Ive been neglecting my WHs..

[RED-Z06 2,615]

It was a long, hot, wet but busy summer here in Florida, i keep alot of my equipment under a heavy 20x25 tarp between 2 of my outbuildings...keeps them dry, out of the sun, and away from the birds.  Its also, pretty much 0 fun to get that tarp off..and after 2 or 3 months in the sun, good chance its going to rip.  It's not my ideal setup but short of dropping 5k on a couple Conex Boxes or 25k on a pole barn that would absolutely attract a major hurricane...the tarp system works for now.  I keep the 702 in a shed, but the 416-H and C-100 are 2 of the units that live under the tarp, along with a Simplicity Legacy XL, 60" Z mower, Deere 420, and a Deere 445.  The Z is my rental for commercial clients, and the 445 i use every 2 weeks to mow about 3 acres for some older customers that cant do it anymore...those are on 1 end and easy to get to.  But it has been about 1st week of June since i replaced the tarp and had everything out....had a torrential rain storm a couple weeks ago, instant rainfall amounts were 14" per hour and we got 5" in no time at all...the tarp simply couldn't handle it and tore.  I keep a new one..so i pulled the one off, almost everything..surprisingly started right up, didn't have to do anything special to anything but the Simplicity.  The 416-H i choked, it cranked about 8 seconds and ran as smooth as ever, C100 fired like it ran that morning...choke, full throttle, cranked a couple revolutions and caught.  It was nice riding them around, i mowed with the C and used the 416/Blade on the driveway.  

 

Toro Z fired up fine, Deere 420 didnt hesitate at all.  Simplicity...wouldn't start, pulled the carb..no fuel, pulled the valve cover fuel pump to find a broken check valve...ordered a new one...fired it up only to have it split a fuel line a minute later...almost had a big fire.

 

I need to do something different for sure, it would be nice to have stuff be accessible, but lord is gotten incredibly expensive to build anything at all.

[Easton Rich 678]

Don’t feel bad, I’m in the same boat, I finally touched mine after a month so they can go to a show tomorrow. My B-80, 8/4, and 418-A all fired right up. My Lawn Ranger however, did not. No crank. Starter is dead. So if any of you happen to have a working starter for a H-60 let me know. All 4 are going, but getting the LR in is gonna be a long push….

[ebinmaine 73,598]

4 hours ago, Easton Rich said:

long push….

 

Drag it with another Horse. 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,621]

Maybe one of those metal carports.  You should get a 20 foot wide, for about $2500 or so.  They put it up in just a few hours.

[ebinmaine 73,598]

6 hours ago, RED-Z06 said:

gotten incredibly expensive to build anything

 

Yepp. We know first hand up here. 

 

We wanted a large garage workshop barn apartment etc building for several years before we finally just bit the bullet and went to it. 

The big barn has been here 3 years now. 

Pricey? Yes. 

Worth it? DEFINITELY. 

 

 

 

[Retired Wrencher 5,954]

So with 15 toolboxes of various sizes and two vehicles also complete stereo system with four large 15 inch speakers and three wheel horses, the 24 x 24 is full. Oh I used to have a small refrigerator in the garage for the good stuff. But the refrigerator didn’t work well in a winter time so that didn’t last. Enjoy what you have every day.

Edited Saturday at 10:10 AM by Retired Wrencher

[RED-Z06 2,615]

4 hours ago, T-Mo said:

Maybe one of those metal carports.  You should get a 20 foot wide, for about $2500 or so.  They put it up in just a few hours.

Getting an 18x20 with 1 door that meets hurricane code starts at 6000 if you already have a slab. I was quoted $14,9xx for a 20x25 with slab, 1 door, power box, cat 4 rated.

[lynnmor 7,936]

5 hours ago, RED-Z06 said:

Getting an 18x20 with 1 door that meets hurricane code starts at 6000 if you already have a slab. I was quoted $14,9xx for a 20x25 with slab, 1 door, power box, cat 4 rated.

Just to put into perspective, a fair condition used car cost is $14,9xx.  The building will be a good investment and the used car will be worth nothing in a few years.

[ML3 1,831]

Having a 12x16 shed w/10ft wide lean to on 16' side put up. Its costing almost $9k! Can't go over 200sq ft or i need to pour a foundation.  Also can't go over 30% of total property square footage w/structures. I live in city limits. We have the house, garage, & she shed. The new shed puts me almost at 30%. Lumber/building materials have gone way up. Luckily,  I dont have to meet hurricane code

[wallfish 18,421]

14 hours ago, Retired Wrencher said:

So with 15 toolboxes

That's all? It seems like you buy another toolbox or 2 at every Zag show since 2015! LOL

[Retired Wrencher 5,954]

8 hours ago, wallfish said:

That's all? It seems like you buy another toolbox or 2 at every Zag show since 2015! LOL

Well John  I guess I’ll have to try harder to buy more. Lol.

[WHGuy413 2,795]

I’ve been neglecting mine also. Too many are sitting out. The pretty ones live in the garage tho. Some day I will have a nice pole barn out back. 

[Retired Wrencher 5,954]

8 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

I’ve been neglecting mine also. Too many are sitting out. The pretty ones live in the garage tho. Some day I will have a nice pole barn out back. 

Matt once you make the move, you will like it. Just think you could have your own shop fully equipped to work on anything mechanical.

[WHGuy413 2,795]

On 9/15/2025 at 5:50 AM, Retired Wrencher said:

Matt once you make the move, you will like it. Just think you could have your own shop fully equipped to work on anything mechanical.

It will happen some day. Other financial priorities first with fixing up the house.

[rjg854 12,347]

1 hour ago, WHGuy413 said:

Other financial priorities first with fixing up the house

Your priorities should be to your horses!  When the Amish start a new farm, they always build the barn first.  I more or less did the same thing when I bought this property.  Purchased the property in '99, built the barn in '03, it has a kitchenette and 3/4 bath.  Built the horse barn @ 2015.  Remodeled the bathroom in the house in '21 and redid the kitchen and dining room the following year.

[clueless 3,292]

Tom, go on line and google billboard trapes, they are used but still in good shape and in different sizes. They are tougher then regular tarp and last for years and they are priced comparable. After Ivan I bought a very large one, the advertisement on it was for a Drag Queen show with a couple of cuties on it. I told the the wife the next hurricane this ones going on front of the roof Queen side up.

Edited 20 hours ago by clueless

[WHGuy413 2,795]

10 hours ago, rjg854 said:

Your priorities should be to your horses!  When the Amish start a new farm, they always build the barn first.  I more or less did the same thing when I bought this property.  Purchased the property in '99, built the barn in '03, it has a kitchenette and 3/4 bath.  Built the horse barn @ 2015.  Remodeled the bathroom in the house in '21 and redid the kitchen and dining room the following year.

Try telling the wife that!

[Retired Wrencher 5,954]

21 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

It will happen some day. Other financial priorities first with fixing up the house.

I can understand that Matt. But at least you got something to look forward to in the near future.

[rjg854 12,347]

13 hours ago, WHGuy413 said:

Try telling the wife that!

I truly have to admit, I have a one in a million woman, and after 48 years we are still happily married.  She has her craft room on the 2nd floor of the barn, but I'm not allowed to take pictures of it.  

[rjg854 12,347]

I can post a picture of the barn tho

[kpinnc 14,899]

7 hours ago, rjg854 said:

picture of the barn

 

Wow that's a nice dawg house!

 

Mine looks more like an actual dawg house...