'Nuther new guy.

[Baby Grand]

Greetings to all of you at the TBN orange forum. I'd like to thank those who have taken the time to post about your experiences and shared your opinions. Lots of good reading here ranging from deep thoughts on oil additives to gloves off rants on whatever tripped somebody's trigger. The important thing is that information gets shared here in a way that is much more open than any other I've found since I started research to buy a tractor, 4 months ago. Because of the heap of information that you all have built here it made tractor brand, model & implement selection a lot easier for this old clutch head.

Since I didn't grow up on a tractor, as some of you have, I had an idea (after seeing all those stickers on my machine) that there are a lot of new ways to get myself into all kinds of trouble with this big, heavy and powerful tool of mine. In reading your thoughts on ballast, wheels, snow chains, log skidding, etc, I'm getting some of the schooling that I missed, having grown up in suburbia rather than in a farming environment. I know I'm still dangerous, but I'm starting to get a better sense of what I should and shouldn't be doing that comes from your experience.

Looking forward, I'd like to thank those of you who have taken the time to run down all the rabbit holes and dead ends of mechanical problems to identify the root cause and then shared your findings with the rest of the team. You know who you are. This is a valuable tool that I anticipate reaching for often as I start breaking things.

Jim in CT

 

[texasjohn]

Glad to have you aboard! Looking forward to your future posts of projects, successes.... etc.... as you know, this is a good place to get opinions on just about anything tractor related. Thanks for filling in your profile, very helpful.
Don't forget... we want photos

 

[Double Orange]

Welcome Aboard Jim!
Whatcha buy?
Stay Safe!

 

[Bird]

Glad to have you join us, Jim. And does that user name mean you're also a piano player? I took lessons for a few years as a kid, but as a boy who would rather be out hunting, fishing, horseback riding, or driving a tractor than practicing on the piano . . . well, I've always regretted not getting good at playing a piano.

 

[Baby Grand]

Thanks, guys, for the warm welcome.

Double Orange - I ended up getting an L3240GST (baby grand) with an LA724 FEL, Woods BB60C "BrushBull", and a Walco 4x4 Dump Box - which I use as a ballast box with the FEL. This was after a lot of time spent shopping in the Green World. Basically, the prices worked out about the same for what seemed to be very similar set ups. The JD salesman was great and much closer than the Kubota dealer, but the Kubota dealer (John Rebillard at R&S) was very eager to get me on a machine to see if I liked the feel of it. I tried it, liked it a lot, and that closed the deal. He knew his product and focused on coming up with a combination of hardware to fit my needs without trying to "upsize" me, which I really appreciated.

Bird - while I don't play the piano, I do hope to play that tractor like a piano some day. I know ... practice, practice, practice!

Texas - I don't have many pictures yet, but here's my best shot (if I can figure out this attachment thingy):

 

[bigdad]

Baby Grand.......

The picture is small........but it looks like your smilin'!!!!!!!

 

[Taiser]

I'd be smiling too, that's a sweet ride! Welcome to the board!!

 

[davitk]

isn't their some sort of 'no shorts allowed' rule here on TBN??

(nice tractor. Mind if I get one like it?)

Dave

 

[swmpbgy1]

isn't their some sort of 'no shorts allowed' rule here on TBN??

(nice tractor. Mind if I get one like it?)

Dave

In the hot summer sun....shorts is all I wear on my tractor! I have a farmers tan on the arms and legs!

Swmpbgy1

 

[Shantycoke]

Hi Jim and welcome to the board. You'll find that this place is chock full of good people who will help you out. It's nice to see that I'm not the only one who keeps his tractors spit shined.
Pat