How Did You Do That All By Yourself?

Time to build that pyramid you have been thinking about. :-)

"hold my beer..."

Back acting up again?

You two kill me.

Maybe you should go on the road.

Yes, some thought and planning can usually help get things done. Leverage is your friend.

"Maybe you should go on the road."

That would be too distracting to the drivers.

I now have that tractor with a front end loader. It is great. It will do the work of a few young men.

When I bought my house, I was 28 years old. A friend gave me a 7 ton chain hoist that I would guess weighs a couple hundred pounds. Being young and strong, I used another small block and tackle to get that hoist installed on a beam in my barn by myself. I am sure I can no longer get it down. I am not sure I know any two or three guys who could get it down. I was once pretty strong. Oh to be young again. Maybe my tractor will get me up high enough to get it down.

My brother uses his front end loader to set fence posts, and much more.

He has 3 tractors of different sizes and for different tasks on his farm.

I recently set 12 line poles (14" x 24') using my tractor.

PTO dug the holes (4' deep) and chained the poles to the loader bucket and dropped them in.

A tractor can do the work of 10 young men.

My wife would still be asking why you need the line poles! She can find arguments against my getting a tractor with a loader that you wouldn't believe!

Pardner, you just need to wine 'er 'n' dine 'er with some larrupin' fried chicken, a big ol' jug of sweet tea and some soft music.

I think I would go with "it's an excellent investment"....we're going to save a ton of money!....then give her something sparkly, and say that came with it.....

It is better to ask forgiveness than permission.

Or, "Honey, it was such a good deal that I just couldn't pass it up."

The excuse I used after buying my third Ruger P series semi-auto pistol.

"Honey, it was such a good deal that I just couldn't pass it up."

My wife uses that line all the time...

Quilting supplies, clothing (especially shoes), nick-knacks around the house, you name it. If she ever leaves me, I'm selling it all and buying a tractor with a loader bucket!

Attach the hoist chain to the beam and use the hoist to lower itself down.

Make two saw horse the height of the pick up bed.

Pull in to shed. Hook on to load with chain or heavy rope.

Pull forward with truck so load is 1/3 off the bed. Set first saw horse.

Pull forward until about a 1/4 of the load is on the bed. Set second saw horse.

Park the truck. Unhook the chain or rope.

Done! Note: Bad back won't have to bend over to get them up off the ground.

or how did you improvise to get a project done/completed without the actually required tools.

When I was on the farm, 10 acres of hay laying, storm clouds on the horizon and the baler broken down. Only to find out the tools were pulled from the tool box the night before.

What happens next is what I would call a MacGyver moment.

Here's a MacGyver;

Friends VW beetle lurched to stop in the middle of nowhere.

Full tank of gas, but fuel line between tank and pump proved to be clogged.

Small windshield washer fluid bottle held in by straps, nestled in middle of spare tire, the spare tire provided air pressure for the windshield washers.

Emptied and dried the bottle, filled it with gas and strapped the bottle to the ski rack outside the rear window.

Connected the hose to the carburetor and proceeded to the nearest Garage.

The bottle was a translucent plastic that showed the fuel level.

Beats walking.

"Some of the challenges were things like getting 22ft. long 2x8s in place to be each side of a roof truss."

Garn. Easy! This is how you do it!

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/bubikelo2#.U8aw81P6J0U.email

;-)

He needed help to do that...I was alone!

No worries mate - love casting nasturtiums!

A local builder managed to get two 6m x 0.4m x 0.2m glued-laminated softwood timber beams into place on a building project 4.5m above the ground with only three people present and without using a crane. How it happened is still a complete mystery...

Coming back from a group camping trip in the deserts of SE Calif. our Pickup's transmission fragmented. There was a stiff breeze ablow'n. We found some sticks and boards enough to fabricate a mast and boom; had canvas enough to make some sails. Crude but effective, we "sailed" that truck some 30 miles to the next town. Arrived to a cheering citizens welcoming committee and news reporters. We were offered free drinks and dinners at the local cafe.

Great Job! I have added these items to my emergency kit.

Ask your wife to help you unload the truck for a while because you have a bad back, it won't be long until she suggests that you should get a tractor. :)