Safe FEL use or not?

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( those were the good ole days )</font>

But not good enough to want to go back to them. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[slowrev]

Real close Bird /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Our 1 room school had grades 1-8. I guess Oklahoma was ahead of eastern KY /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Back in those old days no one "hogged" the bathroom did they ? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Well enough for me on the offtopic....

 

[Youare]

I have used and will probably continue to use my FEL for projects as you describe. When installing a new roof I used the FEL and a plank, one end of the plank on staging the other supported by the FEL, to reach an area of the roof.

I know this is not the intended use for a FEL but did not feel this practice was unsafe. There are many creative ways one can use a tractor and FEL to accomplish tasks other than moving dirt with the bucket.

When I put Christmans lights up last year I needed to be 4 feet taller to reach the eves. The FEL allowed me to reach a span of about 8 feet to attach the lights. A step ladder would have taken much longer and more moves on snow and ice covered ground. The tractor offered a more stable platform.

As long as you use your head and think about what you are going to do and the possible hazzards then I don't see anything wrong with creative FEL use.

Randy

 

[rantumscoot]

In theory a hose shouldn't break at that exact moment. Then again, a friend in high school went under a small bulldozer to look at a track and the blade did burst a hose. It crushed his legs and he lost enough blood that they couldn't save him.

 

[herdfan]

This worked for me!

 

[beenthere]

Yes, and I wouldn't ever recommend getting under a FEL either.
Being in the bucket and 'riding' it down, would be less traumatic than being under it and watching it fall slowly.

Good points.

 

[JDgreen227]

I've used the FEL to help take down big tree trunks by cutting a wedge out on one side with a chainsaw and then elevating the bucket against the opposite side, then making a partial cut on that side and shoving the trunk over with the loader.

However, I have not tried using a chainsaw in the FEL bucket YET.....if I could rig up some kind of a remote to operate the joystick while being in the bucket it would be a nice feature.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback on my post, I've learned several new tasks to use my FEL for. Now, if someone can just tell me how to rig up a remote control...

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[herdfan]

I did think about balancing on the bottom of the backhoe bucket since I could get a little extra height out of the hoe compared to the FEL.

Just kidding of course /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Actually, I was pretty careful about the FEL placement under that tree limb. I surely didn't want that thing to even come close to hitting that bucket!

 

[DiskDoctr]

I've used the "grandfather clause" as a remote control. "Hey Pap, lift me up" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've been in a ladder in the bucket, up the tree with a chainsaw. The round inside of the bucket is a surprisingly stable base for the ladder. Of course, this was a larger machine (about 12.5k lbs).

Not recommending this, but been there, done that /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

-JC