What's your hoe doing?

[Swetz]

Well, I am now semi-retired, so I have been at my PA property for about 3 weeks now. Last week was a good one. I was able to move dirt the entire week. Then Friday came, and it has been raining on and off since. For example, yesterday alone I pumped about 3' of water from the hole where I am getting the dirt. I think I am shut down for a bit now.

The good news is that I feel as though I am about 80% done moving dirt. Hopefully we will have another dry spell and I will get all of the dirt moved. I really want a shop this year. I hate having the machines out in the weather, and more importantly, I hate laying in stones to fix them!

My final day of employment is July 5th...I cannot wait!!

 

[NH575E]

Well, I am now semi-retired, so I have been at my PA property for about 3 weeks now. Last week was a good one. I was able to move dirt the entire week. Then Friday came, and it has been raining on and off since. For example, yesterday alone I pumped about 3' of water from the hole where I am getting the dirt. I think I am shut down for a bit now.

The good news is that I feel as though I am about 80% done moving dirt. Hopefully we will have another dry spell and I will get all of the dirt moved. I really want a shop this year. I hate having the machines out in the weather, and more importantly, I hate laying in stones to fix them!

My final day of employment is July 5th...I cannot wait!!

Been retired 7 and a half years. Finally started slowing down. For a while I thought I might have to get another job so I could get some rest.

 

[Willie B]

Been retired 7 and a half years. Finally started slowing down. For a while I thought I might have to get another job so I could get some rest.

Mrs. B retired as of last week. I'm terrified! I still work & she NEEDS to have something going on. Big trip last weekend, two sons, two daughters in law, two granddaughters went to camp near Storyland. I opted to herd dogs instead.
Today she finished cleaning her classroom, then picked up a grandaughter. Tomorrow & Wednesday shes on grandma duty. Thursday she has no hard commitments, Hell will break loose.

 

[Swetz]

Mrs. B retired as of last week.

Congrats to the Mrs.!!

 

[materthegreater]

Mrs. B retired as of last week. I'm terrified! I still work & she NEEDS to have something going on. Big trip last weekend, two sons, two daughters in law, two granddaughters went to camp near Storyland. I opted to herd dogs instead.
Today she finished cleaning her classroom, then picked up a grandaughter. Tomorrow & Wednesday shes on grandma duty. Thursday she has no hard commitments, Hell will break loose.

Does this mean you're going to give her the keys to the backhoe?

 

[NH575E]

Does this mean you're going to give her the keys to the backhoe?

He better hide those AND the guns!

 

[Willie B]

Does this mean you're going to give her the keys to the backhoe?

No chance! This is the easiest machine ever to run. She says it is too big. One machine ago I pressured her to help me prune trees. I'd be in the bucket, she'd position me. She promptly backed into the gravel screen, buggered a crowd cylinder rod.
Not that she can't, she won't. She regularly uses the IH 385 Utility with loader. It is the most cantankerous manual transmission! Years she puttered around using the hydrostatic lawn tractor with trailer, did fine going forward, couldn't back up. She insisted a wagon would answer her prayers, broke the tung off first try.

 

[Willie B]

Congrats to the Mrs.!!

Thank you! 40 years in this school, two in another, & a year of substuting. She has had enough.

 

[edgephoto]

Thank you! 40 years in this school, two in another, & a year of substuting. She has had enough.

That is a long time. Did she finally graduate?

 

[T-town]

I only made it 32 yrs.... but "Touching the future" does have it rewards..

Congrats to your partner in life!

 

[Willie B]

That is a long time. Did she finally graduate? View attachment 315188

No diploma. I did kid her, 30 years ago she switched from second grade to first. I kidded her she couldn't handle the advanced level math.

 

[Willie B]

I only made it 32 yrs.... but "Touching the future" does have it rewards..

Congrats to your partner in life!

Another teacher newly retired said: "The greatest incentive to a teaching career is summer."

 

[Swetz]

I made it 3 months shy of 37 years, at this employer. I always said that I did not want to be working when I was 60. Worked 2 jobs my whole life in order to make this happen. Then I decided I wanted to buy an excavator, so I am over 60 and working 2 jobs still...LOL. But I do own an excavator . I own it free and clear, so time to retire! Somehow, I feel the desire to own more equipment is like gold fever, LOL.

 

[HarleyHappy]

Yep, looking for a skid steer now, though I have no idea what I’m going to do with it, except make a mess. lol

 

[Swetz]

My neighbor has a late model bobcat CTL, and it isnt even the largest one. Had some retaining wall blocks on a pallet. Each pallet is 4K#. He lifts them on to the trailer no problem. At my end, i use the NH675E TLB, with forks on the bucket to unload them. I can lift them, but cannot steer the damn thing..LOL

In other words, these machines are quite capable for their size!

 

[Legdoc]

2004 Case 580M. Just buried a dead calf 15 minutes ago.

 

[Willie B]

Can't seem to open the pictures. Friends have an Amish shed with a farm stand & other stuff to sell. Wind caught it & upside down 100 feet away. Seth, me & her parents with my 580 Super N righted it, & put it on a foundation.

 

[Swetz]

man, my hoe just wants to leak!

I just resealed the connections to the loader bank, and I have verified it is currently dry.

So I was using the loader to move dirt about 2 days ago, and look back and notice the bucket is wet with hydraulic oil. Turns out the bucket curl steel tube has rubbed thru, I guess from the boom moving while I am driving the machine. Because of the extend a hoe, there is a curl of hose that kinda lays on these lines.

Anyhow, the tube is in stock at Messicks, so I figure it is a common problem. It aint cheap tho! $391.00 plus shipping. I decided to give repairing it a whirl. All I have at my PA house is a 120V flux core welder. I did my magic best I could, and no leaks...whoo hoo! It did pull it a bit but fit perfectly. I wrapped the hoses that lay on the steel tubes with pipe insulation and electric tape. I do not think it will rub thru again soon. The other steel is also worn, just not that bad, so I wrapped the hose on that side too.

Oh, and I painted it with galvanize paint too.

Pressure tested it at max system pressure for a while, then reinstalled the tube, and now the machine is back in service.

 

[T-town]

my hoe just wants to leak!

don't they all !!
Glad to hear you got 'er fixed up.... but apparently your using her too much ..... very glad to hear your moving lots of fill for that shop pad !!

 

[NH575E]

man, my hoe just wants to leak!

I just resealed the connections to the loader bank, and I have verified it is currently dry.

So I was using the loader to move dirt about 2 days ago, and look back and notice the bucket is wet with hydraulic oil. Turns out the bucket curl steel tube has rubbed thru, I guess from the boom moving while I am driving the machine. Because of the extend a hoe, there is a curl of hose that kinda lays on these lines.

Anyhow, the tube is in stock at Messicks, so I figure it is a common problem. It aint cheap tho! $391.00 plus shipping. I decided to give repairing it a whirl. All I have at my PA house is a 120V flux core welder. I did my magic best I could, and no leaks...whoo hoo! It did pull it a bit but fit perfectly. I wrapped the hoses that lay on the steel tubes with pipe insulation and electric tape. I do not think it will rub thru again soon. The other steel is also worn, just not that bad, so I wrapped the hose on that side too.

Oh, and I painted it with galvanize paint too.

Pressure tested it at max system pressure for a while, then reinstalled the tube, and now the machine is back in service.

View attachment 315420

View attachment 315422

View attachment 315423

Looks good to me. I tried brazing one but it continued to spray a fine mist under a load. I found one at the junkyard for a $100.

I welded one end of a stabilizer line with my mig years ago that is still holding.