A few additions to the New Tractor

GeneD14 · Dec 30, 2008

One of the first additions to the new tractor is a fire extinguisher. I hope that I'll never need it but it is nice to have one just in case. I wanted it handy whether I'm in or out of the cab so I mounted it just inside the door. It is in an area that is easy to get to but is also protected from the weather and a careless operator.

GeneD14 · Dec 30, 2008

Snakes, who saw a snake? I hate snakes and I we have alot of them.

So a necessity for me is to have handy access to a shot gun so when I see a big snake while mowing I can destroy it from a safe distance. Sure a hoe would do the job, but it wouldn't be nearly as fun and it would take me closer to the serpent.
I decided to mount the shot gun inside the cab on the right side so it would be out of my way and be protected from dirt and damage. I make sure that I don't leave a shell loaded in the chamber so it it gets jarred our shaken I don't blow a hole through the cab roof.

dirtworksequip · Dec 30, 2008

I've only had my tractor on fire one time 8 years ago and that was from pushing in burning brush piles. A rubber hydraulic line started to smoke. Luckily my then 5 year old son had to pee. I've got a fire extingusher mounted on my new tractor now.

Sincerely, Dirt

GeneD14 · Dec 30, 2008

I haven't personally had one burn but I have seen several other burnt tractors. When I bush hog in dry weather there is usually hand fulls of dry grass and seeds built up around the engine compartment. It concerns me enough to take some precautions. Alot of the newer combines have built in fire suppression systems do the amount of grain dust and chaff.

kthompson · Dec 30, 2008

It would seem getting the shotgun out would be somewhat a hassle. If you are off by your self where no one else is around the tractor guess theft is not an issue but do wonder if there is a law regarding this. If you drive on public roads you may should check. Saw a handgun on tv recently that uses 410 shells.

Just in case you find a snake inside the cab, grab the fire extinguisher, not the shot gun. If it is a CO (2) you can freeze it to death. If not fully to death at least cold enough not to be mobile.

Guess the cooler is next.

Mount TV above the steering wheel so you can still plow straight.

GeneD14 · Dec 30, 2008

kthompson said:
It would seem getting the shotgun out would be somewhat a hassle. If you are off by your self where no one else is around the tractor guess theft is not an issue but do wonder if there is a law regarding this. If you drive on public roads you may should check. Saw a handgun on tv recently that uses 410 shells.

Just in case you find a snake inside the cab, grab the fire extinguisher, not the shot gun. If it is a CO (2) you can freeze it to death. If not fully to death at least cold enough not to be mobile.

Guess the cooler is next. Mount TV above the steering wheel so you can still plow straight.

I have a 45 auto pistol that I use snake shot in but it's over a dollar per shot....ouch! I do keep the tractor locked in the barn while not in use, good point.

By the way: if I do find a snake inside the cab I think the heart attack may make grabbing the fire extinguisher impossible although you do have a great idea there. I hadn't thought of that one.

I did tell my wife this weekend that I was going to buy a flip down tv for it, but she saw right through that one. She knows that I can barely focus enough right now to drive without hitting something.

kthompson · Dec 30, 2008

put those fake cameras on it...for the blind spots.. or you may rather put real cameras on it for those blind spots.

Was very impressed with the 45 shooting snakes until I hit the shot shell part. Still not as easy as some may think. My most impressive shot on a snake was with a 357 pistol round. Guess some snakes do jump for the bullet.

Do you see many snakes while in the fields? I have a friend who grew up on farm in Kansas. I can sit for hours listening to him tell about blasting for post holes and picking up bales of hay and having a snake fall out that was caught in the baling. He worded it so well, by the time you realize it is dead your body fluids have already been released. Guess that is the medical training his has.

GeneD14 · Dec 30, 2008

In the summer I might see a snake per week which in many areas is no big big deal. In Michigan I only saw 2 snakes in 13 years so my threshold of terror is low.

silverdollar6 · Dec 31, 2008

If you use a fire extinguisher on a snake do you have to set it on fire first?

GeneD14 · Jan 19, 2009

The next little addition was a low cost chain box. Based on some other ideas that I've seen on this site I decided to use a weather tight ammo box. The most difficult trick was to find any available spot on the tractor to mount it. I made a bracket to bolt the ammo box to near the left rear tire. Because of the camera angle it looks like it touches the tire but it is about 4" away. So far it works very well.