Grumpy John

6 hours ago, teacherclaire said:

It's common sense to start to look into these machines, how to service them, where to get parts from, what tools you need, what oil and so on.

 

   There are way too many bad mechanics out there and when you're doing your stuff alone you know that it's done properly.

 

You'll find a lot of great stuff on YouTube ( of course also a lot of rubbish), use the good ones and try it. It's not that difficult once you understood the principle. 

 

   When I settle down here, I had no idea about aircons and refrigerators. But know I'm able to fix them by myself.

 

Aircons, it's usually the capacitor that goes first. At fridges as well, perhaps also the heat sensor switch.

 

  Once you're familiar with your machine and you've got the needed tolls there's no more wasted time waiting for a mechanic.  

We can take that even further.  Same principle applies to your health.  Why go to some silly Thai doctor for a diagnosis when you have the internet!  It's just so lucky that Thai pharmacists will sell you just about anything you may need.  ????

I guess we can all agree things took a turn for the worst in 2014.  It's a real shame because with the right governance Thailand could be a smashing success...but from the look of it may just end up smashed!   I stand by what I  said in my previous posts in other threads. "The cold hard reality will be hammered home by December". Anyone still thinking the tourists will be here in great numbers for high season...Delusional.  Anyone who thinks manufacturing will reboot by years end...Delusional.  Anyone who thinks a multitude of big name investors will be coming...delusional.  The EEC looks like a White Elephant.  And the myth the great car industry is the Holy Grail...that could change in a year or less. Look at Toyota,  they built a mini car factory in Indonesia...not here!  

I got distracted by the Rear Admiral thing.  To many distractions! That may explain why my "jobs to do" book is always full and half the jobs are a work in progress!  What my initial thought was "like a fish out of water" Flip flopping around and not at all happy. Used to being feed twice a day and not used to finding food for the school he leads.  

11 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

...........and Rear Admirals! 

There's something gay about calling sailors with high rank Rear Admirals!    Why were they never called Lieutenant Admiral or just One Star Admiral.  

As a non-alcohol drinker I  think the approach to alcohol sales is already absurd at the least.  You guys that like a drop must be furious at this ridiculous decision.  And blocking sales 2 to 5 what moron came up with that? All the customer has to do is flash their ID card o prove age.  No,  this is all about looking after the folks that supply the brown envelopes...plain and simple. 

16 hours ago, douglasspade said:

Not paying by the hour, paying per Rai. I estimated the total hourly production to estimate the hours I will utilize if I eventually buy a tractor to be able to cover the cost of fuel and general repairs.

 

Some guys in my village still plant rice with some sort of wheel driven planter box also pulled by a two wheel tractor. Their rice is always looking good and neat, but the work involved looks backbreaking and time consuming.

I also respect people who value their equipment, in Thailand it is a bit rough going and tractors were not made to go shopping with. But yes I have notice there are some people who just pull everything through their ass, be it a tractor, bike, truck, chainsaw ... I do not lend or allow anyone to use anything I own.

Indeed. So far my village people are used to see me on the farm doing something. I have helped searching for lost cattle in the rain, cut and pull eucalyptus closing the roads, unstuck a buffalo cow, some welding on a rake, sharpen a cutting disc, straighten a pickup diff, advise about something - the most basic gestures to the people cost me some minutes and a laugh at most but people see who you are and what your attitude is. Sometimes you have to forgive the stupidity and accept a slight bit of responsibility.

 

Looks like you got it covered from all angles!   

12 hours ago, douglasspade said:

Originally I had Continental 4.00-10's. These are he new 5.00-10 SIAMES AG-613's and fit well on the rims.

The thing was to find a tire to fit the rim and not interfere with the 4x4 ratio. My ratio is 1:50 and it runs currently lagging as new tires are little over diameter size. It is still in spec though, and I feel steering is better.

 

Thanks for the pixs.  Probably the same width we have at the mo.  Ours are Bridgstone 185/65/12.  Back home I have seen wider rims and tires so it maybe my best option. 

17 hours ago, douglasspade said:

I changed my Kubota B5001 front tires recently. I now run a wider general AG tire, the brand is called 'SIAMES'. They do feel a bit soft though. Wonder what tires are the top brand for tractors. Deestone?

 

Local bought Ruzi grass grows about 1.5m leaf length. The 'hybrid' I get grows not more than 0.8m. (it is also cheaper) Ruzi is for direct grazing while Guinea and Napier is feed grass. Check out https://www.feedipedia.org is worth a bookmark!

Siames knobbies on my Suzuki lasted 25k km.   I don't understand why the both tyres wore out at the same rate, but they did!  Good brand.  Could you upload a pix of the ones you have?  I will be replacing the front pair on the Kubota B2420 and would like a wider wheel rim combo.   Out at #2 orchard we have a steep hill and I  cannot get the trailer and a full IBC up even in 4 wheel drive!  I put extra weight on the front but the standard tyres just skip and slide. Thanks 

One would think they already have the rules and regulations in place before they announce the scheme to the public...not that I consider the scheme is going to benefit small vendors to a large degree or be of much help to the public in need of some assistance. 

4 minutes ago, Redline said:

Thailand has enough troubles than to enter this political minefield

Don't be so sure!  The wind could be blowing in a different direction tomorrow. 

On 9/7/2020 at 2:05 PM, DrTuner said:

Army Lives Matter?

555 They do by the look of it!  But I was referring to Buddhist, Christian,  Hindu, Jewish and Atheist Lives.  If I've missed any religions if was either by accident or design!

1 hour ago, pegman said:

So how do things escalate next?

A few dead politicians should see a major escalation in short order!  But the chance of that is slim given the students are unarmed peaceful protesters.  But the same result could be garnered by the other side who have lots of guns,  bullets and bombs and attributed to the fore said students. 

On 9/7/2020 at 10:38 AM, Bandersnatch said:

My home solar system is designed to charge an electric car. For those without solar, then smart grids, time of use electric pricing and bi-directional EV charging will soon mitigate the need for peaker power plants.   

What is your home solar system? How many kilowatts? How much use will the electric car get? (Text removed by Moderator)   I have a solar powered pump.  I'll put that in perspective.  It runs off one cell and takes over an hour to fill a 10L bucket. And back in Australia I had a 2kW grid linked solar array that almost eliminated my usage fee from the power company because I was selling what I didn't use to them.  And when things go wrong because the government has shut down coal power stations it's Joe public that has to suffer.  Why?  Because the grid linked system shuts down when the grid shuts down as a safety measure...which includes the solar power to my house. 

On 9/1/2020 at 7:48 PM, douglasspade said:

Recap:

I pay 70K Baht yearly for about 60Hrs of shoddy tractor work done. (Although rethinking it might be half those hours!)

If in Five years at a cost of 350K Baht with 300 Hrs of work done, how is that not viable to buy a tractor in the 250K Range with lower hours as advertised? Why will the investment not return?

 

I will also work land for my mom in law and some family in the nearby village when and if needed. This may  reduce my investment period dramatically.

 

Besides at 40 jrs old I have another 20 jrs to earn it back, knock wood!

I don't know why you are paying by the hour.  Around here we pay by the rai.  Plowing or rotovating is 450 to 500 baht depending on soil type.  Seeding is done with a blower for rice and 4 corn with a 2 wheeled tractor pulling planter box.

Judging from the way Thai's treat their equipment you are most probably buying a pig in a poke.  Yes I've seen the sexed up pictures of 10-12 year old tractors but I live in a rural village and nothing here over 6 months old looks like the pix in post #16!

As well as your regular running costs Expect to spend money on a regular basis to do repairs.

A new Kubota 45 will set you back around 900K....which seems a lot???   Makes the second hand unit look like a bargain, ay!

As for doing work for other people, family or otherwise...there could be a serious downside to that if some of the locals get their nose out of joint!   Or do you mean someone who is Thai that you employ will be doing the work?

Lots of things to be wary of in Thailand.  As the old saying goes "Buyer Beware".

"Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha wants to fill the post at an appropriate time"  Well, if he thinks he can handle the job of PM, defence minister and finance minister he should have a go at it.  Maybe that's his hidden talent! ????

9 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

He's doing his impression of Mini Me

That not going to work!  He is 3 inches to tall.  ????

5 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Put the old hand out.  And what does Korea get?

A Sch1te sandwich more than likely!

ALM! 

So the meeting with the, so called, elites of business is going to pay off for....the elites of business!  Back when the previous monkey madness scheme was in action I was in big C Muang Phitsanulok and the line of people waiting to go through the 2 designated checkouts was 150 + people long.  Let the rich get richer and the people getting handouts sore feet from standing for hours. 

On 9/2/2020 at 7:57 AM, yellowboat said:

Fear China for what they do right.  This is a blinding example of doing the right thing, and how the global elite sit on their hands.  A railway, who could have thought that up?  Rail in China is amazing, Newt Gingrich says as much.  It goes everywhere.  It is on time.  It is affordable.  It will make China unstoppable. 

Well maybe unstoppable...until the Tibetan or Mongolian rebels blow up some sections....or the UYghur dissidents park a semi-trailer on a high speed line minutes before the express is due.  Look at the amount of action taken against rail facilities in WW2 as an example.  China may have a big army with lots of people with guns but they also have lots of railway track. Pretty hard to cover it all. 

What about the interest?  Even you local bank would give you 5% on a squillion baht. ????