Madams run cat houses and take their cut off the top. The owner of a house full of cats is their slave and gets cuts when the little buggers get scared-awake while sleeping on your lap.
I finally bought a house in Cave Country! W00T!!!
- Thread starter The Chairman
- Start date
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Very true - cats will never have masters, they only ever have slaves.
They are also evil - I have an allergy to cats (think it is the dander that triggers me) and it always seems that any time I am in a house with cats in it (after taking anti alergens) they make a beeline straight for me bypassing everyone else.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
No piano player, but Alexa is everywhere. Alexa: play the Billy Joel Station everywhere. Que "The Piano Man" in the living room, the bedroom, the kitchen, the porch and the workshop. I like having the music sync all over like that. 
In other news, I have had a running battle with my Hustler Raptor SD Zero Turn mower since I bought it. The first drive belt didn't last very long and I have thrown at least ten belts at it since I moved here. Ten, maybe twelve. I've been getting my belts from the same place, and this past time it hit me: they are automotive belts. Why haven't they been selling me fractional HP belts? What's the difference? A fractional belt has a 40-degree angle and is designed to have greater structural stability (stronger) while an automotive belt is more like 34 degrees. I'm not sure why this hadn't dawned on me before as I've known about the differences since I was a kid. Even if they are the same length, fractional HP belts are simply not interchangeable with automotive belts. They're not. In a pinch, they'll get you by, but only in a pinch. I can't remember mowing the entire area without having to replace a belt or least put it back on the pulleys. Until yesterday. I decided to go with a Gates Green UHD Aramid belt. It took the parts store two tries to get the right size and I was surprised that they were about the same price as the automotive belt. I was also surprised at how much heavier it was. Wow.
10.82 acres is a lot to mow. It usually takes me about a week to do, having to fix the mower, wait for the rain, get parts etc. etc. etc. It's been frustrating. Even the neighbor has noted how often I have to pull the mower back to the workshop to fix it. This past time on just the NE quarter, I had to deal with the belt three times. That's when I had that "aha moment" and decided on getting a fractional HP belt. Sure, I had one last belt from the mower shop, but I was using it to get the right size. The first belt the parts store sold me was waaayyyy too short, so I had to wait. In the mean time, the lawn was GROWING. The grass around the house was thick and over my knees. The grass in the NE quarter and the grass I hadn't mowed in the NE quarter was also getting very high. Yesterday morning, with the right sized belt in hand, I went out and installed it on the mower. By 8:30 am, I was one the mower. I hit the last bit in the NE quarter with no problems. I hit the lawn by the house with no problems. I mowed into the woods with no problems. Boy that cleaned up nice. I mowed the access road and the .82 acres that connects me to the road with no problems. I figured I would take a break at 1 pm, but I hit a log and locked up the blades at 12:30pm. I probably needed gas, so I parked the mower and took a two-hour break for lunch and dealing with SB issues. By 3:30 pm I was back on the mower. Mind you, the tall grass hides sticks and even logs. It's been a constant battle cleaning up everything. I sharpen my blades so well, that the mower tends to plane anything like that I run over. However, every now and then a log gets kicked up and locks the blades. That means a trip to the ag shed to jack up the mower and remove the offending piece of wood. I've got quite a collection going. So, the afternoon saw me finish the SW quarter, mow the entire NE quarter and then finish the NW quarter as well. I got everything, but the paddock mowed, and it has yet to be mowed because of all the downed trees in there. I started on it, with just a little light left in the day, and after about a third of it got done, I got the mower stuck on a stump. I mean really, really stuck so I'll have to pull it out with the tractor this morning. But I could still feel the mower wanting to move, which means the belt made it through 10 acres of mowing without popping off or breaking. Wow. Wow wow. I had to free the blades a half dozen times, but not having to screw with the drive belt was crazy nice. I walked into the house at 8:00 pm, a little numb but very, very satisfied with the mower's performance. I was covered in dust, but very, very satisfied. I popped a couple of aspirin, a couple of Motrin and drove to Hardees for a quick dinner. I was just too tired to cook. Go figure. FWIW, I don't feel any pain this morning. With all the jarring on the mower yesterday, I'm kind of surprised.
I'm hoping to have all the parts for the finish mower by Wednesday. I leave for Cozumel on Saturday so it might not get done until I get back. I imagine it will reduce the time needed to mow significantly.
In other news, I have had a running battle with my Hustler Raptor SD Zero Turn mower since I bought it. The first drive belt didn't last very long and I have thrown at least ten belts at it since I moved here. Ten, maybe twelve. I've been getting my belts from the same place, and this past time it hit me: they are automotive belts. Why haven't they been selling me fractional HP belts? What's the difference? A fractional belt has a 40-degree angle and is designed to have greater structural stability (stronger) while an automotive belt is more like 34 degrees. I'm not sure why this hadn't dawned on me before as I've known about the differences since I was a kid. Even if they are the same length, fractional HP belts are simply not interchangeable with automotive belts. They're not. In a pinch, they'll get you by, but only in a pinch. I can't remember mowing the entire area without having to replace a belt or least put it back on the pulleys. Until yesterday. I decided to go with a Gates Green UHD Aramid belt. It took the parts store two tries to get the right size and I was surprised that they were about the same price as the automotive belt. I was also surprised at how much heavier it was. Wow.
10.82 acres is a lot to mow. It usually takes me about a week to do, having to fix the mower, wait for the rain, get parts etc. etc. etc. It's been frustrating. Even the neighbor has noted how often I have to pull the mower back to the workshop to fix it. This past time on just the NE quarter, I had to deal with the belt three times. That's when I had that "aha moment" and decided on getting a fractional HP belt. Sure, I had one last belt from the mower shop, but I was using it to get the right size. The first belt the parts store sold me was waaayyyy too short, so I had to wait. In the mean time, the lawn was GROWING. The grass around the house was thick and over my knees. The grass in the NE quarter and the grass I hadn't mowed in the NE quarter was also getting very high. Yesterday morning, with the right sized belt in hand, I went out and installed it on the mower. By 8:30 am, I was one the mower. I hit the last bit in the NE quarter with no problems. I hit the lawn by the house with no problems. I mowed into the woods with no problems. Boy that cleaned up nice. I mowed the access road and the .82 acres that connects me to the road with no problems. I figured I would take a break at 1 pm, but I hit a log and locked up the blades at 12:30pm. I probably needed gas, so I parked the mower and took a two-hour break for lunch and dealing with SB issues. By 3:30 pm I was back on the mower. Mind you, the tall grass hides sticks and even logs. It's been a constant battle cleaning up everything. I sharpen my blades so well, that the mower tends to plane anything like that I run over. However, every now and then a log gets kicked up and locks the blades. That means a trip to the ag shed to jack up the mower and remove the offending piece of wood. I've got quite a collection going.
So, the afternoon saw me finish the SW quarter, mow the entire NE quarter and then finish the NW quarter as well. I got everything, but the paddock mowed, and it has yet to be mowed because of all the downed trees in there. I started on it, with just a little light left in the day, and after about a third of it got done, I got the mower stuck on a stump. I mean really, really stuck so I'll have to pull it out with the tractor this morning. But I could still feel the mower wanting to move, which means the belt made it through 10 acres of mowing without popping off or breaking. Wow. Wow wow. I had to free the blades a half dozen times, but not having to screw with the drive belt was crazy nice. I walked into the house at 8:00 pm, a little numb but very, very satisfied with the mower's performance. I was covered in dust, but very, very satisfied. I popped a couple of aspirin, a couple of Motrin and drove to Hardees for a quick dinner. I was just too tired to cook. Go figure. FWIW, I don't feel any pain this morning. With all the jarring on the mower yesterday, I'm kind of surprised.I'm hoping to have all the parts for the finish mower by Wednesday. I leave for Cozumel on Saturday so it might not get done until I get back. I imagine it will reduce the time needed to mow significantly.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Wow. The seal and o-rings arrived today. It's bit too thundery to go out and fix this, so I'll try in the morning.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
OK, I'm leaving for Cozumel tomorrow so I'm going to try to tie a few things up before I forget how they go together.
I really, really stuck that mower. I took the tractor and pulled her free. Much to my satisfaction, she drove away easily. Much to my dismay, there's a huge racket when I engage the mowing blades. So, I believe I have the drive train belt figured, but now I have another issue.
Jacking the mower up, I see that I've cracked the center spindle housing. Such luck, I had one in the van I was going to return. The image is horrible, but you can easily see the problem:
The entire process took about a half hour and she's mowing again. Cool.
The parts came in for the finish mower as well. I made sure everything was clean, assembled the pinion with the right shims in the right places, put the thicker o-ring in, slid the end cap on and found I couldn't get the circlip in. I can see the slot, so I'm close. I used a couple of c-clamps to put pressure on the plate and the clip went right in.
I filled her with 90 weight to the inspection hole and I've been letting her sit for the last hour or so. No discernible leak, but I really need to pressure clean the beast so I can be sure. I'll do that and install the belt when I get back from Coz. The grass should be ready for another mowing by then. I'll really get to see how she holds up under a work load. It's a lot better as it sits as the oil's not running out anymore at rest. Right now, I'm going to go deal with the grass in the paddock and the vines in the wooded area I cleared the other day with the Hustler.
Oh yeah, There are these sheets of plywood that have been left on the property, lying face down. I had put one by the ag shed where I often have to work on the Hustler and it's been awesome. The last time I took the front end loader/forks off, I had a hard time in the loose sand. A couple of pavers did great, so I thought I would take one of those plywood pieces and use it for that. Wow, it's a lot, lot easier to take off on a solid surface. I've got the trailer hooked up to the tractor and I'm going to go around picking up the remaining logs. That will make mowing a lot easier on me and the Hustler!
I really, really stuck that mower. I took the tractor and pulled her free. Much to my satisfaction, she drove away easily. Much to my dismay, there's a huge racket when I engage the mowing blades. So, I believe I have the drive train belt figured, but now I have another issue.
Jacking the mower up, I see that I've cracked the center spindle housing. Such luck, I had one in the van I was going to return. The image is horrible, but you can easily see the problem:
The entire process took about a half hour and she's mowing again. Cool.
The parts came in for the finish mower as well. I made sure everything was clean, assembled the pinion with the right shims in the right places, put the thicker o-ring in, slid the end cap on and found I couldn't get the circlip in. I can see the slot, so I'm close. I used a couple of c-clamps to put pressure on the plate and the clip went right in.
I filled her with 90 weight to the inspection hole and I've been letting her sit for the last hour or so. No discernible leak, but I really need to pressure clean the beast so I can be sure. I'll do that and install the belt when I get back from Coz. The grass should be ready for another mowing by then. I'll really get to see how she holds up under a work load. It's a lot better as it sits as the oil's not running out anymore at rest. Right now, I'm going to go deal with the grass in the paddock and the vines in the wooded area I cleared the other day with the Hustler.
Oh yeah, There are these sheets of plywood that have been left on the property, lying face down. I had put one by the ag shed where I often have to work on the Hustler and it's been awesome. The last time I took the front end loader/forks off, I had a hard time in the loose sand. A couple of pavers did great, so I thought I would take one of those plywood pieces and use it for that. Wow, it's a lot, lot easier to take off on a solid surface. I've got the trailer hooked up to the tractor and I'm going to go around picking up the remaining logs. That will make mowing a lot easier on me and the Hustler!
WarrenZ
The Ultimate Bad Example
One is adjustable?
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
It's been two weeks since I mowed. A week in Cozumel and a case of bronchitis that followed. I got on the Finish mower Wednesday. There was a lot I had to work through, including some serious impacts that stopped blades from turning. It was hot and sweaty work, but I finished in the afternoon and took her out for a test. As I was hooking it up, I felt one of the u-joint in the drive was very stiff. No grease joints, so I'll have to rebuild that soon. The good news is that the finish mower worked for a bit... nice seal and then it blew up. Back to the drawing board, Grrrrrrr.
(L-R)Mischka, Natasha and Ma~ playing on the newly mowed lawn.
I've got a bit more cleanup to do, but the woods is looking more and more park-like. You couldn't walk back there at all before I removed all the brush and mowed it. Even @Moose is amazed at the transformation. I can't wait to get all of it cleaned up.
Looking South-West. The filed is looking more and more like a lawn. I love it.
The big-ass tortoise burrow is inhabited again. Way cool. You can see by the different color of the new dirt it's dug out.
Back to the drawing board, Grrrrrrr.
No problem, I sharpened the blades for the zero turn Thursday morning and hopped on. Wow, mowing is getting easier and easier. I had finished the area around the house, the entire western side and was about halfway through the paddock when the storm rolled in. It looked so cool seeing the clouds form, that I stopped and took a picture. Another half lap and the lightning hit so hard and close I felt the hair on my arms stand on end. Jeesh. I brought that puppy into the ag shed.
The next morning I was out on the Zero Turn and mowing. No belts jumping, a couple of blade jams that worked themselves out and I mowed all morning... until the mower stopped. Wow. I've never run it out of gas before. It's always broke or jammed or something where I was able to fill it up while at the ag shed. I ate lunch and brought out a couple gallons to finish the last 20 x300 ft strip. So close. I took the rest of the afternoon off and this morning, it was raining. A nice gentle rain that lasted all day. It stopped around 3ish and then I took a walk. I'm really liking what I'm seeing. Here's a few pics:
It's always broke or jammed or something where I was able to fill it up while at the ag shed. I ate lunch and brought out a couple gallons to finish the last 20 x300 ft strip. So close. I took the rest of the afternoon off and this morning, it was raining. A nice gentle rain that lasted all day. It stopped around 3ish and then I took a walk. I'm really liking what I'm seeing. Here's a few pics:(L-R)Mischka, Natasha and Ma~ playing on the newly mowed lawn.
I've got a bit more cleanup to do, but the woods is looking more and more park-like. You couldn't walk back there at all before I removed all the brush and mowed it. Even @Moose is amazed at the transformation. I can't wait to get all of it cleaned up.
Looking South-West. The filed is looking more and more like a lawn. I love it.
The big-ass tortoise burrow is inhabited again. Way cool. You can see by the different color of the new dirt it's dug out.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Summer sure is hot here! I almost feel like I'm in the Keys again... but this is way prettier. As some of you know, I've had lyme disease for over 20 years now and recently went through 17 days of hell as they ran multiple antibiotics through me. I'm still recovering and am hoping they finally killed it. Today was my second circumferential walk about since the ordeal and I had a bit more company. Mishka had his first walkabout and he seemed to like it.
Running along the north border...
The squirrels are always fatter on the other side of the fence.
The grey tiger in the Serengeti is ready to attack its prey
You can see him panting in the heat
Are we there yet?
I waited right here!
Running along the north border...
The squirrels are always fatter on the other side of the fence.
The grey tiger in the Serengeti is ready to attack its prey
You can see him panting in the heat
Are we there yet?
I waited right here!
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