I have a drill press, bandsaw and 2 angle grinders for most of my work
That is encouraging. I have good hand tools but not anything for metal working at this point. Perhaps my bigger challenge is time. My wife and I own a business in town that occupies almost all of our time. With the bad economy we have dedicated ourselves to keeping our employees working (we employ a number of special needs people) and that has resulted in very long hours and frequently going without pay checks for ourselves (another obstacle to engaging in projects at this time).
I am fortunate that I purchased a diesel 4 x 4 compact tractor and accompanying 3 pt implements several years ago when money was not so tight so I am equipped to do most larger jobs around our 40 acre place. Still, there just is not enough discretionary time and/or money to engage in some of the projects I'd like to undertake. That makes threads like yours here that much more interesting to me since you are doing what I'd like to do.
I am constantly watching ads for the opportunity to 'steal a deal' on an appropriate diesel engine and a host tractor. Like most other things I do I'm sure an irresistible deal will come along eventually and I will take the leap. When I do your documented project and others like it here will be an invaluable source of ideas and answers.
I'm still leaning towards using an air cooled engine due to the (I think) greater simplicity of installation. It does appear that the availability of reasonably priced small water cooled diesel engines is greater than that of air cooled models. What drove your selection of engine? I would like to get your input as well as that of others - see
http://gardentractor...er-cooled-4921/ .
With the costs of fuel increasing daily I think the practicality of a diesel powered garden tractor will continue to make more sense. Every time I fill all of the gas cans I use to keep the garden tractor fueled I compare it to the one five gallon diesel fuel can I need for my compact tractor. The amount of work I get from a gallon of diesel in the compact tractor beats the snot out of the work I get from my Onan gas powered Ingersoll 448.
Keep up the good work on your conversion. I bet your parents are proud of you even if you're making a mess of their garage. Do your parents roll up their sleeves and help out? My parents were never mechanically inclined. Nor were they very supportive when they came home one evening while I was still living at home to find I had spread newspapers over the entire den floor and had the transmission to my '66 GTO apart and spread all over. Somehow they didn't appreciate the finer details of how to replace the synchro rings in a Muncie close ratio 4 spd transmission - idiots! :rofl2:
JN