What made you Smile - 2025

[Bad Scott]

Jeez, what'd you do to it

I thought tearing the cartilage on my left knee 3 times was bad enough!

2 knee recos. 1st was when I was 16. Hit by a car at the age of 13. Last operation they had to remove a large chunk of cartilage. 30mm long, 15mm wide, 8mm thick. It locked my knee in a bent state and couldn't straighten it. Was limping around site for 3 days, till I decided to go to Moree hospital the next day for an xray. Once I'd seen the xray image, and got the you can't drive message, (wasn't my first rodeo driving, but a hella drive) I had a bigger problem, how do I get my work trailer and get home when the site was on
black soil and had been raining. After deflating the tyres and a lot of right foot , I was on my way home. Fueling up when needed too. Was glad to be home in the end. Few rum cans and some good meds works wonders.
Then the next problem came, my surgeon had retired a few years beforehand. Bugger. New surgeon from within the same group. Melbourne Orthopaedic Group. Month later and 10k poorer and 1 month recovery, the longest ever, was given the green light to work again.
Normally that type of surgery I'm walking the next day, I've had plenty of them.
But what's weird is that the knee doesn't feel like it has in the past, I can lift my heal off the ground when laying flat. Something I've never done since the accident.
I do know when I do need to have the knee replacement, my current work will cease. Office environment won't suit this tradie, I'm too vocal  so it'll be a forced early retirement
But what makes me smile is when

[Bird]

I do know when I do need to have the knee replacement, my current work will cease. Office environment won't suit this tradie, I'm too vocal  so it'll be a forced early retirement
But what makes me smile is when

Come on.... what makes you smile!!!!??

[Hairs]

I do know when I do need to have the knee replacement, my current work will cease. Office environment won't suit this tradie, I'm too vocal  so it'll be a forced early retirement
But what makes me smile is when

Same too young for retirement,
Mate, I've been waiting over 3 years, Public system for this.
It will be 8 weeks out of work, that's why I'm regearing my business and starting to bring in contractors I can trust & rely on to perform the standard of work I expect from myself.
Still going to be a drop in income, but hopefully I have set things up right.
This plays heavily on Fysh's mind, a drop in income, and not being able to drive, she'll need to spend time away from her work, which she doesn't have banked time off for, due to only starting her new job a few months ago just before Christmas.

I'll looking forward to being pain free, which I'm happy to deal with, for the lack of income



You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[prodigyrf]

Some husbands do have them 
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/ed-miliband-s-wife-joins-nimby-campaigners-against-new-housing-development/ar-AA1EIEPg

[Hairs]

I'm not going to argue with science.

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[Bad Scott]

Come on.... what makes you smile!!!!??

Ahhh, bugger. It would've been if I can do it, everyone can do it. Given the mobility restrictions.

[Hairs]

Picked this up today,
RC Mower, 1.100M cut,
Remote control, 300 meters range.
16hp 4 stroke motor,
24V electric system, the Electric driven drive is operated separately to the Motor operating.
Weights 300kg, 15kph speed.
My body is worn out for this climbing ladders, under houses.
Smarter not harder.

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[Foo]

Picked this up today,
RC Mower, 1.100M cut,
Remote control, 300 meters range.
16hp 4 stroke motor,
24V electric system, the Electric driven drive is operated separately to the Motor operating.
Weights 300kg, 15kph speed.
My body is worn out for this climbing ladders, under houses.
Smarter not harder.

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

Fork me, why would you want to have a lawn under your house? 

Foo

[Hairs]

Fork me, why would you want to have a lawn under your house? 

Foo

Not easy having lawn up ladders either.


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[xcvator]

Being back home in my own bed 

[GeoffA]

Being back home in my own bed 

Good news Keith...

[Hairs]

Being back home in my own bed 

Awesome


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[Fizzie]

 

[Bird]

that hurt

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/travel-stories/daredevil-dressed-as-wizard-somersaults-down-hill-chasing-3kg-wheel-of-cheese-in-wild-competition/news-story/f939e0e6846154f00c7a741dd12e0bc1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuQ63RVWNnI

[Hairs]

First fire for the season.
Cheers,

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[Hairs]

First small job with the RC Mower.
There would be no hope of getting a rideon, or a Zero Turn on this ground.
https://youtu.be/k21qqeXV-qk?feature=shared

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[Fizzie]

You've got an extra "l" at the start of the "http", that shouldn't be there!

Pretty soft grass by the look!

Its not a robot, you have to actually drive it?

[Hairs]

You've got an extra "l" at the start of the "http", that shouldn't be there!

Pretty soft grass by the look!

Its not a robot, you have to actually drive it?

My bad, with the url, sorry.

Soft Grass,
It wasn't to show how thick of grass it could cut, more so how it would not get bogged like a Zero Turn.
Besides, why would I want to try and cut 3 foot wet vegetation, not even the Zero Turn will do that.
RC, Remote control, Never said it was a robot

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[rags]

My bad, with the url, sorry.

Soft Grass,
It wasn't to show how thick of grass it could cut, more so how it would not get bogged like a Zero Turn.
Besides, why would I want to try and cut 3 foot wet vegetation, not even the Zero Turn will do that.
RC, Remote control, Never said it was a robot

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

Great machine Hairs.
My brother got a similar machine imported direct from China, his is a petrol hybrid with an 80cm cut. Payed around $4000. Works great on his sloping riverside block.

[Hairs]

Hey Rags,
Cheers
This is an American built machine.
It was $11k, I ordered it in February, though Scintex.
https://www.scintex.com.au/.
I had for a long time, researched these kinda machines, the motors, cutting drive, build.
Even though it is alot more than a Chinese variant, I felt it was a better bang for buck, using it commercially.
Like a Cox zero turn, it is all fabricated, deck, chassis.
The Loncin LC1P96F engine has a pretty good rap, even if it does sh1t the bed, a replacement vertical drive, Honda/Briggs is available as a swap.
This is also, the next generation, it is 250mm wider, a twin cutter(not single), as the older model was.

I've submitted paperwork to the local council as a contractor(yeah I know they don't pay within 30 days), and also RMS(Main Roads).

Something I have to do,
Carry my own water for wash down, using a battery operated pressure washer( Makita make one, I have a ton of Makita 18v gear and 12v to 18v charger) if town water isn't available.
Cross grass contamination is a real thing.



You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[rags]

Thanks Hairs, sounds a good machine. I did raised with the brother the reliability and support with regards his machine.
The potential for council/RMS work would be a good outcome.

[Fizzie]

& here's what it wants to be when it grows up a bit more!



Army Engineers doing civil aid work on various Torres Strait islands.

[Hairs]

Mate, there is some serious pieces of kit out there for vegetation clearing.
They also cost a bit of coin.


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.