For Those Without a BH, How Do you Do It?

[Carl_NH]

Kyle,

Since you have a 4000LB TLB now, I cant imagine why you would not want one again, but also there are just some jobs that these machines cant do as fast or well as a larger machine or alternate methods e.g. stump grinding.

I have thought about upgrading my B21 (to an L39/45) but thats costly as you know, and since my neighbor has a CAT 416 and Excavator I hire him for low cost to do the heavy lifting as needed(3-4' rocks and such). He is not always available or the machines are at a job site so I have hired other work out too.

I tackle stumps up to about 8-12" but have rented a stump grinder and even hired a fellow for a flat rate of 350/day and he can grind about 10 30"-40" base in a day. The worse part about that is the clean up..

For large rocks (too big for my BH thumb) I use the bucket/chain method and wrapping the chain around the rock and to the center hook and tilt back.

The other option you might consider is a used L48 or L39 - these can be found for around $30-32K with not too many hours. The other option could be a older Case/Deere full sized hoe for $8-15K range.

 

[SixHoeBob]

Use one of my other five. Any size backhoe is better than none,

 

[wolc123]

I have a JD 4120 with a 400X loader and heavy duty bucket. What I do to pop stumps, boulders, dig small holes, and move trees is bolt a 30" long piece of heavy, 12" wide x 3" channel-iron, flat under the center of the bucket. It sticks out the front about 20", making a nice, stout, 12" wide shovel. I dont know if Kubota makes a heavy enough bucket to get a way with a cheap trick like this, but it works very well for me. I only needed to drill (1) 9/16" diameter hole thru the bottom of the bucket on center to mount it, and also use (2) of the 9/16" toothbar mounting holes to attach the "shovel" with (3) 1/2" bolts. I also bolt a couple pieces of heavy, 4" angle-iron under the bucket in line with the lift arms on occasion for moving logs, etc. which required drilling a couple more 9/16" holes thru the bottom of the bucket, and again also using a couple of the toothbar holes. I dont have chain hooks welded to the top of the bucket, but I keep a couple loose ones in the toolbox, and again, bolt them to toothbar holes whenever I need hooks. Them toothbar holes sure are handy, even if I never do add an actual toothbar. I plan on digging a small pond some day with that tractor/loader, and I will probably spring for a toothbar before that job. The tractor is quite heavy up front though and does a pretty good job digging even without a toothbar, especially in the spring/fall when the ground aint too hard.

 

[newbury]

I've a small BH/B7610 combo. My eventual purpose, if I ever get retired and moved, was to use it to learn and also build narrow trails on my land. I've about 300+ acres in Ms of timberland, and 75 in Vt.
But until then I play with it on my little suburban lot in Va. I've attempted to dig out 4 stumps in Va. The first one I documented here
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-owning-operating/147380-my-first-stump.html

The next two were relatively small 8" pines, came out like greased lightning.

The last was a 30" plus maple with main lateral roots up to 12", I dug a 4' deep hole around it and it had big roots going down deep into heavy clay. It won.

Then to make matters worse, after I filled it in, thought I packed it down, and left it to sit for 2 months it bit me again. As I went to level the area around it I started sinking in, when I went to get out the front tire was about hub deep and came up against one of the 12" roots and I almost buried the little tractor. Now if I had had the BH on I could of lifted my self out maybe

 

[drivadesl]

Wow Newbury, how'd you ever get out of that hole?

 

[Scrambler82]

Wow Newbury, how'd you ever get out of that hole?

X2, wow !

Did you break anything ?

 

[Kyle241]

Carl_NH, I know what you mean about missing a BH. My B20 has done a great job all round and the only stone/boulder that I could not move, I buried deeper (it was as big as my tractor). I haven't met a stump I couldn't remove but there have been some stubborn ones (big elms). I have looked at the L45 but it is too much money even though it's a beautiful machine. I have looked a little at used L39's or 48's but up my way there are not a lot around.

Newbury, I think you needed to yellow tape that area. Now that is a hazard!

 

[newbury]

X2, wow !

Did you break anything ?

I had 3 helpers, my son George, our friend Jack (farm-jack ) and a cute little winch.

 

[Knight]

If your asking the questioin... that means you want one.
You won't rest until you have it, Once you have it, you'll use it all the time.
Be safe!

 

[Runner]

"If your asking the questioin... that means you want one.
You won't rest until you have it, Once you have it, you'll use it all the time."

That's what I love about TBN: Not just idle chatter, but in-depth analysis.