How To Use Implements on Your Small-Scale Farm (Motorbooks Workshop) [Paperback]

Rick Kubik (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Small Farm Today, May 2007

“This belongs on your reference shelf.”

Product Description

How To Use Implements on Your Small-Scale Farm describes in detail how to use the implements in detail, including their function, how they are attached and removed from tractors, when to use them, and basic maintenance and repair. Implements and equipment covered include: hitches; PTO shafts; plows, discs, harrows, and Roto-tillers; fertilizers and spreaders; seed drills and planters; cultivators and hoes; sprayers, mowers, rakes, balers, and combines; and material movers and fencing equipment. Basic maintenance is also included.

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: MBI; 1st edition (October 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760321671
• ISBN-13: 978-0760321676
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #901,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #76 in

  Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Special Topics > Agricultural Engineering

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better than nothing, but could have contained more details., January 11, 2008

By	John Linskey - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: How To Use Implements on Your Small-Scale Farm (Motorbooks Workshop) (Paperback)

This book has potential...

However in its current state, I am disappointed in my purchase of this book. From the description of this book, it states that this book is a 'How to' that provides detailed information. In fairness, the book does cover a lot of implements. Unfortunately, at times the author only provides a very brief overview of the implement. You will need another source of information (owner's manual) to be able to actually use the implement. Warning, be sure that you understand all of the safety risks associated with the particular implement that you are working with. In a mili-second your life and well being could be jeopardized.

A few suggestions to the author on how this book could be made better:
1. Top priority - include the necessary safety points and cautions for each of the implements or group of implements. The 2 page safety introduction is in need of much expanding. Within those pages, the author even fails to mention the need for a ROPS along with the need to always wear a seat belt. Readers, thousands of people are killed each year because their tractors didn't have a ROPS and/or no seat belt was being used.

2. For each implement or group of implements - please provide detail part drawing(s) of the implements. A picture alone doesn't give the reader any ideal of how the implement would function. Drawings of moving parts, bearings, etc would really give the reader the proper information. Along with the drawings, the author could indicate the maintenance items of the implement.

3. Show, by either using a picture or drawing, how to attach the implement to the tractor. The 3 point attachment system has been the standard since the late 50's on tractors. Please give the reader a clue of how the implement should be attached to a typical 3 point system.

4. Once the implement is attached, then explain how it should be used. Once again, a drawing could go a long ways toward explaining this to the reader. For example, the author provides a one paragraph overview of a moldboard plow. Questions that readers may have, so how do I attach it to the tractor, what speed should I use with the plow, and/or how should I actually start plowing in my field?

In the books current state, it simply does not provide the 'How To' information that its target reader will need to know.