Got home from work yesterday to find a new King Kutter BB60 boxblade in the back of my pickup. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif My lovely wife picked it up after she got off from work. I pulled in the drive, got out, and immediately fired up the 2615. She came to the door and said, "Don't I even get a hug?!" I assured her that I was simply cranking the tractor so that it could warm up while I was thanking/hugging her. After the hugs and tractor warm up, I used my loader and chain to set it off the pickup.
The first thing I did with it was to reverse the lift pins so they were directed in instead of out (I did my 5' Kutter the same way when I got it). This gives me more room between my lower lift arms and my tires when it's attached to the tractor. I think I could have gotten it on without reversing the pins, but I'm afraid the stabilizer linkage would have rubbed the rear tires.This should also make it easier when changing between the kutter and the bb, since they're set up the same.
After hitching it up, I made my first pass up our 300' drive. About 1/2 way up the drive, the box had filled with gravel and I lost traction. I lifted the box slightly, locked my rear diff and continued up the drive. I made some adjustment to the angle of the box, tilting it a little more forward (I can definitely see where a hydraulic top link would be nice), and made my second pass. Things worked better this time as the box didn't fill up as quick.
After watching me make a couple of passes, my wife said that it was her turn. It was neat watching the box do it's thing as she went up the drive; cutting the high spots and dropping material in the low spots. Considering neither of us had ever used a bb, the driveway turned out pretty good. I have some cleaning up to do around the edges this evening, but I'm very pleased with it so far.
The last driveway fix-up was accomplished with just my FEL moving material and back-dragging and it took at least a couple of hours. In 20 minutes with the bb we had the drive at least as good as the last time I fixed it up. With a couple of more passes, I think I'll have it in real good shape.
Did I tell you guys how wonderful my wife is and how lucky I am to have her? She's the family's CFO and I know she gets tired of hearing my constant wants/needs. Let me tell you, I can spend some money! Of course, you guys don't help any! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I get on here and see some of the toys, er, I mean tools, you guys have and I start salivating. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Since August, she's bought me the tractor, the kutter, and now the bb. I constantly keep my wish list in front of her:
Tractor - check
Kutter - check
Boxblade - check
Rear hydraulic remote
Hydraulic toplink
Shed/pole barn
Seeder/Spreader
Toothbar
Bucket grapple
Bucket forks
Rearblade
Boom pole
Post hole digger
Tiller
Chipper
Middle buster
Subsoiler
I basically have King Kutter and TSC catalogs with pretty much everything circled/highlighted. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif She manages to keep me in check with reality by reminding me about the mortgage, kids college (coming way too soon; our oldest son is a sophomore in HS, our youngest is a 5th grader), electricity, food, etc. If it weren't for her, I'd have been broke a long time ago and likely wouldn't have a thing because the bank would have reposessed it all. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
By the way, Sweetie, if you're reading this, that tiller would work great for those flower beds and landscaping you were talking about doing. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Later,
BR
The first thing I did with it was to reverse the lift pins so they were directed in instead of out (I did my 5' Kutter the same way when I got it). This gives me more room between my lower lift arms and my tires when it's attached to the tractor. I think I could have gotten it on without reversing the pins, but I'm afraid the stabilizer linkage would have rubbed the rear tires.This should also make it easier when changing between the kutter and the bb, since they're set up the same.
After hitching it up, I made my first pass up our 300' drive. About 1/2 way up the drive, the box had filled with gravel and I lost traction. I lifted the box slightly, locked my rear diff and continued up the drive. I made some adjustment to the angle of the box, tilting it a little more forward (I can definitely see where a hydraulic top link would be nice), and made my second pass. Things worked better this time as the box didn't fill up as quick.
After watching me make a couple of passes, my wife said that it was her turn. It was neat watching the box do it's thing as she went up the drive; cutting the high spots and dropping material in the low spots. Considering neither of us had ever used a bb, the driveway turned out pretty good. I have some cleaning up to do around the edges this evening, but I'm very pleased with it so far.
The last driveway fix-up was accomplished with just my FEL moving material and back-dragging and it took at least a couple of hours. In 20 minutes with the bb we had the drive at least as good as the last time I fixed it up. With a couple of more passes, I think I'll have it in real good shape.
Did I tell you guys how wonderful my wife is and how lucky I am to have her? She's the family's CFO and I know she gets tired of hearing my constant wants/needs. Let me tell you, I can spend some money! Of course, you guys don't help any! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I get on here and see some of the toys, er, I mean tools, you guys have and I start salivating. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Since August, she's bought me the tractor, the kutter, and now the bb. I constantly keep my wish list in front of her:
Tractor - check
Kutter - check
Boxblade - check
Rear hydraulic remote
Hydraulic toplink
Shed/pole barn
Seeder/Spreader
Toothbar
Bucket grapple
Bucket forks
Rearblade
Boom pole
Post hole digger
Tiller
Chipper
Middle buster
Subsoiler
I basically have King Kutter and TSC catalogs with pretty much everything circled/highlighted. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif She manages to keep me in check with reality by reminding me about the mortgage, kids college (coming way too soon; our oldest son is a sophomore in HS, our youngest is a 5th grader), electricity, food, etc. If it weren't for her, I'd have been broke a long time ago and likely wouldn't have a thing because the bank would have reposessed it all. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
By the way, Sweetie, if you're reading this, that tiller would work great for those flower beds and landscaping you were talking about doing. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Later,
BR