The Tractor Thread

Ran my tractor for awhile today, and went out front and graded the road, so neighbors will quit running on the grass frontage. Seems after a rain, it always gets a few little pot holes, and they run onto grass to avoid a bump. I need a plow now, to pull a straight small ditch line so they can stay on the road; for now, I took one of the grabber hooks, and I cut a pretty straight line with it, to see if they get the hint. It's just a little "aggravating", seeing them do it, after I take all the time to keep the grass cut. Thinking about making a plow for it myself.
 
Jake Smith said:
Ran my tractor for awhile today, and went out front and graded the road, so neighbors will quit running on the grass frontage. Seems after a rain, it always gets a few little pot holes, and they run onto grass to avoid a bump. I need a plow now, to pull a straight small ditch line so they can stay on the road; for now, I took one of the grabber hooks, and I cut a pretty straight line with it, to see if they get the hint. It's just a little "aggravating", seeing them do it, after I take all the time to keep the grass cut. Thinking about making a plow for it myself.
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I run into the same "after a rain the gravel sinks" issue with our right-of-way. I drop the scarifiers and try to break up up the surrounding areas to remove the sinkhole, but life (and gravel) finds a way.

Have you looked on Craigslist (or Facebook Marketplace) for a plow? I know I paid under $50 for my bottom plow, probably close to $25. (I won't try to tell you what size it is, since there appears to be no consistent standard of measurement.) Might be cheaper than making one if you can find a deal.
 
Ken Anderson said:
A tractor thread can't be in the Announcements area, so I'll be moving it either to Gardening or Do It Yourself, neither of which is an entirely perfect home, but still better than Announcements.
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That's cool, Yvonne had told me when I first re-joined, to start this thread anywhere, I wasn't sure where to put it. At first it wouldn't post the thread, then it came back and said you have a draft and I clique it, and it posted. Yvonne said oh no, that's for the administrator's only post. You should put them in a chit chat, or coffee lounge. OOoops :oops: Too late, "sorry".
 
John Brunner said:
I run into the same "after a rain the gravel sinks" issue with our right-of-way. I drop the scarifiers and try to break up up the surrounding areas to remove the sinkhole, but life (and gravel) finds a way.

Have you looked on Craigslist (or Facebook Marketplace) for a plow? I know I paid under $50 for my bottom plow, probably close to $25. (I won't try to tell you what size it is, since there appears to be no consistent standard of measurement.) Might be cheaper than making one if you can find a deal.
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I've looked a little bit, but Marie says you are not getting anything else, for that "tractor". Mainly because I'm always coming behind her cutting off fans, and lights. :LOL:
 
Jake Smith said:
I've looked a little bit, but Marie says you are not getting anything else, for that "tractor". Mainly because I'm always coming behind her cutting off fans, and lights. :LOL:
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I sense the beginnings of an agreement. LED technology has come a long way. I have a 6w globe LED bulb above my kitchen sink, and when it died I tried an old incandescent one I had around. It was too harsh...I had to go back to LED. I had adapted. I also have 3 candelabra-style LED bulbs in a floor lamp by my couch that give off a good light. You can both get what you want and pay for that plow in less than a year (I just made that part up.)

But before you start the conversation you need to find a plow.
 
John Brunner said:
I sense the beginnings of an agreement. LED technology has come a long way. I have a 6w globe LED bulb above my kitchen sink, and when it died I tried an old incandescent one I had around. It was too harsh...I had to go back to LED. I had adapted. I also have 3 candelabra-style LED bulbs in a floor lamp by my couch that give off a good light. You can both get what you want and pay for that plow in less than a year (I just made that part up.)

But before you start the conversation you need to find a plow.
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Yes technology has improved over the years, we have some of those "twirly" looking low watt bulbs, which have lasted for over 21 years now, and still work. I had one in the master bath, and Marie told me, can you put a stronger bulb in this bathroom so I can see better. So I went in and put a 100 watt in; and in less than a week she said can you change it back, that's too bright, so I put the same old low watt "twirly" looking bulb back in. I will let you know when I find a plow for a good price.
 
Jake Smith said:
Yes technology has improved over the years, we have some of those "twirly" looking low watt bulbs, which have lasted for over 21 years now, and still work. I had one in the master bath, and Marie told me, can you put a stronger bulb in this bathroom so I can see better. So I went in and put a 100 watt in; and in less than a week she said can you change it back, that's too bright, so I put the same old low watt "twirly" looking bulb back in. I will let you know when I find a plow for a good price.
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It's weird, isn't it? When I first put that one in the kitchen, it seemed too dim. But now it's just right. I'm kinda angry that I prefer it, because I feel our choices were taken away from us and I hate giving in.
 
John Brunner said:
It's weird, isn't it? When I first put that one in the kitchen, it seemed too dim. But now it's just right. I'm kinda angry that I prefer it, because I feel our choices were taken away from us and I hate giving in.
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It is weird, and have you ever noticed that when you first cut on the twirly lights, they're kind of dimmer, then they get a lot brighter after they warm up? The old ge 100 watts, fire off right off "bright", may be why they run power bills up fast.

Went out today to frontage I had graded, to just see if neighbors took the hint where I cut a deep line, with that graffal hook on box blade, and stayed on road, most did, but a few started coming over running over line I cut. But when I get the plow and cut a trench they will stop doing it, "maybe".
 
Compatible with category 13- Point Quick Hitch Tractors, providing wide applicability.
Long Lifespan; Made of heavy Steel, it is sturdy and not easy to damage. Black Powder coating on the surface can effectively isolate the air, avoid oxidation and ageing, and enhance the use of life.
Flexible Adjustment when you attach it to your tractor with a three point hitch, you can easily control the depth of the furrow.
Efficient Planting & Harvesting. The middle buster can be used for a variety of agricultural tasks including breaking up hard soil , for planting, etc. It is suitable for growing crops such as potatoes, sweet potatoes or other root vegetables. It can be used for laying irrigation pipes or installing drainage systems.
You receive 1x3 point middle buster and mounting accessories , including pins.


This is the size it is.



1769015267439.png


$136.90 Walmart
 
Jake Smith said:
Compatible with category 13- Point Quick Hitch Tractors, providing wide applicability.
Long Lifespan; Made of heavy Steel, it is sturdy and not easy to damage. Black Powder coating on the surface can effectively isolate the air, avoid oxidation and ageing, and enhance the use of life.
Flexible Adjustment when you attach it to your tractor with a three point hitch, you can easily control the depth of the furrow.
Efficient Planting & Harvesting. The middle buster can be used for a variety of agricultural tasks including breaking up hard soil , for planting, etc. It is suitable for growing crops such as potatoes, sweet potatoes or other root vegetables. It can be used for laying irrigation pipes or installing drainage systems.
You receive 1x3 point middle buster and mounting accessories , including pins.


This is the size it is.



View attachment 588


$136.90 Walmart
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Furrow plow. Better than a bottom plow for what you're doing (although the names get interchanged.)
 
Jake Smith said:
I think so too, gave a little more lead way to do other things with it too. I look at it like this is something I'll use over and over again and want to get my money's worth out of it. :)
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"My name's Jake, and I'm an attachment-holic."
"Hi, Jake!"
;)

This is just the beginning, buddy. Ask me how I know. I have a backhoe, a pto roto tiller, a front end loader (all financed with the tractor), and picked up a bottom plow, a cultivator, a post hole digger, and a box blade...all Craigslist/yard sales.

I bought a new boom pole at Tractor Supply because used ones were around the same price and they were all rusted, and T.S. gives you a ton of Future-Purchase-Bucks if you get one of their credit cards and make a minimum initial purchase (which was the boom pole.) As an aside, their credit card gives you a handful of free same-day deliveries each year and a free utility trailer rental every quarter.

The only new attachment I've bought since getting the tractor in 2010 was a landscape rake. I used it once for our gravel road, and found a used box blade shortly thereafter, which does a much better job. It makes me angry, because I've used the heck out of my bargain used attachments. I want to sell it, but I don't like bringing people down on to my property (potential thieves and pesky hunters), and it's not something I can meet a buyer in the Walmart parking lot to sell. "Sure, I can tie that to the roof of your Civic. I brought some rope."
 
John Brunner said:
"My name's Jake, and I'm an attachment-holic."
"Hi, Jake!"
;)

This is just the beginning, buddy. Ask me how I know. I have a backhoe, a pto roto tiller, a front end loader (all financed with the tractor), and picked up a bottom plow, a cultivator, a post hole digger, and a box blade...all Craigslist/yard sales.

I bought a new boom pole at Tractor Supply because used ones were around the same price and they were all rusted, and T.S. gives you a ton of Future-Purchase-Bucks if you get one of their credit cards and make a minimum initial purchase (which was the boom pole.) As an aside, their credit card gives you a handful of free same-day deliveries each year and a free utility trailer rental every quarter.

The only new attachment I've bought since getting the tractor in 2010 was a landscape rake. I used it once for our gravel road, and found a used box blade shortly thereafter, which does a much better job. It makes me angry, because I've used the heck out of my bargain used attachments. I want to sell it, but I don't like bringing people down on to my property (potential thieves and pesky hunters), and it's not something I can meet a buyer in the Walmart parking lot to sell. "Sure, I can tie that to the roof of your Civic. I brought some rope."
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I use my landscape rake to clear big branches that fell during the winter, and I have found I can use it to smooth the drive in a different way from the box blade. I get rocks that migrate up from below the surface during the freeze-thaw cycle and I can just set the rake at an angle and quickly rake the larger rocks to the side while leaving the gravel in place. You may not have these problems, but it works for me.
 
John Brunner said:
"My name's Jake, and I'm an attachment-holic."
"Hi, Jake!"
;)

This is just the beginning, buddy. Ask me how I know. I have a backhoe, a pto roto tiller, a front end loader (all financed with the tractor), and picked up a bottom plow, a cultivator, a post hole digger, and a box blade...all Craigslist/yard sales.

I bought a new boom pole at Tractor Supply because used ones were around the same price and they were all rusted, and T.S. gives you a ton of Future-Purchase-Bucks if you get one of their credit cards and make a minimum initial purchase (which was the boom pole.) As an aside, their credit card gives you a handful of free same-day deliveries each year and a free utility trailer rental every quarter.

The only new attachment I've bought since getting the tractor in 2010 was a landscape rake. I used it once for our gravel road, and found a used box blade shortly thereafter, which does a much better job. It makes me angry, because I've used the heck out of my bargain used attachments. I want to sell it, but I don't like bringing people down on to my property (potential thieves and pesky hunters), and it's not something I can meet a buyer in the Walmart parking lot to sell. "Sure, I can tie that to the roof of your Civic. I brought some rope."
Click to expand...


Maybe a trusted neighbor would have a trailer you could use to take the landscape rake, to meet a buyer somewhere. I will have to do a little more checking at Tractor Supply, it's where I buy my animal food; since the old place where I used to buy my animal food, the women ended up "double" charging me and Then they wouldn't give me my money back; and it was her own fought. Finally got it back months later from the owner; he said as soon as I saw you I knew I could straighten this out. He's a nice man and I hate that I had to switch stores, but his daughter and the cash register woman are crazy.


Enough about "that", It looks to me you really have a lot of attachments for your tractor, already, It's like me and one of my brothers, "Bobby", we can't go into fishing supply store without buying something.
 
Don Alaska said:
I use my landscape rake to clear big branches that fell during the winter, and I have found I can use it to smooth the drive in a different way from the box blade. I get rocks that migrate up from below the surface during the freeze-thaw cycle and I can just set the rake at an angle and quickly rake the larger rocks to the side while leaving the gravel in place. You may not have these problems, but it works for me.
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I think the different configurations of "driveways" (flat, crowned, wide, narrow) and the size of the gravel might drive the best tool for that job. The videos I've watched for box blades and rakes are always on large flat expanses, not graveled paths cut through the woods as ours is.

Ours is hilly and has a crown on it, and seems to get rutted real easily, so when the tires hit pits and rises, the attachment on the rear raises up and bottoms out. 7-8 years ago we paid to have it reworked. The guy used a skid loader and took it down to the bed, then laid down fresh gravel. It doesn't stay intact for long. Stuff washes away on the steep hills (it's a 75' drop from the top to the bottom.) There are places where the sides drop off so the gravel gets pushed away into the woods. Then others where it just gets pushed off into the grass.

Head of the driveway looking down:
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Half way down looking back up the last hill:
YkFQHAd.jpeg


The video for the rake I bought shows it pulling up large roots and dragging away sizeable logs. I paid for high quality. But I don't really have that need. It just doesn't seem to do that well on the gravel. My neighbor gets frustrated when he tells me to just back-drag the front end loader, because he's used a skid loader with treads and doesn't grasp how 4 wheels hitting rises and holes cause anything hanging off of the tractor to go up & down 12" at a pop. Maybe I need to reduce all the pressure on the 3 point hitch so the rake just drags on its own weight and does not follow the tractor's ups & downs. I hadn't thought of it before. But it still wouldn't work that well on the many places the road has a crown for the water to run off.
 
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