Looking through the Billy Goat home pro manual they have a picture of the mower held up by a cool looking tripod. Anybody know where to get one?

That looks like a standard automotive jack stand!

Mightyquinn wrote:That looks like a standard automotive jack stand!

Thanks. You can tell I didn't grow up around engines. I go into the auto parts store once a year to get the good Prestone Washer Fluid that is rated to 32 below for trips to Maine; other than that I'm clueless. If I get the new mower I may need to take it up a notch (I do change the blade every month on my Honda mower with a torque wrench).

The fact that you own a torque wrench gives you some credit in my book.

that's a common "jack stand" found around any auto service business. if you were actually doing some work under the mower you'd want 2 of them. if you want to pick up the whole machine, you'd need 4 of them. also, look at a hydraulic "floor jack" for lifting. here's what they sell for a mower stand-- Click here for more information
your going to need a sign for the garage-- "JG's mower and small engine repair".

Let me tell you since I am in the auto repair buisiness, your better off with a ramp setup all it takes is yankin on a nut or bolt and you'll be wearing a mower. Overkill saftey is a must.

Thanks for all the feedback.

My wife did buy me a Sears Winter Jumpsuit for Hannukah about 7 years ago with my name stenciled and and she put "snow clearing" under it. Its a great thing to have, throw that on over whatever you are wearing and fire up the snowblower. My neighbors don't realize how much fun engines and tools are (or I'm just a nut). I'm an enigma for the "Tribe."

totally OT, sorry.
what does a mechanic tell the 630csi owner after the car flings itself off the rack, onto the ground?

agree with overkill saftey, no such thing as too safe.

clay&crabgrass wrote:totally OT, sorry.
agree with overkill saftey, no such thing as too safe.

I won't even plant annuals without eye protection after getting a piece of dust in my eye three years ago when I was using the blower. I use steel tipped shoes, double ear protection with blower and trimmer (I only use the in-ear plugs with the mower) and wear those canvas super thick carhartts and almost always wear long sleeves as well.

It did a 3 legged thing, left ft. bumper and fender damage, Older twin post lift w/o leg locks, kicked out, I was in ft. at the parts counter heard a crash so I turned around and whooh. After leaving to work elsewherei heard of a newer one went down the whole front, air bags went off, blew the windsheild out, struts through the hood. Came in for his FIRST oil change. Ah sir you need to go to the lot and pick out a new car. Sorry this should be in (water cooler)

clay&crabgrass wrote:totally OT, sorry.
what does a mechanic tell the 630csi owner after the car flings itself off the rack, onto the ground?

agree with overkill saftey, no such thing as too safe.

The car was clearly despondent and threw itself off the rack, of course.

I have seen a lot in 31 yrs. and counting!

Here you go. They actually stock them at a HD near me.

Mower Jack

Or you could use an automotive engine cherry picker and a few jack stands for safety. They work well too.

This is what I have for my ZTR: Jungle Jack. It doesn't really lift the deck that high, but it is very safe and there is enough room for me to clean the underside of the deck as well as change the blades. With a walk behind, I would imagine it isn't hard to tilt back the mower so maybe you just need a couple of nice jackstands.

Always remember, hydralic is fine as long as it has a mechnical lock or multi jack stands that exceed weight limit. both look ok.

clay&crabgrass wrote:
agree with overkill saftey, no such thing as too safe.

Oh but there is. Some companies think making stupid rules will keep people safe. When you're expected to wear layers of PPE, it can become a safety issue of its own. Unfortunatly corporate safety folks sitting in air conditioned offices make the rules for those of us in the real world, a world they've never worked in.

I care more about my personal safety than anyone else, and I will do whatever it takes to protect myself. Its really sad that I can lose my job if I dont follow worthless rules that can actually hurt me.

/rant

personal protective equipment (PPE)?

as long as it's breathable and not a fire hazard in itself (never wear polyester in a shop, go for the cotton), what else are we talking about? eye, hearing, foot, hand, head, breathing protection?

went to work for a railroad and the boss says to wear the saftey boots, saftey glasses and bumpcap at all times. first couple of months I hated the bumpcap. around a year or so I was in the parts room ordering another one, old one all tore up. hehehehehe.

totally agree that equipment, tools, plant layout, etc. should be tested by the crew from Human(Humane?) Resources and subject to review by the union rep.'s happy and safe can go together, just like fun and efficent.

Yea personal protective equipment. I work with electricity so Im forced to wear a heavy cotton blend uniform that has a great rating against fire. Im ok with that since they will let me wear a regular cotton t shirt when Im not working on live equipment. I still love poly though, and miss wearing them. I wear my uniform shirts about two weeks a year when its actually cold enough here to do so.

There are many stupid rules that we have to deal with, but safety glasses are what gets to me the worse. The rule now says they have to be worn every minuite, every day. Try doing that while sweating in south Texas where we hit 100+ 60 times a couple years ago, plus humidiy. Im sweating by the time I clock in first thing in the morning. There is no such thing as fog proof safety glasses either. When you cant see through the glasses due to fog and sweat it becomes a safety issue, duh. Dont matter. Follow the rules or else. I found out what "or else" means

I will absolutely wear glasses every minuite that I need them. Have done so for years. Im not going to lose my eye for a job. I care for about myself than anyone making the rules. But wearing glasses when doing nothing even remotely dangerous is just plain stupid. In the 8 years Ive been with the company, there have been 3 eye injuries. In all 3 cases safety glasses were being worn. Sometimes I swear they seem to direct debris right into your eye!

The people making the rules for us are located in an air conditioned manufacturing facility in Ohio. You cannot apply the same rules there to a repair facility in south Texas. The rules apply world wide. I feel sorry for the people who live in hotter, more humid environments than I that have to follow the same rules.

The worst part is you cant force somebody with poor work habits to follow stupid rules and expect that no accidents will happen. Those people will get hurt anyway. I see it all the time. Somebody is careless with a knife and cuts themselves. Next thing you know cut proof gloves are issued to everyone and we must wear them, or else. So what happens when the glove gets snagged and pulls a hand into a piece of equipment? Id rather get a cut.

Everytime we have a safety meeting I feel like im in grade school all over again.

when I was in my 40's I couldn't weld anymore, hehehehehe, then I tried my reading glasses inside the helmet, waaah! weld just like a kid again. now I have some wrap around saftey glasses with built in readers(like a bifocal), work great. now in my 60's, taking blood pressure and blood thinner pills. bleed like a stuck pig and bruise easy. have to think out a job, get the gear on(love a good pair of leather gloves) and then try to work like a pro.
after 40 years on the job(s) I still have 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 eyes and some hearing left, only one back surgery. not bad huh?
any chance(continuing education, whatever it takes) to get into management and air conditioning? go for it. you don't want to be an old guy still working. (hehehehehe, free old guy advice.) good luck.