Nice trip to ETA

[daugen]

the time had come for me to replace the subcompact rake and blade I had which would not fit my current L Kubota.
Wanting to buy American and seeing that Everything Attachments was in NC, though way over on the other side, I decided to make the trip and pick up some new implements there.

Almost a five hour drive, with a dually pulling a trailer, but mostly big highways. I got to meet Ted Corriher, the owner who is running his business in the same spot his father owned a tractor dealership going back into the Forties. Lot of inventory in the yard, all shiny and gleaming, like a TSC on steroids. Two guys helped load the "Extreme Duty" blade and rake into my trailer, plus the heavy duty pallet fork attachment. All fit in nicely and survived the trip just fine. They are still sitting in my trailer, waiting for a helper in a few days to make sure I don't bang them up getting them out, but note the lifting rings.

Looks like high quality equipment, and not only US made but NC made.
the rake and blade are rated to 80hp so I am not going to bother them with my 57hp tractor.
I have toyed with the idea of getting a beater older heavier tractor to play in the woods with, without a cab like mine, and wanted the two attachments to be sized for the next size up tractor too. I am physically limited by increasing arthritis so all of these implements are going to get some kind of mounting cradle/jig/holder with wheels so that hooking up is easier.
Quick Hitch is such nonsense when you are dealing with 500 pound implements if they aren't perfectly lined up.

When I get them hooked up and in use, I'll post some more pics. But for now, a fine experience with one of our oldest advertisers here and I'm very pleased with the equipment so far. Need to use it to really know. With a TNT on my Kubota I am looking forward to learning how to dig little ditches/trenches with the blade to better manage water on my basically flat property.

Yes I had to pay sales tax but the price was adjusted to offset that. That worked for me.
Funny, they noted the invoice "perfect paint". And they made those two implements literally just for me. And they looked quite nice.

will post more pics in next post.

 

[daugen]

some close up shots of implement details

 

[DABSGT]

Drew is that a scratch on that rake? Nice looking equipment

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[k0ua]

Drew, those sure look nice.

 

[Deerherd]

T-N-T combined with a Quick hitch is by far the easiest way to hook up your new equipment. Regardless of how the implement settles you can grab it with that combination. You will become a huge T-N-T/QH proponent, I am!

All my cat II 3-pt equipment is QH compatible and there is no horsing it around to hook it up. Other than opening and closing the handles on the QH or hooking up the PTO it becomes a hands free operation.

Now that you have T-N-T try the QH again, you will be glad you did.

 

[fried1765]

DAUGEN

Thank you for posting the photos!
I am in the market for a 16 x 18" 3pt Cat1 box frame disc harrow, and am torn between Taylor Pittsburgh and Everything Attachments.
I know I can buy the TP disc for less,( waiting for Rural King 10% off sale) but depending on the actual $ difference, I might opt for the EA disc.
I bought a King Kutter rear blade last spring (didn't know about EA then), and what a piece of junk that is, compared to your EA blade.
KK parts (welding) alignment is poor, and paint is non-existent in difficult to reach areas, plus, ...... the KK blade is a total PIA to offset adjust.
Taylor Pittsburgh is a bit worrisome to me, as I learned their Cat1 233 series disc harrows are now built for them by King Kutter.
I am NOT considering their 233 series though, so hopefully, their other Cat1 3pt models, are still built in house.
I was considering taking a trip up (from Fl.) to Newton, NC., to look around at EA.
I think you have saved me from making that trip.
Now,.... I just need to make a decision!
Thank you!
.

 

[Rocky Hoffler]

did you check on my wicked root grapple its to be delivered in a couple of days:cool2:

 

[daugen]

I wanted to add that the lifting rings on the two ETA made implements were really well positioned.
I lifted both rake and blade out of my trailer just as easy as could be, albeit after carefully positioning the three inch strap to pick up as straight above the eye as possible. Worked perfectly. Maybe dumb luck, though I doubt it, but nice job ETA on
those lifting eyes. My helper couldn't come until Friday and I sure had the itch to get them out of the trailer. Now we just have to figure out how to get them under cover with my limited storage space, and still have access to the hitch. On each side of my little barn are two shed roofs, and they are open half way up on the sides. So we positioned some implements along the side, everything sitting on 4x4s. My dream is to have a concrete floor and custom built rolling implement holders. Going to need them, my arthritis continues to get worse and I have restricted use of my right arm now. So I need to think smarter, not stronger. And heavy duty implements like these are not easy to horse around.

I know a bunch of guys here have built those custom jigs/holders for their implements. Maybe next winter, this one is all booked up...

Rocky, did you get it? Like a belated Christmas for both of us.
I let a local Kubota dealer spec my Long grapple, and it was way too heavy for my L. Would work exceptionally well on
an M. Since this is an implement thread...I like that Long bucket grapple so much I'd rather keep it and get a beater bigger tractor to put it on...yes, I know that's stupid. I should just get a grapple that's better sized for my tractor.
But it's such a fine piece of equipment, kinda hate to give it up now that I've learned how to use it.

Now if they would make a front bucket/grapple camera system so I can actually see what's going on down there, boy would I buy that in a heartbeat. Bluetooth the video(?) up to a Panasonic toughbook laptop custom mounted in the cab.
Or more likely some cheap Chinese sourced video screen like an aftermarket truck backup monitor.
Hmmm, why couldn't one take a backup camera and simply aim it forward???????
I might be on to something here. Unlikely, sure this has been thought of before.
subject for another thread.

I'd actually like a rear camera too...have almost four inches of titanium in my neck and it doesn't bend too well.
No matter what kind of implement one uses, being able to see what you are doing is a really good thing, because sight lines are often blocked.

some of those hydraulic rakes and blades by Land Pride were sure nice. But way out of my budget. This equipment from ETA is twice as expensive as what I could get locally. But it's also much heavier duty and if I ever have a problem with it,
I don't have to go trekking through Hunan Province to find the maker...

Hoping my add on TNT will give me the poor man's hydraulic version. No matter what, having to change the blade angle manually means getting out of the cab and getting ones' shoes all muddy, tracking that back into the cab.
My onboard Kubota central vac doesn't like mud chunks...
ha
bottom line is that I have very little seat time with rear mounted implements and have a lot to learn.
But that's what retirement is for, mucking with tractors and implements, right?

 

[k0ua]

Drew, did you see Waxman's front and rear camera system? and his central vacuum for the cab.. and I am not kidding either.

 

[mikehaugen]

Drew, did you see Waxman's front and rear camera system? and his central vacuum for the cab.. and I am not kidding either.

Unfortunately I think that was the thread that started the feud with another member... sad really as they are both talented fabricators.

Daugen, looks like you got some nice attachments there. Eta seems like a good company to me.

 

[mark02tj]

You got a nice picture of Ted, but what about "Peanut"? :thumbsup::laughing:

 

[daugen]

You got a nice picture of Ted, but what about "Peanut"? :thumbsup::laughing:

I looked around. Some shells on the
floor but no Peanut!

Rick was inside on the computer taking orders, he was busy but he did email me later and say it was nice
to at least "see" me.
Funny, the marketer in me wanted to see that old showroom just filled full of "adult toys". I owned an electronics "adult toy" store for five years. Have to have plenty of bait when hungry fish come in.
Once they found what they needed, well there certainly must be something else you need. Add on sale.
And how about some custom made hitch pins with their name on it?
Funnier still, they seem to be doing very, very well without my marketing help....

I haven't even hooked these implements up yet so I have no idea how they perform, but I'm guessing quite well. It won't be the blade with the issue, it will be the operator... So all I can do is give a visual inspection.
With a little more inspection time, I can comment on two items for improvement. One, not even Mr. Perfect Paint got perfect paint. Sorry Ted, I know you are groaning reading this. The paint inside some of the "hidden" areas was very thin, not much protection for rust. I'll spray in there with WD40 and all will be well. And the paint itself is not very thick. The rattle can they gave me felt very light, as in few solids in the paint. Ok, this is not a half million JD combine, it's a rake....meant to get scratched up. I get it. But the paint job gets an A. Not an A+ The paint job on the non ETA forks looked stronger.
Now compared to what you will get at TSC or AgriSupply after the thing has sat out there for six months, or maybe two years, for sure better. I'm picking nits, that's all. Already said I'm happy.
+++see the pic of the rake, all the way at the bottom, above the half moon circle of holes, on the left side of that metal edge, there is almost no paint applied. Just a bare spray and that's on the outside of the unit, not the inside. trying to give an example, most is fine, just like 98% of the welding is fine.
Secondly, a little too much welding spatter. Lots of tiny little spatter bits in some areas. Though overall in few areas vs all the welding done. But leaving spatter in high visibility areas is a lost opportunity for a nicer finish. Difference between ag equipment and your good metal outside furniture...

that's all, two nits. And both you have to "look for".
And neither of which will affect performance one whit.

At almost every stop light on the way home, surrounded as usual by guys in pickup trucks, many closely checked out this shiny yellow beige equipment.
I'm sure they were impressed, assuming they didn't drive a pan for a living.

forecast is for drier weather. Yeah, just might get to use these, the forks first. Need to move some equipment around to make room for this new stuff, get it under roof, and I bet those forks will pick up smaller implements a whole lot easier than I'm doing now.

 

[fried1765]

DAUGEN

Thank you for your very positive critique of EA equipment.
I think you have me convinced that I should buy from them also.
As for your hard to reach thin paint areas I would use LPS-3 rather than WD-40.
WD-40 is very light/thin, and offers no lasting protection.
LPS-3, on the other hand, after three weeks or so, will set up similar to military Cosmoline.
Oh, it is not as good as Cosmoline, but it is a whole lot better than WD-40.
It will be a drippy brown mess (try to use it on a cool day) when you apply it, but it will set up to a soft waxy like protectant.
It has a Mil. Spec. for corrosion protection.
It comes in spray cans, plastic spray bottles (like Windex), 1 gallon jugs, 5 gals, 15 gal barrels, and more.
I love the stuff, and have used it for years.