Tractor Jockeys

bob charles

How do these seasoned professionals do it, day in day out. I was in the saddle for around 11/12 hrs today doing different jobs and I feel like I have done 12 rounds with a heavy weight boxer. back is in bits, stiff as a poker. You see guys driving the roughest of yokes for long silage days and I cant see how they can keep at it. Tractor work definitely isnt for me

20silkcut

Often think about that. I have maybe one or two days a year that I'm a full day on a tractor and I am absolutely drained after it.
I have a neighbour who does a bit of round bale contracting he is up and down the road all day long every day often see him turning out his gate at 9 in the evening with the full rig out off doing a few bales.
I nearly had a nervous breakdown doing 150 bales this year between watching the weather worrying about stones worrying about wilting worrying about the baler packing it tight patching bales stacking them right drawing them patching them again and hours spent in a tractor with a numbed arse and a numbed brain and rattled to hell with every bump and hollow on the road and the field.
It really is tough in relation to say working in a factory or a bar or an office.
But sure years ago it was even more labour intensive. I remember my father giving a week doing silage.
I dont want to sound like a moaning bitch.
But the hard dry ground made tractor work that bit more uncomfortable for operators this year.

vanderbadger

for the most part i think its a young mans game but some lads just live for it

moy83

My brother is as useless and as lazy as sin but he will stay perched above on a tractor for 18 hrs a day when baling needs to be done and he will do it for a week or two without stopping . Its a young mans game

Manoffeeling

Spent 12 hours drawing 130 bales with a single carrier one day last year on a 7840. I haven't drove a tractor since. Tis a young mans game but all us ould lads want is a rubber neck. That was the sorest part.

bbam

moy83 wrote: »

My brother is as useless and as lazy as sin but he will stay perched above on a tractor for 18 hrs a day when baling needs to be done and he will do it for a week or two without stopping . Its a young mans game

Snap!
One of my brothers is the same. If it can be done from t he seat of a tractor he's your man, otherwise he's useless.

moy83

bbam wrote: »

Snap!
One of my brothers is the same. If it can be done from t he seat of a tractor he's your man, otherwise he's useless.

A few weeks ago we went mixing a bit of concrete to put a floor in a pen . I told him to come down and give a hand loading the mixer because the old lad is 63 and I dont like dogging him . He filled half the mixer and said he had to go baling and couldnt wait .
About an hour later I had to go to the village for a couple of bags of cement and there was bucko sitting outside the cafe slugging coffee after the breakfast ! Spoilt is what these lads are

Sam Kade

Manoffeeling wrote: »

Spent 12 hours drawing 130 bales with a single carrier one day last year on a 7840. I haven't drove a tractor since. Tis a young mans game but all us ould lads want is a rubber neck. That was the sorest part.

Now that would put the most seasoned tractor driver off for good. Jaysus lads I don't know what age ye are but I'm touching 50 and often spend days ploughing and baling and wouldn't take any notice of it.

Manoffeeling

Sam Kade wrote: »

Now that would put the most seasoned tractor driver off for good. Jaysus lads I don't know what age ye are but I'm touching 50 and often spend days ploughing and baling and wouldn't take any notice of it.

I do like an oul day on the 'iron horse', but mother of Jesus, my hole was blue after it. I haven't had a chance to draw corn this season. About 10 years ago, I spent the summer on a Cat 769 dumper. It was in the same league as a leyland and with no steering or brakes.

pakalasa

A couple of things I've noticed over the years;
- Always ear ear muffs. The sound alone can be draining.
- Drink plenty of water. I always keep a bottle in the tractor. It gets fair hot on a tractor, even on a cold day and people get de-hydrated with a pain in the head, without even realising it.
- It is a young man's game..:D

Sam Kade

pakalasa wrote: »

A couple of things I've noticed over the years;
- Always ear ear muffs. The sound alone can be draining.
- Drink plenty of water. I always keep a bottle in the tractor. It gets fair hot on a tractor, even on a cold day and people get de-hydrated with a pain in the head, without even realising it.
- It is a young man's game..:D

I don't how people get so dehydrated nowadays, it's Ireland not the Sahara desert

delaval

Sam Kade wrote: »

I don't how people get so dehydrated nowadays, it's Ireland not the Sahara desert

Coffee and fags!!!!!

Fermec

The Air con Can Make you Deyhrated

lakill Farm

Like the rest of ye i spend 2 summers in early 2000s drawing silage, one on a NH7840 the other a cxnt of a same laser 110/130 / burn more oil than diesel. No comparison in machines but they were different contractors.

Now i still have no hassle spending a day topping/silage etc but i cant stand more than 3 or 4 hours on the digger. At least the tractor your seeing things, the digger your just there and thats it.

When does a lad go from being a young man to an auld lad?

Kovu

lakill Farm wrote: »

Like the rest of ye i spend 2 summers in early 2000s drawing silage, one on a NH7840 the other a cxnt of a same laser 110/130 / burn more oil than diesel. No comparison in machines but they were different contractors.

Now i still have no hassle spending a day topping/silage etc but i cant stand more than 3 or 4 hours on the digger. At least the tractor your seeing things, the digger your just there and thats it.

When does a lad go from being a young man to an auld lad?

When the kids are old enough to term them one:D

GY A1

delaval wrote: »

Coffee and fags!!!!!

that and fizzy drinks are a waste of time, them, coffee an tea are diuretic, causing dehydration,
should be drinking 6-8 glass water per day and more if sweating :eek:

delaval

GY A1 wrote: »

that and fizzy drinks are a waste of time, them, coffee an tea are diuretic, causing dehydration,
should be drinking 6-8 glass water per day and more if sweating :eek:

Are fags ok?

Can give you a sore whole though!!!

GY A1

delaval wrote: »

Are fags ok?

Can give you a sore whole though!!!

fags dont help hydyation, think they actually dehydrate some way aswell tho,
cant comment on Q 2

Sam Kade

Fag jockeys :eek::eek::eek::eek:

20silkcut

lakill Farm wrote: »

Like the rest of ye i spend 2 summers in early 2000s drawing silage, one on a NH7840 the other a cxnt of a same laser 110/130 / burn more oil than diesel. No comparison in machines but they were different contractors.

Now i still have no hassle spending a day topping/silage etc but i cant stand more than 3 or 4 hours on the digger. At least the tractor your seeing things, the digger your just there and thats it.

When does a lad go from being a young man to an auld lad?

Just as a matter of interest.
What were you getting per day back then??? In punts.

maxxuumman

delaval wrote: »

Are fags ok?

Can give you a sore whole though!!!

Tried to give up the fags once. Went on a peppermint nicotine chewing gum. I had a habit of swallowing the chewing gum. The peppermint chewing gum on the way out... Now THAT would give you a sore whole. :eek:

jp6470

Depends on the tractor for me:
The New massey weeks
air con,wee bit country radio,cool box,sandwiches in it.air seat,cab suspension.no prob.automatic gears basically.
Old fait straight pipe,hours.
dust,noise,sore clutching,sweating,pulling levers changing gears,back broke.see nothing out of it.and no air getting in or in winter two coats on and standing around the engine at any chance get.

Figerty

GY A1 wrote: »

that and fizzy drinks are a waste of time, them, coffee an tea are diuretic, causing dehydration,
should be drinking 6-8 glass water per day and more if sweating :eek:

A few years ago weeks before a county final we had a sports dietician in. He told us stay away from Lucozade sport etc. Sugar loaded with glucose, sugar, fructose etc. Same with most of the sports drinks.

His answer to dehydration was simple and cheap: Dilutable orange juice, a pinch of salt in hot weather and a pinch of sugar if needed. Big bottle of that all day and drink as needed.

I am partial to Gatorade though; always found it good in hot weather.

GY A1

Figerty wrote: »

A few years ago weeks before a county final we had a sports dietician in. He told us stay away from Lucozade sport etc. Sugar loaded with glucose, sugar, fructose etc. Same with most of the sports drinks.

His answer to dehydration was simple and cheap: Dilutable orange juice, a pinch of salt in hot weather and a pinch of sugar if needed. Big bottle of that all day and drink as needed.

I am partial to Gatorade though; always found it good in hot weather.

just plain and simple water, and if ya need a drop of diluting to make it easier to drink thats grand,
not really a need for salt, cause majority of food we eat has all the salt needed for our body,
alot of head aches are possibly dehydration,

Mickey H

delaval wrote: »

Are fags ok?

Can give you a sore whole though!!!

How do you smoke your fags?? :eek:

Figerty

GY A1 wrote: »

just plain and simple water, and if ya need a drop of diluting to make it easier to drink thats grand,
not really a need for salt, cause majority of food we eat has all the salt needed for our body,
alot of head aches are possibly dehydration,

During the summer you sweat some much you loose salts. Cows were licking my arms this summer when I would go to count them.

For me the days of the hairy bacon and salty cabbage have long gone! the old lads loved that stuff. Might have something to do with the ability to go long days in the cab,, and long nights in Coronary care!

Juniorhurler

Spent two summers piloting a TW15 2wd on a silage rig out. On other days it was an ursus 1225 I think was the number. Both rough out and made me swear I would always keep a middling decent tractor about the place.

C0N0R

It's six years since I did any real tractor jockey work, did a couple seasons of silage maize and reseeding while not at uni, would love to go back to it. Remember spent two weeks driving a 7810 and dump trailer up in cavan somewhere, loved it! Not to many creature comforts but was happy out. Used to love getting sent to roll or top for a day at home and that was in a Ford 6600, wasn't spoilt there either. Now a days the most I'd get would be a days mowing but would be happy out doing it.

nashmach

Really depends on the tractor.

Had a fully suspended tractor this year and it was pleasure compared to last few years even on the worst roads in the county!

hugo29

pakalasa wrote: »

A couple of things I've noticed over the years;
- Always ear ear muffs. The sound alone can be draining.
- Drink plenty of water. I always keep a bottle in the tractor. It gets fair hot on a tractor, even on a cold day and people get de-hydrated with a pain in the head, without even realising it.
- It is a young man's game..:D

I'd second that but add the headphones and 20 benson, get off for a walk and fag break every now and then,
Whatever about tractor the dumper is worse, spent a day on one of those when building the house and never again

Markcheese

Sam Kade wrote: »

I don't how people get so dehydrated nowadays, it's Ireland not the Sahara desert

Cos they don't drink enough tae ....

Suckler

20silkcut wrote: »

It really is tough in relation to say working in a factory or a bar or an office.

Don't be so sure! I'd take those days of mowing & drawing in over most days in the office. At least the cab offers a sanctuary to turn on a radio. Imagine you had to work the machinery with various idiots popping in to the cab with and increasing list of stupid questions and never ending paperwork. And emails. Bloody poxy emails, with trails miles long.

One thing I find people don't apreciate is the physical work out of operating machinery. Ok, you might be sat in the cab but you are constantly turning and using both arms and legs. I remember one wet summer drawing in silage bales with a Ford 3000. Never wanted a breakdown so much in my life - It was neighbours tractor so wouldn't have been fussed about the bill!

I've a friend who works in a factory. He told me of the tasks he had to do starting out; it'd be akin to counting sods of turf and then watching someone else count to ensure you both had the same number. How he didn't turn in to a lunatic I'll never know, that really sounded like hell to me.

kollegeknight

The old fella is 73 and normally would have to fight with him for the tractor. This month he is getting veins removed so he was told to mind himself so I had to draw 80 hay bales a longish distance. Roughish land on a MF188 with a broken seat and torn canvas roof. Took 3 full days.
I was crippled. Pretty much had to bath in deep heat and tiger balm.

Dupont

Ploughed for a about 10 hours yesterday in a 35x and 2 score plough. All short runs. If I ever see a clutch pedal again it will be too soon. Don't know how it was done day in day out all them years ago

J DEERE

Got into the routine of drinking at least 2 litres of water a day, sometimes 3. Unbelievable the difference in energy and concentration levels and I don't get that afternoon slump

severeoversteer

the thing that stands in my mind is a double drum roller rolling hardcore, a hired in yoke, i dont know how all my bushings and shocks arent gone in my body after that yoke.

have a ts115 that for some reason does 32 mph and spent months drawing filling in a 16 tonne dumptrailer absolute hell

have a t6080 aswell as of this year with front and cab suspension and full air seat and powercommand gearbox,, absolute beauty to drive , no jerking or bouncing at all

lakill Farm

20silkcut wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest.
What were you getting per day back then??? In punts.

€7 ah hour cash on 7840 off a self propelled jaguar

other was €70 a day off a jf900

Manoffeeling

Drew in silage with an 1174 county. A master oul yolk. Big yard required.

Sam Kade

Markcheese wrote: »

Cos they don't drink enough tae ....

Jaysus that must be it sure I drink gallons of tae so I don't suffer from dehydration

tabby aspreme

Farmers today are not as fit as farmers were years ago, lads who spent the day pulling out of horses never complained when they eventually got a tractor with no cab or power steering

whelan1

did tea for silage lads, had counted 5 , 3 drawing ,1 on pit and one on harvester.. grand, 6 arrived for tea:mad: he got my tea and fooked off 10 minutes later, i dont know who he was

Muckit

whelan1 wrote: »

did tea for silage lads, had counted 5 , 3 drawing ,1 on pit and one on harvester.. grand, 6 arrived for tea:mad: he got my tea and fooked off 10 minutes later, i dont know who he was

That lad ripping the piss! Had you a long draw?

whelan1

Muckit wrote: »

That lad ripping the piss! Had you a long draw?

not really, no drawing on road but very heavy whole crop took 5 hours to do 26 acres. still at it now about 10 acres of grass silage left

delaval

whelan1 wrote: »

not really, no drawing on road but very heavy whole crop took 5 hours to do 26 acres. still at it now about 10 acres of grass silage left

Will they cover for you?

whelan1

delaval wrote: »

Will they cover for you?

yup , in the morning

Muckit

Were they picking the wholecrop out of rows or had it a direct header?

bbam

whelan1 wrote: »

did tea for silage lads, had counted 5 , 3 drawing ,1 on pit and one on harvester.. grand, 6 arrived for tea:mad: he got my tea and fooked off 10 minutes later, i dont know who he was

Word probably got round about the great BBQ that yer wan Welan does at silage time.

whelan1

Muckit wrote: »

Were they picking the wholecrop out of rows or had it a direct header?

direct header

freedominacup

delaval wrote: »

Will they cover for you?

The guy who cut our wholecrop has 2 loaders on first cut fulltime. The smaller one stays to tidy and cover when the rest of the crew move on.

Sam Kade

whelan1 wrote: »

did tea for silage lads, had counted 5 , 3 drawing ,1 on pit and one on harvester.. grand, 6 arrived for tea:mad: he got my tea and fooked off 10 minutes later, i dont know who he was

Maybe he was a phantom

whelan1

they just gone home now