Pictures of home-made front-hoe

davesisk · May 8, 2004

It should be...the square tubing is 1/4" wall 4" wide, compared to the 1/8" wall 3" wide that PT uses for the mini-hoe. I have been guilty of under-building earlier attachments...I tried to over-build this one, and I think it probably came out just right!

Dave

jol1269 · May 8, 2004

well it definatley looks like it will hold up long term ......cant wait to build mine now ......by the way the attachments have really started to climb for the pt 425 due to the price of steel . i may have to make a run to tazewell to get the mower / bushhog before they cost more than my 425 did /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif .....by the way has anyone got anyideas for a hybrid gas/electric idea for the 425 as gas is close to 2.00 a gal. here now hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm just wondering

pajoube · May 9, 2004

Dave,
Great job, whats the next project?
PJ

davesisk · May 11, 2004

Thanks, PJ. Well, I have to balance working ON the tractor vs. actually working WITH it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif , but I sure would find some sort of leaf cleanup attachment helpful (I'm thinking a big sheetmetal bucket with a hydraulic-powered rotary sweeper deal attached to the front and hydraulic cylinder to raise and lower the sweeper part...kind of like PT's VERY expensive power dethatcher).

Probably next would be a simple aerator that I can roll around. I'm thinking one of the spike types (like you typically pull with a lawn tractor) with attachment tabs welded to it so I can pick it up with the PT.

I'd love to build something like the Forkster (www.forkster.com) mentioned in another post, but I've only got two pallets sitting around (and hopefully for not too much longer) so that one would be hard to justify....sure would be a fun one though!

Dave

MossRoad · May 11, 2004

Leaf removal seems to be a common thread around here. Someone come up with a low profile box that uses a hydraulically powered sucker that can be mounted out front like the mower deck. Then it can either be dumped hydraulically or reverse the blower to power unload it. Common you guys, you can do it! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I'm pretty happy with using my hand blower to windrow everything and then using the snowplow to push it across the yard to our pile. I would think you could get a leaf blower, remove the gas engine and replace it with a hydraulic motor powered by the main PTO. Mount it on a plate and use the quick attach circuit for power angling left and right. Up and down would be from the dump/curl circuit. Then you would have a four wheel drive leaf blower. I'm going to experiment with my hand held leaf blower bungee corded to a milk crate that is bolted to my spare attachment plate next fall. I intend to make it low to the ground. I won't have power angle, but I won't be carrying it and I will be getting seat time! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

davesisk · May 11, 2004

( I'm going to experiment with my hand held leaf blower bungee corded to a milk crate that is bolted to my spare attachment plate next fall. I intend to make it low to the ground. I won't have power angle, but I won't be carrying it and I will be getting seat time! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

MR, you are one twisted fellow! Great idea...necessity is the mother of invention... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

smartguyz · May 12, 2004

( Leaf removal seems to be a common thread around here. Someone come up with a low profile box that uses a hydraulically powered sucker that can be mounted out front like the mower deck. Then it can either be dumped hydraulically or reverse the blower to power unload it. Common you guys, you can do it! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I'm pretty happy with using my hand blower to windrow everything and then using the snowplow to push it across the yard to our pile. I would think you could get a leaf blower, remove the gas engine and replace it with a hydraulic motor powered by the main PTO. Mount it on a plate and use the quick attach circuit for power angling left and right. Up and down would be from the dump/curl circuit. Then you would have a four wheel drive leaf blower. I'm going to experiment with my hand held leaf blower bungee corded to a milk crate that is bolted to my spare attachment plate next fall. I intend to make it low to the ground. I won't have power angle, but I won't be carrying it and I will be getting seat time! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

David,

I had to do a bunch of leaf removal and cleanup last year - I put the portable generator in the back of the yard cart, and simply held the blower while I tooled around the property - I would hop off, and then blow things around, and then get back on. It worked well.

I still have the JD318 around for it's bagger ability, but it seems awfully expensive to just do that. I did purchase an el-cheapo Snapper mower (had a broken tranny) which I intend to fix up and use for leaf pickup and general vacuuming work.

This year will tell if I need to keep the JD around for anything. If not, I will give it a little farewell party and sell it to the 1st available buyer.

Sincerely,

Rob /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif