Novice restorations

[Machinery-Man]

I've noticed many posts on this site of problems working on tractors and from my observation it appears there is a new wave of enthusiasts without training and definitely with tools such as oxygen accetylene for heat, impact wrenches, pullers. From my years of experience I've found both older and old vehicles and tractor much harder to repair than anything new just from the point of freeing up the parts. I get the impression from some folks it should be a snap but this is far from the truth and as a matter of fact you can get seriously injured without the correct procedures. I know a friend of mine was incorrectly working on a hub and lost an eye, another friend lost 2 fingers. Just a word of caution to the newcomers. Get the right tools and advise, mentoring. I had an old JD mechanic(who passed last year) give me a lot of tips. Seek out these from clubs and other sources. Good luck be safe.

 

[Sidekick]

Good advice. Fingers and eyes can disappear a lot quicker than you expect.

 

[ET]

Good advice, Always pull a wrench whenever possible. It will save a lot of skined knuckles. I broke my thumb a couple of years ago in a tight spot where I had to push a wrench on a 5/8" bolt. Bolt broke off and boy did I jam my thumb.

 

[JDGimpa]

Like I always said you got to be smarter than what your working on!!!

 

[RLA]

expearience create's wisdom.......

 

[Moore-D]

I have noticed the same trend, but maybe there is a different way to look at it.....
Remember that this younger generation is very acustomed to getting their information through media instead of being passed down from an "elder". Instead of asking the old guy down the road, or going to the library, they ask on the internet. There is good and bad things about learning from the huge amount of info available on the net. First and foremost is the seemingly endless amount of mis-information that is out there. However, it is nice to have several opinions of a question than just your "uncle Harry's" way of doing it. They just have to understand that they will run across right and wrong info. Maybe asking basic questions on this forum is their way of learning from the "ol' timers"?

That being said, I believe that there is no substitution to being shown the proper way first-hand. My Dad and Grandad taught me all the basics around the farm, and that info was invaluable.

We may think that everyone should know how to properly heat cast iron to break it free, or how to clean out and reset a carb, because it is second nature to a lot of us. But the younger generation may also think that everyone should know how post pictures from Photobucket, remove a virus from their computer, or re-install an operating system. That's what they grew up doing.......

Just a different way to look at it....

Moore-D

 

[Larry Baker]

One thing I have noticed is the new know it alls dont buy books or tools.MY wife always says just let them learn on their own anymore,one thinng ab out buying a book instead of parts is you can keep the book

 

[Anonymous-0]

ha I'm 18 and I don't know how to download pictures on this forum. A lot of the "oldtimers" know more about computers then me.

 

[Hotflashjr]

I'm going to be 29 this year and I have very few repair books. I do have most of my information on the computer though. I either transport it onto my phone or bring my laptop when I go work on the tractor. It's nice because then I have access to the best tools, all you great folks on this website. No book has the knowledge I have gained from this website. I would need a small library. It's taken me a good 9 years to amass a good collection of antique tractor tools I would say as well. I have farmed since I was a kid so I learned a lot about safety around equipment, wrenching or other at a young age. I think that is where the difference is. My 13 year old cousin likes to help me out but he has no problem putting his fingers in places I would never dare.

 

[S.Crum]

Good judgement comes with experience, and a heck of a lot of that comes from bad judgement.

 

[2cylpartsinfo]

I found out this kind of the hard way. When removing a major componet from an older tractor have help and/or lifting equipment. Tractors had a lot more iron in them years ago than today.