etpm
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2021
- Messages
- 2,054
- Location
- Whidbey Island, WA
- Tractor
- Yanmar YM2310, Honda H5013, Case 580 CK, Ford 9N
I though this post might help a first time tractor buyer.
About 25 years ago I bought my first tractor. I was a new land owner and became friendly with a neighbor who had already developed his 5 acres to a large extent but figured a tractor could be useful. My wife and I had owned our 10 or 12 acres for about a year and we were still several years from building our house. The land was partially developed already, about 1/2 acre cleared, but it needed lots of work. I spoke to my neighbor about going in together on a Ford 9N I saw for sale. It was is pretty good shape and we bought it.
Neither of us knew anything about tractors but the price was right according to ads I had seen. It had 4 new tires and it came with a 5 foot Bush Hog and a 4 foot back blade. And a manual. Looking at the manual I saw I could date the tractor by looking at numbers on the engine. I was shocked to learn it was made in 1939. It looked so good i thought it was a late 1950s or early 60s vintage machine. The tractor also came with a front bucket but it wasn't attached, was kinda hokey because it had a lever dump, using hydraulics only for raising and lowering. We never attached it. We did some mowing jobs with the Ford, mostly for fun, and these jobs all but paid for the tractor. My neighbor moved away and I bought his half from him. I still have it but it is for sale.
About 8 years after we bought the Ford our house was finally getting built. When the house was done we were still waiting for the septic to be done. We were gonna have to wait at least 6 months for the septic to be done so I decided to do the septic myself. So I bought a backhoe. Even though I had never done any type of earthworks, much less a septic system, and had never even sat on a backhoe. My only tractor experience being the Ford 9N.
So I bought a really used 1970 something gas engine powered Case 580CK backhoe. I learned how to operate a backhoe and install an infiltrator type septic system at the same time. Subsequent to and concurrent with the septic install I also dug a bunch of ditches for water and power. The backhoe has been a great tool and has paid for itself. The lowest bid I got for the septic was $12,000.00 and my cost to do it myself was about $9,000.00 including the backhoe purchase. Since the initial septic and ditch work I have done a bunch more work with the Case. The Front End Loader, AKA FEL, has moved, literally, tons of rocks and dirt. Where I live on Whidbey Island it is all glacial till and there are plenty of rocks.
I used the Case to build a new driveway and to rebuild another. Probably 500 feet total length. The new and old drives needed many trees removed and a backhoe is great for digging out stumps. In the new drive I hit a muddy spot that needed rocks dumped in to firm it up. I dumped in 4 yards of rocks I had dug up doing other earth working and then had 2 yards of gravel dumped on top of that. Having the big Case was a huge advantage.
I have also used the backhoe to dig many ditches since the house was built and have dug several large holes to dump rocks into. Every time we disturb the earth rocks come up. We line the driveway with them, landscape with them, and still I need to bury some. Just the ugly ones. Cubic yards of ugly rocks.
I still have the backhoe but it is big and is hard to use in tight spaces. Now that our property is developed to the point that we want, about 1.5 acres with the rest left as woods, the backhoe doesn't get used much. The main reason is because it is so big. Or long really. I always need to be careful of the hoe so that it doesn't hit something. It hangs way out beyond the back of the tractor and I often need to reach back with one hand or the other to press on a swing pedal to swing the hoe to prevent it from hitting something.
END OF PART ONE
About 25 years ago I bought my first tractor. I was a new land owner and became friendly with a neighbor who had already developed his 5 acres to a large extent but figured a tractor could be useful. My wife and I had owned our 10 or 12 acres for about a year and we were still several years from building our house. The land was partially developed already, about 1/2 acre cleared, but it needed lots of work. I spoke to my neighbor about going in together on a Ford 9N I saw for sale. It was is pretty good shape and we bought it.
Neither of us knew anything about tractors but the price was right according to ads I had seen. It had 4 new tires and it came with a 5 foot Bush Hog and a 4 foot back blade. And a manual. Looking at the manual I saw I could date the tractor by looking at numbers on the engine. I was shocked to learn it was made in 1939. It looked so good i thought it was a late 1950s or early 60s vintage machine. The tractor also came with a front bucket but it wasn't attached, was kinda hokey because it had a lever dump, using hydraulics only for raising and lowering. We never attached it. We did some mowing jobs with the Ford, mostly for fun, and these jobs all but paid for the tractor. My neighbor moved away and I bought his half from him. I still have it but it is for sale.
About 8 years after we bought the Ford our house was finally getting built. When the house was done we were still waiting for the septic to be done. We were gonna have to wait at least 6 months for the septic to be done so I decided to do the septic myself. So I bought a backhoe. Even though I had never done any type of earthworks, much less a septic system, and had never even sat on a backhoe. My only tractor experience being the Ford 9N.
So I bought a really used 1970 something gas engine powered Case 580CK backhoe. I learned how to operate a backhoe and install an infiltrator type septic system at the same time. Subsequent to and concurrent with the septic install I also dug a bunch of ditches for water and power. The backhoe has been a great tool and has paid for itself. The lowest bid I got for the septic was $12,000.00 and my cost to do it myself was about $9,000.00 including the backhoe purchase. Since the initial septic and ditch work I have done a bunch more work with the Case. The Front End Loader, AKA FEL, has moved, literally, tons of rocks and dirt. Where I live on Whidbey Island it is all glacial till and there are plenty of rocks.
I used the Case to build a new driveway and to rebuild another. Probably 500 feet total length. The new and old drives needed many trees removed and a backhoe is great for digging out stumps. In the new drive I hit a muddy spot that needed rocks dumped in to firm it up. I dumped in 4 yards of rocks I had dug up doing other earth working and then had 2 yards of gravel dumped on top of that. Having the big Case was a huge advantage.
I have also used the backhoe to dig many ditches since the house was built and have dug several large holes to dump rocks into. Every time we disturb the earth rocks come up. We line the driveway with them, landscape with them, and still I need to bury some. Just the ugly ones. Cubic yards of ugly rocks.
I still have the backhoe but it is big and is hard to use in tight spaces. Now that our property is developed to the point that we want, about 1.5 acres with the rest left as woods, the backhoe doesn't get used much. The main reason is because it is so big. Or long really. I always need to be careful of the hoe so that it doesn't hit something. It hangs way out beyond the back of the tractor and I often need to reach back with one hand or the other to press on a swing pedal to swing the hoe to prevent it from hitting something.
END OF PART ONE
