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Moving? Surely you jest! 😁

A bit of backstory: Due to some geologic activity or other eons ago there's an amazing number of rocks just under the surface around here running the whole length of the valley. Many much larger than the ones shown here in my OP. When I dug a 900' trench to install the underground utilities...

The pic doesn't show it but these are pretty large rocks. Several hundred pounds at least for the most part. Maybe I'll take a shot with some kind of reference to give a better idea of the sizes and distance involved.

Yeah, those are 6x6 posts that support that portion of the main deck and I have looked at that as a possibility but the logistics of trying to make that work given the odd spacing and distance away just don't really work.

There's a series of conduits under these steps for main primary power line, phone line, water line out to the garden etc. They're spaced out a bit and not exactly sure of their precise location. I've revisited images I took when building and have a pretty good idea, but not inclined to give it...

I used to be the only using these steps I built but now other, less "agile" family members would like to use them as well IF I could build some kind of handrail for balance & safety. Perhaps drill anchor holds in the rocks and put in poles connected by... ? Any specific advice as to materials I...

Aha, that might be the ticket. Will look into it more. Thanks!

But when on generator, the AC indicator would show voltage.

The "Out" part is easy-- everything turns off. It's the "Back on" part that's the challenge.

We have a whole house gas generator in our separate garage but it does not have an automatic transfer switch. Not a problem when the power goes out (assuming we're home of course) and after a length of time when we get a notice from the power company that it will be some time before power's...

Worth every penny IMO.

I've a lot of hours in the "old days" clearing rocks from plowed ground. No loaders or anything like that, just grunt work. Move ahead a few decades and when the rocks got bigger, so did the tools.

Sounds/looks like I need a new alternator belt on our X748. Will look more closely at it when I get back home but wondering how difficult a task replacing this belt might be? Haven't been able to find any info specific to this model. Also, can't figure out how to search for any info in this...

SpaceX Sells Starlink Mini Dish For $200, But Only In Latin America

Great-- thanks much for the link.

Need to stop researching as now I'm just learning about Occultation and Solarization. Might be something to consider earlier in the Spring next year. https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/solarization-occultation

I thought of grass as well. I see some plusses and minuses in my case. I think it would look better and could be mowed between the beds with the hand mower and trimmed around the edges with the trimmer. On the down side, do I really want to have to mow/trim even more grass around this place...

You smash the slugs with a salt shaker?!? :unsure: But seriously, as sawdust is plentiful around here and we are putting in a new strawberry bed, I might have to try that. Thanks for the input.

Nice looking garden! Yeah, I think the last fabric I bought was woven and it worked fairly well, but still each year more & more weeds grew through it. That seems to be a pretty common sentiment when you read reviews where some report it works great while others blast it as ineffective. Such...

Determined to keep weeds at bay in the vegetable garden this season. Over the years I've used just about everything at one time or the other. Everything including landscape fabric, grass clippings, mulch hay, cardboard, newspaper, wood chips etc. etc. Each works to some extent but each has its...

Given the amount of lichen growing on trees all around here, I expect you're right. Sounds like the "Wet & Forget" cleaner mentioned by ponytug would be a good place to start. And as techman noted, the images shows the covering on the actual hoses. Image probably not good enough to make that...

This crud (algae? mold?) Has been slowly building up and I've been putting off doing something about it. But coming back from several months away this Spring, its gotten significantly worse with more build up. Time to try and remove it. Any suggestions?

[THESE PARTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN] Not sure if this is an appropriate place to ask, but I have some parts I purchased for my old Case 580 CK backhoe a few years ago that were never used. All are band new and for the most part in original packaging. Parts list: Hydraulic Cylinder Seal Kit #G109484...

Still some weeks to go here in the Northeast before getting the vegetable garden in, but never to early start planning. Too often I wait so long that local sources are limited. Would appreciate hearing from others about what sites they use & trust for quality vegetable seeds & plants?

Yeah, bevers don't seem to have any sense of obligation to a home owner's "rules". Like yourself, I'm content to let them do their thing as their main dam is below the developed part of our property, however they insist on building, building, damming, damming until the water starts to back up...

Thanks much for the info/links. The folks at Cornell are probably a bit more scientific about this stuff than myself. ;) One consideration is that I have a number of different garden plots & raised beds, each with different soil from various places so I may try the lab route for the main garden...

Getting near time to start the vegetable garden again. Thinking that perhaps this season rather than my usual "plant and pray" methodology I'll try too apply at least a minimum about of science. Testing the soil seems like a good place to start. But the last time I tried one of those meter...

As a former manual writer-- software apps not hardware-- you nailed it exactly. When hired to start putting together a new manual the biggest challenge is typically trying to get the developer(s) to understand that: "No, you can NOT just assume they know how to do that!" An in depth knowledge...

I have to laugh, sarcastically, when commentators say things like, "just download this or that app on your Smartphone". Yeah, right. Then what?? They seem to just dismiss those living in areas with no cell signal or available Internet option. I only have to go a mile from home before I lose a...

Fired up the Honda WX 10 water pump for the first time in awhile. Worked great, BUT found out there was a hole in the hose. Not that I couldn't have used a cold shower given how hot out it was, but I'd prefer not to have to deal with that again. Wondering if there's any way to repair such a...

Finally tossed this old Craftsman battery charger that I've had for years. Pretty much stopped working and I never was that happy with it in the first place. Looking a quality, not not hugely expensive ("Pro"), charger that can charge 12V car/truck batteries as well as Deep Cycle marine batteries.

Finally getting around to putting a bridge together that will span a small stream. Main supports are two railroad railings that will sit on very large, flat rocks on each end. Wondering what would be the difference between 2x PT as opposed to 2in rough cut with respect to overall life span? It...

I'd like to dig several fairly long trenches and am wondering how well an attachment like this might work: https://tinyurl.com/ydddbncb The ditch the backhoe makes is way too wide and messy and the length of the trenches I want to dig make a manual labor solution unattractive to say the least...

We expect to be away for an extended period this winter and I would like to find a quality remote temperature monitor device of some kind that we could use to check temperatures in our house at home remotely.

Too many choices out there to make a decision! Have a need for a cordless reciprocating type saw as a gift for a family member. Usage will be light-- perhaps to trim branches on shrubs & bushes (too thick for loppers), occasional use to saw up dead branches for kindling, etc. Looked briefly at...

Wondering what type of AA batteries are best suited for trail cameras and if the more expensive ones actually perform much better (last longer) than ordinary alkalines?

Returned after 3 months away from home we found that what to that point-- 20+ years-- of great tasting well water, now the water has a pretty strong sulphur odor. After a few weeks the smell may have been lessened just a bit but still very obvious. Had the water tested and were told that yes...

We'll be putting in a new cedar deck this week and are getting some different opinions as to treatment options. Some say just wait until the deck is installed then apply treatment while others say it's important to pretreat before installation. Would appreciate some informed input as to the best...

Will need to take a look at the options for upgrading or replacing our current floating dock and would like to know what others might be doing that works for them. What we have currently are some large, floating billets under a PT frame.

We'll be leaving our 2012 GMC diesel in our unheated garage for a couple of months this winter. Temps often get well below zero and I'd like to able to fire it up when we return so I've been been looking at these battery tenders as an option. Deltran seems to be one model recommended often...

Channel surfing the other day I came across that old TV Western "Wanted Dead or Alive" starring Steve McQueen. Had not seen that thing in ages! Thinking about all the old westerns that were so popular back then I did a quick search to remind myself of some of these shows and was amazed at just...

My aging Sears portable jump starter-- which I never liked in the first place-- is pretty much dead. Looking for a good replacement. The clamps on my old one suck. Have to manually help clamp down sometimes. Any advice as to what models you can recommend as a replacement?

Don't recall seeing/hearing so many crickets as I have this summer. Day & night-- creating quite a chatter! Just around here by any chance?

Trying to find out what I have. It's a VERY heavy, black piece of wood that's been in the family for many years, the origin of which is not known. I pulled it out of storage the other day thinking that perhaps someone might know just what it is. I was told at one point that it was a piece of...

Multiple storms have taken their toll on the steepest part of one of our driveways. Material there is crusher run (stone + stone dust) on top of a layer of gravel. I'd like to think that there's enough there to smooth it out somehow rather than have to haul in more fill ($$$).

Given this is a tractor forum it seems to be a perfect place to ask a question about photography. :) Not necessarily for resident photography experience (although I'm sure that exists here) but most of us rural folks have had to rig up all manner of contraptions to come up with a solutions to...

We have hot water heat and there's one section of copper pipe in the basement ceiling that runs near the outside foundation which is prone to freezing when the temperature gets down to zero or below. Pulling back the ceiling tiles in that area to let heat in helps but if the thermostat is set...

That's almost exactly what we have now and what I tried to describe in previous posts. Apparently not all that well. :) The main post is a 6x6 PT and the arm coming out is a 2x6 PT board with the box attached. While that is great system to prevent the whole post & box from tearing out when hit...

There's been an ongoing issue here with someone driving around and smashing mailboxes. Just put the 2nd new one in the past two weeks and that was smashed last night. The box is quite a distance away and not visible from the house. I'd like to install some kind of security camera in an attempt...

Found this old pistol in a stored away container. Doesn't appear to be a particularly valuable pistol even in mint condition but given it belonged to our grandfather there's something of a sentimental attachment. I was wondering that even though it's in horrible shape is it even possible to...

So I'm told that Pong is no longer the hottest game in town so I guess it may be time to do a bit of catch-up and learn a bit about what's out there these days. Wondering if any of the current game consoles out there offer any games other than the blood & gore shoot-em-up "action" games I see...

The hard vinyl 12" square tiles that were installed over our concrete basement floor now need to be removed for new flooring. Whatever glue was used is proving to be quite a challenge. Best I can do with a hammer & pry bar is to chip off pretty small pieces with each whack-- with quite a bit of...

Here in upstate NY it's shaping up to be a relatively dull Autumn as far as color goes. Last year was fantastic but even though it's a bit early now, this year a lot of trees are already bare and the hardwoods in the mountains around here don't look like they're going to put on much of a show.

Looking for a device that sound an alarm when the power goes out-- ideally loud enough to wake me up-- and also an audible notice when the power is back on. Finding a number of options when searching but would appreciate some input from someone with experience with this type of device.

I've got two sections of railroad track-- about 20 feet long each-- spanning a small stream, resting on two very large rocks at each end. Next step is to add some planking but not sure just how the best way might be to do that. Pretty hard driving nails or screws into that iron! :D I'm thinking...

Kinda' hard to think about the vegetable garden given it's snowing pretty hard right now on top of the two feet of snow already down, but... We typically end up getting most of our plants from local green houses and veggie seeds from big box stores. Would like to go a different route this...

Need to do some assembly work in our unheated garage this winter. It's uninsulated and 28x30 feet with 10 foot ceilings. Open stairway in back going up to an enclosed, heated studio. Given it will be an off/on situation it seems a forced air kero heater is the most practical way to go. Would...

With temps dropping below freezing I'm looking for the best option for starting our X748 diesel on those cold (and getting colder) days. The glow plugs aren't nearly enough for those really cold mornings but from what I hear from the dealer, installing a regular engine block heater type system...

Mechanic applied some kind of "goop" (not sure what it was) but it didn't last that long. Must be some product out there that I could use to patch this hole and avoid having to buy a new tank? Mice had quite nest there when it sat for some time last winter but for the life of me I can't...

Drought runs in cycles here in the Catskills. Here's a couple of shots taken around the large reservoirs back around 2001 that supply NYC with their water. Pretty bad but not nearly as bad as many other places. Friends in GA bought a "lakeside" house years ago. Can't even see the lake from their...

When I build our house some 15+ years ago I ran home-runs of Ethernet, Video & Phone wires all over the house. More than likely overkill, but at the time the thought was better to have connections that aren't used than to wish they were there-- after the sheetrock was in. Initial configuration...

Here's another pic. When I get back up there I'll look more closely and take some other shots:

Like a lot of (most?) mower type tractors, our John Deere X748 diesel has a seat safety switch installed that requires someone to be sitting on the seat for the mower to operate. So ok, I can see how that could be considered a safety system. Falling off or just getting off with the blades...

If you can believe the Consumer Reports review: Many other sites have a more favorable take on these things-- although possibly biased as dealers. For our intended use something like one of these would be a good option-- IF they're worth the $$$. Anyone have a portable air conditioner that...

As the pics show it's been pretty much taken over by birds having sat in a barn for over 10 years. I'm told it's a 1957 model and runs fine. Need to get a new battery to try and start it. Anyone familiar with this model tractor? | |

Now that our generator is tied into the main breaker panel in the house (manual interlock) I'm looking for some kind of system that can be installed that would sound an alarm when the power goes out as well as when the power comes back on. Anything pre-built out there that would do this?

Typically get gallons of berries from 4 main and 4 smaller plants but last year less than half that.

The clevis hook we've used for years is lost out in the woods-- somewhere. Not optimistic that we'll ever find it. Trying to find a replacement but perhaps since this was a very old device that they don't even make such a thing any longer. It had a chain grab hook that attached to the drawbar...

We expect to be doing some demos this summer and many of these sites will be outdoors with no AC power. I'd like to use our Honda generator to power a notebook computer, 23" monitor & Dye Sub printer. I believe the power output of this generator would be sufficient (?) to run the equiipment, but...

Verizon Wireless is charging me around $130 per month for two phones and one tablet with 6GB of data. Thinking there has to be better options out there?

I think too many people just assume that *everyone* has a high speed Internet connection (especially my urban friends~)-- not realizing that for many that's just not an option. Of course satellite has gone a long way to reach rural folks but satellites come with other issues such as high latency...

Wondering how long gasoline and diesel can be stored. I assume that there's general recommendations wherein stored gas & diesel would still be considered to be in good condition. What happens beyond that point? I assume that the longer they're stored the less effective (efficient?) they are but...

We did this using pretty much the technique described here by others. Cap the lower end, fill the pipe with water at the highest point shown in the attached images, then remove the cap. With the two 4 inch pipes it was pretty impressive how fast the pond drained. [EDIT: WOW-- didn't notice how...

We were given an Sears Craftsman air compressor. No manual but I did manage to find one online. It came with this blue Campbell Hausfeld system installed which obviously is a custom install but I'm not exactly sure what it's supposed to do. Appears to be some kind of in-line filter?

Planning to insulate & heat a space over the new garage. Gambrel trusses give us a 8x14x30 feet space to deal with. Not much experience with what's out there with respect to propane gas heaters and hoping someone can provide input as to some different heating units we might want to take a look at?

The light shown below has come on and is staying on and I can't find it referenced anywhere in the manual where all the other dash lights are described. Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary but it must be on for a reason?

Our 2012 GMC diesel has been taken over by mice. The little %!#$@* have found entry points and built nests all under the seats, in the dash and air ducts. The truck only gets occasional use these days and unfortunately they had made quite a bit of progress before they were discovered. I set...

I'm fed up with the line of bull crap I get when shopping at retail chains for prescription eye glasses. "Buy one get one free" kind of nonsense where it would end up costing well over three hundred bucks to get this "free" pair of glasses. "Designer glasses" has to be one of the biggest...

Recently had to dig up an overgrown flower bed and only after the fact realized that we didn't try to save one of my favorite plants. I want to replace it but don't know what it was. Blooms very late here in Zone 4/5 and is typically loaded with blossoms and honey bees well into late Fall. All...

We're in the process of planning for a new garage/studio. Size will be around 28x30 with 10' ceiling and attic trusses. To this point we've been talking to builders who use typical stick type construction methods and getting prices from some local contractors as well as a couple of the Amish...

We plan to put up a multi-purpose building that will serve as a 2 bay garage as well as a working studio. Given it can get very cold here in the winter I'm wondering if there are any options for some type of garage door that might hold heat in better than others? Thought the swing out doors...

Took this shot with my cellphone of a mushroom on our property. Anyone know what it is?

We want to reuse a buried 2 inch conduit that currently has a 6 line phone wire in it and install a new coax cable for Internet/phone. For whatever reason the electricians are unable to pull the current cable out. It breaks before it comes free. One theory is that it may be glued to the conduit...

Internet access has finally reached our rural location via the local cable company. When installed I would also like to be able to use wireless in an outbuilding about 300 feet away from the point where the indoor router will be installed. Done a lot of searching and there seems to be a myriad...

Now that I'm finally to a point where I have more free time we're looking at the possibility of growing some kind of crash crop-- for pleasure as well as producing some extra income. Born and raised on a dairy farm this is something I've thought about for years but never acted on. We've got the...

This morning I wanted to replace the battery in a remote control I took of the cover to see what kind of battery it needed. On the way to get a new battery I realized the wood fire was getting low so I took a few minutes to stoke the fire back up. Ok... now where did I set that remote down...

Bottom line: If it's cold and the wind's blowing-- IT FEELS COLDER! The TV weather nerds just love to make weather sound as dramatic as possible. They plaster those dire wind chill numbers all over their maps-- as if there's people out there running around naked. Your average 5 minute weather...

There's one area in my basement where the run of copper to feed the radiator farthest from the furnace is close to the top of the foundation wall. On nights like last night with the temperature around 20 below that area is susceptible to freezing. I've been advised not to use something like...

For winter chores like sitting on the tractor to plow snow in COLD temperatures, I've always used those booths with the "rubber" bottom, "leather" top and removable felt liners. Not very good for things like hiking but always kept my feet warm otherwise. The last pair I had wore out and I need...

Maybe not anywhere near as bad as folks on those depressing reality shows, but I have to admit I have a bit of a hoarding tendency myself. I know I have a LOT of junk that I should just close my eyes and toss out, but before it makes it to the landfill I too often have second thoughts and...

Our old Sears compressor is all but shot and it's time to buy a new one. Other than the inflating truck/car/tractor tires its used to drive an air wrench (removing mower blades) and blowing out long (200') water lines every fall. Appreciate input from anyone familiar with what might be a...

We'll probably do the snowbird thing again for a few weeks this winter and escape from the northeast US to the Florida area. Does anyone have any experience/suggestions for some type of remote home monitoring system? We're pretty isolated so it's not like a neighbor would even notice anything...

I spotted this little critter at the edge of our rural driveway while out walking the dog. It struck this fearsome pose only after my dog, not seeing it, accidentally stepped on it.

We had not bought fresh eggs from small, local hen houses for some time. The other day I was chatting with some house guests and describing to them how much different fresh eggs were from most of the typical supermarket eggs you buy these days. Instead of pale yellow yolks and watery, runny egg...

As many here obviously take digital images, I'm wondering how & where everyone keeps & protects their images? In the days of olde, when folks used something called "film" and "prints", most families kept their most memorable photos in albums (or shoeboxes!) that they could easily take out at...

Hard to tell from this grainy night video, but what's your best guess as to how much this guy (?) weighs-- or how old "it" is given the size? The rims of the garbage cans are 28 inches off the ground. https://vimeo.com/95653212

Out cat just LOVES that video!!

What with 2 diesel tractors & 1 diesel truck, I'm tired of constantly doing the 5 gallon fuel container thing. Local distributor right down the road sells diesel and I'd like to get a couple of 55 gallon drums + barrel pump to take the place of all the 5 gallon containers. But not sure how to...

Assuming the snow does eventually melt and the weather warms up, I've a long list of things to do that I didn't get done as much as I would have liked last year: Actually PLANT those early crops such as spinach, Swiss chard, onions, etc. instead of just talking about it until June! Take down...

So it's cold-- very cold. Ten below last night. To start the diesel truck, tractor, whatever... I turn the key to where I see the "Wait to start" light, then continue turning the key to start. Chugs, but doesn't start (as usual). So now, do I: Just try to start again? Turn the key off, wait...

Looking for some options for carrying tools on my tractor. The "box" it came with (Massey) is a joke. Other models I looked at didn't seem to offer a decent system to carry tools either. Of course the bucket works great- until you need it then you have to unload it all, do your FEL thing, then...

I'd appreciate some advise from those with experience as to best methods for starting diesel engines in COLD weather. For example, I've gotten different advice as to how to use the block heater recently installed in my tractor (Massey 1652). One person said to pretty much leave it plugged in...

Same here. Samson sticks his nose up at any kind of commercial treat. Spoiled pooch insists on liver (beef/chicken) so what's what we cook for him.

Love my new BH90-X backhoe (on Massey 1652). Dealer installed it when purchased and assured me that un-re connecting would be a "5 minute job". Well ok, figured that was pretty optimistic (dealer-speak) but the first time I tried to hook it back up alone I finally gave up after about an HOUR and...

Have to cut down a pretty large hard maple tree. Given I want to control the direction of fall I'm going to tie on a heavy bull rope to make it go the way I want. Options for the pulling are a full size diesel GMC 4WD pickup with oversize tires or a class IV tractor w/ 52 HP and new ag tires...

Too many things to list that "annoy me". Guess I'm just an annoyable kinda' guy. :o But it can be tiresome focusing on the negative when there's positive things that happen to brighten my day as well. Most always, little things. For example, walking around my garden today I noticed that the...

Won't be soon enough but eventually the few dozen tomato plants of various varieties I've started will hopefully start to fall over with red, ripe 'maters. For some time now I've used wire cages I've built to contain & support them. I then apply a generous amount of dry grass mulch and this...

Last time our cedar deck needed cleaning I did a power wash (medium) then used 2 different commercial "cleaners". About time to clean again and getting all kinds of free advice ranging from "never power wash", to "commercial products are a waste of money", "just use regular bleach", "liquid...

Thinking about a backhoe for our Massey 1652. Must have a hydraulic thumb but from what I can find out, MF models don't offer a thumb. (?) Hoping to get some input from other MF owners here with a comparable tractor and that have some insights as to what's out there.

Looking to replace my little 2-stroke gas powered water pump. Basically want to use it for water supply on projects such as mixing concrete to rebuild bridges over a stream and other such projects where a supply of water would be needed (lots of ponds/streams on the property) but too far away...

The basic concept seems to be pretty much universal, but how compatible are various 3 point hitch configurations across different tractor brands, such as Massey & JD, or Massey & Kubota for example?

Read a statistic this morning that I found hard to believe: Only about 35% of Americans know how to swim, and only 2% to 7% swim well,... When we were kids, long before there was a swimming pool in town, we had several favorite "swimming holes" in local creeks. Have to admit were I to drive...

Growing up on the farm lived on a rural back road. Not that many cars or trucks that drove by but when they did we and they always exchanged waves. Of course odds were pretty good that they were a neighbor, a townsfolk, or perhaps a local vendor such as the feed guy, vet, service person etc...

I remember once some years ago when we had relatives from "the city" visiting, there was an ad of some kind in the classified section of the local weekly newspaper that they were interested in and they wondered who had placed it. We offered to just look thorugh the phone book to find the number...

Volunteer department? Usually they're pretty tolerant-- within reason of course. Once this fire got going it was still burning the next morning. We always call the County 911 to let them know we're burning to avoid any false alarms.

The weather wizards here in the Northeast US have been positively giddy as this storm approaches with the kind of over-the-top, non-stop reportage that they always do about such weather events. Unless you live in a cave it seems it would be impossible not to have known about it's coming for...

I'd like to experiment making such things as small sitting benches, table tops, etc. using concrete. Anyone have experience with using concrete molds sold for this purpose?

As it was pretty close to an area where we drive on the lawn, I took it over to the edge of the woods and set the critter down on grass in a more protected area. Had I harmed it in any way my dog would have never forgiven me! ;)

EXACTLY what I said when my wife and I spotted this guy! :) It just looked other-wordly. I guess you saw the solution to the mystery that whistlepig posted. We have loads of these butterflies around here from time to time but have never noticed the in this stage of their development.

More HP = more power of course, but in terms of actual operation how noticeable a difference would there be between the MF 1648 and 1652 models?

One lucky dude: Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

Came across a snapshot I took of this strange looking little guy we came across outside our house last August. No idea what it is. (??)

I have a JD 748 with snow plow. Given I have some areas of uneven, gravel ground the float setting for the plow works well. Helps prevent digging in on those uneven spots. However around the end of last snow season the float wasn't working. Push the level all the way in to activate the float...

Been thinking about learning how to brew beer for some time. From what I've seen and read it doesn't appear to be all that difficult. But then again, most of the sites you find are trying to sell their beer making equipment and supplies. If you're an experienced brewewr, I would be interested...

Do you take any precautions to protect your pooch during big game hunting season? Here's Samson wearing his "Don't-shoot-me-I'm-not-a-deer" attire.

I've used those rubber bottom, leather top, felt liner type boots for years as they do a good job of keeping my feet warm-- especially for winter jobs such as running our JD snowplow, or splitting wood. Jobs where you don't move around that much. But given they're relatively clumsy where you're...

Most of the fabric & frame type portable garages I see don't look at all stable enough to support a decent wet snowfall. Does anyone know of a model that's sturdy enough for a typical Northeast winter season? Not crazy about the metal ones I've seen, but willing to consider anything.

We have a fairly large tank with a hand pump that we used a lot in the farming days, but it's just stored away now. Given recent prolonged power outages I was thinking it might be a good idea to fill it with diesel fuel or gasoline. Wondering what the recommendations are as to how long one can...

I've been looking for some kind of stabilizer system that would allow me to use the extension ladder safely on uneven ground. I've done a number of online searches, but it seems like most things I find aren't that highly rated by users. Any positive recommendations from someone here who has...

Not saying it means all that much in the real world, but does make me feel just a bit smug for buying my 576 XP last year: :) Gold, silver and bronze: Husqvarna tops the World Logging Championship - WLC 2012, WLC2012, WLC, 576 XP, Professional Cha...

Whether it's myth or reality (or some combination of both) I've heard numerous folks claim that even though the big box stores such as Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. sell some of the top name brand tools, they are not of the same quality for the same model # you would find elsewhere. The theory being...

Loved my Stihl 056 when it was working-- great running saw. But some time ago the ignition module crapped out and it now won't start. From what I've read, not highly unusual for that particular model. It is an old saw of course, but generally in very good condition. If I could even get the...

This guy obviously doesn't realize hunting season is right around the corner. First saw him in our long driveway coming down to the house and he tried to 'hide" in some weeds and small brush. Not very effective as his antlers stood out above the grass. Then about an hour later while working at...

We're considering building a small cabin in a wooded area of our property where a camping trailer used to be located. There is electricity & running water, but no waste facility. Septic is not viable given the terrain so I've started looking into alternate possibilities. Not too enthused about...

After a muddy session I was getting ready to power wash our JD 748 and saw that the rubber housing in the attached pics had been torn. It looks to be more than a minor job to fit a new one, but also is there another piece of some kind missing where the shaft is coupled with the front axle...

Same thing:

I've been looking for a quality ladder leveler attachment that I can install on my extension ladder in order to provide stability on uneven ground. As no stores around here sell such a thing I'm trying to sort through the options I find on the Intenet. Hard to separate the hype from reality...

[EDIT: "Black" Heater?? Sheesh. Sorry 'bout that but I guess I can't edit the thread title] Hard to imagine that I'll ever need a block heater when there's been so much HOT weather this summer, but I figure it's just possible that it may cool off come winter. :) Focusing in on a 1648 and...

Looking at a 1643 w/ 12x12 gears. Was quoted a price w/ FEL of $28.9K w/ financing or $25,420 cash. I beat up car dealers quite a bit recently when I bought a new car and saved quite a bit in the process. Do Massey dealers typically (if there is such a thing) bargain price? [EDIT: that price...

When I bought a new Stihl trimmer (130 FS) and chainsaw (Husky 576 XP Pro) a while ago I switched from the 87 octane gas I've always used in my older trimmers/saws to 89 octane. Since then I've talked to some folks who say to use premium gas and ideally ethanol free premium. I switched to 89...

We live in a very rural area and I often hike or bike the back roads around here. I'd wager anyone a fair amount that they couldn't walk any more than a couple hundred feet in any direction without coming across beer cans, or soda/water bottles, or food wrappers or some other litter that some...

Ever since I lost my favorite pocket knife and was unable to find that same model (bought decades ago in Alaska) I've used various knives but can't say as I'm too crazy about any of them. Curious as to what othes are using by way of a pocket knife?

I'm always needing to tote more items than I have room for in the standard toolbox-- plus it leaks. Anyone able to mount a larger toolbox somehow on their JD?

Beent thinking about installing a dump insert and wondering if anyone has any experience with these things they'd care to share? One I was looking at today: Welcome to DumperDogg Dump Inserts Web Site

I've read posts here referencing 'em but don't recall seeing many (any?) posts authored by them. Too much of an "old boys" club for the fair sex?? :D

I always wonder if the person 15 stories into a 50 story jump, or as soon as the rope tightens around your neck, or in this case a second or two after lighting the match-- wishes they'd made another choice... :(

By the time we replaced the old, rusting cover on this chimney, obviously the damage had already been done. Looking for the best way to remove the rust now that we have a new stone based cap. I've seen numerous recommendations for muriatic acid and I did try that on one small spot to test and...

We always spend way to much $$$ for annual flowers and some veggie plants for our home and very large garden every year, and I'm determined to *finally* get around to setting up a small greenhouse this spring. Not interested in building from scratch but rather would like to find something...

Looking at some of the options for used MFs locally: 2008 Massey Ferguson 1560, 1530 loader, 4x4, 60HP turbo, pwr shuttle, 12 fwd/2 reverse, tilt steering bucket lock, 2yr warranty, 111hrs, reduced, $25995

Great info in the recent coyote thread. Several mentioned carrying a "walking stick". Do you stick folks fashion your own, or is there something commercial that's available you can recommend?

There's lots of them around here but I can't say as I've ever given much thought to or was at all concerned about the possibility of an up close encounter with one given their tendency to avoid humans in general. We live in a very rural area (nearest neighbor a half mile away) and I typically...

I don't care what in looks like, or how goofy or "Elmer Fuddish" it may make me look, I want a hat that will keep my head & ears warm when I'm outside in well below freezing weather this winter. I'm about ready to toss out all these knit type caps I have been wearing as they just aren't warm...

Found in a remote field near woods. Upstate NY Catskill Mountain region.

Getting closer to decision time re. the new Massey 1643 I've looked at that our local dealer has in stock. Most all reviews here seem quite positive with the possible exception of some less than flattering remarks about the standard loader. Is the skid steer loader I see some opted for...

In all the years I've been cutting/burning firewood, I've never burned elm. Mostly due to the abundance of more common hardwoods here in the northeast such as maple, oak, ash, beech, etc. etc. But given the numerous standing dead elm trees on our property, I'm wondering if I should perhaps...