LOOK AT THE NEW TOY. . . Henro, eat your hear out!

[Bob_Skurka]

OK, first, I'll admit it, it is just a rental. I had some serious work to do and figured I'd get a big dog to do the digging.

And WOW is it fun /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif And much fast than the Great Bend unit hanging off the back of the B2910. Especially since it has a pinched hose and is out of commission temporarily /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

The best part is that the lovely Mrs Bob is out of town, so she can't complain that I am spending ALL MY FREE TIME digging up the yard!

 

[OkieG]

Cool. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Why are you digging up the yard?

OkieG

 

[DVerbarg]

Rented a similiar unit a couple years ago. By the end of that weekend my face was sore from grinning. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I was having big toy withdrawal so a couple weekends ago I rented a NH LW130 to move a couple hundred cubic yards of dirt. Having the right tool makes all the difference! Was able to accomplish in in one long day, with that wheel loader, what would have taken me weeks to accomplish with my TC40D (actually I've been "working" on this project for the past 3 years and had whittled it down from 600 cubic yards but was desperate to just "get it done").

Have fun this weekend!

 

[Bob_Skurka]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Cool. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Why are you digging up the yard?

OkieG )</font>


Because my wife is not here and I have a big toy to do it with!!!

 

[Henro]

First thought: Oh! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

<font color="blue"> The best part is that the lovely Mrs Bob is out of town, so she can't complain </font>

Well, Bob, the really best part is that at the TBN lunch this afternoon in Grove City, PA, AndyM happened to mention that every time Mrs. Skurka goes out of town Bob ends up with a new tractor or implement!

Looks like AndyM was right on target! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Enjoy! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Well 4 hours into the digging and the major part is about 2/3 done. I've got a retaining wall along one side of the swimming pool that finally gave up its job and is no longer retaining anything. So I'm digging out a section about 40' by 4' so I can rebuild the wall.

Its HUMID and 90 outside so I'm taking an extended break to wait for this evening and hopefully a breeze. I have the Thomas 35DS Mini-Excavator until Monday morning so there is plenty of play time and maybe another 2 hours of digging to do. Then the shovel and hand work starts /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif


<font color="blue"> Well, Bob, the really best part is that at the TBN lunch this afternoon in Grove City, PA, AndyM happened to mention that every time Mrs. Skurka goes out of town Bob ends up with a new tractor or implement!

Looks like AndyM was right on target!
</font>

Oh, and while the lovely Mrs is gone, I'm trading in my 10 year old Befco Cyclone RFM for a brand spanking new NH 914A side discharge MMM. And putting 3 skylights in the garage. And putting UV reflective film on 13 windows that catch the summer sun and warm the house. And getting the driveway repaved. And getting a decorative aluminum "wrought iron style" fence put in (by a fellow TBN member who is going to bring his PT 422 to drill the holes and let me play with it). And yesterday I just finished the excercise room, complete with TV/VCR mounted on the wall. And I am VERY CLOSE to finishing the adjoining bathroom to the excercise room that includes a stone "river" that flows across the floor out of the shower, complete with blue grout in the river bed.

It seems like the only time any projects get done is when the lovely MRS Bob is out of the house for an extended period of time.

 

[ronjhall]

<font color="blue"> Oh, and while the lovely Mrs is gone, I'm trading in my 10 year old Befco Cyclone RFM for a brand spanking new NH 914A side discharge MMM. And putting 3 skylights in the garage. And putting UV reflective film on 13 windows that catch the summer sun and warm the house. And getting the driveway repaved. And getting a decorative aluminum "wrought iron style" fence put in (by a fellow TBN member who is going to bring his PT 422 to drill the holes and let me play with it). And yesterday I just finished the excercise room, complete with TV/VCR mounted on the wall. And I am VERY CLOSE to finishing the adjoining bathroom to the excercise room that includes a stone "river" that flows across the floor out of the shower, complete with blue grout in the river bed.color] </font>

From the lengh of the list, the lovely Mrs. must be gone longer than a couple of weeks./forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

She comes home in mid-July.

 

[OkeeDon]

The lovely Mrs. OkeeDon is only out of town for 2-1/2 weeks, and her Mother is placed in respite care for the same period. My day-time chores have been set for a long time. But, she's going to be surprised with the new paddle fan on the porch, the drywall finally repaired where her Mother's lift chair smacked it, paint touched up where her Mother's wheel chair hit it, and all the carpets cleaned with the Bissell, which seems to do a better job than the Pro carpet cleaners if I have the undisturbed time to take my time with it.

I didn't buy or rent a new tractor, but I did pick up a new sliding compund miter saw. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

She's getting a well-deserved rest from the care of her Mother (who will be 100 in August), and, while I miss OkeeBetsy, I have to admit it is pure bliss without my Mother-in-law... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I forgot to mention that I painted my daughters room Wednesday evening after work too!

OkeeDon . . . I don't have a SLIDING compound miter saw . . . Hmmm!

Oh, and I did learn one thing using the track hoe. Never hit anything with the bucket that you still want standing /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif So now to add to my list is a small repair job /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Maybe I really NEED a SLIDING compound miter saw to do the repairs??? Naw, that's pushing my luck!

The thing that surprised me most was when I was bringing it back up one of the hills, I brought it up in reverse just in case I needed to push it up the slope with the bucket, and it actually didn't slip too much and made it without the bucket assist. The tracks are rubber and the treads are not very aggressive. I figured it would have the power to climb, but I didn't know if it would have the traction. And I was worried about it being top heavy -which was justified. When it got up to the road it landed with a pretty resounding THUMP as it rocked back off the slope and landed on the pavement.

Neat toy though, I might have to come up with another project for it since I finished the real reason I rented it. And I have to say that if I tried to do the same job with the Great Bend backhoe on the Kubota, it would take that machine 4 or 5 times as long as it took with the track hoe. The extra reach, the turret motion and the angle offset really work together to make a very productive machine. A regular backhoe would have required a lot more moving of the tractor and I even found a couple times when I wished I had MORE reach than the 12' reach I had.