Tractors, Mowers, Chippers, Trailers, Chainsaws, Generators, Driveway Erosion Control, ETC.

I’ve got an iPhone 11 as well and the camera is awesome

 

I have a Ford 445 backhoe, diesel, about 52hp I think, from the early 1980's. I got real lucky on the purchase. I was driving over to see my folks on a Sunday. Saw the tractor. Stopped. The guy had $7000 marked on it. He came out, everything worked..., he said "I am looking for a cash offer, today, because we are leaving for Florida tonight". I told him I had $4000 at home in my safe, but that was it. Bam! Sold!

It had been owned by a local municipality and was a grave digger only, so not abused. Those old backhoes were built like tanks. Down sides are heavy, brakes are really weak, gear trans, no power steering. But for digging, can't beat it. I have a Taylor Way backhoe and subframe for my Kubota, but it obviously just doesn't have the power of the Ford.

My brother-in-law made a thumb for the bucket too, so that's nice.

Not mine, but basically same machine.

 

Did a little repair job for a friends fold out cut away hare. This is one of the wings. Made the missing piece and added some braces.

 

Big iron is cheap! Much cheaper than newer compact machines anyway.... Probably because nobody wants to move it. Admittedly, I often wish we had a nice compact Kubota backhoe. I’m on the hunt though.

 

A lot of that depends on the vintage, too. The older tractors were heavier, and weight's really what you need if you're pulling a tree since most of the time you'll run out of traction before you run out of power if you're in the right gear/range.
I had a 51-ish Case VAC that was only rated at 13hp (and that was when it was new; I'd be willing to bet that a few horses had escaped over the years), but it weighed over 5000lbs and was geared for pulling power since it was designed as a farm tractor, not a utility tractor. That thing was a monster; it hauled everything I ever hooked it to without even breaking a sweat.

Looks like maybe a Farmall?

 

That's what I was thinking, an H or an M?

 

Phil Dirt? I know him. I think his cousin is Bob War. I don't think anyone who doesn't have property and holes in their field can quite get as excited about free dirt as those of use who do. I could use a few 100 yards of dirt on my place.

Your Kubota is about what I need on my property.

 

@mac84 share some pictures of that bush hog project you doing

 

I need to go get some diesel and get busy again today but looks like a bird has made a nest on top of the garage door opener and now it ain’t working! Project ahead

 

Pushed this dead dogwood over. We had an alpaca a few years ago and he ate all the bark off and killed it.

 

Got one of the 140’s ready to list rows when it dries up. Got an extra set of tool bars and leave the hillers attached to them and just switch them out. Only use them 15 minutes a year anyway. Had a little help as well. I ask baby girl to move her carriage and she pulled it where I needed to be. Little man had to work on something as well.

 

Looks like the pit crew is getting ready to make some upgrades on the wheeler!

 

Upgraded electric motor?

 

Thay actually tore it apart. It’s been dead and was going to the dumpster anyway. They drilled a bunch of holes on it and cut some wires.

 

Probably going with a Tesla salvage yard drive train! Kids are tech savvy enough now days to pull it off.

 

Things had firmed up enough down on the lower lot this weekend for me to get down there and burn a big brush pile and knock the bank that it was stacked on down a bit. The plan is to eventually get a garage or a pole barn down there, but it's a slow "as I've got time and ambition" process for now.



Restacking as it burned down





And after things had burned down a bit, around dusk. Lousy cellphone photo, but the dark lump on the left is what I'd shaved off of the front of the bank as it thawed from the heat of the fire

 

Reckon it’s time to think about getting the trencher into the workshop for a little maintenance.