Well, I did it....

[Hosskix]

Decided I'd thought about it long enough, had a couple of days vacation so I went and spent some money!
JD 790 w/ loader and box blade.
I haven't even had the chance to use it yet, it was dark when I got home, so driving it on and off the trailer was the extent of my play. (Officially has .4 hours on it now!)
Couldn't even wait to get it home to take a picture!
(Besides, it's so dang pretty down in the Hill Country, this was taken on a dirt road outside of Bastrop.)

 

[Jksnvly]

Congrats! nice tractor.

 

[Thomas]

Morning Hosskix.
Congrats on your new investment....sharp looking.

Being the weekend I bet you already finish your coffee and outside waiting for dawn to break,sooo you can log some seat time....enjoy and don't forget to stop for lunch.

 

[B8FISH]

Nice looking setup--enjoy the seat time!

 

[Shawk]

Congrats Hosskix... great setup & nice pic

 

[Hosskix]

Thanks a lot guys.
I didn't get to work it near as much today as I wanted to, I only got a couple of hours in.
I did fill the ruts in my driveway though; and took it over to a neighbors house to show him what he's missing.
He stood there like a kid looking at "An official Red Rider Bee-Bee gun".

The driveway didn't turn out so well.
(I usually screw up more with a box blade than I fix, don't know why it would be any different just because I own it instead of borrowing it!)
It's kinda like welding for me, I do it so rarely that by the time I get the hang of it again I'm through.
At least now there is no deadline to take the tractor back; I can practice daily if I want to!
(I've already got the wheels spinning so look for me in the homemade implements section before too long; I've GOT to have a rock-bucket, my blade work would probably be a lot smoother without all these boulders gouging my freshly smoothed dirt!)
Anyhow, thanks for the replys.
Hope y'all are having a good weekend.

 

[ShookFarm]

You are going to have a blast!!!! Now that you don't have to "borrow" a tractor to do the maintenance, you'll touch it up more often and the 'sperience will stick with 'ya a little better.

I've got a friend who said it took him a while to get the hang of the box blade. It seems to be the guys with the hydraulic adjustable box have a little easier time than the manual boys. I have yet to even attempt it.

I'm still looking for excuses to get the tractor out of the shop. For me, it's mainly mowing. Next spring it will be wildlife food plots and more maintenance around the pastures.

Best wishes for fun and safety!

 

[Shawk]

Thanks a lot guys.
I didn't get to work it near as much today as I wanted to, I only got a couple of hours in.
I did fill the ruts in my driveway though; and took it over to a neighbors house to show him what he's missing.
He stood there like a kid looking at "An official Red Rider Bee-Bee gun".

The driveway didn't turn out so well.
(I usually screw up more with a box blade than I fix, don't know why it would be any different just because I own it instead of borrowing it!)
It's kinda like welding for me, I do it so rarely that by the time I get the hang of it again I'm through.
At least now there is no deadline to take the tractor back; I can practice daily if I want to!
(I've already got the wheels spinning so look for me in the homemade implements section before too long; I've GOT to have a rock-bucket, my blade work would probably be a lot smoother without all these boulders gouging my freshly smoothed dirt!)
Anyhow, thanks for the replys.
Hope y'all are having a good weekend.

Glad you could put a little seat time in... you know, you can always post more pics too (hint, hint)...

 

[JDFANATIC]

Congrats!

 

[gordon21]

Congrats. You have now completed step 1.
You have a trailer and one full trailer load of goodies.

Step 2 is to start accumulating other stuff.

By the way, the trailer will haul much better if it is painted JD green and has yellow rims.

 

[JB4310]

Thanks a lot guys.

The driveway didn't turn out so well.
(I usually screw up more with a box blade than I fix, don't know why it would be any different just because I own it instead of borrowing it!)
It's kinda like welding for me, I do it so rarely that by the time I get the hang of it again I'm through.

Try a 72" york rake with wheels, I don't own one but borrowed it from a friend and was amazed at what it could do, do the rough work with the box and finish with the rake, even the rake alone will do some rough work, with the wheels set up right you really can't go wrong.

The box is great for knocking down the high spots and filling the holes but is hard to hold at the right height to finish nicely, that's where the wheels make all the difference.

 

[Hosskix]

After more play, *achem*, I mean work, I've remembered how to use the box blade:
1) Little bites.
2) Push piles going backwards for the initial leveling. Makes it so much easier to keep the blade level when going forward for finishing.
3) Like everything else in life, it is so much better when you go slow and take your time!

Here's a couple more pics:

1) Going down to get the tractor Thursday night I noticed real bright lights a block or so away when I was passing through Johnson City.
I had to laugh and take a picture when I found out that it was the Electric Companys office; must have taken up 3 acres of land and there wasn't a tree, bush or window without a string of lights!


2) My bestest friend, co-pilot, and internet namesake, Hoss.
(11 year old Australian Shepard for those interested.)


3) Getting "JD" dirty!


4) Things started looking up after picking up a bucket full of rocks; this came from just the little parking area behind the tractor and this wasn't the first time I've picked up rocks from there!


5)Me and JD.


Well guys, the driveway is finished, I've eaten a sandwich and had a couple of bottles of Colorado Kool-aid, now it's time to tackle the horse pens!
Later.