"Tractor Doctor" Makes House Calls

Tractor Doctor Makes House Calls SPECIALTY/SERVICES For nearly five years Bob Baker has operated an unusual tractor and machinery repair business from his home near Clay New York He bills himself as The Tractor Doctor and like a country doctor of old he makes house calls Nearly all his work is done at the customer s location whether it be a shop garage or driveway     Baker specializes in Belarus tractors having worked at a Belarus dealership for about 25 years      I ve worked as a mechanic since 1976 and grew up helping my father do machinery maintenance and repair work on our farm he says I ve been to Russia for service training on Belarus But I also work on Zetors and I have a lot of experience with most of the U S -made tractors too     Baker prefers working on tractors from the pre-electronic era but will take on just about any job      Once in a while a customer wants me to do the work in my own shop he says But most of the time I can make the necessary repairs at the farm for less than if they had to truck the tractor to a repair shop     He notes that many customers don t have inside storage for their tractors forcing him to work outdoors in winter I carry a 50 000 btu kerosene heater with me if I need to warm up parts or fluids he says     Customers pay an hourly rate from the time he leaves home until the time he returns My hourly rate is lower than that charged by most repair shops he says And since they don t have to pay for trucking they usually come out ahead     Some of his customers work right alongside him and that usually saves them some money too They can also watch to make sure I m doing the work like they want it done And it gives me a chance to visit with them about the machine what went wrong and what they might have done to prevent it he says Some just come out to talk while I m working but most realize they re paying for all the time I m there so unless they re helping out they don t take up too much of my time just talking     He runs a few newspaper ads to promote his business but much of his new business comes from satisfied customers telling their friends and neighbors     Baker himself puts in eight to ten hours most days and says there s seldom been a day when wasn t busy since he left his job with the dealership     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bob Baker 8694 Burnett Road Clay N Y 13041 ph/fax 315 699-2459 No updated information on Bob

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