Getting the stuff ready in between the bouts of rain.

Yesterday I went up there to start getting the mowers and stuff ready, and didn't get too far before I got rained out.  Today I stuck with it and while I got wet a few times, they were all quick showers.  Unfortunately the black flies are now out in force, which is annoying.  I was hoping the dunks in the stream would curb the population, but that doesn't appear to have worked.

The first thing I tried today was the weed wacker.  It fired up first pull.  The primer bulb is really stiff and I was worried it would crack when I pushed it the first time, but it behaved and everything fired up.  I put the brush cutting head on it since I imagine that is the head I will be using the most on it.  I cleared the tall stuff up by the slab, and also down by the road.

This head works better than I expected.  It doesn't cut quite as good as the circular saw blade, but it doesn't lug the weed wacker very bad and chops down what I am using it for with ease.




This is the area I tested it on.


This is the gas can I got for it at Tractor Supply.  I like this nozzle a bit better (no retarded mechanisms, just a push button), and I like the shape of the can better, it doesn't roll in my trunk.


I also replaced the grates on the grill today.  I looked at the burners yesterday, and they appeared to be rusted but ok, so I only got a new grate.  I would have gotten new heat tents for it, but Home Depot doesn't seemingly carry any parts for this grill.  The grates are a universal set that I don't think I will like too much.


I only bought them since the alternative was a 80 dollar set of Weber grates (which probably wouldn't fit right on my Char-Broil) and the old ones were very unusable.  They had holes and were bent badly.




I did the oil change on the tractor today, and it desperately needed it.  It was still running the filter and oil that Tim put in it last time he used it probably around a decade ago.  The oil was black thick and opaque.


Another highly intelligent design by Kohler.  Putting oil filters upside down makes a real mess and you can't actually drain out all the old oil...


But it has a nice shiny new filter and fresh oil.


I also dropped the deck, the PTO actuation is very good, and the blades weren't too bad, so I left them.  I was sharpening them quite often last year since I was hitting a lot of rocks and whatnot.  I also put a new belt on it.  Despite being the same size as the official Craftsman belt, this one is too tight and the blades spin even with the PTO off.  I am not sure yet if I am going to care.  There is a good chance that the first time I mow with it the belt will stretch and the issue will go away.


I did get the mower fired up.  It turns over almost scarily quickly when my car is driving it.  Despite leaving it hooked up to my car for 15 minutes with the car running, the battery in the mower wouldn't even click.  They should change their name from Duralast to Didn'tLast.  The battery is well under a year old, so I will try to exchange it, though I doubt I have the receipt for it anymore.


I got rained out again, so I haven't gotten to the push mower yet, but I am fairly confident that if I just drain the gas and empty the bowl for the carburetor  if will probably work fine.  I checked the oil in it, and was still almost clear, since I didn't use it much once I got the tractor.  I might just leave it.  Unfortunately I forgot my socket set at home (it is really annoying having my tools distributed across 4 spots, my car my truck, my shed and my second bedroom), so I haven't pulled the plugs yet, but I will likely replace those too.