Tried to help. Had to bail out.

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

 

  Some young lady heard that I tinker with tractors and asked about hers that she bought new. I explained that on my brand of tractor it is easy to research the parts it needs. She's needs to get her books out of at least pull the model numbers from the tractor and deck so we can find aftermarket parts at reasonable prices. This was last November

   I got a text a month ago from her wanting me to give it a look see. Lawns were really starting to grow then after a slow start. The usual thing...had to jump battery to get it going, but surprisingly it did start but not idle. When she manually engaged the deck,the mower just about jumped off the tractor.

    She texted the tractor model to me but not the mower. Somehow she ordered the part ...at least one completely wallowed out mower pulley. Wondered if I could mow her lawn and offered to pay? I said ok for thirty an hour, but if it had not been mowed since three weeks ago, I would have to mow it at least twice.

  She left me hanging on that text and I called her because she never responded one way or the other. She could not afford that. It's a half acre lot.. and she figured I would be there two hours. 

Just wow.I am mowing mine about every four days, but should hit a weekly schedule once those tough and pesky seed heads from native bluegrass and side ditch fescue soften back up. Her grass is a least a foot tall.

    Oh, and I looked at her mower for free the first time . A ten mile round trip. I wish her well, but somehow I doubt that she has enough friends to bail her out. I explained to her that when I commit to doing something like mowing her lawn that I had to charge at least enough to pay for a torn belt because of the long grass.

   I wish her well.

Edited May 23, 2023 by ohiofarmer

[ebinmaine 67,628]

It's good of you to put an effort into it. 

No matter what background we come from there's a certain amount of positive nature and generosity built into all of us.

 

It was taught to me when I was young and ingrained in me even more the last few years that we should learn to help those who want to be helped and respect those who deserve the respect.

The more I experience in life the more I realize those two phrases could be intertwined easily.

 

 

"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

Ben Franklin. 

 

[ri702bill 8,339]

And,another famous quote from Ben Franklin (often seen on the back of biker shirts) "Three men can keep a secret if two of them are dead"....

[lynnmor 7,308]

Post photo of “young lady” and maybe the tractor, there may be someone that will take over where you left off.  

[mrc 812]

hi ohiofarmer,

  nice of you to try and help the young lady.  people do not realize how much it takes in time/money to keep equipment in decent working order.  you cannot be expected to work for her for free. 

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

   Just a bit more information as I did not want to write a novel on the first post. i went there and looked at it for free, sensing she had her plate full. I told her how to look up aftermarket by using the actual model number of her equipment. I gave the example of using the toro website to get the factory part number for a 314 ignition switch and saving two thirds. She could then order her parts and I would help out as needed..

  She is a self employed person not afraid to do haul outs after tenants leave as well as painting, drywall, and kitchen cabinets, so I figured that she would want to learn how to maintain her equipment. Maybe she will call back when her parts come in, but I doubt it.  Hopefully her brother or someone will help her out

My daughter could change a fuel filter under a car in the hot sun at college. Farmer things

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by ohiofarmer

[Handy Don 12,237]

On 5/24/2023 at 2:28 PM, ohiofarmer said:

Farmer things

Not just farmers.

All three of my children headed off to college with a toolbox and the skills to use everything in it. I heard plenty of stories of astonished friends when something broke or needed adjusting and my son/daughter just grabbed their tools and went at it.

As adults, they are buying their own tools and often they call me to discuss options. Enjoyable conversations, for sure.

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

    So she did text back and asked if I would be home last night and if I could grind a stuck nut off her rig. I told her to text back when she would be there..  Well, she didn't afaik.  No more replies to her. Even if I am home and available.. I have a tenant like that who lives two miles away.

    Those kind of ppl are thieves of time. Not spending another second of it on her.

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

On 5/25/2023 at 9:32 PM, Handy Don said:

Not just farmers.

All three of my children headed off to college with a toolbox and the skills to use everything in it. I heard plenty of stories of astonished friends when something broke or needed adjusting and my son/daughter just grabbed their tools and went at it.

As adults, they are buying their own tools and often they call me to discuss options. Enjoyable conversations, for sure.

 

    i would just about bet you showed up to school with a tool box with real sockets including hex metric allen style   We would show up with a Diesel truck and a two wheel cart. Everyone wanted to borrow that and run the boxes up the fifty yard sidewalk. ever try to use the assembly tools provided by IKEA?

[Handy Don 12,237]

8 hours ago, ohiofarmer said:

 

    i would just about bet you showed up to school with a tool box with real sockets including hex metric allen style   We would show up with a Diesel truck and a two wheel cart. Everyone wanted to borrow that and run the boxes up the fifty yard sidewalk. ever try to use the assembly tools provided by IKEA?

You win the bet. Had to pry the handcart out of an irate parent’s hands when it was time for us to head home. They’d just “borrowed” it from the last person we’d lent it to and, having just arrived with a huge load of stuff, a very long walk from the parking lot, and a room on the third floor, they were not gonna give it up. They thought it belonged to the school and I had to show them our name written on the bottom! They offered to buy it for $10--ha ha!

I actually have made some customized IKEA assembly allen wrenches to speed things up!