I'm 130 pounds soaking wet, 5ft8 and sweat a LOT, I need the heat or my fingers and toes get extremely painful extremely fastOh, that's the best! That's when I'm in short sleeves with my Carhartt vest and feeling fine.
Cooling Vest for Heat Stress
- Thread starter PennHavenTW
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Well you sure as **** don't want to be climbing in the winter here. That's the only time I ever feel sorry for my climber, when he's going up a hardwood at -20 and has to wear thin gloves. I'm extremelly well versed in frozen fingers and I know it hurts like hell.
Mind you, I have felt sorry for him as well when he's up in a big tree in the heat. He's fine all the way to the top, but once the top comes down and the shade is gone, he's just meat on a shish-kabob. He likes the heat, but under a blazing sun, too much is too much.
But we have a Mohawk climber that we work with sometimes, and 100 degrees in the sun and he's dancing and singing like he's in the shower. Makes me ill to watch. On a stinky hot day, he'll stop working for a moment, get your attention, and ask "Did you feel that horrifyingly cool breeze?"
Schmuck!
honestly below about 20 degrees I'm fine again, I was out playin in the snow and doing some work around the house at minus 11 this year and didn't feel a thing, the issue for me is at about 20-40 degrees its so cold I can't wear a T shirt, but too warm to really dress super heavy to keep warm, constant swiching of clothes/jackets
we don't work when its really cold anyways, its rough on hydraulic systems, batteries, people, etc
but yes, hell no, I will NOT be climbing in -20, Fahrenheit or Celsius
just saw this on FB and figured id share
cuttinstihl
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For me personally, my temperature range goes like this:
Over 110: I refuse to work in conditions this hot for more than an hour
100-110: I've worked all day in this range, but it pushes me to my limit even with all the proper precautions
90-100: Doable for me, but I don't enjoy it at all
80-90: Not what I want to work in, but I'll still do it
60-80: Perfect for me, I can work all day and have no problems
40-60: Also real nice to work in, I might need an extra layer but I've spent many workdays in this range
20-40: A bit cold for me personally, but if I'm running saws I forget about the cold pretty quick
Below 20: I've only worked in this type of cold when I'm up north, and the only way I can work in this is if I've got a ton of layers on
Also not sure how big of a deal weight and body type is for this thing, but I'll throw that in too. I'm about 6'0-6'1, 170 pounds, but still pretty skinny because I'm naturally a bigger frame guy. Whenever I work with my dad (6'1 and 225) I've noticed I can outwork him in the heat but he'll go way longer than me in the cold. I guess he might be able to store more heat than I can? Not sure on that though
Over 110: I refuse to work in conditions this hot for more than an hour
100-110: I've worked all day in this range, but it pushes me to my limit even with all the proper precautions
90-100: Doable for me, but I don't enjoy it at all
80-90: Not what I want to work in, but I'll still do it
60-80: Perfect for me, I can work all day and have no problems
40-60: Also real nice to work in, I might need an extra layer but I've spent many workdays in this range
20-40: A bit cold for me personally, but if I'm running saws I forget about the cold pretty quick
Below 20: I've only worked in this type of cold when I'm up north, and the only way I can work in this is if I've got a ton of layers on
Also not sure how big of a deal weight and body type is for this thing, but I'll throw that in too. I'm about 6'0-6'1, 170 pounds, but still pretty skinny because I'm naturally a bigger frame guy. Whenever I work with my dad (6'1 and 225) I've noticed I can outwork him in the heat but he'll go way longer than me in the cold. I guess he might be able to store more heat than I can? Not sure on that though
I prefer to do work when the ground is frozen, and have no issues working outside when its below zero. It doesn't get that cold here very often, but when it does I normally try to find an excuse to be outside working. Below 20 degrees, I'm normally wearing un-insulated Carhart bibs, a T shirt, and a flannel shirt (unbuttoned). I'll have my coat with me, but I leave it off unless I'm taking an extended break for some reason. The biggest threat to working in the cold is to start sweating. If I notice that I'm sweating, I take a break. If I notice that my inner layer is getting damp, I start packing up and head home for the day.
While this is when I prefer to work, I end up working a lot in weather that's 90-100 deg. I'll be 50 before long, and can't work in the heat like I used to so I take frequent breaks and drink lots of fluids. As a young man, I spent several years working construction which ment lots of roofing jobs in the summer. The breaks were not as frequent back then, but I still went through around a gallon and a half of fluids each day and normally didn't take a leak until after I got home and had a shower.
While this is when I prefer to work, I end up working a lot in weather that's 90-100 deg. I'll be 50 before long, and can't work in the heat like I used to so I take frequent breaks and drink lots of fluids. As a young man, I spent several years working construction which ment lots of roofing jobs in the summer. The breaks were not as frequent back then, but I still went through around a gallon and a half of fluids each day and normally didn't take a leak until after I got home and had a shower.
My farm requires a lot of outdoor work, and my policy is to go inside when I feel bad. I put the tools in my workshop, leave the tree cleanup or whatever unfinished, take a shower, and hit the recliner. The mess stays where it lies until I feel like moving it. I don't have an HOA, so I answer to no one but God and Ron DeSantis. I can pretty much stack dead bodies in the front yard, and no one can do thing one about it.
I also try to avoid lifting things. Young men love showing off their strength, even if it's mostly imaginary, by lifting things. I used to be like that, and I got smart. Anything marginally heavy, I try to get help with or use a machine. It's impossible to shame me about it, although stupid guys have tried. It's amazing how many dumb guys will shame intelligent people for protecting themselves. Those are the guys who end up incontinent and bedridden, while I bounce around in my old age like a kid. Impressing other morons by lifting a log isn't worth peeing in a bag for the next 40 years. God gave us brains so we could ask for help and invent lifting machines.
My best friend is a very big guy, and he is proud of it. He ruined his back throwing a jockey. Had to have his neck fused, and it didn't work.
You can screw your back up permanently lifting a case of beer if you do it just right. My aunt blew out two disks moving a typewriter.
I also try to avoid lifting things. Young men love showing off their strength, even if it's mostly imaginary, by lifting things. I used to be like that, and I got smart. Anything marginally heavy, I try to get help with or use a machine. It's impossible to shame me about it, although stupid guys have tried. It's amazing how many dumb guys will shame intelligent people for protecting themselves. Those are the guys who end up incontinent and bedridden, while I bounce around in my old age like a kid. Impressing other morons by lifting a log isn't worth peeing in a bag for the next 40 years. God gave us brains so we could ask for help and invent lifting machines.
My best friend is a very big guy, and he is proud of it. He ruined his back throwing a jockey. Had to have his neck fused, and it didn't work.
You can screw your back up permanently lifting a case of beer if you do it just right. My aunt blew out two disks moving a typewriter.
All good advice!
Never throw a jockey. Just use a big stick.
I currently have a 1983 Ford 1710 tractor and loader that I gave $2,500 for in 2019. I'm not sure it's ever lived inside. The 4wd doesn't work. I spent $1500 to go from turf tires to AG tires, and another $800 for a new clutch. Several of the bolts that held the engine to the frame were stripped, so Heli-coiled all of them and put in new bolts. My wife gets frustrated every time I put money into it. Every time I do, I tell her its WAY cheaper than a trip to the ER for a blown knee, pinched nerve, or slipped disk. I bought the machine for the soul purpose of deciding how much use I'd get out of a tractor and loader. I burn firewood for heat, and I deer hunt on private land (not mine), but I only live on 1.25 acres so I wasn't sure if it would make sense or not. Even without a bush hog (which I now have) or a tiller (may or may not get eventually), after having it for a year I decided I'd NEVER be without one again. The ability to use hydraulic power to lift and move heavy objects is absolutely priceless for me. I started looking into getting a tractor and loader in 2012. I wish now that I had started 5 years earlier so I could have picked up a grey market Yanmar before they were basically outlawed and the prices went through the roof.
I have a geriatric John Deere 430 along with my real tractor, and I mow with it. I'm planning to replace it for the same reason you keep yours. The deck weighs 340 pounds, and removing it is a good way to hurt your back. Then you have to roll it over by hand, or find a machine to do it, to sharpen the blades. Pushing the driveshaft onto the PTO requires you to get down on the ground and twist your spine.
And it never stops breaking down.
I'm thinking of spending what, to me, is a ton of money for a zero-turn.
I could be persuaded to blow a fair amount of money having it fixed up one more time, but that wouldn't solve the problem of removing, installing, and lifting the deck.
And it never stops breaking down.
I'm thinking of spending what, to me, is a ton of money for a zero-turn.
I could be persuaded to blow a fair amount of money having it fixed up one more time, but that wouldn't solve the problem of removing, installing, and lifting the deck.
I bush hog some CRP on occasion with my 1710, and have always been impressed at how well it pulls the old (huge) 5' bush hog. As far as mowing the yard, I would never go back to any kind of conventional tractor setup. I picked up a commercial Dixie Chopper in 2006 with a 60" deck and used that for many years. 2 seasons ago I picked up a Kubota F2880 with the smaller 60" deck that I'm currently using. I used one of its predecessors (F2100) in the early 90's to mow 15 acres per day, and they are impressive machines. My yard just has too many obstacles to mow around. At some point, I will go back to a ZTR, but it will be a kubota or JD diesel (pre-emission) because they are a LOT more durable. My favorite thing about the F series kubota machines is that the deck flips up and locks into place (vertical) making it super easy to get the blades on and off. Having the deck out front also lets me mow back up under overhanging bushes and out into soft ground without getting the tires up in it. Not a huge deal at home, but it was a useful feature when I used them +30 years ago. Also, as a 4wd lawn mower, if you get it stuck you've really screwed up pretty bad. I set the F2100 on its frame twice, but that's because I was a teenage kid who didn't always think all the way through some of my decisions.
Man, if you get a John Deere, do yourself a favor and ask around to see if they still sell parts for it. You will get a lot of stupid advice from diehard green fans, but I have a used JD, and it has been terrible. There are people out there who think working on broken-down tractors is better than sex, because they are in love with machines, not getting work done. You can't pay any attention to them. Same kind of people will tell you to buy an old Bridgeport that sat in the rain for 10 years.
People say my 430 is a wonderful machine that should last forever, but John Deere considers them end-of-life products. They have discontinued essential parts. And the prices are something. The muffler is junk, but right now they're about $400. I can get a muffler for a big block V8 for $75. I replaced my JD muffler with a an exhaust elbow, muffler tip, and motorcycle baffle from Amazon, welded together. Maybe $25?
The 430 has two hydraulic cylinders (recently discontinued) that can't be rebuilt. That is amazing. If you're a machinist, you can cut one open, make new threaded parts, weld them on to it to make it threaded, rebuild it, and put it back together. Other than that, forget it. This tractor sold for over 9000 1990 dollars, and they sent it out the door with cylinders that can't be opened. That's not engineering. That's contempt for the customer. The web says MSRP for a Chevy S10 pickup was $7,000.
To change the oil using the drain plug, you have to remove the deck, which is very hard. If the alternator belt goes, you either have to find a way to break the driveshaft bolts loose from under the tractor, which is a miserable job, or you have to pretty much split it. Then you have to do everything in reverse, which is worse.
To get the upper deck off, you have to remove a shift knob using a hex JD put around the shaft. The hex can't be reached with a crow's foot or ordinary wrench. To get the deck off, you have to remove the shaft. To remove the shaft, you have to remove the deck. I can't recall how I finally got mine off. I should replace it with a shopmade T-handle.
The grilles fall off of these machines because they are not held on well, and when one falls off, you can't see it, so you run over it. This is why a good used grille costs $800, if you can find it.
Anyway, I don't know if JD zero-turns have problems like this, but Kubota people say Kubota is great about supporting old machines, so maybe it's a good idea to look at their stuff. I have never had a problem finding Kubota parts for a 2003 machine, and some of the parts are cheaper than John Deere by an insane margin. I think the grille for my Kubota was $75 back when I checked, and it probably cost 5 times as much to make as a JD grille, which sold for hundreds before it was discontinued.
Also, my Kubota has never broken down or given me one serious problem. The steering cylinder needed repacking, but that's normal. The JD is sick all...the...time. Alternator. Injector pump leak. Hydraulic cylinder failure. Belt broke, which is a near-disaster with this design. PTO switch failed. Broken muffler.
You can't tell a customer a product is a lifetime purchase and then quit supporting it. This tractor was a good 20-year-machine, but that's about it, even for a homeowner. If you want to go longer, you will have to find creative solutions and spend money.
I'm thinking of getting a gas Scag. I like diesel, but I don't like spending $20,000 for a lawnmower. By the time a good gas mower has serious problems, I'll be past mowing age.
People say my 430 is a wonderful machine that should last forever, but John Deere considers them end-of-life products. They have discontinued essential parts. And the prices are something. The muffler is junk, but right now they're about $400. I can get a muffler for a big block V8 for $75. I replaced my JD muffler with a an exhaust elbow, muffler tip, and motorcycle baffle from Amazon, welded together. Maybe $25?
The 430 has two hydraulic cylinders (recently discontinued) that can't be rebuilt. That is amazing. If you're a machinist, you can cut one open, make new threaded parts, weld them on to it to make it threaded, rebuild it, and put it back together. Other than that, forget it. This tractor sold for over 9000 1990 dollars, and they sent it out the door with cylinders that can't be opened. That's not engineering. That's contempt for the customer. The web says MSRP for a Chevy S10 pickup was $7,000.
To change the oil using the drain plug, you have to remove the deck, which is very hard. If the alternator belt goes, you either have to find a way to break the driveshaft bolts loose from under the tractor, which is a miserable job, or you have to pretty much split it. Then you have to do everything in reverse, which is worse.
To get the upper deck off, you have to remove a shift knob using a hex JD put around the shaft. The hex can't be reached with a crow's foot or ordinary wrench. To get the deck off, you have to remove the shaft. To remove the shaft, you have to remove the deck. I can't recall how I finally got mine off. I should replace it with a shopmade T-handle.
The grilles fall off of these machines because they are not held on well, and when one falls off, you can't see it, so you run over it. This is why a good used grille costs $800, if you can find it.
Anyway, I don't know if JD zero-turns have problems like this, but Kubota people say Kubota is great about supporting old machines, so maybe it's a good idea to look at their stuff. I have never had a problem finding Kubota parts for a 2003 machine, and some of the parts are cheaper than John Deere by an insane margin. I think the grille for my Kubota was $75 back when I checked, and it probably cost 5 times as much to make as a JD grille, which sold for hundreds before it was discontinued.
Also, my Kubota has never broken down or given me one serious problem. The steering cylinder needed repacking, but that's normal. The JD is sick all...the...time. Alternator. Injector pump leak. Hydraulic cylinder failure. Belt broke, which is a near-disaster with this design. PTO switch failed. Broken muffler.
You can't tell a customer a product is a lifetime purchase and then quit supporting it. This tractor was a good 20-year-machine, but that's about it, even for a homeowner. If you want to go longer, you will have to find creative solutions and spend money.
I'm thinking of getting a gas Scag. I like diesel, but I don't like spending $20,000 for a lawnmower. By the time a good gas mower has serious problems, I'll be past mowing age.
Surprised I didn't see this thread earlier. Some very good advice given.
About 6 years ago I had a heat stroke. Short version of the story, ended up passing out and waking up in a tub filled with ice at the er. Have no recollection of how I got to the hospital, or much of anything after my cousin left when we finished the roof. Did some damage to my kidneys too.
Took weeks till I had any stamina, and about 3 years till I could work out in the heat for any amount of time. Been very cautious since.
Once you've had a heat stroke or severe heat exhaustion your chances of having it happen again go up substantially. From back and forth with the Dr after it happened, we (he) determined it wasn't the amount of water I was drinking(i had drank what i thought was plenty of water), but the lack of replenishment of electrolytes. Sports drinks make me sick, well anything with any amount of sugar. So never really drank much Gatorade type drinks. 100% guaranteed to puke after drinking one on a hot day. He said sugar helps with electrolyte adsorption, but too much can make you feel sick. Gave me a list of water additives/ powders. Only thing on his list that didn't make me feel sick and didn't taste horrible was this skratch powder stuff. Not sure what's all in it, very mild flavor and just a small amount sugar to take the bitterness out of it. Supposed to be all natural, non gmo and whatever. Kind of expensive, but it works.
Anymore these days, if I know I'm gonna be in the heat all day. I'll freeze a bunch of water bottles about 3/4 of the way with water, then top them off before I go out. Just take a little container of the powder with me. About every other bottle of water gets half a scoop of the powder. I keep one of those "cooling" towels around too, but haven't found it helps too terribly much before it's covered in dirt, grease, chips etc.
About 6 years ago I had a heat stroke. Short version of the story, ended up passing out and waking up in a tub filled with ice at the er. Have no recollection of how I got to the hospital, or much of anything after my cousin left when we finished the roof. Did some damage to my kidneys too.
Took weeks till I had any stamina, and about 3 years till I could work out in the heat for any amount of time. Been very cautious since.
Once you've had a heat stroke or severe heat exhaustion your chances of having it happen again go up substantially. From back and forth with the Dr after it happened, we (he) determined it wasn't the amount of water I was drinking(i had drank what i thought was plenty of water), but the lack of replenishment of electrolytes. Sports drinks make me sick, well anything with any amount of sugar. So never really drank much Gatorade type drinks. 100% guaranteed to puke after drinking one on a hot day. He said sugar helps with electrolyte adsorption, but too much can make you feel sick. Gave me a list of water additives/ powders. Only thing on his list that didn't make me feel sick and didn't taste horrible was this skratch powder stuff. Not sure what's all in it, very mild flavor and just a small amount sugar to take the bitterness out of it. Supposed to be all natural, non gmo and whatever. Kind of expensive, but it works.
Anymore these days, if I know I'm gonna be in the heat all day. I'll freeze a bunch of water bottles about 3/4 of the way with water, then top them off before I go out. Just take a little container of the powder with me. About every other bottle of water gets half a scoop of the powder. I keep one of those "cooling" towels around too, but haven't found it helps too terribly much before it's covered in dirt, grease, chips etc.
Just ordered a variety pack to test, thanks for the recommendation.
I've tried most of them and kinda settled with the lemon-lime flavor. The fruit punch and orange are ok too. Only issue I've had is the powder will clump if the bag is opened for a long time. (I get the larger bags.) Still mixes in just fine.
There is a very high sodium content in it, too. If you're on a low sodium diet be careful with it.
I was hiking one 4th of July in a wilderness area of Arizona. 3 day with pack. 2 springs in a row were dry so I headed out. Stopped halfway up the canyon trail when I got lightheaded and sat in the shade of a cactus and it was very thin shade. Finally decided it was now or never so out I went. I was in very good condition running and biking which was the only reason I made it I think. Made it to the car and stopped 20 miles down the road for a couple of bottles of Gatorade. Learned my lesson about hiking in Arizona in the summer alone. Don't do that unless it's a short day trip and carry twice the water you think you will need.
Dixie Chopper? In a hurry were you?I bush hog some CRP on occasion with my 1710, and have always been impressed at how well it pulls the old (huge) 5' bush hog. As far as mowing the yard, I would never go back to any kind of conventional tractor setup. I picked up a commercial Dixie Chopper in 2006 with a 60" deck and used that for many years. 2 seasons ago I picked up a Kubota F2880 with the smaller 60" deck that I'm currently using. I used one of its predecessors (F2100) in the early 90's to mow 15 acres per day, and they are impressive machines. My yard just has too many obstacles to mow around. At some point, I will go back to a ZTR, but it will be a kubota or JD diesel (pre-emission) because they are a LOT more durable. My favorite thing about the F series kubota machines is that the deck flips up and locks into place (vertical) making it super easy to get the blades on and off. Having the deck out front also lets me mow back up under overhanging bushes and out into soft ground without getting the tires up in it. Not a huge deal at home, but it was a useful feature when I used them +30 years ago. Also, as a 4wd lawn mower, if you get it stuck you've really screwed up pretty bad. I set the F2100 on its frame twice, but that's because I was a teenage kid who didn't always think all the way through some of my decisions.
I live about 20 miles from their plant, and at the time, I worked next door to one of their previous factories. One of my best friends used to be their regional sales rep for this area, and eventually ran their R&D department. His grand dad was their first salesman, and was the one who convinced Art to start the business when Dixon laughed at him after he tried to sell them the design for the retrofit transmission he developed for Dixon mowers. I was mowing my yard with a 25hp troy built that I bought used for $500 when we moved in. After a few years, it started going through belts on the drive train. I was tired of taking almost 2 hrs to mow the yard, and I was tired of having to work on the machine every 3 or 4 times I mowed the yard. When the last one broke, I called my buddy and asked him what was available. At the time, one of his responsibilities was handling all of the dealer returns. He didn't have anything at the time, but mentioned that the dealership in town had a couple of used commercial machines for decent prices, so I went and bought one of them. All in all, it served me well. Its a real shame what happened to the company when Art stopped running it. There were multiple internal people who knew how to run that business and run it well. Unfortunately, they hired some idiot college grad to run it, and that guy tried to cut cost to the point that he ran it right into the ground.
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