On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 10:37:39 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:

al wrote:

Is there such thing as a reasonably cheap and reliable tyre pump




Ive got a 'run from the ciggy lighter' thing that is supposed to stop
when teh pressure gets to the dial setting. Halfords. Useful for teh
wlan tractor which is always getting thoirns...


Mentioning tractors reminds me of the device we used to have for
inflating its tyres . It was an air hose with a valve,piston assembly
that was screwed in place of a sparkplug. It was a TVO fueled Fordson
tractor. You then ran the engine which was only firing on 3 cylinders
while the fourth acted as a compressor.
The prewar design Ford engine objected only mildly to this treatment.
A modern car engine might not like it too much.
Knowing my father it is probably still in his shed somewhere having
gathered cobwebs in the forty years since the tractor became a diesel
model.

G.Harman