OkieG
Veteran Member
The light weight of a Light Material Bucket is great to maximize payload. The downside for me has been that the cutting edge frequently bends (actually "bows" is probably more accurate), as does the top edge of the bucket, where I have a nut welded for pulling/lifting (used like a bucket hook).
Whenever I get a noticeable bow, I use a stump to nudge the surfaces back toward straight. I've been nudging for years.
I think bucket fork activity is the main culprit re: the cutting edge; and just plain old pulling with the bucket "nut" tends to want to buckle the top a bit.
Finally decided to try something. I got some solid steel rod and welded a piece behind the cutting edge and along the lip of the top edge of the bucket.
There is a groove, factory bent into the floor of the bucket just behind the cutting edge. That's where I welded the rod as shown in the picture above. The rod is back far enough so the bucket forks still fit.
As you can see, there is already reinforcement present for the bucket nut. That project, from long ago, helped support the nut, but bending would sometimes still occur. The rod I just recently placed, is tucked up under the curl of the folded metal lip and can't be seen in this picture, but you can tell where it is.
Don't know if my efforts to stiffen the bucket will help or not. Just wondering if anyone else has had any bowing, or found a good way to reinforce edges.
OkieG
Whenever I get a noticeable bow, I use a stump to nudge the surfaces back toward straight. I've been nudging for years.
I think bucket fork activity is the main culprit re: the cutting edge; and just plain old pulling with the bucket "nut" tends to want to buckle the top a bit.
Finally decided to try something. I got some solid steel rod and welded a piece behind the cutting edge and along the lip of the top edge of the bucket.
There is a groove, factory bent into the floor of the bucket just behind the cutting edge. That's where I welded the rod as shown in the picture above. The rod is back far enough so the bucket forks still fit.
As you can see, there is already reinforcement present for the bucket nut. That project, from long ago, helped support the nut, but bending would sometimes still occur. The rod I just recently placed, is tucked up under the curl of the folded metal lip and can't be seen in this picture, but you can tell where it is.
Don't know if my efforts to stiffen the bucket will help or not. Just wondering if anyone else has had any bowing, or found a good way to reinforce edges.
OkieG
