FEL as Concrete Caddy?

[wroughtn_harv]

The one third yard capacity of this bucket is perfect for the JCB and happens to be the capacity of the Stone mixer. A match made in heaven. I make a half yard version for concrete contractors because most of them have larger skid loaders.

Two things to keep in mind if you decide to make one for your tractor. Most folks don't bear in mind that you need to keep the load as close as possible to the tractor. And you need a lip at the top to contain slosh or splash, whichever is riding with you that particular day.

I've had two different guys look at my concrete caddy and figure that it was so simple they could make their own. They did. But didn't keep those rules in mind. They came back and bought mine when theirs didn't work. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Keep the bulk of the load as close as possible to the tractor. Install a simple lip so that splash is minimized. Nothing to it.

 

[WVBill]

Harv: When I looked at your first picture I thought you had attached the mixer to the JCB and thought "yet another clever wharv idea".

If you did that, you could dump directly from the mixer wherever you needed, skipping the step of dumping into your bucket for transportation. Also, there wouldn't be splash and slop out of the mixer drum.

I'd been thinking about something along those lines ever since I borrowed my neighbor's mixer and brought it over lashed into the bucket of the skid-steer I rented to build my pole barn.

I'm sure there's drawbacks and downsides, I haven't thought through though.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif ...thought through though.... now there's the beginnings of an english lesson. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[TC18guy]

My experience was with the U-Haul ready-mix. The trailer held a little better than a yard full of concrete. I hauled it from the plant (about 10-15 min.s away to home on a hot day (about 90 deg.) I was by myself but had all of my tools out & ready to go. by the time I started dumping the concrete was getting stiff, and alot of the gravel settled to the bottom. Luckily my dad showed up and rough leveled it out while I drug it out of the trailer. We sprayed it down & mixed it up the best we could. It turned out good for a dog kennel. I had a similar situation with another slab about 1.5 yds turn out about the same. It's Ok if you can get to the job site quick. If I had it to do again, I would probably order a truck or get a mixer.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Good morning Bill,

I originally wanted to do the hydraulic motor powered mixer mounted to a quick attach plate. But then the drawbacks started coming to mind. First and foremost for me was nine times out of ten I'm wanting to put three cubic feet or a little less in a twelve inch wide hole. If you look closely you will notice that there's considerable overage on the concrete caddy. That's my lack of control trying to hit a two feet by four feet hole! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I've used my concrete caddy and a redimix truck and it works great there too.

For the small farm-ranch or homeowner do it yourselfer a six cubic foot mixer secured to a fel would work great ninety percent of the time.

As for the settling while hauling issue. I need my concrete stiff to hold a post while it's setting up. After all I set them for height and line by eye. I try to dig the hole a couple to six inches deeper than is required so I have playing room. This also guarantees having concrete under the post.

When hauling, some jobs the general contractor will allow me to set up only in one area for mixing my concrete because of the other sub contractors working on the job. I've had to haul my mud almost a half mile with the concrete caddy. Those trips usually cause some separation. But with the skid steer controls I can do a pretty good job of remixing when I get to the fence line.