 I guess I should explain some of my sitiation... Money is always a bit of an issue, espescially with one shed in poor shape on one end and the other sittign in a pile for quite some time. It's one of those steel arch sheds, this one is supposes to be 45x80 or so, and we're gonna make about 30' or so the shop area, when we can finally afford some concrete. It's supposed to be installed on 2 large curbs on either side with a channel for it to sit in, because it's original design was also for grain. It's just fine for a machine shed as well. We did the math, and it'll only take maybe 5 more yards of concrete to pour a floating slab for the whole shed with a curb to keep the ends from slipping out. I forget off hand how thick the concrete would be, but I want to say 4-5". We would leave a square where we will plan to put the hoist, where we can excavate later and fill it in with gravel or something. We plan to have in-floor heat, with an outdoor wood stove and possibly another fuel as well if we don't get much wood that year or for maintaning a temperature just above freezing when we're not in there. We may just install the lines right away and then the furnace in a year or 2, but it will be ready when we can afford that part. My brother bought a big 80 gallon air compressor this past summer, which he's got temporarily hooked into his breaker box. I'm thinking we'd probably go with a 20' wide overhead door because our widest machine is a 14' hydra swing, and it'd leave room to manuver a couple tractors or other vehicles. If it ever gets too small, I'm sure we could just push the interior wall deeper. Not sure what kind of door on that end, but due to the arch it may have to be another overhead. As far as the 1755 is concerned, I've always wanted to find a cumins to put in it, but lately I've been wondering just how bad the current 310 is and what it'd take to get it back up & running. I would plan to do a complete engine rebuild. It had the injection pump rebuilt a year or 2 before it died so that should be fine, although I think the hyd. pump may need some work. It was getting kinda weird towards the end, but I can't remember all the symtoms. While I'm at it, If I could find a set of fuel tank fenders, which I just may have a line on, I'd paint them up and put them on the 1855 which is the workhorse, and put the 18's fenders on the 1755 because it's fenders are either rusted on one side or pretty beat up on the other. I'd probably stick with the 18.4 34's on the back, although I've considered upgrading to 38's to match the 1855. Not completely sure though becuase the 17 would have less power and a slightly slower speed would be nice for some things to help compensate, and we've already got a pair of 18.4-34 duals for our Massey 285 which also needs some engine work. (It'd be nice to run the 17 while the 285 is under the wrench) As far as my work on the 1600 went, I took so long to get it done mainly because I didn't have any good place to go with it. I did most of my work outside which can really limit a guy's time when it's cold out, but for a farmer that's the only time he's got to fix some things. I'm plenty used to working in the driveway and I'm sure I'll still do it some times, but it'd be nice to have a concrete floor under the creeper instead of gravel that doesn't always let a guy roll, and a dry floor instead of a wet driveway because it just got done raining and I've gotta pull out the draw bar on the 1855 to run the 1000 rpm chopper. As far as the girlfriend, that'll take care of it's self in due time. I'm not in any kind of a rush, and neither is she. Heck, she even helped get the cows in after they broke out today in the rain, mud, and slop. Sorry to go on and on and on... Donovan from Wisconsin
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