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Yikes! How did that even happen? All the best, Peter

Replacing old corral fences, aka fun with the Power-Trac post driver; The tractor is on a narrow road perpendicular to the tractor, I.e. along the fence line, so some of the posts involved backing up the 25 degree slope to the left, which leads to some creative parking. This is the fence in the...

Great! You are welcome. All the best, Peter

I can't imagine using the brakes to routinely stop the tractor while in motion! It is so sudden, at least on the 1445. Different strokes for different folks I guess. All the best, Peter

Well, there are some easements like that, and obviously they aren't the first choice of the folks wanting the easement. A friend got unlimited water (through a 1.5" pipe) for a water pipeline easement (a big deal here in California) through his property, and we nearly bought a property that had...

Anchors away! 👍👍 Sorry the mental image was of times out boating when the skipper noticed he was in a jamb too late and yelled for an anchor. At some point, I think you are approaching the price of new wheel motors with built in brakes. Fast acting hydraulic solenoids and relief valves aren't...

Ok, brief chemistry overview. CaO, calcium oxide, "lime", is extremely alkaline. If you add one molecule of water (H2O) to calcium oxide, you get "slaked lime", aka calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2. Most people use slacked lime because it is less corrosive and somewhat easier (safer) to handle. If you...

Welcome! That's quite the collection. I bought a stack from McMaster-Carr. McMaster-Carr (1/2" hole 5/16" inner hole) Those are SBR; not rated for outdoor use. EPDM is better, but I could not find it in the right size. These are EPDM, but note the thinner panel thickness...

I would worry a little about the surge in hydraulic pressure on the motor/pumps, but a relief valve ps could be part of the package I guess. I did test the 1445 brakes shortly after buying it. Not going full speed, or anything, but I can assure you that I would have been in front of the bucket...

What kind of fencing do you use them on? All the best, Peter

I will admit up front that I have always been fascinated at how farming techniques vary around the world, both for the same crops and for different crops. I have also been fascinated by dedicated farmers that work out different ways to do things on their farm. I think that the Japanese emphasis...

Funny about the pressure washer! My favorite pressure washer of all was an electric one (Kärcher I think) at work that would blast detergent at full (albeit not 3000psi) pressure. It was way more effective than my current 3,000psi one that out of the box only does low pressure detergent...

Can you share a photo or link to your staple holder? I'm with you on staples; heavily galvanized with barbs is the way to go. I switched to a Fiskars anti-vibration hammer, and I'm not going back. It is sooo much easier on me. (Ok, I was too cheap to buy it, but it was gifted to me one year. I...

Yes, we have had hired arborists over the years. Usually helpful, but the details of your issue(s) would help. Like many patients, not every tree is salvageable. All the best, Peter

Several folks have done engine replacements over the years. Is it trivial? No, but I think that replacing an engine rarely is. In my experience, the PT engine replacement doesn't seem too bad. Small engine bolt patterns are quasi standard, and the adapter plate is just steel plate with holes in...

Or overnight. ;) Iwami, where KHS is located gets 86" of rain a year...

I believe that Kubota itself is a well respected brand in generators. They make small to mid-sized generators (5-35kVA). https://generator.kubota.com/home.html FWIW: There aren't a lot of small diesel engine manufacturers left in the US market. All the best, Peter

Having bought lots of T-posts, they do come in various qualities. The cheap ones will bend the moment the weather changes. (Kidding) Seriously, keep an eye on the weight/ft, and buy the heavier ones. I think that pulling bent T-posts and replacing them is no fun. I don't know when I last saw...

You might want to double check what you are thinking of as lime. Are you adding it to raise the pH or as a source of calcium? It makes a difference. The water plant material is likely CaCO3, calcium carbonate from lime soda water softening, and always wet. Lime, or slaked lime, is calcium oxide...

I think T-posts are the way to go. You live in a very challenging environment for wood posts. If you have access to marine pressure treated wood, UC4A/U4B/UC4C, you could use those and expect some longevity, but around here, they are neither easy to find, nor inexpensive...

Great! Try searching "double router bit" and scroll through the images. There are lots of them out there, and there is always slightly regrinding one to what you want. All the best, Peter

I think until you have used a Power-Trac light material bucket as a powered wheelbarrow, it can be hard to understand just how useful it is. @MossRoad has shared stories of building/remaking baseball fields. I recently was doing a soil remediation project and it was taking me 10-15 minutes to...

@EddieWalker You are the guy on site, but from your photo, it sure looks like two pieces of trim. I think what you want might be a double round over bit. All the best, Peter

Sure seems like it.

It depends on what I'm doing...For tree work only, it all goes in the front bucket, often with a generator gas, and fire extinguisher to run electric chainsaws and pole saws. If I am chipping, some goes in a feed bucket over one FEL arm, and the rest goes in the chipper bucket. I have never...

Admittedly, my story is that vintage, though I did have some bad fuel episodes in the eighties. Mostly, I learned my lesson. I also think that more recent pollution vapor control measures also help keep moisture out of storage tanks, limiting corrosion and microbial growth. I hadn't heard the...

Yes, the amount of detergents and additives in the gasoline relative other brands. Could you add your own back in? Sure. At some level, I think that if you don't notice an issue, I wouldn't sweat it. I had a low quality gas experience with my first car (1 tank full!), that triggered new plugs...

Kirkland brand is $14, but a zipper fly...

You might want to look into the Optilube XPD and Summer+ products. They appear to have exceptional lubricity. E.g. https://shopspeedhouse.com/blog/opti-lube-xpd-fuel-additive-review-and-comparison/ I don't use the XPD version because of the cost; I use the summer+ version at a slightly higher...

Yup, Seafoam and Stabil in all the gasoline, and Optilube Summer+ in the diesel. ULSD just doesn't have enough lubrication for older diesel engines. I can, and have walked up to gasoline engines that I haven't used for three years and had them startup no issues. I buy Chevron and Shell gasoline...

Yup. I bought a 1445. The "brakes are always on until hydraulically powered off" auto brake was a huge factor in that decision. I once almost dumped a tractor (no ROPS) over the bank into a ravine by missing a gear shift. The memory kind of sticks with me for some reason. I've been a big fan of...

Then there is that it might have 13 oz of product, and 4 oz of propellant. Regardless, not the ideal label.

Yes, I like that winch, though I don't own it. Congratulations on finding a reasonably priced used one! I think August Hinicke uses one a fair amount, https://www.youtube.com/@AugustHunicke I think that they are pretty clever in terms of how they rig trees to pull over, and to trim, as is...

Just for reference, in the FWIW category, both of my Stihls specify 89 Octane minimum. I would definitely go by what is in your manual. Higher octane will reduce knock, but it puts more heat into exhaust manifolds and mufflers due to the combustion delay. I have thought it would be fun to try...

I hate those shirty little stumps. Just plain uppity and evil. Who needs stumps with attitude? :ROFLMAO: Thanks for the morning smile...

Yes, there used to be a large transatlantic trade in excess US diesel going east to Europe, and excess European gasoline coming back. Then refineRie's improved their catalysts, and tweaked their outputs to better match local markets. I do not think diesel will ever be routinely cheaper on a BTU...

That fails my sniff test. If it contains 17 full ounces, that can't be 13 net. I think that the legal term is a "misstatement of fact". All the best, Peter

Welcome. I would reach out to Terry Estep, head of service at Power-Trac (800) The-Yard, or (276) 988-6543;252 Have your serial number ready. He is very helpful. All the best, Peter

:LOL:Yes, you are right, slime is not going to work with beet juice. Never mind... I look forward to pictures when you get the project going. All the best, Peter

To confess, I drove one of those that belonged to a friend that was built on a Volvo chassis, and fell in love with it. My spouse could go back and check on the horses as we drove, and you could extend the ramp out the back as terrace or sleeping platform. Plus since the horses ride on the air...

Having dealt with thorns, I would encourage you to preemptively slime your tires before you start. The great thing about capstan winches is that you can get long rope(s), and use snatch blocks. Have a look at some of the rope rollers and snatch blocks that Yankum ropes sell. Not cheap, but...

That will most likely cause short, intermittent outages. However, if you mount the antenna higher than you were holding you phone, the results will differ. Higher would be better, if you can mange it. I put mine on an outbuilding to get out of the trees. All the best, Peter

Not generally; https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_dcus_nus_w.htm

Nope. Normal drivers license, no extra training or certification required. That is a national thing. Welcome to the wide open RV loophole that allows anyone with a normal driver's license to to drive a semi, provided a) you don't do it for hire, and b) the semi has at least three of a toilet, a...

On a 1445, yes. The wheel motors generate enough pressure to turn the engine over via the main pump. Mostly, I reach for the 1445 specific brake switch. All the best, Peter

Found on RacingJunk.com https://www.racingjunk.com/search?searchString=Renegade+toter&page=1 Sleeps up to six, 100gal diesel, 75 gal water, shower, toilet, gas stove, fridge/freezer, gooseneck hitch, or bumper pull. Freightliner Fl70 frame, automatic transmission, differential lock for lousy...

Thanks @bazman82. It sounds like you have done your diligence! If it were me, I would go weigh the trailer to see how much of that 10,700 budget you already use. Upgrading the truck axles may help; I don't know your model, so I don't know how the frame differs between the 2500 and 3500 models...

I think that you have the attachment design accurately described. I would characterize the PT approach to design as "KISS", which makes the attachments lightweight, inexpensive, repairs easy, and generally quick. Pump replacement on the engine would be a definite exception, but not worse than...

I wouldn't do it, even if some company said that they could get it done. That is a big trailer, and when loaded up, I would bet that you are over the braking capacity of the truck, if not the payload. E.g...

You are right. It is proprietary, but you can buy the adapter plates from PT. If you can weld, they are pretty easy to make, and depending on the attachment and your PT, it may not take much to make an adapter plate. My two cents on buying third party items is keep an eye on the weight, and...

Got it! Have you thought of carefully cracking open the battery case that you have now and replacing the cells? It seems as if the Sbr-15 batteries with added capacity look pretty marginal. (To my decidedly amateur eyes.) All the best, Peter

Odd. Mine are/were standard rubber (EPDM)screw on toggle switch boots. I bought twenty or so from Amazon to replace my shredded PTO boot. IIRC, they came in 11mm, 12mm, and half inch. I believe that I used an 11mm, but I would measure your switch first, especially as the Napa ones didn't fit...

After seven or eight years, I find the oil in my PT gets darker, thins, and affects the hillclimb ability. If the bottom of the tank is still shiny with a bright flashlight, I would not sweat it. If your oil is still clear, and the viscosity looks good, I would go for the patented @MossRoad...

@Fishin-4-a-Livin That sounds frustrating and annoying. It also sounds like a screw up on their end. As @BigBlue1 pointed out the billing normally doesn’t start until your equipment is configured. Keep sending in the ticket requests. All the best, Peter

What is the battery that you are trying to find? All the best, Peter

Yes, I kept the box, too. It would be a major pain to make an appropriate box to ship the dish, if it was ever needed. Then again, I'm not running out of bedroom storage... I do tend to keep boxes for high value items until replacement makes more sense; for some items, like computers, that's...

Nothing too obvious to me, but the muffler didn't rattle beforehand, so I would not have expected a change. I guess the hotter exhaust gases might sound different, but I also wear Howard Leighton Leightning L3 (30dB NRR) ear muffs, so I don't know how reliable I am on this one... All the best...

Just had some good friends try to do that trip and the sequoia national park sequoias are mostly off limits at the moment due to snow, though there are some outside the park. They did get into Yosemite ok. The redwoods start just north of Santa Cruz (Big Basin, but they were burned around...

Muffler wrap; lowered the temperature of the outside of the muffler by 270F, and the engine plus hydraulic oil by a chunk. More here; Posts in thread 'What did you do with your Power Trac today?' Pre wrap muffler and oil temperatures Post muffler wrap temperatures All the best, Peter

It runs by pressure; typically they come set to come on at 35-40psi, and off at 50-60psi. They are adjustable, so if you don't like the behavior, you can adjust it. I think in your case, you just want it to go off at some reasonable pressure. I would love to see photos when you get it all...

If you put a nice tight cover on it, and chlorinate it well, I think you might be surprised at the water quality. Of course, if your neighbor's septic field is 20' away, or a former fire fighting base is next door, that's a different story, but it used to be considered ok to have a drinking...

I would just add an inline pressure switch. They are inexpensive, and will simply turn the pump off when the hose kinks or someone shuts a hose nozzle. All the best, Peter

Sounds like you have worked out a solution. You could also try disking it from different angles. Dragging a piece of chain link fence with some pieces of pipe or just dragging some medium sized logs can do an ok job of leveling things out. I know some folks who drag the chain link behind their...

If you look at your box store, you probably can find some rodent proofing material that is a woven copper mesh. It is actually a tube, (3"+/-) so you can put your dishwasher hose in it pretty easily. You could also use aluminized fiberglass wire loom, but that's pricier. However job 1 is...

So,...I chipped wood with the 1445 today for ninety minutes (60%-100% throttle). Outside air temp 55-60F, about what it was when I measured above engine oil temp 200F exhaust temperature 500F, +/-, up from 390F outside of muffler now 120F, down from 390F, hydraulic oil 105F coming off of the...

You lucky dog! I have been looking for one for years and they haven't ever been cheap enough for me to buy. Have fun! Peter

I just went through this with mine. It turned out to be a dying o-ring at the base of the check valve, allowing air to leak back in at each cycle. Grrr. I should have checked it sooner, but "it looked ok to me..." All the best, Peter

I once bought a filter from a local parts stores that was in the wrong box, but too tall does seem odd. I now check the contents when buying retail and have found more than a few that the outside didn't match the inside. Have you tried Oil filter cross reference or Crossfilters - The best...

Great idea to use the anchor point to pull the shed back to plumb! Nice find at the dump. I wish our dump did resale like that. Speaking from experience, having an independently powered chipper has its advantages. Those engines tend to be really easy to work on. I would check to see if the the...

Sure, run the extension cord over, drop the intake hose(s) in the well, and you are good to go. You can block off a centrifugal pump, but don't do it for very long as they can and will overheat. We did something similar for a decade or so to water the the garden, dropping the intake in...

TL-DR: added an insulated muffler heat shield, but probably could have done something simpler with two pieces of aluminum heat shield above and below the muffler. Something like a 150-200F drop in temperature around the muffler. Update: I did put in the insulated muffler heat shield. I will...

I have hills, and that's why I never use a wheelbarrow. An antique one came with property, 100% iron, and weighed north of 150lbs, empty. The tractor does 30 degree side slopes, is articulated, and has about a six foot reach out to the end of the bucket lip to dribble compost into the garden...

I think that there are many advantages to a second well for irrigation uses. However, I wouldn't buy a jet pump for even a shallow well. I think that they may have had a certain utility a long time ago when pipes and labor were cheap, and motors and pumps were unreliable. These days, I would...

Not uncommon with many drum brake shoes in general in my (limited) experience. All the best, Peter

I first check the outage page for the 0.1s outages and then go from there. The detailed debug information can be helpful, if not very helpful, in sorting out where the slow speeds are come from. If there is nothing on those two sections, and nothing on downdector.com, I would reboot my local...

@rScotty That is an amazing list of fixes and improvement ideas! Thanks for sharing it. All the best, Peter

We have both barn swallows and bats, and we seem to have fewer mosquitos and flies than when used fly spray on the horses. I love watching both bats and swallows fly. I find it fascinating.

I agree. If Caterpillar/whichever manufacturer thought that there was a significant difference, I would think that they would specify "XQO super quantum kapo grease". I admit to having some "magic" lubricants on the shelf that I love because they do such a better job than other ones in my...

Aluminized wire loom protecting the glow plugs on the 1445 Deutz BF3L2011 engine. In hindsight, I probably made the heat issue worse by trying to prime the muffler with Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer, which I found out later has an upper limit of 200F. It turns black as it dries. It then proceeded...

Generally, I would agree, but who is to say that today's grease is identical to the one made 70 years ago? Regardless, you might want to look at the specifications. The 880 Crown & Chassis grease has an exceptionally high Timken test result of 100lbs. Normally an extreme pressure grease would...

Did you get tired of it?

Tom, Thanks for the suggestions and ideas. I remember your intake filter idea. For me, chaff isn't much of a problem as I don't dare mow if the grass isn't green due to fire risks. I do agree that the under hood cooling leaves something to be optimized and I am a bit annoyed (my...

I agree that the landscape is different, and logging practices are much different. I'm a little less convinced that the differences are significant with regards to fire risks. The fires in suburbs in Denver, Co, and Santa Rosa, CA changed my thinking about the risk of wind driven fires in...

Thanks for the pointer to buy from TRC directly. I buy by the case these days anyway, so that's nothing new to me. Thanks again for the tips! All the best, Peter

Thanks! I didn't know of it, and the demands of holding up drill pipe in the "crown" does make for severe loading. https://www.texasrefinery.com/products/greases/880-crown-chassis-grease/ Where do you buy yours? All the best, Peter

Personally, I wouldn't get too complacent about not being "out West" when it comes to fire danger. There have been some biggies in the Midwest and East coast. The 1825 Mirimachi fire in Maine is estimated at 3 million acres, Michigan fire of 1871 is estimated at 2.5 million acres, the 1.2...

Sorry. I feel the pain. My dad did that once with an heirloom gold watch from his father. He remembered it about a third of a mile down the country road. We looked for it for hours to no luck. It was a teachable moment for the kids, but I still feel badly for my dad. I have lost count of the...

Any grease with "moly" (molybdenum disulfide) in it will be black. If the grease claims moly and it isn't black, keep walking. It has the quirk that it both has a low coefficient of friction, and get stronger the higher the friction pressure is. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molybdenum_disulfide...

I am used to burn permits here are valid for 24 hours, and final approval must be obtained day of... and yes, lots of idiots around. Personally, I have the fire department rules for mowing taped to the side of my fridge, temp, wind, and humidity all go into the flow chart. Actually, given the...

My pump guys only did it because I asked, and supplied the chlorine... That's a long life for a pump, congratulations. Mine went 1987-2022, and the well guys couldn't recall another pump lasting that long locally. Personally, I would be happy to replace the galvanized pipe with PVC or...

Ok how warm? Engine oil was reading 210F on the dash, 195F in the oil filter and engine oil cooler. Hydraulic oil was only 165F, but that is enough to keep the PT from climbing a 20 degree grade. In practical terms, the wire loom melted off of the glow plug wiring above the muffler, and off of...

Finished spreading the chips today; The tractor got pretty warm rototilling all the chips in. I was impressed that wood chips plus cow manure is practically overnight compost, steaming hot, and turning white with mycelia. You can see in the background a double gate that I put in a couple of...

I used to use the grass test, but having bought a tester, I find it is very helpful for running down the odd short quickly. (Voltage higher, or lower as you walk along it. Rancher's version of "Marco Polo"...) All the best, Peter

That is a classic. How old is yours? While you could go buy a numbers matching motor, I would look into a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) as it makes for easy adjustment of the motor and therefore the band speeds to match what you are cutting. Automation direct has good tech support...

Doesn't the state have rules about not burning toxic materials, etc.?

I would feed the tomcats, trap the tomcats, and remove them to a shelter, a trap and release group, or offer them as barn cats. I'm not wild about free roaming intact cats. I would be concerned about unsupervised electric fencing in any area where children might come into contact with the fence...

Flat bearing bushings from a steam engine cylinder control rod?

"One small step for..." I used the large material bucket bucket to scoop all the chips from the driveway above into the pasture. This is what 72 cu.yd.s of wood chips to be rototilled into solid clay pasture soil looks like. I'm hoping for some improvement in the rainwater infiltration and...

Any curves or large changes in grade in the driveway? I agree with @Doorman63 if you can raise the beam to clear the bed of the truck, it can make navigating turns and changes of incline easier. A friend crush the wall on his truck bed trying to make a corner with a large change of grade and...

I would not use a 40 weight oil in an engine that was specified for 30 weight oils. Don't be misled by the 5W part into thinking it will be a less viscous oil at temperature. It won't. A 5W40 oil is going to be a 40W oil when it warms up. 40W is significantly more viscous than a 30W oil, this...

@SylvainG There is now a process; https://www.starlinkhardware.com/how-to-buy-sell-and-transfer-a-used-starlink/ Congratulations on getting fiber! All the best, Peter

Later or Wahl brands are good, (we have both) but expect to pay north of $100-200 for one tough enough for getting through matted hair. Get a corded version. Don't forget to get some cleaning/cooling/lubrication spray and keep checking how warm your trimmer head is as you go along. The trimming...

I only charge my lithium ion tools in the shop, and never, if I can help it for any longer than it takes to charge. Then again, there is 10kWh is one car, and another 40kWh or so in batteries bolted to a retaining wall away from the house (because of fire risk).... I don't know why I trust my...

Thanks for the tips! Funny how one makes a cordless battery choice and then you are really locked into those tools, as the change is so pricey. I looked at another brand of battery powered grease gun at one point, and just couldn't face the thought of another battery set to maintain and...

The three issues that I have with changing the threads for grease fittings are that I need to have a blind, or bottoming, tap to be effective, I am not a fan of trying to change threads in an existing hole for strength reasons, and I need some way to ensure that I don't let metal chips from the...

Sorry, I cut your post into a few pieces are there are several different questions. There are three pumps, the third is the auxiliary and runs the cylinders, lift steering, etc. Yes, and no. The hydraulic treadle comes off the variable volume pump and goes back to it. Some variable volume...

@marrt Spot on posts! I remember digging around after your initial posts and finding an off the shelf high pressure filter that was bidirectional with internal check valves to ensure that the flow through the filter was unidirectional. Unfortunately, the project dropped down my do list, and I...

I believe that they feed on newborn mice in nests, rather than adults, though they are more of an insectivorous and a consumer of young amphibians. https://www.britannica.com/animal/garter-snake The rattlesnakes here prey on ground squirrels by raiding the babies. Still, there is nothing like...

You could look here; https://journeymans-workshop.uk/bspthreads.php

Yikes. I hope that you can salvage things. This is my personal nightmare. Don't forget to flush all the motors and hoses extensively before putting your pump back in service. The drive system largely recycles the oil between the tram pump and the wheel motors. If you found metal in the tank, it...

1/8" BSP? No clue personally, but that would be my guess. https://www.grainger.com/category/lubrication/fittings-and-hose-systems/grease-fittings?attrs=Fitting+Thread+Type%7CBSPT&filters=attrs British and German Threaded Grease Fittings All the best, Peter

Some schedule 80 3/4" PVC Pipe is rated at 690psi. (e.g. McMaster-Carr) schedule 120 gets you to 390psi in 3/4" and then there is schedule 160... I think the phrase is "if you build it, they will come..." I would point out that 500psi of water translates to 1150+ feet of height/depth. All...

Yup! That's why we have cats. Our neighbor across the street doesn't and he is in a constant battle with rattlesnakes. We had a cat that loved to play with rattlesnakes (!). We use cows as mowers since a big chunk of the property is not mowable due to slopes of 45+ degrees. My Power-trac can...

Kraits, aka cobras, have local names along the lines of "seven step krait", "twenty-one step krait", "thirty step krait". The local consensus was that there wasn't time to say goodbye. The venom is all neurotoxins, unlike most North American snakes that are hemotoxic (blood clotting), coral...

As you describe the plumbing, I am missing something. If there is a vacuum breaker on the line to the sprinklers, that would leave them with no pressure, except when the pump runs. Could it be that there is a check valve after the vacuum breaker and that is where the T to the house and to the...

Hmmm...I am not wild about rattle snakes, but I have chosen them over grizzlies and moose. Now if we are talking cobras, or black mambas, or brown snakes, I would take a grizzly and two moose any day, and twice on Sunday!🤣 All the best, Peter

I like the SIMpull wire. It is much easier to pull in my opinion. Good luck!

We got ours from Premier1 fencing supplies. Still going after 15years, but approaching end of life for the fence top versions; everything else is still good. (Mostly Gallagher brand, and their electrobraid rope/wire is still in good shape.) All the best, Peter

Can you share how the system is plumbed? I.e. well->2" 75' pipe to house-> to check valve -> to pressure tank -> 2" manifold to house and sprinklers -> 100' 3/4" pipe run to sprinklers? Did you flush the pressure tank after the brown water episode? Has the length of the typical house (pressure...

Yes, I'm not too wild about FedEx ground either. FdeEx air is a different story. FedEx is merging the air and ground divisions. It will be interesting to see which culture wins out... All the best, Peter

I use freightcenter.com and uship.com for odd freight shipments, but I would start by asking your supplier whether they have a recommendation. I look forward to seeing the rest of the build photos! All the best, Peter

I'm wondering if this is another hone for dental tools. The frosted glass would act like extremely fine sandpaper and the curves and varies flats and angles would help sharpen all types of edges. Sorry to hear of all the junk piles. It almost sounds like an excavator or bulldozer job. Could you...

Glass pestles were common, but that is an uncommon shape. Normally, they are quite wide and rounded on the end. Coors, of beer fame, dominated the market in the ceramic mortar and pestle markets later. I think that your metal block had two grooves, one to sharpen straight dental pucks and one...

That would put the density at about 8.1g/cm3, close to steel (7.86), almost exactly M2 tool steel, and much lighter than silver (10.5). Sorry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Densities_of_the_elements_(data_page) https://amesweb.info/Materials/Density_of_Steel.aspx Here is a photo of a dental...

I'm glad to hear that your water is back to normal.

Great! And the dimensions are 2x0.75x0.75", or...? (I'm really curious now.) The other way to get to density is weigh how much water is displaced when you lower it into a container already full of water, but that takes skill... All the best, Peter

Or put slightly differently, what is the density?

Actually, once the mercury is in the amalgam it is relatively inert. The amalgam can under some circumstances outgas mercury vapor, which is biologically rather inert. The FDA recommends not using them for those folks under six years of age, but that's about it...

Cool find! While it could be silver, it would have been an odd form. Normally, one added mercury and metal powder to a capsule, which was thawed shaken in a small machine, and then rapidly transfered and packed into the cavity before the amalgam solidified. It looks more like a tool to hone...

While Henry Ford demonstrated that a Model T could run on ethanol, the politics behind blending ethanol into gasoline has been a mixture; farmers who wanted a bigger market for their corn, environmentalists who wanted a fuel that had lower emissions with less fossil carbon, and others, including...

No, it is used to raise the octane in all grades. Ethanol content is federally capped at 10% for gasoline due to excess in emission profiles in unmodified engines, i.e. non-flex fuel vehicles. I believe that there may be a Federal waiver in place for a limited duration raising that limit to 15%...

I wouldn't want to use AVgas on the property due to the lead. There is always the "drive a gasoline powered vehicle to the gas station, and put two gallons of 91octane or so into the vehicle, and then fill your 5 gal jerrycan". That way what ever you wanted to buy goes in your jerrycan... I...

Chiggers are microscopic; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombiculidae Could they be a clover mites? https://www.bobvila.com/articles/tiny-red-bugs/

Congratulations! @PowerTracManiac did you have a manual lever or pistol grip version or pneumatic grease gun before this? I have a couple of pneumatic ones (had one, got two as part of some mixed tool purchases), and I am curious if the electric versions have any advantages. One of mine does...

If your chipper doesn't make small enough pieces on the first pass, I would adjust the chipper, change the exist screen, or check that your chip breaker is still functioning. (BTDT, mine lost one of its two "teeth" and it made a big difference in chip sizes.) Double passing chips tends not do...

Congratulations on getting it running, and for noticing the issue to begin with! All the best, Peter

Sorry to hear that you have a metal particle issue. Have you tried Por-15? It is easy to apply, though best if you do something like sand blast the tank first. Is there perhaps a way that water is getting into your fuel or tank? IIRC, @woodlandfarms (same engine?) had a water issue with his...

Often the best practice depends on your local aquifer geology, but if sediment is an issue, and you are putting in a new pump, I would have suggested cleaning the well as a first step. With the old pump pulled, it is generally fairly quick and straightforward. Raising the pump cuts into the...

Sorry about your uncle. That is hard. Ok, not a vet, and not an MD. However, in general, pancreatic and **** gland cancer tend to have extremely different trajectories. (For a variety of reasons) Here is a brief overview that covers the common **** gland cancer (malignancy) in dogs...

I'm sure that there is one out there, too. You might look in the manual and start trying to match the part number(s). As @bmaverick points out, there are salvage folks around. Welding has advanced over the years, and parts like that can, in general, be made whole by a talented welder. Sometimes...

Another voice to wait a day or two to see if things settle, as sediment can break loose underground. I would also have a look around the water heater, walk the pipe back to the well, and just generally check on things. Any obvious ground disturbances in the area? I would run some into a clean...

@CloverKnollFarms Swarms are so cool. Your favorite colony because? Just curious. All the best, Peter

Thanks. That is how I found it in the end, what is weird is that sometimes the local search thinks he is/was a member, and sometimes it doesn't. All the best, Peter

Didn't @Charlie_Iliff put a sickle mower on his, mounted on the side for ditches, and trimming trails (in the vertical position)? I remember it, but perhaps it was in a private email/post. I will lookin the archive. (I can't seem to find the post, but the TBN search is being a little flakey at...

Yeah, I don't get it either. I see it all the time, and about one time in three the math on the per whatever cost is wrong. So, yes, math skills must really be that bad, or Amazon wouldn't bother... All the best, Peter

🐙 +1 on octopi! I used to clean aquarium windows (long story) and my wife would wander the exhibits before the crowds came in. She got to be "friends" with a large pacific octopus who would pop out of its hole to come hang on the glass to watch her. As you say, they are fascinating creatures...

(Sorry for the dropped word in my prior post.) I think that the steam clean + vacuum plus sealing (multiple coats?) seems like a good way forward at minimal cost. I would use a vinyl specific floor sealer though as the vinyl flexes unlike stone tile. E.g...

👍 Absent bad fuel pumps or filters, I still have a slight lean towards winter fuel versus summer fuel. Is that possible? Otherwise, I would consider some insulation for the fuel line against vapor lock. Nice octopus! Is there a story? All the best, Peter

What about one of the many Bissell type floor scrubber/washers? You could rent one from your local store and decide what you do/don't like and buy accordingly. Then make steam versions as well, but I have no clue what would work best on the floor that you have. Perhaps I am missing something; do...

If you are ok with your service, feel free to ignore this. If you aren't happy with the service, there is a lot of useful information in the debug section of the app. Have you checked the app for the list of outages? Have you checked to see whether you have any packet losses getting to the...

Are you operating at over 4000'? All the best, Peter

That's never a good sound...I hope that Terry has some actionable information for you. However, my SMV placard on the back of the hood has gotten me more than once, with me thinking it was an engine rattle. All the best, Peter

Partly, I think it is that the concrete plants nearby run close to capacity, so they can charge what they want without losing business, partly we in particular, pay a little more because the 7cu.yd. trucks come loaded with only 5cu.yds. due to the local roads/access. We are about 15 miles from...

Nice to see the progress! +1 on the inline filter. Mine has a see through case, so you can see if there is debris on the filter. Do you need more space? Did Terry suggest unbolting the engine mounts and sliding the engine back? (Never done it myself.) I keep looking for jumbo openend wrenches...

A blown head gasket and / or a bad valve would certainly explain many of the symptoms. Great runaway diesel tip. Don't forget the manual stop lever on the back left of the engine, just above the throttle. (2011 series engines) #5 in the image below; All the best, Peter

Closer to $360/yd for 4,000psi concrete. Beats mixing it by hand though! All the best, Peter

Sorry to hear that you have been laid up. Speeding up, with black smoke, sounds like overfueling. I'm no expert on unwanted diesel explosions. I had trouble on a Yanmar engine that had a tiny air leak in diesel line before (actually at) the injection pump. The air/diesel mixture ends up being...

Looks nice! I don't think that cold water on warm concrete should be an issue. A sprinkler should be fine. I would just check that the corners / edges are staying wet. For a different perspective, on the last job here, concrete was running closer to twice what you paid. All the best, Peter

I had a similar leak in the valve bank, and it was just a loose hose fitting. For the first couple of hundred hours, I made it a habit to gently wrench up hose fittings, especially the small ones. I haven't done it more than once or twice since. Like @MossRoad, I had one on the steering weep oil...

Lead in a mine is usually a) not near human water sources or soil for crops, and b) in a form that is isolated from the environment physically and chemically. So, lead underground is much less hazardous to humans than lead above ground, so to speak. Lead ammunition tends to fragment when shot...

⬆️ What he said! I find myself on my knees servicing the hoses a lot just to save my back. It has also made me a wrench hoarder; trying to find the right length and the angles to be able to access certain hoses, but with the right wrench it is so much faster. "A poor worker blames his tools"; I...

First, can I thank you for asking and thinking this one through? Can I suggest using only lead free ammo? Otherwise, I think that you are opening a can of worms, especially if you invite others over. I know that lead free ammo is subject to strongly held beliefs. Nevertheless, if you are...

The goal is to let the concrete chemistry continue to work its magic without letting the concrete dry out. The chemistry requires water. Once it dries out, the party is over. Is it covered/can it be covered? If not, you need to re-wet it often enough to keep it from drying. If it is covered...

(y)(y)We wrapped the hardware cloth (mesh) around a 2x4 to make a sort of floating off ramp, with the top of the 2x4 attached to a bit of wire at the edge of the trough so that it can float up and down. We haven't had a body since it was installed either. I once saw a design for a watering...

@Pettrix Good luck! Don't forget to keep it wet for as long as you can. All the best, Peter

These? https://clamptitetools.com/ They are a neat tool, but I don't like them for hoses as I find that using wire rather than a broad strap is more detrimental to the hose. Do I think that the are useful? You bet! They are a quick way to get hose back on in the event of a clamp failure; I just...

My advice is a little soil dependent; if you have soft water/acid soil, I would vote for wood posts, but if you have hard water/alkaline soils, I think that T-posts are an option as well. If you do use wood posts, I would try to find a rot resistant wood, cypress, honey locust, or a marine...

Plus, I find that there are often a few different ways on YouTube to do the repair, many of them faster and easier than the "factory recommended" version. I remember the big improvements in performance, reliability, and efficiency that came with fuel injection and electronic ignitions. I...

My tractor is probably dirtier than yours (drought, dust, and hard water here), but I wash everything first in Dawn and water, the compressed air, then brake cleaner, and I scrub the fittings with a toothbrush and brake cleaner one last time to get the dirt out of the threads. I have learned the...

I think it depends on flow, and the animals. In North Carolina, I believe that you need to be able to get a boat up the stream, though it seems silent on whether floods count; https://midcurrent.com/conservation/river-rights-north-carolina-style/ “f a body of water in its natural condition can...

I went down this rabbit hole awhile back myself. I suspect that you will need a different charge circuit specific to the lithium battery that you are interested in. 13V gets you about 20% of the lithium battery's capacity. This chart is for discharge, but you get the idea; 13V has 0% discharge...

X2 on the "label the hoses" advice! Preferably labeled in more than one place with materials that are oil resistant. (BTDT...) I have found that taking lots of photos as I work my way along to be really helpful in the reassembly process. Congratulations, it seems like you are making progress...

I think that we are a bit dryer here. We use the marine/automotive battery boxes on our solar powered fence chargers and have had zero corrosion issues, even when the lead acid battery leaked. The charging circuits are an inch or so above the battery. A piece of closed cell polyethylene foam...

Would these work? https://www.surpluscenter.com/Wheels/Wheels-Tires/Pneumatic-Wheels/4-10-3-50-4-GRAY-WHEEL-AND-TIRE-ASSY-w-AXLE-PLATE-1-5349-A.axd $5.95/ea, plus a can of foam from your local hardware store...

Sheet metal would be quick and cheap. NEMA enclosures are great, and very sturdy, but UL rated, for which you pay a price. I would have a look at your local auto parts start for a 12V battery box; it will have holes in it that earwigs and spiders can get in, but that hasn't been an issue for...

I bought this male/female cap kit for a repair; https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FSXYWVR They work great; I would just check that kit contains enough of them for the hoses that you need to disconnect. I would ask Terry for the towing details on your particular pump. When I read up on it...

We had a great trip in the mountains with a couple of those old Power Wagons. I loved them. I toyed with buying an original at one point, but decided that I would need a backup vehicle to it, just because of unexpected items breaking just due to age. I'm still toying with the idea... All the...

I'm with @oosik; I know of cheap ones, and I know of reliable ones, but there isn't any overlap that I know of. What is your goal with the aeration? Is it a big pond? A shallow pond? Do you have excess water? Fish? Algae blooms? For cheap, I would think of a vertical windmill (55 gal. Drum...

@NoTrespassing I'm glad that your Starlink is in process! Congratulations, I know that it has been a long wait. I look forward to hearing about your installation. All the best, Peter

I believe that Texas has some tariffs as you suggest that do offer real time pricing, along the lines that you suggest. As most people aren't very aware of the real-time costs of electricity, it caused some consumer in Texas to have monthly bills in the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars...

First, this is a proposal/request by the utilities. It may or may not happen. More here; https://californiaglobe.com/articles/income-based-electric-rate-system-proposed-by-california-energy-companies/ The utilities are trying to get from a bundled cost of power (generation cost+transmission...

Even if you don't get credit for selling back to the utility, there may be an ROI if power costs differ during the day, e.g. we have a peak rate period from 4-9pm that is about 2x off peak. By using batteries, we move solar power generated during off peak rates to peak rate time periods...

I hear you about 4WD. We live on steep roads, and the steep roads and snow/ice really alter one's perspective on what is safe/driveable. On the other hand, the right tires and loading can make an enormous difference. I had a two wheel drive Ford focus that was amazing in several inches of snow...

As a rusty clutch was my another possible thought, it is good to hear that you have personal experience with one. If you can get the clutch all the way down, it should work, but sometimes linkages do slip/need adjustment. Clutches do die, but I would expect more symptoms if yours had died one...

Growing up, "in the olden days", diesel was routinely cheaper than gasoline, and you could expect better mileage out of a diesel compared to a gasoline engine, all things being equal. (Diesel has an energy density about 12% higher than gasoline.) However, with shifting global patterns of...

Other than Power-Trac which would be my first choice, have you tried checking surpluscenter.com, or Tractor Supply? All the best, Peter

I guess that I have two conflicting thoughts. I would get a disposable vehicle if you want newer safety features like airbags and anti-skid. If the '69 is in reasonable condition, especially body condition, I suspect that it will be cheaper to keep that one in good running condition compared to...

An out of adjustment clutch would certainly have symptoms similar to the ones you describe. How is the pedal travel? Did the symptoms get any better or worse while you were using it? All the best, Peter

Exactly. It is the lack of load change on the engine that makes me think it is a drive pump, or drive pump control issue. All the best, Peter

Chip sealing broken concrete isn't going to do much for you, as the concrete is not stable. You can do foam injection to lift the slab back into alignment at the garage, but I would be tempted to take it out, and do a new pour out 3-5', perhaps to one of your existing cracks. After that is...

Are the oil levels ok? I tend to think of linkage issues first, then enough oil. All the best, Peter P.S. sorry about your back issues.

Not as far as I know. I think that the brake tender is only on the 1460, and slope mowers as far as I know. You can see two cables coming off the brake lever in this PT photo.

Good suggestions from others above. FWIW: My 1445 needs a bypass hose as well; there is no neutral lever/switch on my pump. The symptoms sound to me more like a brake issue or a variable displacement pump problem, either in in the control circuit or the charge pump. You checked for mulch under...

Borrow some goats for early spring grazing? All the best, Peter

How about spray foam insulation? "Hole-stuff" Cheap, quick, and would fill any holes or openings. I would still screen the overflow. I'm jealous. That sounds like a wonderful spring. All the best, Peter

So, where do you think the snakes are getting in? Are there gaps between the roof and concrete? If snakes can get in, so can mice and insects. I would want to fix the cracks/holes just from the bacterial perspective. Around here spring boxes have a redwood 2" sill bolted to the concrete...

You have my sympathies. Was it covered with plastic or a tarp to keep it wet? All the best, Peter

Just curious; why do you have jugs of chemicals stored at your well? All the best, Peter

Gosh, and you have such nice road markers along the side of the road! Maybe put some markers in on the other side for the drivers that only use one mirror? I feel for you as I have mortared stone walls and it seems that every few months I find a new crack caused by some driver getting...

You are aware that LastPass has been hacked, right? https://www.wired.com/story/lastpass-engineer-breach-security-roundup/ There is a certain downside to storing your passwords in the cloud...or in binders...I think if there was a "right" way, we would all be doing it. "Different strokes for...