[Chipmaker]

Spent most of Sunday afternoon browseing around this dealers yard (acres actually) of new and used tractors, implements and construction type equipment. The place was closed but its not unusual for folks to be there looking things over. I drug out my notebook and pencil and tapemeasure and of course my digital camera and made the day of it measuring and taking pics of various implements and odds and ends that I hope to get around to making as time goes on. They handle literally most all brands of attachments and implements, and just seeing how some items are really made and methods of adjusting or attaching etc was well worth my time spent. I spotted one area with old junk stuff, and junk is really my bag, as one mans junk is anothers treasure, and most times junk can be had free or pretty cehap I gae it a good looking over. I spotted a Kubota tractor (compact) along with a 60 inch 3-point PTO driven finishing mower that was in a fire. The finishing mower really only had the plastic cover on the PTO shaft and the paint and tires and belts burned off it, and was covered in a light typical coat of rust from the fire. All spindles turned nice and free, (cast iron spindle housings) blades were like new, and they still had the paint on them so it was not all that hot under neath the deck, and the main gear box that the PTO hooks to sounded nice and free, as were the universal joints. I figured sandblast the thing, pull it all apart and check spindles and gear boxes and it may make a decent finish mower, so today I called and inquired on the burned up mower. I bought it for $25.00 with no warranty (like I really expected one) and the dealer had me sign a statement that I would not hold him responsible for any injuries and that it was sold as scrap not a functioning or repairable item. I asked what they did with all the steel tube that is used to crate and ship lots of the implements and smaller tractors and he said if its bend it gets scrapped if its a certain pallet size it goes back, but most get scrapped. I wound up with a pickup full of nice steel square tube, free for the taking. Now I have permission to check out his scrap piles of old junk and get what I want for free, as it costs him money to have it loaded and hauled to a scrap yard for the little amount of meny he gets for it in return. Just ordered 4 new pneumatic tires and wheels from Northern Tool for the deck, and I will probably sandblast the deck tomorrow, and if the weather holds u p put a coat of primer on it. I already stripped it of every thing that could be removed, and the parts all look pretty darn good, and I seriously doubt that they suffered any thing other than cosmetic fire damage.

I think this finish mower is going to be a good addition to my grass cutting stuff. I also got lots of good ideas on what to do with lots of that steel tube I got there as well as lots of the stuff I have collected up over the years.

First thing I really need to finish up is my vertical 3 wheel metal cutting bandsaw I am making now, as it has most of my already small shop occupied and space is very limited to just enough to walk around the saw itself as its laying on horses in a jig in the middle of the floor. Its finish weight will be in the area of 700 + pounds. A real serious metal cutting bandsaw also capable of running the blade at speed fast enough to cut wood decently. So I need to get it finished as its just to heavy to be moving around. When it does get moved it will get moved to where its going to stay and be used. The frame alone figures out at 390#. Power is a 5 Hp motor run on a infinitly adjustable speed control (VFD) and it will use a 11'6" bandsaw blade up to 1" wide. Had plans to use a DC motor but changed that plan.

 

[Live Oak]

Did you get the tractor and the mower for $25? Either way you made out like a bandit! edro:

If you got the tractor; what model Kubota was it? If you need some help with Kubota parts give Ronnie a call at Tractor Smart.

Tractor Smart

Ronnie Bowman is good folks and he knows his stuff about Kubota's and they have great prices. I bought a bunch of parts from him when I had my L245. Tell him I sent you.

Randy

 

[Ingersoll444]

WOW!! What a deal. Wish I had a place like that near me.

 

[jodyand]

Sounds like you got a great deal and i know you wont have any problem finding something to make with all that tubing.
Jody

 

[bontai Joe]

Ingersoll 444,
You wish you had a place like that? We all have a place like that near us (within 40 miles) you just have to find them. And once you find them, you can't tell anyone or they will get the good stuff before you do. I have a couple of places between work and home that I check out every now and then. Now you probably want to know how to find them near you don't you? First place to start is with your phone book. Check out lawn tractor dealers, repair shops, scrap yards, metal recycling centers, auto salvage yards, ag supply stores, feed stores, and start calling to see what they got. If anything seems promising at all, even remotely, go and check it out. I have a 50 mile commute to work each way and I have several routes that are all within a couple of miles of being the same, so I can pick my route to suit my hunting. A good place to look for is a big dealer that has represented several brands over the years and has orphan equipment out back traded in over the years.

 

[Ingersoll444]

Thanks for the tips. I have a few dealers that I stop into alot, and one that keeps an eye out for stuff for me, but thats it. Still kinda new at the tractor thing myself. Seems that fiding the good stuff comes easier the longer you have been looking

 

[KevinJD325]

Sounds like you got a great deal! To bad that the dealer didn't just give it to you and waive the $25 since he probably was planning to have it hauled away soon, which certainly would have cost him.

Nice find, have fun with the rebuild!!