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You're right - we're still building this way. And we were building this way long before 1980 when these plans came out. There are some materials changes, some uprated code requirements and some better components, but we are still building houses the same way as in the 1950s. Friend of mine is...

Took a quick peek at one of them - small guest house - plans date from 1948 - I do think, or at least I sure hope that building techniques and materials have improved in 75+ years. Some of the plans are dated 1930 - makes them 95 years old. That isn't to say they are "bad", but I think they are...

Something that has always mystified me - and I'll be 79 in a few days - is this: People ALL OVER the world have good ideas . . . why don't we adopt some of them? Costs nothing to do so and it would improve our lives. No nation has a monopoly on smarts, is there a problem with copying successes...

I guess I'm just sloppy with my drink . . .

Trust a computer to make a simple thing horrendous . . . Went to a Space-related conference at a fancy hotel in Orlando. You had to register your car for free parking, they had a kiosk in the parking lot. Here's a dozen or so REAL rocket scientists from NASA, SpaceX, etc. standing around the...

I'd use Iatanium instead of felt. (I've used it on our home.) Non-flammable, waterproof, self adhesive, nothing eats it, doesn't support mold, won't rot - and not very expensive. There are similar products if you can't find this brand name. Best, Mike/Florida

Been playing with Chatgpt.com a lot lately. Fascinating . . . I've used it to cost out all kinds of structures, solar panel systems, price land clearing, ditching, fencing and a lot more (much of it non-construction or tractor related). Got a quote of $140,000 for 7,000 feet of wire fencing -...

Update on rebar . . . interesting! A number of companies are now selling basalt fiber rebar. A 3/8" diameter basalt fiber rebar is as strong as a 1/2" steel rebar. Basalt doesn't corrode and has the same coefficient of expansion as concrete. A 500 foot roll of 3/8" basalt rebar weighs about 44...

Lets take the politics and partisanship out of electric vehicles a moment . . . I'm adding a 5 or 6 kw solar array to the south side of my hangar later this year. It will make FPL unhappy (my heart just bleeds for them, up to now it has been my wallet that has been doing the bleeding for them)...

Just looked up the price of a basic work truck - Silverado 1500, small V8, single cab, 8 foot bed. Comes with A/C, power windows, "entertainment center" (I guess cars don't have radios any more). $47K base - out the door a hair over $50K. Essentially the same truck with a bunch of options is...

Most useful utility vehicle I ever owned was a 1970 Dodge B100 van, six cylinder, automatic. It would take a sheet of 4 by 8 plywood laying flat. Basically, if I could get it into the van and close the doors (or even almost close the doors), I could drive away. Bare bones, didn't even have A/C...

Sad state of affairs when someone who can render aid is afraid to do it because of some obscure laws. "Our pilot just died, can anyone here fly an airplane?" "I can, but I won't because I'm not multi-engine rated." Boom. (Actually, the FAA is slightly smarter than that. You can break ANY FAA...

Out of curiosity, asked ChatGPT for a summary of the Florida Good Samaritan laws. (ChatGPT has become reasonably good, but it is not a lawyer - so take this with a grain of salt - or several.) ------- start --------- Florida Good Samaritan Act (F.S. § 768.13) ✅ Who’s Protected: Medical...

Sandman, thank you, I feel better now. For some years, I was the unofficial BMW motorcycle dealer in Miami. People brought me their bikes and I either fixed them or bought them and then fixed them. At one point I had 27 BMW motorcycles (1952 through 1969), which I thought was a bit excessive...

Two recent and unexpected uses for the tractor . . . #1) Bought a fire cabinet (fire resistant, for gas cans, diesel fuel, etc.). Took three people to wrestle it into the SUV, drove home and noticed a complete (and somewhat suspicious) absence of people who would help me unload it - it is...

Last time I ate goat (or I think it was goat) was an in-flight meal on Air Egypt between Cairo and Lagos Nigeria. What can you see out of the window at 30,000 feet over the Sahara desert? Nothing - it is like being in a bowl of milk. It was pretty tasty (or I was pretty hungry) but I had...

Went to a Jiffy Lube many, many years ago, I had a two door K-car which was in very good condition. They had a central pit, you drove the car over it, someone in the pit drained the oil, put the drain plug back in, and someone up top filled the crankcase. I looked into the pit - there was a...

2008 MB M272 (3.5 liter gasoline v-6), 9 quarts, had a 1990 Audi V8Q, 3.6 liters, which took ten. I guess they figured if you were going to be doing 120 mph on the autobahn all day long you needed lots of oil. Neither one used oil but the Audi leaked like a sieve.

Unqualified mechanics . . . At least when I screw something up it doesn't come as a surprise later. Had the local FBO (airport mechanic) remove the top and bottom cowlings on my airplane. Quarter turn fasteners, they used an air drill to "unscrew" them, ruined all the rubber cowl mounts. Brand...

Scaremongering . . . (OMG we're all gonna die, send money so we can continue our vital work!) I looked at the report. Nicely done, looks great, but smoking a cigarette is classified under nicotine abuse. Five beers "in one session" - size of the beers and length of the session undefined - is...

Saw a wonderful pictorial guide to Florida Interstates. I-4 - drivers are dead zombies I-75 - movie preview for Road Warrior (the original) I-10 - stoned teenager with a mullet I-95 - race start at NASCAR 500 I used to say I prefer flying because all the idiots are down on the ground...

Agree - clean it up real good first and get a voltmeter, follow the wires. Think of it as plumbing - somewhere the water is leaking out - the insulation is damaged - and that blows the fuse. Hardest part is tracing the wires. The schematic is drawn so it makes sense as to the electrical layout...

Once a fuel tank is gummed up from ethanol, how can you clean it out? Local radiator shop said they can steam clean it, but it will ruin the paint. On two classic BMW motorcycles (1952 and 1968) that is not an option. Also have a JD Gator (rescued from someone's back yard) which I think has a...

GRS, I mostly agree with you. I also modify all kinds of things, and usually (hopefully) improve them for my uses. I'm absolutely not saying don't touch anything, that the factory knows best - often they demonstrably don't, and the vehicle does belong to us so if we want to change something, we...

I agree, the ever-so-slightly enlarged hole would probably not be noticed. If however the failure of the ROPS was involved, you can absolutely bet it is going to be examined with an electron microscope. Non-safety-related modifications are one thing, even though manufacturers sometimes try to...

Strongly suggest finding and installing the correct factory part and keep the receipt. The ROPS is a (now required) safety item. As we all know, there are stickers on it which warn us not to drill holes in it, weld on it, etc., because the function of the item might be compromised. Even though...

For my next riding mower, I am going to buy used off C/L. In this area (east central FL) a lot of people buy riding mowers and move out of town or into condos or simply hire a lawn service and suddenly the mower is in their way and they want it GONE - and there are some very good deals available...

Jackstands . . . I think I was about 18 at the time (there were still dinosaurs around) and a friend of mine was installing a Hurst shifter into his 1956 Ford. Had the rear wheels off, no idea why, car was jacked up with one lonely bumper jack on asphalt pavement, on a hot summer day. I'm...

Old Arabic saying - when buying a camel, look at the seller as well as at the camel. Have your BS detector turned up all the way, whether you are the buyer or the seller. Unreasonable demands terminate all negotiations. So do untruths. Lotsa varmints out there . . . Here's a good one - I'm...

Thank you for that! We need more caps, and when we were looking for the first couple of batches, we were not aware of Americap. I'll be contacting them for samples and prices! I really do prefer to buy American when possible. Given the choice of two more-or-less comparable items, I'll buy a US...

Well, I'm hoping the tariffs will increase the value of older tractors because the newer ones just significantly went up in price. (I have an L285 I want to sell.) The problem I have with tariffs is a price increase is justifiable if you get a better product for more money, but if you get the...

I think everybody's needs are a bit different. Some of us have sandy soil, some have rocky soil, some have brush and saplings, some don't. Some of us dig, some of us grade. For *MY* needs - sandy soil, brush and saplings, grading - the tooth bar does fine. YMMV. Best Regards, Mike/Florida

I have the Piranha tooth bar on my B2601 Kubota. So far, I have had no reason to unbolt it. It digs, can smooth (going backwards), and utterly destroys brush and small saplings. Doesn't affect the operation of the bucket (scoop/carry/dump) at all. I will second the advice about making sure the...

Wow, I'm not sure what to reply or even where to start . . . I'd point out that the quality of education (and of educators) varies from place to place, sometimes by a lot. Ms. Pinto is an example of a bad one. There are some good ones, too. As to do I know when my local government meets, the...

I don't think it is or even was political. I've been peripherally involved with education one way or another for basically my entire life (I'm a youngster of 78), and it didn't seem to matter who was "in power", the educational system was always pretty screwed up (technical term). This brings...

I have to smile about jScotty's Sputnik reference. I was in 7th grade when Sputnik went up. The head of the local board of education went stomping around the junior HS and blamed US - personally - a bunch of 7th grade kids - it was all OUR fault! - because Russia and them dirty commies had...

I read that someplace was reviving a historical railroad and the only complete, running steam engine they could buy came from China, brand new, nobody else makes them any more.

Similar situation here a few years ago. Twice, no less. Neighbor (we're on very good terms) was burning some brush on a nice, calm day, the wind picked up and the fire got "interesting". He tried to put it out with his tractor (obligatory TBN content), and ran over a railroad spike left there...

Florida has 811, call before you dig. (Possibly other states as well.) It is a help but they hire subcontractors who may or may not do a good job. The sub takes photos of the paint marks and flagging to document what they found. If you dig and hit something they didn't find, I would think it...

Take a course at your local community college . . . often they are cheap or even free! Soldering is easy for me, I can solder a tissue to a steel beam, but welding was another story. I used to be the world's worst welder (and had a certificate to prove it), but took a couple of courses, total...

We already have a retirement program here (Social Security). It isn't perfect, there are some structural and upcoming financial issues, but I don't know a lot of people who refuse their SSI checks on the grounds that they are "socialist". Events in NY indicate that people might now be more...

Sometimes (sometimes?) governments fail to take the long view, or they deny there is a problem, simply ignore it, or kick it down the road. Here in Florida we have a program called a CRA (Community Redevelopment Act). Establishing one is essentially a paper-pushing exercise but it has...

In effect, we do have term limits. If a politician displeases enough of their constituency, they get voted out next election. The biggest problem is that the only requirement to be a politician is to get elected. They don't have to know anything, they don't need any educational qualifications...

I've had the "camping in my office" experience. It wasn't the IRS, but the Florida BPR (Bureau of Professional Regulation). I was working with a very experienced mortgage broker (he'd been in business since 1950, passed away some years ago), and we got an application for $8,000 for a roof...

Discussion is healthy. I always try to remind myself that other people may have very different views on a subject than I do, and I try to understand how they got there. Sometimes I wind up changing my mind. I think the biggest problem in politics (and not just in US politics, local, state or...

Going to be very, very difficult indeed to stem the flow of US-origin firearms to Mexico (and to a slightly lesser extent, to Haiti). US citizens have the constitutional right to buy firearms and ammunition subject to minimal restrictions - need a background check, wait a few days, show proof...

Ohh, flattery! (Thank you!) Actually, I have ZERO desire to be active in politics. I do, however occasionally do some consulting for local governments. (Sometimes I even get paid for it, not a lot and no trips to Hawaii, but whatever.) What I see is that politicians have a tendency to go...

No, I don't need to buy a new tractor every year. I do maintain my equipment regularly, there's someone here on TBN whose sig line is "take the time to maintain your equipment or it will make the time for you". He's right. The problem arises when I need to buy another attachment, many of which...

350c, welcome to the discussion! "Revenge" and "Retribution" have been bandied about freely, the media is quoting the sources. Exactly who is going to be the recipient isn't clear, it could be the "deep state" (whatever that means, but the phrase plays very well to conspiracy theorists), it...

Well they would IF they were smart . . . ;-)

Tariffs are a tool, and like any other tool, can be used correctly or misused. Other countries do have tariffs on US made goods, and that is their decision. Tariffs are most properly used as a scalpel, not as a sledgehammer. Canada and Mexico are our largest trading partners as well as our...

There are some local, state and federal incentives for businesses. (I'm the Econ Dev director for my area, so I get to follow this stuff.) Local incentives aren't impressive, smaller cities simply don't have the money to give grants and rebates. In some cases, they can reduce or eliminate the...

Caleb, I'd expect him to shut those discussions down because they have nothing to do with tractors, whereas the possible upcoming tariffs do. He's got a tough job on this particular thread (sorry) because it would be VERY easy for this to degenerate into political flamethrowing and then he...

Lou, I don't disagree with you. Uncle defines Social Security as an "entitlement", it isn't my definition. And with 20/20 hindsight, which we are all blessed with, yes, there could have been better places to invest that money. We can't fix the past, hopefully we will learn from the mistakes...

Generally speaking, inflation is caused by too many dollars chasing too few things. Example is homes. We're short something like four million single family homes right now, so homes get sold to the highest bidder. If we had a surplus of homes (rust belt Detroit, for instance) homes can be bought...

"depends on who is printing the news that day" Oh boy, is that ever true!!!! There's a website (adfontesmedia.com) which evaluates news sources for right/neutral/left viewpoints and reliability, as in accurate, editorializes, downright wacko. They make a graph showing this, and it is pretty...

Muhammad is correct - his playground, his rules.

Excellent point. I think current tariffs apply to various components and not others. Batteries come to mind - some electric cars are eligible for rebates and some are not, depending on where the battery is made. There can also be ways around tariffs by identifying things differently. Years ago...

Muhammad, this is intended to be a strictly economic discussion. I have not and will not mention any names or political parties (other than Misters Hawley and Smoot who are long dead and I don't know or even care what their political affiliation was). What I'm trying to do is let the crew here...

They have to be passed on. Big retailers like Walmart work on very thin margins, they simply cannot absorb a significant increase like this. We might also see shrinking packages at the same price (shrinkflation). This would let Walmart (and others) say they didn't increase prices (much) and...

I didn't want to mention any names because I don't want to start a flame war. This was intended as a non-partisan comment on tariffs in general (which we may or may not get, I am not sure they can be imposed by executive order). If you really want to be bored out of your mind, look up the...

It appears we are soon going to have tariffs of 20% and more on anything imported from anywhere. What does this mean for us here at TBN? Unless tractors, accessories, attachments and parts get an exemption ("necessary services" or something), prices of imported tractors are going to go up by...

Kubota insurance was about $230+/- a year (covers the tractor). Progressive insurance was quoted to me at $75/year, covers anything I accidentally destroy or damage with the tractor. $10,000 a year is an absolute, total ripoff.

Got it. I bought a "Tactical Flashlight" at the flea market a couple of months ago "Dunno what's wrong with it, woudja gimme 50 cents?" Turned out it only needed to be recharged through a special connector which I just happened to have. Is it bright? Oh yeah, it is blister-the-paint bright...

Going fishing later this evening - wish me luck. I have it on good authority, and also with plenty of evidence that AI does NOT stand for "artificial intelligence" but rather "absolute idiocy". I'm getting ready to leave a bank I've done business with for 20+ years because they now have a AI...

OK, so far the recommendation is a skinny child proctologist with very long arms and small hands whose parents/guardians/parole officer won't care if said child comes home stinking of diesel fuel. And the kid has to be proficient at cleaning out culverts (got three of those that need attention)...

No, I didn't play submarine with my Kubota unlike my neighbor (whose tractor refuses to die despite it). Since I am not able to hold a full five gallon container of diesel at arm's length in order to fuel my (no longer overheating) B2601, I've been using a hand operated pump with a short 12"...

Finally, finally got to this after the weather started cooling off and the two hurricanes went away and and and . . . Removed the radiator - yup, all gunked up, clogged and nasty, couldn't see through about half of it! Gave it a bath in engine cleaner (spray can) followed up by two cans worth...

Dogs have owners, cats have staff. You have been assimilated. (Good on you!) "Inside" cats live a lot longer than "outside" cats. Fewer predators, fewer accidents, fewer parasites, better diet, and someone is watching so if they need a trip to the vet, it happens before it is too late. Now...

Having a similar problem with my B2601, 275 hours on it. Runs hot under load - too hot. Checked all the usual suspects, dealer's service manager asked if I had hosed off the radiator - yes, I did. He said the problem *might* be that the hosed off crud didn't get all hosed off (lousy access)...

When I got my tractor (2018) I realized that I really didn't know anything about tractor safety. I also realized that if I desired to maintain my health and well-being, I ought to learn about it. Turns out there are NO tractor safety courses offered within a thousand miles of here! Nearest ones...

Greggyy, I don't like to be told what to do either, but the problem is that seat belt laws (and helmet laws, etc.) are passed for the lowest common denominator, not to aggravate people who are careful and responsible. The "average" driver in Florida is a danger to themselves and to everyone...

I'm a live coward - the buzz word is "live". ROPS is always up and seatbelt fastened, wear a helmet every time I ride a motorcycle, always fasten my seatbelt in a car. Yeah this stuff can be a PITA sometimes, but when there's an "Oh sh*t!" moment, you don't have time to put up the ROPS/put on...

Bad dealer . . . Lived in Miami in the late 60s. Rode around on a BMW that was old then. Wanted a sidecar. Visited a dealer on SW 8th st, they had a two page ad in the phone book (remember phone books?), claiming they were the authorized dealer for every motorcycle in the known universe. It...

Here's the fallacy of "doesn't need service". Everything mechanical needs service. As one of our long time contributors says "Make the time to maintain your equipment or it will make the time for you." The problem arises now that we have vehicles that take very minimal periodic service, no...

Yeah, probably. I'll print it out and next time I'm past there, I'll buy something. Yawn. Last time I got a gift card was in a class action suit against somebody or other. My "share" of the recovery was a fat $43 or so, received as a gift card at Target. Couldn't get cash, only option was the...

Lowes decided to send me a $25 gift card (evidently to buy me off . . . ). Beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but not by much. They could have told me to get lost. (I'm still not shopping there any more.) Best Regards, Mike/Florida

I'm OK, the offer of Divine Intervention is appreciated, but I can likely handle this on my own ;-) but thanks anyway. Best Regards, Mike/Florida

Not offended in the least ;-) The $80 quote was for EACH of the three mirrors, from a local source. Lowes doesn't seem to be interested in supplying them at all, at any price. So here's my plan B - I'm going to WalMart and buy a couple of $7 full length mirrors, take the frames off, and use a...

Thought about that, but that's too involved. I also got quotes to have the three 10 by 29.5 inch mirrors made locally - $80 each! I've sent Lowes "customer care" an e-mail about the 16 large, upscale homes I'll be building on an airstrip here and mentioned that their response to my problem with...

"No replacement parts available, you need to buy a new one." Bought a medicine cabinet at Lowes about ten years ago, the mirrors on the doors are black around the edges about 3/4" and peeling. Called Lowes, after multiple disconnects and transfers their final answer was go buy a new one, we...

Surveyors . . . Working on a small development of 15 building lots. (Just selling land, not building houses.) Used a local surveyor for probably four or five years, spent well over $10K with them (boundary survey, wetlands survey, topo survey, etc.) Got along well, too. Company sold to a big...

Jury still out . . . rain every afternoon this week, I'll try to get back to this Saturday or Sunday early afternoon. Sounds like I need to revisit cleaning the radiator and consider new coolant. Air filter is new, cannister cleaned, but I'll look at that again. I'll also try running it at 2300...

Bought a Husqvarna 21CK46 (or something like that) brand new from Lowes in 2012 for $2,200. It has a bit less than 300 hours on it, so it has not been used hard or put away wet. It is kept inside a building, and serviced according to the manual. I am not hard on machinery, and I am good with...

Will do that tomorrow. Afternoon clouds leading to thunderstorms, temperature dropped from 90 down by about 10 degrees. Tractor behaved a bit better, but I put it away because a tractor in an open field is not a real good place to be in a thunderstorm . . . Stay tuned. Best, Mike

2018 B2601, 265 hours. Runs progressively warmer, at about 45 minutes, the progressively rising temp gauge makes me distinctly nervous, so I take a break for ten minutes and let it cool off, then repeat. Seems to heat up when loaded (tall grass), then cool down a little, but not all the way...

Unsecured load . . . 30+ years ago I was riding a motorcycle on I-4 (when it was two lanes and MUCH less traffic than today) from Orlando to Daytona, and a refrigerator in the back of a pickup truck in front of me started swaying ominously. Instant slow down and fall back to put some room...

Every so often I do need to get a fax. I have a dedicated virtual phone number, and my VOIP provider has a (free) service which accepts faxes to that number, then converts them to e-mail and sends them to me. Doctors think they are sending to a fax (well, that IS my fax number, so they're HIPAA...

Interesting discussion . . . and I would never presume to tell anyone what kind of car or truck to buy. Not my decision. I wouldn't want a Hyundai/Kia either, but there is a distinct chance I might find myself parked next to one at the mall, and I'd be really annoyed if it went up in smoke and...

Fire risk: Millions of recalled Hyundai and Kia vehicles with a dangerous defect remain on the road Summary: 3,400,000 Hyundai and Kia cars from 2010 through 2017 have a recall because they might catch fire. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other cars. Recall *might* be...

True and true, with caveats. States do depend on gas taxes for road maintenance, but taxing by weight vs. (guesstimated) road damage isn't equitable. Tractor-trailers weigh a lot more than cars (gas or electric) and do exponentially more damage to roads than cars, but are not taxed accordingly...

I would never be so uncouth as to call anyone an ignoramus, either online or to their face (with the possible exception of some of our politicians. They should wear NASCAR style jackets so we can see who is sponsoring (owns) them, but that's a separate issue.) I try to buy American if the US...

I have to go find the link, but NTSB statistics show that gas cars catch fire at about five times the rate of electric cars. I have personally watched a gas car burn right to the ground after a gas tank puncture. Everyone got out (fortunately) but inside of three minutes the car (full sized GM...

In my admittedly limited experience, I have found that pre-delivery inspections are pretty much limited to "Yep, I see a tractor." I won't complain TOO much, but I found a few items missing on the Kubota 2601 I bought five years ago. I got ZERO instructions on how to operate the tractor and...

I'd say (and this is only my opinion, YMMV) that these tractors should be parted out. That way, each part can be inspected for water damage and either cleaned, reconditioned or scrapped. Water does awful things to complex machinery. Next door neighbor bought a Chrysler (something) which turned...

Pretty place! Yes, I'd mow on that. I'd be a tiny bit cautious if the grass was wet, and in any case, I'd keep the FEL down low to keep the CG low. That slope wouldn't bother me. Ten degrees lean (guesstimated), yes. 15 degrees, hmm, maybe, maybe not. More than that, nope. That's just me, some...

Allenport, About five years ago I bought a tractor after I discovered I really, really needed one. Dealer was helpful in selection, delivered the tractor, unloaded it, and then I was pretty much on my own. I discovered that there are NO books (that I have ever found) on "tractor operation and...

Prefer he not sell the tractor and the implements. I might have to mow the airstrip, I'd *really* rather he do it. Eventually, it will break and then he will either have to fix it or buy a new one. Not having a tractor at all isn't an option for him. Besides, it is HIS tractor and if he chooses...

Oddly enough, no updates from the southern front. Submarine Kubota is still chugging along, not well, but still chugging, new Kubota owner hasn't been around for a week or so. We've had rain, rain, rain, it is summer in Florida and not much is getting done. The new Kubota owner doesn't live on...

Milestone . . . he's admitting that he is going to have to open it up. I saw the new PTO shaft. Big slip clutch, double universal joint, I'm not even sure if I could pick it up. Serious industrial grade stuff. He's going to hook up the gang mower and see if the tractor has enough power to mow...

New neighbor's new tractor arrived yesterday. I was returning from an interminable meeting involving "federal funds for tech hubs" which we (our econ dev group) are going to ask for but the chances of actually landing it are very, very small, and on the easement to the properties I found a brand...

As a matter of fact, I have offered exactly that. I told him that when I got my Kubota, the dealer simply dropped it off, handed me the keys and said thank you. No instructions, no cautions, nothing. I said if he'd like, I'd be happy to "preflight" him because tractors can be dangerous and it is...

I absolutely agree 1,000%. He'd never bought a new one before (every one he'd used wasn't new and had oil in it), and I'd never touched one before, so I read the instructions. What's interesting is that this thing came with NO instructions. I called the vendor and they said "We don't have any...

No progress on the busted Kubota, but we have a new neighbor who just bought 25 acres of uncleared land to the south of me. About six or seven is usable, the rest is wetlands which he can't touch. His access is via an easement which did not survive Hurricane Ian. It looks like a tank trap, lots...

Update . . . he's finally admitting to himself that his tractor is busted right and proper, and he is simply going to have to take it apart. He's not quite there yet, but he's realizing he can't avoid the inevitable much longer. He's thinking a bent rod, I'm thinking possibly that and a cracked...

Yes, he is tenacious. Understand that I am not trying to mock him or hold him up to ridicule - I don't work like that. I see this as a learning experience (with him paying the tuition, not me) and a demonstration of differing approaches to a problem. Some of those approaches work, some are...

Interim update . . . The root rake has been retrieved from Davy Jones' locker. Took some imaginative profanity, some chains, his tractor and another guy who brought along a big green JD. He didn't ask me to help (although I would have been glad to) because he calls my 2601 a "toy tractor" (he's...

Tuesday afternoon update . . . Friend of his stopped by, offered some advice. The friend is a diesel mechanic and does generally know his way around machinery. He's done a little work for me on an auto A/C before I learned to do it myself. His advice was don't take it apart yet. Change the...

"More like a connecting rod or two got bent from hydro-lock. Once the head is off, use a height gauge and dial indicator atop the deck to compare TDC piston height." Went past this afternoon, he's working on something else - I think he knows he has big problem with his tractor and he's putting...

And that is *exactly* what he did. How on earth did you ever know that? ;-) It did start (very, very reluctantly) and he drove it about 1,500 feet or so to his work area. He says it ran very badly (duh. I'm surpirsed it ran at all), and he said that he thought perhaps a valve or two was bent...

Yes, being his neighbor has been "interesting" from time to time. Coupla years ago he was burning brush, the wind picked up and it got away from him. He tried to put it out with his tractor and ran over a railroad spike lying in the dirt, instant flat rear tire, but he was able to back the...

Agree. He does fix a lot of stuff, but he needs to remember Clint Eastwood's caution about an man's gotta know his own limitations. I think he's learning his limitations the hard way. That's one of the great things about this group, I can read and research to decide if I am going to fix...

I have a neighbor who has an MX4700. He evidently believes that NDT is strictly for wimps. He BREAKS stuff, big time. This time, he has absolutely outdone himself. Disclaimer - he's a good neighbor and a friend, and I'm not mad at him - just a little in awe this time. He thinks I'm too much of...

Ahh, aircraft leaseback agreements . . . These are tailor made for non-flying doctors who need big tax deductions and couldn't care less about the condition of the equipment. It lets the FBO get access to an expensive asset using none of their own money, riding on someone else's credit and...

Three really bad ideas: 1. "Let's invade Russia in the winter!" I warned Napoleon about that but he didn't listen, and you see how well it worked out for him. I didn't warn the next guy because he was a certified dirtball (tm) and got everything he deserved (and more). 2. "Lets go bomb Pearl...

I've had branches get lodged here and there. Dislodged fuel strainer cup twice, first time I wondered why I had gone though half a tank of fuel in five minutes, got off and looked, wriggled it back into place (almost) and had JUST enough fuel remaining to get back to the shop where I had the...

Door edges are closed off with a "brush seal". Keeps out bugs, dust and birds (which would otherwise go around the edges to build nests where it is warmer and more protected than in some random tree. They also poop all over everything inside the building). Brush seal mounts with structural self...

Farmer's break in Florida . . . property tax strategies in Florida . . . I have a five acre parcel off in the woods near our home. Nothing on it except pine trees and palmettos. Requires zero services, no police, no fire, no water, no sewer, no power, nothing at all, access by a dirt easement...

Long term game plan: Buy land in the path of development (say ten or twenty years off), rent/lease out to solar farm. This covers your holding costs, pays the taxes and makes a nice profit. Solar farm lease is up in 20 years and you have a couple of options - renew the lease for more money, or...

We don't need no skeevy contractors from up nawth, we grow our own right here. Article in local media today about a "pool contractor" who got busted in Tampa area, the only thing he was excavating was customer's wallets. Got out of the slammer, decided to become a GC, moved to the east end of...

Fascinating discussion . . . are we taking bets on how many pages it will run? I'm thinking about a solar water heater and solar panels for our house here in Florida. We built it in 2010 using every energy saving thing that made sense. As a result, our electric bill has exceeded $100 exactly...

I second the idea of "do *NOT* get under this thing". About 60 years ago (lord, where did the time go?) I saved a guy's life. He was putting a Hurst floor shift into a 1957 Ford (game sound familiar?) and had it jacked up with ONE bumper jack on an asphalt driveway and he had the rear wheels...

This thread could not have appeared at a better time for me. We're doing about a mile of light duty road in a small development - 15 homes on 35 acres. The roads need to support cars, UPS/Fedex trucks, and . . . light aircraft. It is a hangar home fly-in development. The airplanes are not...

Several considerations here . . . Building inspector - what they don't know won't hurt you. You are repairing a small, existing structure. A lot depends on the attitude of your building inspector and tax assessor. If you get a permit, that will alert the assessor that something has changed, and...

Building the diagnostics computer right into the car would be a good idea for those (few) of us who know something about vehicles. When I ran the warranty department for Max Hoffman, who was the BMW car importer for the east half of the US until BMWNA took it away from him in about 1970, we...

Complexity in our vehicles isn't going away. Expectations are higher, regulations are more stringent, manufacturers load on the options for more profit. I've owned over 150 cars since I was 16, some ridiculous, some sublime. The old stuff was simple, as the vehicles got newer and newer (and...

Jyoutz, Agree with you 100%. Problem is that people often buy trucks (and all kinds of other things) for non-logical reasons. 4x4 Cummins dual cab long bed with big gnarly tires used for logging, hay, towing horse trailer, serious work = totally appropriate. 4x4 Cummins dual cab long bed...

I see this a LOT around here. ("Around here" being east central Florida.) I was a mortgage broker for over 20 years and have had a RE license for over 35. The vast majority of buyers go for the biggest, fanciest house they can (just barely) afford, thinking their income is going to rise real...

Roaming around the internet this afternoon and found this. From the Houston Chronicle. I wasn't looking for it, but it is pertinent in our previous discussion. Interesting article, the takeaway is don't invest in coal stocks ;-) ********* The fossil fuel that powered the industrial revolution...

Where's your sense of adventure? ;-) Actually, I've found some very good stuff on C/L from time to time. One of my (too many) hobbies is restoring mid-century-modern teak furniture. People need to move and can't (or won't) take it with them, or it is slightly damaged and easily fixable. I'm...

OzarkChris - That's one of the nice things about this forum, most of us are NOT looking to pick fights. I guess we must be grownups or something ;-) I happen to agree with you 10,000% on nuclear. Unfortunately, even hinting at it makes people go totally nuts. France shut down their nuclear...

Completely agree that forcing us to buy X because some authoritarian government says so is the wrong way to go. The markets are deciding, turns out people LIKE their electric cars. They also like their solar panels, and more so every time the electric bill arrives. I have a neighbor whose...

I absolutely agree that electric vehicles (pickup trucks for this discussion) do not yet have the range and short refill time that current ICE vehicles have. I want an electric airplane, but it seems that really long extension cords are prohibitively expensive. But the price of electric...

Think outside the bed . . . How about a cab-forward truck with two rows of seats (front and rear) and then a bed that could take a 4 by 8 sheet of plywood/wallboard/whatever lying flat? Some 60s vintage Econolines, some B100 series Dodge trucks and the really old VW tranporters were built like...

By all means build what suits your desires and needs, it is YOUR money and YOUR home. That said, life is strange, and may surprise you. I was in the "dating game" for probably 20 years (after being married for 7 + 2 years) and you are correct, it can be weird sometimes. Nevertheless, I went...

I think I'd put in a tub even though there's no need for it now. Consider some years (hopefully many) from today and you may need a walk-in tub or similar because it isn't safe for you to stand in a slippery shower stall and there's nobody around to help you if you fall. Regarding the comment...

I agree, he's doing a lot of planning and groundwork, and I'm sure when it is done, he will have precisely what he wants. I do hope that our inputs are helpful to him, if only to advise him that "here be dragons". I also intend to do the full size cardboard and plywood kitchen mockup so SWMBO...

"And I'll ask again. What is the difference between a Barndominium and an attached garage? I specifically asked my insurance agent this question and he said none, as long as the shop space is not used for a business." Out in the...

"Could" and "might" is part of risk management. I've never fallen off a motorcycle but that is no guarantee that I won't sometime in the future. I'm happy and glad for your relative who has had no incidents with his combined house and shop - but remember what stock prospectuses say "Past...

EMT in the shop - definitely. Use 3/4" instead of 1/2" because eventually you will find that you need to add another wire or two inside. 3/4" makes that SO much easier. GFCI's at feed points. (I have a row of outlets down each side of the building, 8 feet apart. GFCI at the source. I discovered...

I used to be the world's worst welder, might even have a certificate around here somewhere to prove it. Took a night school course (gas welding, two nights a week, six weeks), I'm better, but still not good. (Instructor was a dud. I've taught in vocational schools and he really ought to be...

Good thread . . . lots of experience talking here. We built a high-efficiency home (about 900sf) and a big workshop (4,500 sf) in anticipation of building a 2,000/2,500 sf "main" house. I used to be a slumlord so I know LOTS of ways not to build houses. Rule #1 - Do not p*ss off the building...

There are many strange things in the world and we are not fated to understand all of them . . . sigh. (Raining outside, can't run the tractor.) Best Regards, Mike/Florida

I'll probably be sitting right next to you while you're being culturally reeducated. I'm subdividing 70 acres into 15 homesites (with airport access, which makes it worthwhile). Zoning sez we gotta have Codes, Covenants and Restrictions and an HOA because according to them, this is a...

I'm in agreement with Bentrim (above). Biggest problem with oil-less is they don't seem to be designed to last very long or survive much more than casual, occasional use. I've had several on which the reed valve was broken or cracked so they wouldn't make or hold pressure, and there are no parts...

Not at all impressed with these plastic radiator header tanks. They seem to last about 15 years or so and then come apart. I played with Audi 5000s for a number of years, those radiators usually broke after 10 to 12 years. There was a large internet Audi user group, and a broken spigot on the...

Bought new (Kubota 2601 + FEL + belly mower + rotary cutter) because a) I can depreciate it, b) I got 0% financing with zero down, c) because I really don't know a heck of a lot about tractors (but learning fast) and am not qualified to assess good one vs. bad one, d) I needed it to go to work...

Two datapoints - Fram was a US company, it is now owned by a company in Australia. I don't know if the product is the same, but I do know someone who had a lucrative advertising contract which went away after the Australian purchase. (Not "a friend of a friend told me", I know the guy...

It works. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/13/nuclear-fusion-passes-major-milestone-net-energy.html Best Regards, Mike/Florida (Personally, I really don't care what fuels my tractor or my cars or my airplane - gasoline, diesel, electric, pixie dust - as long as it does the job and doesn't...

A respected member and frequent contributor to these forums has advised me that (and I am paraphrasing slightly) I am absolutely talking through my hat regarding the fusion discussion. Flattery ;-) (Well not exactly . . . ) There IS the possibility that I am completely wrong about this. As...

"Listened to a guy talk about commercial fusion reactors coming soon. Said they are about the size of a tractor trailer. All thats needed is Lithium and water. has 10 to 1 energy output to input or better. Cheap & easy and it’s coming." We're not there yet, but today's news flash plus...

It was also noted in Fox Business news, and that is also a standard in something or other. Fox was light on how it works, but they assured us that an elite team of reptilian shape-shifters will be on call to shove any residual byproducts off edge of the flat earth, so the problem is handled...

Question was just asked "and where do we send the spent fuel rods?" Same place we send the exhaust from light bulbs and electric motors - there isn't any. Fission reactors use fuel rods plus graphite rods to moderate the reaction. Those ARE a problem because they stay radioactive and dangerous...

The game just changed . . . Article in today's news that the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California just got a net energy gain from their experimental fusion reactor. 2.1 Megajoules in, 2.5 Megajoules out. Official announcement tomorrow (Tuesday), sneak preview on Ars Technica...

Price of fuel . . . lots of "distortions" in the marketplace. Europe taxes gasoline ferociously, diesel somewhat less so, therefore more diesel cars/light trucks in Euroland than the USA. No small imported pickup trucks (diesel or gas) here because of a 25% tax on them in retaliation for taxes...

Agreed that my 5kw Harbor Freight generator isn't going to power the town. Problem is, we don't know where the break is, which wire it is, what it is connected to and what else is wrong. I'm not overly enthusiastic about working on live wires, especially if my generator is connected to the main...

Your daughter and her friends need another place to live. Second the idea of fumigating their possessions so they don't bring the problem along with them. Had a tenant who had a completely feral "rescue" dog despite "no pets" policy. Damn dog tore up a door, attacked a neighbor, infested the...

Sorry, I wasn't clear on this. They brought in 3' of shell (very common fill material here, we use it for roads, etc.) and made a raised building pad. It is called "shell" but it is actually crushed Coquina rock which is fossilized oyster (or something) shells. The old Spanish fort in St...

Absolutely agree, we were indeed fortunate. We have some nearby neighbors who didn't do as well. Neighbor #1 (a mile north of us) built their geodesic dome home about 30 years ago. They put down 3 feet of shell and compacted it. County building inspector said no good, you have to build on...

I'm here in east central Floriduh where we had two storms back to back (Ian, then Nicole). Even though FPL has hardened their system, we were still out for five days because of Ian. I have a 3.5KW Harbor Freight special. What we do is put it out back of the house and run extension cords to the...

I've fixed a lot of "stuff" over the years, and I've learned a few things about what is likely to break and what might not. 1) - If it is "internet enabled" or "smart" don't go near it. Appliances are the worst for this - power line 1,000 miles away gets tickled by lightning, the fancy...

I hadn't considered the extra weight of the quick disconnect - and it isn't light. Interesting that tilt function doesn't (seem to) be connected with the safety valve (if I read it correctly), which is why I couldn't lift, but I could still tilt. That got me just enough extra height to get the...

"Sunandsand - you have some good questions here and have demonstrated a willingness to learn." Thank you. The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of ignorance. (Not original, I don't remember who said it.) I am constantly learning new things but my theory is learn about it...

The pallet forks weigh about 100 pounds - they're from Everything Attachments. The pallets are "euro" pallets, which are slightly smaller than standard US pallets. I don't anticipate this occurring again. I get two containers a year from overseas. Usually, the contents are fabric and wood items...

Absolutely agree. Tractor-trailer guy arrived, opened the roll-up door at the back, went to the cab and went to sleep. He's done until we're done. (Standard trucking company policy). I was and I am very, very careful to back STRAIGHT out, on a firm and level surface, and then get the load down...

OK, this clarifies things immensely. 1) FH writer misunderstands the HST system. He will be happy to know the BX doesn't have enough grunt to bend the FEL. (My neighbor has managed to bend his by abusing it, but it is a much larger tractor.) 2) Hydraulic pump operation is not affected by speed...

Don't know . . . how can I check it? Considering that a LOT of people routinely beat the mortal you-know-what out of things they own, even though they know better (or should), that dealer policy might not be such a bad idea ;-)

Copy of Family Handyman arrived today, it has an article which touches on a BX2380. Author says he was having trouble filling the bucket on the FEL, and needed a bit more horsepower. He said when he pressed down hard on the "forward" pedal, it "essentially shifted into a higher gear range" which...

Final update - the microswitch he replaced was a lockout to prevent starting the engine while the tractor was in gear. He says he broke it himself in taking the tractor apart. They are pretty fragile, so we can't blame him too much for this. He's out happily mowing now ;-) Best Regards...

He replaced only one microswitch, and I think it involved the PTO safety lockout. It was damaged during the disassembly of the tractor, it didn't wear out or fail unexpectedly. He cracked the plastic case. I am not sure of the physical location on the tractor. Sorry not to be of more help on...

Wellllll, here's the update. (Sunday evening, 5/8) He was able to get it back together with a lot of cussing, wiggling, pounding and so forth from him and some help from people pushing and pulling on the wheels, wiggling the jacks and so forth. I guess the tractor realized it was outnumbered...

I agree, it really does sound like the pilot bearing. And oh, boy the halves of the tractor are WAY too heavy to horse around! There are alignment pins, but the halves are still too far apart to let them engage. It sounds to me like he might have to un-align the halves slightly (up/down or...

He's stalled . . . Putting the halves of the tractor back together isn't going real well. Something is blocking it from closing the last 7/8". The halves were not lined up properly either vertically or horizontally. He/we jiggled stuff around until they were. The bolts all line up now, the gaps...

Well it really and truly IS that easy, but he doesn't want to do it that way. His tractor, his decision. If it were mine, I'd buy the dollar special and solder the two wires - I even offered to solder them for him, nope, he isn't having any. He da boss. Best Regards, Mike/Florida

Who me, cheap? Well frugal, maybe. I've been told that I can squeeze nickels so hard that *I* am the reason the buffalo on the nickel has only three legs . . . $34 for a tractor part isn't worth complaining about if the tractor manufacturer made the part. Here, they didn't. Microswitches are...

Actually I was a sports announcer ONE time . . . friend of mine worked at a radio station and did announcing for the bike races at Daytona Speedway. He asked me to take one race because he had something else to do which could not wait. I drove over to the speedway, found a place to park, and got...

Incremental progress. He was able to fish out the rear coupling with a "grabber" I lent him - four fingers on a flexible shaft (from Harbor Freight, I think), and using a length of welding rod, finagle the rear coupling back into place. He then re-inserted the rear half of the propeller shaft...

No offense taken JWR ;-) Problem with the internet is that all we get is the words, no context, no non-verbal cues, just the words, and it is very easy to misinterpret even an innocent statement, especially nowadays when just about everybody seems to be upset about something all the time. My...

He either bought it new or almost new, and he now has 1970 or so hours on it. He uses it pretty hard and he uses it a LOT, mows, grades, digs, repeat. It lives outside most of the time and the Kubota Orange paint has faded almost to Mary Kay pink. I will say he does change the oil and filters...

Saturday update: He's getting in deeper and deeper and deeper . . . and I fear he is nowhere near out of the woods yet, or getting there. Turns out there may be three splined collars. Power to the front axle starts at the rear differential, goes via a propeller shaft which runs under the...

Since the collar is a wear item and the noises seem to be coming from the back of the tractor, I am beginning to suspect that he may indeed have broken off the diff lock pins. Is there any way to inspect that while the tractor is split, or is there access from the back of the assembled tractor...

Went past today at noon, took three pix. The internally splined collar goes on the front of the front to rear drive shaft and connects to the input shaft of the front differential. As you see, that collar is shot. The front of the drive shaft is also gone. I asked if there was any damage to the...

Update - he had the front axles out because he suspected the front diff. It was fine, so he put it back together. What he did find was the drive shaft which goes from the front axle to the rear case had a problem. Seems it is somewhat open to the elements and in the 1970 hours he's put on it...

I have no idea why he pulled the front axles, but I will ask him later today. He wasn't there when I stopped by so it is possible he found something and has taken a ride to the Kubota dealer for parts. Stay tuned . . . you're right, this may get interesting indeed ;-) Best Regards, Mike/Florida

Noon Wednesday Inspection scope is a REAL good idea - keeps from taking stuff apart needlessly. Stopped by, he wasn't there, but he has the front axles out and the wheels are turned 90 degrees. I suppose that makes for a great turning radius. I'll report back on what he's found. Best Regards...

JWR, thank you, and that's pretty much what I expected to hear - major surgery, bring big bucks and have the manual at hand at all times. I think he can do this (he's split the tractor previously to change the clutch), but I agree that it isn't going to be easy, cheap or fast. He's well...

Next door neighbor has an MX4700DT which he uses hard. (He also hasn't read the sig line here about taking time to maintain your equipment or your equipment will make time for you to maintain it.) Anyway, I stopped in today and he has the front of the tractor off the ground (using the front...

If you want a treat, see if anyone is still raising emu. Big, stupid, dangerous birds, but oh so tasty! Best Regards, Mike/Florida

Gotta buddy who bought something like 100 solar panels at one whack, they were takeouts and seconds, so they were (comparatively) cheap. No, they aren't super efficient, but since the "fuel" is absolutely free it doesn't matter - need more juice, add another panel. He's going to use a blended...

Inline six is a good configuration. Since it is a pair of threes end to end, it has perfect primary and secondary balance. V-sixes don't have that and usually need a balance shaft, more complexity, more to go wrong. While a V-8 has a wonderful sound when you prod it, a straight six is a much...

My preference is to build with galvanized steel. Nothing eats it, it won't burn, won't rot, won't warp. Light gauge steel is easy to work with, all you really need is a screw gun and a cutoff saw. Goes up quickly, quietly (no hammering) and very little waste. Once you are done, you are done, no...

Another Native American quote: "White man cut holes in wall to let in the light and the air, then put windows in holes to keep out the air, then put curtains on windows to keep out the light." Best Regards, Mike/Florida

I have two good friends who INSIST there's going to be a revolution real soon now. They are not particularly specific about who or what they are revolting against, in fact, they are downright vague and say things like "the establishment" or "the deep state" or "them", none of which they define...

Agree - what does it weigh? We ought to drop it from WAY high, remember F=M*A. Best, Mike

Old Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times!" We do . . . Electric cars are coming, with electric trucks and probably electric tractors as well, not too long after. We're going to have a mixed fleet for years. Cars get replaced comparatively quickly, ten to twelve years or so, after...

I'm getting to where I don't trust ANY dealers . . . Bought a brand new Husqvarna riding mower from an authorized dealer, their "dealer setup" consisted of pushing it onto my trailer so I could take it home. It wasn't even correctly assembled at the factory. I've been over it from front to back...

I'm not completely scared of the electronics on newer vehicles. Yes, they are excessively complex, but if you have a code reader, you can find and fix most things pretty easily. Even the cheapest readers are far better than nothing. If you have access to a pro-grade reader, things get easy. My...

I use snap traps with peanut butter as bait. I take a small cotton puff, knead the peanut butter into it, and fasten the resultant "pill" to the trigger with a strand of copper wire from a lamp cord. The wire keeps the mouse from absconding with the bait and also triggers the trap. Works well...

I try to stay away from car dealers. Bluntly, I don't trust them AT ALL because they know they won't see me again for years (by which time they may be out of business) so they try to make their one bite at the apple as worthwhile for them as they can. They really don't care if I get a straight...

Bad vendors . . . In the bad old days, I had a number of rental houses and a few multi-units. They were always needing something or other, and I was buying a LOT of stuff at Graingers - probably $800 a month or so for the buildings and other unrelated items. Grainger stopped issuing a printed...