Mowing Power-Trac Slope Mower questions

[woodlandfarms]

Employing a minor is has some very interesting issues, generally handled by state law with general oversite by the feds (I employ minors all the time). Workers comp for family members is also an interesting issue. Some policies do not consider a family member an employee (part of the "owner") and thus personal health insurance would kick in unless you bought the bonus owner coverage. But again, workers comp is state by state. And the bonus, a family member who is a minor who is working for the family business gets very, very interesting, and very vague.

As for toolcat. Good for standing up for yourself, but I don't think anyone is going for the jugular. I took the comments from everyone as a healthy reality check. Right now I don't know of anyone who isn't completely loosing their S%#*()& over the economy. When it comes to equipment, boy toys, we tend to loose perspective quickly. "Whats a few thousand more" we tend to say. I see the comments as just a friendly reality check, not any sort of attack.

 

[ToolcatWonka5610]

Employing a minor is has some very interesting issues, generally handled by state law with general oversite by the feds (I employ minors all the time). Workers comp for family members is also an interesting issue. Some policies do not consider a family member an employee (part of the "owner") and thus personal health insurance would kick in unless you bought the bonus owner coverage. But again, workers comp is state by state. And the bonus, a family member who is a minor who is working for the family business gets very, very interesting, and very vague.

As for toolcat. Good for standing up for yourself, but I don't think anyone is going for the jugular. I took the comments from everyone as a healthy reality check. Right now I don't know of anyone who isn't completely loosing their S%#*()& over the economy. When it comes to equipment, boy toys, we tend to loose perspective quickly. "Whats a few thousand more" we tend to say. I see the comments as just a friendly reality check, not any sort of attack.

Thank you Carl! Now I kinda remember what it was like trying get me employed. I didn't start working until months after. I had just turned 12, October 2006. I really had to prove myself I was capable. I remember how happy I was we I was finally able to work.

Reality Check: I didn't really want it to seem like I felt it as an attack. I've just been under stress mainly from school. It's the end of the year and things start to get crazy. For one I'm trying to get my grade up in Algebra 1 and there's the exams. And today's been a long day for me, crazy day at school, then work. I apologize.

Well it's good to know that I'm not the only minor in the workforce.
Neat that some kids are working in the movie production business, Carl.
I myself am a bit of a Movie Director/Producer/Writer.
Does YouTube count?

 

[woodlandfarms]

Youtube counts. I am no fan of the small screen but it counts....

Glad you are suffering from pressure. Makes me feel good when a 14 year old wakes up at night in cold sweats. Don't feel so alone ;-)

Algebra blows. Never worked for me until someone showed me what it meant, physically, put it in my hands to explain. Same with Geometry. Theorums... Uggghhhh. but when someone said "OK, this is how we figure out how to get into outerspace" it kinda came together (too little too late to make astronaut training program).

As for kids, I employ them a lot, but they are employed as actors. California labor laws are tough on employing any minor. Also, the work we do is usually 12 to 14 hour days, and labor intensive, minor hiring limits hours of employment.

If you want some fun, follow what is happening on Jon and Kate - someone has filed a greivance with the state employment board. Are the kids actors (If so, some very specific laws are in force) or are they having their life unscripted and follwed with a camera... Discovery could be forced to pay millions in penalties if the producers set up anything and it wasn't free decision by the kids.

 

[ToolcatWonka5610]

Oh, makes sense now with the kids. Was almost impossible getting me to be able to work with equipment. But I'm a lot better with equipment than a lot of people my age.

I'm dreading going into Algebra 2. I have some friends, same grade as me, in there as an advanced class and they said it is h***. Imaginary numbers? What is it writen in invisible ink? And ii=2? WT* is this ****? I hope I can get through it but I don't know.

I saw you have a YouTube account. You got some video of your 1850. Thats a big machine I tell that. I also like your Dodge car commercial. I just like for the '69 Charger (I think it was a Charger) we I start driving. I want a Classic Car. Like a '67 Mustang or a GTO *Makes Tim Taylor Grunts*

 

[ponytug]

Deep breath now, slow breathing...
Geometry is just logic; often hard to get if you are 16...
(Speaking from personal experience.)
Algebra hmm- My $0.02 is not to worry about the words that people use, but look at the underlying concept. e.g. Pi- it is the number that converts a diameter to a circumference, or i, which is just something that when you multiply it by itself you get -1.
Speaking as a former math teacher, I can say that alot of math is not well explained, but when it is most people go "Oh, of course", rather like Carl and getting to outerspace.

Now back to our regularly scheduled slope mower discussions...

Oh, makes sense now with the kids. Was almost impossible getting me to be able to work with equipment. But I'm a lot better with equipment than a lot of people my age.

I'm dreading going into Algebra 2. I have some friends, same grade as me, in there as an advanced class and they said it is h***. Imaginary numbers? What is it writen in invisible ink? And ii=2? WT* is this ****? I hope I can get through it but I don't know.

I saw you have a YouTube account. You got some video of your 1850. Thats a big machine I tell that. I also like your Dodge car commercial. I just like for the '69 Charger (I think it was a Charger) we I start driving. I want a Classic Car. Like a '67 Mustang or a GTO *Makes Tim Taylor Grunts*

 

[woodlandfarms]

I wish I had had a good math teacher.. It is pretty amazing to me how much advanced math happens in my industry... You would think it would be all about art but mostly it is all about science and business...

 

[ToolcatWonka5610]

Now back to our regularly scheduled slope mower discussions...

Good idea Peter
Called Chris at PT today and discussed some things on the 1850 and attachments. I always get good advice when I call (well thats the intention right?) He said (like all you guys) the 1850 is a better value over the 1850 for only $1,000 more. Hes had guys buy a 1845 when they needed a 1850. I don't know of anyone on here who has recently bought a new 1845. Nor a new 1850 but there are some guys that recently bought a used one on here; Carl and Ken. Bigger engine, Wheel motors, Pumps, Hydraulic Flow and Deck size on the 1850. Now about everyone buys the 1850 instead (Gee, I wonder why? )

A few attachments for the 1850 I asked Chris about:

90" Mower: The 90" Rough Cut on the 1850 has the Stump Jumpers for Rough Cutting which can be changed to Finish Mower Spindles and Blades. Set up like that, the 1850 can mow about the same as a regular mower but the downside of the wider mower is scalping on uneven ground (already knew that) But on regular ground, the 90" Converted should cut pretty good.

Post Driver: Chris told me that the Post Driver is better than Augering and Tamping Posts (Taming? Correct me if I'm wrong) On the end of the Driver is a Rubber bushing for Post Driving, which can be removed and replaced with a Concrete Breaker Foot, which is just a Metal piece. Set up this way, Chris said Concrete Breaker on the Post Driver can break Concrete over 2 Feet Thick! Thats gotta be thicker than what a Hydraulic Breaker on a Skid Steer can bust up! Thats what I call Heavy Duty.

Wheel Trencher: A very useful attachment by allowing you to Trench in soil for Lines but can also make Clean smooth cuts in Pavement. Chris said it's the equivalent of a Hand-Held Pavement Saw. A good for Demolition so it should be a handy attachment for us!

If all goes well, the Trip to Tazewell will take place on Thursday, June 11th, or Friday June 12th. We may take J_J's advice and maybe find someone with a PT that can go the Tazewell with us.

 

[ponytug]

Well the new ones may have a rubber pad... I can tell you that mine doesn't. I would be interested if you can find out about it, e.g. location, thickness, hardness...

You had it right, it is tamping posts, which is the process of putting in 4-6" of soil or gravel around the post, and packing it down until it is solid, while keeping the post vertical, and then repeating it until you get back up to the top of the soil. Good tamping makes an enormous difference in the longevity of fences, which is one reason why the driven posts yield a better quality fence.

All the best,

Peter

P.S. I would take the 2' thick concrete with a grain of salt. That might be 2' of unreinforced, old concrete...

 

[ToolcatWonka5610]

Thanks. Chris said the rubber piece mounts on the driver somewhere around where the Driver hits the Post. It bolts in and can be unbolted and Replaced with a Metal Concrete Breaker Foot.
The Post Driver sounds like a better value over the Auger set up because it Puts in Posts firmer and is quicker. Fencing being one of our big jobs we need something like that.
Not to mention the ability to Breaker Concrete with it. Demolition is another good sized job.

 

[Gravy]

Just understand that the post driver operates by raising a big weight way up high, and then dropping it. If the machine is not very close to level, that big weight way up high may well tip the whole thing over.

Also, trying to drive a post through rocks is probably a completely different kind of adventure than trying to drill a posthole through rocks. Either one can getcha...