So what is it the Santa bringing that you have bought and paid for/to yourself ? 🤪

[Monkeybusiness]

Of course! Little point otherwise

I spend months considering whether to get one of these (38hp) or go up to 60-80 hp. But then transport becomes an issue, and you will struggle to get the tractor and implement moved in one hit. I also don't want to start chasing other work using more diesel, such as mulching.

From using the old one for a year or so, I'm convinced the hydro transmission makes you back via efficiency the difference in power between 38hp and 60hp. The BCS Spirit 70 (63hp) looked nice and would be towable with implement. But it's a huge chunk of change more (£48k with electric joystick vs £35k with electric joystick for the Carrarro). And it's only got four gears in three ranges with bugger all overlap between ranges. It does have an electronic clutch to save your foot. But that's not the same as easing off your right foot just enough to get through a tough patch of grass, and then straight back up to optimum speed.

Anyway, Kilworth didn't seem to want to sell (salesman never got back to me despite multiple texts and calls for a demo/more details), whereas Kirkland have been very enthusiastic regarding parts for my current model and selling me a new one. I think 38hp hydrostatic is equal in efficiency for my work to 63hp geared, and Antonio Carraro are pretty much the Rolls Royce of alpine tractors also. I just know I'd not be happy with gears.

Hydrostatic is definitely the way to go, that’s a lovely bit of kit.
I’m surprised by Kilworth, they’ve always been great on the odd occasion I’ve dealt with them. Their loss!

 

[Storrsy]

View attachment 55354

Well that makes a new chainsaw suddenly look a bit s**t

 

[Storrsy]

Of course! Little point otherwise

I spend months considering whether to get one of these (38hp) or go up to 60-80 hp. But then transport becomes an issue, and you will struggle to get the tractor and implement moved in one hit. I also don't want to start chasing other work using more diesel, such as mulching.

From using the old one for a year or so, I'm convinced the hydro transmission makes you back via efficiency the difference in power between 38hp and 60hp. The BCS Spirit 70 (63hp) looked nice and would be towable with implement. But it's a huge chunk of change more (£48k with electric joystick vs £35k with electric joystick for the Carrarro). And it's only got four gears in three ranges with bugger all overlap between ranges. It does have an electronic clutch to save your foot. But that's not the same as easing off your right foot just enough to get through a tough patch of grass, and then straight back up to optimum speed.

Anyway, Kilworth didn't seem to want to sell (salesman never got back to me despite multiple texts and calls for a demo/more details), whereas Kirkland have been very enthusiastic regarding parts for my current model and selling me a new one. I think 38hp hydrostatic is equal in efficiency for my work to 63hp geared, and Antonio Carraro are pretty much the Rolls Royce of alpine tractors also. I just know I'd not be happy with gears.

Sounds Flippin ace and actually price doesn't sound too unreasonable for what it is. £35 for that with cab, reverse drive, hrdrostatic etc?? What will it's main use be- mowing?

Also what's the cab like to get in and out? My dad has the smallest carrari there is. Great little machine but a bigger to get your leg over the transmission and foot into place etc

 

[doobin]

Sounds Flippin ace and actually price doesn't sound too unreasonable for what it is. £35 for that with cab, reverse drive, hrdrostatic etc?? What will it's main use be- mowing?

Also what's the cab like to get in and out? My dad has the smallest carrari there is. Great little machine but a bigger to get your leg over the transmission and foot into place etc

Yup, cab with climate control. No front links, thats just a stock photo. No idea about getting in to cab but I have no trouble with the ROPS version and the cab looks plenty roomy.

Mainly mowing, skidding timber etc. Conservation type stuff predoiminately.

 

[DaveDCB]

So no presents to myself didn’t last long, eBay sent me a £10 off voucher so I couldn’t let it expire for £47 it’s not too bad!

 

[Lancs Lad]

So no presents to myself didn’t last long, eBay sent me a £10 off voucher so I couldn’t let it expire for £47 it’s not too bad! View attachment 55428

Price the snap on equivalent set for a laugh

 

[Giles]

So no presents to myself didn’t last long, eBay sent me a £10 off voucher so I couldn’t let it expire for £47 it’s not too bad! View attachment 55428

Handy set to have bought similar from machine mart needed 50mm for some holding down bolts on a 250’ton press pit we were installing at ferodo come in useful over the years. Better than the 24” bahco nut rounders I keep in truck lol

 

[DaveDCB]

Price the snap on equivalent set for a laugh

Over a grand, only had prices online for the smaller stuff! My long handle snap on 8-19mm set is priced at £585

 

[DaveDCB]

Handy set to have bought similar from machine mart needed 50mm for some holding down bolts on a 250’ton press pit we were installing at ferodo come in useful over the years. Better than the 24” bahco nut rounders I keep in truck lol

Handy set to have bought similar from machine mart needed 50mm for some holding down bolts on a 250’ton press pit we were installing at ferodo come in useful over the years. Better than the 24” bahco nut rounders I keep in truck lol

I’ve just used big stilsons in the past on the larger hydraulic hose fittings etc, it just soon eats them up!

 

[AHPP]

So no presents to myself didn’t last long, eBay sent me a £10 off voucher so I couldn’t let it expire for £47 it’s not too bad! View attachment 55428

I don’t have any 50mm hex bolts to turn but I do have a 50mm spanner I keep in the van as a visual gag (and to joust with highwaymen). Money well spent (someone gave it to me).

 

[Smiffy]

I don’t have any 50mm hex bolts to turn but I do have a 50mm spanner I keep in the van as a visual gag (and to joust with highwaymen). Money well spent (someone gave it to me).

My old man has a set of spanners up to 10mm. Proper forged single open end spanners. Set of sloggers as well and inch drive sockets. Cost an absolute fortune to buy most of them but a couple are old whitworth spanners off the railways slightly modified with a grinder to fit metric. He also has a 28lb sledge hammer to accompany the slogging spanners that makes you sick trying to use it. I believe it was a scrap man's hammer used for manually breaking up cast iron components.

 

[Bob]

My old man has a set of spanners up to 10mm. Proper forged single open end spanners. Set of sloggers as well and inch drive sockets. Cost an absolute fortune to buy most of them but a couple are old whitworth spanners off the railways slightly modified with a grinder to fit metric. He also has a 28lb sledge hammer to accompany the slogging spanners that makes you sick trying to use it. I believe it was a scrap man's hammer used for manually breaking up cast iron components.

We use to use a 28lb sledge hammer to knock in caterpillar track pins in, just so much easier than a 14lb sledge .I got a 14llb sledge hammer most people wont use that to break concreate and take a 7lb instead

 

[Giles]

My old man has a set of spanners up to 10mm. Proper forged single open end spanners. Set of sloggers as well and inch drive sockets. Cost an absolute fortune to buy most of them but a couple are old whitworth spanners off the railways slightly modified with a grinder to fit metric. He also has a 28lb sledge hammer to accompany the slogging spanners that makes you sick trying to use it. I believe it was a scrap man's hammer used for manually breaking up cast iron components.

56lb er 28lb 14lb 4lb

2 swings of the 56lb one and it’s tea break time

Found it and the 28 together in and old crane yard we were clearing for Gleason to build house top of old market in Stockport

 

[AHPP]

My old man has a set of spanners up to 10mm. Proper forged single open end spanners. Set of sloggers as well and inch drive sockets. Cost an absolute fortune to buy most of them but a couple are old whitworth spanners off the railways slightly modified with a grinder to fit metric. He also has a 28lb sledge hammer to accompany the slogging spanners that makes you sick trying to use it. I believe it was a scrap man's hammer used for manually breaking up cast iron components.

My 50mm's dirty secret is that it's ground out to 54mm, apparently by some animal of a forester in a pinch. Doesn't affect its use when killing a man.
My dad has little else but Whitworth and AF, spanners, sockets, tap and die sets etc. And obviously nothing that needs them. At least 3/8" sockets can be used in lieu of 10mm. He fortunately doesn't have a 28lb sledge. f**k that with bells on.

 

[6feetdown]

56lb er 28lb 14lb 4lb

2 swings of the 56lb one and it’s tea break time

Found it and the 28 together in and old crane yard we were clearing for Gleason to build house top of old market in Stockport

Popeye springs to mind

 

[Vinpetrol]

Popeye springs to mind

 

[bobthebuilder]

Popeye springs to mind

large bollocks actually spring to mind plus several hernias

 

[pettsy]

The size of giles’ employee, he probably swings it like a 4lb!

 

[Giles]

The size of giles’ employee, he probably swings it like a 4lb!

He’s gym strong but can’t pick up 7 newton blocks in each hand from above with just grip, not got that farmer strength us country lads have haha or do the 14lb sledge hammer challenge to touch your nose winds him up I’ve not been to gym in years and he goes 6 days a week haha

 

[Monkeybusiness]

He’s gym strong but can’t pick up 7 newton blocks in each hand from above with just grip, not got that farmer strength us country lads have haha or do the 14lb sledge hammer challenge to touch your nose winds him up I’ve not been to gym in years and he goes 6 days a week haha

We’ve had a few big lads come to work here - my long term guys are all small and wirey, don’t go to the gym much but do climb trees most days and work in a very physical role. (They are all much stronger than they appear).
The big gym-bitches tend to be weak as kittens in the real world - most pumped-up muscle-Marys end up being laughed at for having ‘water-muscles’ once it becomes apparent that they aren’t really very work-strong!