Is steel this high all over or is this just a New York thing?
What I do is try to get what I need at a steel yard that also sells surplus,
which can be just as good as new. Sometimes, it is just steel that is sold
to the yard as scrap. Just last month, I got some nice 1/2" thick plate
and some galvanized sheet for 0.35/lb. Regular price there is 45-55c.
New can run 75-95/lb and that's often in 20-ft sticks. Sadly, the cost of
doing biz in NY may be even higher than here on the left coast.
Your
B26 has a rotating seat like the
B21, correct? I don't know how
they handle the operator presence safety device, but when you DO
find it, you will most likely need to short the two leads. Does the owner's
manual talk about running the tractor PTO when not on the seat? There
may be a special switch for that, like on some JDs.