FEL, can you live without one?

[raptor]

Hoss:

You're right by golly. My tractor does suite my immediate needs, and perhaps all my future needs as well. I guess time will tell. I honestly fell in love with her the first time I saw her. But that's a different story. Thanks for your response, and happy and safe tractoring.

Terry

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue>I will never figure out this computer stuff.</font color=blue>

I've been at it for over 35 years, Paul, and I ain't figured it all out, either. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Don't worry too much about your picture post. It probably works just fine for the majority of TBN readers. It's difficult to be compatible with all browsers on all platforms (believe me, I know).

A general rule of thumb, though, if you care at all about compatibility, you might want to refrain from using special characters (including 'space') in file names. Heck, there's some systems around that might still insist on 8.3 names (8-character name plus 3-character suffix), but even I ain't going that far. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Muhammad -

<font color=blue>-ahem-</font color=blue>

Now that's remarkable restraint. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[CVHoss]

Harv,
Speaking of web stuff, is there something going on with your site or is it on my end. Was trying to look at some of your photos and using Netscape, clicking on a picture does nothing at all. Tried it with I.E. and when I click on a photo, I get the following error message:

Almost sounds like your server doesn't have permissions set correctly, but I don't know enough to be sure. Just thought I'd let you know in case it was something on your end and you were unaware.

Hoss

 

[Harv]

<font color=blue>something going on with your site</font color=blue>

Well, you got that part right, Hoss. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

I was recently "migrated" from a standard web hosting arrangement to a "Virtual Personal Server". In general, this is a very cool thing, but it has not come without a price. Although my ISP assured me the transition would be "transparent", I've had nothing but trouble so far. It could be that we simply have different interpratations of the word -- apparently it means, "everything will get there okay, but lots of stuff won't work any more". /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

It was just yesterday that I finally synchronized all the various revisions of my database software, repaired the grant tables (database permissions) and straightend out a bunch of pathnames. I thought that was the end of it. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

Anyway, I just spent a couple of hours trying to figure out why my tractor page works for me and not you. Had to make sure I had the "Hoss" filter turned off. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Can't say I found the problem fer sure, but switching some internal javascript paths from relative to absolute (shouldn't matter) seems to have improved things a tad for some of my tester folks (geek buddies), so you might give it a try again. Still doesn't work with Opera, but I'm still working on it.

Thanks for the heads up, Hoss. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

p.s. Sorry for the geek-talk rant, fellas. Sometimes I just gotta say things out loud. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

 

[CVHoss]

Harv,
Sent you a private message.

Hoss

 

[fractal]

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

I bought an older tractor w/o a FEL on it, to mostly brush hog about 10-12 acres. Now I'm wondering if I should have bought a tractor that can accomadate a front end loader? My tractor is a MF35, without power steering, so adding an after market FEL has little appeal to me. I know this question is relative to what a person intends on doing with a tractor. How 'bout it, what do you use your loader for, and would you be w/o it?

<hr></blockquote>

Sounds like what you have does what you want pretty well. I can see how a tractor that is 'optimal' for bush hogging 10+ acres might not be the best for 'around the house' type work. Let me give you an example. The wife had me pick up a few bales of straw for haloween decorations. Getting them from the pickup to where she wanted them was no problem with the hand cart when they were dry and the ground was dry. Today she decided she wanted them "moved" for the christmas setting. Well, we had 2 inches of rain yesterday. The straw was soaked and my guess is they weighted 150-200 pounds each with the water. The prospect of moving them across water laden ground with a hand cart was ... unappealing. So, I drove the b7200 through the side gate being very careful NOT to turn the wheels while on the front lawn, pried the bales into the FEL bucket and backed away. I did not do much damage with the ag tires till I got to the mud hole and had to switch to 4wd to go the way I wanted and not the direction the tractor wanted. Only then did I make a heck of a mess out of the mud..

Anyway, for why I bought a tractor, a FEL and a box blade on a small compact tractor that fits through 4 1/2 ft gates is ideal. I have moved many tons of dirt and have had great fun trying to grade the dirt to coerce water to go where I want it and not puddle where I don't want it. I seriously doubt that the same equipment would be much fun for bush hogging 10-12 acres. Even a 1700 pound b7200hst without power steering gives the arms a workout when working the loader. I would hate to think how I would feel manhandling a larger tractor.

My purchase was for one step above a skid loader and one step below a bigger tractor. I traded some capacity for manuverability. I can see how people with larger farms might need two separate pieces of equipment for the two jobs. One to get in tight places for jobs like cleaning the horse stalls and one to do bigger work like bush hogging and discing.

 

[raptor]

Thanks for you reply, that was an excellent example you provided. I really!! like the idea of that second tractor thought. Maybe in addition to my Massey, I need an older, loader/backhoe tractor. Yap, that's it. The wife is going to love that idea. Happy and safe tractoring.

Terry

 

[GlennT]

I like the idea of a second tractor with a FEL! In an earlier post I pointed out how I was getting by without a FEL. I really should have mentioned that I use use my JD Model 670 in and around trees, bushes, plantings, etc. and I chose it because it was just a bit bigger than a garden tractor. A FEL would be in the way much of the time. However, I certainly agree with what these other postings have pointed out. A FEL is probably the most used implement for many tractor owners.

 

[gator]

Came up with a new use for FEL today. Was digging pond out since water level so low due to lack of rain this summer. Was about 5' above water line with FEL full. Right 2 tires sunk into ground and tractor settled on BH subframe with about 40 degree list to the starboard. Got a shovel and dug behind tires and put some boards down. Uncurled bucket and put FEL down/hold, low reverse and curled bucket. Stop, uncurl bucket, down/hold, low reverse, curl bucket. Took a while but worked my way out. This was exciting with no ROPS and 2 wheel drive.

Wally <font color=green>JD 750 "GATOR"</font color=green>

 

[TresCrows]

Yes you should have gotten a tractor with a loader. It is indespensible and a tractor with out one is not much of a tractor.
Yep, that seems to be what so many of the folks do around here--they either buy some old farm tractor with no loader or a Craftsman tractor styled lawnmower. Both types of folks are equally unsuccesful and ultimately dissatisfied.
When we started looking at building this place such as it is the tractor was factored in.
Now that I own--oops cannot say---- anyway a small tractor with a capable loader is far more versatile than an antique farm tractor for most small acerage homesites.
Save your money and whine till she gives in. J