This is NOT a coffee cup!

[MChalkley]

Bob - Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? As you say, sometimes it's the simple things that are the most fun, too.

Thanks for the kind words. I've been thrilled with this project, which although it's definitely had its lighter moments, and has been a hoot to implement, started out with the utmost seriousness and gravity (no pun intended). And as I've said several times, the reactions of onlookers would've made it worth building even if I hadn't needed it for health reasons. But, in this case truly, necessity was the mother of invention.

Um, one thing has me a little worried, though: You say you mounted your cup between your legs. You mean down on the floor between your feet, right? I've just been thinking: They make therapy magnets for your back, feet, knees, etc. Supposedly they increase energy and blood flow. Now, putting one between your legs - um, what would that do? Bound to have some sort of impact on what your wife thinks of the tractor, though...

MarkC

 

[MChalkley]

As is not uncommon, I've cracked myself up with this cup-between-the-legs mental image. (I'm easily amused.) I can just hear it now: Please, no tractoring today, dear - I have a headache.

MarkC

 

[bpence]

The "between the legs" reference to where I set the cup probably isn't as exciting as it may sound. On my B7100 (remember this is a baby Kubota) there's a flat cover that shields the hydraulic filter, strainer, and other stuff that kind of creates the same type of hump a rear wheel drive car has. Like most of the older B series, the B7100 doesn't have a flat operator's deck. You have to step over this hump when getting on the machine.

I will remind my wife, though, that every time I do some tractor time the magnetic potential for improvement in blood flow does exist!! Heck, she'll probably want me to spent even more time doing stuff with the Kubota.

Bob Pence

 

[Harv]

Mark -

Just got back from my morning trek to the gym -- stopped on the way home and picked up Chalkley Cup #2, or Chalkley Spare #1, depending on how you look at it.

I now have here at home a cup, extra magnetic sign material and one of the hard disk magnet twins. I think 2 of these would do the trick, but mathmatically speaking I'm, let's see, 2 minus 1, carry the 7... one short. My quest is now to find a new mate or whole 'nuther pair. I won't see my tractor again for another 9 days /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif, so I might as well use the time to perfect this implementation of the already perfect idea.

As long as we're getting into it -- I wish there was a way to better compare data on these things. Although I can't stick a full cup on a vertical surface, it is definitely not tippable or bounceable (tractor talk). When I was ripping along the ungraded surface of my tractor path in 7th gear, I experienced bouncing severe enough to bounce me out of my seat were it not for my seat belt. The Chalkley Cup, however, was immune to that sort of jarring and stayed right where it belonged. Likewise, when I inadvertently climbed a rear wheel up on a boulder, taking my tractor from 0 to 15 degrees in a heartbeat (at least it would have been a heartbeat had my heart continued to beat at that moment), the Chalkley Cup was still unimpressed.

The only thing that seems to affect the cup (ill-tempered branches aside) is the vibration of the fender itself, even when the tractor is at idle. I'm wondering if this is attributable to the relative flimsiness of my baby 'L' compared to your heavier model. Do you notice your fenders vibrating noticeably from just the throbbing of the diesel engine?

Now where can I find more magnets in a hurry...

 

[MChalkley]

Harv - I don't know if there's any difference in the thickness of the fenders between the two models or not. I haven't noticed too much vibration when the tractor is idling, but there's significant vibration at certain speeds, due to the cleats of the tires, I think. This does not seem to affect my cup at all, though. I haven't noticed it creeping on the fender, for example. Maybe something like thin inner-tube rubber, would be better than vinyl magnetic-sign material for the outer ring.

MarkC

 

[scruffy]

Harv, just a suggestion (one everyone may be able to use) it may be as simple as calling your local computer store to ask if they have any dead non-warrenty h/d's laying around that they would care to get rid of. Any shop that does computer repair will occassionally replace a dead drive in a computer. What do they do with the old drives out of warrenty? Most likely use them for dumpster fill.

 

[Harv]

Scruffy -

Great minds think alike -- and so do ours.

At this very moment I'm waiting for a call-back -- hold on -- make that I just got a call-back from a local computer repair shop. They have a number of defunct drives, but they do charge $10 a pop 'cuz thats what their scrap dealer pays for them. I was hoping for free, but I might just anti up 10 or 20 bucks for the cause. The cup itself was only $3.99 filled, but it's the magnets that transform this ordinary drinking vessel into a bonafide Chalkley Cup, for which I would gladly pay $19.95 for if it were available from a retail store. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Hey, Mark -- maybe you should be working on trademarks and patents yourself.

 

[gordon]

If you want the magnets quick than thats the way to go but if you can wait a couple of days than this is the way to go.http://www.wondermagnet.com/dev/main.shtmlI got a few magnets from them awhile back for a buck a piece. Great deal and also so strong that you have to twist them apart you cant pry them apart.

Harv, you arent going to paste a picture of Marks tractor on the side of your cup are you? Because your tractor might not like that---just food for thought./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Gordon

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by gordon on 10/26/00 07:36 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[Harv]

Gordon -

Now that's the price I'm looking for!

I combed the internet and didn't see this page. Just shows to go ya how big this internet is. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

At a glance, item #41 looks like the right choice, but I'll study 'em closer in a bit.

How's the delivery time? Shipping costs? Maybe if I fill out an actual order form these questions will be answered.

Does this mean I will not pick up a dead drive or two tomorrow? Well... there is that bird-in-the-hand perspective, but then, that's quite a price difference (unless shipping cost is high), and then again...

I hate making decisions. /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif

As for putting Mark's tractor on the side of the cup -- I do have the wherewithal to do that. Hmmmmmm....

Mark -- better throw in a copyright, too. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Billc]

"Can't" was the wrong word, "won't" is the correct word.

Liked the looks of your set up. Really liked the part where the guys were taking bets as to when the cup would tip over. I went a different direction. At first I had a cup holder mounted to the cross bar for the loader. My cup kept getting dirty or sloshing. Finally welded two wire bottle holders to either ROPs vertical arm. The holder is exactly like what you see on bikes. Anyway, when working, I carry two large water bottles with snap shut tops. I don't worry about the dirt. It doesn't get in the bottle, there is no sloshing, and a little dirt on the nipple...I won't EVEN go there.

One other thing. I'm left handed. Don't know if you have this problem. Anyway, I usually have my left hand on the steering wheel. I've mounted a swivel ball on the wheel that works great! As I was going over rough terrain, which happens regularly, I was trying to hold onto the tractor with my right hand...unfortunately there is no handle like there is on the left fender...so I had my hand gripping the edge of the wheel well. Some debris came up with the wheel and snapped into my fingers. The next day I had a handle mounted on the right fender. The handle is mounted about where you put your cup.