The 5 Stitches Garage.

[M.Brane]

This week I decided it was time to take another shot at area by the gate. For reference this when I bought the property.




This is what it look like after last attempt.



Over the summer a lot grew back in. So now armed with tractor and my “ special attachment” I decided to see how far I could get this time.







I also trimmed the fence line some more. Farm truck time.



I needed a new burn area so decided to do a proper one. I used box blade to cut away the grass. The ground was to hard to dig deeper. I can use dirt to fill in areas but for moment thought a burm would keep it out of sight.




This area is kinda a crappy area. It’s actually area I showed before just now difference perspective. I think this will turn into a cool campfire area. As long as don’t make pile too trees shouldn’t be an issue. It’s about a 35 circle.

Looks much better! Around here that area around the gate/fence would be loaded with Poison Oak. No burning that.

 

[taumac]

Looking good G. The building looks cavernous with just a few tings in it.

Thanks Mack. I’m sure it will fill up fast when I bring all my Florida stuff up.

 

[taumac]

Looks much better! Around here that area around the gate/fence would be loaded with Poison Oak. No burning that.

Thank you. I could have at least another day or so just working on that small section. Tons vines growing up everywhere wrapped all up in tress. I’ve been keeping my eye out for poison ivy and poison oak.

 

[taumac]

Well, I had some issues with a buck and my deer feeder. It knocked it over twice and cracked the plastic in main area. I bought the warranty and clerk told me they would replace it if buck broke it. I didn’t think it would happen but it did. So here’s new replacement feeder.



Here’s the new feeder put together with all my upgrades. It’s a quick set unit so none of the legs bolt together. I screwed legs to plastic bin and 2 sets of leg sections together. I also added a DIY critter cage around the spreader.



The critter cage isn’t for the critters but for the deer. They were getting smart and would use their tongues to spin the spreader and get more food. Their saliva would get corn/ feed mix I was using wet and sticking it together so then wouldn’t feed. The next upgrade was for the buck. I used rebar tent stakes I had. 2 of them driven 16” in ground. I then strapped feeder to the ground. This has worked keeping the buck from knocking it over.



Time to refill the feeder. I not sure how people would fill this with 2 more leg sections. I stand in truck bed and top comes to my chest.



I decided to change up the deer feeder setup too.



Just big feeder and mineral block closer to camera. I moved smaller feeder and feeder block to turn around by barn. This area also has a camera on it too. I also worked on limbing up the trees in this area. I didn’t mow it because a lot on small saplings in this area so I’ll wait to see what grows up.



The ground was so hard I broke 2 4x4x10 dunnage driving those stakes in ground and the handle on a 10lb sledgehammer. I expect to break the PT 4x4 but handle I didn’t. I bought it at flea market and looked like never used. I be getting a fiberglass handle to replace it.

 

[taumac]

Thanksgiving weekend…

Wife and I planned to spend extended weekend in Ga and have Thanksgiving here. Unfortunately, she wasn’t feeling good enough to make trip. The neighbors boys wanted to see property and wanted to help me work. I drove up on Friday and by time we got here only had few hours to do anything. Well the boys wanted to bring one of there bikes. They decided to bring a Honda grom. Well the shenanigans started pretty quick.





We took turns driving it around. At some point they decided to turn property into a racetrack and see who could make best time.



We had a blast riding it around. It was so fun I’m considering putting off road tires on one of my scooters and bringing it up here. I let them drive tractor around. It was funny that he had his helmet on driving tractor.



Saturday….

With Friday shenanigans out of the way Saturday was to be a full workday. I wanted to trim more trees up while I had extra hands to help. I would cut, they load on tractor, and bring to new burn area. I really wanted to limb up as high as I could. Well after a crash course in the loader controls on tractor we did some OSHA approved work.



Got all the tall pines limbed up by gate.



One of the areas with biggest impact was southwest corner.




Finished.






To be continued

 

[taumac]

Some more highlights.

Pulling ground growing vines out of some trees.


Limbs where touching truck before


Fence line trimmed so can drive mower down.










And the brush pile filled again. Would you believe that Friday I burned it all and this is just from Saturday.



Got it took few days but deer like the small feeder in new area.



It’s truly amazing how much got done with the boys help. It would have taken me a good part of a week to complete what we did in less then 8 hours. They didn’t ask or wanted it but I paid them for they did. They truly earned it. The entire family has been amazing to us over the years. We wish our son was around to be friends with the boys. In many ways those boys fill the void for us not having our son no more.

 

[taumac]

Happy New Year!!!

First project of the year. I have a friend that knows I’ve been looking for toolboxes for my trucks and trailer. He found me this one for “cheap”.



This one is slated for the Farm truck F150 but decided to try it out on the Ram to see how I like it. I’ve had soft, hard, folding tonneau covers. I’ve had 3 styles of truck boxes. I’ve even had a full bed cap. They all have their purpose. For the Ram been lending toward a retracting hard tonneau cover since I have the 5th wheel. They are quite expensive, but I can easily find a used truck box on marketplace for couple hundred. The main issue is when I take Ram to Ga is back seat gets full of tools and stuff I’m bringing to up. Once I put all my tools, luggage and the dogs there’s no room. Especially if I decide to bring my welder.



So onto the box. It came off a work truck so I vacuum all the **** out and start pushing out the dents. Apparently, the company never secured anything in the back of the bed and the truck box was used to stop it. I got the majority of the big dent out and some of the other ones using this method.



After the I tested fitted some stuff. My dewalt toolboxes, big straps and gooseneck setup. It still has room for my welder.





I ended up fixing the lock to keep the honest thieves out. The box had four strobes light which I was able to test out using a M12 battery.







I would like to find the same light that doesn’t strobe with all white LEDs. I could add some pod lights too. This is gonna be great working at night with the Farmtruck. I do have to get the 5th hitch installed and camper hooked up to see about clearance. I might end up having to go with a low profile box or maybe a chest if I go to the truck box route on Ram. Shouldn’t have an issue running a gooseneck.

 

[taumac]

New Toolbox Tuesday.

I’ve been looking at toolboxes lately and this toolbox popped up on marketplace a little while ago. It caught my interest because I haven’t seen anything like it. Well yesterday, it popped up at reduced price so had to call about it. Price at end of post for those interested.




It’s a Versatility professional tool storage box VT-27000. After a little research it commissioned by the Amada company to store press brake dies. It measures 39w x 27.25d and 41h. Small drawers are rating for 200 and big drawers to 400. The drawers measure 35w x 25d. Empty its weight 535 and sits on 900 lbs casters. It’s not a Lista or Vidmar so I can’t say I joined that club yet but it’s a pretty damn stout box.



He threw in another toolbox in the deal he just wanted rid of.





It’s an old Kennedy box. I’m thinking it’s a 1960’s just because the build quality is the same as my 9D craftsman box. It wasn’t something I was looking to bring home but for free. I’ll find a use for it. It’s not in bad shape but could use slides cleaned and waxed. You can tell how massive the other box is next to Kennedy.



I could literally bolt this to the side of this cabinet




The other thing is it came with bunch punch die tooling.



There is also another half bucket of tooling. It’s pretty interesting stuff. I’m gonna have to go through it all to see if anything is good.


The price for everything was $200.


I was really looking for a double or triple bank KRL Snap On box at 24 or 30” depth. They’re out there, but not at the price I’m willing to spend it right now. The main reason is, I wanna start moving some of HF box’s and some other things to Ga. The big problem is I’ve set all these boxes up by category and they all been organized. It would be hard for me to mess all that work I did. It’s easier just to find another box that I can eventually use in Ga.

 

[zanyad]

The price for everything was $200.

You. ****!

 

[taumac]

I was able to sort out all the punch tooling.



Right now looking to rehome it. I have no use for it. They sell it on eBay for some good money but I don’t have time and don’t that goes same for marketplace.


On to the toolboxes. I came across an issue. These doors sag and were meant to use these dividers as braces. They are riveted in from the bottom.



I trying out a different way to support the drawer. This is an idea using a piece of bed frame. I got some other ideas which lower profile. It’s work in progress.



The other issue is I really hate the drawer inter lock system. It also means I can’t change the drawer layout. I ended up taking the whole system out. That was harder than thought because it’s put together before box is welded together. I ended up changing the drawers around. Most people use there top drawer for sockets. I tend to use my top drawer in my HF44 and this as my common use stuff. Honestly these drawers a little too deep. Rather have another short drawer but good luck finding another one of these boxes. I’ll work around it.



After trying to change things around in garage to take a HF44 to Ga I just gonna take the this to GA. It’s gonna be my HD tool cart/ rolling bench. It’s the end game I planned for it once I moved.

I also did some work on the Kennedy. Took all slides out to clean fit a few. Heres a funny thing I know years down the road someone ask “ has anybody seen this before. I was missing some slide retainers. I had a hack using zip ties but wasn’t working like I remembered. So decided to do this.



I took a small machine screw.



I chucked it up in my mill. I used my 1x30 belt sander to grinder it down to a tamper.



Then I used my high tonnage press to press them into place.



And here’s the them installed.




I probably buy some clips down the road that’s why this is a temporary solution. Well maybe. Now it’s just when’s next time I get away to GA to regain my FL space.

 

[taumac]

Took a little improv trip to Georgia. It’s been since November since I’ve been up here. Having the winter we had it was time to check on things. I took the opportunity to empty out some things in the Florida garage. Once again truck loaded.

It took three of us to load that new toolbox in the back of my truck using ramps. Time to get the Kubota fired up and unload the truck. Don’t think I’ve shown this, but this is my ballast I’ve been using. It’s was an empty 55 gallon drum of DEF. It’s filled with water currently.


I like using this idea over a ballast box because the extra waight helps the box blade cut in the hard clay I have on property. I never thought of this before but I found a use for these. My truck has factory pick system and I’ve used drop in ball to attach my 5th wheel hitch. The chain anchors I never used but found out they make heavy duty tie downs.



Nothing like not being on tractor for months and trying to pick the Kennedy up. It’s loaded down and no good place to lift it.



The big box had more structure for me to lift.





I also took all my portable boxes up. Saves me room in Fl since just being stored on shelf. Brought the pallet tool and a better sledge hammer. The safety supervisor was on site today. She was giving me the stink eye.



I also took toolbox out of the Ram and put in farm truck.






Zoey taking a ride with my on tractor.

 

[Xti04]

Took a little improv trip to Georgia. It’s been since November since I’ve been up here. Having the winter we had it was time to check on things. I took the opportunity to empty out some things in the Florida garage. Once again truck loaded.

It took three of us to load that new toolbox in the back of my truck using ramps. Time to get the Kubota fired up and unload the truck. Don’t think I’ve shown this, but this is my ballast I’ve been using. It’s was an empty 55 gallon drum of DEF. It’s filled with water currently.


I like using this idea over a ballast box because the extra waight helps the box blade cut in the hard clay I have on property. I never thought of this before but I found a use for these. My truck has factory pick system and I’ve used drop in ball to attach my 5th wheel hitch. The chain anchors I never used but found out they make heavy duty tie downs.



Nothing like not being on tractor for months and trying to pick the Kennedy up. It’s loaded down and no good place to lift it.



The big box had more structure for me to lift.





I also took all my portable boxes up. Saves me room in Fl since just being stored on shelf. Brought the pallet tool and a better sledge hammer. The safety supervisor was on site today. She was giving me the stink eye.



I also took toolbox out of the Ram and put in farm truck.






Zoey taking a ride with my on tractor.

That is a beautiful Boston! Makes me miss mine so much!

 

[taumac]

That is a beautiful Boston! Makes me miss mine so much!

Thank you!!

 

[taumac]

QTT…




With spring around the corner I need to get this one area finished up. That is the area on back side of the barn. It grew some grass but it was so really bumpy and uneven. The dirt I dug up from pond area worked great and grew grass pretty well. I had extra dirt plus the dirt from new from new dirt from firepit I could use to level and grade the area.





Just for reference this is area behind barn after trees cut down. My SIL came after and removed stumps.



This is area now filled and level. The area next to barn filled, level, and graded. I finished up by heavily seeded the entire area. The small pond is still there.



I definitely got my QTT in and I’m feeling it. This is going to be a flex area. There’s been more then few times I needed area to park stuff. I mean park stuff in area that doesn’t block the roads and don’t interfere with the view out to field. I didn’t pull tape but can see a couple trailers parked here. Maybe some equipment trailers parked on a 45. It’s a very similar setup to RV storage lot I use in my development.