[Shop-talk] Article on contemporary (somewhat shop-related) gadgets

[Elton E. (Tony) Clark]

Farms and sububan acreage operators have a good resource available to them
if they already have any size of a diesel tractor with a power take off
shaft.  One can buy PTO operated generators for cheap and the tractors are
so efficient that the fuel cost is reasonable . . Don't hold me liable but
I think I did the math and could generate 4.5 KW for about half a gallon of
diesel per hour.  (tractor rated at 17.5 horsepower hours per gallon)
Diesel tractors are amazingly efficient at low load. Massey Ferguson had a
state fair stunt where one was to guess how much fuel a 60 HP diesel
tractor would burn in a DAY at no-load idle . .it was about a quart!
Tony