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To: Starboard

Correct, which means you are in the $50-75/hour range to do small jobs.
There is a local guy I know who started a small engine repair service.
He is a retired engineer. He works on small tractors, snow blowers, lawn mowers, etc.

The first thing he needed was a pickup truck and a trailer.
Then he bought a winch to put on the trailer.
He charges $40 to pick up and return your machine. Then $75/hour to work on it.
He has more work than he can handle. He doe not advertise. It is just word of mouth.

FYI, he has my 1999 John Deere lawn tractor right now. He is doing a compression test on the engine. It is blowing smoke under pressure. I thought it was coming from a leak around the valve cover. It is burning oil. Might need new rings. Which means it is a PARTS tractor now.


58 posted on 05/27/2025 8:33:26 AM PDT by woodbutcher1963
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To: woodbutcher1963
Re: Post 58 - The retired engineer you know who does small engine repairs.

If he's got more work than he can handle, it sounds like you should talk to him about working as his assistant, even if just doing the pick-ups and drop-offs.

62 posted on 05/27/2025 8:39:41 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: woodbutcher1963
1999 John Deere lawn tractor right now. He is doing a compression test on the engine. It is blowing smoke under pressure. I thought it was coming from a leak around the valve cover. It is burning oil. Might need new rings. Which means it is a PARTS tractor now.

My Craftsman tractor circa 2001 is still running but the 10 gauge deck rotted just enough on top where the belts attach so they no longer could hold the tension. So it's just another cart tow vehicle now. I liked the tractor for mowing rough areas that I wouldn't use the zero turn for, so that's for the DR brush hog now.

69 posted on 05/27/2025 8:57:51 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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