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WILL1E
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2020 03:54pm
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Yup, transformer was moved to originally spec'd spot. The 2 phone boxes are still there and my truck only had inches to spare when i had to drive through it last weekend after dropping the camper. I kinda wish my truck hadn't fit, i would've rolled over the damn things and that would've gotten them to move quicker!
I don't have an ETA on when it'll happen yet.
That's awesome on your power...especially if you're planning to spend time up there for the holiday.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2020 11:47pm
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You've come a long way in a short time!
I read with interest as we have a similar corner property, basically a square of 9ac, bordered on w and s by paved town roads, neighbors land is to the w and n but they are out of sight.
Being as we are pretty much in the middle the driveway that we had to 'improve' is about 300' and so would the power run underground be to the 16x24ish 'hunting cabin' (currently off-grid on solar and dry).
I havent priced things out here but perhaps you can give me a ballpark of what your power-ped complete cost and what they charged to bring power into it?
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2020 08:10am - Edited by: WILL1E
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@gcrank1 Thanks for following along..it's been a whirlwind couple of weeks that's for sure.
Your property does sound very similar. Ill try to capture some of the cost below:
-Meter socket = $150
-Breaker panel kit = $100
-10' treated 6x6 post = $50
-50amp RV outlet = $40
-Ground rods, cable and acorns = $35
-20amp outlet and box = $20
-All the wire/cable = $75 (Menards sold everything i needed by the foot, so no leftovers)
-Random hardwire, connectors, conduit, etc. = ~$100
So i guess all in probably around $600. I bought everything at Menards, Home Depot and Lowes. Menards always has a 11% rebate which the local Home Depot honors as well, so i got a couple gift cards back after buying everything which was nice.
As for running the power, i paid just under $100 for the power company (Wisconsin Public Service) to run 160' worth of line from the new transformer to my pedestal. With them you basically get a $1200 new service credit so for me the first 150' was "free" and then it's ~$8ft after that. Keep in mind they won't go over 200' of service wire as they can't guarantee good clean power. If you need more than 200', they'll want to drop a transformer within 200' of your termination point. They won't charge for the transformer, but they will charge for the wire running to it. I think supply wire was around $12ft, so that'll eat up the $1200 credit pretty quickly.
Again, this is for northeast Wisconsin with WPS power company, it will likely vary other places. They also wanted 5ft of clearance on either side of the where the wire would be run, so a 10ft path from existing power to your new power.
Any other questions, shoot them over...happy to help!
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 13 Nov 2020 07:14pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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Thanx Will1e; Im at the point of deciding to throw another $1k + min. into my off-grid solar batteries (done in after about 10yr so good life from agm's) or throw it at hooking up to the grid. Yeah, Id have a monthly bill, most of which would be just for being on-line, not for actual power used, but Id not have to budget for replacement batteries again either.
And if I buy as much LiFePO4 bats as my 612 watts of panels will feed, and a charge control that will work with them over say the next ten years it might cost less to have been on grid with no futzin on my part. Plus the resale should be better, possibly enough to pay for the grid.
I suspect that sounds like Ive really made up my mind...but no, I kinda like the novelty of 'off-grid, dry' cabin and the totally different lifestyle it requires. We have modest power 'needs' and do well.
Your lake view is a plus; got fish? Swimming area? Loons?
Btw, we have had at least one eagle circling at the north end of our place the past two weeks; Waayyy Kool.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 2 Dec 2020 02:18pm
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UPDATE 11/20/2020
Went up for opening weekend of gun deer season. Saw 3 does opening morning and that was it. Did manage to get a bunch of fallen trees cut up and stacked.
Came up with a creative way to protect the connection points on my camper power cable that runs between it and the pedestal.
It's crazy as winter is setting in how much the 2 "seasonal ponds" are dropping.
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Nate R
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2020 09:49am
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Nice, more work done! 
We didn't see much either in our area. 1 doe seen Saturday, 1 buck fawn Sunday...Between 5 people.
Looks like Aspen you cut up there. Good to get it under cover. I bucked and split some red pine logs I had sitting in my woods all year (up off the ground), and they were WET. 40%+ moisture. I think I'll have to keep red pine covered if I want it to EVER dry out....Aspen I suspect is similar. Probably absorbs too much of the rainfall...(Oak doesn't seem to do this)
I'm trying to get ahead on firewood as I anticipate needing a BUNCH next year in fall/winter. Trying to "kiln dry" some in my attic at home to accelerate the process. I'm planning on heading up to my place again late next week for a day, mostly to cut down a wind-broken red oak and move the logs from that to my land.
Are you planning on any other work this year, or staynig there at all? Will things sit until Spring or?
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2020 10:13am
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@NateR I think the lack of snow and warmer weather kept them from moving around much.
I've never dealt with Aspen before so i don't know what to expect. I feel like i should have covered my wood piles more, but i don't want to prevent them from drying either. And since i'm not 100% certain on where the final spots will be for everything, i didn't want to commit to building a permanent wood shed or anything like that.
How do you know your mositure contents?...do you have a tool for that?
Are you doing wood burning fireplace in the cabin? I'm leaning towards pellet just for simplicity sake. My wife is always cold even when it's hot out, so i'd end up cutting down half my woods just to fuel the fires she likes! She'll damn near burn a half cord of wood in 1 weekend when we go camping 
I plan on going up through the winter as much as i can. Even if it's just to sit in the woods and stare at the trees. Project wise i'm waiting to hear from Jane on what i can and cannot do cabin wise. That will determine where the "spot" ends up being and what level of cabin i can get away with. The less she's involved, the cheaper the cabin will be!
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Nate R
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2020 11:28am - Edited by: Nate R
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Could be on the deer, weather not helping much. We're starting to think our hyper local population is down by us, which isn't helping.
For a temporary setup, I think what you did with the aspen is fine. It's a light wood that will rot easily, but can dry quickly-ish if you keep rain/snow off the top, I'd expect. Usually used for paper or OSB around here.
I've spent a lot of time at the hearth.com forums, where they discuss wood burning quite a bit. I've learned there that rounds like you have dry a lot slower than split wood. And that you want wood for outdoor fires under 25% moisture content, or under 20% for a modern EPA wood stove. So I have a moisture meter for wood. The "General" brand one is common, about $20 on Amazon.
For the cabin, we'll be doing a small wood stove, and I'll have an electric wall heater as well. A wood stove was one of my personal requirements for a cabin...wanted to be able to heat with real wood, and see a fire. I bought a Jotul F100 in late 2018. I was worried I wouldn't be able to get one in 2020 with the new EPA regs. (And turns out, I was right, they appear to have dropped that model in the US.)
Makes sense on permits. I know she was VERY busy a couple weeks ago as people were trying to get things ready before WPS' winter deadline.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 10 May 2021 11:22am
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UPDATE 5/7/2021
Well, not much has happened the last few months in terms of progress. We did get up for a few visits over the winter to hang out and play in the snow but that's about it.
A couple weeks ago i made the investment in a 1955 Ford 850 tractor so that i can be more independent and not have to rely on the neighbors for as much help or needing to rent as much equipment going forward.
Last week I had 2 dump truck loads of gravel brought in. Goal was to smooth out the first 200' of driveway and get the initial layer down of the last 100'. Unfortunately they dumped all of it at the beginning of the driveway. So this weekend i spent about 5hrs learning to drive a tractor and trying to move that gravel. I got about half of it spread so far. Very slow going...and i've confirmed I have no desire to be a farmer
It was nice to finally be able to level out the firepit area and put down a couple buckets of gravel...no more tilted table and spilled beer
Plan is to go back up and finish moving the gravel in 2 weeks and hopefully start clearing a spot for the shed.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 10 May 2021 11:25am
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BTW, bought the wife one of these wagons for mothers day. She loves it! It works great hauling brush, firewood, etc. out of the uneven woods and the tilt dump bed works great! Plus the handle can be adjusted so that it can be towed behind a lawn tractor, atv, etc!
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 10 May 2021 11:46am
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Years ago I told my wife Id teach her how to be an excavation equipment operator (Btw, Ive run a lot of farm and some heavy equipment), she wasnt very exited about the wheelbarrow and shovel I bought her.
By the time you are done with the driveway you should be pretty good with that rig.
You do know about back-blading and float, right?
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 10 May 2021 01:03pm
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Well she actually wanted a wheelbarrow because she wanted to help out and basically sweep the woods around our heavily traveled areas. So i thought the wagon would accomplish the same with some added benefits!
Part of my issue this weekend was lack of traction. When i would drive down the small incline and scoop a load, i didn't have enough traction to get back up the incline (maybe 8' elevation change of 30'). So i had to go backwards down the hill, drive onto the gravel pile and scoop. So either because i was on top of the pile or because i'm a horrible loader operator, i couldn't manage to get good scoops. I either dug to far down causing massive divots/holes and then ruts because i would get the tractor stuck...or i would think i had a good scoop only to find out further down the road i didn't have anything in my bucket.
Fortunately, just as i was about to leave yesterday the neighbor stopped by. After i told him about my tractor experience, he offered me a 540lb weight that he made for an old Ford 8N he used to have and no longer needed for his new LS tractor. 30min later he dropped it off for me! It's basically a 55 gallon drum cut in half, filled with concrete with a steel bar going through it and a 3-point center attachment embedded into the top of it. I'll owe him and the wife a steak dinner for that!
As for the backblading...i kinda figured out what i'm doing. I only messed with it to clean up the divots i was making from my shoddy bucket skills and tire digging. I turned it at an angle to scrap stuff back to the middle. I then spun it 180deg so as i was driving forward it would pack down and smooth out what was ahead of me.
The part i don't fully understand is there is the touch control lever which makes it go up and down. All the way back with this lever raises it....middle of travel brings the blade level and then all the way forward seems to force it down. But to complicate things, there is another lever that allows you to pick 1 of 2 modes..."implement position control" or "constant draft control". I haven't quite wrapped my head around the differences here. This is where i still have confusion.
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DaveBell
Moderator
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# Posted: 10 May 2021 02:57pm
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Willie, check out Marty's tractor repair videos. He is in New Zealand.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp-mnssZd4X2bgIcekaNfgA/videos
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1tentman
Member
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# Posted: 10 May 2021 11:09pm
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Willie the weight from the neighbor is a deal. Its obvious that you don't have fluid in your rear tires. The small Ford tractors aren't that heavy so the weight will help you get around better. Maybe some day you can invest in a box scraper and add a few weights to and it will serve the same purpose.For the position and draft control I will try to explain it. Position is exactly what it say, when using your control lever you are able to hold the position of your implement by where you position that lever. Start at the bottom your implement is down as you raise that lever your implement raises little by little as you raise the control lever. The only time you want to run in draft control position is with a plow or cultivator or some implement where you are tilling the soil. The draft that is put on the top link controls the position of the implement.Did you ever get more pics of the tractor and loader, in your other post you said you would try to do that.If you want to give me a phone number, I would be more than glad to talk to you and help with any of your questions. Welcome to the life of a farmer
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 11 May 2021 08:28am
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Quoting: 1tentman you can invest in a box scraper
Neighbor has one of these as well and said i could borrow it...but again, trying to be more independent and make do with what i have. Since i've already spent 1/5th of my cabin budget on a tractor, i need to stop spending on accessories and focus on the cabin.
I did not get as many pictures as i would have liked. When i got up there Friday i had a major issue with the tractor and it put a negative tone on the weekend for me. I had zero torque..some gears not even enough to move the tractor. It would just sit there and idle and not move or push anything. I called up the previous owner and gave him an ear full and he claimed he never had any issues. There was no way he didn't notice this considering i literally only drove the tractor a couple hundred feet since buying it. So i went to bed Friday night thinking the clutch was shot.
Anyways, Saturday morning i decided to give it one more go and started messing with the linkage. I noticed this bolt that is on the arm that sits just outside the case where the clutch is. It acts as a stopper for the travel of that arm. Well, i cranked it in 2 turns, fired up the trattor and BANG it worked! The bolt was tight so it's not like it walked itself out so i'm not sure what the deal was but it works like a charm now. Now i can make divots with the tires and/or snub the tractor out so i know the clutch is engaging good now.
What pictures I did take are posted here.
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Aklogcabin
Member
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# Posted: 11 May 2021 08:36am
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I use mud, no ice cleats, chains on my rear tires. They won't ball up mud as bad. And you will probably need them for winter plowing. I've got a 1959 case 420b rubber tired backhoe and even with that weight hanging off the back without chains its not near as good with traction.
The better you get on that ol girl the better you will both be. On your bucket lift control. When placed in the down position, you should be able to push on the lift arm down control a bit extra. Pushing past a detent, and your bucket should float. Nice for back dragging. I try to make sure I'm dragging on the cutting edge on front of bucket and not on the bucket. They will wear.
I like to weld on some 3/8" chain hooks on the top outside corners of the bucket for rigging chains. Also a large clevis or 2 on the tractor. Helpful for rigging.
Besides a rear blade, I'd make sides that bolt on if you wanted to duel purpose it as a drag box. Also there's post hole diggers around for the 3 point hitch.
I just welded steel tabs into the back of the bucket on my case backhoe that matches up to an extra western snow plow. And can now use that also to move snow or light dirt or gravel.
I'm partial to tired irons. And they were made to be able to fix easily.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 11 May 2021 11:33am
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Where's the best place to get chains w/o breaking the bank?
Yeah, i did some back dragging. Tough to find that fine line of enough but not to much that the front tires become useless. I'm not sure if it's factory or not but i've got steel plate welded to the bottom of my bucket to prevent wear.
I thought about the side plate idea for the rear blade...i'll need to do some research to see how people have done it that's robust enough but still easy to fabricate.
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Aklogcabin
Member
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# Posted: 12 May 2021 12:49pm - Edited by: Aklogcabin
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First off, i just went back n reread your stuff real nice.
For chains I'd try used first. Usual spots , cl , bulletin boards. Maybe a dirt construction company. They usually have old used chains around, we did. If new probably HF. Wish we had one in Ak.
Did you try pushing forward on your down control ? To get to float? Machine doesn't have to be running to test and remember to never leave hydrolics up.
You can do lots with that bucket. If its standing almost straight up it will dig more. Then when you're getting to the end of you're spred start to flatten it out. You can start with some down pressure to pull material from the pile or just to move then push down control fully forward to float position then flaten out. You'll do great, your good at working things through.
Tractors are kid magnets and giving the kids a ride is fantastic, hay wagon ? , but I don't like to mix work n fun. Things happen really fast. Had to put it out there.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 12 May 2021 02:31pm
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Quoting: Aklogcabin Did you try pushing forward on your down control ? To get to float?
I did but i thought when i did that it just lifted the tractor off the ground.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 13 May 2021 08:54am
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Quoting: WILL1E I did but i thought when i did that it just lifted the tractor off the ground.
It may not have a float position but most do.... as AK said it should be FULLY forward. If you just slowly push forward it will raise the tractor... a slightly quick push forward... it should feel a bit different kind of like you passed through something (sorry don't know how to describe it) and then the bucket will float.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 13 May 2021 09:50am
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When it floats it lets the weight of the blade/bucket ride the ground without it being kinda 'locked-in' with the tractor; ie, the tractor can be going over some rough and while back-blading the bucket will be sliding along smoothing things out, no need to keep joggling the control trying to constantly adjust.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 13 May 2021 10:11am
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What type of chains are you looking for? Tire chains or pulling chains? Tire chains are nearly impossible to find used here any save any money. Pulling chains, HD has a well priced chain with grab hooks. Dont use any thing less than 3/8 gr70. A broken chain is dangerous and of no use.
If your having traction issues I suggest you calcium fill the rear tires and having something heavier than a york rake or back blade may be needed.
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 13 May 2021 10:17am
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Also I never back drag with the bucket in float. I find a good height and drag that way. By dragging in float your not taking the high spots off and filling the low. When I'm spreading gravel I start dumping at the end of the last spot I dumped and slow the tractor before the bucket is empty, leaving a pile at the end. Then I lower and curl the bucket and drag back well past the previous spots. This is all done in one motion so it's a bit hard to explain. It's a bit tougher since you most likely dont have a foot gas pedal?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 13 May 2021 01:13pm
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Back-blading in float certainly isnt for every situation, like if you have 'peaks and valleys', but it sure makes a nice top for the finish work.
It is a proven technique but like all skills it has to be learned; if ya got it try it. If ya dont like it, dont use it. Never seen a pro operator yet who doesnt.
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1tentman
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# Posted: 14 May 2021 05:38pm
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Willie I looked at your pics you have a 850 according to the model number,so you do not have live pto. If you don't have plans to use a rotary mower or some implement that is pto driven then its no big deal. You can still use these implements its just a lot more convenient to have live pto.
Like somebody else said you might not have float on this control valve. The best way to check is shut the tractor off and lower loader,when you push the lever forward to the end of its travel,push harder and it should snap into the detent position and stay there. This is the float position. You can also look at the control valve if the housing on the front end of the lift valve is longer than the bucket valve it has float position.
I would suggest that you make a gauge to show what position your bucket is in. Find a 3/8 in. rod about 4or5 ft. long and weld a washer to one end of it . then find a piece of pipe about 18 in long that will slide over the rod, weld a bolt to the side of the pipe. Now fasten the bottom of the rod to the bracket on the bucket where the cylinder hooks on . I have seen some fastened to the pin on the cylinder or drill a hole in the bracket and fasten with a lock nut,do not tighten tight let it swivel. Then find a flat spot on loader frame usually where the frame makes its bend, drill hole ,slide rod over the pipe and bolt the pipe to frame.When you tilt or lower your bucket bucket the rod slides thru the pipe. Find a good flat surface set loader down and flatten out bucket then paint a mark on the rod. When you use the loader and are wanting to grade or dig go back to this position on the rod and you know that you are level. You can even tilt bucket 1in above level or below and put marks at these position, now you have a reference point to go to and there is no guessing at where your bucket is setting. Hope this helps.
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 17 May 2021 08:33am
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I'm going up this weekend to hopefully finish the driveway ahead of memorial weekend visit. So i'll be sure to check if i have that float feature.
I've got the newly aquired 540lb weight so i'm hoping that makes a world of difference!
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 18 May 2021 08:26am
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600lb of weight at the hitch will make a big difference. Even if your tires are loaded it will help a ton.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 18 May 2021 09:19am
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Nice pun
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 24 May 2021 08:44am
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Well, made it up to the land this past weekend for a day visit to finish the driveway ahead of our holiday weekend trim coming up.
Got the rest of the gravel spread that was left from a few weeks ago. Boy, does that 540lb weight my neighbor gave me for the 3 point make a world of difference! And i did much better scooping when i could just drive straight into the pile vs. having to back on top of it and try to scoop!
Also widened up the area on the door side of the camper. Even though we are going to spin the camper 180 degrees at some point, figured the extra room will only help when that time comes.
Things went so well i thought i'd move some stumps to our yard waste pile only to find the ground was still a wee bit soft and those front trattor tires like to cut right in like pizza cutters! I was able to use the bucket to lift the front tire out of the hole and then i filled it with firewood. Then the back right tire went in to the axle. Jacked that up, filled with firewood and then had the neighbor give me a tug with his LS and got me out! Almost thought i was going to have a permanent lawn ornament for a bit!!
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WILL1E
Moderator
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# Posted: 16 Aug 2021 02:07pm - Edited by: WILL1E
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Been awhile since i've updated this thread so here it goes.
About a month ago i increased the potential future spot for a garage a little more. Had a dump truck load of gravel brought in and spread that (not shown in photo).
Once i did that, i finally spun the 5th wheel 180 degrees like that wife originally wanted. Had to do this anyways so that once I start building the cabin i can easily hitch up the camper and move it without having to spin it. Gotta always think 10 steps ahead so i don't make a pickle for myself.
The shelterlogic has since been moved back into it's original spot, just didn't get a photo of that area since then.
Two weeks ago i got a pair of gates installed on the main driveway. Used 2 beams i milled and burnt them to give them some protection. This weekend i pounded some aluminum on the tops to keep the snow/rain from causing problems.
This weekend i was up for a boys weekend of wheeling and managed to get another gate installed on our backup driveway. As you'll see and if you have followed my posts, the telephone has yet to come and move their 2 pedestals they decided to put in my driveway 
That's about it for now. Still hoping to build this fall, just needs to hammer out my plans. I'd also like to get that well pounded so i have a good way of washing the wheelers off.
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