Daddy has a new bag!!! Tractor Work Platform

[Coyote machine]

Good thread, excellent pics of the job start to finish.
Thinking on the use of your wife to lift and lower you; how 'bout teaching her how to lower the platform at the point when you're done working in it, instead of having her lift you into place? This way you set up everything you want for the height, reach, etc, and then all she has to do is start the tractor and lower you close enough to the ground if you need to 'bounce' you can?:confused3:

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Dang it: If I had thought about this thread and your post yesterday morning I was up at Nashville yesterday (I-440/Nolens Pike and Napoleon) picking up a table saw, I could have brought you one of these IBC totes.

Thanks for the thought FTG. That would have been a great help for me. It's a pretty long drive for me, however, the price is right on those totes. If you're going to be in the Nashville area anytime in the future and can do that without too much trouble, I'll take you up on the offer.

 

[woodlandfarms]

I made my own lift basket for my machine. We use it a lot, especially in the orchard.

A few notes... The flooring is super important, getting a mat is crtical IMO, My first version was made of a plastic pallet bottom. It proved slick in the rain (which is constant here) THe second incarnation is some scrap floor grate metal (metal tread my neignbor had). Not fun to kneel on but not slick at all and debris just falls through.

Highly recommend the wife learning to operate. As these machines are not really designed for this, whenever you are moved my rule is you kneel down and hold on. But having someone able to move you around is far safer IMO than the ladder method.

Likewise, If I have to operate on my own, I climb up the lift arms. Now this is easy on my machine, but I feel going up the lift arms is a lot safer than a ladder propped against the basket.

Oh, I rigged up a metal strap system that goes over the top of my pickle fork back to hold the basket in place.

 

[FTG-05]

I made my own lift basket for my machine. We use it a lot, especially in the orchard.

A few notes... The flooring is super important, getting a mat is crtical IMO, My first version was made of a plastic pallet bottom. It proved slick in the rain (which is constant here) THe second incarnation is some scrap floor grate metal (metal tread my neignbor had). Not fun to kneel on but not slick at all and debris just falls through.

Highly recommend the wife learning to operate. As these machines are not really designed for this, whenever you are moved my rule is you kneel down and hold on. But having someone able to move you around is far safer IMO than the ladder method.

Likewise, If I have to operate on my own, I climb up the lift arms. Now this is easy on my machine, but I feel going up the lift arms is a lot safer than a ladder propped against the basket.

Oh, I rigged up a metal strap system that goes over the top of my pickle fork back to hold the basket in place. View attachment 502707

Just so you know (sorry no pics) I don't prop the ladder on the basket. I use an 8' step ladder and the ladder is always independent of the basket.

 

[Tractor Time with Tim]

We use an old container. We could get them from Christy's workplace (she no longer works there).

We use a ratchet strap to strap it to the pallet fork frame.

 

[woodlandfarms]

How much for the wife? Love mine. But jeez you two get along too well for working together.

 

[Tractor Time with Tim]

How much for the wife? Love mine. But jeez you two get along too well for working together.

Thanks. She really is special. She says we get along so well because she has a 'short memory'. Check out our other videos. If you think the wife is cool, wait until you meet the daughter!

 

[MossRoad]

I made my own lift basket for my machine. We use it a lot, especially in the orchard.

A few notes... The flooring is super important, getting a mat is crtical IMO, My first version was made of a plastic pallet bottom. It proved slick in the rain (which is constant here) THe second incarnation is some scrap floor grate metal (metal tread my neignbor had). Not fun to kneel on but not slick at all and debris just falls through.

Highly recommend the wife learning to operate. As these machines are not really designed for this, whenever you are moved my rule is you kneel down and hold on. But having someone able to move you around is far safer IMO than the ladder method.

Likewise, If I have to operate on my own, I climb up the lift arms. Now this is easy on my machine, but I feel going up the lift arms is a lot safer than a ladder propped against the basket.

Oh, I rigged up a metal strap system that goes over the top of my pickle fork back to hold the basket in place. View attachment 502707

I had to do a double take on the floating dog! :laughing:

Here's some pictures of the lift Pajoube (RIP PJ) built for his PT425. It slips over his pallet forks. He just stepped up from the tire to the lift to get on it.

 

[spursjingles]

DO NOT FORGET! COUNTER BALANCE. A must have.