That's a wide variety of interests as well. Do you mean big equipment like excavators?
Yes, after using the tractor with a fairly small (but useful) backhoe attachment for years, I saved up and finally got an excavator, then later got a tracked skid steer. The excavator, although not a huge one, is something I'd hate now to be without!
This is the little backhoe I had for the tractor, could do most things but had a pretty small hydraulic pump. Without lot of power it took some finesse at times! This is a relatively small hackberry stump - their roots are some of the worst to break loose.
I sold the backhoe attachment when I got this machine. I tell people it's a woodturning tool since I can hold heavy logs at waist height to cut off chunks with a chainsaw. (I primarily turn dry wood so to feed my addiction I cut log sections into turning blanks and dry them.) Zounds but it's nice, and the cab has heat and air conditioning!
The engine isn't huge but it's amazingly powerful because of the hydraulics. I may be accused of "advertising" it too much, but if at some point you might be interested in using a bandsaw to cut green wood into turning blanks for drying, a few years ago I made a video for an on-line turning club demo. (I said "advertising" but I don't make a penny from any of this)
My “Logs to Blanks” video shows how I use a shop bandsaw to make useful turning blanks from log sections. I almost always turn wood so I include a little information on drying.
I made this video during the Covid pandemic for a club Zoom meeting demo. It’s long, about 45 minutes, but it’s a severely cut down version of my 4-hour bandsaw class - I had to leave out a lot of information but this might be a good introduction. I tried not to skimp on safety!
I shot and edited this video in a rush so it seriously needs some changes and additions. Unfortunately, the chances of me getting...
I had this small John Deere wheeled excavator for years - had a lot of power but was pretty old and had a few mechanical issues. I kept it until I could get something better. I used it to remove and move this fairly big hackberry tree in the way when I built my shop. Again, hackberry roots - ug! Too big to lift but I rolled it into the woods and after 8-10 years it rotted away to nothing - not a trace..
I eventually replaced it with the Kubota tracked loader (skidsteer) in my profile picture - it's way more machine than I deserve - great for digging and moving dirt and rocks. A perfect compliment to the excavator. We have 27 acres here and a lot of opportunity to get out and play!
Pushing 75 I'm slowing down some, had to give up some things from younger days like wild motorcycle dirtbikes, insane whitewater, cave diving, flying Cessas and such. But there's still plenty keep me entertained!
You said you like music - do you play as well as listen? Teaching woodturning and making music - "these are a few of my favorite things."
🙂
JKJ
