FEL Bucket Clamp on Shovel

[ASGAR]

I was looking in the Northern catalog and saw just what I thought I needed, a quick spade. I decided to make one myself...

I mounted it like my Paynes clamp on forks, which by the way I am super happy with.

I took a 13" diameter by 3/8" wall pipe and cut out a section. I used a cold saw, this milwaukee I find works well, it zips throught the 3/8 and later in the post you can see it cut off the 3/4" plate steel.

I torch cut the shovel point profile and a bit of the front edge bevel.

The shovel point burned up three 4-1/2" grinding wheels to sharpen it.

 

[ASGAR]

Next...
Cut up the rest of the steel scraps I had to make the shovel frame and clamps. I use a wooden guide, like a miter box, to guide the cold saw.
The tubing was 5/16 wall 1-1/2 x 2+. The plate was 3/4" scap and the clamp bolt was 5/8". I had to drill a counterbore to hold the nut I welded in so I could use the full threaded length of the bolt. In the last pic the frame is tack welded up.

 

[ASGAR]

Ok, so here it is on the bucket.. I blew it when I figured the top clamp plates, they hit the toothbar. Sooooo, I chopped them down with the torch, now they look mean, ug, ugly.

 

[ASGAR]

Now, after only a few nights in the barn... I did the 4 plantings my wife wanted me to do. Saved me at least 10 mins of shovel work. The reason I made this thing is actually more for digging up plants, the large one was a transplant. I dug it up in one scoop and moved it without leaving the seat. I plan on moving a bunch of plants. I tried to pop out a 10" cherry tree stump but the tractor is not heavy enough. The spade is able to withstand all the flexing the FEL can give it without any problems. It was also pretty good at trenching shallow ditches. I don't know if it is any better then a middle buster but it does work fairly well. If I take on a bigger plant / small tree I'll post it. The tooth bar gives the bucket a lot of support. I would have made a cross bar for it if I did not have the toothbar. I think the bucket edge would bend under abuse with this spade.

Hope this is useful to someone... thanks..

 

[joes_427_vette]

Looks like a useful tool to me. Nice mounting system. I have a need for one also.... mostly for transplanting evergreen trees. I'm going to mount it on the fork lift base I just built and make it detachable. The bottom I'm thinking 18" with sides bent to taper back for strength. I was hoping 1/4" material would withstand the force it would take. With the price of steel I want to explore more options and ideas.

 

[TDVT]

Excellent! I had seen those Quick Spades on the web & thought it might be useful for the odd trench or hole. Hadn't thought about using pipe.
I'm going to have to make one.

Thanks for posting it.

 

[Thood]

Great pics now I can start mine thanks

 

[5030]

Don't worry, the bucket floor will either bend or break the welds eventually. That is a light duty material bucket (far as I can tell) not a heavy duty bucket. Easy way to tell is look at the bottom side of the bucket floor. If if has double layer stringers it's heavy duty. No stringers light duty material bucket and it will break eventually. But then you can fix it.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

I have something similar in my "good idea" note book. Only working off the face of my pallet fork frame..

Good job..

 

[rScotty]

I called this one a "halfback".
rScotty