My Tractor Forum banner

Life in Central Texas (New adventures of larrybl)

114K views 2K replies 48 participants last post by  larrybl 
#1 ·
I guess I needed a new starting point too with the new place and all, so here it is. Too HOT to do anything right now, and dodging welcomed rain storms. I was able to load the last of the bricks and old steps up using BOH and the calico trailer. Craftsman's are under the pergola for the night. Plan tomorrow to place the wider steps at the back entrance till I can get to building the deck.
 

Attachments

See less See more
3
#986 ·
Oh, yeah, and learn/practice on scrap metal, see how the welds look different between doing them on rusty, unprepped metal vs clean, how to get good weld penetration, how fast to move to do it, how different thickness of metal works, so when you get to fixing/making something, it stays together.
 
#989 ·
Yep, started with a full (2.5 gallon tank) and ran out of gas. I tried to make it to the shop on fumes, but ended up carrying the 5 gallon can about 100'. Always hard starting when he runs out of gas. Probably used another 1/4 tank before I finished. I have good Neighbors here!
 
#990 ·
Nice video, I think I saw that the weld on the blade was broken at 3:10 in the video.I was watching it full screen on a 24" monitor.
 
  • Like
Reactions: larrybl
#992 ·
Yep! I enjoy watching the stuff you do on my "big" 24" monitor. I remember when a 23" TV was considered BIG!
 
#993 ·
Nice start with the welding Larry. First of all, I second what dave_r posted above, especially in becoming familiar with the machine. That includes both sight (how the weld looks) and sound and feeling. You will get to know how it sounds when the welder is working right and can feel if speed is too high from wire bumping on the steel. Just remember cleanliness is a welders friend. Grind Grind and Grind. And that includes a spot for the ground clamp. Also use those welding gloves. Yes for the protection but also bracing to get sturdy support. Personally, I like to push the puddle rather than pull. I think there is better penetration and flow. But that's just me.
MikeC
 
#994 ·
Larry--looking at your post's/your property/your grass alone--I would venture a bigger machine--with attachments is in your future--like some of those back in those auction pictures--that little Kubota tractor was a hoss--very rare in this area.
Just saying-
glenn
 
#995 ·
Well it has been raining and chilly the past couple days so I haven't had the chance to work on the driveway and check my weld out. I almost want it to fail so I can practice more :) Wife agrees that I need a bigger tractor. Two maybe three issues with that. There are things that we want to do to the house, we need a new (used) second vehicle, and I need more storage.
 
#996 ·
Tried using the blade on the drive today. It is too packed in now after the rain, weld seams to hold for now. Still had walnut to fist size rocks that made driving bumpy. I got BOH and the trailer out and raked and loaded the walnut to fist size rocks. Had an observer, and SpaceX decided to rumble. Drive is much smoother now. Tomorrow I'll dump the calico trailer and do the same to the parking area. Should I dump the trailer in a keep pile, or take it out to the regular rock pile?
 

Attachments

#997 ·
I'd be tempted to keep those rocks to fill in pot holes, that is if pot holes occur frequently like they do on my unpaved road.
 
  • Like
Reactions: larrybl
#998 ·
Done till the next load gets here, hopefully later this week. These rocks are close to the same as the ones I rake up along the fence line. I store all of them here. Three loads total, main thing was to pick up the ankle twisters.
 

Attachments

#1,001 ·
#1,002 ·
24 tons, no neighbor help. Ran Hulk II out of gas. I have about an hour or two left with leveling, for in the morning. I'll need to remove BOH's deck to get all the rocks off. The blade dosn't work well with the deck on.
 

Attachments

#1,007 ·
I can't even begin to imagine what that job would be like with a wheel barrow and shovel. And even though you might have been sitting down on a tractor seat, I know from personal experience that working that long is exhausting at the end of the day. Do you have any way to compact it all in place? Or will just daily driving over it do that? You are fortunate in that your driveway is flat. The dirt road I live on is sloped quite a bit and even compacted gravel washes out during heavy rain storms just days or a few weeks after it is all graded out smooth.
 
  • Like
Reactions: larrybl
#1,008 ·
Still recovering from the ordeal, I did 90% of the spreading with Hulk II and the neighbor smoothed and leveled the last part. Legs and groin are sore from all the on and off on the tractor. Still waiting on rain, but as for compacting, that will be done over time with the vehicles driving on it.
 
#1,010 ·
It is what it is, even the main road is tared gravel. Last crushed rock driveway was installed 28 years ago or longer and lasted till now. Did not have the parking area then, so we parked on the grass. This will be fine for us.
 
#1,012 ·
Sure was! Finally getting rain. Grass mowing this weekend, then I'll clean and service Hulk II and his Brother. With only having the 36" blade it did a good job (abet took a while) to spread the gravel out.
 
Top