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Oh man, I've been suffering with this for over 6 months on my left foot, maybe even longer! It's just something I keep trying to ignore, but I've come to the point that I'm almost crippled. You'd think I'd be smart and go see a doctor, instead I've been too busy with work and family issues and...

My mom passed away today, with me holding her hand and kissing her cheek as she passed. I've been truly blessed to have such a great mother. I have sadness, but I also have relief. She was always a ray of sunshine, despite all the hardship in her life. I'm in a mad scramble, dealing with...

Ugh! My wife woke up this morning and she said the house was cold (57 degrees). We have a Nest thermostat so she went over to it to try to bump the temp, but it has an error saying the stage 2 has an issue. We have a gas Goodman forced hot air/cooling. I just had the daughter open the closet...

I decided to buy a new Lincoln Power Mig 211i. I previously used a Lincoln LN25 Pro, that I would run off my Lincoln 305G engine driven welder. I don't use a Mig rig often and I found the LN25 to be finicky to get dialed-in just right and I frequently had wire feed issues. It was also loud...

You know you're in Texas when you have one of these over the urinal.

I should have posted this closer to Thanksgiving. I recently made it with our leftover thanksgiving turkey, which was bourbon brined, spatchcocked and smoked for 4 hours at Thanksgiving. The smoke flavor took this soup to a whole new level. I occasionally spatchcock a whole chicken the same...

This is a great, hearty winter dish. It also freezes well. I typically make a double batch and use my vac sealer to make some multi-serving bags for the freezer. Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb (about 2 cups) diced venison 1 small yellow onion chopped 1 Tbl minced garlic (in...

Background: Vehicle is a 2020 F250 Lariat Fleet, Crew cab After getting my service truck broken into in Houston, last March, I've been thinking of adding some type of anti-theft device. The break-in was a smash and grab and the OEM alarm was going off with people standing around watching a...

I understand the dealerships are in business to make money, but the constant push to upsell is becoming ridiculous. When you push back, they always have a canned response. This time it was "we noticed it was a company truck and those usually live a rough life". It really damages their...

I've been meaning to research these policies as an alternative to my current $1650/mo United Healthcare family policy. The other week, I met a guy at the airport that sells these Christian medshare policies. I'm going to try to meet with him before the end of the year to discuss these plans...

I got some bad news that my father in laws wife just got admitted to the hospital with a blocked liver duct, the result of metastized breast cancer. She's always had annual mammograms that have always been clean. Last year during an annual DR visit, she pointed to some redness on her breast...

That whenever you get in a vehicle for a long ride, a fly climbs in there with you? Then the fly can't just chill in the corner or on the back window, he feels compelled to periodically take flight and buzz your face. And when you try to smack him, he precisely knows the angles between the...

I travel a lot and when I was home last weekend, I noticed my dog would have a slight cough, or more like he was clearing his throat, every so often. Anyway, I asked my wife to keep an eye on him, because it seemed odd. Thursday, she said he didn't seem like he was hungry. Which is really...

One of the two batteries on my 2020 F250 diesel must be bad. Got the click, click, click. Put the jump pack on and fired right up, jump pack said 14.7 volts once it was running, so assume everything else is good. Although 3 years isn't terrible, I still think it must be one of the shortest...

Looks like I need to get all my tire ills sorted today. In no particular order: The spare on my 2008 4runner is giving me a low air, I suspect the battery in the TPMS is just bad. Recently bought a new set of Yokohama's for it and Discount Tire said they wouldn't touch the spare, because it...

My wife and I were at some friends over the weekend, and they had a DIY tower hydroponic garden. It looked pretty cool, and pretty simple. They said the yield from the hydroponics was a lot more than a conventional garden. With a grow light, you could grow stuff year round if you had an...

I've been in a funk lately and I'm trying to get myself back on track. I'm not depressed, just sort of at a crossroads of options and trying to figure out how to jump start my motivation. Last year was a record year for my business, but the travel took a toll on me with over 265 days in...

I just read in a NY Times Article that the US was completing the destruction of the last of it's chemical weapons. NY Times Article I did some work at the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System back in the early 90's. JACADS I worked for the contractor that tested the incinerator stack...

I saw this sheep head butting a shepherd on another site. I'm sure this had to have caused some major injuries. That ram wouldn't have seen sundown, if it was mine.

I'll go first: I was in Africa recently and saw this pretty neat firepit built using 1" steel hex bar. What's cool about it is that it's essentially self-feeding, with the wood dropping down as it burns with an ash/ember tray at the bottom. If you've ever watched Game of Thrones, you'll see...

I won't make a blanket statement that all women are oblivious to what's going on around them, but sometimes you have to wonder. My oldest daughter is sharp as a tack and pretty cognizant of her surroundings and resourceful in getting things done. You ought to watch her back up a 3-horse...

Either the bun slicing machine at the factory is really hard to adjust or the person running it hates their job. You'd think it would be pretty easy to adjust the machine to slice somewhere down the middle of the bun, rather than 85/15. Rant over.

I've been on a cucumber salad kick recently, as a nice cold summer side dish. I made this one last night and it might be my favorite. I found it on Allrecipes.com Asian Cucumber Salad Ingredients: 2 cucumbers, sliced lengthwise, seeded and sliced 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup...

I was filling deer feeders at the lease and found this guy coiled up near the feeder. He was quickly introduced to a .308 pill. He was about 3 1/2 feet long. And yes, the stick I picked him up with after killing, still felt 10 feet too short.

I thought I'd share this recipe. I love German food and this is a great and simple side dish served cold. Ingredients: 2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin (the thinner the better, I use a mandolin) 1/2 onion, optional, thinly sliced (I use a red onion) 1 tsp salt 1/2 cup sour cream (I...

One of our deer lease members got off the lease and took his grill with him. So I threw one together using a 3/8" thk x 36" vessel head I had laying around. It came out pretty good. I'll put a 24" round solid plate in the bottom, so it has a flat bottom and is easier to shovel ashes out of.

I'm grilling chicken and beef fajita's with poblano peppers and onions with all the other fixin's of guacamole, pico, sour cream, cheese, salsa and cilantro. Wife is making queso and cilantro rice. I'll pick the meat up today at the mexican market, they always have the best marinated meat...

I wanted to get a consensus from the TBN brain trust on this one. I recently had the transmission rebuilt on a 2017 Ram 3500 SRW Diesel with 156K miles. The rebuild was done by a reputable Texas transmission shop with 26 locations. The rebuild wasn't cheap, about $8K with a 50K mile warranty...

I'm 56, and my right eye has developed a pretty bad cataract, requiring surgery. I had an eye exam at two different places and they both agree on the need for cataract surgery, as do I, because my vision in my right eye has gotten real crappy. Key-Whitman Eye Center (big eye center in/near...

It's a nice lazy relaxing day before Christmas, so I decided to smoke some salmon and make some chowder. I found salmon fillets on sale yesterday, so I'm making a double batch and will freeze some. The fillets are on the smoker now, while I sip a cold beer. I love a good smoked salmon...

Every spring, when the tornado season kicks up, we always wish we had a shelter. This year, I'm going to get out in front and put one in this winter. The most common one we see around here is the concrete in-ground with the sloped front like the attached link. I got some pricing and it will...

My home weather station has quit working and I'm looking to replace it. My original was just a cheap-ish Accurite. Without going all out with a professional model, does anyone have a recommendation for a decent one? I don't mind spending some money (up to maybe $300) if it will last a while.

As my wife and I start to think about our transition to retirement in a few years, we're starting to contemplate some different options. One of them is the idea of buying a vacation rental property, that we'd live in during the off-rental season. An idea is a place in/near Angel Fire NM that...

I was listening to some folks talking and realized how many people confuse or butcher certain sayings. In some cases, I guess it might be regional differences in common sayings. Here's an example, "Take it for granted" or do you say, "Take it for granite"? There are a ton of other examples.

Does anyone else regularly do a random act of kindness for a stranger? Not tooting my own horn, but I was talking to another guy I occasionally work with and learned he does a similar thing to me. It made me wonder how many folks might also do it. I've traveled for my job for almost 35...

I've been considering replacing my PJ 20'- 10,000 GVWR, deckover with more of a 14,000 GVWR car hauler style trailer. The deckover is nice for lots of things, but hauling a vehicle isn't one of them. So last week I stopped by a couple of the trailer dealers in Ft. Worth to see what was...

My oldest started college, majoring in equine science. Now that she's starting to spread her wings and becoming independent, we really needed to find her a truck to haul herself and her horses around. This is the worst time possible to be finding a used truck, but there's a few out there. I...

A topic that came up on one of the threads got me thinking about identity theft protection services. It seems like the crooks are getting better and better with their scams and in the digital age, your info is just about everywhere anyway. I do a fair amount of traveling and I have to cancel...

I'm faced with moving my 85YO mother to an assisted care facility. We've avoided it as long as we can, with having a part-time care giver for the past 6 years. It's to the point that she needs full-time, round the clock care for her safety. Trip to the ER this past weekend for a fall and head...

I have a 550XP that's developed an issue that makes it completely unusable/unreliable. It will start without a hiccup, but the next time, I can pull the cord 100x and it never starts. I've always followed the pictogram and it's not an issue of a hot start or cold start, it's not reliable...

Anyone else deal with this! Holy swollen nut batman!!! I have a 2014 F-150 and my buddy and I went to do a rear brake job today. Out of the 12 rear nuts, we could only remove 6. That's with trying PB blaster, using a 1200 ft/lb pneumatic impact wrench, 20V Dewalt impact wrench and (3) 1/2"...

Today I poured out the last of Rox's "Mas de Bories" AOC olive oil. Ok, to be honest, I still have the can propped upside down over a bowl, hoping another drop or two can be coaxed out. I've been savoring it, only using it for special dishes, special guests, drawing out the time when this day...

I want to create a picture of my 2700 acre deer lease and map and annotate fence lines, pasture names, boundries etc. Essentially take a photo off google maps or something and then draw in these features. I'll eventually want to print it fairly large and probably have it laminated. I'd then...

What is the deal with water well contractors? I'm getting to the point I'd rather have all my teeth pulled without Novocain, then have to deal with another well person. No shows, poor service, deceitful, the list goes on. The first time I ever needed my well serviced, I had a guy show up...

It hit me last night in the span of 1 hour. Chills, skull crushing headache, body aches, sweats and a 102 fever. I feel a little better this morning and fever is down to 101 and the headache has subsided. That might be due to taking Ibuprofen. Deciding whether I get tested or not, not sure...

Has anyone had this done to their vehicle? Supposedly lasts the life of the vehicle and also gets recorded on the Carfax. My work truck lives a life with lots of grime and scratches (Texas pin striping). I'm wondering if this might be worthwhile to have done. I've seen some kits where you...

Hopefully this thread doesn't go off the rails, but I'm not holding out hope. BTW, I've been vaxxed. However, I just got a letter in the mail from the County Commissioners Court that their database was breached and names, DOB, phone number, Covid 19 vax data and email addresses may have been...

He got too close brush hogging and rolled his tractor into the pond, pinning his foot under the machine with only his mouth above water. He had to dive down three times until he finally worked his foot out of his boot. He's OK and the tractor is being checked.

I'm not sure why I waited so long! Last weekend I was using my Stihl Kombi 130R and it was running a little rich before I put it away. Yesterday, I went to start it so I could tune it, and despite 30+ pulls, no start. I'm getting too old to deal with that frustration. Despite using...

Both my rear bumper connection and my in-bed gooseneck connection seem to be sloppy (Bumper is Ford OEM, gooseneck is Hopkins). With two different trailers and in both configurations I get the same issue. Today, while heading up to Madill OK to get some pipe, my truck was constantly sensing...

I ran across these truck tool boxes made by CamLocker on another forum and thought I'd pass it along. I've had Weatherguard and currently have a RKI cross bed and it looks like these Camlockers might be a better design if security is an issue. My RKI could easily be pried open and I believe...

All the wrench rolls I find are too short to fully cover the 1 1/4 and 22mm wrenches and the wrenches slide out. Does anyone make a decent one, preferably canvas , oiled/waxed canvas? Or maybe I have a tarp maker make me one. Anyone have experience with doing that?

I'm looking for a TPMS for my double axle gooseneck horse trailer. Anyone have some recommendations? I'm probably interested in one that is monitored by a phone app, not wanting additional clutter of another screen. I had a blow out the other week and would have never known if someone hadn't...

I'm so tired of grabbing a Bick or Scripto butane lighter to light the fireplace, only to find the dang thing has plenty of fuel, but won't light worth a flip. Who makes a good one? Preferably one that's refillable. I'd rather buy once cry once and have a quality lighter I don't have to...

My 4 year old black mouth cur found another one and got the full blast... again. This is either the 4th or 5th time. You'd think he'd learn at some point. I guess the tenacity of the BMC is what makes them so good for hunting hogs, coons and squirrels. I wish their breeding gave them a...

I need a decent floor jack and stands, mainly for changing/rotating tires and such, largest vehicle is diesel F250. What's a decent one?

Looking at utility/flatbed "hybrid" style truck beds and really like the Pronghorn UTD bed. Does anyone have a Pronghorn bed? Opinions on the quality? Do the boxes stay relatively watertight? This will be put on a 2020 Ford F250 Long bed, like the photo below.

Can anyone shed some light on a vehicle requiring to be a CMV or not? Here's my scenario. I have a LLC and the company bought (titled and insured by company) a 2016 Chevy 3500 with a GVWR of 13,200lbs. It only hauls me and my tools for jobs that are typically within my state. I do not haul...

I brined 4 Cornish game hens and cooked them last night. The family thinks it was the best chicken they've ever had. What a difference it makes to the tenderness, juiciness and flavor. The brine recipe came from Steven Raichlens brined turkey recipe. I halved the below recipe to make one...

I'm replacing some woven equine wire on a pipe fence and I'm reminded how tedious it is to terminate the ends by wrapping each horizontal strand around the terminating pole and twisting it back on itself. I twist the wire using fencing pliers and another small mutihole twisting tool at the...

I was on a jobsite this past week where the welders were able to do some open root tig welds on stainless without a purge gas. I was doing some googling and I believe it's called High Deposition Metal Transfer Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (HDMTGTAW), that's a mouthful! I guess it's a fairly new...

Why do so many welding trailers and welding rigs have the cylinders on an angle? I understand that typically O2 and some of the inert shielding gas can be tipped. But the acetylene is a whole different deal. I just modified a skid that my welder is on and put the oxygen at 45 degrees and I...

The topic came up on another forum and I thought I'd post it here too. I cut myself pretty bad a few months ago and fortunately had a Molle pack first aid kit I had put together in my truck. But that experience made me completely revamp what I had in that kit. It seems most kits focus on a...

I've been wanting a good shooting bench at my deer lease, so I built this with a 2" x 6" x 14ga purlin, 2" x 14ga square tube, 1 1/2" square tube (used on the pull bars) and 2" x 1/8" flat bar I had lying around. I built it with skids so I can drag it to different shooting distances. I can...

I'll preface this by first saying that I'm not trying to start a brand war. I currently have a 2016 Chevy 3500 Crew cab DRW cab chassis, WT trim, with flatbed for a work truck, which has a great ride and has been problem free. It's a basic tool with vinyl seats, rubber mats, and simple but...

Every fall we battle the flies. They always seem to start congregating at the back of the house (because it's south facing and stays warmer) and also faces the pasture. We also put in some new horse stalls, that are probably adding to the problem this year. Next year I might look at putting...

Good grief, I looked at my renewal bill today and it's nearly $4K/year with Farmers. Prior to this year, our homeowners was always paid through escrow on our mortgage payment, so we probably didn't pay as much attention to it as we should have. Last year we paid off the mortgage, so we now...

I'm tinkering with ideas on how to get water to a trough on my back pasture. I can run a 600' water line from my shop, but there's a lot of table rock between the two which might make the digging/trenching difficult. Another option is I have a pond on the front pasture that's 150' from the...

Well, I'm chilling out on vacation on North Padre Island with the wife and kiddo's. Because it's fathers day, I get to choose what I cook for dinner, so I'm going to try grilling oysters. I love anything seafood (or BBQ). I was on a job in MS earlier in the week and stopped at a restaurant...

I just got a quote to have part of my driveway paved. The driveway is currently compacted 1/2" flex base. Tired of the dust and tracking it into the house and cars. Quote is to grade and repack existing base and then surface with 2.5" uncompacted, compacting to about 2". Just shy of 3000...

I bought a 10K 20' PJ bumper pull deckover trailer. I needed an all around trailer for occasionally hauling the Kubota L3800, picking up hay and getting other materials. I didn't need a huge weight rating and I wanted something I could either tow with my F150 or 3500. My ideal trailer would...

Any tried and true, long lasting fix for the sticking cable issue? I've lubed mine with the best lube I can find and I'll still have an issue if I don't use it frequently enough. Stronger spring, different cabling routing? The problem is certainly compounded by the lack of accessibility to...

I started today by knocking my full 30oz coffee mug off the counter. It became a coffee bomb all over the kitchen floor. In the ensuing clean up, I discovered that every mop we own is a piece of crap. Either the sponge isn't truly secure, or the wringer thing doesn't truly wring the sponge...

I thought I'd post this one for the hunters. We frequently make this dish throughout the year using ground venison and it's very simple to make. It's delicious paired with a red wine, especially a South African Pinotage. We had this traditional African meal (national dish) during our stay in...

I'm considering buying a 3pt log splitter, but I'm unsure of what the available hydraulic flow would be. Tractordata lists my hydraulic flow as: pump flow 6.3 gpm, steering flow 3.8 gpm, total flow 10.1 gpm Does this mean I have 10.1 gpm available or only the 6.3 GPM? My tractor is set up for...

I stumbled upon this recipe the other week. So far I've made it twice and it's excellent. Some of the reviewers make it sound like it 's a hassle to make, but it isn't. I used shallots in place of the scallions and thought they added great flavor. Whole roasted cauliflower

Alright you A/C guru's. So my 22 YO Frigidaire 3T Air and gas heat system is kaput. (actually only the compressor, but heck it's 22 YO, so I figure I've got my value from the system and probably time to replace it.) How do these installed prices stack up? Goodman 16 Seer 3 ton gas system...

Thought I'd share an issue I ran into today, hopefully I can save someone else the hassle. Make sure the bolts that attach the poly hopper (or metal hopper if that applies to yours) have nylock nuts, lock washers or threadlock. Otherwise, they very easily come loose and the bolt drops down...

I'm tired of the crappy clamshell style post hole diggers and I'm on a quest to find one that I used as a kid that was radically different, that I've never seen since. Instead of a clamshell digger that has a fulcrum point, this one had one heavy digging blade fixed to one handle (stout wooden...

I had one of my best friends pass away today, he was 49YO. He was diagnosed with cancer in May and it overcame him fast. We both started our careers together after college and remained best friends since. I saw him again on Friday and knew his days were becoming short, but thought we still...

I have a bunch of projects that require setting fence poles, pouring tubes, piers etc. Usually, I rent a cement mixer when I need one and knock out a bunch of stuff over a weekend. My time now is becoming so sporadic that I'm thinking of buying a small portable mixer so I can do things when I...

Has anyone directly contracted an individual to act as a caregiver for an elderly parent? We've been using a local agency for the past few years, but we've had somewhat spotty quality of caregivers and service. We've found someone that comes highly recommended that's been a caregiver for...

I've been on a job in Maryland and had today off, so I decided to spend the day in DC. What an awesome day!! My folks took me to DC when I was 9- 10 years old and I always held fond memories. I was like a grade school kid on a field trip today! Heck, I walked 14 miles and never even realized...

I'm thinking of putting an aftermarket bumper/grill guard on my 2016 3500. Anyone have any experience or recommendations? I was looking at a Ranch Hand Legend, but wonder if it might be too heavy. Anyone have any experience with some others?

Flat bed truck that is! I think I just bought my dream truck. It's a new 2016 3500 crew cab chassis, diesel 4x4 with 9.5 foot Knapheide flatbed. The dealership near me had some 2016 leftovers, with slight hail damage at a price I couldn't resist. On top of that, they had 0%/72 months. I...

Does anyone run anything from a truck PTO? I understand running hydraulics, but has anyone run anything else? Generator, compressor, pump etc?

Anyone find an alternative to that stupid little knob that acts as a travel stop for the 3-point lever? Maybe it's just mine, but it sure seems like it should be easier to turn.

Despite my best efforts to prevent it, my PTO cable is starting to stick. Anyone have a sure fire lubricating process to keep this from happening? I've periodically shot some white lithium in it. Might have to squirt some Kroil down the jacket to get it freed up again. What a crappy design.

The chili thread hot me to thinking. How about a forum for us to share recipes or cooking/canning/pickling tips so they're all in one place?

I found this one on Craigslist. It's in pretty decent shape and all the tines are good. Hopefully it works pretty decent for the yard and horse pasture. It's a little big for my L3800. I have my backhoe on the back right now, so I haven't been able to see how well it hooks up. The lift...

Well, Christmas came early for me this year. My new business has been going great and the time was right to take on some capital expenses. I figured I'd take them for this fiscal year, so I bought a Lincoln 305G engine driven welder (thanks for your input Shieldarc!!) It's one heck of a...

I finally think I'm ready to look for a new dog. I had to put my old yellow lab, Dually, down back in July. We had a wonderful 14.5 years together and he was a great companion in every sense. Dually considered everyone in the neighborhood his "family" and he had a daily ritual to visit each...

Anyone have any experience with one of these gas powered portable post drivers? The neighbors and I are looking at going in on one for driving tee posts. RediDriver

I was mowing the other day and decided to try the cruise control. I noticed that it doesn't hold it's position and slowly backs off as you drive. Anyone else experience this? I have the shop manual, so I'll see what it says about adjustment. Seems like it should just be a simple tightening...

When I was a kid, we used to use Golden Malrin fly bait on the farm. It was like using a nuclear weapon on flies, killing them by the thousands, and helped keep them in check around the barns. We've had a wet spring and the flies around the house are getting out of control. So I'm at TSC and...

I do a significant amount of business travel and have always either booked direct with an airline or used Expedia. Lately I'm having more and more problems with Expedia (dropped calls, bad connections, call center in India) or the process of booking/changing travel plans takes a ridiculously...

Anyone replace the seat on a BX2200? Mines a 2003 and the seat is all cracked and pealing. Time to find a replacement and thought I'd see what others have used. I haven't checked the hole spacing yet, but I saw both TSC and Northern Tool had some decent replacements.

Anyone use a renovator/aerator similar to this one? I found this one on Thompson Aeration Equipment and it looks like they sell parts and kits for making your own. I have 6 acres of horse pasture that could use some regular aeration and renovation and I've been looking at some of the...

I'm planning out the summer vacation and looking at visiting the space center on our way to the coast. Anyone been there? How much time should we allow? What exhibits are a "must see"? Thanks!

I need some information/feedback on self employment. I'm just starting to research this and it's time to consult the TBN brain trust once again. I'm just looking for some basic info first, I'll start digging deeper as I go. I'm contemplating starting a business and working for myself as a...

Eddie, Apparently, somewhere in East Texas. You might need help dragging this one out.

Anyone use their L3800 (or L3901) to move round bales with a FEL bale spear or a 3-pt spear? I'm not planning to move them far, just unload from a flatbed and put out in a feed ring, traveling over flat ground.

I need a new flashlight for around the homestead. My trusty streamlight has finally seen better days and is ready for retirement (plus I want a new badass flashlight:thumbsup: anyway) I think I'd prefer one that's not rechargeable, unless someone says otherwise. I've been looking at Zebra...

The oldest daughter is starting to get into horses and I need to get a horse trailer. We have two horses now and I don't think we'll have any more than that. We'll be using the trailer for traveling for trail rides and horse clinics. The current tow rig is a F150 crew cab with 3.5 Ecoboost...

I feel like I'm counting down the days, hours and minutes until family vacation. Last year, I had to leave the family early and fly home to attend to work matters. I missed horseback riding on the beach with my girls, playing in the waves and surf fishing. It really ruined the summer for me...

Just a heads up to any ecoboost owners. Apparently there's a potential issue regarding fuel contaminating the oil on some of the ecoboost engines. A buddy of mine had a Blackstone oil analysis on his F150 and had the problem show up. He took it to the dealership and they indicated that...

Came home on Monday night to find I had no water pressure from my well. Did the basic troubleshooting and isolated to either a worn pump (26 years old at best guess, replaced by previous owner) or a hole in the drop pipe. Eight phone calls later and I finally find a well company that can get...

I've spent a bunch of time sharpening my chainsaws over the years. Back when I was a certified arborist going through college, it used to be a breeze to whip out a round file and touch up a saw freehand during gas-ups or breaks. I'm real particular on having a sharp saw and as I've gotten...

Looking for a new firewood saw in the 50cc class. I've owned both Husky and Stihl's over the years so I'm not exclusive to either one. I'm leaning towards the 550XP as it's slightly lighter. Probably will run a 16" bar for general use with a 20" for the occasional flushing of stumps. Not...

We're looking to have part of our driveway paved to help with the mud. We're doing 3000 sq/ft. I'm getting quoted $2/sq/ft for grading (we already have a suitable base) and then putting down 2" of hot rolled asphalt, 2 ton static roller. Does this price sound good?

Pulled the trigger on one of the last new L3800 HST's I could find. Equipped with FEL, BH77 backhoe and landpride PHD. It'll be delivered on Monday. I looked long and hard at the newer L3901 that replaced the L3800, but in the end, with the exception of the engine (direct vs indirect) and the...

Been researching and going round and round for a few weeks on what our new tractor should be. If I had jumped on things earlier, I probably would have gone with a Tier 3 Kioti CK35HST, but they're all but extinct at this stage of the game. So now I'm looking at new Kioti and Kubota options...

I'm looking to upgrade from my sub-compact Kubota BX2200 to a true compact tractor. I saw some of the Mahindra's at the Ft. Worth stock show and they caught my interest. I'm considering one with a FEL and BH. The lift capacities of the 3-pt, loader and BH are impressive compared to the...

Looking to upgrade the 2003 BX2200 with something that can handle mowing (MMM) and moving round bales with the loader. Can the newer B2650 handle a bale on a bucket spear? Or am I looking for the impossible and should expect to use a 3-point spear instead for a dual use tractor?

The bucket curl cylinder on my 2003 BX2200 is leaking pretty bad at the shaft seal. Has anyone repaired one of these themselves or should I just take it to a hydraulics shop?

I never saw this one coming. 29 years old and had an asthma attack. He hadn't been taking his meds and didn't have an emergency inhaler. Ended up in cardiac arrest and suffered oxygen deprivation. They removed him from life support on Tuesday after he was determined to be brain dead. I...

Does anyone have any experience or recommendations on which one to use? I'm looking for one for my mom. preferably, I'd like it to be one that's portable, so she could use in Massachusetts and Texas. I would need one that does not use a land-line, we only have cells at both locations.

I finally broke down and replaced my old 89 K2500 with a new Ford F-150 FX4 crew cab with ecoboost. It'll be my wifes daily driver. I've always been a GM person, but I must say that the Ford with ecoboost is hard to beat. I can't believe how loaded trucks are today, although I probably wont...

Ugh! On Saturday I accidently ran over my best friend of 12 years. Fortunately, it looks like he'll be OK and recover to wag his tail another day. I was putting in 50 feet of trenched waterline out to my garden on Saturday. During the lunch break, I needed to run into town to get some...

It's been a roller coaster of the last 6 days. Six years ago, I lost my brother to cancer, reducing my family to just myself (with wife and 2 girls) and my folks (76 and 81 years old). With that in-mind and preparing for my folks aging needs, three years ago, I built a small in-law apartment...

I'm scheduled for mono-LASIK this Friday. I have a very mild correction for distance in both eyes. They'll only be correcting my shooting eye for distance and leaving my other eye alone. (If I can't eventually adjust, they can correct the other eye at a later date). I'm somewhat concerned on...

My BX2200 has started leaking at the shaft seal under the steering wheel. I priced up a new valve and the dealer wants over $700 for a new one. They offer no rebuild kits. Has anyone had any success rebuilding one of these? Is there a source for the seal(s)? Thanks!

I remember a discussion a year or two back about buying rural property and a number of people highly recommended a book that helped with the search and buying process. I've tried searching the forums, but no luck finding that thread. The book helped explain some of the problems and things to...

My wife is showing interest in photography and is interested in getting a DSLR camera. Any one have any experience and can recommend a camera? I've had some folk recommend a Canon T3i, Sony A37 or a Nikon D90 I don't know enough about them to make an intelligent decision.

We "adopted" Abbey about a year ago, after someone dropped her off on our street out in the country. She was a "Labra-doodle" and was quite a character. She was well trained, house broken and spayed, which really made us wonder why someone would just dump her and abandon her. It makes you...

What's causing a sulfur smell in my hot water? What's weird is that in the main house, it's not an issue. However, in my in-law apartment across the driveway, it's terrible. The water comes from the same well, but each building has it's own hot water heater. The hot water heater in the main...

Dang-it!! I just spent 6 hours at the ER with my 8YO daughter. She fell climbing over our split rail fence and broke her arm (both bones of the right forearm). We'll need to see a specialist Monday, to determine if it needs pinned. She was a real trooper at the ER and made me real proud with...

You know how you get the "I wants" that just about totally consume you? I've had a bad case of them for one particular pistol for a long time. Well, the funding, the availability and the wifes blessing (the last one was the easiest) all lined up and I finally got one. I feel like a kid at...

OK, so it's not exactly what you thought. They're pretty cute anyway! My daughter had to make something for her school business day. So she decided to make these pinecone turkeys, 40 of them in all. The kids will use their "scholar dollars" that they earned during the semester and visit the...

Our old computer gave up the ghost and I don't recall what we had for a picture resizer. Can anyone recommend one?

Birds post about cooking corn and removing the silk, was timely. Someone just sent me the following email with a simple method for cooking large volumes of corn. "Am I the only person who hasn't heard of "cooler corn"? As an obsessive food nerd, you'd expect that I would have at least heard...

The wife and I are headed to Ireland in two weeks for a 3 day/4 night red stag and fallow deer hunt about 50 miles southwest of Dublin in County Kildare. After our hunt, we'll have a rent car and want to set off on some site seeing and B&B's for two nights, before returning to Dublin for our...

Well both of my mini-donkey jacks are now a little lighter on their hooves. The vet stopped by today and we castrated both of them. It only took about 20 minutes per donkey. I've worked with cattle and seen the way they're typically done, donkeys are very vascular in that area, so they're...

I just wanted to share a nice little .22 rifle with those that might be looking for a kids first gun. I bought this Henry Mini-bolt for my 5 year old daughter. I bought the black one. I don't think much of the flourescent orange, because I think it makes it look too much like a toy, which is...

...made a little girls first trip to the deercamp with daddy, something to remember! Everytime I head off to the deercamp for a weekend, my little girls always tell daddy to "shoot a giant hog!". Well, this time, I asked my oldest daughter Kaylie (5 years old), if she wanted to go with daddy...

My wife and I are planning to get some mini-donkeys. Does anyone have any advice or experience with them? They're just for pets, no breeding anticipated. We're planning to get a pair of 6 MO jacks that are best friends (photo). Should we get them both gelded? At what age?

I need to add a brake controller to my 4Runner. Anyone have any recommendations? The trailer is a tandem axle with electric brakes on one axle. Gross trailer weight is 4500 lbs.

...blew my turn-out shed over!! We had some strong storms come through last night. It appears we had a micro-burst or a very strong straight line wind that came at just the right angle (out of the east). The shed sustained some dents, but is otherwise alright and I can uprighted it pretty...

OK. This may not appeal to the purists, but you have to admire this deer blind.

Anyone in N. TX had any asphalt drives put in lately? The wife and I are starting to get tired of the dust and gravel getting tracked into the house and cars. We're starting to put a budget together to remedy the problem with an asphalt drive and need to get an idea of costs. Our drive is...

I think I'm going to buy a Camcorder for Christmas. I have a question regarding buying a camcorder with MiniDV format or splurge (Extra $100 - $150) to get one that records straight to a DVD. If you have MiniDV, how do you then get the video saved to another format for storage and sending to...

I'm not one to normally complain about what someone does on their property, but I have to vent this one. I live on a 3.5 acre lot, as does my next door neighbor. Recently I've counted 10 horses and 12 cattle on his little spread, these are mainly confined to some run-out pens on about 2 acres...

If anyone hasn't heard the story of the dog named "Skidboot", here it is.

how about getting a brain.

Some of the recent threads about losing a spouse, living wills, etc. prompted me to also remind everyone of the importance of life insurance. When my brother passed away last year, we were quickly reminded of exactly how important life insurance is. Without a life insurance policy, my SIL...

Well, this weekend is my big test. The wife needed time away from the trials and chores of raising a six month old and 2.5 year old. Hunting season is fast approaching when I'll start to disappear for multiple weekends, so it's only fair that she gets to take off for some R&R. All of you guys...

Does anyone know if a "room sealed" tankless water heater can be mounted in a utility/laundry room, without having to be in it's own closet? I'm not sure about other states, but I believe that in Texas, a gas water heater must be in it's own vented closet. I'm wondering if the same code...

Finally, after many years of suffering with a dial-up connection at home, I finally splurged. Like many others, I didn't have many options. Too rural for cable, too far away for DSL. My options were limited to satellite of wireless. I took the advice of the knowledgeable folks here on TBN...

...then working in an attic in the middle of a Texas summer? I spent 6 hours working in the attic yesterday. I started at 7 am and finally finished at 1:00 pm. I had to run new electrical to the master bath remodel, install some can lights, run HVAC duct and demo some old wiring. To add...

I'm about ready for a new commuter car. Before I go my typical ex-rental car from Enterprise rental, I thought I'd look at one of the Kia's. One of the dealers around here has a new Kia Spectra for $9900. And then a guaranteed trade in for your old car of $3000. I can walk out of there with...

Does anyone have any recommendations for a good camcorder? I'm wanting it for the regular family gathering stuff, but also for capturing hunting and outdoors stuff. What's the recommended media, digital, Hi8, DVD? I'm looking for something that'll set me back a max of about $600 (do I need to...

My folks have been visiting with us for the past week. My Mom, always wanting to help out around the house, grabbed a bucket and headed to the front yard to spend some time dead-heading our roses. When she got to the gate, she stopped to admire a "unique yard sculpture". She was just about to...

Does anyone know the rule-of-thumb on how much dishwashing detergent (Palmolive) to add to a 25 gallon sprayer tank for use as a surfactant when spraying 2-4D?

I\'m a Daddy!! (again) Lydia Grace was born at 11:54 p.m on St. Patricks Day. She just made it. That makes 2 holiday babies. Our first was born on Easter 2004. Both momma and baby are doing fine and daddy is overjoyed.

I was looking on ebay for some new Milwaukee 18V batteries and noticed a number of companies offering to rebuild batteries. Has anyone tried this? It's about 2/3 ($35 each) the cost of purchasing new ones. A pair of new batteries will cost me about $100.

This is kind of a follow up to another thread that talked about "what kind of sprayer to buy". I thought I'd follow up with my experience. I've usually brushed (trim work, siding) or rolled (walls, ceiling) latex paint. However, I had 8 raised panel interior doors that required painting and...

I have a single stage Ingersoll air compressor in my home shop. It developed a problem that prevents it from charging to greater then 80 psig. The deadband on the switch is set at 90psi (decreasing) and 120psi (increasing). Therefore the motor tries to run continuously until the thermal...

I'm sure some of my fellow country brethren have the same problem I have. I'm stuck with dial-up. We don't have cable in our area and I'm too far away from the local switch for DSL. This leaves me with two options, two-way satellite or radio. I checked with the radio supplier (speednet) and...

Here's proof that spring has arrived in the great state of Texas.

Where\'s Cowboydoc been? I don't think I've seen anything from Cowboydoc for some time. Did I just miss some of his posts, or has he gone missing?

I know it's non-tractor related, but where else can you find as many knowledgeable people then TBN? Has anyone else's company health insurance doubled? Mine went from $260/mo for a family, to $520/mo for a family. The same thing with the plans offered at my wife's company. Both plans are...

Well, it's been quite a month. I've been on the road for all but 4 days since before Thanksgiving. I've actually been in Junkman's territory in CT the whole time. To give y'all some insight into the project. We're adding a 20 x 30 addition off the back of the house. It'll mainly be a living...

Here's my 6 month old with the pumpkin daddy carved for her. The pumpkin was purposely given a "gummy smile" to match hers.

The wife and I are finishing up the last of the details for our new addition. We plan to have two fireplaces on the end wall, one will face indoors, the second will be outside on the porch. The exterior one is just a simple rumford style fireplace for atmosphere and mood when relaxing on the...

We'll start a battle over who's the luckiest guy. Since my wife and I got married 2 years ago, I've been truly blessed. The first valentines day, she gave me a table saw. Then I mentioned that we could sure use a tractor. We started checking them out the next weekend and financed one on her...

I left the house at 6:30 this morning (still dark). I live on a county road and as I rounded a bend, I came upon an overturned car in the middle of the road. The car was on it's roof, lights still on, debris strewn about. I jumped out of my car and raced over to look for occupants. There was...

Bee\'s in Attic The wife killed about 10 honey bee's in the master bath this morning. Then she got to listening. She can hear a hive in the attic above the master bath or high in the wall. I'm guessing they swarmed and found my attic to be an acceptable home site. I don't know why they'd...

I'm getting ready to build a sprayer to mount on the 3-point of a BX-2200. I have about 3.5 acres (1 acre lawn, 2.5 horse pasture). I'm using the sprayer for broadleaf weed control in both areas. My question is what size tank should I use? I can buy a 50, 30, 20, 15 gallon tank. I can use...

Daddy\'s Pride and Joy It's taken me awhile to get around to posting this. I'm sure you can all understand that I'm suffering from sleep deprivation. Kaylie Cheyenne was born Easter day and was 5 lbs. 10 oz., 17 3/4" She was a month early, but everything's healthy. We're finally getting...

I should of asked this question before I left the dealer, but I figure I'll give the TBN'ers a chance to set me straight. I bought a set of filters (1 engine oil, other hydraulic system). However, neither came marked for the respective service (Both say oil filter on the box). One of them is...

Anyone have any recommendations for a quality gravity fed HVLP paint gun? I'm not after anything too expensive but I believe you get what you pay for.

I haven't seen many posts from GC2300 owners. How about someone doing a review. I checked one out before I bought a BX2200. Unfortunately re: the GC2300, 1. they were hard to find, 2. the dealers in my area didn't show alot of excitement in stocking and selling them, and 3. The only one I...

I picked up my BX2200 on Saturday and already have 13 hours on it. I'm impressed with it. The compact frame size is deceiving of the power available. It's a well thought out piece of equipment with some nice features. (The seat switch isn't one of them!) It handles a 4' Rhino rotary cutter...

I'm in the process of buying a Bx2200 w/ 60" mmm, FEL and box blade using Kubota's 3yr/0% financing. Part of the finance agreement with Kubota requires insurance on the tractor. I have State Farm homeowners and auto and assume it would be covered under my homeowners, just like the tools in my...

Does anyone have any experience with the kits that convert your pickup bed and allow it to dump? How well do they work? What brand is best? Will they work if you have a gooseneck hitch, or be modified to work with this arrangement?

A mention of a chainsaw accident in one of the other forums prompted me to address this subject. I spent my college years as an arborist and forester and would like to share some tips. The most important thing you have to understand is the potential danger of these useful tools. You'll be...