Thank you for the new replies...I have been wanting to update the thread, but always seem 'just around the corner from doing something else to the BH, so why not wait?' Thanks for the 'push.' As for the cylinders, luckily, it was stored in a garage (so literally not even surface rust), and all cylinders were retracted, except for the boom and the side/to/side were about 1/2 as they cannot both be retracted at the same time). There was a little dust, and after reading the post from dfkrug I wish I would have wiped everything down first...but I already hooked up the BH to my tractor hydraulics (with return line in a bucket).
Even at a low idle my tractor really flows that fluid. Everything worked on the BH (although I really only extended/retracted each cylinder a tiny bit to see if there were any big issues before attempting to attaching it to the tractor). Funny thing, I must have 'lost' about 2 gallons of fluid from my tractor in the process, and my fluid level is now at the mid-point of where it should be on the dipstick. The PO had the level way high, which I knew, but the Kubota guys said too high is not the worst thing in the world (unless it is filled up all the way, which mine was not even near). So i feel better about the tractor being at the 'normal/correct' fluid level now.
Also, I mentioned that I needed a bucket and figured I would need to fabricate one. I was of course keeping a close eye on Craigslist, and a guy just a couple of hours drive from me posted one that looked like it would work for only $100 - so I bought it. The pin size is correct and the distance between the flanges is 1/2" wider than my dipper 'pin holder' (which should be good with a couple of spacers)...only thing I am not sure of is if the distance between the pins is correct - but I did some measuring at the dealer and the distance on the bucket seems reasonable compared to those I measured...and I figure it will only affect the curl of the bucket, which I could learn to deal with...anyhow, really nice bucket I picked up.
I also just placed a big order at the local steel company (onlinemetals.com is only 1/2 hour from me) for pins, circular tube, rectangular tube, etc. to connect the bucket, make a subframe to connect it to my
B2150 (which bye the way looks like a very easy job with the way they have the bottom rail setup), make some outriggers, and hopefully some kind of seat mount/foot rests.
So far, I have about $700 into it, including all the metal I just ordered. If it turns out, it will be quite a deal for a frame-mounted, American made, BH.
