WASTED DAY!!!! totally frustrated!!!!

I have stopped doing almost any shop work other than for family and a few friends. An old customer of mine called me on Monday and wanted me to put a set of knives and a new shear bar in his forage harvester. I agreed to do that. So he brought it over this morning and dropped it off. It took me most of the morning to get them replaced and adjusted. I had it all ready to go just after lunch. While the chopper was here I checked out the rest of the chopper.

The Iron Guard was not working. He had it locked out. He told me that the sensor bar was bad. That was not the case. All that was wrong was the solenoid was bad. I told him it would need to be replaced, about $235 for the part. He said they did not chop hay any more and did not need it.

OK it is his chopper.

He made ONE round and ran a whole gathering chain through the chopper. Wiped out all the knives and shear bar. Plus the blower band and paddles. Was pretty hard on the back of the chopper box too.

So he brought it back to me to "fix" again. My sons jumped in and helped this time. We just got it done a little while ago. This time I fixed the Iron Guard.

His saving $235 cost him over $1500 plus labor. I told him to take it to town the next time. I am done with this BS type of stuff. I don't like to not fix things that are not working. Should have just fixed the Iron Guard and let him complain about the bill.

It's just like the Fram ad--"Pay me now or pay me later!".

JD Seller would you be interested in looking at my shifter on my 4010? If so I could bring the tractor to you some weekend and maybe I could learn from you at the same time! If not that's totally fine but I thought I would ask.

Justin email me so we can exchange information. I might just make a short road trip down your way.

Don't laugh at me but I don't know how to email anybody on here! Mine is [email protected]

And it doesn't matter if it is a harvester or a lawn mower, there is always some dodo who expects something for nothing. I used to do a little small engine work on the side. I have had people bring lawn mowers that were pure junk and get PO'd when I told them it wasn't worth fixing. Or they would want to cut corners, I told them, No way, if it left the factory equipped with such and such, that's way it would be when I repaired it!

Whether you choose to do his repair work in the future is entirely your business, but it sure seems he was fair with you. We all cut ill advised corners sometime. Give the guy a break.

Glenn

Glenn I really did not want to do any out side work anymore. I did it as a favor. Then to have to do it twice is an issue. He is already complaining about the extra labor and my sons helping get it done. He does not want to pay for any other help but for me.

I am so sore right now I know I will not get any sleep tonight. I should have not agreed to do the job in the first place. I know there will be a big argument about something with him before it is over.

JD, got a BIL like that. Back in 96 or 97 after I retired from active duty I was at his place. He had his Gleaner tore down. Seems his paddle chain to the hopper broke and twisted the shaft that ran it and the straw walkers. Was about $500 for the new shaft. I saw the paddle chain laying on the ground and could tell just by the way it snaked back and forth that it was shot. Told him he should replace that too. He's says "they want 300 dollars for a new one, I'm going to fix this one up". He did and 4 hours back in the field it broke again and took out this shaft that happens to cost 500 bucks and was new. I will not help him with anything cause he like trying to blame others for his mistakes.

Rick

If you are having trouble shifting it like some of the 3020 and 4020s Ive seen it would be the cam and rollers that are bad in the transmission...

Doing work/"favors" for friends and relatives can be the most frustrating and annoying thing you will ever do. Some friends are OK though but most of the time they have no clue how to fix it and then tell you how to do it the cheap fast way. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet and fix it the right way with no compromise.

I know what you mean J.D. I quit doing outside mechanic work at 55 years old too stiff and healed too slow. If somebody brings a machine in on bald tires, covered with rust and weeds growing out of it and says "I just want you to fix it without a bunch of new parts" it's time to hang it up.

I know the feeling JD, It's even worse when it's your own stuff you "knew" you should have fixed but didn't have the bucks! Worse than that is sending it some where to be fixed when you have just enough money and then the place doesn't fix it right. Darned if you do, darned if you don't.

Reading this solidifies my decision to dissolve my machine shop business at the end of year. I may not have been in it as long as you but I'm sick and tired of everyone wanting a Walmart deal for parts or repair. If my time isn't worth what I charge then I guess they can go to their local dealers or hardware store for parts.

It's sad where we're headed.
I needed new piston rods for my AC WD45 lift cylinders. I disassembled and cleaned the cylinders and took them to my machinist friend last winter. I neither requested nor expected a quote. He didn't offer one. When he finished and I went to get them, he acted almost ashamed and embarrassed to show me the bill. The new material was a few thousandths different than OEM. he had to re work the bushings in the cylinder housings. Plus, I had him make some travel-limiting-spacers for them. After I paid him the $400 and some, I asked what it would have been had he charged me for all his time at his regular rate. I think it was closer to $600. The money wasn't an issue for either of us. He is the best machinist I have ever known. He can make anything. When I first got to know him I took a shaft that was just rebuilt and was still leaking oil. When he got about three feet from the back of the truck he saw it and winced! He could tell that quickly what was wrong.

Starting to be a problem in my one man shop also.

Neighbor wanted to borrow my welder to repair a feed mill for a friend the frame was broke when he got there to do the guy had an inch wide by four inches long patch just enough to cover the break he told him he need to run two peices along the whole frame no he want just that welded of course it broke right next to the weld a day later he just went out and bought another he gave the old to him we got it here took it apart and fixed it right he still using it today 20 years later.

Tell him to bring it back over, and he can have it back, when you've had it for the amount of time that it would have taken you to do the work without any help.