Joined
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31,613 Posts
And congratulations to a really nice guy from up north of the 49th! Mikman48 is our October 2015 Featured Member of the Month! Take it away, Mikey!
Name:
Michael (Mikey)
Join Date:
05-26-2013
Member Number:
106458
What city, and state, do you live in?
Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada
Are You Married?
I am not married nor have a girlfriend
What do you do to earn a living?
I am not working yet, but I just began college in the Mechanical Engineering technician specializing in Industrial program at my local college. I am not sure where I will work after, I may go to university for a degree in Engineering or go right to work. I still have 2 years to figure that out.
How old are you?
18 years old
Military service?
I have no military service, but I do thank and support those fighting for and protecting the freedoms and the way we live. Most of these people do not get the respect they deserve for their courage and bravery. I know there are many veterans here on MTF, and I would like to thank all of you.
How did you come to join MTF?
A close family friend has a couple of Sears Suburban tractors that had fallen into disrepair and asked if we could help him out getting them running. I began searching and came across this site and read so much Google asked me to enter a password because it thought I was a robot (no joke, that is what the message said). I then lurked around every day after school and followed a bunch of threads for a year or 2 before one day finally deciding to join and it has been even better ever since.
What are your favorite forums and why?
I am a regular reader here in many forums on the L> side, but my favourite is the Ford/NH forum since it is a relatively small forum with a friendly and tight knit group. Most of my knowledge is in the Ford group so I enjoy helping the new guys out or directing them where to go! I find myself spending a lot of time in the homemade forum as well, so much neat stuff comes out of there that it is hard to stay away and helps fuel future ideas.
What do you like most about MTF?
I know everyone says the same thing every month, but I too have to say it is the members that make up the forum. They are friendly and helpful. I go into some forums knowing barely anything about the brand and you are not judged or laughed at, they just spring right in and help you learn. The atmosphere is almost like sitting in a garage or at a bar with buddies sharing the stories of your day.
Please list your tractors and/or equipment:
My Dad and I have a large collection of “toys” but here most of the list:
Big Boys: 1966 MF 35 FE, 1997 MF 390T, 1994 Kubota B7100HST, 19xx Kubota F2100 with hydraulic leaf catcher, 1966 Case 530 CK BH/L,197x Toro Turf Pro 84, 196x Scoot Crete powered wheel barrow.
Garden tractors and equipment: 1988 Ford YT16H, 1966 Snapper 306RA,1971 Snapper 265X (For parts for the 306RA), 198x Snapper Hi-Vac 33”, 1976 Sears (Murray built) LT10, 1975 Hahn RMD 400, 1972 Hahn GT700, 196x Hahn tiller, 1967 Hahn 26” Snow Giant snow blower, 1955 Whiz Mow Rider, 1960 Whiz Mow Rider, 195x Dunlap Powered Reel Mower, 1945 Whirlwind Push mower as well as various other small machines and attachments.
What is you favorite tractor or piece of equipment and why?
My favourite tractor has to be my YT16H. It was my first tractor when I was about 11 years old and has been my mower ever since. It never fails or lets me down and does all I need it to. Before it was only used as a mower, but we have a snow blower for it so it will get more use once we get that hooked up. It went to it's first show with us this year to Evansville Indiana to the Lawn & Garden Tractor Extravaganza and got many nice comments and looks for being original paint. My parents always joke that it is my baby, and they aren't wrong.
My parents unloaded the machines after the show while I was at school, when I got home my Dad was laughing and I asked what happened. My Mom drove the YT back to the garage, but said “Mikey will be so upset if I hurt it” so she drove it across the property at idle.
Is there a tractor or piece of equipment you'd love to own someday?
I would like to own a bigger brother to my YT16H, either a LGT18H or the diesel equivalents being the LGT 14 or 16 D to use at plow days and for ground engaging work.
I would also like to find my Grandpa's 1967 JD 112 if it is still around. The tractor was sold by my Uncle around 2000 and we have never seen it since. It was sold with a rototiller and a 46” deck and was sold to a man in Leamington, Ontario who said he was going to use it in a green house. The engine had a bad crank but was still running when sold.
I am named after my Grandpa who sadly I never got to meet, so I would love to have that tractor back since he bought it new in 1967 and all of my family has fond memories of it. It was a manual lift and the numbers being T2314009845M.
Tell us some of the tasks you use your tractors and/or equipment for?
My small tractors are mainly just used for mowing and show duty! The MF35FE is our snow pusher every year and is our go to machine. The MF 390T is mainly for running our large Eager Beaver wood chipper while the Kubotas are used for mowing and rototilling duty mainly. Every piece of equipment in our fleet has a use, it just doesn't mean it is used often.
Could you describe your property for us?
Our property is 3 acres. The front has a large open ditch which makes a right angle on the property line that is a line of cedar trees and maple trees. The other side of the property has a large creek that snakes around the remaining to sides. We have a 32 by 30 and a 40 by 60 barn that is still not enough space as well as 2 other small out buildings mainly used for storage. There is a small orchard in one corner of the property near the creek as well.
Is there something you'd love to build or restore someday?
I would love to restore some of the tractors I currently own, since there are many that need some TLC. I love using them too much and would hate being scared to get them scratched or dirty. We do have plans to restore the 1955 Whiz Mow Rider soon so I will be sure to share that with you guys once the time comes.
Most memorable tractor moment?
My most memorable tractor moment would have to be driving the Snapper 306RA for the first time when it first came from NJ (For those who haven't seen the article it can be found here: http://www.mytractorforum.com/15-snapper-forum/735817-my-306ra-story.html). It still had one flat tire, and we later found it was running without a points wire but man you could not smack the smile off my face. I even engaged the deck and cut the ugliest looking strip of grass you have ever seen (since the tire was flat). It scalped the grass for half the cut and the rest was hammered over very short. It took all summer to grow back but it was worth it.
A close second to that is a tractor related memory, when this past June, I did not go to my high school prom to attend the show in Evansville. Kate, the editor at L> Magazine had joked that I should bring the ladies flowers so before we saw her we picked up a small bouquet of flowers for her. The look on her face was priceless, and between that and my shirt I had made for the show it made for a good picture. It can also actually be seen in the editorial of this months issue of the magazine.
Earliest tractor memories?
There are many pictures around of me on the tractors and backhoes from when I was younger but the earliest I remember is when I was about 7 or 8. My Dad was cutting the line of cedar trees using a hydraulic cutter we have that runs off a PTO driven hydraulic power pack that goes on the tractors. That time he had it on the Kubota B7100HST and he was getting tired of moving the tractor and trying to cut, so he put me up on it. He set it at a very slow speed and low range and told me to move it when he needed it. I could barely touch the pedal and did not have enough strength to turn the steering wheel but I kept it creeping along in a straight line as we cut the whole tree line.
Do you have any other hobbies or interests that you'd like to share with us?
My other hobbies include Hit & Miss engines as well as being a fan and collector of old Nintendo video games and systems. This is more of a winter hobby when tractor time becomes limited.
What do the other people in your life think of your “tractor” hobby?
It seems there are 2 sides to the spectrum of people, either they think it is crazy or they think it is different and are actually interested in it. I do not bring up my tractor hobby to many people besides those who I am close too, and many of them actually ask questions and like to learn about it. I usually skip over the exact number of tractors I actually have though, don't want to scare them away.
No matter what others think, I would not trade this hobby for anything. The wonderful people you meet is even better than the machines in most cases. I am sure I will be in this hobby for life now. My Mom always jokes that I will have to find a girl that likes tractors or at least has a hobby to match it, I can't say she is wrong. The hardest thing is always running out of room for more.
