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Randomly functioning stuff is nearly always electrical related. Check wires: might have a damaged wire; It took years before my Kioti's cabin fan quit working and it was due to a manufacturing defect- factory crimped/hard-bent the wires at the connector to the fan. Disconnect what you can...

Long time ago I burned some substantial-sized piles of various crap that was left from a clearing job. It was a pain to keep the first fire going, but after a while it finally finished and left me with one big chunk of red-hot maple that I picked up and dropped on another big pile and that...

Mostly I try to run with my grapple on for the first mowing as I've got all sorts of tree debris down: as I'm always out with my dog on my property I am mostly pretty aware of where all the debris is; I also have scouted for firewood (and have sorted stuff best I can beforehand). Grapple is...

There's "taking off" and then there's "putting on." I don't have much in the way of flat surfaces.

Let them eat ice! :unsure::LOL:

Totally agree. This has been a HUGE question of mine vis a vis emissions stuff on vehicles. There's a reasonable intent but as humans are want to do, we hide the "bad parts" in order to make things look good. Summed in one word (and it's always been this, it's just that now days its execution...

In my mind it's more about profiteering. Manufacturers are cutting down on product cycle times and testing is more and more performed via computer simulators which are programmed by folks that don't understand the full extent of the working environments that their products will go in to. Blame...

I won't use an ice-maker: did not bother to plumb for one in my current place; another place for water leaks to sprout from. Ripped out the one in my current fridge; frees up space to! Of course, being in a mild climate means I don't have a big demand for ice cubes... Regarding "brands," I've...

Yes! It's almost impossible to get under the fins to clean them. I ended up blowing them "clean" (hard to tell full effectiveness), and, of course, this becomes a bit messy. One can rest assured that the shareholders who made off with all the gains from crappy products have enough money to...

Almost 20 years ago I bought a small chest freezer (I have it still, but, again, I don't recall the manufacturer). The lid was literally sucking water into it. Water was condensing inside it. The appliance store I bought it from (the repair side folks) told me they'd never heard of such a...

Spacing out what my fridge manufacturer is/was, but... It's about 11 years old now, and, knock on wood, is still working. I encountered a problem with it that was due to an "energy saver" function. The problem resulted in wasted food, wasted time (shutting down, defrosting and then starting...

Just ran mine for the first time this year (2nd year of ownership). I'd had it hooked up over the winter (was greased up at the end of the season): nice ballast as it's pretty compact (and is 1,200 lbs). Only some lube on top slider tube (hydraulic shift) and I was off hitting some grass...

PRICE is meaningless. It's about affordability! Pay attention to what you wrote in your first paragraph, specifically your second sentence. If YOU lose your job then a drop in gasoline from $5/gal to $2.50/gal isn't going to be all that meaningful. Past performance is no guarantee of future...

Sure there is. IF you're broke! :D Also the case if you KNOW that you'll end up broke! Figure that materials will become less affordable in the longer-run and that labor is likely to be cheaper. Buying wiring might not be a bad idea. Other material also not likely a bad idea. IF you...

Look over all hoses. You'll find that some are more apt to be early fail-ers than others. I've replaced two loader hoses on my 2006 B7800. One was a bit taxed due to the metal tubing getting bent a bit and straining the hose (failing near the connector): I over-sized the length on the...

I've got hundreds of hours doing clearing work (early years I used a machete- was VERY effective): most is clearing invasive blackberries (they suffocate everything)- I figure that I'm doing a net good, so any folks worried about whether I'm running afoul of the law can relax- I've got it...

I wouldn't have my flail if it took me twice as long to mow as with my RC. I suspect that it's grass type and blades where people have struggles. I have hammer flails, so maybe that's why I can mow faster? Cut quality is about as good as the RC, and better overall without clumping. And when...

Seems that that's the last thing my dogs wants, as she's always in water!

I wish to ask a question about creating/clearing a NEW path. If not appropriate just let me know... I have an area in which I have a bunch of old tree trunks/debris laying on the ground, under brush and whatnot. Ground is far to soft to use any wheeled or tracked equipment on. I want to cut...

Didn't read the entire thread, but that never stops me from adding two cents! :D Need to specify how much money you're willing to spend and a have a prioritized list of tasks and their frequency. Don't count out renting stuff for infrequent needs: maintenance adds up; figure this when...

ANY dealer can bust the warranty train. Further, no idea what time frame the concern is over: today, last couple of years or? Not a big fan of my dealer but they were able to work out a couple of key warranty issues with the factory: at no point did I get the feeling that anything wasn't going...

My little B7800 has moved a LOT of weight by catching the corner of something and spinning it. Can be a slow process, but it can be done when lifting isn't possible. I do this very thing by hand: spin heavy objects across the floor. I'd run straps or such off a corner and spin (pulling, yes...

I knew when I read the first part [I bolded] that the second one [I bolded] was sure to follow (ask me how I know)! :LOL:

Recently heard this... "What's the difference between 'conspiracy theory' and 'truth'? About six months."

Politicians set the development boundaries. Politicians also affect general pricing on things (tariffs, taxes, regulations etc.). I think that people should talk MORE, not LESS about such. The issue, as I see it, is that people don't know how to "properly" talk about such matters. I believe...

Rather perplexing to hear that unemployment is low and to see tons of "help wanted" signs. For sure there are businesses ramping up after the COVID-lull, but I doubt very much that we can operate above pre-COVID levels let alone exceed them. Many low-wage jobs were lost (think restaurants and...

She does that with anything that she thinks she's found (and actually found). It's kind of a: "Well, are YOU going to do something about this?"

Yup, had run across that figure as well. I suspect that it's understated. I also figure that this isn't as short-term/correcting issue. For me, looking down the barrel of a fixed-income (hoping to retire soon), it's a risk that's way to big to take.

I don't either. Perhaps because I can't remember where one of mine is! o_O Actually, I have a .22 pistol that I'd broken down and stuffed the cylinder somewhere where I'm not sure where it's at now. No worries about someone committing a crime with either piece of this gun! (if I cannot readily...

Here's a picture of my recent [incomplete-TBD] discovery. For reference, the dog is about 95 lbs. There was very little plastic showing initially. What appears now is from tugging it up out of the ground (before I ripped out as much as I could). Again, there's still plastic down below, under...

Be careful to not confuse "prices" with "affordability". [For example:] Soaring food and energy prices (perhaps coupled with stagnating wages) can readily eat up money that would/could otherwise be used for construction: ugh, just paid more to fill up the car's tank than I ever have...

It's certainly sheet-like. Snow's not a concern. The family that owned this property had some oddities to it (I won't cover the killing of one brother by the other brother- in front of their mother), but I could almost imagine someone burying something meaningful. Although the family was...

I've removed numerous tires and rims (front end of an old IH truck) and various garbage (someone buried the remains of an old swing set, in addition to vacuum cleaner and other such crap), but one "buried" object has me totally curious... Recently, and nowhere near where any of the usual "let's...

I was wading through all these postings just waiting to add my "unique" story and you had to spoil it! Wife and I were walking along our property and out in the field we ran across a dead salmon. Fish falling from the sky! No doubt how it happened, though odd and not exactly expected to see...

My dog has found a couple. I hear her barking and being really timid. Lots of fun getting her to approach them (and I sneak up behind her and spook her- she should really figure this plot out, but not yet!).

Ah, but cell phones! If not for having my phone on me I wouldn't have been able to get a picture of the only elk ever seen in my area by anyone. Between that shock and trying to make sure I had my then pup under control (no idea what she would/was going to do) I was totally surprised that I...

[re best time in the future to build] Going to have a lot of "wondering." BUT, it will be just as it is now: those that have enough money WILL be able to build; those without enough, WON'T. I am fairly confident in saying that the number of folks in the "WILL be able to" category are going...

^^^ As long as one doesn't break the tractor's PTO then all is fine: proper slip clutch (adjusted properly) or shear pin; but there's still always a possibility... I'd had a 5' "light-duty" on my B7800 and I'd cut 9'+ grass, car (steel) rims and other car parts as well as stumps and other...

Totally agree (IF one has the site for it). I managed to come up with a single-story design that had master, laundry, kitchen, living and dining all on one floor. Also a second bedroom (at one point I had three, but scaled back and got a small computer/study area and better bathroom layouts)...

The BEST is to have great neighbors: make them that way if you have to! I've got great neighbors (sadly, I've seen some of them go- die or move away). BUT, I'm also fortunate in that I ample buffer zones such that there's no property contention issues (and no animal issues).

I won't pretend to be an "expert" but... I have a 55hp tractor (others have larger, others have smaller- if you're looking for information that's more close to what your configuration is then I'm close) I've run a 5' RC from a B7800 for many years. A light-duty RC; I put it through pure heck...

Oh, I DO know about this as my land has reduced tax rates as it's classed as "Open Space." Only 40 acres. Neighbor's place is something like 180 acres: same previous owner for their property as for ours. I believe that min parcel sizes are 10 acres now: even IF our property could be split up...

Not a home for those with sleep-walking issues!

I think you misspelled "tax pressure":D For the second time since I've owned my property the property taxes have gone DOWN! First time was a significant drop and it was a year after I'd bought: I think that's what it was. It rebounded fairly quickly. For this year it's down, though only a...

Not recommended to put used engine oil in your fuel tank! Especially not for newer diesels (don't know if it was ever factually a good thing to do in the past or not). How many total hours? I'd had thoughts of an excavator but much of the time I'd want a larger one and that would be too...

Profits (check out the windfall profits by big corporations the last couple of years- while most were suffering from COVID-19 ping-pong the US stock markets ratcheted up) and money laundering via big construction projects (where else to put money? - free money to big corporations, but not to you...

And the band played-on as the Titanic went under... Double those numbers going forward: I'll project that the USD will devalue to the tune of about 39%- it'll be worth only 39% of what it currently is (yes, feel free to quote me). Will that devaluation -affected via inflation- continue...

"energy efficient" for how long? I've got two ALH TDIs which average right about (mine is over) 50 mpg. BUT, now diesel fuel prices are increasing. I'd never expected things to go down as they are, though I always figured things would actually "go down." I've figured that I should still...

China. Bought them directly: a bit of a harrowing experience (suffice it to say that I know understand all the process for such transactions). Crates collapse, which was essential for transport: shipping and then picking up from the shipping port (using my truck and trailer). I got 50 of...

Get it on a level and smooth surface and take various measurements on the loader. Measure at pin locations. Measure from back mount point to front pins. If the loader itself is racked you'll see it in the numbers. The mount/cradle could be messed up, but that would be a lesser probability...

One other thing... I've run through some pretty big stuff with my 6' RC (it's a beast) and even with a cabbed tractor the noise is nasty. Usually it's only a little here and there. NO way would want to be operating long periods of time like this.

One can quickly rack up a $2k repair bill. Heavy equipment is used because it's heavy duty. CUTS are NOT heavy duty (and even larger tractor are no match for actual construction grade equipment). If you are OK with going slow then making a lesser-tool do the job is OK, though, again, always...

Yup. That and it's helpful in getting the bigger tractor un-stuck! (well, not exactly so much stuck as in trapped) 665810

Pretty much the same experience/situation as Kioti Dave: except that I still have my B7800 :D BUGS. BUGS. BUGS. And also for me, blackberries! (I've had my face ripped up pretty well by them.) A cab is great for minimizing the abuse from nature. I've spent plenty of time exposing my body...

I've lusted after one of these (though I really don't have any use for one- too heavy for my property). Big haying operation near me recently bought one: they advertise it for rent. The bigger units can do all that any large tractor can/could do PLUS...

Shouldn't ever take much time to get air worked out. Work it well and it'll purge pretty quickly: think "GPM." It was an EVENT that caused this. Understand those dynamics. Look at what forces would be applied to various parts on the loader. As was stated, might be best (and I might think of...

Seals, seals, seals... I bought a 2013 Polaris Brutus (diesel, of course) in 2016. It was essentially new old stock. Had been sitting roughly three years. I've got a leak that I believe is from a bad rear crank seal (being a hydrostatic trans I don't have to worry about a slipping belt of...

Interesting, but not confusing... I need to see what my Kioti uses. My cars, TDIs, use air. Don't know what my Polaris (Yanmar diesel) or my 12v Cummins uses (I probably should know this, but don't).

I'll see you a 7.3L Powerstroke and raise you a 7.3L IDI! My 12v Cummins isn't a whole lot better either. For the optimal experience go to Manilla. Pretty much have to cover your mouth with cloth if outside and exposed to traffic. A TON of old IDI diesels.

Nothing compared to all the fuel that is burned up in the skies! (If we were serious about reducing emissions we'd smash the Pentagon's budget [US military is the single largest polluter on the planet].)

Or, for folks in rust belt areas, spray it on your undercarriages👍

It would be the air temp sensor. The replacement you got could have been defective (test). Another possibility is that the sensor is somehow getting warmed up, though the only way I could figure that to happen is if it's visible to the sun, or rodents have built a nest around it? If it's...

Curious what folks' manuals say for operating RPMs during regens. Kioti says 1,800 rpm (or above): this is hardly "high" RPMs. In 720 hrs I think I've had two parked regens* (one for sure [when relatively new]- other one might have been that I had to get out of the tractor to do stuff -usually...

Haven't read through all the posts yet, but you've probably got an injector issue (too rich, dumping excessive fuel).

Once had the main hydraulic return line on my B7800 pop off from running over some brush. A downfall of an HST: dead in the water. About 1/4 mile from the house. Shortest path out from where it was at the time was obstructed by some tree trunks. Came back with saws and cut out a path and...

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10163578-0001.pdf Kind of a let down after I had figured the Ecoboost was pretty much without fault. Audi (VAG) did settle a class action law suit (I'll forgo posting info here as others can, if they wish, actually find this kind of information via...

I've got a 12V, 1994. For sure, one of the best engines ever made. Dodge trucks, however, suck. Transmissions and suspension are things that Dodge, then RAM, just failed at (though the later automatics ARE good; suspension is still sub-par- a friend bought a 2018(?) 3500 and he had a recall...

^^^ I'd so much wished that my previous dog could have lived to such an age (she wasn't quite 8; she'd be 12 now had she not lost the battle with cancer). I figure our current dog will terrorize us for 50 years! :LOL: (I know I'll be OK with it!)

NOT flat pin: I was wiring up plugs and receptacles. And, as I stated in my original posting, I'm not a wiring genius (BUT, I'll at least not make a rats nest out of things :D). Just thought that I couldn't be the only one who has gotten things backward: wasn't born knowing these things.

My issue wasn't with changing plug types, but with replacing plugs. Looking at a schematic from the front and then wiring at that back- it's easy to get reversed/flipped. I suppose with a four-pin it's not an issue (flat). A note, however, is to not assume that something is wired correctly in...

More Dog on a Log... Was busy today culling blackberries (and rescuing more Maple saplings) and unsure where she was at and I look up and over to find her perched on this stump. It's always a challenge to get my phone out so I can snap a picture. She's always a bit annoyed to have her picture...

Are there survivor benefits if both you and your spouse were/are collecting SS and one of you dies?

Clearly, brand loyalty is not (no longer) a good strategy. I'd been watching Nissan a bit a few years back and saw how they (corporate) were really struggling. Unstable internals means poor focus. I was a bit curious to their truck offering with a Cummins engine; reviews seemed to reveal that...

At the risk of exposing myself (as incompetent in wiring)... I recently went to sell a dump trailer. The plug wiring had been chewed off by my dog a couple years prior and I'd wired a new one in its place. As I never used this trailer on the road (just on-farm, behind a tractor) I had never...

Haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary up my way, except that we had a California Mountain Quail show up mid summer and it's still hanging around (we have Guinea fowl, which might pass for big Quail). ONLY such quail that I've seen here in some 11 years. Have had wood ducks show up a few...

Andrews is branching out. They're now selling beef and pork. Fairly recent, might have been just after you relocated? If I were dealing with a lot of bales I'd want something like a telehandler (most awesome machine is Merlo's TurboFarmer; some even have rear PTO, so pretty much the best of...

Rescues! I've had two. First we got at 11 months old, it was a runt of a Mastiff+Lab (only 83 lbs). That dog was only trained to act as an LGD, and was as good an LGD as the best. Mastiff is a great dog because they're very gentle. Ours was more like a co-worker than a dog: no fuss; no need...

Got 100" last year. No concerns over the well going dry! ;) I refer to rain as "tree watering": it helps produce plenty of firewood. Cascades act like a clothes wringer, squeezes the precip out. Okanogan is like a desert compared to here. I was once aiming to relocate to the Colville area...

Moved this shed this past summer. 12'x16'. I struggled because it weighed a lot more than I'd calculated: came with the property; had a bunch of EPS foam board insulation and couldn't see the actual construction. It had plywood sheathing PLUS T1-11 over that. My Kioti struggled to lift as...

I've had over 12 1/2" of rain at my place so far this year (over 40" the past three months!) and will take "dry" in any form (cold fog isn't my preference, but it's a break). I need to get my log splitter out and get some wood up off the ground and into crates (by the time it's dry enough late...

You know, I've stated that condensation in fuel tanks is WAY overblown. I too have never encountered any water in my fuel tank. I have a separate water filter, and while it might not really be doing anything it's nonetheless there- don't run through so much fuel that I have to be regularly...

In my area most hay seems to go to horses. Unlike cattle folks, horse folks rarely have horses as a business concern (not a great income model, IMHO). Shrinking disposable income is leading the way... (picture is worth a thousand words: Share of Total Net Worth Held by the 50th to 90th Wealth...

Please note that I'm not pushing e-collars here; I am merely pointing out that they're a useful tool and are sometimes the only tool for the job: I did a ton of research; I'd consulted with the rescue group on e-collar use and the founder said that she'd had a professional use an e-collar to...

Leaves me wondering, then, why you mentioned them? I don't use any clubs ;) sixdogs, the e-collar that I have has an audible function- a "locator" function. I'd used it to locate my dog (enough brush and trees on my property that it's easy to get out of sight) and from the get-go when I'd use...

Haven't watched the video but... Unless one has been outside the confines of the comfy western world it's hard to grasp what life is like elsewhere. My wife is from the Philippines and I've seen stuff, there, that would gob-smack most: stuff that would cause a coronary in any OSHA official...

Except when one has to then disconnect/unhook and stow them!:LOL: (There's also the issue of securing excess when in transport.) I do what's necessary for the job (no skimping). More stuff you have to fasten the more chances of missing something: yes, always check, and check shortly after...

Sometimes I think so much outside the "box" that I completely forget that there IS a "box!" :LOL: Not recommended for the faint of heart, but in a pinch: Note the stacked crates in the background. Yup, managed to lift and stack- ONCE (and only once)! When shopping for a new tractor guess...

Already noted is that the NX is rated for just over 2,700 lbs. I can confirm that this is a realistic spec as I've lifted to max. A pallet of 2k lbs might sound like it's 2k lbs, but geometry and such makes it much more. I regularly pick up 2k lbs of feed on pallets and it's about as much as...

I'll say it: I wish I had an ECM! OK... I already have an ECM:D And the ones in my 22 year-old and 19 year-old VW TDIs rock! (still going strong- not a single issue; easy to punch up power on): I rely on these cars the most; they're used the most (I put my most valued thing in one of them- my...

While using ether isn't recommended, it is somewhat OK as long as glow plugs aren't being operated. Not firing with ether isn't good. In nearly any case the engine should pop. If it's not popping then either the valve timing is horribly messed up (like valves stuck open- no compression to...

Blasphemy (refer to my username)! My Polaris Brutus runs a LONG time on a tank of DIESEL. Speaking of batteries, my 2013 Brutus still has it's original battery! (and it sat on a dealer lot for 3 years before I got it) Hopefully the OP's EV's batteries are equally as robust! I was initially...

I seem to recall that I dropped a Franklin pump into my well: I picked it up off of Craigslist for something like $100 (or maybe $150?). That was 8+ years ago. 1/2 hp 10gpm. Shallow well, so pulling a pump ain't a big deal for me. Pump cycling is the biggest killer (well, there's lightening...

Regarding the statement that the new prices are "virutually identical," that was certainly NOT the case in 2016 when I bought my NX5510. I was able to get a cab for the price difference between it and a comparable Kubota (I didn't like the feel/layout of the open station on the Kubota- no idea...

Curious about the comment about "shock collars."

^^^ A tired dog is a great feeling (success by owner!). My dog ends up totally crashed, snoring up a storm and dreaming like crazy (she wags her tail in her sleep, smacking it on the floor!). Dftodd, we've trained our dog to chase chickens... off our deck (and no further). Was a bit hesitant...

Those Sthil 2-in-1 filers are excellent. Went through all sorts of gizmos and these are now the only thing I use. They're easy to use out in the field.

More from my "Dog on a log" series (never-ending!). She'd just snapped a 1" diameter piece of branch. Was yanking on it and thought she might fall off but her balance is excellent. Land ho! (she only looks intimidating- a dog of a thousand looks!)

Dftodd, that's impressive! My previous dog could have been trusted to be with an infant. Current dog not so much: she's like a bull in a China shop (sometimes she can be very gentle, but when she gets excited/worked up she can become a wrecking ball!).

^^^ Voltage drop testing! If the battery is good then it's cables or starter. (ruling out oil because temps aren't low enough to be an issue) Regarding starters, yank them and pull them apart and clean and lube and they'll likely work like new (of course, check brushes, but generally...

Build a mountain? :D (seems that mountain-building doesn't get enough action)

<My head hanging low...> my pond is actually nothing more than a pot hole <the shame>

My 2013 Polaris Brutus continues to work despite my best efforts :D Just fired it up the other day (needed to move it) after sitting for a long time (through a lot of cold and snow)- still the original battery! 1,250 payload. It's a pig of pigs, but going fast on my property just ain't going to...

If you look closely at my avatar you'll see something that did a MASSIVE amount of work- old car/truck hoods. Use the tractor bucket loader to push stuff on (lots of things can be rolled-on, and then off). Drag wherever. Here's a bunch of crap that I unearthed from my property (most was from...

^^^ "Hey! Hurry up, I wanna go run!"

I run only off-road diesel from a local Chevron distributor. There's enough farm and construction machines around that the distributor has a good turnover. Never a problem with fuel. 150 gallon bulk fuel storage tank. For my cars I almost entirely use only one station, I think they're...

OP, as couple of other folks have suggested, land first then tractor. In general it's best to see in your mind/know what needs to be done and then try to figure out how much work that is, as in functions. Loader work means understanding what type of loads: will the loader capabilities be...

Convert to inches and it's not even close to my 100" of rain! But, I don't have to break out snow plows (but am always looking around for oars!).

I wonder whether he ever tried getting that thing out with a... pallet! :ROFLMAO: NOTE: heating and cooling is still a good approach; if not a torch then perhaps a heat gun set on stun...

Energy independence using? Are you old enough to see all the growth that's happened around you to understand there's this thing called growth and that perpetual growth is NOT possible? So, it's about FOR HOW LONG that independence can happen. Long enough for the usual US oligarchs to rack in...

Why are you so hung up on China? To me this sounds like projection, in that if you had your way you would force your views on them. How about reporting on how to IMPROVE the US? If we have to trash China in order to do that then perhaps the US isn't as great as we've been programmed to...

Yes, China is actually socializing it's Communism. Folks stuck in the Vietnam-Commie era mindset will be forever incapable of understanding the difference. Socialism is something that MANY early farming communities would engage in to help sustain themselves collectively: look up Grange...

They're an "organization," NGO style. They are not the UN, NOT a legal body. Refer to the actual governing positions (essentially legal policies) by the US and Japan vis a vis Taiwan. Look at these folks. I mean, really? These are the folks that you're going to follow into a war against...

Trading worthless USDs for goods? The entire world knows that the USD is going to collapse. I'd speculate that a lot of the Green push has to do with limiting/controlling that impact: consider that the majority of the worlds trade value is in energy, fossil fuels, and that the USD is the...

UNPO is???? Japan messed things up: part of their terror campaign against China. China was backward and had little ability to flex in the international community up until recently. Think about whether China could make a claim that Puerto Rico isn't part of the US: want to talk about a really...

Let's be honest here, OK? US is spoon-feeding the entire world with worthless, backed by nothing but the "good faith" of the US govt (controlled by the bankers and corporations), USD. In return its "US population" gets actual products and resources (finite stuff that seems too precious to give...

You do know that Taiwan is PART of China, right? And the US doing this is? All this China bashing does NOTHING to improve our own lives here in the US: it's an excuse; works really well to bilk US taxpayers out of money for "defense".

But... you can make it better!

I've found on my NX5510 that running the RPMs around 1600 or so helps quite a bit: probably vary for various HST tractors, but play around and you'll find what numbers tend to work. I find that this is more reliable than bumping the travel pedals. I've also found that cranking on the steering...

So, it's still a money-maker if it only produces ONE barrel of oil at $80? It's about economies of scale. Yes, they don't have the scale necessary to drive the price, which is why production is very price-sensitive (real world pricing that is- hard to compete with much cheaper sources).

Economies of scale... Close to 20 years ago I "coined" the phrase "Economies Of Scale In Reverse." That which goes up must come down. That which gets big eventually gets small. Failing to understand that everything operates under the influence of the parabolic curve can only result in severe...

Solar also isn't sustainable. Yes, the sun will burn out. Please include time frames and growth factors when using the word sustainable otherwise it's a meaningless word. NOTE (more importantly): There are NOT an infinite amount of raw materials to go into making PV components- at SOME point...

You're not from around here, are you? :D Rural, where I'm at, and in hydro-electric country at that, I have 100amp service (that was put in in the early 1990s?). LED lights. Heat pumps. Well-built homes (energy efficient). Electrical requirements aren't what they once were: we scaled up and...

I agree. I'll also add what others just flat-out fail to comprehend: economies of scale. Reduced output means lowered economies of scale. IF we're pushing beyond fossil fuels then it is CERTAIN that fossil fuel production will be more expensive, and at a negative economies of scale rate (not...

Real world? It's like the folks I see messing up inputting fuel info into Fuelly.com, they mistype and and let it go, reporting MPGs that I KNOW are bogus: I always look to see what vehicles can actually beat my 2000 VW TDI Golf (108k miles logged with an average MPG of 51.5). Also, watch out...

With manual grease guns, to change cartridges and not get an effing air lock happening: - Lock back the t-handle/plunger; - Unscrew the cylinder; - drop out expired cartridge and insert a new one; screw the cylinder back in BUT NOT ALL THE WAY- leave several turns yet; send the t-handle/plunger...

I'm electrically ignorant, but my limited understanding has to do with thinking about electricity as flows, as in if you stop the input flow output flow stops. I suppose that "storage" CAN actually happen, but it's a matter of for how long and I'm not thinking that, without the inflows...

Immediately brought back fond memories of this (Philippines): Good time to point out that there's another world out there (we're here wearing blinders). Reality awaits!

"Enemies and terrorists could easily cripple an all electric society with a few well placed charges at key points on transmission lines." Or just incompetence (which has overwhelmingly been the case/reason)... BTW - Can we get out of the "terrorist" mindset lest we all become labeled...

I'm at $0.05/mile with my car. I have no car payment and the insurance rate is low. It's fully depreciated.

EXACTLY! The poor folks stuck in crappy energy-inefficient rental units with high electrical rates because wealthier folks sucking up more electricity for transportation (rather than basic needs). I suppose that it's just the same as it ever was... My point here is that we're really good at...

Newer? My diesels stop fueling when the accelerator isn't pressed (and not idling): amount of fuel consumed at idle is piddly.

I've recorded an 840 mile tank out of my TDI. I have a tank of diesel on-site that in case of emergency I'd use to fill up my cars. BUT... as has been noted, all is going to come to a screeching halt with a major disaster: those in more expensive vehicles, be they ICE or EV, are going to be...

Or be big enough that when encountering major financial issues you can get bailed out from govt! ;)

Not so fast. Economies of scale. Operating huge plants (well, even small ones!) at low output levels means cost per unit is going to be higher. As a plant operator/manufacturer if you KNOW that demand will more or less be permanently reduced (from whatever forces, be it a reduced interest in...

My VW TDIs (granted, NOT large 4cyl engines) are direct injection and they have GPs. GPs will run/operate for a bit of time after the engine has started in order to keep things smooth. I'd be surprised if more modern (my cars are circa 2000) diesel engines aren't likewise managed (it's also an...

I'd be happy if we could fix folks' out-of-alignment and or badly modified headlights! Bad drivers don't need to be under the influence of anything to be BAD DRIVERS. There's a TON of shitty BC (British Columbia) truckers running the roads around me (tailgating arseholes); I'm pretty sure it's...

Anywhere you go there are always parts of the year that aren't meant for postcards! We rang up over 20" of rain last month. Looks like we'll hit another 100" year. And I was looking to escape to somewhere where it rained about 21" per year: went from about 36" to 100" - went the wrong...

2021 version: (wife built the boxes- I arranged and filled :))

And by a long ways when considering the wealth of the average human (not just US/West). The planet's poor have subsidized a lot: time to remind of Musk's comment about "coup-ing anyone we want to" (never mind the affects on the poor). Prices on some EVs, however, are cheaper than high-end ICE...

It's all insane. The fossil fuel industry is subsidized to high-heaven also (factor in military activities in this equation as well). I'd always figured that cutting back on subsidies to the fossil fuel sector would have been the better way to go. There is critical mass to consider, that the...

One can always find sub-par products. I generally shy away from NAPA stuff (and ALWAYS Fram!). Donaldson (and similar high-end manufacturers) are as good as you can get.

And a partridge in a... Have a picture of our visiting mountain quail on our deck railing but it was taken through the window blinds and it takes too much squinting to figure it out. Would have been perfect to be on top here, but had to make do with a chicken as stand-in. For the life of me...

What the heck are you doing operating a camera when those machines are sitting there idle!:D I'm just jealous of anyone whose property doesn't double as a lake (20" of rain last month- pushing over 95" for the year). I have to wait to use big toys :(

Hey! That looks like a link/page I recently posted (somewhere)! But anyway, people need to understand all of this. I'm not discouraging or encouraging anything other than people become aware of all issues that we need to face up to. And this is my biggest problem I have with so much of these...

Not surprised that you're unsure as you seem to have missed (didn't actually read? or was it comprehend?) what my replies were actually responding to. BTW - Did I really, erroneously :eek:, claim that my clutch was good/rated for "1400 ft of torque"? :unsure:

Lots of things might sound straight-forward, but incomplete thinking only makes it so. I've primarily used non-plastic, reusable, bags for groceries; but, I sometimes get plastic bags and those bags end up being used for other things (multiple use), things like waste can liners- if I don't have...

Plastic management is going to have to be the "solution." There has to be actual incentives. Banning plastic will essentially make most everything around that you see now (that's not, of course, nature itself) disappear. As I noted in a post not far up, I was shocked to realize that the Chevy...

Would really appreciate seeing that diagram (maybe a link?). It's the "junk mail" phenomena. US postal mail relies on junk mail pay the way of meaningful mail. Trucking is subsidized by the massive numbers of POVs. Without all those POVs there wouldn't be the economies of scale on fuel (for...

Touched a Chevy Bolt for the first time ever the other day. While it may not burn oil it sure has a lot of it embedded in it- lots of plastic body parts! And this is a big thing that very few people seem to understand. Big drop in oil production will mean that components and roads will be...

Yes. Currently have the feeling that I need to see one. Generally when it gets bad for me I can usually relieve it (stretching- majority of the time I can manipulate my own back; specific exercises if that doesn't work). Right now my back is being really stubborn. Good news, however, is that...

:unsure: I've had several MKIV VWs (fly-by-wire) and I've never had any such issue. I also have VCDS (tool that does 99.9% of what any factory tool can do), in which case if I had to I wouldn't be in a panic. But, you gave the best advice yet: "Read the manual for the tractor. It likely has...

Do you still have a soul? (one can take this anyway one wants- I'm not leveraging in the context of religion, but one can take it as such and, well, I'm good with that) I've seen too many people die. I've seen horrible living conditions. I seem to still be intact, though time is starting to...

Yes. I don't think it's meaningful to attack others on any of this. It's The System. I'd like to think that history won't repeat itself vis a vis bloodshed. I don't advocate for any system, just that people are allowed actual free and open discussion on everything- and do so honestly (to the...

It's not that it's hard to find concrete, it's just that you couldn't HAVE it! :LOL: I'd previously mentioned that I'll probably drop the notion of building a new house. THAT will relieve me of the distress over not being able to HAVE concrete :D Reminds me I need to check how a new build is...

I said that I could show you, not that you could get your hands on them (you'd likely be killed doing so). I don't look to "win." Further, life isn't a game. I'd like to think that the many years on this rock have allowed me to attain some sense of wisdom...

I'll show you where the cards are stacked...

Isn't this like helping someone else spend their own money (easy to play it from the couch)? :D

As someone who deals with sciatica, it depends on what is causing it, where it originates from. One place is the back (that's where mine originates from). I can't recall what the other area of origination is other than it's less preferred. PT works! And, as life sometimes throws curves, PT...

And? If you want to do into the details, which I'm doubtful you are, I'd be happy to explain.

At the mercy of the "economy," the "entity" that was codified in our genetics. I get what you're pointing at, that life is all about adjusting to change and all. I just with to point out that societies, and I'll surely put the rapid capitalists into cardiac arrest here, are collectives and...

And we spend $70k/year for incarcerating folks, folks who, if we'd spent some money on them for education and a modest stipend might actually be cheaper. The real welfare is going to the prison-industrial complex (but in the name of "capitalism" it's promoted because it's not going to the poor...

Have you heard about alcohol? :ROFLMAO:

I think that the Eskimos should be informed/warned of all this!

Ah, but as the standard prospectus goes: "past success does not guaranteed future performance." I can't say I have any beef with Amazon (there's plenty of stuff that needs an axe-grinding- I just see Amazon as a symptom), but I don't see them having a 60-year run (USD is on the verge of...

You mean I have to "try," I haven't actually been living here? :unsure::D Hot money flows. I'm buying 🍿...

Yeah. That's cities. Amazon distribution centers tend to be outside city cores: I have no opinion on this.

They don't have the lobby power. It's all tied to a social construct. I'd argue that we need to look more at where society is heading than at business models.

Your ego is going to cause you to chase your tail (don't let it!): I say this not in a demeaning way- believe me, I've been around the block on such things many times- figure it, as others are also promoting, wisdom. How much time are you going to spend trying to track down a match? Time is...

Well, yes, I READ your original posting (and didn't feel the need to comment on the gear-cost issue- I didn't find that to be non-factual). Your comment on clutches is what I was responding to. ;) [NOTE: I don't need to read databases to know the reality out in the world- I've got plenty of...

One thing to note is that concrete manufacturing requires a lot of electricity and materials. It's not a given that there's enough available to scale up. Just like with the port congestion, I believe that scaling up is a bad idea because this is all but a spike, perhaps the last one. I've...

Everyone is right. But, it's a matter of timing! Those stating BOOM are right because it's happening now. But, nothing lasts forever, in which case the other side of the coin will come up. There's always a flurry, until there is not. Over-saturation WILL happen.

A lot of residential is just money-funneling via corporate entities. Money that's being crammed into the system via the Fed. If you think this is good just wait to see what's around the corner! One day we'll be able to use these commercial "developments" for housing, so I guess it all comes...

Really? Try Kubota! A replacement cylinder on my Kubota B7800 was $700. The NX's was right around that price and it's a substantially bigger cylinder. You messed up (sorry, but own it). Shell out and tell yourself that that's your penance for messing up. There's value in taking an extra...

My diesel truck has a 1,200 lbs-ft clutch in it. They DO make clutches that can handle the torque. That argument doesn't fly. BUT, as you note, the cost is the point: my clutch was something like $1,500. Automatic transmission are FAR better today than they were.

Small world! I had a good friend who had a house just up the road from the school: he rented out the house; he'd offered the school some of his property to build their track on- I believe that's what the story was. I have another friend (my equipment rental guy) who just bought property up...

Don't need to pull them. Further, it's probably best to not pull them: ONE: doing so runs the risk of breaking* (yeah, if they're risky then they're not going to get any less risky- always heat the engine up a bit before pulling); TWO: your circuit is now different- you're testing the GPs but...

Ferndale, up the "road" from me :D Clay sticking to the bed, ugh. I was finishing with one load and needed to drop the trailer when done- it was getting late. Dump's battery ran down. Shoveled it out, all the while wondering why I had a "dump!" :unsure: Anyway, gravel is sounding a lot better!

Worst was mucking out a pond. I thought I'd try and reclaim (use elsewhere) what I was going to dig out. It worked for a couple of trips (on-property) a ways away and then I gave up. The weight was insane: I had water sloshing around. Poor tractor was grunting. I still loaded up the...

I don't have a lot of experience digging straight lines. Mostly dug ditches that ramble. But, nice job there for sure. Takes a really steady hand to pull back and lift up in order to keep a level cut. That job provided ample work to learn how to do that! Was a bit of time before learned how...

Man oh man do I understand this! I rented a Bobcat excavator and it was almost impossible to get that thing to be smooth. I like to work fast and I just couldn't get it to be in sync with me! I got used to Takeuchis, and they're awesomely smooth: better hydraulic engineering. BUT, at the end...

^^^ Nothing beats kids and puppies! (frigging COVID kept us from having the wife's granddaughter around with Kisha when both were growing up- the granddauther and parents are up in Canada)

That's why experienced operators don't have to carry insurance! :oops: STUFF happens. Yes, it can more readily happen with a rookie; but, lots of rookies survive and become "experienced." Long ago I mentioned to my dad that I was going to rent an excavator (never operated one before) and he...

Yeah, I don't think I'd ever think/want to just toe-nail (minimum of brackets- just makes sense). But... I also figure I'll be utilizing energy trusses and longer sheathing sheets (one manufacturer calls them "Tall Wall" panels). I'd think it would/should be the only way to go for high wind...

Ha ha! She CAN be a really big chicken! :LOL: Here's her head. Interestingly, her body is now different! o_O

Can we STOP blaming China? Without reading what the screws are rated for it's totally a non-sequitur. As mentioned above, there are structural screws, and structural means they're manufactured with specific metals/alloys to meet structural requirements. Screwing down deck boards isn't really...

My B7800 was the first tractor I bought. 40 acres. [NOTE: sometimes when one makes a big property purchase there's not enough money to but bigger tractors] I've put it through heck and back, over 1,100 of the toughest hours that any tractor has likely seen (again, refer to the fact that I...

HOW did you "check"? Not trying to be flip here, but some kinds of "checking" can fail to actually detect a problem. I've told this story before but I'll pull it out once again... I was in the middle of a big project and a neighbor wanted to borrow my B7800. That tractor wasn't starting and...

My shop isn't heated. I do plenty when it's not warm out. Before I got our shop I'd worked on everything outdoors and on uneven rocky surfaces: I did the first timing belt on my car in winter, with a canopy over the front part of the car- did that when I was in my mid 50s. I'm a tyrant, in...

Our dog will chase off anything. But, she's a browser, so she needs to be kept out of the berry garden! (she's not deprived! when in season we will be out on the property and she'll get to browse on plums, cherries, blackberries and huckleberries) TWO fences. A bit of a maintenance headache...

Look real close at every connector in those harnesses (if you knew which wire then one could concentrate on just that one, but...). Further, examine each wire within an inch or so of the connector. I had my cabin fan stop working on my NX a couple of summers ago (right in the middle of a hot...

They just don't make them like that anymore!

I'd thought that I'd posted pictures but apparently I had not. So... Here is what I came up with for a movable front camera mount, one that can protect the camera and take a beating (needs to provide some give). It's a section of a PTO shaft cover with a spray can lid fitted in the front with...

If humor has to start conforming to facts then we're pretty much going to lose the humor, no? BTW - Many thanks to all here who are helping to tickle funny bones. Tends to suggest that there may be hope for us after all!

MaryAnn all the way!

Not that this is a breakout moment, but am now just to the point of trusting Kisha around the critters. Fairly confident that there won't be any attacks (aerial or ground) when she's outside: still working with her on picking up aerial predators UP in the air- Xena was great at scanning the...

I can't/won't use poison: too many critters; and having rodents crawl in somewhere and die can be problematic. Bucket traps and the plastic Victor traps that have the "serving bowl" in them (pack in peanut butter and it can last several catches) both work great; but they're a...

Manufacturers HAVE to provide oil specs so that you can buy other oil than just their branded oils. This is LAW [in the US]. Just cross-reference. Engine oil filters are the same, or they are pretty much avaliable from others. Hydraulic filters can be more problematic to source. A good site...

Someone beat me to the concept already, but ... [from Amazon.com website] Clicks on 'Order' and puts in Notes:' Deliver in the room' (a moment of silence for Amazon delivery folks who died in the recent tornadoes)

As Gale notes, economies of scale is important/critical. Keep in mind that reducing the extraction of fossil fuels (here is for crude oil) means "economies of scale IN REVERSE." We might be tossing out the baby with the bathwater... Everything produced from a barrel of oil will become more...

Do you know that the light actually works? Yeah, perhaps a stupid question, but assumptions sometimes can cause problems...