Testing a Tiltmeter

[ERNIEB]

Most readers of this forum will know that in another thread tiltled Tiltmeters-Why Not? I gave my opinon to the question.
Rick Hedgecock with R&B MFG. Threw down the gauntlet in the form of a challenge. Try a meter and see if it changes my mind, and post my findings here. I agreed, and have decided to post in sort of a diary style as I do different things with the tractor, and finish up with a summary. Fair enough?
The tiltmeter arrived yesterday evening in a box that the post office had clearly run through the mill. But it seemed to have survived the ordeal in good order, and this morning my task was clear. Where to put it?
I had allready looked over my tractor and read thru the thread on mounting a tiltmeter. The TC29D , evidently like a number of tractors, does not have a real good place to mount such a device. Sheesh, no wonder some people are concocting panels and such to mount their meters.
The meter itself is a well made device and comes with brackets for mounting. I also recieved some velcro strips with mine, but Rick does not recommend them for permanent mounting, only for temporary use.
For reasons I will go into at a later date I wanted to mount it so it could be removed without too much trouble.

Ernie
"I go whole hog in the cause for Texas"
Micajah Autry Jan. 1836 (in a letter to his wife)

[ERNIEB]

The above photo shows the place where I mounted it. On the FEL stanchion. I think in the mounting a tiltmeter thread it was glennmac who did the same thing. At any rate I used the
velcro strips, and I was ready for a trial.Yesterday evening I noticed a young angus bull had somehow got in with my cows, and this morning he was gone. I guessed that somewhere a fence was down, which was how he came and went. Checking fence is something I do fairly often on my tractor. It gets thru the brush, and with the ROPS down
goes under low limbs. The bucket allows me to carry all kinds of repair tools and material. I'll go right to the point where I reached the highest sand hill on my place, an old cemetery. If you have to dig a hole 6 feet deep, why not in a place
where the digging is easy. The grade is so gradual I never thought it was, much of a problem, unless a wheel fell in a badger hole. And besides I only run a shredder over it once a year.
I drove around the hill a few times and the Tiltmeter confirmed what I thought. The highest reading I got was 7 degrees, with most of the slope reading about 5 degrees. As I said not much of a problem.
I'll be doing some other things, as I get time. Right now, we have had about six days of rain, and it needs to dry out a little. So, to be continued. BTW, The photos were taken with the AOL $59.95 camera, not exactly high quality[img]/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif[/img]


Ernie
"I go whole hog in the cause for Texas"
Micajah Autry Jan. 1836 (in a letter to his wife)

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Ernie,
That was quick shipping and you already have time on the meter. I haven't received anything yet and doubt I can be as responsive as you. I'll be watching your posts with interest as your testing continues.
<font color=blue>"......post in sort of a diary style as I do different things with the tractor, and finish up with a summary. Fair enough?"</font color=blue>

Sounds like a good plan to me, just remember, Blue Side Up [img]/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Thomas]

ERNIEB,
Where you install your tilmeter do you find it odd to view.
If FEL had a cross bar between each stanchion I would think that would be the ideal place to install a tilmeter for viewing.
I place 2 1/2 stick on mirrors on both of my stanchions...works great.

Yep I would scoot down and check out the fence line before that bad boy returns. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Thats another good use for a FEL carrying tools and equipment to do repairs on the farm,just don't decide to get a bucket of dirt {Thomas act [img]/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif[/img]} w/ your tools still in the bucket.

Thomas..NH [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[RBManufacturing]

Ernieb
I have been gone quite a bit this last week, and I left a note
that should your address be e-mailed, your meter was to be
shipped immediately. According to my assistant, she says
she somehow never got an address. Probably a foul up on my
end, but would you please re-send it today??? I will make
sure it gets shipped myself. Thank you !!!!! Or you can send
your phone number, and I will get the address that way. Rick

Rick Hedgecock
R&B Manufacturing
http://www.tiltmeter.com
(816)587-9814

[dmccarty]

Thomas,

That is a great idea to mount a cross bar across the FEL stanchions. I put one of my Tiltmeters on the right stanchion. I have to look down and to the left to see it but that is not a problem for me. When I most need the Tiltmeter I'm pushing timber slash and my eyes are looking down all the time. In fact the stanchion is the best place to mount since it is in my line of sight when I most need the tilt angle. I put the Tiltmeter on the right side since I can't knock it off when getting on/off the tractor. I used the double sided tape to mount the meter until I could figure out a better method. I really like the idea of rear view mirrors. I'll have to look to see what I would have to do to put in a cross bar.

Later...
Dan McCarty

[RBManufacturing]

Twinkle toes. Sorry about the mix-up. I sent the message to
Ernieb instead of you. I did get your address today. I will
ship a meter tomorrow. Thanks for agreeing to evaluate one.
SORRY ERNIEB. Rick

Rick Hedgecock
R&B Manufacturing
http://www.tiltmeter.com
(816)587-9814

[Rch]

Rick, Have you thought of adopting a Tiltmeter to the bucket of a FEL ? If you knew the bucket level point ( or just above/below level) at any point of elevation of the FEL with the tractor itself, perhaps at a tilt, this would be handy. The present gizmos let you know the bucket is level only when the tractor is level and the bucket is on the ground. You,d have to be able to read the degrees of inclination, positive or negative, from the tractor seat even though it is mounted parallel to the vision of the operator. It would have to respond quickly since the bucket rotates rather fast.It would have to be mounted so it could survive a more hostile enviorment. Of course, cheap and simple are their own virtures. I think I saw an electronic version were the sensor could be mounted on the bucket in a protected site and the readout visible to the operator. How about the simpler ones with a mirror mounted so you can see the readout.
Just a little 'Blue Skying'

RCH

[ERNIEB]

Yea, I like that idea too. But I wonder if it might interfere, with attaching or detaching the loader. But then it could be made removable.
<font color=blue>I put the Tiltmeter on the right side since I can't knock it off when getting on/off the tractor.</font color=blue>
I never thought about this until after I had mounted the meter, and went to get on. I suddenly became aware of using the stanchion as hand hold to pull myself up. I didn't realize I was doing that. Now, I've been thinking of moving it over to the right side.

Ernie
"I go whole hog in the cause for Texas"
Micajah Autry Jan. 1836 (in a letter to his wife)

[ERNIEB]

<font color=blue>just don't decide to get a bucket of dirt {Thomas act } w/ your tools still in the bucket.</font color=blue>
Too late Thomas, I done, done it, and done it more than once.

Ernie
"I go whole hog in the cause for Texas"
Micajah Autry Jan. 1836 (in a letter to his wife)