What did you do with your Power Trac today?

[MossRoad]

Lumber moving. I needed some boards for fencing projects, and they were too long for my truck, so I had them delivered. 18' 2x10" boards to redo a guardrail, plus new "true" ground contact pressure treated (0.31lbs/cu.ft.) 6"x6"x12' posts. Each bundle is just at the pucker point for the 1445.

One of the many challenges is that none of my gates are 16' wide, much less 18'...

View attachment 811014
I strap my lumber together to reduce warping/splitting until I can put the board up. The 0.31lb/cuft 12' beams are right at my comfort limit for lifting as they are still drying out from being pressure treated. (120lbs?)

View attachment 811015
Moving these boards through a couple of gates and down a steep slope was rather interesting, and I managed not to hit too many items, though I did break a railing trying to swivel the sixteen footers through a 12' ranch style gate with a top cross bar.

I also augered a couple of fence post holes for gate stops to hold gates open when not in use. One had rotted out because the drainage put water on the base, and I wanted a post with packed gravel to at least try to get the water away from the wood.

I'm still not wild about using an auger for fence posts. No shade on the auger; the one I have is a planetary drive and is super powerful. It chews the remains of old fence posts without slowing down. I find I only need to use it slightly above idle. My issue is that I have not developed the knack of lifting the auger up to clear the hole of loose dirt. I'm finding that it takes four or five auger/lift/dump repeats to clear a 3-4' deep hole. Any advice is most welcome.

I will admit that I am not using the auger on anything approaching flat ground.

All the best,

Peter

You lifted that entire bundle in the first picture?

If so, I'm impressed!

 

[ponytug]

You lifted that entire bundle in the first picture?

If so, I'm impressed!

The PT did the work, not me, but yes, just. I suspect that the lift capacity is north of the specification number of 1800lbs, at least with the forks and LMB, based on prior projects.

I hefted a single 6"x6"x12'. Just. An eight foot version is now safely tucked into a hole for a fence corner.

I was just thinking this afternoon how much labor the PT has saved me over the years, and enabled me to do work that I could never have done myself. The old "paid for itself many times over" truism.

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

Nice! Yes, I often think about all the stuff my little PT425 has done over the past 22 years. Pretty satisfied with the purchase.

 

[2manyrocks]

Looks like you got a bargain price compared to what they want for one today, but still looks like a bargain if you compare a PT to Steiner or Ventrac prices.

 

[MossRoad]

Looks like you got a bargain price compared to what they want for one today, but still looks like a bargain if you compare a PT to Steiner or Ventrac prices.

Here's what I paid in 2001....

Price: The last driving factor in my decision to purchase the PT425 was the price. $8000.00 for the tactor with the lift arms and quick attach installed. All of the implements also were very resonably priced. The small bucket was $300.00. The teeth were $100.00, the 60" mower was $1200.00, the 60" power angle snow blade was $450.00 and the large light material bucket was under $400.00. All told, the entire package was under $13,000.00 delivered. I couldn't touch that price for any of the other units that I looked at.


TODAY: Just the machine is $15,900. Pretty much double the price. The implements are all about double as well.

That being said, compared to similar machines today that I compared it to back then, it's still the better buy for me.

 

[2manyrocks]

I guess they don't sell in the volume needed to be able to make a model using a small yanmar diesel 25hp engine which would be emissions exempt, but have the torque, reliability, fuel efficiency and longevity of one of those engines.

And they don't seem to market extensively.

How did you first find out about Power Tracs?

 

[ponytug]

I guess they don't sell in the volume needed to be able to make a model using a small yanmar diesel 25hp engine which would be emissions exempt, but have the torque, reliability, fuel efficiency and longevity of one of those engines.

And they don't seem to market extensively.

How did you first find out about Power Tracs?

For me, it was using Google to find slope rated tractors, which lead me to Power-Trac.com and here. It was folks like @MossRoad here that sold me on Power-Trac, and I have been grateful ever since.

I have heard that Power-trac does have challenges sourcing engines, supposedly due to volume minimums by manufacturers.

Given my own personal experiences sourcing small volume items professionally, I can easily believe the story. Some manufacturers have very quirky sales and distribution ideas. I don't mind not buying from a manufacturer directly, but at least give me a wholesaler, or path to volume discounts.

All the best,

Peter

 

[2manyrocks]

Moss Road, where did you first get the idea of buying a Power Trac?

 

[MossRoad]

Moss Road, where did you first get the idea of buying a Power Trac?

Here on TBN. I was looking at conventional tractors and then....

I read this thread in June of 2001.

It's all THEIR fault!

Compact Tractors are Designed All Wrong

Having some experience under my belt, I am even more convinced now than I was when I began looking at tractors a year ago that the design of compact tractors, for us weekend diggers as opposed to real farmers, is all wrong. It is a design that has devolved, in an anti-Darwinian fashion, from a...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[MossRoad]

After that, I happened upon a landscaper that had 2 of them and they showed me all about it. I was hooked.