My bucket hook install

[wushaw]

I finally got around to installing bucket hooks on my L2800.
I first reinforced the upper lip with a stick of 2 3/8 X 3/16" drill stem pipe under the lip.
Then attached the hooks to the brackets which are 5/16" thick then welded them to the bucket after grinding a little angle int them so my little MM175 will get enough penetration.
The welds on the pipe are not something to write home about but I did good on the brackets and hooks.
One thing nice about a QA bucket is the ability to work on it off the tractor, I have it setting on a furniture dolly which worked just great moving it around easily.
My cost for this job was 15.00 for 15' of drill stem, I always buy more than needed, the hooks were 5.00 each and the 5/16 angle was from my surplus pile, So I figure 25 - 30 bucks including wire, elect and other consummables.
Not a bad project and I had fun.

 

[weldingisfun]

Nice looking job. I like your idea of using the drill stem to reinforce the top edge of your bucket. The best part is you had fun doing it.

 

[davemhughes]

Nice job

 

[navycut]

Wushaw,
How thick is the wall of drill stem?

 

[Sandlot]

Nice job Wushaw. Weld On!

 

[wushaw]

Wushaw,
How thick is the wall of drill stem?

3/16"

 

[john_bud]

I like the fact that you thought out the stresses and added re-enforcements to the bucket. Your's won't be one of those with a big "smile" that's for sure.

I don't think your welding is all that bad, nope not at all. The travel speed could be a bit more uniform, but that's just practice practice practice! At least you didn't leave slag on the welds! (inside joke from my thread on "fixing a backhoe" in the repair area.)

Not being from the great state of Texas, what is "drill stem"? It looks like thin wall tube or maybe thick wall conduit?

jb

 

[weldingisfun]

I like the fact that you thought out the stresses and added re-enforcements to the bucket. Your's won't be one of those with a big "smile" that's for sure.

I don't think your welding is all that bad, nope not at all. The travel speed could be a bit more uniform, but that's just practice practice practice! At least you didn't leave slag on the welds! (inside joke from my thread on "fixing a backhoe" in the repair area.)

Not being from the great state of Texas, what is "drill stem"? It looks like thin wall tube or maybe thick wall conduit?

jb

Drill pipe. Used when drilling oil wells. Plenty of it in Texas.

 

[Thomas]

Now that's roughed!!...very professional.

 

[john_bud]

Drill pipe. Used when drilling oil wells. Plenty of it in Texas.

And it's a buck a foot for what 3/16" wall?? That is cheap!

I'd be making a lot of stuff with it at those prices!
jb

 

[westbrooklawn]

Nice job!! you will wonder how you ever got by without those hooks... I use mine constantly...

 

[joes_427_vette]

I can't believe you can buy that 3/16 wall pipe that cheap. Here we mainly used square or rectangular tubing with various wall thickness. While it is great to work with it quickly equates to a small fortune.
Do the salvage yards have this in stock or where can it be bought ? I have a neighbor that runs to Texas a couple times a year for car parts. I would like to try some for a few projects.

 

[wushaw]

I can't believe you can buy that 3/16 wall pipe that cheap. Here we mainly used square or rectangular tubing with various wall thickness. While it is great to work with it quickly equates to a small fortune.
Do the salvage yards have this in stock or where can it be bought ? I have a neighbor that runs to Texas a couple times a year for car parts. I would like to try some for a few projects.

My local steel place in Ennis had it in two different configurations...clean or has surface rust (used) sold in 31' sticks or just whatever you wanted it cut to, I purchased the used stem and just took a wire cup brush to it and clean the rust off.

 

[weldingisfun]

I can't believe you can buy that 3/16 wall pipe that cheap. Here we mainly used square or rectangular tubing with various wall thickness. While it is great to work with it quickly equates to a small fortune.
Do the salvage yards have this in stock or where can it be bought ? I have a neighbor that runs to Texas a couple times a year for car parts. I would like to try some for a few projects.

Where in Texas does your friend visit? If is in my neck of the woods, midway between Austin and Waco, I can give you the contact information of a few places. They advertise all the time. Try $1.38 per foot for 1 1/2 ID. It comes in 20 foot lengths so you'll need a trailer.

 

[3RRL]

wushaw,
Nice job on adding those hooks and the added reinforcement for them. You will love being able to use them for pulling or lifting or whatever. They are one of the handiest and most inexpensive additions to your tractor. I'll bet I've used mine about 50 times since I put them on last year!

 

[wushaw]

Thanks for the kind words guys.
I have been meaning to install hooks for awhile now since I needed them on my last tractor and could have used them a few times on this one, I now have them and don't have to worry about bending the top lip with the added reinforcement.

 

[crbr]

Nice job. I saved the pics for future reference.

As for your welding.....?? I can appreciate your humble comment. In my younger career, I was an AWS certified visual welding inspector on nuclear power plants. I can appreciate these as well, although you are very frugal in saving the ink and paper for writing home... LOL..... (please bear in mind, I can't weld worth a crap ).

Good job indeed on the project. Thanks for the details.