Latest News From Dan Anderson

Deciding how big and what structure type to use when building a farm shop involves decisions that echo for years to come. From ceiling clearance to door options, contractors offer tips to minimize second-guessing.

The intricacies of modern planting systems complicate preparing for the first day in the field. Farmers now have to worry about components and systems that didn’t exist 10 years ago.

Oil and fluid testing answers both short- and long-term questions about the internal condition of engines, transmissions and hydraulic systems.

Water alone will cool engines, but “coolant” improves cooling system performance.

The first steps when building a farm shop are site selection and site preparation. Here are the necessary considerations, a few of which are sometimes overlooked.

Don’t pull the radiator until you’ve replaced the radiator cap.

Replacing worn closing wheel frame bushings on planters is a recurring expense and chore. The kits work well, and they aren’t hard to install.

7 ways to make an acetylene torch slice rather than mangle metal.

A new version of the chop saw is quickly relegating those original soot-covered noise machines to the back corners of farm shops.

Here are some tips and tricks about U-joint maintenance and repair.

Go ahead and buy the special pliers or tools to remove those annoying plastic fasteners. You might as well order a bag or box of replacement rivets, too, because trying to reuse those rivets is a waste of time. 

Inverter welders are not for welding structural steel all day long. But for repairs around the farm, their economical cost, light weight and ability to use 120-volt or 220-volt power supplies make them practical.

When should dielectric grease be used? What is dielectric grease? Why should you care? Talk to lubrication experts or specialists who work on electronic systems and you’ll get a dozen confusing answers.

That box of assorted rubber O-rings under the workbench in your shop might supply the cure to leaky hydraulic connections, or it might just interrupt the leak for a day or two.

Arc welders rarely wear out, but they can become out of date. Here’s a look at modern welding options for farm shops.

Using WD-40 or motor oil on drill bits to lubricate and cool the tip results in an oily mess. Add a drill bit lube stick to your Christmas List, rather than another pair of socks, this year.

After botching many welding jobs, Dan Anderson has established baselines for any weld he now attempts. For example, positioning his helmet closer versus further from the arc allows him to better monitor the weld puddle.

Sometimes it’s necessary to do things that aren’t by the book to get crippled machinery moving again. Here's how Dan Anderson used a penny and a dime to fix a hydraulic cylinder on a folding spray boom.

A sheet of copper or aluminum roof flashing, a couple hours in the shop and an internet pattern can allow even a fumble-fingered klutz to make a present that has the appeal of roses and the durability of sheet metal.

According to lubrication experts, some of the additives in modern lubricants might settle to the bottom of a container during long periods of storage. Does that indicate a problem?

Twist drill bits, carbide-tipped hole saws and annular cutters will do the trick when you need to make big bores.

There are many misunderstandings about grease guns. Here are several helpful tips.

After decades of making service calls and visiting farmers' shops, here are a few simple yet clever ideas I have run across.

High-pressure power washers do a great job cleaning farm equipment before winter storage. However, there are places that shouldn’t be exposed to water at high pressure.

You're likely done or on the downhill side of harvest. Here are seven to-dos before you park equipment to make sure it fires up next year, to be mindful of electrical components and to keep away moisture and varmints.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of this photo, the damage is obvious while the mind is left to wonder what the mechanic on his cell phone is saying to the person on the other end.

Soybean platforms sometimes become bulldozers, “pushing” dirt with one end of the cutterbar. Here are 5 things to check when that happens.

Every experience is a learning experience — even when a combine is stuck in a gully.

Industrial equipment — skid-steer loaders, wheel loaders, excavators and backhoes — has become agriculture’s mechanical equivalent of a utility player. Here’s a list of machines that might fit well in your lineup.

Bottom to top? Top to bottom? Farm mechanic Dan Anderson explains the ideal method.

Reel settings influence grain loss and groundspeed. Take the time to get them right.

When warm, corn head grease is near liquid, which allows it to flow into all the nooks and crannies of oddly shaped gearcases. So, to live long and prosper, the answer is yes.

Lots of grain can drop through even small holes in the trough beneath cross augers on corn and bean heads. Here are 4 options to repair holes, some good, some merely a stopgap.

Don’t overlook the “middleman” in pre-season prep. Here are 4 wear points to check

A new generation of portable, battery-powered air compressors fit behind the seat of a pickup.

Worn components on combines and grain carts reduce groundspeeds, increase grain loss and encourage engines to gulp extra fuel. While these wear points might not halt harvest, they will slow it down.

Here are three EPA-legal ways to optimize the horsepower of a combine’s engine.

From the feederhouse floor to the grain tank cross augers, nothing lasts forever, including these wear areas on combines.

No combine works perfectly in all crops under all conditions. That’s why there are so many options and accessories for combines and headers. Here’s a list of harvest issues, along with products to help cure them.

Welding arcs aren’t as illuminating as they seem. A special light designed for welding and a good welding helmet can help.

Advance planning and a little extra money upfront contribute to long-lasting driveways that require minimal maintenance. Here are four tips.

Dan Anderson has used ethanol in all his vehicles and recently fell into information that expanded his knowledge of the flex fuel.

Big tools, such as ¾-inch impact wrenches and 1,000 lb.-ft. torque wrenches, are impressive, but many jobs are rescued or made easier by small specialized tools.

Are you pouring concrete this summer? A pro shares advice to improve the quality of the finished product.

Whether you use a vise, hammer and socket, or special tool to repair U-joints, be careful how you reassemble and install them.

Headaches or sinus problems while spraying pesticides and fungicides? Consider using activated charcoal cab air filters.

Pay particular attention to hydraulic hoses, down-pressure components and anywhere birds and varmints can have a heyday. Your future self will thank you.

From lubricating booms to cleaning and replacing spray tips, ace mechanic Dan Anderson emphasizes the importance of prioritizing upkeep during the spraying season.

Residual chemicals from sprayers can not only contaminate operators but also their families — even when gloves, goggles and aprons are worn.

Don’t do what Dan Anderson did. Learn from his mistakes when it comes to lubricants, torque and double checking your work.