Happy to be one of the canidates
I have always been in all phases of DIY implement build, re-build, re-purpose arena. I was Born into a farming family, and later working in the timber industry. Implement build, rebuild or re-purpose has just been part of doing business and a way of life for me.
I left the timber industry and did work as a general mechanic and implement/tractor assembly specialist at a small local dealer for 3 years, 97' to 2001.
Repaired and assembled all sorts of new, used implements brands and assembled new kubota and ford tractors.
A growing family then and just starting our tree farm in 2000, a job offering from a logging company with substantially increased earnings could have not been better timed for me. So I went back to the timber industry.
I use smaller CUT implements in nearly all phases with the tree farm from ground prep, planting and maintenance. Not to mention plowing snow from the drive in the winter, and some occasional custom tractor work.
I don't own a large and extravagant tooled-up shop. My "shop" is a 30' by 30' heated two car garage complete with cement floor. When bigger projects need done, the rigs get the boot till the project is done. I am armed with a little better than average knowledge on implement assembly with average tools. A 120v mig welder, clamps, bench grinder, angle grinder, torch, full range of metric and s.a.e wrenches, socket sets from 1/4 dr. to 3/4 dr. assorted pneumatic and impact tools and such. No metal breaks, press rollers, cnc things or lathes.
Most things I have built, re-built and re-purposed was before I discovered TBN and have no pictures of. Like my tree tie ring that mounts to the loader of the 790 that lifts and holds limbs on trees so they can be tied up before the tree can be dug with a skid steer mount tree spade. I do have some pictures of some things though......
First pic is of ol' no. 15. An OLD, cantankerous No. 15 deere sub-soiler I brought back to usefulness by fixing a busted trip/lift mechanisim. I do pull it with the 790, That's why I call it cantankerous.
Next in line is my waste oil burning stove I built from scratch with assorted junk. Its the 'ozzirt' design that burns waste oil so clean there is No smoke at all, none. It heats my garage very nicely.
Third is my FEL forks built from junk and two axle shafts for forks. This set was built to load and move dug b&b trees with the higher back design.
Fourth is a 5 foot deere crow foot packer That started out as 36 inch. Its the product of combining the best parts left from shot 3 and 4 foot packers. Axle in it is from a soil pulverizer
The spike tooth harrow shown was headed to the scrap yard resembling a pile of bent-up T-posts, with spikes. I rescued it, re-assembled it and welded it up solid.
The tiller and packer 'tilla-packer' pic was an idea that I never got time to refine more with a better connection to the tiller. Its also a deere packer.
O.k, when up loading the pics got mixed up. Hopefully everyone can tell a waste oil stove from a sub-soiler:duh:
I'm exited about the whole deal. I really like ETA's idea of DIY implement kits and would love to do build one of there prototype implements.
