Why I Bought a PowerTrac 425

[MossRoad]

Used my 425 to lift poles (hoops) when building my new green house. As they are over 13 feet high and heavy, the 425 with extension worked very well. From the pictures you will see my temporary solution of using a 1 inch square tube 8 feet long and attaching to my lift boom via two c-clamps. Toward the end of project the square tube started to bend but was able to complete the lifting.
Again, without the 425 and its unlimited abilities projects like this would be very hard to do.
PJ

Very nice! I was wondering where you were going to put it. Now I know! :thumbsup:

Mrs. PJ will be very happy.

 

[pajoube]

Have you ever used one of these hooped greehouses? My wife wants a large GH but there is not that kind of money. These look cool but I am not sure their winter survival ability.

Carl

This came from a large green house company that went broke. Paid $1250 for 30x50 which included heater, two 48 inch cooler fans, (both ends) watering system and tables which we did not need. Idea is to gain a month on both ends for growing but not to grow during winter. Cost for cover is $268 and will go with only one layer which should be good for at least 4 years. I figure to have $2000 into project by the time I am finished.
PJ

 

[pajoube]

Very nice! I was wondering where you were going to put it. Now I know! :thumbsup:

Mrs. PJ will be very happy.

Thanks David, your right Sandi is very happy as it is her idea and my labor.
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

Thanks David, your right Sandi is very happy as it is her idea and my labor.
PJ

Yeah. Those are the best kind of projects. Sometimes its better to be labor than management. :thumbsup:

Anyhow, good luck with the green house. I'd like to see some more photos as it progresses.

I bought some hog panels and bent them into an arch for our beans, peas, pickles and cukes this year. I was thinking it would not take too much to put some plastic over it in the fall for a mini green house to extend the salad season into winter.

I had the PT out at the property last weekend and brush hogged a couple miles of trails in about an hour and a half. Then I took it into the deep stuff to cut a new trail. Never been in that part of my property before. I went down a grade with the brush cutter running. All was going well until the front tires dropped of a hidden log and I got hi centered. And the log was at an angle going down hill, so the more I rocked it, the more I leaned to the side. I soon realized I would be taking a walk back to the truck for the chainsaw. :laughing: I cut both ends of the log off, then pushed the FEL arms down and used the brush cutter to lift the front enough to slide the log out. Except the log had a branch on the bottom that had speared the ground and I couldn't slide it out. So I had to do delicate surgery with the chainsaw under the PT to carve it out. I say delicate, because I didn't want to hurt the chainsaw by bumping it with the PT. Usually you are concerned with the tractor getting hurt. Not so with the underside of a PT! :laughing: It took me about 20 minutes to go get the saw and only about 2 minutes to cut the log. That is the first time I had the PT stuck in 9 years. With turf tires, no less. :thumbsup:

Anyhow, the PT destroyed 6' high weeds and brush with ease. Having the cutter out front is just fantastic. I can only imagine how nasty that would have been driving a conventional tractor through the stuff before it is cut.

 

[ponytug]

It's a week for chainsaw stories. I slipped off the edge of my garden and high centered the PT on a hidden (well forgotten) stump. After some digging and thrashing around a remembered the FEL lift trick. I hiked back and got the chainsaw, raised the PT and gently removed about 3" of stump and off we went. I wish I had thought of it the day before when I was trying to dig the PT out....

All the best,

Peter

 

[woodlandfarms]

One of my deepest regrets is not taking any before or after pix. Ultimately it would look like just a wall of green, then open meadows, but of the 40 acres we have, maybe 2 where walkable when we bought the property. Now I have access to all corners of the property, and at least 15 acres opened up the way I like. All thanks to the sloping feature of the PT, could never have done with with a regular tractor.

BTW, Google Earth has the history feature, and our property pix go back to 1990. Boy what a lot of change.

 

[jaquetarr]

Wall with hedge doing well. Three more walls to build.

PJ

When you built your wall, what did you do for the foundation?
I plan to dig a 12 x 12 trench, backfill with gravel & run a 12 x 4 cement cap to set the blocks on.
Am I on track?
Rgds,
tim

 

[MossRoad]

When you built your wall, what did you do for the foundation?
I plan to dig a 12 x 12 trench, backfill with gravel & run a 12 x 4 cement cap to set the blocks on.
Am I on track?
Rgds,
tim

Do you have frost and freeze guidelines for your area? That's what I'd check, first. :thumbsup:

 

[pajoube]

When you built your wall, what did you do for the foundation?
I plan to dig a 12 x 12 trench, backfill with gravel & run a 12 x 4 cement cap to set the blocks on.
Am I on track?
Rgds,
tim

We are in mountains with very low temps in the winter. Used 4 inches of sand and layed the bricks on that, easy to level and has never moved or heaved in spring.
PJ

 

[beppington]

Yeah. Those are the best kind of projects. Sometimes its better to be labor than management. :thumbsup:

I like to design & build, but sometimes doing both gets old. It's nice to design & then hand it somebody else to go do. Or, take somebody else's design & go do ... & then blame them when it doesn't go right

 

[jaquetarr]

We are in mountains with very low temps in the winter. Used 4 inches of sand and layed the bricks on that, easy to level and has never moved or heaved in spring.
PJ

Thanks for the feedback
I plan to build my wall about 2.5 to 3' high & back fill with gravel / soil.
Frost heave is not a problem, mid Texas, moderate temps.

From what you describe, my plan is overkill.
Rgds,
tim

 

[pajoube]

Have used my boom pole or pick for the last two years to get rid of leaves. I Bought this very large leaf bag on line ($29) which has turned out to be the best investment. The bag will stand on its own while loading and has 4 handles for hauling.
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

That bag is pretty slick, Paul. :thumbsup:

I just finished leaves yesterday by mowing with the PT425 60" finish mower and towing our 48" Brinley lawn sweeper behind. LOTS of trips to the dump pile with the sweeper. Once I had the yard cleared I used the FEL large bucket to push it all into a pile behind a screen of the giant reed grass that we have. They'll rot nicely by next year.

 

[pajoube]

More leaves fell today, never a moment to rest.
PJ

 

[MossRoad]

I hear you. Spent yesterday doing yard work here and log splitter repair, then youngest had 5 friends overnight. Today was firewood all day long. At least I got an extra hour sleep last night due to DST. :laughing:

Also switched around summer and winter implements. Got the plow on the PT now and mowers in the back of the garage.

I got a beard going for winter. You got a stash going in those pictures?:thumbsup:

 

[pajoube]

No, just a dirty face

 

[MossRoad]

Ha ha! I had that this weekend. I was girdling trees with the chainsaw so they die and dry upright over the winter. I was getting blasted in the face with sawdust and I realized it was probably poison ivy vines. So I wiped my sweaty face with my sleeve, which had more sawdust than my face and got a mouthful of sawdust. No rash yet. :confused3:

 

[MossRoad]

Anyhow, the PT425 pulled a years worth of firewood out of the woods nicely again. I am still very happy with this purchase. :thumbsup:

 

[pajoube]

I agree, the day that I must sell my tractor and attachments (no need) will be a very sad day. Over the years my 425 and I have tackled all projects and completed all. Without the 425 most would never have been attempted.
My wife has said that they should bury me with my tractor with the way i talk about it, might just be so.
PJ

 

[SpringHollow]

Bury you with the tractor - well, it is pretty good at digging holes