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A pond could potentially store more water than tanks, but .... good luck getting a new pond permitted anywhere in California. And during a drought! Your neighbors who own nearby wells might have an opinion about you pumping groundwater to fill a new open-air pond. My pond is 1 acre in size, 2.1...

Our 5 year old dog started having seizures a year ago. Until then was completely healthy. Then the seizures got more frequent. Very alarming. Finally he had a very bad neurologic episode a month ago, which he has not yet fully recovered from. He may never get back to 100%. After consulting with...

Keeping weight on during chemo will be a challenge. The nausea depresses the appetite, and when you have dramatic weight loss quickly it causes other problems. I agree you should focus on how best to deal with the nausea-- the docs can worry about the bigger issues of course. You might ask about...

I think you are on to something. I use a fixed blade for trimming sometimes in place of the string. Usually for heavier brush items. But still a nutty law.

It's not an issue of being perfectly level, but when lawn is reasonably level it is easier to water, mow, and care for in general. Same with a pasture. If you are working with any nearby slope or contour, using your eyeball to determine what is "level" is simply not reliable. So for a small...

I bought a $150 Dewalt self leveling laser years ago. I use it all the time. Last fall I filled then graded about 4,000 sq ft to level. I eyeballed it by day using my tractor box blade. Then at dusk/night I used the laser to identify high spots I could not visually see. Set a few flags in the...

I have a personal and business accounts with Wells Fargo. Except for one period, I haven't seen any fees. When we built our residence, we went about $200k over budget. Using that cash to pay the construction upgrades drew down my balance down. Then all sorts of "garbage fees" started popping...

I visited the same fishing stream each April for about 60 years. Near Bishop, CA, which is high desert. Starting about 25 years ago, we noticed a tick now and then. As of about 10 years ago we noticed them a lot. Now we engage in tick prevention a lot where before we never encountered them at...

Our architect made us aware that was an option, but like you, we did not bring a builder into the process until the plans were nearly complete. But we did make adjustments after getting bids back, and along the way during construction. Our residence has 36 dimmer switches. Seems like a lot but...

I think you are expecting too much from your architect. In our area, lumber prices doubled year over year. Architects are not directly involved in that, and information they get is often ancedotal and lagging the actual market. Also, look at the wide variance in price from two builders for the...

Those look interesting, but I'm not sure which of their many products would work. I'll try to get some photos of the spillway which may help ....

My asphalt contract quoted a little over $2/ft installed. So my driveway, not nearly as long, is about $13k. But my excavator is pointing out all of the "alligatoring" in my existing (old) asphalt. He's telling me he needs to excavate and put down proper base or the same thing will happen with...

The concrete on bottom is flat. No special notch or edge. Just a flat board sitting on rough concrete-- leading to leaks. On the sides, there is an extra "lip" or "edge" on the concrete on the side opposite from the water. So the boards can push up against that lip when holding back water...

My pond spillway is concrete. It has a provision to put boards across the face of it, horizontally, to prevent water from escaping and raise the pond level. The boards currently are 2 x 8's. About 40" from side to side, and I can stack 3 more boards on top of the first. The 2 x 8's act as a dam...

My new residence is serviced by an old well. Circa 1995, 2hp motor, about 25gpm +/-. The existing bladder tank is shot, the system sometimes short cycles, plus it is .... old. So I've decided to install a new pump, motor, and constant pressure system. My well guy advises leaving the existing...

Just a quick update: I got the first batch of oak limbs winched out just fine. Largest so far, at the butt end of a limb where I cut it, is 20" diameter. Soon I will tackle even more, but they get bigger and trickier after this. More difficult terrain and more difficult pulling without risking...

I took a few more pix that maybe better show the amount of slope. I set up a (self-releasing) snatch block, with tractor below, and tried a first lateral pull on a small 7-8" diameter limb. It pulled nicely. There was very little downhill movement, which surprised me. With that limb removed...

Here are some pictures of the limbs I want to winch "sideways" and "downhill." I looked again at the limb I want to winch sideways. It's a little larger than I thought-- more like 20" at the fattest end. The logs I want to come downhill are bigger diameter. Regarding a possible option to...

Just getting started with my Farmi 351p logging winch. I recently played out the cable, and winched it back under load. So its now ready for some logging work, but I have a few questions: I want to winch a fallen oak limb out of a forest to a clear spot, only about 60-80 feet. The limb is about...

It is time to post No Trespassing signs on the perimeter of my property. This is due to trespassers in general, plus unruly tree crews who work for the local electric utility. I learned they are trained to behave differently if working near a property posted with such signs. I would like to...

I have an older IH tractor. During backhoe installation, with no manuals, we accidentally routed the hydraulic lines incorrectly. I believe I deadheaded the pump-- which blew it up. Is there a way to add some sort of relief valve so this couldn't ruin a second pump if the same thing repeated...

I'm rehabbing a 1950's International TD-9. First time I tried to pull the lever to lift the front blade, there was a buzzing/chattering from the hydraulic system. I'm not sure if this is normal but it sure doesn't sound normal. Before trying this, I had checked the hydraulic tank and found it...

I am getting a 1950's vintage International TD-9 crawler back in operating form. Right now I can run it on gas then diesel, and I can operate it in forward and reverse. Initially, with the engine at RPM, the control lever to raise the front blade did nothing except make a lot of...

One of my fence lines has out-of-control invasive willows. My neighbor finally pulled all of his out, which was 80% of the quantity. So I need to do the 20% on my side. He used a Bobcat with a 4-in-1 bucket. Clamping down on a clump of willows and pulling them out by the roots. I don't have...

Someone suggested using PEX pipe for lawn sprinklers. I've always used PVC schedule 40. Is PEX a good alternative? I drain pipes for winter, as it often is 15-20F here in winter. How deep would I bury it? Any tricks I should know about? What tools are needed?

My neighbor has two dogs. One of them likes to run. None of our properties are fenced. He has about 5 acres, I'm closer to 100. I know his dog is frequently on an obscure part of my property, as my trail cams catch pictures of him. Yesterday, the dog was in my pond, chasing the ducks and geese...

I need to dig a lot of trenches this spring and summer. Mostly for irrigation pipe such as 1" schedule 40. Lines are drained in fall so they only need to be about a foot deep. Is there something, somewhere, that will let me modify the bucket to something more friendly for trenching? I only need...

I'm away from the tractor now, but I was able to download this picture taken the day of the damage. As a thank you, I gave each person a $100 Amazon gift card and we took them out to a steak dinner. Total about $1,000. If a new hood is $1,000+, it cost me over 2 grand to get about 5 cords of...

I let a friend drive my GC1710. I warned him not to drive with the bucket raised. He did exactly that and a firewood round tumbled back and smashed the hood and headlight. Aahhh. The tractor runs fine, but I need a new hood, etc. Is circling back to my dealer the best option?

It is sealed only from the intrusion of debris. The water box is not under pressure, so you are correct that the "head" starts at this water box. Downstream (downpipe) from this box, the piping to the irrigation is a sealed system. I was wondering if I connect the incoming 6" line to the 2 1/2"...

At the center of my irrigation system I have a 2 1/2 inch pvc pipe with 35 psi. Max flow is about 45 gpm. I want to increase the psi as some sprinklers require 40 psi. My target is 45 psi. I don't want to use an electric pump. Gravity only. The psi is generated because the pipe runs up a...

A river otter found my fish-stocked pond. It's living in the pond now, and is decimating the fishery. All my big catfish have been caught and eaten. It's working on the bass now. I am checking with a trapper tomorrow, but if that doesn't work I need to take care of business. I've never seen it...

The next night, the "mom" came along with this years batch of cubs.

One of my game cameras caught some interesting bear footage. I'm pretty sure these two were cubs were born last year. Seems about 3am they just couldn't resist having a little wrestle match in front of my camera.

I have spent years trying to eradicate Scotch Broom from my California property. It's invasive, it's a huge wildfire hazard due to oils it produces, it will take over any area where it gets established, and the seeds can lay dormant for up to 80 years, then re-germinate. In Nevada County, CA...

Found a skunk behind my barn this afternoon. At first I thought it was dead since it was in an open pasture area and not moving. Then I saw its head bob up and down a few times. That's its only movement-- head bobs up and down once in a while, then head back on the ground and no movement. I...

I noticed the kitchen faucet was pulsing water, and pressure seemed a little low. Usual house pressure is 60psi but I don't know what it is right now as my gauge failed. I checked the expansion tank at the well. It had about 45psi in it. So I pumped it up to 60 psi and it seems to have fixed...

New Year's Eve was the coldest night of the year so far-- 22F. Our pond is half frozen over this morning. I found a dead woodpecker on the frozen lawn this morning. No marks on him-- looks like he just died and fell out of a tree above. Can birds freeze to death or do you suspect it was...

Had some generous friends visit! Eight total-- running two splitters against recent giant oak tree limb trimmings. We produced about 5 cords total, split and stacked. Not as much as some crews, but a pretty good day for mostly city folks! The team was quickly processing the downed pile of...

I'd like to learn some additional ways to be a truly good steward of the land. My rural property has a residence, barn, pasture, apple orchard, forest, creek, pond stocked with fish, and a lot of wildlife. A recent success was trimming my large oak trees, which improved safety and the tree...

I was out moving black oak rounds today and thought I'd post a picture. Getting everything in one place to start splitting next week. Don't know how much the rounds weigh but I know they are quite heavy plus a bit more since they have been sitting in the rain lately. The level in the picture is...

I have most of the oak tree trimmings all in one place now. Time to start splitting next week. I have friends coming to help-- we'll be running two splitters-- they said: "what if we finish early?" :D

I have some pictures of the trees before trimming. One pix is of the trimmings/debris. I have most of it in one place now-- the group is coming soon to split it into firewood. And I have one pix of one of the rounds I was moving with the grapple today. That was for an oak tree that had mostly...

Actually the safety does not look engaged but is it instead in the ready-to-fire position? That's what I get for not looking at the T&A ... :D

Here is one tree-- I have about 8-10 of these in the vicinity of the house and outbuildings. I have thousands of acorns on the ground-- been thinking of planting a few here and there. The picture was taken during some recent trimming-- the lift has a 90 ft reach.

Been harvesting the trunk of a very old oak tree. It had slowly broken off all its branches and limbs back to just a really tall trunk without much else. And some limbs, and a nearby pine tree. Not sure how many rounds I can fit in the small bucket!

I was wondering if grafting could work for me. I need to check into that. Here are two pix: the old apple trees and the new ones planted a few years ago. One of the new ones produced a few very large apples this year. In the "old" picture you can also see the mounds from whatever is burrowing...

I have an apple orchard that is many decades old. Some trees have died, and some continue to produce apples but are very, very old. I want to plant new trees to rejuvenate the orchard. My local nursery said to plant bare root trees in January. They have many "varieties" that grow in my area...

I just had 10 Black Oaks and 1 Pin Oak tree trimmed. These tree are hundreds of years old, about 125ft high with enormous limbs, some up to 60" diameter. A tree crew with a "spider lift" spent a full week here doing it. Now, I am chipping up LOTS and LOTS of branches and limbs. (Saving larger...

I'm building a new residence in Northern Nevada. Framing is done, windows in, most exterior doors installed, stucco lathing done. Almost ready for drywall. Lots of square footage and some 10' and 12' ceiling heights. Insulation is starting to be installed today. Drywall installers say they need...

Got my Woodland Mills WC88 chipper recently. Unit arrived damaged- ugh. It was packed really, really well but dents and scuffed paint here and there. Plus one cracked weld. Factory says it was shipping damage although the outside of carton was unblemished. They are sending replacement parts and...

Well, I will confess I succumbed to doing an ugly, but effective, repair. I found the gate valve is leaking-- no surprise given it is decades old and rarely used. There are rocks and cattails under the immediate area where the gate valve is. So it didn't look like much fun to try to dig down...

My irrigation system has a drain that extends into and underwater in the pond. There is a gate valve near the end of that. Somewhere in the vicinity of that piping and valve there is a water leak. So I am losing irrigation water out of the system, which I don't want to have happen. I need to fix...

I have an off-road farm dump trailer. It uses a standard drawbar setup to connect to the tractor drawbar. I hook the trailer tongue to the tractor drawbar, insert a pin, and go. I want to be able to reposition the trailer from one spot to another using my truck. So I need some way to attach the...

My seat switch is incompatible with using my new Woodland Mills WC88 chipper. When I leave the seat to use the chipper, everything shuts down. The manual says PTO and engine will *still run* if Park Brake is engaged and selector is in Neutral-- but it doesn't behave that way. Trying to stuff a...

First of all, the recurrent theme in your posts is a high degree of anger. Sorry to be blunt, but if you can't corral that you will have no patience for working with technology. I understand how frustrating it can be to work with technology-- especially when it is not working-- but getting upset...

Here's a picture that provides better reference for the size of these trees. I still can't fit the whole tree in the picture-- it continues up!

You mean like this ... small branch ... that recently came down? (This is what prompted me to do trimming this year.)

Here is a pix of one of our nicest shaped oaks. I took this standing on the 2nd story of the house. It's hard to get the full tree in the pix as they are so large. This one is kind of by itself, but in line with the row of oaks in the earlier picture. There must be underground water flow or...

Took this picture this am before it got very light. Maybe another later when it is more lit up. For reference, the building in the picture has a peak height of about 16 ft. There are probably 9-10 oaks in this vicinity, and they "march" all the way up the hill. I'm only trimming the ones near...

I am hiring a company to trim the huge oak trees at our property in a few weeks. These are mature, huge oak trees. Everyone that sees these trees calls them gigantic. Unbelievably the all-in cost for end weight reduction and trimming is upward of $10k -- after getting multiple bids. They are...

I have a Massey 1758 cab tractor, with HLA grapple. My old demolished deck has been on a side hill for months, and I finally got a 30 yard dumpster so I could dispose of it. I foolishly thought I could approach the rotted lumber pile from the downslope side, coming up, and "Grab" a pile of...

I bought a Berkelman off road dump trailer a while back. I am just now wanting to put it into service for some firewood work. I went to connect it to the tractor and ... whoa ... I'm not sure how to do it? Here is a pix of the front tongue of the trailer. The end section that will take a pin...

It's time to clear some space in the barn. That means going through decades of accumulated stuff. I have rented a 30yd dumpster which arrives soon. The true junk is easy to throw away. But then I come upon things like old motorized equipment. A rototiller, reel lawnmower with front catch, gas...

I want to create a level RV parking pad. The area has a slight side slope from right to left, and a slight upslope as you pull forward. I need to level both of those. I have a 40hp tractor, 6 foot box blade, landscape rake, and top n tilt. I started by tipping the right side of the box down...

I have an old tractor (International 3414) which recently blew the seal on the hydraulic pump. A friend was connecting up an attachment, and when he hit a bypass valve I believe it deadheaded the pump. Soon after, hydraulic fluid was shooting out the back of the pump. The pump is a Dynamatic--...

Went to the bank recently (Wells Fargo.) Presented a completed deposit slip with my business name and account number. I was depositing cash receipts from that same business. I heard: "Sir, I need to see your ID." What? My ID? To give you CASH? I have deposited cash for many years. My business...

Went to Oakland, CA yesterday to review a unique wall and door system for our new residence. The trip reminded me why I like Rural Living. Traffic was a nightmare, of course. Bumper to bumper on I-80 in both directions. We finished our visit and departed at 1:30pm. Leaving by 1:30 apparently...

I'm building a new residence, about 5,600 sq ft total. The garage is on one side, great room/laundry room about the center, and bedrooms and master on the other side. My architect planned an on-demand water heater in the garage, mainly servicing the kitchen and a bath in that area. And a second...

I'm ready to build a manifold to route irrigation/sprinkler water from the main supply to three different directions. Should I put the valves right at the supply and manifold? This is convenient as all the wiring also only has to go there and I could install drains. Or, should I run pressure...

I am going to run some 1" sprinkler lines at my Nevada property. These will only be operational in summer/fall and I will include drains so I can winterize the lines. Someone here told me I need 19" of depth for schedule 40 PVC due to freeze issues. But my lawn had schedule 40 at about a foot...

I like my Massey 1758 tractor. But I have to nominate how to change the dashboard display from Km/Hr to Miles per Hour as one of the most user UNFRIENDLY things I've seen on a tractor. Here are the steps to changes from Km/Hr to Miles per Hour on my 1758: 1) Turn ignition key off and leave it...

I'm getting tired of constant weed eating along irrigation ditches. It takes a long time and I'm looking for a better solution. The ditches are near fence lines, ranging from 1-5 feet from the fence and meandering around. So it is hard to get power equipment on the "other side" of the ditch to...

What I read is that this was a legitimate competing product, and Deere corp recognized this as a legitimate competing product, made an effort to buy it, offering $190 million, which failed. But then when their competitor acquired it instead of them, they changed course to assert they owned the...

I maintain two rural properties each with acreage. Mowing the lawn, brush hogging, setting sprinklers, keeping water flowing through piping and infrastructure, weed eating irrigation ditches, weed eating around fences and the pond, spraying blackberries and weeds, eradicating scotch broom, and...

In the corner of the barn, there is a jumble of lumber, ranging from 2x4 to 2x12. Some pieces are short, others medium or long. And some odd things like a pair of cutout 2x12 that could be used for stairs, and some sheeting. If I stack some of the lumber overhead, sitting on cross beams, how...

This has been a wonderful story which I have mostly followed. I wish we had a positive experience with Coyotes, but we do not. We are dog lovers, but fear the coyote packs around here will take down our Golden Retriever. Our dog would love to run through our pastures and romp and roam at the...

I'm living at our ranch property for the next year, and trying to figure out reliable phone communication. Cell service does not work here. Zero bars. Cell phone amplifiers don't work. ATT used to offer landline and DSL. Several years ago they stopped doing any new DSL connections. Now, they...

Even the recently departed are not immune to things going wrong ...

My new garage is finally going up. It's 3,600 ft, 60ft x 60ft. My engineer designed for 9 light fixtures, 3 rows of 3, using "4-lamp T5 equivalent." I need to choose just what that "equivalent" fixture is!! When shopping I found there is great variation of wattage, lumens, and cost. Some...

I'm putting a small office and bathroom in my new garage. Probably should have made it larger but too late for that. It's designed for a regular door to the small office, and a second regular door from the office to a bathroom. Due to tight space, I think I've already decided to redesign it so...

I did a similar trench-between-buildings project recently to install conduit. I had to dig from one building toward the center, then turn around and dig from the other building to the center. I knew my tractor/backhoe would be straddling the ditch and marooned with no way to drive out when the...

Must be his child's tricycle. Saw this image on the back of his cab ...

Saw this recently while enroute to our property ....

I have an above ground diesel tank. About 300 gallons. There has been a small quantity of fuel in it for many years. I believe I need to purge the old fuel and replace it before using? There is one fuel line (underground) to a diesel heater in the residence. The heater also has not been used...

My GC1710 tractor with backhoe is great. Within its limits. When preparing the concrete pad for my garage, my excavator first used his tracked skid steer excavator. Way more powerful than my tractor. It was hard digging. He stopped using that excavator, and brought in an excavator about half...

Log prices have climbed, and I have the opportunity to do a Timber Harvest for my property in California. I've never done this before? My understanding is I need a Timber Harvest application submitted to CalFire, signed by a Registered Forester, and identifying a Licensed Timber Operator (LTO)...

Beautiful properties! I added pond dye for the first time this year. It makes the surface look like glass.

I need to drill 50+ holes for a new deck and fence. If I use a tractor at all, I must use a subcompact due to terrain and lawn being involved. I'm a little leery since the subcompacts have limited capability. I've heard that lack of downforce can be an issue, causing it to be hard to get the...

Here is a small coyote my game camera observed at the pond edge. Some of the coyote scat is the same size as my dog's, and he is 70 lbs. Maybe my dog could handle business 1 on 1, but one against a pack isn't going to end pretty. I've read accounts where a female in heat approaches a domestic...

Used my GC1710 to trench between two buildings. Dug from the edge of one building to the center. Then turned around and did the same with the second building. That left the tractor as a helpless orphan straddling the 2 foot deep trench with no way out. Finally used some 4x4's, 3/4 plywood, the...

I would need some major logging to get 50 foot clearance between my tin roof and trees ..... the building is 24x36.

Thanks to all for helping me complete this project. I cannot believe it took most of 3 1/2 days to trench, lay conduit, backfill, route above grade conduit, penetrate the wall, and pull wire. I still need to fasten the conduit to the concrete foundation, which I could not do as I didn't have a...

I am putting in a detached garage and current plans are to set a 100a electric subpanel. It will connect to a 400a subpanel at the house. (Existing 200a panel presently being upgraded to 400a.) In the thread about my garage, many here advised to upgrade the garage subpanel to a 200a model, for...

Here are some pictures. I made an unwelcome discovery also. Where I want to trench is within the canopy of some gigantic oak trees. I might move a ways down the building away from the trees to trench. But I can't very easily trench along the foundation. I guess I could run some 2" conduit above...

I travel over Donner Summit (I-80) between Nevada and California pretty frequently. This section was entirely refurbished a few years ago. I watched the concrete pour and it seemed like about 14 inches thick with lots of rebar. Now, a few years later, I am seeing ruts in the concrete in the...

Finally got a very good workout with reasonably deep cover of semi-wet leaves yesterday. The Husqvarna GT48 mower and Cyclone rake is a good combo. Last year, three of us spent at least a half a day raking leaves onto tarps, emptying the tarp into my dump trailer, and then dumping leaves. I...

I'm running two 1" schedule 40 underground conduits from a subpanel in my barn to a small adjacent garage, maybe 30 feet or so. One conduit for power, one for phone. Zinsco breakers, but that's another story .... I will come up the side of the building using schedule 80 above ground, then use...

Had a temporary pattern of above freezing weather both night and day, for about a week. Thus, the slab is poured. Metal building being fabricated. Should show up after the holidays .... becoming a January project.

Momma bear and cub are trolling the neighborhood annoying people. Recently I had them both on my front porch, which is surprising since it is very well lit. Then one of them opened the sliding barn door and pillaged through the trash can (no food in trash.) I don't have food anywhere on the...

I am trying to fire up an old gas powered tractor. I know it ran about 6 months ago because I started it. Then I removed the battery to charge it and now it behaves oddly. The dash gauges flash, and it won't turn the starter. Reading the manual, it says to use a screwdriver to jump two of the...

Mopardude, not sure if you are into new mopars or vintage. But the new building will house my 1969 Hemi Roadrunner. 426 hemi engine, dual 4 barrel carb factory standard, air grabber intake, super trak pak option. All original. :) Oh and I usually average about 4mpg.

My 2 acre pasture is flood irrigated in summer. The topsoil has many rocks, about the size of a potato. It has had cattle on it which I believe caused compaction. When dry it is sometime tricky to walk on as the surface is choppy and uneven. I've recently had heavy equipment such as a large...

I am fairly new to tractors. I appreciate how dangerous they can be. "Tractor Jim" just posted about pushing tree limbs with his tractor, and how one acted like a "bow" and snapped back against his forehead-- almost killing him. There are many stories like that. Before tractors, I flew...

Finally broke ground for my new garage. Soon my tractor and related equipment will have a new home!! The new garage is 60x60. In addition to the tractor stuff it will also house a motor home, vehicles, car lift, and small office/bathroom/shower. I have rear access to the property so I won't...

Anybody making anything new for aftermarket? Grapple, subsoiler, ummmm... what's new?

These two equipment items in combination do a great job. But, I recently got a full load of wet, mulched leaves into the Cyclone Rake trailer/bagger. It was so heavy I couldn't lift the bag on its pivot. I had to dig out some of the wet stuff first to lighten it before dumping. I noticed while...

Not sure the wheels on this "trailer" are rated for highway speed ...

Early in 2017 there was a forum debate about the merits of a John Deere X380 riding mower vs a Husqvarna GT48DXLS riding mower. I first went to a Deere dealer to purchase an X380, did not do so. I then learned about and bought a Husqvarna GT48DXLS. Since it was a brand-new model for 2017, I...

If you haul a concrete block weighing tons, do you need to tie it down?

I am considering the purchase of a Ventrac 4500, but am undecided on engine option. I've narrowed it to either Kubota gas or diesel. My expected use is summertime mowing/brush hogging. My inclination is diesel, for two reasons. One is fewer problems with fuel, such as if the unit is parked for...

I'm looking to possibly add a Ventrac, mostly for light brush hogging on slopes and hard to reach areas. But, they also offer a front mount stump grinder. I have lots of stumps and have looked at the Woodland Mills rear PTO stump grinder. Does anyone have advice or experience with using a...

I had a recent demo of a Ventrac 4500Z. Worked well on my slopes, using a brush cutter and dual wheel kit. What might the closest reasonable equivalent be with Power Trac? I have larger tractors, etc for bigger tasks. I'm mostly focused on mowing on slopes and under the canopy of trees.

My neighbor has a large area of invasive willows, right up to his/my property line. He doesn't remove or control them as they provide privacy. Along my side of the property line, I have surface irrigation ditch water. It's an ideal breeding ground for expansion of willows into my property...

Spend years lovingly restoring your convertible classic car. Then trailer it, top down, on I-80 over Donner Summit inbound to the "Hot August Nights" event in Reno. Then the thundershower arrives .....

I posted this in Owning/Operating but since it is safety related I will summarize it here: I was moving heavy items, using two chains, each connected to a hook on the top side of the bucket. Wrap around my item, lift and go. Finished up, and tossed the chains in the bucket. Was returning to...

I was moving heavy items around the property today. Typical config-- two chains, each connected to a hook on the top side of the bucket. Wrap around my item, lift and go. Got the last item moved, unwrapped the chains, and tossed them in the bucket. Was returning to base at moderate speed, but...

By coincidence, today brought out some great aspects of the Husqvarna mower. I finally unboxed the rear bagger I bought about a month ago. ($375) I took about 15 minutes to install. All went smooth except the front bolt on the lower chute was kind of hard for one person to hold and tighten at...

Someone said the manual called for a first oil change at 8 hours. I read it now and it says do it every 50. I didn't see a sooner interval for the first one? The deck washout instructions advise to have water flowing, engine at high rpm, and engage the blades. Yikes. I only engage blades at low...

What are the pros and cons of the JD mower owners that use Tweels? Is JD the only manufacturer offering them as standard equipment on some models? Another thread here discussed functional features, and the "vanity" of operating a tweel-equipped mower. What are the pros and cons about...

Well my Husqvarna GT48DXLS mower rocks, no question. But my yard is bumpy and there is no suspension seat. The "Tweels" supposedly improve ride without tearing up turf. Anyone know if they will fit a GT48DXLS?

If one of these was in my pond, I'm not sure I would be comfortable going swimming. I don't exactly know what it would do, but it would sure do something!!

I have a one acre pond which has suffered through four years of drought. In that time many aquatic plants began to grow. For the first time this year, I have floating plants/algae. There are two established colonies-- one about fifteen feet across and one about ten feet across. I was advised to...

I would be nice to have something "John Deere" at our property to accompany two Massey tractors and a Husqvarna mower. The tractor rotary cutters cut acres of tall pasture stuff just fine. The Husqvarna GT48DXLS mows lawn like a beast. But, I have an in-between need that maybe a new John Deere...

Just finished first cutting a new-to-me 15 acre pasture with rolling hills bounded by a forest. Avoided many obstacles with my twin spindle 8 foot rotary cutter, but did hit an eight inch stump. The cutter rode over the top of the stump when I was turning. I was slowly picking my way through a...

The 50:1 pre-mix seems *way* more expensive than mixing my own. But, very convenient to use and store. Is there any functional advantage to pre-mix except for storage? It seems that stuff is ~$20/gallon, more than double the cost to mix my own?

This guy obviously dislikes RV's that you have to step up to get into ...

I'm only at 5 hours after this last mowing section. The "8" or "hourglass" on the left is constantly blinking. Here's a picture ...

I was putting my mower away and noticed the digit 8 had appeared in the hour meter. It wasn't the elapsed time, since that is now 4.5 hours. I looked in the manual and couldn't find any code or reference to the hour meter. Is it capable of displaying more than just elapsed time, and is this some...

Finally got my new Massey Ferguson 1758 into operation! Spent several hours brush hogging yesterday. What a difference from brush hogging with my Massey GC 1710 open station! Bugs are *outside* the cab. I'm in the shade, with a/c, sitting on an air ride seat. The cab model is not as nimble to...

I just used Mr. Funnel to filter the diesel while fueling my tractor. Should I keep that funnel "diesel only," or is it OK to use the same funnel for gasoline also? And, although it is brand new, my Mr. Funnel acts like an old timer. With a full funnel of diesel, it flows good. But as the level...

I greased all the obvious zerk fittings recently on my GC1710. Loader, backhoe, etc. I know there are some I missed, but I cannot find anything in the operating manual or service manual? Does anyone know of a diagram or list of all possible greasing locations?

Maybe this will help. I'm guessing the 49 state model will not have the "CARB" designation ...

Will soon be driving through forest slash with rimguard filled tires. If I puncture one, what's the best process, or is there one? Doesn't sound like fun, but I'd like to know the plan just in case!

I'm looking for a good brush cutter for slopes and areas where a riding mower and rotary cutter can't safely, or practically, go. Everyone seems to have a *bad* walk behind model, and it would be hard to spend $3,000 given the poor reviews. The best reviewed one seems to be discontinued (Stanley...

I'm still filling 5 gal cans to fuel my tractor (ugh.) When pouring fuel yesterday, I noticed that one or more small contaminants also went in with the new fuel. Agghh. What sort of filter is recommended when fueling from a 5 gallon can into a tractor diesel tank?

I've narrowed my choices down two rotary cutters, using 3 point, Category 1 hitch. This is to cut 12-15 acres of pasture a few times a year for weed control. Few saplings, mostly weeds. Mostly level, only moderate slope. Pasture is lined by a forest so some backing into tight areas between trees...

Thanks to all. I will provide updates with my experience, especially of any problems or trouble. First year models like this one can have teething problems. One thing I could not find with either choice was a large capacity bagging system. Both had about a 7 bushel container, too small for me...

In Fall, I get enormous covering of leaves on the lawn I measure in feet, not inches. With days being short, we always seem to be raking right up until dark. I'm looking at a new riding mower/lawn tractor and cyclone rake to make this an easier process. Has anyone added a LED light bar to a...

I narrowed a riding mower/lawn tractor down to Deere and Husqvarna. Husqvarna has made good strides with their latest model for 2017. A Deere x380 is probably better, but Husky is catching up fast. Husqvarna dealers want to deal, offer services, fuel, delivery, discounts on implements and...

I'm looking at a bush hog bh26 rotary cutter. It's a 3pt hitch model, single spindle, 6 foot, heavy duty cutter. Needs 45pto horsepower which is exactly what I have. Also considering a Rhino se8a. It's a pull or semi mount, twin spindle, 8 ft medium duty cutter. Needs 45pto as a 3pt, 40hp as...

I've greased my MF GC1710 a few times, using a hand held grease pump and lithium based grease. I'm about to take delivery of another tractor, a MF 1758. I want to upgrade my grease knowledge and capability. I only have a manual grease gun now. I'm considering a Dewalt 20V portable electric...

I need to choose a brush hog type mower for 12 acres of mostly open pasture. Mostly weeds, don't notice any saplings, up to 2-3 ft high. Light to moderate slope. There is one draw/ravine where water drains (winter.) The pasture is lined with large trees, and it is desired to do some amount of...

I am trying to sort out conflicting opinions. Some say 43 PTO horsepower is limited to only a 6 foot rotary cutter, others say 7, 8, or even 10 foot is OK. I noticed the HP requirements vary quite a bit by brand. I have 12 acres +/- that I need a rotary cutter for, and I want heavy duty...

Anyone have experience with a grapple for the front of a GC1710 or similar tractor?

I'm having a hard time sorting out what wood chipper to buy, and whether to just rent one instead. Home Depot and other companies rent them, usually 6" chippers. With rental, I dislike needing to prepare a huge pile of stuff in advance, just so I can play "beat the clock" and keep the...

I've been very pleased with my Massey GC1710. It's my little workhorse. It will soon be joined by a shiny new Massey Ferguson 1758 cab model. Should take delivery in about a month. The 1758 has SSQA FEL, grapple, top-n-tilt, quick hitch, hydraulic controlled landscape rake/blade, box scraper...

Thank you to so many who replied to my inquiries about what tractor to select, and how to outfit it. The answers were very helpful. I bought a Massey Ferguson 1758 cab model. SSQA FEL, grapple, top-n-tilt, quick hitch, hydraulic controlled landscape rake/blade, box scraper, and rears loaded...

Some oak tree limbs came down in a recent storm. I finally got around to picking them up with my little Massey 1710 workhorse!

A few oak tree limbs came down in a recent storm. I finally got around to picking them up, using my little workhorse Massey GC1710!!

I'm looking at a Wallenstein BX52 chipper. One model is "self feeding" while another has optional hydraulic feed. Self feed is around $3k, hydraulic feed almost double. Also, I see some marketing that the design of the blades on the BX52 promotes "self feeding," which sort of implies that...

I have 52 hours on my Massey SCUT tractor. I've been *very* careful to avoid side slopes when using it. I bush hog about two acres, and if there is much of an incline I go up/down rather than traverse it sideways. I keep the bucket lowered while turning. This season, I will have a 50+ hp cab...

Cleaning up my forestry mess, I will often be working alone. Mostly level ground, lots of brush and debris, many trees down, average log size 10", mostly pine, ranging up to very long lengths. I've never done this before. I will have a 50+ hp cab tractor with front grapple and rear landscape...

I'm closing in on a tractor and grapple purchase to clean up a forestry mess. Also considering a skidding winch, 3 point grapple, tongs, or $300 poor man's log lift. Or a simple drawbar and chain! Not sure yet. My question is about processing the logs once I get them to a staging area. Is there...

I'm homing in on a tractor purchase. Need advice on whether to load the rear tires or not. A big project is forestry cleanup with grapple, rake, maybe a skidding winch. I understand loaded tires are desirable for that. This is a big project but a one-time project even though it make take two...

Still evaluating a 50-60hp tractor choice. Along with regular mowing and a one-time cleaning up a forestry mess, I need to install a lot of posts and fencing for horses. John Deere advertises their model 4066R has an optional hydraulic downforce kit, which supposedly assists digging post holes...

I have owned a SCUT tractor for about a year. That is my entire tractor experience, so I am still a "newbie." I recently started shopping for a larger tractor. I'm a cash buyer. Budget is $50,000+. It has been a difficult experience. After great help on this forum, I chose a Kubota Grand L6060...

Yesterday's projects were spreading new gravel on top of the road base, and getting some madrone firewood. You can see a small slice of our pond in the background-- above the driver side loader arm. Just did the 50 hour service on my tractor. It's given me very good service.

Here are two pix. The first is in my driveway, loaded up and ready for the first trip. The second photo is at the Interstate 80 / Donner Summit rest area in the Sierras, elevation about 7,000'. Mid-way on its first trip.

Here's my little Massey Ferguson GC1710 SCUT with a load of madrone wood. Also in the picture is some gravel I spread using the tractor. In the distance, you can see a peek-a-boo slice of our pond. It's above the driver side loader arm.

After much hand wringing about which trailer to get, and what type, I finally bought one! Bought a 20 foot Big Tex bumper pull equipment trailer, with mega-ramps on the back. I wanted the 14,000 gvr trailer since it has bigger axles and brakes, but didn't want to trigger the need for a CDL. So...

I own a Massey GC1710. Very pleased with it. Have 45 hours on it now at a 2 acre property. For another property, about 90 acres, doing mowing and clearing logs and brush, I had settled on a Kubota Grand L6060 cab model. Well over $60,000 with goodies and attachments. But no dickering yet. And I...

I want to get some weight on the back of a Kubota L6060 to get full use out of the grapple and loader bucket. I was advised to get 1,200 lbs on the rear of the tractor for counterbalance, and to help keep too much weight off the front axle. Loading the rear tires increases weight, but not...

Can you help me understand float vs detent for the rear remotes? I want to operate a box scraper, and a hydraulically controlled landscape rake / blade combo. In theory I know that a "float" can let the box scraper drag across the ground just using gravity. But I'm confused if I need one...

I want a single trailer to "do it all." That includes hauling my tractor and implements when needed, hauling a car and/or ATV when I go camping, hauling logs and/or brush and debris when I am clearing my land, and doing all the other things a dump trailer can do. I'm looking at a 17' overaxle...

I have settled on a configuration for my Kubota L6060 cab model. Thank you all for helping. The tractor, with some land pride equipment, retails for about $65,000. I can pay cash or finance. The dealer is quoting about $62,000, either for cash or Kubota 0% financing. I like the idea of KTAC...

My needs are to mow 15-20 acres in summer, and do a one-time clean up about 8 acres of downed trees and debris. I had previously decided on a Grand L6060, cab model, with loader, heavy duty bucket, grapple, and skidding winch. Some of the reason for the 6060 model was power to run the skidding...

I bought a LOT of G70 bulk chain when my hardware store went belly up. I can't remember what size it is though. It was a killer deal I couldn't pass up. I used calipers to measure it. The measurement was larger than 5/16 but smaller than 3/8. ???? Very confused. A 5/16 G70 grab hook grabs it...

I'm expecting to soon purchase a 60hp tractor and skidding winch. Some basic research shows using a tractor for logging activity is very dangerous work. I'd like to learn more of the risks? So far, I've read about skidding cables snapping, short logs being dragged behind a tractor hitting a...

The consensus about how to clean up 6-8 acres of downed logs and debris was a 50+hp tractor, grapple, and skidding winch. (Assuming a tractor, not a telehandler!) I am looking at a Kubota Grand L6060 cab tractor, grapple, and Wallenstein skidding winch. Grab the debris with the grapple and move...

Thank you to all who replied to my inquires about a L6060 for mowing 20 acres and cleaning downed logs from 8 acres. I am focusing on the configuration listed below. There is already a bushhog at the property. What changes would you make to the configuration I am focusing on? Kubota L6060, cab...

I'm shopping for a Kubota Grand L6060 but don't know how to outfit it with options. This tractor will manage about 80 acres, with 60 forested acres and 20 acres of level to moderately sloped pasture to mow. I need to mow the 20 acres a few times a year to keep weeds and fire danger down. There...

These two tractors seem right-sized for my new property. I would add SSQA, front loader, and grapple. No backhoe as I have a small backhoe on my Massey SCUT I could use in a pinch. Maybe a Wallenstein skidding winch but I'm still evaluating that. Neither are inexpensive, but I'm grappling with...

More pix.

More pix.

I snapped a couple of pics of the area I need to clean up. Hopefully my first picture attachments will come through OK.

A year ago, I bought a Massey SCUT TLB for a 2 acre property. It's worked well for me, mostly for mowing and small loader jobs. I just acquired an 88 acre ranch. It recently had tree disease in the forested part, resulting in LOTS of downed logs and debris. About 8 acres where it looks like a...

Got excellent dealer service to repair a bad seal in the backhoe ram. As explained in an earlier post, even with the engine running the backhoe would slowly drop. Once a new seal was installed, all was well. But, after a few hours of digging, the problem returned. Another call to the dealer...

I have a Massey GC1710 SCUT. I know woods make a 3 1/2 foot rotary cutter, and also a 4 foot rotary cutter. I'm curious which might better match up to my SCUT? I only need to mow about two acres.

I received Ken's bolt on hooks but have not installed them yet. I will put a few on the loader and one on the backhoe. In case I encounter an especially heavy rock or something similar, is the loader, or backhoe, the stronger lifting force? Or, due to hydraulic pressure, are they equal?

I'm gearing up for spring and summer, so I will need some help. Currently I am looking at purchasing the following for my GC1710: Woods RC3.5 rotary mower Woods GBC48 Box scraper Woods LRS52 landscape rake Worksaver post hole digger w/9" auger I believe I have a justifiable use for each of...

36 years is enough time for junipers to grow. Then its time for them to give way to something new ....

Dealer said maybe the control was not returning 100% to the neutral position. I will check that and see what I learn. If its not that, then it sounds like a replacement seal is needed. btw here are *some* of the junipers getting torn out!

I am putting some backhoe time on my new GC1710. Tearing out 35 year old overgrown junipers. So far, the digging part works great. But I noticed something that does not seem right. The backhoe arm will move on its own. When I extend the bucket straight out, sort of at eye level behind the...

A description I read about float mode is that when you use float mode the bucket/blade whatever follows the contour of the ground automatically. I'm curious if that is correct, and if so, how does it do that? Are there sensors to determine when the ground contour changes and make adjustments...

I'd like to have the option to pull or reposition trailers, etc. with my SCUT. At the low end, I'd like to pull a small garden trailer (like a Polar?) behind the tractor to do some work. In the middle, reposition and move my small dump trailer (1,500 lbs empty, 5,000 lbs load capacity.) Ideally...

I like to obtain service manuals for the equipment I own. Is such a manual available for the Massey GC1710, and the Iseki engine it uses? Does anyone have a source?

While shopping for a SCUT, I sometimes saw an option for a dealer upgraded alternator. I presume this would only be needed for a tractor used a lot at night, running many lights? Is there any such option for the massey models, such as a GC1710?

Now that I have the Massey GC1710 in the garage, it's time to get ready for work! I have two acres to mow, which are mostly barren now from drought and winter but will begin sprouting vigorously in Spring. I have irrigation water rights and can flood irrigate the entire two acres. I presently...

Thanks to all for excellent input to this totally "green" shopper for a first-ever tractor. I bought one and spent a couple of hours using it at the property yesterday! I researched John Deere 1025R, Kubota BX-25D, Kioti, Mahindra Max 25, and Massey Ferguson GC1710/1720. I drove all of them...

With 2.5 acres, it seems a SCUT such as a Kubota BX-25D will handle all my mowing, digging, and other needs. After narrowing my choice to a Kubota BX-25D or a Massey SCUT, I realized I had missed the most important factor of all: my comfort during usage. Someone pointed out that any SCUT is...

I have quotes in hand for the Massey GC1710, GC1720, and Kubota BX-25D. I am working with three different dealers. Each dealer is only quoting one machine. Prices do not include tax. I believe all three are competitive quotes, but maybe not down to the "last nickel." Here is what I was...

I have never owned any tractor. But I need a SCUT for 2.5 recently purchased mostly level acres of pasture, plus some digging and landscape projects. I looked at the John Deere 1025, Kubota BX25D, Kioti, and Massey Ferguson 1710/1720. I researched the Mahindra Max25 but never saw one. After...