Today's the day....

[Coytee]

The farm here is co-owned now by 12 people, most of which live out of town.

 

Farm needs cut/maintained (farming/leasing no longer an option for various reasons)...  and we have no way to cut the farm ("mow" the yard)

 

Everyone keeps dickering about we need this....we need that....  but the farm only has about $15K (in the partnership)....  hard to expect someone who lives out of town to drive here to cut the place....so that usually falls on me (besides, I happen to enjoy it)

 

Soooooooooooooo, someone (ahem) is making an executive decision....I've bought an International 1066 tractor with a 15' hydraulically powered (verses PTO driven) flexwing mower.

 

Both are used & aged a bit yes....  but both in very decent mechanical condition.

 

No cab on the unit and these pictures are not of the specific tractor....

 

The one without the cab is a twin to what is coming today.  The cab version with the person next to it is just for some scale.

 

 

Next, I have to figure out how to get the mower delivered...  it's been bought but is about 15 miles away.  (I might just drive the tractor over & hook it up)

 

I do however, need to obtain a piece of steel, roughly 12x15x1/2 to bolt to the tractor and bolt the speed increaser (on the mower) to it.  Anyone want to help me figure out that challenge??!!  If I buy a new one (universal fit) it's around $400/450 and that is for the piece of steel with the PTO hole cut into it along with bolt holes for the speed increaser but, no holes cut for the tractor mount....that's up to the owner.  (really, that much for a piece of steel??)

 

Any suggestions where I can hide something like this from the wife??  The closet I use for stereo stuff isn't going to cut it this time!  

[The Dude]

Nice tractor, as far as fabricating something, I use to piece things together here and there to try and save money.  Then I learned what opportunity cost are, my time would be worth the quick fix of the universal adapt kit. Our company charges $123.00 and hour, after doing the  math I would need to be able to build something in less than 4 hours with free material.  If I know I couldn't, then I would buy.  But only as long as there is $400 of play money laying around.  Now the hiding part, buy a cow and put the cow in front of the tractor and play it off like you don't notice the tractor, maybe the cow would take her mind off of the tractor.   

[Coytee]

15 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Now the hiding part, buy a cow and put the cow in front of the tractor and play it off like you don't notice the tractor, maybe the cow would take her mind off of the tractor.

 

.....brilliant!!  I think we have a plan.

 

 

[CECAA850]

Tell her you were either going to buy a tractor or a set of Jubilees for the house.

[JL Sargent]

Can you post a link to a template or blueprint of the steel adapter you need? I also wonder if 3/8" would work. I have some steel around here. If I have something that would help, you are welcome to it.

[richieb]

1 hour ago, The Dude said:

Nice tractor, as far as fabricating something, I use to piece things together here and there to try and save money.  Then I learned what opportunity cost are, my time would be worth the quick fix of the universal adapt kit. Our company charges $123.00 and hour, after doing the  math I would need to be able to build something in less than 4 hours with free material.  If I know I couldn't, then I would buy.  But only as long as there is $400 of play money laying around.  Now the hiding part, buy a cow and put the cow in front of the tractor and play it off like you don't notice the tractor, maybe the cow would take her mind off of the tractor.   

 

1 hour ago, Coytee said:

 

.....brilliant!!  I think we have a plan.

 

 

 

=== and to seal the deal make sure the cow holds a “eat mor chiken” sign. Your wife will think you’re so clever — 

[Dave1290]

Ohhhhhhh, the public ridicule for asking a question in this bunch...  Hahaha!  I think I'd just drop the $450 and buy the plate to avoid it!  😂 😂 😂

 

BUT

 

If you send me the info on the tractor and EXACTLY what you need there is an old farmer who lives north of town who actually has a farm equipment "junk yard."  He has EVERYthing sitting as far back as you can see from the road as you drive by.  Tractors, combines, plows, you name it he's got it!   I know him pretty well and I'll slip out to see him.  He'll know but I just want to hand him the note and say here's what I need.  He'll look at me and laff then ask when I bought a farm!  I just don't wanna have too much "STUPID" stamped on my forehead.  Worked w/the guy for years.  So a guest appearance would be fun for us both I'm thinkin!  lolol

[dtel]

3 hours ago, Coytee said:

Any suggestions where I can hide something like this from the wife?? 

Don't hide it, ask her how she plans on cutting the grass ? Or would she rather it grow up around her, think more predators going after her dogs ?

#2 offer to paint flowers on it, or she can paint it however makes her happy.

 

Find a local machine shop, they can cut you a piece of steel, Or a place that sells steel and either cut it yourself if you have a torch or find someone who does, I don't care to drive that far with two explosive tanks in the car. Once the holes are layed out it would take 5 minutes to cut them.

[Coytee]

2 hours ago, JL Sargent said:

Can you post a link to a template or blueprint of the steel adapter you need? I also wonder if 3/8" would work. I have some steel around here. If I have something that would help, you are welcome to it.

 

Nice offer (thank you!!!!)  But as of yet, I don't have any diagrams.  That's evidently going to be one of the challenges....  without one, it seems to me the best way to figure it out is to have the plate & tractor together so it can be fitted & adjusted.

 

Or...  I'm trying to think of a way I can mount it on a cross bar between the 3-point arms....but it seems to me it HAS to be locked in that position so I'm not sure I totally even like that concept.

 

Yeah....  "Mr. Big Stuff" is getting some big toys......only to be thwarted by a stupid 1/2"  piece of metal!! 

 

However....  unknown to the challenge before me.....  I'm a persistent little bugger.

[Coytee]

1 hour ago, richieb said:

 

=== and to seal the deal make sure the cow holds a “eat mor chiken” sign. Your wife will think you’re so clever

 

So let me see if I understand this....(which you couldn't have possibly known)....  I hang an 'eat mor chiken' sign on the tractor.

 

First....she'll be mad I bought the tractor.  Second (this is the part unknown to you) she's gone Vegan on me so advertising to eat more chicken will only add to the insult.

 

Would it work if the sign said something like "Eat more Garbonzo beans??"

 

 

[Coytee]

1 hour ago, Dave1290 said:

Ohhhhhhh, the public ridicule for asking a question in this bunch...  Hahaha!  I think I'd just drop the $450 and buy the plate to avoid it!  😂 😂 😂

 

BUT

 

If you send me the info on the tractor and EXACTLY what you need there is an old farmer who lives north of town who actually has a farm equipment "junk yard."  He has EVERYthing sitting as far back as you can see from the road as you drive by.  Tractors, combines, plows, you name it he's got it!   I know him pretty well and I'll slip out to see him.  He'll know but I just want to hand him the note and say here's what I need.  He'll look at me and laff then ask when I bought a farm!  I just don't wanna have too much "STUPID" stamped on my forehead.  Worked w/the guy for years.  So a guest appearance would be fun for us both I'm thinkin!  lolol

 

I'm not beyond paying the funds.....  actually, I'd bet if I went through a dealer it would be less.  The $450 amount is MSRP so genuine asking price would probably be $389.

 

The mowing unit is a Terrain King, 15' flexwing hydraulic mower and the tractor is an IH-1066

 

According to the factory (Alamo) I can use a plate from a different tractor.....probably just have to drill a couple new holes.

 

Since this tractor has dual PTO shafts (upper 1000 and lower 540) I was also told I might have to rotate the 'speed increaser' 90 degrees to the right or left to make it fit.

 

 

[Dave A]

Have you googled adapter plate plans for your tractor and implement setup?

11 minutes ago, Coytee said:

Second (this is the part unknown to you) she's gone Vegan on me so advertising to eat more chicken will only add to the insult

I have some Carolina Reapers here that could help spice up thar vegan life style.

[Coytee]

47 minutes ago, dtel said:

Don't hide it, ask her how she plans on cutting the grass ? Or would she rather it grow up around her, think more predators going after her dogs ?

#2 offer to paint flowers on it, or she can paint it however makes her happy.

 

Find a local machine shop, they can cut you a piece of steel, Or a place that sells steel and either cut it yourself if you have a torch or find someone who does, I don't care to drive that far with two explosive tanks in the car. Once the holes are layed out it would take 5 minutes to cut them.

 

I don't have the tools to machine steel other than to grind a sharp edge down...

 

I do however, have to respond to leeting her cut the fields....  and that would be "Pffffffffffffffffffffffft"  Not only will she not want to do it....  I would rather do it myself!!  Nobody around here cuts the farm as detailed as I do and....  I enjoy it.  Slap my IEM's in with some over ear protection on.....and just disappear.

 

Machine shop idea:  Good one!  My wife's brother....has a best high school friend that lives 2-3 miles from us.  Has a CNC router in his garage/shop....  yeah....couple choices around here that might work.

 

Also....have thought about using this as an excuse to take a welding class

[Coytee]

2 minutes ago, Dave A said:

I have some Carolina Reapers here that could help spice up thar vegan life style.

 

Displaying my ignorance.....what's a Carolina Reaper?

[Dave A]

Something you need to try while I watch. A pepper rated at 1,500,000 scoville units average heat and tops out at about 2,250,000.

[Coytee]

In other words, about the degrees her attitude is going to when she sees the tractor??

 

[dtel]

44 minutes ago, Coytee said:

I enjoy it.  Slap my IEM's in with some over ear protection on.....and just disappear.

That's exactly what I do, I enjoy it also, no one has ever cut the grass here but me, I like it.

 

1 hour ago, Coytee said:

she's gone Vegan on me

 Sorry to hear that, I would think thats not going to help the attitude, It wouldn't for me.

 

34 minutes ago, Coytee said:

In other words, about the degrees her attitude is going to when she sees the tractor??

 

I would think that throne you have built for her is way too high, need to lower the legs a little, show her who is the boss, .................and be prepared to run. 

 Make sure you have overalls on and a straw and and old boots when she sees the tractor, go full redneck............................tip............ (leave out the pocket protector and pens with that outfit)

[richieb]

2 hours ago, Coytee said:

 

So let me see if I understand this....(which you couldn't have possibly known)....  I hang an 'eat mor chiken' sign on the tractor.

 

First....she'll be mad I bought the tractor.  Second (this is the part unknown to you) she's gone Vegan on me so advertising to eat more chicken will only add to the insult.

 

Would it work if the sign said something like "Eat more Garbonzo beans??"

 

 

 

=== no no no. According to The Dude you have bought a cow to put in front of the tractor. The “eat mor chiken” sign goes on the cow, not the tractor. Silly boy. At this rate, yes, you will be found out —

[Coytee]

She WOULD find it darling if she came home and some goats were standing on top of it....

 

Anyone got any goats??

 

[CECAA850]

2 minutes ago, Coytee said:

She WOULD find it darling if she came home and some goats were standing on top of it....

 

Anyone got any goats??

 

Thad?!