Secret to thinning the Collection

[JCM 9,130]

Curious on how you RS members come to the conclusion on letting go, for lack of a better word to downsize. Is it storage, ambition, cleaning carbs on a regular basis and other fuel related issues ? Or could it be the endless job of maintaining batteries constantly ? Do you have ones you almost never use but can't part with them ? Last but not least does sitting in the recliner with the remote at hand suddenly seem more gratifying. Like to hear your thoughts and suggestions.   Thanks all.

[squonk 41,051]

I  have 5 tractors and there is no room for more. They all run well and don't need anything so they don't need attention. The 1267 I have in the classified just sits. I had all of them at the steam show and it was nice having room in the garage for other work. I'm getting older and they have to go sometime just like me. 

[rjg854 11,356]

The way I thinned the herd, was by only keeping the tractors that actually have a purpose. The horses have to earn their keep, so to speak. I'm comfortable with the 5 that I have. So that helps to limit battery purchases and upkeep and maintenance.

[Moparfanforever 844]

Storage space is probably the main thing for me. 

 

I am at this moment trying to figure out if I should part out a couple or sell them so I can have more space. 

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,314]

  There was a time I had 16…playing musical batteries got old. Plus some would sit so long that it was a pain to get em fired up. I won’t store them outside so storage was an issue as well. Started selling off the ones I had no love or attachment to and got down to 5 machines. It felt great! 
  Somehow I have crept back up to 8 or 9. I ended up buying 2 machines at this years WH Show but managed to sell one 3 days after I got back home. 
  I guess if you have a machine that just doesn’t get used it might be time to let it go. 

[ri702bill 8,311]

11 minutes ago, rjg854 said:

The horses have to earn their keep

I have 3 runners, soon to be a 4th. And at least the bones to 3 more. Those are destined to become "Yard Art" and sold off.

The workers - they have their pecking order too. The last to go would be my FIL's 702 that has been "napping" in the back of the garage - his first WH, mine too...

[ebinmaine 67,397]

54 minutes ago, JCM said:

. Is it storage, ambition, cleaning carbs on a regular basis and other fuel related issues ?

 

We have plenty of storage.

I have all kinds of mental ambition but my physical abilities get in the way something awful.

Cleaning carbs is something you would not have to do if not for ethanol. When we get a new carb in the herd I clean it once. I haven't touched the one on Cinnamon horse in 5 years or more. I just recently popped the one off of pigpen 867 after being in service for 5+  years. It was in the shop for other work. The carb was in pretty good shape. I could have left it alone.

Same with any other fuel related issues. Alcohol dries out the old rubber and some of the new stuff.

 

 

54 minutes ago, JCM said:

Or could it be the endless job of maintaining batteries constantly ?

 

That doesn't bother us too much either because we have good access to the batteries. Set ourselves up with an automatic trickle charger or several. 

 

 

54 minutes ago, JCM said:

Do you have ones you almost never use but can't part with them ?

 

Trina hasn't touched her first restoration, pony, in a good 2 years but there's no reason for it to go anywhere but here.

 

54 minutes ago, JCM said:

Last but not least does sitting in the recliner with the remote at hand suddenly seem more gratifying.

 

 

No. No it does not. Absolutely. 

Having been forced to sit down over the last few years has quite frankly p!$$ed me off on more occasions than I can even begin to count. I don't mind setting a spell and shooting the breeze but I absolutely HATE not being able to move and being stuck in my recliner.

 

 

 

54 minutes ago, JCM said:

 

 

 

[JCM 9,130]

FYI @squonk  after seeing your tractor in the classified prompted me to start this thread .

[ri702bill 8,311]

46 minutes ago, ri702bill said:

I have 3 runners, soon to be a 4th

 

No E-lectric start on #4 - a 502 with a yank start mag-netto ignition. No battery to deal with...

[JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,497]

I had 8 tractors. Moving to a smaller property by the beach forced me to sell them all. I have a 4 car garage now under the house. But a 65  x 160 ft lot, and all stone and concrete in front. Seemed silly to keep everything, snowblower plow blades dump carts. In hindsight I wish I kept the 854 deck and plowblade. That how I got into this hobby.  That 854. Good luck on your decision. . 

Edited August 12 by JERSEYHAWG / Glenn

[Handy Don 12,204]

Echoing the “keep the one that does the work” sentiment and also strongly influenced by maxed-out storage, only ½ acre to tend, and wanting to have more time for other interests. 

 

[Keaton 433]

so here is my solution, I try to focus on round hoods I like them and they aren't for sale verry often in a ranger that I can go get, I would sell a square hood possibally, but with each tractor I get I try to patina restore or take to the frame clean and resseamble and fix problems, and money is part of it for me having 8 tractors and being 14 years old so I start new projects when I'm bored Wich is a bad and expensive idea for me. so not really a solution just I try to patina restore them and done have them money to get them and a round hood comes up like every 4 month maybe in iowa 

[kpinnc 11,992]

My reasons have all been mentioned here. Mostly space and battery maintenance are my issues. I had 15 or so at one point. Now much less. I left two complete machines and enough parts for another to the fella I sold my previous home to. He was retired and asked if I wanted to part with any, so I did. Then I sold a couple more. I could still do well to drop even 2 or 3 more. 

 

That being said, there are a few tractors that I plan to pass onto my kids one day, or they can auction them after I'm gone. Those will be staying here. 

[JPWH 6,033]

My goal was to get 8 - 854's, one for each grandchild and keeping the round hood custom 12 with hydraulic lift for me to use. My oldest grandson said he would rather have the custom because it was unique and built by me. So I bought the custom 953 for me to use. 2 grandkids picked the 854's and the smallest grandchild picked the lawn ranger. After the big show two years ago I unloaded 4 tractors at their house. The other grandkids said they just wanted to ride when they visited. So now I only have 2. When the dump truck is finished that will be three for someone to deal with when I'm gone + whatever other horse I may bring home or build.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,525]

I have 4 runners and one yard art.

 

Here's my preferred algorithm:

 

 

[JCM 9,130]

6 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

I have 4 runners and one yard art.

 

Here's my preferred algorithm:

Thanks Pal , you Michiganders / Michiganians are really confusing me.  

 

 

[squonk 41,051]

I was comfortable with 4. The 551 I recently got was a fun little project to get going, a blast to drive and a big hit at the Steam Pageant. I have always thought, what's a WH collector without a round hood. So it's staying. I have the opportunity to build another short frame hydro for mowing duty really cheap but I need to make the room. 551 is easy to store so I can justify having that one around just to ride around the block. 

[ebinmaine 67,397]

14 minutes ago, squonk said:

 what's a WH collector without a round hood. 

 

That's what I tried to tell Trina. She would use it. She just prefers the look of her mid 60s little square hoods and short frame. 

I can't get the cheapskate to buy one. 😅

 

14 minutes ago, squonk said:

I have the opportunity to build another short frame hydro for mowing duty 

 

What would that be in model?

Like a 875, 876 kinda thing?

[Retired Wrencher 5,450]

I am like the rest of you! To many and no room. I have six now getting a little tight  but I will be selling one with in six months need a winter project to keep my sanity in the winter.  I do not know what I would do if I did not have a tractor to work on. This just sits in the garage with a cover on it most of the year on a rug. I have three in the works should last me a few years?

[Retired Wrencher 5,450]

9 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

That's what I tried to tell Trina. She would use it. She just prefers the look of her mid 60s little square hoods and short frame. 

I can't get the cheapskate to buy one. 😅

 

 

What would that be in model?

Like a 875, 876 kinda thing?

Eric I am with Trina on R/Hoods never had one never will.

[squonk 41,051]

48 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

 

 

What would that be in model?

Like a 875, 876 kinda thing?

Guy I set up at the Pageant with has an 875 that was given too him that he has no use for except it fits on his trailer good so he brings it to the show. I gave him some parts for it last year and still has a few things missing. It's not a show piece and has some mods done on it and is perfect for mowing. He was going to let me just take it home and pay him whenever but I really don't have a spot to store it. I mow with my 857 but it's a lot of shifting and when I had my 1075 I loved mowing with it but it was too nice to get dirt and grass all over it.

 

Tractor is on the far right:

 

[ebinmaine 67,397]

2 minutes ago, squonk said:

 I mow with my 857 but it's a lot of shifting and when I had my 1075 I loved mowing with it but it was too nice 

 

You've got some good logic to the Short frame Auto for sure.  

[Pullstart 62,831]

Well this is how I thin the herd.

 

”I am thinning the herd.”

 

”Dangit another one’s for sale and I can’t see my life going on without it.”

 

”I am thinning the herd.”

 

repeat.

[WHX?? 48,813]

13 hours ago, rjg854 said:

keeping the tractors that actually have a purpose

 

12 hours ago, Sparky said:

 I guess if you have a machine that just doesn’t get used it might be time to let it go

I told myself if I don't use it on a regular basis it was going..

All round hoods stay tho. 

Problem... I just sold a nice no name 8 I set up for a house plow tractor & nobody used it. 

 Yah it went to a good home but as soon as one goes I regret it and cry like a school girl. 

Inside storage is always an issue. I hate to have anything outside ... even the log splitter.& parts tractors. 

I have acreage so could always build another shed but for what??? More crap for her to get rid of when I'm dirt napping?

 

BTW I would build a shed for that 1257 @Retired Wrencher......

Edited August 12 by WHX??

[squonk 41,051]

24 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Well this is how I thin the herd.

 

”I am thinning the herd.”

 

”Dangit another one’s for sale and I can’t see my life going on without it.”

 

”I am thinning the herd.”

 

repeat.

It's easier when your blue hair starts thinning as well!