Adding a claw

[rScotty]

Wow 61k prices have gone up...

That they have.... but frankly, compact tractors were always a luxury and they were always high. Way back 1981? when we bought our first compact we were stunned at what a Japanese 30 hp 4wd diesel with a loader went for. Add turf tires plus a couple of implements and you were over $20K - unless it was a Kubota; they were less. But back then even less money - maybe half that much - would buy an American farm tractor that was a proven design, with a loader that would lift either end of a pickup truck, from a dealer who cared, and with twice the power/stability.

Pm, what is the least expensive that you can buy a mechanical thumb for? Can you get one for under $1000? Weldng costs here would be $100 to $200 if a mobile rig came to you. If you get a mechanical one hung on there you can dream up powering it in a variety of ways.
rScotty

 

[4570Man]

Pm, what is the least expensive that you can buy a mechanical thumb for? Can you get one for under $1000? Weldng costs here would be $100 to $200 if a mobile rig came to you. If you get a mechanical one hung on there you can dream up powering it in a variety of ways.
rScotty

I paid about a grand for the mechanical weld on thumb for my 310. But it was much heavier duty than the L48 needs. I’d say you could find one for half that much. I have factory Kubota thumbs on both my machines now and I think they’re $2500 range plus the hydraulics. I bought both my machines with them already there.

 

[fried1765]

It is my understanding when sizing these mechanicals, the thumb must be equal to or greater than the length of the bucket or I guess things may get some damage. I guess the teeth must be offset as well. I am finding all sorts of options for the B-series, but no L-series. Some of the bigger players for the real heavy stuff do not make stuff as small as the BT1100.

I have a 2006 L48 TLB with an absolutely perfect hydraulic thumb.

It was made by M.C. Faulkner of Buxton, Maine.
Faulkner sold their fabricating business to SRS Attachments in May of 2019.

SRS Attachments is in Norridgewok, Maine.
Their phone number is 207-858-0690

I assume that the original owner selling dealer, Union Farm Equipment, in Union, ME. mounted it.
It is mounted for use with the Kubota quick attach hoe bucket.
It is a dream attachment to use!

I have no idea of the cost, as my L48 TLB came to me with it already installed.
The thumb is so perfectly designed/built/installed, that I expect it was VERY expensive.

Did I say I love it (and the L48 too)?
That would be an understatement!

 

[pmmully]

Wow 61k prices have gone up...

I could have maybe negotiated, but inventory is super scarce, it was gone when I went back in, so not much dealing. Also, the TLB versions of the L47 are not very common. I learned most dealers may order 1-2 per year for the lot. No such thing as a year model left over. The B26 TLB is a bit different, a much larger calling, and about $36K with the same setup. Smaller, but bigger than what Home Depot rents, hence the niche market for smaller all-around contractors.

 

[pmmully]

The OEM thumb setup is slightly over $5k on the L47 TLB. So that is just about 10% of the total cost of the whole platform.

 

[Smokeydog]

The Maine contact sounds good. How about a picture?

Home Depot and several other rentals around here have B26s. That’s how I got mine. 50hrs, remote, thumb and three buckets, 1 year old. Saved over $8k. The rental owner said he bought it to save people money redoing drain fields and lite grade work instead of renting a Bobcat and mini excavator. Said people who do that work aren’t spending their money and he makes more renting two machines.

Bought the whole backhoe attachment BT1200 with thumb for the M59 for $3800 used.

 

[Peter 315]

The OEM thumb setup is slightly over $5k on the L47 TLB. So that is just about 10% of the total cost of the whole platform.

I guess its depends on how the tractor is ordered by the dealer.. Mine was about 3,900 in 2017

 

[fried1765]

The Maine contact sounds good. How about a picture?

Home Depot and several other rentals around here have B26s. That’s how I got mine. 50hrs, remote, thumb and three buckets, 1 year old. Saved over $8k. The rental owner said he bought it to save people money redoing drain fields and lite grade work instead of renting a Bobcat and mini excavator. Said people who do that work aren’t spending their money and he makes more renting two machines.

Bought the whole backhoe attachment BT1200 with thumb for the M59 for $3800 used.

I would be happy to provide a picture, but this website and I, do not get along well with pictures.
I gave up on trying to post pictures on TBN a long time ago.

 

[the old grind]

Fried, for me pics are easiest from PC or tablet. I download a pic to my desktop and it's just a few clicks in a post to upload. (btw, I'm PC-only for all internet use and move pics to categories/folders)

What device you visit TBN on and whether you can download from chip, cam, or phone is all it takes to make it pretty easy to do.

 

[Smokeydog]

I would be happy to provide a picture, but this website and I, do not get along well with pictures.
I gave up on trying to post pictures on TBN a long time ago.

I have certainly felt your frustration. Just when you get it figured out it somehow changes. Pictures are worth a thousand words and sometimes my words aren’t too good either.