Had to head out to the farm.

[4shorts]

I'm not sure it's a good idea either. People might get used to a lot of money that may not last long, and old ways will get lost. Also,probably ought to think twice before giving up what you have now to go to work in oil. Went to your great website and it looks like you're already doing pretty good. Why give that up to go into heavy industry - maybe offshore?

Sorry for the sermon...

Thanks. Glad you liked the site. We've done well with our little business. No debt because of it and thats a good thing.
The boom here has caused extremely high prices on homes, new people moving here from everywhere. More traffic more drug use resulting in more crime but the vast majority is doing very well. I've been doing what I do here for 18 years. Very seldom take any kind of a vacation. Work long hours at times and although it hasn't hurt me I work hard. Yes the money's good but its all a trade off.

If I deside to take an oil related job I'll have more time off, annual holidays and still good money. After 18 years here I'm looking at a change and as they say " a change is as good as a rest". If I shut down the shop I can come back to it and built that street rod I always wanted to build. It would make a good hobby shop

 

[farmgirl19]

Now 4shorts, be honest. You know you are happiest when you are busy. Somehow, I can't see you sitting around on the "holidays". Some of us just don't "sit still" very well.

 

[Nick220]

If I deside to take an oil related job I'll have more time off, annual holidays and still good money. After 18 years here I'm looking at a change and as they say " a change is as good as a rest".

I guess if you're looking for a change it might be a good thing to do. But not so sure you'll get more time off - since friends and former customers might be waiting for you when get home to have you work on their stuff.

 

[4shorts]

Now 4shorts, be honest. You know you are happiest when you are busy. Somehow, I can't see you sitting around on the "holidays". Some of us just don't "sit still" very well.

Well you know me that well it scares me :laughing: I know how you know too. Because your like it. Takes one to know one.

Actually when I say "Holidays" I mean "me" time. See I got this one thing on my bucket list that I have to do. I want to build a street rod. A very special street rod. I can see it in my mind, I can build it, have the tools to do it, think I have the funds but the only obstacle is "time". That's why I'm thinking the way I'm thinking

I guess if you're looking for a change it might be a good thing to do. But not so sure you'll get more time off - since friends and former customers might be waiting for you when get home to have you work on their stuff.

Ya your right Nick and I have another problem. I'm not really good at saying no so it will be an issue I'll have to deal with.

 

[groundcover]

Sounds like you are living the dream now Paul ! Could be you end up with less 'me' time if you go work for the man. You are busy now but on your schedule, can be pretty tough to go back to taking orders. How about a TBN petition to the Discovery channel to film you building the street rod, I'm in !
On another note you mentioned the ZG222 being pretty loud. My ZD221 is loud but not from engine , it seems to be the gear box and deck, I wonder if there is a harmonic issue that has been missed. Don't know if a coat of Linex or Rinno bed liner on the top side of the deck would make any difference.

 

[4shorts]

Sounds like you are living the dream now Paul ! Could be you end up with less 'me' time if you go work for the man. You are busy now but on your schedule, can be pretty tough to go back to taking orders. How about a TBN petition to the Discovery channel to film you building the street rod, I'm in !
On another note you mentioned the ZG222 being pretty loud. My ZD221 is loud but not from engine , it seems to be the gear box and deck, I wonder if there is a harmonic issue that has been missed. Don't know if a coat of Linex or Rinno bed liner on the top side of the deck would make any difference.

Ha. It might look that way lol. Oh it's a great business I'm in but I should start a thread showing the bad jobs I get. I tend to take the jobs no one else wants or can't do but then again I do like a challenge . So far when I post I just show the good stuff. Some of it is very nasty, dirty, disgusting and hard stuff to do but the money is nice

These oil related jobs aren't to bad. Their union jobs so they are well organized. I'm lucky because I'm a paying member of the Operating Engineers union and jobs are just a phone call away when your in the union.

Your absolutely right about the ZTR's noise. It's not the engine. It's the drone from the blades and deck. I can put on ear muffs and put the throttle full open and the muffs will drown out 85% of the noise but when I engage the blades it's a whole different story. The drone is so bad with the ear muffs on its better to leave them off.

As for the Linex. I really don't know. I have three mulching blades on mine and I don't know if the Linex will cause grass to stick up under the deck. My deck is a fabricated deck. Nice a heavy. Maybe it's just the blades causing all the noise. I can live with it but then again I only mow in short spurts of time. I pity anyone who has to do it for a living on something as noisy as my Kubota ZTR. I operated heavy equipment for years and don't remember any of it bothering me like the ZTR. :confused3:

 

[IXLR8]

I have three mulching blades on mine and I don't know if the Linex will cause grass to stick up under the deck. My deck is a fabricated deck. Nice a heavy. Maybe it's just the blades causing all the noise. :confused3:

I have found that when I run mulching blades on my JD Z-turn that it is much louder, and a more obnoxious noise. Have you tried running standard blades?

 

[4shorts]

I have found that when I run mulching blades on my JD Z-turn that it is much louder, and a more obnoxious noise. Have you tried running standard blades?

You could be right. I'm not really fond of removing the mulching blade kit to find out plus the fact if I have the regular blades on I'll have to rake the grass and that's not happening in my lifetime :laughing:

 

[BukitCase]

Paul, part of the noise problem may be the resonance of your ear muffs - I found that to be true on my old Case backhoe.

The muffs actually seemed to make it LOUDER when at working RPM on the hoe - I switched to the 33 db rated foam ear PLUGS, and things got quieter. Those are all I use probably 95% of the time now... Steve

 

[4shorts]

Paul, part of the noise problem may be the resonance of your ear muffs - I found that to be true on my old Case backhoe.

The muffs actually seemed to make it LOUDER when at working RPM on the hoe - I switched to the 33 db rated foam ear PLUGS, and things got quieter. Those are all I use probably 95% of the time now... Steve

I'm not saying your wrong. Actually you could be right but I've tried tactical ear muffs, Regular ear muffs, Stihl ear muffs and even foam plugs. Could be there's nothing between my ears and I'm just getting the echo :laughing: The Stihl muffs are the best by far though.