Weld on bucket teeth - advice wanted

[Bill Barrett]

I've never had teeth on a bucket, and can't imagine having one that dosen't come off. I'm going to order a Markham* for my new 1009 Woods loader

 

[patrick_g]

I've never had teeth on a bucket, and can't imagine having one that dosen't come off. I'm going to order a Markham* for my new 1009 Woods loader

Bill, You may suffer from a lack of imagination.

I can imagine having non removable teeth on a bucket. Mostly it is imagining that along will come some task not originally planned for which goes terribly because of the non-removable teeth.

Maybe by limiting ones options you obtain clarity of thought, kinda like the guy who only has one tool, a hammer, so every job he sees looks like a nail to him.

Pat

 

[JMA375HH]

I Just installed 60'' bolt on tooth bar and found that it was money well spent. however my next project i have i will need to remove tooth bar I discovered that the teeth would cause more of a problem keeping them on. sooooo do what you like but i would never weld them rite to my one and only bucket. and thats just me.

 

[john_bud]

The cutting edge of my bucket is not just plain mild steel. It is way harder. I'm not sure what Rockwell or how far from the edge it is hard but the actual cutting edge is quite hard, especially compared to mild steel or the sides or back of the bucket.

I do have one quite small chunk knocked out of the edge and ir broke out leaving a crystalline structure where it parted that is typical of harder alloys.

Pat

Pat, You will note that I stated "weldable steel" and not "just plain mild steel". I made the point that welding it won't remove the temper, as it isn't tempered.

Have a great day.
jb

 

[schmism]

i have weld on teeth and ive very happy with mine.... even with the crappy little welds that are currently holding them on....

ive got a thread floating around with some pics if your intrested....

 

[patrick_g]

Is it safe to say teeth can be a good thing for some tasks with a FEL and be in the way for others?

What are the pros and cons of a bolt on tooth bar? Slight cost penalty (unless your welded on alternative requires paying a welder.) but no welding skill required. Should perform essentially the same as welded on teeth and maybe offer some reinforcement useful in extreme instances.

Pros and cons of welded on? You have to be a welder or locate someone who welds. Performance? Just fine, as good as bolt on except if you need the reinforcement. Except for lack of reinforcement which could also be welded on if you need it, the only real down side to welded on is they are not removable if you have a task for which they are a negative.

So except for a few bucks one way or the other depending on hiring a welder or not, adding welded on reinforcing or not the performance is equivalent.

What is the issue (if not a few bucks, welding ability, or something not yet evidenced?)

If they are welded on and later a task comes along that is not suited for teeth then, oh well, you are just SOL. Of course there will be users with welded on who love them and either don't have tasks unsuited to teeth or who just learn to be satisfied to not do them or not do them well. There will be bolt-on users who leave them on all the time and would have been served (so far) just as well with weld-on. There are bolt-on users who rarely use them but have the option to have teeth if they want.

OPTIONS That is what the crux of the issue is, options. There is NO RIGHT ANSWER. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL.

Bolt-on keeps your options open and gives you the versatility to go either way and weld-on doesn't. It is up to the individual to decide if he can predict the future and know whether or not having no teeth might be a good thing some of the time.

Personally I prefer to keep my options open as experience has taught me that I personally don't know and can't accurately predict the future. Someone else may not be in a dynamically changing environment and can rely on tomorrow being like yesterday and know for a fact they don't need a Transformer Toy.

Again, there is no ONE SIZE FITS ALL CORRECT ANSWER. Weld-on are perfect for the guy who knows he will never do anything better done without teeth.

Pat

 

[TwinWillows]

Thanks everyone for all the well thought out replies & PM's.

I'm somewhat still teetering between to weld on or not as the welding on is basically permanent (not really but almost).. However, once I'd bolt the tooth bar on it's highly unlikely it'd ever come off. For my use, current & long term, it just feels like it'd make as much sense to just weld them on... Plus, it'd give me more welding practice which I'm enjoying.

I have a quote for a bolt on bar & need to get pricing for the weld on's & then quit waffling & make a decision.

 

[schmism]

by far most of the people that have posted they have gotten a toothbar say they never bother with takeing it off or folding it up.

there are a few that do, but its usually for snow/ice removal in the winter and there non-gravel driveways....

 

[GaryE]

Thanks everyone for all the well thought out replies & PM's.

I'm somewhat still teetering between to weld on or not as the welding on is basically permanent (not really but almost).. However, once I'd bolt the tooth bar on it's highly unlikely it'd ever come off. For my use, current & long term, it just feels like it'd make as much sense to just weld them on... Plus, it'd give me more welding practice which I'm enjoying.

I have a quote for a bolt on bar & need to get pricing for the weld on's & then quit waffling & make a decision.

Why not just weld up a tooth bar? This way you will have the option of removing it in the future if you ever need to and you will get even more welding "practice"? We are only talking about a few extra pieces of steel. Remember, you will be living with this for a while.


This kinda' reminds me of a post by someone who was wondering why he should get an FEL with his new tractor.... He could not imagine why he would need one. I think he ended up getting one.


Don't limit your options just to save a few bucks....




Just my opinion....


Gary

 

[hill]

Patrick_G,

Have you ever tried backdragging using the rearmost corner of your bucket rather than the cutting edge?

Your bucket may not curl up the way mine does but I'm able to 'present' that corner to the ground and have used it for smoothing loose dirt a couple of times.

Not, perhaps, a permanent replacement for the practice of smoothing dirt as I guess it could eventually wear a hole through the floor of a bucket, but for small areas and occasional convenience it can save the need to remove the toothbar.