Loader Drilling a hole or 2 in the loader: a good idea or not?

[davel8257]

I've not heard of firewood bags... this could be a whole new topic.

Firewood cutting and transport is part of what I want to do. I'm weary of having flat tires on my log splitter. I'm thinking that I could remove the wheels and strap it down to a pallet and transport it on a pallet and use (still on the pallet).

I have another lifting project in mind as well -- the stability and extra capacity would probably be a good feature that I should consider.

 

[IndyIan]

The maximum force you can put on the front edge of the bucket with the tractor hydraulics stays pretty the same weither you have a long lever or none, if the lever goes all the to the back of the bucket.
Now if you lift up the biggest load you can, then drives fast over rough ground, bouncing the tractor then you could expect to start bending the bucket pretty quickly.
Also I think you have a SSQA, do you see two levers behind the bucket? Its super easy to switch buckets, flip both levers and tilt the bucket forward and slowly drop it to the ground, then back away. Go scoop up the next bucket and flip the levers back.

 

[kiotiken]

This is pretty much what I have. Fast Firewood B120 Firewood Bag - YouTube I paid about $2/bag and they are reusable most of the time. I think you'll find you'll put everything on a pallet once you have pallet forks!

 

[kiotiken]

The maximum force you can put on the front edge of the bucket with the tractor hydraulics stays pretty the same weither you have a long lever or none, if the lever goes all the to the back of the bucket.
Now if you lift up the biggest load you can, then drives fast over rough ground, bouncing the tractor then you could expect to start bending the bucket pretty quickly.
Also I think you have a SSQA, do you see two levers behind the bucket? Its super easy to switch buckets, flip both levers and tilt the bucket forward and slowly drop it to the ground, then back away. Go scoop up the next bucket and flip the levers back.

A little off topic, but do you have one or two levers? My CK30 had 2, my DK has a single lever.

 

[Redneck in training]

Last summer during the drought, I used the loader to haul water out to the garden, (collect in rain barrels, then pour the barrel out into the loader). I'd want to plug up those holes once in a while when not using the forks. I have yet to move any sand or other fine material.

The new Northern Tool catalogue has clamp on forks. The clamps with a simple receiver hitch is $119 -- that's 25-30% of the pallet fork cost right there.

I'm leaning toward trying this. I might get some time this weekend to get started on it.

Do not drill a hole. Weld or have somebody weld a large nut to the loader. Then when in not use screw a short greased bolt in it. Alternatively you can weld a bolt there.

 

[IndyIan]

A little off topic, but do you have one or two levers? My CK30 had 2, my DK has a single lever.

Single lever on my loader but the pics I see of the 402 always have two.
You'll have show us the firewood bag and skid setup, I have been thinking about how move firewood on skids. Didn't think of the bags though.

 

[davel8257]

A little off topic, but do you have one or two levers? My CK30 had 2, my DK has a single lever.

I have one lever.

 

[davel8257]

Do not drill a hole. Weld or have somebody weld a large nut to the loader. Then when in not use screw a short greased bolt in it. Alternatively you can weld a bolt there.

I'm not sure I know what you mean. This might work on top or back of the bucket. I guess this might work on the inside if I were going to run the back of my forks into the inside of my bucket, but I was going to run the steel underneath the bucket. I would not want a protrusion on the bottom of the bucket.

Maybe I'm on different page...?

 

[kiotiken]

I just sent Dave a PM with the link, but here it is for everybody else. VERY nice guy to deal with and I was actually shocked how fast they arrived. I believe he's down near London Ont. but he may ship to the US, I'm not sure. I welded up a simple frame and it works really well. I've cut the number of times I have to pick up each piece of wood by at least 3 or 4, and when you see that log truck pull up and think about lifting that load by hand 6 times, you really start to appreciate it. I also made a dolly out of a skid and 4 casters (although I'll be replacing them with stronger ones this year). I bring a skid over with the tractor, put it on the dolly which is on the back deck and then push it up against the back wall of the house and cover it with a tarp. Each bag is slightly less than 1 face cord.

BAG Supplies Canada Ltd :: Cubic Firewood Nets

 

[kiotiken]

Single lever on my loader but the pics I see of the 402 always have two.
You'll have show us the firewood bag and skid setup, I have been thinking about how move firewood on skids. Didn't think of the bags though.

Check out the youtube link I posted above, my set up is identical to his, I just don't have a mill. I go from my splitter to the bag. I put two full bags side by side and then one on top in the middle to make a row. After I have all my rows, I cover the whole thing with a silage tarp. The DK 40+ and DS4510 guys are fine, but my CK30 wouldn't lift a full bag (I had to under fill them and that doesn't work) and certainly wouldn't stack them. From the charts I've seen, green hardwood is about 2200-2600# per face cord and since this is slightly less than a face cord, it's around 2000#.