Mini Tractors - lets see um

[AdventureToolCompany]

More fire mitigation around the shop site! Oh and getting my jackhammer stuck in a solid piece of granite.....had to use the front bucket to get the damn thing out!

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

And, the orange can use some help from the white/black mini loader! The front loader on a bobcat is so strong it makes short work of the decomposing granite on the site.

 

[Godwin]

Back in business (oh joy! I can resume bush hogging). Trip to the Kubota dealer for a replacement of the entire driveshaft but now one with a slip disc. Yokes on both ends of the old shaft were damaged. On the shaft without the slip disc a grade 2 shear bolt is used to attach the shaft at the gear box. In talking with the Kubota folks the pin should have sheared before the u-joints. It was bent but did not shear. I seem to have a natural talent to break things.

 

[Dunbar]

Something followed me home.

So I got a chance to use the QA forks. They have good reach but I had to drag the crate back a bit to get under it.

No problem hoisting it now.

I was in Scotland for a month with the family and someone broke in and stole my took box with 4 decades of hand tools and a few Milwaukee M18 tools with serial numbers. Those numbers are the only slim chance I have of ever seeing any of it again. But I'm turning a bad situation into a better one by starting over with this HF special. It's a US General 72" rolling chest.
Grabbed this as a starter to get something in it.

I know they are not the quality of my old ones but I bet I don't break many of them. Link
Now I have to start thinking of all the special tools missing. Brass drifts, thread gauge measuring tools, torque wrenches, xtra large rarely used end wrenches from Harbor Freight.

Got the tool box for just over $1k with tax and the tools were under that a bit, both with discounts. I used the forks to lift the box off of the pallet after removing the crate from the unit.

 

[Dunbar]

Since I had the forks on I decided to relocate this propane tank the PO left with the place. I ran natural gas throughout and the old pool heater was the only thing run off the propane. It's a 250 gallon tank about half full so I put it behind the barn. I might run a line to the burn pile to get things cranking when I'm in a hurry.

 

[PAToyota]

Stolen anything sucks, but with tools it's always hard to remember everything you even had until the next time you desperately need it.

 

[1911]

... with tools it's always hard to remember everything you even had until the next time you desperately need it.

Tell me about it! The other day, I had to bend a couple of new brake lines for my 40, so I bought a tubing bender at NAPA while I was buying brake line tubing. Got the new lines bent, flared, and hooked up tight; went to put the tools away and what did I find in one of my tool chests? A real nice tubing bender, that I forgot I even had! I don't even remember buying it or what for, but obviously I had at some time in the past. One of the downsides of getting old I guess. Oh, well, now I have two, and one to loan out or give to one of my sons when they need one.

 

[Hack]

...I bought a tubing bender at NAPA while I was buying brake line tubing. Got the new lines bent, flared, and hooked up tight; went to put the tools away and what did I find in one of my tool chests? A real nice tubing bender, that I forgot I even had!

If tools could talk......

Mine are constantly laughing at me while I frantically search for them. They are always in plain sight...

 

[Dunbar]

I just went through the 540 piece Craftsman set. It was missing one hex bit but had 2 of another size. It also had 2 21mm 6pt normal sockets. I can easily tell that it is not the quality of my stolen Craftsman tools. Sockets with imperfections on the outside near the numbers. One with the writing upside down on the wrong end of the socket. One with laser etched number in addition to the stamped number like the rest. The end wrenches seemed much better as did the screwdrivers etc. The mini end wrenches looked cheaply made though. The sockets seemed no better quality than Pittsburgh or other HF fare. I am happy I got the set though as it is more complete in sockets and wrenches than I have ever had. I still need to replace my end wrenches and sockets above 26mm and 1.25" and those will likely be HF or similar.
For organizing, I have been looking at socket rails and trays etc. I want VIM Magrails but they are sure expensive. I might get enough of those to hold my most used sockets. There are many much less expensive options but they all take up more space and are not customizable.
So many more tools to replace. If they had stolen my tractor the Kubota insurance would have already replaced it but I would be out the TnT and 3rd function kits. I need to check to see if I can add those tractor improvements and extra attachments to my policy. I know you can continue the policy after the unit is paid off and it offers much better coverage than most home/farm policies.

 

[Prairie Swamp]

Little bath after bush hogging.

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

Little bath after bush hogging.

View attachment 2080751

Lovin the corn rows! Brings back good memories from Missouri!

 

[1911]

I just went through the 540 piece Craftsman set. It was missing one hex bit but had 2 of another size. It also had 2 21mm 6pt normal sockets. I can easily tell that it is not the quality of my stolen Craftsman tools. Sockets with imperfections on the outside near the numbers. One with the writing upside down on the wrong end of the socket. One with laser etched number in addition to the stamped number like the rest. The end wrenches seemed much better as did the screwdrivers etc. The mini end wrenches looked cheaply made though. The sockets seemed no better quality than Pittsburgh or other HF fare. I am happy I got the set though as it is more complete in sockets and wrenches than I have ever had. I still need to replace my end wrenches and sockets above 26mm and 1.25" and those will likely be HF or similar.
For organizing, I have been looking at socket rails and trays etc. I want VIM Magrails but they are sure expensive. I might get enough of those to hold my most used sockets. There are many much less expensive options but they all take up more space and are not customizable.
So many more tools to replace. If they had stolen my tractor the Kubota insurance would have already replaced it but I would be out the TnT and 3rd function kits. I need to check to see if I can add those tractor improvements and extra attachments to my policy. I know you can continue the policy after the unit is paid off and it offers much better coverage than most home/farm policies.

Sorry to hear about the theft.

No doubt in my mind that the quality of Craftsman tools has gone way down. I have a fair collection of them from the 70's when I made a living as a motorcycle mechanic; the ones I have purchased in the last 10-15 years or so caused me to give up buying them. When I need anything now, I tend to buy second-hand Snap-on tools.

Recently gave my dad's Craftsman tools to one of my sons, along with the workbench he made by hand.

I hadn't thought about additional coverage for my tractor, though perhaps I should. My risk of theft here is pretty low though - from my (old rusty) gate, all you can see is land, trees, and a small dirt road. Only a very few people know there is something more where the house and shop are. Also have a security system with a video camera on the gate that I can view and control from anywhere with cell service.

 

[Dunbar]

Willys small tractors. This is worth watching. PTO mania.

 

[Hack]

Finally get to post something in this thread:

1977 Economy Power King 1614. True survivor (I'm the third owner - second owner never used it). Kohler K321 14hp single cylinder. All gear drive: Borge-Warner T92 3spd, Dana 44 rear end, Bull gear reduction. Hydraulic lift and Cat '0' 3pt hitch:

Spent a couple days freeing up the spherical balls in the hitch arms. Lots of heat and PB Blaster. Did you all know that PB Blaster sprayed on to hot steel also gets hot? If not, I've got a couple second degree burns I can show ya...

 

[e9999]

Dana 44!! looks like that thing has portal axles too! You're halfway to a true rock-crawling beast!

 

[Hack]

Dana 44!! looks like that thing has portal axles too! You're halfway to a true rock-crawling beast!

It's also got a Borg-Warner T92 3spd transmission. And I just got a second one to make it a 6 speed (which was an available option). Of interest, the transmission is the same one used in the small Crosley automobiles.

I believe I 'max out' at 9 mph in 3rd.

 

[AdventureToolCompany]

.....goes to show how tough little orange tractors are....

 

[Hack]

.....goes to show how tough little orange tractors are....

And a great job of chaining it to the trailer!

 

[snobdds]

A few years ago I decided to build a cabin next to my grandpa's old cabin that he used back in the 40's to get huge trees out of the mountains that the railroad later used for ties. This thing was built like a tank and it has been fine even during winters that sometimes bury it completely. In order to build my new cabin, I had to move a hillside with my mini ex. Well after I got done building it, it was obvious it was too close to the other cabin. I really didn't have the time to build a pad and move it until this year. I had to chop more of a hillside back to get enough dirt to build a pad back in the aspens. Well I didn't know how much this thing weighed or how it was going to go, but you just have to do it. Got my mini ex again and a 13 ton chain winch fixed to a big rock as a dead man. It went pretty easy, actually to my amazement. Now it's back out of the way and the big cabin no longer dumps all it's snow on to it.

When I started

In progress...

Done...

 

[Dunbar]

That's badass! Everything about it. Using your mini to move your ancestral Kaczynski shack. Your new cabin is awesome. Now it's time to fight a bear with a knife and hang his hide on your wall.