Senile Texas Aggie - comic relief for the rest of you

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @Baymule,

I seem to recall that you own a Kubota subcompact tractor that you named Marigold. If you still have that tractor, then this may interest you. The YouTube channel "GP Outdoors" put out a video titled "#213 Are you a Kubota B Series tractor owner? Check out these tips and mods! outdoor channel." In it, Guy mentioned that he made several modifications to his tractor. First, here is the video link:

In case you are unable to watch the video, here are the changes/additions he made to his Kubota:

• He welded a metal mesh to the brush guard to prevent small limbs from striking the front grill.
• Because he resides a long way from a Kubota dealer (> 2hrs), he buys oil, hydraulic fluid, and filters to have on hand when he needs them.
• He installed an LED light bar kit which he mounted to the top of the ROPS. Wiring for the lights was already present on the tractor, so the addition didn't take very long.
• He uses diesel fuel conditioner, since he resides in central Ontario.
• He installed shackles to the end of his drawbar to make it easy to pull items with a chain. (I have done this to my tractor, and I am glad I did)
• He installed a spinner knob on the steering wheel to make it easy to steer the tractor while backing up.
• He added a step to the side of the operator's platform, to make it easier to get on and off the tractor. It won't work if you are using the belly mower on the tractor.
• His ROPS top half does not fit tightly into the frame of the lower half, so that it rattles. But the rail clamp for the BX2680 fits into the threaded hole so that it can screw against the ROPS top half to hold it tight to keep it from rattling
• He added wheel spacers so that his wheel chains did not rub against the frame of the tractor.
• He built a carry all to fit the 3 pt hitch. This permits him to carry firewood, tools, etc.
• He installed a Quick Hitch on his 3 pt hitch. I think you already have that.
• He buys tractor insurance to cover the tractor and for liability

Hope that was helpful. Also, you mentioned about truck trouble and Kawasaki Mule trouble. Did you document all of your troubles? If so, on which thread do they appear?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

All,

I have a pressure washer hose that I somehow cut partway. Now water sprays out the side. I have yet to try to repair it. I am considering trying a hose clamp over the cut but wasn't sure if that would hold. Have any of you successfully repaired a pressure washer hose. If so, how did you fix it?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Bruce]

Haven't tried it but I imagine it would be somewhat difficult given the pressure. Certainly you would need something between the hose and the clamp to "seal" the cut.

 

[Baymule]

Ditch the pressure hose, it has been weakened and it is just a matter of time until it blows. Being pressured, it could cause damage or injury.
safety first!


We have insurance on Marigold. We have the quick hitch and I love it. Also use a fuel conditioner. I don't need a step and Marigold doesn't have a belly mower. I like the shackles and the spinner knob idea!

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

All,

If Mr Greybeard were still on the channel, he'd scold me for coveting, as I am now coveting a new attachment for my tractor: a stump bucket! I had never heard of one until the YouTube channel "Hamiltonville Farm" described one made by Titan Attachments. So I started looking for stump buckets in use and found a number of videos. Here is one in use:

I priced different stump buckets and I almost could have bought one for what it cost to repair the hydraulic piston on my tractor that I damaged when trying to pull up a stump with my grapple! Live and learn, die and forget it all.

Regarding the new site design, one thing I have noticed is that there are no more ads. I don't know if that is permanent or not, but for that reason alone, I like the new site design.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Bruce]

you can do that with a backhoe too
I imagine that stump bucket would be good for digging out rocks too!

 

[Mike CHS]

I have a friend that does commercial stump grinding but gives us an excellent rate to grind stumps. I use him when space is restricted and a dozer won't be able to navigate.

The friend that filled in our pond has a big D6 dozer that can take out any stump that I will have around here. I haven't had to use him for that but I will use him to finish up the property line that I'm clearing out. He couldn't work where I have been working so far because there is a CSX storm drain ditch immediately adjacent to our fence line but I'm getting to a point where he can take out the last 30-40 stumps which will make his while to bring his equipment over. He charges us $130 an hour and asks that we keep it to a two hour minimum so I won't call him until I get all of the trees topped. I can pay him $260 a pop quite a few times before I reach the cost of more equipment.

 

[Bruce]

Especially the cost of a dozer!

 

[Baymule]

Friends with dozers are always a good thing!

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

All,

I know I haven't posted much on my journal lately as to the goings on around the farm. We have been working along the edges of the pasture, cutting down brush and small trees and cutting off overhanging limbs. I keep forgetting to take "before" pictures, so I will simply take the "after" pictures and post them some time.

I know that the work to do the cutting was wearing us down. Our bodies would ache after a half day of work. (I know I will probably get teased or mocked by those who have to work all day for a living, like Miss @farmerjan, and I will deserve it. Still, since we aren't spring chickens any more, about a half day's work is all we can stand.) I started looking for tractor attachments that would make life easier for us. I had settled on possibly 1 of 2 implements to buy: (1) a Turbo Saw, which is a PTO powered saw that can cut trees at ground level, and (2) a tree shear, which can cut trees at ground level and can also cut limbs. Here is the Turbo Saw in action:

Here is a tree shear in action:

When I showed my Beautiful Gal the two options I was considering, she voted for the tree shear, since it would cut limbs as well as trunks of trees. So we ordered it, and after 2 weeks of waiting, it came in today. It got here too late today for me to try it out, but I will try it out as soon as the weather permits. (It is supposed to rain for the next few days). I hope it works out as well as we wish it would. This will save my Beautiful Gal's back and shoulders from the strain of using the pole saw, and will save my back from using the chainsaw and the reciprocating saw.

Senile Texas Aggie