TODAYS SEAT TIME

[Gordon Gould]

Used the tractor as a work platform to build a "Mouser Motel".

We have a few hard working mousers who happen to be feral. Since they keep the local mice population well under control, the least I can do is keep 'em warm and dry in the winter as payback.

I bought (4) black totes at $10 each from HD. Lined an IBC tote with 2 inches of rigid foam, plus some straw for added insulation. It's anchored to a pallet for easy moving and to keep it upright.

Everything other than the four totes was re-use of material on hand, including the 2 inch foam board and the IBC liner left over from making firewood storage bins.

Now to find out if they'll use it?!View attachment 1833226View attachment 1833227

They should like that. But if they don't use it at first the mice will and then the kitties will take over.

gg

 

[PJSprog]

Used the tractor as a work platform to build a "Mouser Motel".

Outstanding!

 

[scootr]

Got 3 hrs seat time yesterday mowing for hire with the chain BH. Knocked it down pretty nice. Customer was happy.

 

[LouNY]

Well just a few minutes of seat time today but a few hours with a big hammer.
I'm going to be swapping the used tires from my Branson to the old IH 574 as they are pretty poor.
I had repaired on outer rim section on the left side a few years ago, but the right side was terrible even then so I had ordered a new outer rim for it and it's been waiting to get put on.
So in preparation of mounting the new outer rim I had to get the 8 bolts that hold the outer to the inner. I've had the tractor for 20 years and I believe that she is a 72 Model , so she's 50 years old.
I had been soaking those bolts and nuts as well as the lug nuts off and on for the last month. My cordless impact removed all the nuts fairly well, I loosened lubed and reinstalled them last week. So this morning it was only a few minutes to zip all those nuts off. Then it was close to 4 hours to drive those 8 bolts out of the wheel and install the new ones till the tires are ready to go, then I went ahead and removed all the lug nuts then put two back on to hold the rim and just a few more hammer blows the center was lose on the hub, sprayed a bunch of cleaner in to flush some of the crud out reached in and slathered a good amount of never seize on the hub and wheel center and all the studs. So pretty much most of my active day. Went and sat at the computer and ordered some wheels for the snow tires on my wifes car.

Jacked up and ready for some hammering;

Seven outer rim to center bolts replaced, one to go, plus the lug nuts have been removed and the hub and wheel flange and studs never seized.

Taken a few Tylenol a few hours ago and almost time for some more before bed time. The old carcass doesn't like a lot of hammering.

 

[Seven Gables]

Had one row of sweet cherries that is plagued by water holding clay subsoil and to make matters worse had formed into a water collecting shallow ditch. Cherry trees need well drained soil to survive so before I replant this row in spring decided to try a chisel and shape. Used my old Bush Hog 8 shank chisel (painted green at some time) and first time using the new 51” tilt ditching bucket.

 

[ptsg]

Had one row of sweet cherries that is plagued by water holding clay subsoil and to make matters worse had formed into a water collecting shallow ditch. Cherry trees need well drained soil to survive so before I replant this row in spring decided to try a chisel and shape. Used my old Bush Hog 8 shank chisel (painted green at some time) and first time using the new 51” tilt ditching bucket.

That's one of the reasons I built my 2 shank subsoiler. To break some hard clay I have on the olive orchard. It really helped breaking the ground so the water and nutrients can get down.

 

[scootr]

Awhile back I added hydraulic oil in the MX, Guessing I added too much because I couldn't see it in the sight window? But I wondered if maybe I didn't add enough. So I put a little more in, then staring at the sight window flashlight in hand and scratching my head .. I got a stick and a tape measure.... then figured I had to have enough in there. Well that was a couple hundred hours ago and I finally thought I saw the level on the ridiculously small dim sight glass. But not sure so I finally ordered that JD hydraulic oil dye.
What a Godsend. No more squinting. No more flashlight. Now I can see that stuff from across the room. Phew.
It's the little things that bug me.

 

[Williy]

I have two 5 gallon cans with the red stuff will
get two more cans plain no red dye to mix and
I will measure to see what happens in the sight
glass.

willy

 

[BackRoad]

I added the JD red dye to my MX6000 about 600 hours ago. Enough remained in the tractor after the last filter and full hydraulic fluid drain & change that I didn't need to add more.

As you mentioned Mr. Scootr, It makes a night and day difference using the sight glass! Makes me wonder why the Kubota UDT2 doesn't come with some dye already added...like red off-road diesel...

 

[scootr]

Used the tractor as a work platform to build a "Mouser Motel".

We have a few hard working mousers who happen to be feral. Since they keep the local mice population well under control, the least I can do is keep 'em warm and dry in the winter as payback.

I bought (4) black totes at $10 each from HD. Lined an IBC tote with 2 inches of rigid foam, plus some straw for added insulation. It's anchored to a pallet for easy moving and to keep it upright.

Everything other than the four totes was re-use of material on hand, including the 2 inch foam board and the IBC liner left over from making firewood storage bins.

Now to find out if they'll use it?!View attachment 1833226View attachment 1833227

Nice. I just throw a couple of furniture moving blankets into some old dog beds on the top shelf in the barn for my feral cats. But it doesn't get terribly cold here in southern CA. Feral cats rock. Completely solved my 20 yr old mouse problem.