Another 10 Hour Report

[blklab68]

It seems like it is sort of an initiation / tradition for us newbies to post a 10 hour report so the veterans who helped us can see if he rolled the tractor or got wrapped up the the PTO shaft etc. So here is my report....

Equipment is a TC45D MFWD, Woods 1016 FEL, and a SQ 720 BH, TSC 6' disk and a 7' grader blade.

I've mowed ~ 10 acres with the BH and really like it. If I could go back I'd buy a 84" unit though. The 72" unit is just as wide as the tires, this makes it hard get close to trees.

I've disked the garden for my wife and the tops of the levees where I cut out a bunch of whitewood and saltbush. This did not work too well until I added 50 gals of water in a drum to the disk and adjusted the toplink so the disk cut really hard with the back row. Advice here is duly solicited.

I've spent the bulk of my time digging whitewood and saltbush and briars out with the loader. I've got a 66" bucket and love it. The loader is pretty strong and I've made good progress.

The tractor is now scratched and dirty but I'm proud. The machine seems sized perfectly for my 40 acres (10 acres water, 17 acres pasture and 3 acres yard and 10 acres funky overgrown mess). Thanks for all your help. Please note that I have all the manuals and read them all, cover to cover. As I was admonished to do. I'm even getting better and hooking the 3pt. up but I wish I had a tractor per attachment. Next purchase will be a auger for the 3pt.
J

PS With front wheel assist and diff. locking that tractor will go anywhere... SWEEEET

 

[BruceNorthEast]

blklab68:

Sounds like you're doing great, you sure are making me wish I had already bought my attachments!

I purchased my first tractor about four months ago; thanks to the help of the good people here and the TBN website I feel like I made an educated and reasoned choice...

I've got a TC35A (MFWD) with a 16LA loader, bought it slightly used and have clocked about 45 hours on it! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've plowed out the eneighborhood several times, but truth be told it wasn't much of a challenge as it's been one of the mildest winters I can remember - with very little snow. FYI, I rigged up my old plow trucks' plow to mount on my 3PH and set it to fully angled - dragged it to move the snow about five feet aside per pass (overlapping & angled reduced the effective width). IT worked pretty well, though I think if we'd have had a lot of deep snow it wouldn't have been as effective; the plow ribs and frame tend to hold back quite a bit and with very deep snow I'm sure it would have spilled off both sides even fully angled. Did some pushing in reverse but it's amazing how easy it is to bend fairly heavy steel when you hit something like a frozen hillside! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I'm finally getting to move some dirt now that the ground has thawed - what a hoot! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I plan on doing most of the general maintenance myself, changed the oil and filter last weekend and will be doing the hydrailic fluid & filter in the near future.

I need to add to my very modest toolbox and have a couple of questions for my more seasoned brethren; are the bolts & nuts all standard, metric or mixed? Also need a few pointers on torque for same, the manual gives some info but it's based on the type of hardware (standard/metric, metal/finish, grade, etc.) and I'm not sure what I've got. Any pointers would be appreciated... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Hope to purchase a sickle bar mower to allow cutting along the stream (was considering a brush hog for this but after driving along it I've thought better...). A friends going to lend me his flail mower for a few months so I can maintain some of the pasture and yard. I was looking at an older rototiller, but the price doubled when I returned to buy... Also want a rake, PHD and a back blade for maintaining the gravel drive (all seasons). Seems to be slim pickins for renting 3ph gear around here - most only carry PHDs and rakes, both of which I think I'll use often enough to justify buying. Have been told that rototillers are unlikely rentals as they get beat up so easily (especially when people don't know what's in the ground and don't care all that much...).

Recently got subscriptions to a few weekly publications that specialize in used stuff, even have tractor sections. Seems the stuff I'd like to look at is all half a days drive away /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Finally, thinking about getting a cheap stick/mig/oxy-acetylene welding outfit so I can tack together my own attachments. Wondering how common this is.

Bruce.

 

[BruceNorthEast]

blklab68:

I did a quick review of the site while sipping my morning coffee, and noticed that I walked all over your thread; I got in the spirit of newbie reporting and rambled on, when you probably wanted responses from some of the guys who'd advised you...

Sorry about that! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Bruce.

 

[djradz]

I use almost all the same equipment as you on my 40D and have to admit, except for the 5' brush hog being too small, I'd say the size is about right. I've not had a problem getting close to trees with my 6' RFM. In fact, I've managed to skin quite a few in the years since I got the tractor. I wonder if your wheels are somehow set farther out? I know if I had that extra six inches on each side I'd have nailed quite a few. The 6' does require I get the rear tires right up close, but that seems to make me slow down a little and keeps me even more cautious.

On your disk: I find the same results unless I've plowed first. If the ground is not previously broken, I don't think you can count on it sinking in that much. Putting 55 gallons surely will help, but that seems like it stresses the disk a little too. I have 4 - 20 lb weights permanently attached to mine and I think that's all I'd ever want.

 

[NorthwestBlue]

Bruce,

I don't think I would have noticed if you didn't say so, but you sure did walk all over blklab68's thread /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I doubt if blklab68 would mind too much. That's the great thing about this site... loads of info from people who know and BSing back and forth. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Anyway I have been adding to my attachment inventory. Picked up a bunch of stuff at an equipment auction (at a livestock auction house). You might try looking for one on your side of the country.

 

[blklab68]

I can assure y'all that I don't get my feathers ruffled over as small a thing as a little unintentional thread hijacking. Especially when it comes with an apology...
J

 

[daTeacha]

I don't know that I considered it a highjack. I just saw someone reporting about what he was up to, then another guy doing the same. Kind of like swapping stories over the keyboard. Did I miss something?

I hope I can be giving a report soon, but first the daggoned grapple has to get here so I can get my tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I'm beginning to wonder if they shipped it out of Missouri by mule or something.

 

[BruceNorthEast]

daTeacha: Well for Pete's sake man, tell us about your exploits on the Cadets and the Kubota! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

NorthwestBlue: Funny you should mention the aution idea, my next door neighbor just told me about one coming up at the end of the month a couple of hours away (in Vermont). I'll definately be checking it out, thanks!

blklab68: I know what you mean about the tractor being scratched and dirty but your proud! PS: How big is the garden? I've been looking for a 3PH rototiller but am wondering if a single bottom plow would work for our modest garden.

Bruce.

 

[blklab68]

The wife's garden is 30' wide and 150' long. I think you'd love the PTO tiller but I just don't have the budget for that. So I used my 6" disk and 350lbs of water weight and about 100 passes to get it broken. Then I used to 30 yr old troy-bilt to finish her off. I think I'm gonna buy some 10" PVC pipe and fill it with concrete and put some eye bolts in it. Does anyone know what a cubic foot of concrete weighs? I can calculate the volume of a cylinder... Anyway.. does anyone have a better way to weight a disk?

 

[TwinWillows]

Concrete is 150 lbs/cubic foot.