Meet Kermit!

[Gravy]

Kermit is our PT425. We picked him up just before last Thanksgiving. After playing...umm...working with him for a few hours, we were sitting back looking at him. We realized that: He's small, green, bugeyed, and cute, like a certain famous frog. What else could we call him?

We have one of his relatives as a stand-in riding on the control panel (see attachment). Someday we'll get a logo on the front cover plate.

We bought him with a 4in1 bucket, a snow blade with both rubber & steel lips, and a minihoe.

We've since made up pallet forks,and a "universal attachment plate" similar to pequeajim's. Attachments for the universal plate include a ditch scraper, boom pole, pickup truck unloading hoe, trailer hitch, box blade, and a "rock popper" (our version of the potato digger).

Projects in process are a PHD and a winch. We also are working on a design for a side boom string trimmer or mower, and are planning to make some sort of grapple.

We've modified the access to the center pivot grease fitting, and added a reverse treadle stop and spring.

So far, a lot of our time has been spent digging out and moving rocks. We've got LOTS of rocks...

We'll try to get some photos posted in the next few days.

Gravy

 

[pajoube]

WOW, you have been busy building. Would love to see pictures of your projects you have built.
Great to hear from you.
PJ

 

[pequeajim]

I would love to see some pics of your implements too!

We love pictures /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Gravy]

<font color="blue"> OK, so here is what we call a rock popper, and boy do we have rocks! The blade is a piece of a semi-tractor leaf spring.</font>

 

[pajoube]

Thats a monster of a blade. Looks like the blade comes off from the bottom of the quick attach and then you have a slide in hitch receiver?
PJ

 

[pequeajim]

I would be interested in knowing how the rock popper holds up when you are digging backwards with lots of force. As you move backwards, the force generates upward on your receiver. It looks like you could drag a tank that with, nice!

It also looks like you did some multi-pass welds for strength.

 

[Gravy]

<font color="blue"> Yes, it slides up into the vertical receiver. That leaf spring is strong! </font>

 

[Gravy]

<font color="blue"> The first attempt broke off at the welds on the first big rock. I rewelded it with multiple passes at a higher current setting. It's holding up well after the next 6 rocks, the largest of which you can see in this photo. </font>

 

[Gravy]

<font color="blue"> This rock is near the limit of what Kermit can pick up and carry. At that, I had to back down the hill to avoid a major pucker incident. </font>

 

[Gravy]

<font color="blue"> Here's the boom pole. I plan to make a longer one when I get some more 2" tubing. I was able to carry a 20hp explosion proof electric motor (I think it was around 300lbs.) at full extension. </font>