am very grateful indeed.

They are off getting the big presses, Mark's gas fired cooking range and the guillotine now. They are heros!

Sunday 11/05/2008

Don't forget my new book! "Ferguson TE 20 Series Tractors, A Buyers Guide"

I'm selling off some of my collection due to lack of space at our new home. I truly hate to do it, but needs must when situations change etc.

Phone me to arrange to view. Bring the means to move the stuff you buy, when you come and bring some cash for me. None of these are commercial sales, they are all my personal collection (or rather the basis of what I had hoped would, one day, become a collection. You are unlikey to go away without your purchase. Just please try to be fair. If you are, I will be.

The most important thing for me is to find a new home for my Atkinson Grit and Salt Spreader. It needs a top class restorer to do a truly decent job of it.

FOR SALE
To be removed by Saturday 18th May

Atkinson 2 Ton Road Grit Spreader
In need of complete restoration
Complete with special gearboxes
for driving the rubber feed belt
and spreader discs
I have agreed this can go to Holland-Brand Workshop for restoration, with my compliments.
Very rare machine for TE 20, FE35 or MF35 Industrial

~~~

Ferguson 30cwt Trailer
Needs restoration, no tipping mechanism
SOLD £200.00

~~~

Ferguson General Purpose Plough
It's all there bar for 1 point.
Just needs a restoration and repaint.
Sold on e-bay. £250.00
e-bay click to see here

~~~

Fiberglass Tractorcab
Make unknown
Not Glazed
Will fit TE 20 or FE/MF35

SOLD £50.00

~~~

Ferguson Tool Frame with
2 Ridger Bodies
£50.00

~~~

Saturday 10/05/2008

I have printed 4 books today, to go out to a retailer friend of mine, Dave Garner.

The move still progresses. More and more junk is finding it's way out of the new house, into a skip, which is still in the front garden. Then there is more and more of our stuff coming in from Rosemound. Mark is on a split shift today, so has been workingsince noon and will be home at 3 till 7pm then off out again till midnight, or thereabouts.

We have found that there is nothing of a TV signal here. That's a shame, because we had just got used to it. We have to admit that we were even rather enjoying it. Never mind! Back to radio over the Internet. I presume they will refund the licence fee, pro-rata, as it is only a few months old. wo-betide them if they give me trouble on that!

Friday 09/05/2008

We are intending to move house today.

The same telephone number is being moved to our new address, which is only 1/2 a mile away from our old address. There may be a short delay between disconnecting one telephone line and connecting the other. Added to that, I may be actually one the road between one place and the other. So today is not a good day to call for advise.

All books ordered before the move were dispatched, before the move. I have no outstanding orders this morning.

I expect my printing equipment to be set up by lunch time, or soon thereafter. That is my first priority. I have plenty of stock of hard-back covers for those books which need them.

3:00pm

We are IN!

At least, the computers are in and the printing and binding machinery is in, as is my desk and telephone, my swivel chair and that's about it.

I am pleased that my priorities have been met and that we can now move forward. I now only need to work out which of these little holes the load spear jack plug goes. Then I can listen to the radio between phone calls.

I just clicked a link and lo and behold, the speaker at the back of my desk clicked. Mark has been so thoughtful! He has even connected the speakers.

Thursday 08/05/2008

I have just written a booklet called A "Ferguson TE 20 Series Tractors, A Buyers Guide"

I plan to have it on my web site in a few hours.

It's full to brimming over with good advice and years of knowledge abour Ferguson TE 20 Series tractors and what can go wrong as well as what can go right.

yesterday I printed 1/2 a dozen books. I managed to get most of them in the post and have one more parcel to go today, from that batch. I also dispatched 50 to Sparex for distribution amongst their dealer network. Three titles in that group are written by Mark & I and the other two are Ferguson.

Tomorrow is our move day, so today I will be packing up my printing equipment and preparing it for the move. It's not a bog job and the whole lot can be back up and running for Saturday if I work hard. I have a stock of covers for all of the Hard-backs. The machinery which printes the smaller books and the contents of the hard-backs can be running tomorrow afternoon, without any trouble at all. Obviously, Mark's priority is the moving of our domestic properties and my priority is the removal of my business equipment. I am sure that by close of play tomorrow we will have both domestics and proffessional goods in place in skeletal format and fully functional.

Mark is working at The Hill House both this afternoon and tommorrow afternoon, in between the act of moving house. I expect most of what I need to move will be carted down the 1/2 mile road to our new place by tractor. We don't have space for our taxi, so that will be sold and the same can be said for Mark's draymans van.

I am determined to keep all the tractor implements, the most troublesome of which is going to be the Gritspreader, which goes with my TE P 20. That's because I have yet to start the work on it and the axle is not connected by more than a thread of rust to the chassis. We are going to lift it up and pop it onto my 30cwt trailer, in order to move it.

Just a quick addition

having written this, I have lost my Internet connection, so it will have to be uploaded later. I hope that better connectivity will be a beneficial side-effect of moving house to a place near the exchange. Aha! It's back up! Quick! Upload NOW!

Oops

I forgot to mention that I have printed this month's bookclub books. Dougs payment just popped in. Thanks Doug and there is onw more to go. the others paid yesterday. those which have already paid for have been posted and Doug's should go today. So yesterday is the second edition in the range. I could do with a few more joining the club. It is quite small at the moment. Back-issues are available without any problem and anyone can start with the book club at any time.

Last month, which was the first, I produced the Ferguson Sales Manual in A4 hard-back. I chose that because it lists all of the Ferguson range of tractors and most of the implements. It will make a handy guide to the rest of the collection, which starts in earnest with this edition. All the collection is A4 hardback format editions of the Ferguson Tractor and Implement Instruction Books. The cost is only £12.50 per edition and there is a new edition out every month.

What is, I think, unusual about my Book Club is that nobody is tied in for the duration. I invite every member to buy the next book in the range and print the books (which are a numbered limited edition) with the members own name on a page inside the book, along with the number. Any tiome somebody does not want a book in a particular month, they simply don't have to buy it, so I ask them not to pay for it. If they want to continue in the club, all they have to do is to pay for the next one when it comes out. If they then want a back-issue, their book is ready to produe for them at teh back-issue rate, which is just £15 instead of £12.50. That's just to cover the extra cost of printing a one-off.

Monday 05/05/2008

Well now!
That was a bit of a boring old day! I did scan after scan until the virus was gone. phew! Back in businees now!

Don't forget! We're moving Friday! I will upload the new address into the site headings, once it's all done and dusted.

Sunday 04/05/2008

Mark and I have been working towards our move (which we hope will be on Friday) today, but I'm back at my desk now and ready to help.

I have printed the Plough manual orderd over night, ready to post when they open after the weekend holidays.

I have also been working on a general printing project. I do rather enjoy those!

Tuesday 29/04/2008

Joe Proctor has completed his reproduction of the Ferguson Dump Skip. Here are a couple of photos. I know that Joe has put a very great deal of effort into reproducing this Dump Skip beautifully, over a long period of time. The thing about these is that very few originals survive after 50 years of use and abuse, so they are a very rare implement and rarely seen by the public at shows etc. They demonstrate the versatility of the Ferguson System wonderfully.

The Ferguson Dump Skip has to be one of the most useful Ferguson implements of which I have ever known. The Dump Skip almost turns your Ferguson Tractor into a high powered Dumper Truck capable of carrying a half a ton of building materials, horse manure, sawn timber or goodness knows what else. It was even used for moving mixed cement (and a standard mixer tips straight into it) to place it in footings etc. It has a huge volume capacity and is so well positioned, right up against the back end of the tractor that, it can really lift some incredible weight without the need for front wheel weights. The fact that one tug on a lever, from the drivers seat, will dump the lot exactly where you want it is another stunning design consept! For me it is just favulous as a maid of all work to carry anything i want to on my tractor, which doesn't justify a trailer. just to put things in context for the Europeanised, that's 500kgs.

It comes with it's own stand so that it can be mounted and removed by one person. Then it's a single operator tool all the way. The Instruction Book telling all about how to use it is on my web site under books (see the link on the left).

I cannot wait for mine to arrive!

These sell at £680.00 and he has several in stock right now.

would all those who have enquired, please give me a ring to order one NOW, before this batch is all gone and we have to wait for another batch to be made.

This e-mail arrived from Steve this morning, just after we had left to see him. Now I am back, Here is most of what he said:-

HI Graham
I didn't take many pictures yesterday, but here's what I took. Use what you feel is appropriate.

Could you also do me a favour, when you put some pictures up, would you say a big thank you from me to Nick and his wife for the wonderful hospitality and also for the present of the Melton Mowbray pork pie, which we shall be having for lunch today.

Steve

Tuesday 29/04/2008

Mark is starting a new part time job on Monday of next week, so he will not be taking on any more orders for the repair or servicing of TE 20 series tractors. I hope everbody will wish him will in his new job.

Mark does plan to complete jobs currently on the books. he hopes to now have more time so-to-do.

I continue to offer free advice by telephone and to print and to sell books about the TE 20 series of Ferguson tractors.

Good morning!

Well, life has a way of balancing does it not? C. has very kindly offered to reduce the time Mark has to tear about the countryside this morning by very generously offerring to post me a pair of footplates for my TE P 20 absolutely free of charge.

Kindness like that is humbling and I am very grateful. Thank you C.

Mark will be with Steve by 9 this morning to set off to replace a clutch and oil seals for a very vry nice man in Leicestershire. Mark got home last night at 1:30am. He seems to be looking forward to tomorrow. This person is being incredibly generous too, so I think I aught to smile a very great deal.

Monday 28/04/2008

Mark set off, this morning, for Surrey, at about 7:00am, where he is to re-build a Diesel engine and fit it to a TE F 20.

I've had a really quiet day here. The phone has been almost silent. It's strange how they go! As we near the end of the month (pay day) I expect a few more calls than usual, but before it cracks off, I often get a very slow day.

I hope that by now everybody understands that I do work weekends, Bank Holidays and evenings, giving free advice by telephone! What I shall not be able to do in future is to offer practical help from Mark, as he is retiring from the repair business in favour of a steady job on mimimum wage. he hopes that will provide a more reliable income with less worry.

Sunday 27/04/2008

I've just added the following books to my web site/shop:-
Disc Plough
Independent Steerage Hoe
Side Delivery Rake

Whilst I have been doing that, Mark has been preparing for our house-move.

This is an up to date list of the books available on my web site:-

2-(and 3)P-AE-20 & T-AE-28 Reversible Plough Instruction Book
4P-KE-20 & 6P-KE-20 Row Crop Thinner Instruction Book
TE-D TE-E TE-L Vaporising Oil Tractor Instruction Book
Fork Lift Instruction Book
H-LE-A20 Hammer Mill Instruction Book H-LE-A29
M-UE-20 High Lift Loader Instruction Book M-UE-20
Kale Cutrake Instruction Book
S-LE-20 Low Volume Sprayer Instruction Book S-LE-20
L-UE-20 Manure Loader Instruction Book L-UE-20
Mouldboard Plough Instruction Book
R-DE-20 and P-PE-B20 Ridger and Planter Instruction Book
S-BE-31 Spike Toothed Harrow Instruction Book
B-KE-20 and IB-KE-20 STEERAGE HOE (with discs FOUR-ROW) (without discs) Instruction Book
SERVICE INSTRUCTION BOOK - Standard engined petrol tractor
F-JE-A40 and F-JE-A30 MkII Trailer 3 Ton HYDRAULIC TIPPING TYPE & NON-TIPPING TYPE Instruction Book
Diesel Tractor Instruction Book
Petrol Tractor Instruction Book (TE A 20 - TE C 20)
B-EE-20 Available Soon Buckrake Instruction Book S-EE-20
25 C.F.M. Compressor Instruction Book
M-KE-21 Weeder Instruction Book
G-PE-A20 & G-PE-A20 Multi-Purpose Seed Drill Instruction Book
Hedge Cutter Instruction Book
Tyre Tracks Instruction Book
Muilti-purpose blade instruction book
D-FE-20 Posthole Borer instruction book
A-EE-B20 and 6A-EE-B20 Agricultural Rear Mounted Mower
D-HE-20 Potato Spinner Instruction Book
Single and two Row Beet Topper Instruction book
4A-BE-22 Mounted Tandem Disc Harrow Instruction Book
Perkins P3/144(TA) conversion instructions
Diesel Engine Tractor Maintenance Instructions
Industrial Suppliment
Cont TE 20 Continental Engined Tractor Instruction Book
Facts about Farming with Ferguson
FOCUS ON FARM MECHANISATION
FOCUS ON FARM MECHANISATION
Facts about Farming with Ferguson
Petrol to Vaporising Oil Conversion Set manual
Petrol Tractor Maintenance Book (TE A 20 - TE C 20)
Tiller and Cultivator Instruction Book
R-DE-20, P-PE-B20, P-PE-C20 Ridger and Potato Planter (including chitted seed) Instruction Book
WARNING transfer
CLEAN & RENEW transfer
WARNING SERVICE DAILY transfer
CLEAN & RENEW transfer
Waterslide Transfer SET Petrol or TVO Tractor
Waterslide Transfer SET Diesel Engined Tractor
Transporter Instruction Book
Round air breather tranfer
Combined Epicyclic Reduction and Live PTO Unit Instruction Book
LJ-E-40 30cwt Trailer Instruction Book
A-LE-A20 Cordwood Saw Instruction Book
Dump Skip Instruction Book
FE79 Mid-Mounted Mower Instruction Book
Industrial Tractor Suppliment
Transporter Instruction Book
Rassp Mid-Mounted Mower
Standard Motor Company Petrol and Vaporising Oil engines numbered with the MHB prefix
OPERATOR MAINTENANCE and PARTS LIST
OPERATOR MAINTENANCE and PARTS LIST
OPERATOR MAINTENANCE and PARTS LIST
PARTS PRICE LIST for the Ford/Ferguson 9N
D-BE-28 SUBSOILER INSTRUCTION BOOK
Reversable Heavy Duty Disc Harrow
Mounted Combine Operating Data
Vaporising Oil Tractor Maintenance Book (TE D 20 - TE R 20 TE E 20)
Single Row Beet lifter
B-FE-30 Earth Leveller and blade Terracer
G-BE-20 Offset Disc Harrow
W-UE-20 Linkage Winch Instruction Book
Ferguson Moudboard Plough Manual
Ferguson Sales Manual
COMING SOON TE 20 Parts Book
A4 2 day to the page Desk Diary and production change notes
D-EE-20 Side Delivery Rake Instruction Book
D-KE-20 and 1D-KE-20 Independent Gang Steerage Hoe Instruction Book
2-P-AE-20 and 3-P-AE-20 Disc Plough Instruction Book

I have some more, here, to do. Those are:-
60cfm Compressor
Buckrake
Electromatic Hammer Mill
Fertiliser Attachement for Multi-purpose Seed Drill
F712 manure Spreader
A-JE-A20 Manure Spreader
Medium Pressure Sprayer
Universal Seed Drill

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