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Congratulations to our Featured Member of the Month for May, GT_80!
Name: James Barrette
Join date: December 2009
Member number: 35886
What city, and state, do you live in? Ashburnham, Massachusetts
Are you married? Yes, to Michelle, married for 3 1/2 years.
Do you have any children? Yes, Emma is 2 1/2, and a baby on the way who is due in September.
What do you do to earn a living? I work in Marketing for a specialty Airflow Company.
How old are you? 31
Military service? no
How did you come to join MTF? I found MTF through Google while looking for info for my 1978 GT18, and never left!
What are your favorite forums and why? Craftsman/Sears, Backyard Round table, Home made implements - I like what I have. I am a Die Hard Sears Tractor fan. (Editor's Note - I wonder if that pun was intentional...) I love seeing what people make out of scrap material, or learning ways to save money by building what most people would spend a lot of money to buy. I like reading about other small tractors and implements.
What do you like most about MTF? The community is great! It feels like a huge family! I have met many new friends here- Hugh, Scott, Tim, Rick, Timmy, Eric, and many others- all world class human beings!
Please list your tractors and/or equipment:
Right now:
1963 David Bradley Suburban 725
1967 Sears Suburban 10
1968 Sears SS12
1976 Sears SS18
1977 Sears 18/6, 42" mower, 48" mower
Sears lawn roller
4 3 pt hitches
5 sets of cast weight
8" and 10" moldboard plows
Rear grader blade
3 snow blades
Mid mount grader
Sears narrow disk harrow
Sears 3pt tiller (disassembled currently)
Front tote box
42" Haban style snowblower
Front mount compost mill
46" 2 stage Craftsman snowblower project
... and I am sure there are a few attachments that I forgot that Hugh will remind me about
What is your favorite tractor or piece of equipment and why? Probably my 1968 SS12. I did a frame off restoration -- even though it's not perfect and it has a Chinese motor, I love it because it is my favorite Sears model, and I named it after my daughter "Miss Emma Lee"
Is there a tractor or piece of equipment you'd love to own someday? Yeah- Original Sears Front End Loader - I had a couple chances to buy one over the years, but I am always short on cash. I bought a Johnson loader a year or so ago, and got about half way done rebuilding it for Miss Emma Lee, but ran out of time, and I sold it because I needed money fast.
Tell us some of the tasks you use your tractors and/or equipment for? Everything! Mowing, tilling, dragging rocks, hauling dirt, moving wood, plowing, leveling- anything I can do with a tractor, I DO with a tractor!
Could you describe your property for us? About .68 acres, mostly flat- probably .45 acres of grass, plus some woods in the back.
Is there something you'd love to build or restore someday? I had had the idea to make a 'rat rod' tractor for a while, but I am too much of a Sears purist to do it to any of mine. Most of them are 100% original still. I do have a frame, transmission, and almost enough parts to put on together though...
Most memorable tractor moment? Probably finding my David Bradley- I was going to the Holyoke Mass Childrens museum with my wife and daughter, and I saw it at a garage as I passed by. Two days later I spent about an hour at work following Google maps street view in the area where I thought it was until I found the garage- I called the garage and asked "do you have a garden tractor outside?" He said it belonged to one of the tow drivers, and he gave the guy my number. A week later, I traded a set of 10.50 ags for the whole tractor!! Not only is the DB one of my favorite body styles and years, but it cost me only gas and a set of tires for it! I was very happy! I was more happy when I got it home and found it runs great! It does smoke a little though...
Earliest tractor memories? I remember riding on my 1978 GT18 when my dad had it as a kid. He used to put me in his lap while mowing, and later in life my brothers, sisters, and I used it to pick up leaves in the fall. I also remember popping wheelies in the driveway...
Do you have any other hobbies or interests that you'd like to share with us?
I am into cars as well. I have a 1980 Chevy C10 that I am selling right now to buy a 1981 Olds Cutlass Brougham. I play the drums, I work around the house when needed (did a lot of work in my kitchen, renovated the back porch, renovated the bathroom) - I basically like tinkering on almost anything.
What do the other people in your life think of your "tractor" hobby?
Most people shake their heads and don't "get it." My wife doesn't mind as long as it doesn't cut into our bill money. It is a hobby that keeps me close to home, and helps out with yardwork and such, so no one can say anything bad about it.
Name: James Barrette
Join date: December 2009
Member number: 35886
What city, and state, do you live in? Ashburnham, Massachusetts
Are you married? Yes, to Michelle, married for 3 1/2 years.
Do you have any children? Yes, Emma is 2 1/2, and a baby on the way who is due in September.
What do you do to earn a living? I work in Marketing for a specialty Airflow Company.
How old are you? 31
Military service? no
How did you come to join MTF? I found MTF through Google while looking for info for my 1978 GT18, and never left!
What are your favorite forums and why? Craftsman/Sears, Backyard Round table, Home made implements - I like what I have. I am a Die Hard Sears Tractor fan. (Editor's Note - I wonder if that pun was intentional...) I love seeing what people make out of scrap material, or learning ways to save money by building what most people would spend a lot of money to buy. I like reading about other small tractors and implements.
What do you like most about MTF? The community is great! It feels like a huge family! I have met many new friends here- Hugh, Scott, Tim, Rick, Timmy, Eric, and many others- all world class human beings!
Please list your tractors and/or equipment:
Right now:
1963 David Bradley Suburban 725
1967 Sears Suburban 10
1968 Sears SS12
1976 Sears SS18
1977 Sears 18/6, 42" mower, 48" mower
Sears lawn roller
4 3 pt hitches
5 sets of cast weight
8" and 10" moldboard plows
Rear grader blade
3 snow blades
Mid mount grader
Sears narrow disk harrow
Sears 3pt tiller (disassembled currently)
Front tote box
42" Haban style snowblower
Front mount compost mill
46" 2 stage Craftsman snowblower project
... and I am sure there are a few attachments that I forgot that Hugh will remind me about
What is your favorite tractor or piece of equipment and why? Probably my 1968 SS12. I did a frame off restoration -- even though it's not perfect and it has a Chinese motor, I love it because it is my favorite Sears model, and I named it after my daughter "Miss Emma Lee"
Is there a tractor or piece of equipment you'd love to own someday? Yeah- Original Sears Front End Loader - I had a couple chances to buy one over the years, but I am always short on cash. I bought a Johnson loader a year or so ago, and got about half way done rebuilding it for Miss Emma Lee, but ran out of time, and I sold it because I needed money fast.
Tell us some of the tasks you use your tractors and/or equipment for? Everything! Mowing, tilling, dragging rocks, hauling dirt, moving wood, plowing, leveling- anything I can do with a tractor, I DO with a tractor!
Could you describe your property for us? About .68 acres, mostly flat- probably .45 acres of grass, plus some woods in the back.
Is there something you'd love to build or restore someday? I had had the idea to make a 'rat rod' tractor for a while, but I am too much of a Sears purist to do it to any of mine. Most of them are 100% original still. I do have a frame, transmission, and almost enough parts to put on together though...
Most memorable tractor moment? Probably finding my David Bradley- I was going to the Holyoke Mass Childrens museum with my wife and daughter, and I saw it at a garage as I passed by. Two days later I spent about an hour at work following Google maps street view in the area where I thought it was until I found the garage- I called the garage and asked "do you have a garden tractor outside?" He said it belonged to one of the tow drivers, and he gave the guy my number. A week later, I traded a set of 10.50 ags for the whole tractor!! Not only is the DB one of my favorite body styles and years, but it cost me only gas and a set of tires for it! I was very happy! I was more happy when I got it home and found it runs great! It does smoke a little though...
Earliest tractor memories? I remember riding on my 1978 GT18 when my dad had it as a kid. He used to put me in his lap while mowing, and later in life my brothers, sisters, and I used it to pick up leaves in the fall. I also remember popping wheelies in the driveway...
Do you have any other hobbies or interests that you'd like to share with us?
I am into cars as well. I have a 1980 Chevy C10 that I am selling right now to buy a 1981 Olds Cutlass Brougham. I play the drums, I work around the house when needed (did a lot of work in my kitchen, renovated the back porch, renovated the bathroom) - I basically like tinkering on almost anything.
What do the other people in your life think of your "tractor" hobby?
Most people shake their heads and don't "get it." My wife doesn't mind as long as it doesn't cut into our bill money. It is a hobby that keeps me close to home, and helps out with yardwork and such, so no one can say anything bad about it.
