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We run through about $1800 worth of propane a year in our 5 year old home: 2200 sq ft ranch, 75% finished basement, 2 propane furnaces, on demand propane hot water heater, propane stove/oven, propane starter fireplace. We also use the fireplace a fair amount. We keep the thermostat at 68...

Bought a used Leinbach dirt scoop about twelve years ago. Served me well until I added a tractor with an FEL. I decided to use the upper part of the scoop for a log arch, and that worked out really well. Still have the bucket kicking around, waiting for a project. Thought I might build a...

We have three female goats. Kept in a pen, with some free range privilege. Healthy and happy-go-lucky goofballs. Today, a young female goat showed up out of nowhere, standing outside of our animal pen. Looks like a nubian breed. She's a bit lame, with an injury of some sort to one of her...

I'm wiring and finishing a shed. I'm going to install a mini split HVAC unit. The HVAC compressor unit will be about 7', direct line of sight, from the exterior mounted meter/breaker box, with an accessible breaker for the HVAC unit. Given that, do I still need a disconnect box for the HVAC...

My well setup: Well head is about 600 feet from pressure tank, which is housed in basement of home. I need a spigot about 125' in the other direction. The trenching to bring a water line from the house supply side of the pressure tank would be a big job. The distance, out through the the...

Getting ready to do a shed project that has the following parameters: 1) Power to shed will be from an exterior, post-mounted meter and breaker panel. 2) Distance from panel to shed anticipated to be approximately 50'. 3) Shed needs two circuits: a) 20A dedicated to an HVAC split...

I've got a situation where I need to run a water line from an existing well pressure tank (40 to 60psi) to a use point between 400 and 800 feet from the tank. Max usage will be 3 to 4 gpm (a couple of household fixtures). The reason for the potential distance variation: The shorter run will be...

Sorry for the long backstory; just think it's necessary to get accurate feedback. My son, currently living at home, just recently graduated from college and landed a very solid job with a stable company, working remotely. We're extremely proud of him. He earned it with hard work. He and his...

The wife and I were in the truck yesterday. We passed by a couple of large (by N.Georgia standards) cornfields, where the corn stalks looked mature from a height perspective, but the plants themselves were badly browned, as if they should have already been harvested. We know nothing about...

Considering adding one to the equipment shed. We have 60+ acres, mostly wooded. We enjoy creating more usable space in the woods, walking trails, sitting areas. Where possible, I brush hog with my Yanmar and an Andy 400 clipper, but there are a lot of places I simply can't go or maneuver the...

We've had more power outages this year than in years past, and I have been remiss in not being better prepped. We have two homes on the property, each with their own breaker panel. But the homes share a well system with pump and pressure tank. If we lose power, we only have the water in the...

We got three goats early this year. Adopted from a neighbor who wanted to reduce her herd. We built a pen and a house for them, and enjoy them as pets. Everybody who visits enjoys them. They've been a good addition to the family. That's the good news. The bad news is, they don't like...

Our lawn cutter is an Ariens Zoom 54XL zero turn, purchase in 2015. The motor is a Kohler KT735. Been a reliable machine, except for a persistant oil leak from the head gaskets that I have never quite fully tamed. During the last mowing session, the wife hit something, most likely a rock...

This hinge is from the folding rear seat of my golf cart. Thought it was steel and I would weld it, but once I took it off, realized it's some sort of pot metal, probably zinc. As a hinge, it does have to handle a bit of stress. Not huge, but enough that I want to figure out a repair that...

Hoping to get some feedback on metal roofing for my barn project. Visited a local metal roofing manufacturer. They seemed surprised that I would be interested in putting 26ga on a barn, said they typically sold 26ga for commercial buildings, and 29ga for barns and residential. Had a neighbor...

Hoping to get a little feedback on what I experienced on Saturday. Noticed the A/C wasn't cooling the house. Checked outside, the fan on the outside compressor unit wasn't spinning. The 30 amp breaker for the outside unit was tripped. I reset it and the fan came on a moment later. Didn't...

Had my first opportunity to visit a Rural King today. What a fun store! Like many retailers these days, the shelves were a bit on the bare side, but still love that there's a store that sells lawn and garden, tractors, guns, fishing gear, baby chicks, tools, and pretty much anything one could...

Is it acceptable to flush-sink the heads of a washer head structural screw for skirts, girts and plates on a pole barn? I was thinking, for those exterior surfaces, I would use 16D galvanized, ring shank nails, with perhaps a couple of flush sunk deck screws added for additional pullout...

We're teaming up with a neighbor who has some empty pasture, to buy four bulls. The bulls are from a local farmer, and are between 6 and 9 months old. Three are red angus/charolais, and one is a long horn. Our only goal is raising them for meat/food security. We've purchased half cows...

Started construction this weekend. 36x36 monitor style, derived from this plan from the Univ. of Tennesse extension: http://web.utk.edu/~ggrandle/Programs/Plans/T4161.pdf My neighbor is a semi-retired grader/earth mover. He dug the foundation for our house, and has done some other land...

Hoping to get some feedback on use of Spax-type structural screws vs. traditional pole barn nail + carriage bolt fastening. Application would be for 2x12 girder to 6x6 post attachment. It looks like both 1/4 and 5/16 diameter Spax (and other brand) structural screws substantially exceed 40d...

We've prepped a site on our property for a storage building/barn. The pad is sized for a building up to about 45 wide x 40 deep. We've been talking about building styles for years: Traditional / clear span pole barn. Monitor style. Perhaps a metal frame/ garage style. Etc. And also, DIY...

Decided to add a manual thumb to the factory backhoe on my M225E. It has the fixture for the factory thumb. Called my LS dealer. He wanted $450 for the unit. That was a bit too pricey. Called another LS dealer a bit further away, they promised to get back to me with a price. Was expecting...

I'm going to build a lean-to off the back of an existing house. The house has a concrete patio which exceeds the footprint dimensions of the lean-to, so the posts will be atop the concrete. The question: Do these posts need to be anchored?

Earlier this month, we had some intense electrical storms roll through North Georgia. One of them was kind enough to grace our house with a bolt of lightning. As best we can tell, it hit a corner of our semi-attached garage. It broke a foundation wall, blew cement siding and trim off one...

I've got a 2014 EZGO RXV (48 volt DC-to-AC golf cart). Have owned it since 2019. It came with 4x12v Crown batteries, 2017 mfr date and an EZGO branded 48V digital charger. The batteries have just about had it. I try to be good about keeping them watered, but these batteries and this charger...

I need to tap into a cold water line in my basement for an outside spigot. The line I need to tap is 3/4" CPVC, and I'm attaching it to 1/2" PVC. The outer dimensions of the CPVC are smaller than standard 3/4" PVC, but larger than 1/2" PVC. A typical PVC 3/4" to 1/2" T doesn't fit. Any...

I'm going to be tapping into my house's cold water line, coming out through a foundation wall, and then making my way to our chicken and duck pen, which is about 75' away. About 30' to one side of where I will trench are a buried 240v line, telephone, and a copper propane feed. I have a good...

This is almost incomprehensible. https://www.wfla.com/news/national/2-boys-ages-8-and-9-charged-in-fatal-shooting-man-on-tractor-in-south-carolina/ 8 and 9 year old kids will often have judgement lapses, sometimes serious ones. IMHO, the parents who let these boys use a .22, unsupervised, at...

Have a circa-2015 Ariens Zoom zero turn. Been a good machine for us. Today, the wife was out mowing when the right front caster fork separated from the frame. Scared her a bit, but no harm to her or the machine, other than the cause: The 1/2" grade 5 caster swivel bolt sheered off about an...

Prefab pole barn posts with a concrete base seem to be gaining in popularity (see image below for reference). With building material so scarce and prices so high right now, I've delayed my pole barn build. It's not a must have, so it can wait. But I'm also thinking I could use the delay time...

I've got piles of manuals (for tractors, tools, lawn equipment, etc.) stashed away in various places. Have never really had a good place or system to store all of them, and once in a while, misplace a manual due to the lack of organization. Interested in how you store and organize these materials.

Bought a new log splitter, and looking for ways to make my processing setup more efficient. Already had the County Line carry all frame. Had been using it with a customized pallet for similar purposes. Decided to build the same style carry-all that most seem to like. The wood was already on...

We ran out of firewood this winter, and spent a pretty penny on propane. Vowing to not have a repeat next winter, I decided to upgrade my firewood processing. Outgoing setup was a Homelite 5 ton electric, which we mostly used on household current, and had recently been running via a 4000 watt...

Had a relatively cold winter here in north GA. Thought I had enough firewood put up, but went through it fast, and burned more propane than we usually do. Fortunately, propane has been cheap the last couple of years. That won't be the case in the next few years. I'm going to invest some time...

We have a cluster of blowdowns, large oaks and poplar, on the edge of our property. Pretty deep in the woods, not urgent in terms of clearing passage or protecting structures. Nothing else around but more woods. I would like to harvest the trees for the wood, but I'm not sure how to safely...

Tractor is an LS MT225E with LS backhoe. Factory/dealer delivered config is as follows... If backhoe mounted - quick disconnect that normally feeds the rear lift from the front hydraulic distribution block (block also feeds FEL control valve assembly) is disconnected. An extra hose that runs...

I've always used Quikrete premix, never used the Sakrete. Locally, in bulk (I'll need about 80 60lb bags), Sakrete is aboout 20% cheaper. Any reason to spend 20% more on Quikrete?

Getting ready to start my pole barn in earnest. 36x30 with 6x6 posts. Question 1: Proximity of trees to retailing wall and rear post hole. In the pic below, the fence post in the foreground represents the back right (if viewed from front of barn) pole. The fence post on the far left of...

Planning on building a pole barn this year, anticipate needing to do some high lift of beams and rafters. The lift is going to be higher than my FEL can reach. I have a LMC Cat 1 boom pole I rarely use. I was thinking about attaching it either to my SSQA pallet fork frame, or to my FEL...

The fence and gate at the top of our driveway were looking well worn. The setup also had a safety disadvantage: If you pulled into our drive with the gate closed, your vehicle's arse end was still on the roadway. We decided we wanted to demolish the existing fence and rebuild the new setup...

This battery spent the first 7.5 years of it's life in my fishing boat, as a starter battery for a 75 Merc four stroke. It was rarely on a charger, and the boat would go unused for long stretches, particulary in the winter. Generally, it was very reliable, considering the neglect it was...

Planning on building a pole barn this spring. Using this U of Tennessee ag extension monitor plan as the basis for our barn. https://ag.tennessee.edu/BESS/Extension/ExtPubs/Plans/T4161.pdf On page 2, looking at the notes and on the cross section, it shows the supports for rafters and joists...

We're rebuilding our front gate. We're also thinking about pouring a slab between the edge of the county street and the gate. We're having problems keeping that part of our gravel drive in good shape. It gets rutted by the mail truck and vehicles coming/going from our property. It's a...

I set up my sawmill near my shed, with a couple of intents in mind: 1) The shed is going to be used for drying wood, and 2) to extend the shed roof to a pole / roof structure (similar to a porch roof) that would offer shelter to the last section of the sawmill track, so the sawmill head would...

Within the last week or so, I finally started to lay decent beads while stick welding. Strictly hobby stuff, no formal training or paying work. I upgraded my equipment, my workspace, my patience, my work habits. I bought myself a decent helmet with a good lens; I can see the puddle clearly...

I've been doing my welding in a detached garage, which has a 120v/20A circuit serving the garage door opener and a couple of recepticles, along with another circuit that is 15A for the lighting (the tail end of a circuit serving lighing in the nearby laundry room). I'm hitting the limits of my...

Going to be buying a portable sawmill in the coming months. Decided I would prep by improving my capability to get logs out of the woods. Had this rear scoop, bought used a number of years ago; did some good work for me when I didn't have a tractor with FEL. Never use it anymore. Was...

I took the LB1100 backhoe off my MT225 (XG3025) for the first time yesterday. When I got it dismounted and unhooked the two hydralic leads, I found myself with a strange situation: The two connectors on the tractor, which should be reconnected to form the "loop" for the hydrualic circuit both...

Finally got around to this. Pretty simple, about an hour, start to finish. I only have the one picture, showing where I mounted the horn. The M225e (and probably the XG3025) have an unused bracket on the front of the firewall, on the ignition switch side. Probably for a horn on a more deluxe...

This kit built shed has served many purposes for us over the years. It's next role is going to be half chicken coop, half goat house. The floor is unfinished OSB. Any advice for paint or other treatment to keep it from rotting out when it gets pooped on? And while we're at it: See that...

I'm getting a bit more into welding. Mostly light duty stuff so far, done with inexpensive wire fed MIG and arc welders. Any cutting and fitting I've done so far has been with a Harbor Freight 4 1/2" angle grinder using a cutoff wheel. It works well for the rough cutting I've been doing. For...

Just like its immediate predecessor, the XG3025, the MT225E comes without a bunch of upgrades found on the XR series of tractors. The dash has available spaces for accessory switches for features that aren't there. Can't just leave them blank like that, can we? My first two adds are a rear...

Took delivery today. Already removed a couple of stumps, moved a 1/2 ton sack of sand, relocated a big dirt pile, moved some mulch, and fixed some driveway ruts. All with a big smile on my face. It's my first time with either a FEL and a BH. Lots of learning to do, but already getting the...

I'm shopping both LS and Branson, and it seems that Branson needs it's rear lift arms and links removed to install the backhoe. I get the impression the XG3025 (and others) don't require that, making the backhoe removal and install much less involved. Any insight appreciated.

Hoping someone familiar with these models and the factory backhoe can answer this: Do the rear lift arms and links have to be removed to install the backhoe? Was looking at these models at a dealer today, they didn't have a backhoe in stock, but the dealer was pretty sure that was the way the...

I'm in the middle of outfitting my new basement workshop with power tools. The centerpiece is a cabinet saw I already own. I'm contemplating crosscutting setups, one of my most common operations. I can make a crosscut sled for my table saw for fine woodworking, but I also do a lot of 2x4 type...

I've had my HF quick hitch for about six years. For the first few years, I mostly used it for fast changes between a brush cutter and box blade. Every once in a while, I'd take the the quick hitch off when I needed my boom pole, which didn't fit the quick hitch. As I've added implements, I've...

Have a logging carry all in mind for my tractor. Want to be able to get into the woods with my saws, peavey, timber jack, fuel, oil, sharpeners, ropes, chains, etc., be able to cut logs, transport some firewood out, maybe skid logs out and roll them onto the platform once I am clear of the...

We're building a ranch over a walk-out basement. The plans call for a mechanical room in the basement, at the front of the house. Contractor figured out late in the game the flue penetration for the furnaces would have to be through the front side roofline if they were located in the...

Have a cedar sided house and the borer bees are eating more than their fair share of it. Of course, when the bees do their thing, then the woodpeckers come calling...circle of life and all that. So what started as a small hole on the bottom of a cedar side plank, becomes a large, ragged hole...

We have white plastic laminate (aka "thermofoil") kitchen cabinets. For the most part, they've held up well in the 26 years we've owned the place. However, the cabinet doors over the counter where our coffee maker sits have partly delaminated, presumably from the steam emitted by the coffee...

I started a backup generator/propane tank sizing thread a while back, in anticipation of a new home build. The home site is now graded, and footers should get poured next week. When done, our property will have two houses: The existing house is becoming our office/shop/guest home. New house...

We are building a home on our rural property. There is already a vacation house on the property. That structure is going to become an office/workshop for our business, and a guest house. We have a 1" PVC line coming in from the well pump to a pressure tank (44 gallons, I believe). The tank...

We've just begun grading for our new home on our rural property. It will be a 2000 square foot ranch on a daylight basement. It will be propane fueled for heat, hot water, and stove, with 200 amp electrical service for everything else. My plan has always been to have a generator available for...

Was doing some ethernet wiring in my basement and managed to step off a ladder onto the 1" PVC line from our well pump to our pressure tank. Sheered clean off. Water spraying everywhere, including on the breaker panel. I'm still here, but I could have easily gotten myself a 220V ticket to the...

Anybody have a Noco Genius, CTEK, or similar charger with a battery reconditioning mode? Between tractor, boat, ATVs, lawn equipment, vehicles, I get fed up with short lifespan batteries. A one year old battery out of one of my ATVs is already acting like it doesn't want to take a charge, after...

The wife and I are finalizing plans for our retirement home build. Have a plan picked out, have met with the builder a couple of times. I have a spot picked out in the basement where I'm going to have a couple of extra walls poured, along with a concrete ceiling (in a galvinized pan), while...

Getting ready to semi-retire to our rural property in north Georgia. We've had several Weimaraners. Love the breed. Recently had to say goodbye to our last one, so we're in between dogs at the moment. We plan to have some chickens and goats on the property. In thinking about our next dog(s)...

The Explorer Sport Trac I've been using as my sorta-farm truck is being pressed back into service as a daily driver, as my son is taking one of the other family vehicles off to college. I need to replace the Sport Trac with a beater pickup to keep at the rural property for various hauling and...

I have a homemade 4'x8' utility trailer that was abandoned on our property (had a tree growing through the a-frame). Doesn't have springs, basically just a Dodge pickup truck axle with a trailer frame welded to it. I salvaged it. Turned it into a useful farm trailer that I use to haul trash...

Just took delivery of a 12x20 Wood-Tex shed, for storing our lawn and garden gear and two ATVs. Love the shed, great build quality, and watching them deliver it off a flatbed using a specialized mule was kinda cool. Wondering if anyone can offer comments on long-term experience regarding...

I'm putting up a 12x20 shed to hold my lawn and garden gear. Trying to decide if I should run a 20A/120v direct bury cable to it from my home. It's about 250' from the electrical panel in my basement, but to route in a to avoid septic lines, buried electrical service and phone, I'll have to...

Picked up an FG100 tiller from Craigslist on the cheap. Needed a new carb and an air filter. After carb replacement and oil change, the machine started on the first pull and ran like a top. Tilled a 1500 sq. ft. food plot and the machine did a great job. A week later, went to use the tiller...

I bought a well used, 2006 Poulan 300EX 42" riding mower back in 2012. The engine was a bit hard starting and a little balky, but the chasis and deck were in good shape. Fast forward two years, the mower has provided good service, but the motor finally seems to be giving out. I can't get it...

I've got a remote food plot and a couple of gardens on my property that I want to water. There was a homemade trailer left on the property when I bought the place.. It's rough, but it's got a truck axle, large wheels and tires, and a sturdy frame. Looks like it can handle some weight. Figure...

The acreage where the wife and I hope to retire to in the next few years has a home with a drive-under single car garage. I park a golf cart in there, and keep a workbench, tools, building supplies, etc. The single car garage is the only unfinished part of the home and the only suitable...

I've managed to get along with entry level Weedeater and Ryobi branded string trimmers over the years, but I've accumulated some land, and need heavier duty equipment that will handle both light string trimmer duties around the house, but also deal with seedlings and heavy grass in the woods and...

A few months ago, I picked up the HF quick hitch, on sale for $69, and with the 20% off coupon, it came to a whopping $57. After playing with it and pondering implement modifications, it was apparent that the top link adapter would require far less work than changing my implements. So I...

My rotary cutter is about 18 months old, with maybe 35 hours of use on it. Last time I was at my property, I noticed it had a fair amount of oil on the front of the gearbox, and on the cutter deck in front of the gear box. It was also the first really cold spell this year, so I am wondering if...

I have very modest trailering needs that have been served by a light duty 4x8 folding trailer. It has done well for me hauling single ATVs, a golf cart, lawn tractor, furniture, light loads of lumber, cement, landscaping stuff, etc. Last year I bought a cabin, acreage and a Yanmar 2210. I...

I know little to nothing about grass, so please bear with me. The front yard of my north Georgia cabin is sparsely covered in some type of grass that I keep cut during the growing season using a rotary brush cutter. It's thin in some places, and completely absent in a few large areas. Those...

Howdy, all. The motor on my trustworthy (12 years) Honda Harmony 215 lawn mower is finally starting to show it's age. Carb isn't working right and is defying my attempts to fix it. While working on it today, I managed to break the starter cord. This mower used to get a lot of use, but my...

Recently purchased a Yanmar 2210, a 4' rotary cutter, and a 5' box blade. I'm currently parking out in the weather due to a lack of covered space for them. I want to build a simple shelter. I've built stick-built sheds before, but for this project, I'm consideirng using poles, similar to an...

Howdy, all. The wife and I are buying 17 acres and a cabin in north Georgia. It will initially be weekend/vacation property, and become a retirement place in 5 to 10 years. The property is mostly wooded, with a few cleared acres around the cabin, and a 600+ foot dirt/gravel road. Among the...