Converting wussy mount RC to manly captive pin

3RRL · May 8, 2006

Highbeam, you lucky dog! You're only 29? For Christ sake I figured anybody who has his own tractor, land, family etc (suburban too) has to be near retirement age. When I was 29 I didn't have a pot to pi$$ in! Plus you are so talented with fixing your own stuff or building it and welding etc...So consider THAT a compliment, please. I'll definitely have to drive up to Washington to meet you some day.

The day Elvis died...wow. I was in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer and they did surgery to stop the bleeding. I had a hole in my stomach the size of a ½ dollar. Ha ha, got that from when I was younger and thought I was tough, I used to show off for my friends and eat glass...don't do much of that anymore. When I recovered from surgery the next day, the news said Elvis died...I couldn't believe it ...it was unreal. I was 28 yrs old.

Did you primer it first? That should allow the enamel to come out shiny. And you're lucky it's not too far to drive back and forth. A lot of things can happen trailering a tractor and stuff. I wish my property was closer only so that I could get there faster..other than that, it's great to be out far away from the L.A. traffic and congestion of the city.

Highbeam · May 9, 2006

Thanks Rob. It's all about going to school to get a decent job and then setting priorities. I choose to spend money in places where some think it's silly like a tractor/land but don't spend money on things like new furniture, art, and new cars. I know your kids are grown but if your grandkids ever ask, tell them to go to school to get a marketable job, then they can have pretty much anything they want but not everything they want. At least it's working for me.

As far as metal work well I'm no good with wood, afraid I might cut my finger off hah!, so I started with motorcycle engines and then jeeps and then I got this free welder from a dead guy. Motorheads and welders combine to make tractor implement guys. I'll never make a hydraulic over gear driven box blade but I'll have some fun making, fixing, and improving things.

We made it down to SanJose and Carmel about 3 years ago on a crazy drive to move hazardous materials to a new house for a fellow engineer. It's a long drive but not too bad. You might get a house built on your site before me though. I need to follow your example and set up a long term website, I feel like I know your family through those pictures.

No primer, maybe that was my problem. The other thing was that it was drizzling pretty heavily and some may have blown in under the roof. I'll try another topcoat with the enamel to see if I can get a shine. I'm not going to worry too much about it though.

I don't even remember any part of the Mt. St. Helens eruption. I was 3 years old and lived in Bremerton.

One last piece of advice for your grandkids. Find a good lady from a big family.

3RRL · May 9, 2006

Yep, that's all good stuff Joe. Very nice family picture. Like that dozer too. Keep the projects and photos coming.

dsgsr · May 9, 2006

I hope all that was worth not buying a quality cutter in the first place?

David

Highbeam · May 9, 2006

I didn't really know any better at the time and have learned from my experience. Aside from getting hurt it was fun and cost effective to add steel. Had I been to a larger dealer and seen the range of light to heavy duty cutters I may have gotten a beefier unit from the start but it would have depended on the cost difference. You will notice here on TBN that the recommended route is to buy a light duty cutter and either reinforce it or just use the heck out of it. I couldn't find anyone recommending buying a heavy duty cutter.

I can't fault the quality of the cutter. It has a design that was meant for mowing fields. It would have worked fine for that. I now know that that particular design element is not appropriate for use in the brush. Quality, design, and cost are three different variables that must be balanced.