One Large Scoop, Please...

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Harv

Elite Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2000
Messages
3,371
Location
California - S.F. East Bay & Sierra foothills
Tractor
Kubota L2500DT Standard Transmission
Has anybody but me been frustrated by the capacity of a standard bucket when you have more bulk than weight to deal with?

Nearing the end of my first full season as a tractor owner, I find that I am often faced with the chore of just shuffling massive amounts of weeds, leaves and other debris from where they lay to the compost heap or brush pile. As y'all know, this can amount to many trips with almost no weight in the bucket. A little better than a wheelbarrow, but not as satisfying as it should be.

Well, on this last trip to the property, I got fed up and tried to do something about it. Still being welder-challenged, I turned to my only resource -- my woodshop. My goal was simply to extend my bucket to hold more bulk. All I had lying around that was of any size was some scraps of plywood, so that's what I used.

The attached picture shows the "prototype" I used for proof of concept. None too elegant, that's fer sure, but it was enough for me try out the idea.

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   / One Large Scoop, Please...
  • Thread Starter
#2  
The attached pictures here show some "live action" shots during the trial run. As far as I'm concerned, the idea is worth pursuing. I moved many bushels of dried leaves and debris in a fraction of the time it used to take.

BTW -- in the top pict, you can see what we use snow shovels for here in California. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

For the "final" product, assuming I follow through with this, I would use 1" plywood and angle iron along the seams, just for durability. I would also make the sides higher (maybe 30" instead of the 20" you see in the pictures), plus I would add a rear wall of equal height.

If the two trailers my dad left me had not somehow disappeared, I might be pursuing a whole different approach, but dropping this simple structure into the bucket and fastening it with two bolts makes it a pretty convenient way to tackle these chores.

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   / One Large Scoop, Please... #3  
Nothing wrong with that, Harv, for light weight stuff. Looks good to me.

Bird
 
   / One Large Scoop, Please... #4  
Harv,

I saw your title... and got excited... I was ready for some ice cream... /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

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   / One Large Scoop, Please... #5  
Harv,

<font color=blue>Has anybody but me been frustrated by the capacity of a standard bucket when you have more bulk than weight to deal with?</font color=blue>

Yep, and still am./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I like your idea/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif My approach was a little different. I used 3/4 inch plywood and check chains from the top of the loader to eye bolts in the plywood. It worked OK to carry some large plants for transplanting. I like your approach better but I think I will spring for a tilt bed trailer.

Al
 
   / One Large Scoop, Please... #6  
Splendid idea Harv. I might do something similar, but I think I might investigate some way to quickly attach/detach. Thanks for sharing!

The GlueGuy
 
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#7  
<font color=blue>I might investigate some way to quickly attach/detach</font color=blue>

I would be interested in what you come up with. I wanted to do the same thing, but my watch said I had one hour left to either fiddle with an elegant attachment or get out there and use the thing. So out came the drill.

This semi-monthly warrior stuff really sucks sometimes.

BTW -- I was thinking of fashioning something that would hook over the top lip of the bucket, but wasn't sure if that would be enough. I could speed up the two bolts by investing in a pair of wingnuts, too. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

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   / One Large Scoop, Please... #8  
I likes it. I think I'll make a similar one for the fall.

What would you change in your design?

Matthew
 
   / One Large Scoop, Please... #9  
You'd be called a true yankee around NE when stuff starts appearing on the tractor!! We need large capacity snow buckets around here and they are sometimes purchased, often times adapted from larger machines, or built from whatever is around. I'd like to add another 15 degrees or so of rollback when I build mine. This would make flipping things in the bucket easier with a nice headboard to keep them from landing in my lap. SteveV
 
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#10  
<font color=blue>What would you change in your design?</font color=blue>

This one was whipped together so fast I would hardly call it a "design", but like I said, I would go with 1" plywood, higher sides, add a back (same height as sides), and reinforce the side seams with angle iron.

Like GlueGuy, I'm still cogitating on some form of quick attach, too, although the two bolts don't really take much time.

HarvSig.gif
 
 
 
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