Big tool purchase. Need suggestions!

[Sasquatch912]

You missed the point. You said grandma brings in 15k a year. That can not support a 17k tractor. That is insane. What makes it worse is it seems like you are doing this as a favor for grandma. Admirable but it doesn't sound like you are in a position to be doing that. I am not trying to bust your chops but you need to step back and look at the numbers. Not what needs to be done but what you can do with the amount of money coming in.

When I started out I was working three jobs one of them mowing grass just to make ends meet. I had nothing but cheap harbor freight and used tools but I made do with what I had and didn't buy anything unless I had a concrete plan for the purchase to make me more than it cost. Fast forward to today I have bought several pieces of equipment over 100k all with cash and they make me more money than they cost. If you try to rush things you will forever be stuck in a rut and never be able to afford anything. You don't want to live your whole life that way. Make sacrifices now and they will pay you big in the future.

If I woke up in your shoes I would sell the tractor on day one and buy something cheaper. You can't afford it. My first tractor cost me $2000 and I had to always be working on it but it made me more money than I spent on it. Again not trying to be mean but you are talking about getting a loan to buy an air hose and you have a 17k tractor. That is nuts. Seriously go back and read your first post and see if after reading it that owning a financed 17k tractor makes sense.

I bought a 1939 Ford 9n in the beginning. It did ok but it was always breaking down. I learned my lesson on that so
I bought my Ford 3000 and trailer package together with a 10k loan from the same bank.

I paid it off. Yeah, I spent more getting it in the end but it built my credit up.

I sold that tractor and lost money because I beat it up in the woods because it wasnt meant for the woods. I learned another lesson there. I need a 4x4 tractor with a front end loader.

I understand what youre saying, but this John Deere is really worth it. 4x4 (though just broke the driveshaft) and a Front end loader with a root grapple and hydraulic saw. I have got a lot done with it that a cheap 2wd tractor could never done. I could easily get jobs with it...already have people asking but...my truck isnt ready nor is my tractor. Thats my issue.


My monthly payments for it is $403 and with my other bills in a month after I pay them offf..I may have $700-$800 left (get paid two times in a month). Most guys my age will be spending their money on a new truck that theyll trade every year or blow it on booze and women. I just dont have time for that. My priority is that land and work.

That land will make me money one day, but right now I need to manage it to where when that time comes then I dont have to waste time cleaning up a mess that has be unattended for years.


I have a brother and mother who will also inherit the land with me and theyre not capable of doing anything to help me at the moment..then Im afraid they wont be either once we get the land. So I have that issue to deal with.


But if I sell my tractor and just say screw it all...the land wont be maintained like before and we will lose money in the end. Women generally dont know how to do **** with land..some do but not many.


I see it like this..

The farmer doesnt want to have to trim up trees and spend his money doing it himself. He has other things to do...unless he is going to clear everything.


The hunter doesnt generally want to hunt on property that he has to bring his own equipment with him to manage. Will some do it? Yeah, but at the cost of you losing a X amount of dollars an acre.


We hired a guy to come manage our land in the beginning.
Took the money and never even came to do nothing. Thats when I learned its best to do things on your own than depend on others to do it for you.

I dont know...I just have alot going on and want stuff done but I dont want to be in debt.

 

[Sasquatch912]

Well Ill take the advice and start cheap than going full in debt in a thousands of dollars for three things.

 

[bdog]

Your heart is definitely in the right place. How are things with your brother and mom? Are you doing all the work and then they are going to reap the rewards when it comes time to inherit? You don't have to answer that but something to think about.

I get hunters wanting stuff a certain way and the farmer wanting trees trimmed back it is all valid but it seems like you are doing all the work and not being compensated adequately for it. Many years ago I had a 4wd 47hp tractor, open station, front end loader, shredder, box blade, post hole digger, etc. I did odd jobs with it for neighbors and advertising in the paper (pre internet). I mowed lots, helped people dig holes for fences, leveled yards for home builders, plowed and planted little fields for people, etc. I didn't do that full time and usually cleared $1,000 a week.

You seem to have no lack of work ethic and that tractor could make a lot of money for you in your current situation. Figure out how to capitalize on it. Maybe you can't afford to harden it up for the woods just yet so go shred some places and build up some cash. I don't know the perfect solution for you but if you are going to have a business of sorts going the tools are necessary but shouldn't be a big cost in the equation unless you are a mechanic or something like that where the tools are the business. If you are running a tractor business the tools should just be a small blip on the radar. Get the cheapest thing you need to get the job done and as it grows you will be able to afford more and better tools.

Heck maybe you can barter with someone? Know anyone who is handy with a welder that might need some tractor work done?

 

[7avalon7]

OP, you are getting a great advice from a lot of people, but to me, and a few other here, it really sounds like you are making justification to buy these tools. I feel like nothing we say here is going to sway you from spending more money.

I dont know...I just have alot going on and want stuff done but I dont want to be in debt.

Hmm... you are financing your 17K tractor so you are already is pretty serious debt To make the matter worse, I am not seeing a way for you to get out of the hole that you have dug. You are not receiving any income from managing the land, but want to spend more money.

Personally, if I own a land and making $15K/year, but the land need a 17K tractor plus all of these tools and maintenance costs, I would just sell the land. Heck, I would just donate the land tomorrow to some non-profit org just so I do not have to spend more money on it, and I can get a tax write-off. This is just a horrible investment. This is like when you own an upside-down property. Pouring more money into it would just make the situation worse.

Not trying to be a jerk, but like it or not, this is your reality.

 

[Sasquatch912]

OP, you are getting a great advice from a lot of people, but to me, and a few other here, it really sounds like you are making justification to buy these tools. I feel like nothing we say here is going to sway you from spending more money.



Hmm... you are financing your 17K tractor so you are already is pretty serious debt To make the matter worse, I am not seeing a way for you to get out of the hole that you have dug. You are not receiving any income from managing the land, but want to spend more money.

Personally, if I own a land and making $15K/year, but the land need a 17K tractor plus all of these tools and maintenance costs, I would just sell the land. Heck, I would just donate the land tomorrow to some non-profit org just so I do not have to spend more money on it, and I can get a tax write-off. This is just a horrible investment. This is like when you own an upside-down property. Pouring more money into it would just make the situation worse.

Not trying to be a jerk, but like it or not, this is your reality.

Ive decided not to spend big and just get used or Harbor Freight stuff for now.

I can get out of $17,000 of debt. Paid off a $10,000 loan before. Full time job and like I said do side jobs...ill be fine. I aint flipping burgers..lolol.

Im not making money yet on the land because it isnt mine but I will one day...

like i stated I may do an acre of pecans amd hopefully in 9 years or so we'll be raking pinestraw...if the country doesnt collapse.

Give or sell the land? Nah, been in the family a long time.

Lands easy to sell. Hard to buy back. They dont make land no more.

 

[Sasquatch912]

Your heart is definitely in the right place. How are things with your brother and mom? Are you doing all the work and then they are going to reap the rewards when it comes time to inherit? You don't have to answer that but something to think about.

I get hunters wanting stuff a certain way and the farmer wanting trees trimmed back it is all valid but it seems like you are doing all the work and not being compensated adequately for it. Many years ago I had a 4wd 47hp tractor, open station, front end loader, shredder, box blade, post hole digger, etc. I did odd jobs with it for neighbors and advertising in the paper (pre internet). I mowed lots, helped people dig holes for fences, leveled yards for home builders, plowed and planted little fields for people, etc. I didn't do that full time and usually cleared $1,000 a week.

You seem to have no lack of work ethic and that tractor could make a lot of money for you in your current situation. Figure out how to capitalize on it. Maybe you can't afford to harden it up for the woods just yet so go shred some places and build up some cash. I don't know the perfect solution for you but if you are going to have a business of sorts going the tools are necessary but shouldn't be a big cost in the equation unless you are a mechanic or something like that where the tools are the business. If you are running a tractor business the tools should just be a small blip on the radar. Get the cheapest thing you need to get the job done and as it grows you will be able to afford more and better tools.

Heck maybe you can barter with someone? Know anyone who is handy with a welder that might need some tractor work done?

I buy the diesel and she repays me the diesel money. Stuff like that. Yeah, I make no money with it..for now. But managing it to get it to thr point to make money.


Yeah thats the stuff I want to do with my tractor. Just need to come up with cost per hour and try not to be so nice and do stuff for free.

I guess Ill aim at used/harbor freight stuff for now.


thanks guys

 

[PugetDude]

They dont make land no more.

Actually, the Chinese are pretty good at it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reclamation

 

[Sasquatch912]

Actually, the Chinese are pretty good at it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_reclamation

....Yeah.

You know what I mean. lol

 

[md21722]

The OP bought some used equipment, had problems with it, and now wants to buy new stuff of perceived adequate quality to prevent past problem experiences. Also, people in the rural South are typically very family minded, and strive to be self-sufficient. This could be true in other parts of the country as well. Plus, the OP is seeing this equipment as aiding in other income earning opportunities.

However, the big thing the OP is missing is the financial sense of it all. Plus what happens when you get married and have kids (if not already) and all of a sudden your priorities are your wife & kids. Even less time for these other projects you are thinking about, meanwhile you're holding bank notes and they want their money. You will end up losing money. Or, you could end up realizing that you need a bigger or different tractor for some new projects.

At some point, you just don't do something "now" because it doesn't make financial sense. Making sound financial decisions when you are younger, gives you a path to make your future dreams come true.

Holding bank loans is a restriction on your freedom because they you are required to pay the loans. If you pay cash, you can sell it again at whatever price you want, and do something else.

The other way to thing about it is if you don't buy it on credit, will you regret it later? It is easier to live life without regrets. If it doesn't work out you will need to be able to accept that you tried and it didn't work out, and realize that future years will be impacted by your decisions today. Understand and realize the potential impacts before making the decision.

If you have a strong desire to buy something new, I would limit it to one new thing that you can pay cash for and get the rest used.

Focus on buying things that earn you money today so you can buy more of what you want later and do the things you want for your grandmother.

It sounds like you have too many projects and ideas and not enough time or money to do them. Spending more money for these ideas right now is just digging you deeper. Start small so you can go bigger as the times come.

I used to own forest land in East Tennessee. I know it takes upkeep. I know you need a 4x4 tractor with a FEL. Mine was a 30HP 1982 Kubota L305DT. I got 6' Bush Hog on trade for a 5x8 utility trailer that I didn't need anymore. It helped both of us get what we needed. I got the Bush Hog because it was sitting under a tarp because the bank took the tractor because the payments weren't made. Don't be the folks I got the Bush Hog from.

I think you are on the verge of being very overwhelmed. Sometimes you have to slow down to go fast.

 

[Sasquatch912]

The OP bought some used equipment, had problems with it, and now wants to buy new stuff of perceived adequate quality to prevent past problem experiences. Also, people in the rural South are typically very family minded, and strive to be self-sufficient. This could be true in other parts of the country as well. Plus, the OP is seeing this equipment as aiding in other income earning opportunities.

However, the big thing the OP is missing is the financial sense of it all. Plus what happens when you get married and have kids (if not already) and all of a sudden your priorities are your wife & kids. Even less time for these other projects you are thinking about, meanwhile you're holding bank notes and they want their money. You will end up losing money. Or, you could end up realizing that you need a bigger or different tractor for some new projects.

At some point, you just don't do something "now" because it doesn't make financial sense. Making sound financial decisions when you are younger, gives you a path to make your future dreams come true.

Holding bank loans is a restriction on your freedom because they you are required to pay the loans. If you pay cash, you can sell it again at whatever price you want, and do something else.

The other way to thing about it is if you don't buy it on credit, will you regret it later? It is easier to live life without regrets. If it doesn't work out you will need to be able to accept that you tried and it didn't work out, and realize that future years will be impacted by your decisions today. Understand and realize the potential impacts before making the decision.

If you have a strong desire to buy something new, I would limit it to one new thing that you can pay cash for and get the rest used.

Focus on buying things that earn you money today so you can buy more of what you want later and do the things you want for your grandmother.

It sounds like you have too many projects and ideas and not enough time or money to do them. Spending more money for these ideas right now is just digging you deeper. Start small so you can go bigger as the times come.

I used to own forest land in East Tennessee. I know it takes upkeep. I know you need a 4x4 tractor with a FEL. Mine was a 30HP 1982 Kubota L305DT. I got 6' Bush Hog on trade for a 5x8 utility trailer that I didn't need anymore. It helped both of us get what we needed. I got the Bush Hog because it was sitting under a tarp because the bank took the tractor because the payments weren't made. Don't be the folks I got the Bush Hog from.

I think you are on the verge of being very overwhelmed. Sometimes you have to slow down to go fast.

No money grabbing wife nor needy kids yet.

Im going to buy used.

I see a Lincoln AC/DC stick welder for $350 on craigslist.

Seeing if I can find a 220v mig welder.

I think I might already have a cutting torch set up. Will take pictures tomorrow and see what yall think about it.

Dont see no decent air compressor on craigslist other than the $1000 used ones. I may just get the Harbor Freight 60 gal one for $799 and a few other things from there as well.

That should get me started and out of major debt just for tools.

 

[Firebrick43]

Using a front end loader in the woods like you are is going to get you killed one of these days, cage or no cage. Many of Dozers operators have been killed with full cages in the woods. A limb catches a stump or another tree and is speared right into the cage and through it quicker than you can react. With trees you pull or skid with either a winch or a grapple. You don't use the loader until you are out in the landing or clearing. You don't and won't see logging equipment with FEL on them.

How do you beat to hell a 3000 ford tractor? It's as well built as any current Deere.

Tops and slash should be either sawn (by hand),wood split, and small brush stacked or have a tracked skid steer with a forestry mower come in and shred it. Or just leave it. Again pushing tops is going to get you killed!

A bronco is not a proper tow vehicle for that much weight. Your looking at 8k+ weight with tractor properly ballasted, FEL, cage, and implement. The wheel base is to short and is unstable especially since it's lifted. A straight 6 300 in an f250 2wd with 8' bed would be a much better and safer tow vehicle.

 

[md21722]

A 26-30 gallon 2HP will run a 1/2" impact "good enough".

You may find that a lot of the tools you buy today won't be lifetime for you because your needs and wants will change.

Outside of very specific tasks a plasma is a "luxury item".

Also keep in mind the more you buy, the more you feel like you need to buy. Maybe not the best example, but say you bought this shiny new tractor. Now you want a pressure washer to clean the mud off... and that wasn't even on your list.

 

[md21722]

Using a front end loader in the woods like you are is going to get you killed one of these days, cage or no cage. Many of Dozers operators have been killed with full cages in the woods. A limb catches a stump or another tree and is speared right into the cage and through it quicker than you can react. With trees you pull or skid with either a winch or a grapple. You don't use the loader until you are out in the landing or clearing. You don't and won't see logging equipment with FEL on them.

How do you beat to hell a 3000 ford tractor? It's as well built as any current Deere.

Tops and slash should be either sawn (by hand),wood split, and small brush stacked or have a tracked skid steer with a forestry mower come in and shred it. Or just leave it. Again pushing tops is going to get you killed!

A bronco is not a proper tow vehicle for that much weight. Your looking at 8k+ weight with tractor properly ballasted, FEL, cage, and implement. The wheel base is to short and is unstable especially since it's lifted. A straight 6 300 in an f250 2wd with 8' bed would be a much better and safer tow vehicle.

Now you just spent more money for the OP . He is not a pro forestry company. He has various needs so he has a generic tractor with a FEL. A farm truck with winch is indespensible.

 

[SuitorsGarage]

I would spend some time on your bronco and make it as valuable as you can without spending much money on it. Treat it like a vehicle you are going to flip. Sell it and buy a truck that you can tow with. Be smart about it and overlook fancy trucks, look for the best suited truck to work the land and move your tractor around. Then you can do side work to make capital to reinvest in yourself. Also be smart about doing jobs that will take its toll on your equipment. Learn to say no to jobs that aren't worth it equipment wise or you will just be investing in someone else instead of yourself.

Use side money to pay off the tractor is what I would focus on. Then you can finance smaller items to keep your credit rating good for when you really need it. Just make sure that your day job can handle your finances comfortably.

I learned a lesson in credit by thinking it was evil and paid cash or bartered for everything. I was the guy that didn't owe anybody anything on paper for twenty years except a mobile home that didn't get reported to the credit bureau that I financed privately. Paid cash for vehicles and fixed them up. Did like you and invested in family with no immediate return. Worked for myself and just scraped by all the time. Fast forward to the last few years...I have no more real family tie downs (kids are grown and ill mother has since passed). I took a job that I love pays more than I have ever made but consumes a lot of time. I needed a better truck but was non existent to the credit bureau and couldn't get a loan for one. Anyway...My point is that in today's world you need credit and you need to work on keeping your credit as good as you can.

I also think that you are doing the right thing keeping up with the land to keep it valuable for yourself and your family.

 

[Ign]

I would spend some time on your bronco and make it as valuable as you can without spending much money on it. Treat it like a vehicle you are going to flip. Sell it and buy a truck that you can tow with. Be smart about it and overlook fancy trucks, look for the best suited truck to work the land and move your tractor around. Then you can do side work to make capital to reinvest in yourself. Also be smart about doing jobs that will take its toll on your equipment. Learn to say no to jobs that aren't worth it equipment wise or you will just be investing in someone else instead of yourself.

Use side money to pay off the tractor is what I would focus on. Then you can finance smaller items to keep your credit rating good for when you really need it. Just make sure that your day job can handle your finances comfortably.

I learned a lesson in credit by thinking it was evil and paid cash or bartered for everything. I was the guy that didn't owe anybody anything on paper for twenty years except a mobile home that didn't get reported to the credit bureau that I financed privately. Paid cash for vehicles and fixed them up. Did like you and invested in family with no immediate return. Worked for myself and just scraped by all the time. Fast forward to the last few years...I have no more real family tie downs (kids are grown and ill mother has since passed). I took a job that I love pays more than I have ever made but consumes a lot of time. I needed a better truck but was non existent to the credit bureau and couldn't get a loan for one. Anyway...My point is that in today's world you need credit and you need to work on keeping your credit as good as you can.

I also think that you are doing the right thing keeping up with the land to keep it valuable for yourself and your family.

Oh boy.....

OP, you don't HAVE TO play the game. But you'd better start studying Dave Ramsey now. Not having credit does not mean "scraping by." And getting a loan 'cause you're "scraping by" is like trying to have a child to save a marriage.

Don't be a slave to your credit score, that's just how "they" make you a compliant citizen. Who is they? Mostly the banks. Ever see The International? Whoever controls the debt controls the war. And making you afraid of a "bad" score makes it a lot easier for Big Brother and anyone else who can run a financial background check (local govt, LEO's etc) to get a snapshot of your life.

I used to care about my credit score until I saw it was just a form of slavery. When I went self-employed creditors no longer liked me 'cause I couldn't show the income they wanted to see.

 

[wagon]

I wouldn't buy Esab.

I work for an LWS, and I've had Esab take over two months to send simple things, and many parts take a month to get in. Blue and Red very rarely have that issue that is so routine with Esab.

That said, we have sold a ton of Rebel machines and they're pretty trouble free. The Fusion gun that the cheaper one comes with is junk, however, along with their TIG torch, which is huge.

Your LWS should have a 17V with cables for less than $100, which is what I'd get rather than using the package torch.

 

[wagon]

Oh, and I agree with the poster saying you're better off with a torch and port-a-band.

A Journeyman set is the way to go. You'll end up wanting a rosebud, too. You'll be able to get a port-a-band and torch kit cheaper than a plasma, and parts are significantly cheaper.

Buy the torch brand that has the best availability in your area. A Smith or Harris torch where I am would be very difficult to get parts for.

 

[SuitorsGarage]

Not having credit does not mean "scraping by." And getting a loan 'cause you're "scraping by" is like trying to have a child to save a marriage.

I should have been more clear and not used the words scraping by. What I was referring to was making do with what I had for resources to get a job done when I worked for myself. I didn't go out and buy unless I couldn't get the job done without. That money instead went to keeping the lady who raised me out of a nursing home and in her house with no worries.
And the loan wasn't because I was financially scraping by. It was for a truck with a plow when I decided it was time for me to quit running junkyard vehicles.

 

[Sasquatch912]

Here is the torch the guy I work with gave me. Might have to get new hoses and regulators.

what yall think?

 

[PugetDude]

Here is the torch the guy I work with gave me. Might have to get new hoses and regulators.

what yall think?

New hoses and regulators won't fix what is wrong with that torch set-up...
Those bottles will last just long enough to piss you off the first time you try to use it.
Don't put a dime into it, find another. They are out there.

Sorry...

 

[Sasquatch912]

New hoses and regulators won't fix what is wrong with that torch set-up...
Those bottles will last just long enough to piss you off the first time you try to use it.
Don't put a dime into it, find another. They are out there.

Sorry...

Yeah I know I will need bigger bottles..but I could use this torch with bigger bottles

 

[Firebrick43]

Oh, and I agree with the poster saying you're better off with a torch and port-a-band.

A Journeyman set is the way to go. You'll end up wanting a rosebud, too. You'll be able to get a port-a-band and torch kit cheaper than a plasma, and parts are significantly cheaper.

Buy the torch brand that has the best availability in your area. A Smith or Harris torch where I am would be very difficult to get parts for.

Don't have a miller dealer nearby? Smith is owned and sold through them.

 

[PugetDude]

Yeah I know I will need bigger bottles..but I could use this torch with bigger bottles

Since you need bottles, regulators and gauges, anyway....


https://www.weldingoutfitter.com/pr...5jJrv3gTo3-h9Z2ub9uWf-sAcPIQHioS5YaApBE8P8HAQ

Another thought... I've had good experience with oxy-propane for cutting and heating (not welding) It will save you a couple of hundred bucks on the acetylene bottle...

https://www.weldingoutfitter.com/co...54a-510lp-medium-duty-propane-toughcut-outfit

 

[Sasquatch912]

Since you need bottles, regulators and gauges, anyway....


https://www.weldingoutfitter.com/pr...5jJrv3gTo3-h9Z2ub9uWf-sAcPIQHioS5YaApBE8P8HAQ

Another thought... I've had good experience with oxy-propane for cutting and heating (not welding) It will save you a couple of hundred bucks on the acetylene bottle...

https://www.weldingoutfitter.com/co...54a-510lp-medium-duty-propane-toughcut-outfit

....

 

[Firebrick43]

Since you need bottles, regulators and gauges, anyway....


https://www.weldingoutfitter.com/pr...5jJrv3gTo3-h9Z2ub9uWf-sAcPIQHioS5YaApBE8P8HAQ

Another thought... I've had good experience with oxy-propane for cutting and heating (not welding) It will save you a couple of hundred bucks on the acetylene bottle...

https://www.weldingoutfitter.com/co...54a-510lp-medium-duty-propane-toughcut-outfit

Dad (and I when helping) uses oxy propane to scrap things out. You use more oxygen when using propane and it's not as fast, especially on the start of the cut. This waters down some of the cost savings. It's really cost effective if cutting a lot at once and using liquid oxygen dewar, but that a lot of cutting and a dewar doesn't last more than a week or two depending on weather.

Also you can use drag tips on thin metal( or a cobra/henrob torch) for near plasma (on steel) like performance. You can't do that on propane along with welding as you mentioned.

 

[My Old Tools]

You can't argue with someone determined to go deep in debt. It's like a gambler who is sure their next roll of the dice will win it all back. My granddaddy cleared his land with an axe. It just takes a little longer.

 

[racinfarmer]

No, the metal building was purchased by my grandmother because she wanted to help me out since I bought the tractor to manage her land and also she had timber cut thus needed to spend money so Uncle Sam wouldnt nickel and dime her of the money.

She makes money off of the land from leasing it out for hunting/farming and tree farming. I dont make money off of it...yet.

I manage it all because she cant and she relies on me to do everything. But I cant do everything I need when I dont have tools. Plus not only that I am prepping for the future when I inherit the land.

Owning land takes management. Management takes equipment and tools. Equipment and tools cost money. I dont have wads of cash to purchase stuff right out. And I dont want my assets destroyed and drop in value.

How does a $2600 welder, a $1300 air compressor, and a plasma cutter help you manage the land better?

Welder: ESAB 235 EMP $2600

Air Compressor: Quincy 5hp 60 gal $1300

Plasma Cutter: Hypertherm Powmax 45 XP $1900

Air tools:
-(Harbor Freight) Earthquake XP 1/2" Impact $150
-Grinder
-Paint gun


Air hose: (Harbor Freight) 3/8"x50' retractable hose reel $59

Tool chest: (Harbor Freight) 27 drawer $169

Welding cart: (Harbor Freight) $41 (for the plasma cutter)
$169 (for welder)

 

[Sasquatch912]

I guess everyone hasnt read that I decided not to get expensive new ****. Just get used is what I plan to do.