The Eagle Has Landed

lablovers · Mar 13, 2004

Well the big day had finally come. Yesterday, while at work, the new LK3054 TLB was delivered. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif When I finally got to talk with my wife later in the day, she said it was here and it was beautiful. Quite a comment from her as this is not something she normally associates with a Tractor. A car maybe, a tractor, no. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Got home with a about 30 minutes of light left and took it out for a trial spin. Immediately dug a nice hole with the backhoe. I can see I should have spent a little more time with the video games. Manual Dexterity must be a guy in Mexico as he does not reside anywhere near me. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif It will come in time as I was actually able to dig and fill the same hole. Not the prettiest job. Practice is a good excuse for playing with it. By the time we build, I should at least be capable.

Bought a 16" bucket and 9" bucket for specialized trenching. Lastly, came the 64" Bush Hog Box Scraper. Right now the only future wish list is for a PHD. No hurry for that right now.

The weather should be in the mid 70's today and will have to wait until evening to play. Getting our house ready to sell and that must come first. I will keep sneaking trips to the garage to drool. Pictures to come as soon as I can get them developed on a CD. Don't want to spring for a digital camera just yet.

Glad to finally be a member of the ownership brotherhood. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Hopefully I am not adding to the "Explaining the Pucker Factor" to your wife thread to soon.

Lablovers

BigAl · Mar 13, 2004

Enjoy it Richard ,
I been out playing with mine this morning . I am in the process of designing and building a sweet little Grapple for the FEL on my DK45 . I mocked it up out of some 1/4 plywood to get a pattern I liked for the tooth/grapple design. The way I designed it , it can be used as a grapple or a tooth bar ! . I wanted the option of being able to back drag with the smooth cutting edge without the tooth bar in the way and this works nicely . I'm headed back to the welding shop to have them Plasma cut the big pieces of steel . No Pictures yet ,but when I get finished you should stop by and check it out . We are about 15 miles away from each other . Have fun !
Big Al

lablovers · Mar 13, 2004

Bigal,
Thanks for the invite. I would love to see your Grapple when finished. Did your buddy get a tractor yet?

My son and I got to play with the 3054 today. I am quite impressed. Plenty of power and I find the the drivers area is not tight at all. Once I get into the drivers seat everything is right where it should be. Very confortable and I do not feel cramped at all. Dug a nice big hole and barried some concrete I did not want to haul it to the dump. Then we did some finish work with the BH. It worked better then I hoped. Within a short amount of time my son and I cleaned up a side hill that has been bothering me for a long time. Even my wife was impressed. I think she is acutually starting to believe this thing might help me get some work done. I see her wheels turning on projects for the new house. As long as I get to use the tractor, that is fine.

Lablovers

KiotiJohn · Mar 14, 2004

( I see her wheels turning on projects for the new house. As long as I get to use the tractor, that is fine)Everybody WINS! Yeah! John

BigAl · Mar 14, 2004

Hi Richard ,
My friend is getting prices on a DK45 Kioti's as we speak . He told me just to build two grapples, so he can have one when he finally decides who he is buying his tractor from . He is a funny guy and just hopping from one foot to the other to buy a bigger tractor .
He has a Yanmar 755 that he has not sold yet . It's in excellent shape if you know anyone that is looking for one that size . It has all kinds of attachnents for it . Price is up for dicussion .
Funny thing , When I went over to the welding shop with my little grapple design the shop owner offered me a partnership if he could get involved in the building and selling of them . He told me it was so simple he could not figure out why someone has not came out with one allready . There was a guy in there having some welding done and told me he would buy one if I decided to start selling them . So maybe I just might have to explore this a little more . I sure wasn't looking for a job when I did this ,just a more usable grapple . I have to go back tomorrow and he wants me to go with him to some big steel manufacturing place to see what it would cost to mass produce the main pieces of the grapple . He told me the design is useable on just about any bucket he has ever worked on . I'll keep you posted .
Have fun with that new baby of yours . Have you picked out a name yet ? I just call mine "Simba"
Big Al

NIXON · Mar 14, 2004

Lablovers .
Congratulations on you new machine ! I'm sure that even as I write this you're out enjoying it! When you get around to sending pics , make sure you have a couple of the Labs in them !! Finest dog ever bred ! I had one in England , a yellow named winston ( He passed away a while ago , but is still missed ). And I now have one , a chocolate named Harley . They're such great companions ! John

KiotiJohn · Mar 14, 2004

Bigal, I think a lot of us are lining up at your window with cash in hand. When will we get to see the pictures of your grapple? John

lablovers · Mar 15, 2004

Bigal,
Funny how you kind of fall into things. I hope it is a big hit. Let me know when you finish, would love to see it.

Cerberus,
Took the film in for developing this morning. Having a CD made to post pictures. Definately will have some with the dogs. You are right on Labs being the best. Almost to human sometimes. Today did some more work with the hoe. I cannot imagine not having one now. The little 3054 just keeps on chugging almost laughing about what I ask it do do. Feel like she is saying, "give me a break, when does the real work start."

Oh and I think we have come up with a name, Lucille. You know a red head and all. Well orange is close. Some of the bottle redheads end up orange anyway.

Lablovers

Lablovers

BigAl · Mar 15, 2004

Hi John,
As soon as the welding shop finishes their part, which I hope he can do by Friday, I will snap a picture to see what you guy's think . I got a ton of brush to try it out on .The Welding shop owner called me today to make sure I'm coming over to discuss this thing some more with him tomorrow . He really thinks this grapple design is worth the risk . He told me he would do all the welding labor for free on mine if I would let him manufacture my design for resale .He also told me he would pay me a commission on everyone he sales !!!
I've have heard the wind blow before , but I have known this guy for 40 years and he is dead serious . I guess mine is going to a test model ????? Heck ,I just wanted a grapple that would work well and the tooth bar idea came on while sitting on the toilet /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif . I guess I got nothing to lose !
Big Al

KiotiJohn · Mar 15, 2004

I would make sure I had the design drawn out well, and mail it certified mail to yourself and don't open it. It may help to prove when you made the design. Get it patented. It could be the next "best thing since sliced toast." John

BigAl · Mar 16, 2004

Thanks John,
I never really thought of doing something like that to protect the design. Couldn't someone just make a few changes on the design and market it if they wished ?
I learned a lot more about steel plate today than my old brain can use from going to the steel manufacturer .Strenghts, weight ,etc. My brain is like a old computer . It can only hold so much information ,so if I learn anything new ,I have to delete some old stuff . Anyway the parts are now being cad drawn on a computer and then a machine of some sort is going to cut them out . The guy told me the cut pieces should be ready to pickup next Monday . He was a pretty sharp guy and made a few suggestions to increase the strenght and keep the weight down of the finished product .
So I guess I will write myself a letter and put my drawing in it and send it off to me . I just hope I don't think it is more junk mail and throw it away .
Seriously though, Thanks for a great idea .
Big Al

KiotiJohn · Mar 16, 2004

These quick copyright things don't always work. Maybe you and the welder should go together and patent this idea since he's helping you to improve it. Yes, someone could make some changes on your idea, but if it's very close, they could be sued by you for infringement just as Kubota is suing Kioti for trade dress infringement for using a similar color and design. Doesn't mean you'd win, but it can be done. In the meantime, you may make a lot of money. John

To20Chris · Mar 16, 2004

Hey Lablovers - have you got to use it much yet?

I did a little grading work with mine the first weekend I had it, but then I had to leave it sit for the next weekend. I had too many other obligations, and besides the ground around here is just a big muddy sponge this time of year. This past week turned out to be fairly dry & I was all set to do some work on draining my back field, but my whole family got hit with a stomach bug of some kind /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif, but I shook it off by Sunday. I spent several hours working on making a trench with the backhoe - just a quick temporary drain to dry it out. I plan to make this more permanent later. Right now things are so wet that doing any kind of leveling with the loader is impossible - I end up digging more with the wheels than with the bucket!

It snowed today & my wife decided to plant the Wheel Horse & manure spreader in the wettest, muddiest part of the field. Snow & mud! I got close enough to it with the LK to put a tow strap on the FEL, and I backed the whole mess right out. Darned thing never slipped at all! I'm having a ball with it so far, getting used to the controls, etc. I'm very pleased with it - hope you're having fun with yours too!

Chris

At least the snow cleaned the mud out of the tires!

lablovers · Mar 16, 2004

To20Chris,
Probably put about 5 1/2 hours on it over the weekend. My son and I traded seat time on the BH. I was amazed how quickly we learned enough to at least be dangerous. We were on the top of the hill and working down. A little backward from what we had practiced but it worked great.
I hate to say this but the temps have been in the high 70's to low 80's and the working conditions were ideal. We got more done in this time than we ever expected. Now I am looking for excuses to find things to do.

I am very impressed with the 3054. The more I am on it, the more comfortable it seems to be. It seems to fit like a glove. Hopefully we will have pictures back by tomorrow and I can get some posted. I will show you mine if you will show me yours, tractors that is.

I hope the weather improves so you can get to work. I have a brother-in-law with a farm in Catawisa, PA. How far are you from there?

Lablovers

KiotiJohn · Mar 17, 2004

( I'm very pleased with it - hope you're having fun with yours too!) It's great that you guys are sharing your enthusiasm for your purchases of Kioti Tractors. I think it helps the lookers to know that we all enjoy our Kiotis. Of course, most people enjoy their tractors, even if they just bought 8n! But don't stop, I, for one, want to hear it all TO20Chris and Lablovers. John
KiotiSpring

lablovers · Mar 17, 2004

For anyone interested, I finally posted some pictures in the General Post section under Pictures of new LK3054SX. It only took me about 4 hours to figure out how to do it. I think I would rather have a root canal than do it again.
Lablovers

KiotiJohn · Mar 18, 2004

Just to clarify, Lablovers posted the pictures under the general "owning/operating section. John

BillG_in_TX · Mar 18, 2004

Richard,

Kioti has your testimonial on their front page! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

lablovers · Mar 18, 2004

BillGNTX,
Yes I saw it. They are sending me a gift for being one of the first. I am kind of proud that it is on the first page of their website. It was no bull, it amazed me in what we already accomplished.

Of course I showed it to my wife and all she could do was correct my grammar. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Kind of hard to impress her. I am glad she does not monitor my posts.

Lablovers

KiotiJohn · Mar 18, 2004

Well, that's great. That makes three TBN members that have graced the front page that I know of. DKVince, Dewave, and now you, Lablovers. I'm still wondering why we can't get someone with a DK40 to do a testimonial. Lakelanierbuddy just did one on the DK55 so we've covered all but the DK40 so far. Come on guys, I know there's a DK40 owner out there who just LOVES his Kioti. Tell the world on www.kiotitractor.com or www.kioti.com, click on "testimonials" near the top right of the homepage. John