Tractor Wimp...or Not?

Henro · Sep 15, 2004

In another thread JerryG said:

 Another thing, I may get into trouble with some but. No more real work and no more hours than most on here puts on a tractor in a year, a rubber band should hold up for at least ten years. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And he got me thinking...am I a rubber band driven tractor wimp?

I put about 560 hours on my B2910 the first two years. Those are tach hours, not clock hours...The BX2200 Kubota has 85 hours or so just over one year old. But those are clock hours...

So I wonder when does one graduate from rubber-band-operator to something a little higher in the pecking order?

How many hours per year do the SuperStar operators put on their tractors?

I guess I am getting about a hundred tractors hours per acre per year at my rate of use...for what that is worth...

Am I a tractor wimp? Are you?

Color me curious... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DaveNay · Sep 15, 2004

I put exactly as many hours on my tractor as I need/want/can.

No more....no less.

Dave

DocHeb · Sep 15, 2004

( Another thing, I may get into trouble with some but. No more real work and no more hours than most on here puts on a tractor in a year, a rubber band should hold up for at least ten years. )

Whatever.

SCB · Sep 15, 2004

I bought my bx in april and have 230 hours on it so far. But once my property is cleared and the services are in, I think I will put alot less hours per year on it. Mostly mowing once the lawn is in. It is still new to me although not as unfamiliar, so I still put in as much seat time as I can.

Bird · Sep 15, 2004

I think DaveNay has the right answer. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

As to how much experience or how many hours; this reminds me of what I've heard about some people on their jobs; there's a difference between 20 years experience and 1 years experience 20 times. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

As for me, personally, I only put 100-150 hours a year on my little Kubotas, but put a lot more hours on my neighbor's old Oliver, cutting and baling hay, hauling hay, putting hay out for the cattle, etc. I also spent a couple of days loading hay with another neighbor's 50 hp White. I had a little bit of experience on our 1940 John Deere in my early teens, spent a week or so in my early teens on an uncle's Case tractor, pulling a two bottom plow and section harrow, serviced and repaired flats on a few farmers' tractors in my late teens, used a couple of older Ford tractors the summer my wife and I worked in an RV resort, and a few little things like that.

And by any "real" farmer's standards (and in my own opinion as well), I'm just a novice! Much more that I don't know than what I do know.

JerryG · Sep 15, 2004

Bill,
The point that I was trying to make in that post was that most of the tractors here are not worked hard or at lease to any great degree. These tractors should serve their owners well for many many years. It doesn't matter if it is a hydro or some type of standard transmission tractor. It boils down to personal preference, not durability.

JoeR · Sep 15, 2004

( IAnd by any "real" farmer's standards (and in my own opinion as well), I'm just a novice![/b] Much more that I don't know than what I do know. )

Bird, you made a good point! I have 11 acres and all I do is learn! Not much for a real farmer, but enough for Eddie Albert types. Sadly, much of the farmer's knowledge is not documented, it is handed down. There is so much for me to learn, and I have a hard time getting that hands on knowledge. Every state has its own type of agriculture, and finding specific local information can be a challenge. Sure, the local extension office has some, but they don't know the little stuff that matters.

Just had to comment on your comment.

Thanks,

Joe

Bird · Sep 15, 2004

( Sadly, much of the farmer's knowledge is not documented, it is handed down )

I'm afraid you're right, Joe. When we bought our 10 acres in the country, I promptly got acquainted with the rancher who had the adjoining property behind us. He and I, and our wives, quickly became good friends, domino playing partners, etc. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Of course he introduced me to a lot of other neighbors, and before we'd been there a year I was asked to serve on the board of directors for our water co-op. Two of the members had been farmers all their lives and still were, of course. Two others had retired from other jobs and had been farming/ranching for several years. So I considered myself most fortunate to make some good friends quickly and had some great sources of information as well.

Of course one of my grandfathers was a farmer until I was 3 years old, but he never owned a tractor; just horses and mules. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif And my Dad was a farmer until about the time I was born when he started working on other jobs, so when I was growing up, he didn't farm for a living; we just had a milk cow, a horse, a few hogs, a few chickens, big vegetable gardens, a few fruit trees, and pecan trees. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

We moved into town when I was a teenager; still had a big yard, a vegetable garden, and a few chickens, but I just marveled at the fact that city kids have no work to do. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I loved it for a few years , then was wishing I was back out in the country. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

slowrev · Sep 15, 2004

Leave it to Henro to come up with this thread /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Joe,
A very good post, I think that a lot of posters and even more lurkers on this board are in the same boat as you. Just starting out and on a fairly small scale. Very rewarding and sometimes even a bit profitable, sometimes /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I hold down a fulltime job, but enjoy putting as much time as possible in on my small farm.
I bought it from my uncle a few years ago and it needs a lot of work as it had been basically abandoned for over 10 years. Flatland is a bit scarce in my area...anybody got any goats with short left legs ? I have some with short right legs I will trade ya.

But that level of learning/knowledge should be expected and encouraged on this board, because I believe most CUT's are sold to people just like you.

We do have a great bunch of people with a variety of knowledge specialities. Together we make a purdy smart bunch /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Don't be timid about asking any tractor related question. I found I learned a lot just by reading past threads.

And yes, since he thought of it I vote for Henro as Tractor Wimp el grande /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Soundguy · Sep 16, 2004

( I put exactly as many hours on my tractor as I need/want/can )

I'm with Davenay. If I'm working on a priject.. and the tractor saves me time or saves my back.. it gets used. If the tractor will be in the way for the project.. I make it wait in the barn. Also.. I spread my tractor hours over about 4 of my tractors. depending on the task. So none of them are racking up big hours... not even the NH 7610s which only gets about 3 hours a month mowing the pasture. ( but that 3 hrs on the 7610 saves me 5-6 hours which is what that job took me with my 5' mower).

Soundguy