Jim,
Thanks for the advice, and particularly the pictures.
One of the reasons that I wanted a QA was I was maxed out(just) when lifting some of the equipment I have been using. By putting a lift point closer to the tractor, and making the bucket removable, the lift capacity should increase significantly. I had planned on making an attachment that would move the lift point in, and the torque tube would have gotten in the way. However, your point about just using the torque tube as a lift point is well taken.
I have not talked to my dealer, but looked at the various non-NH alternatives, and they are $500+, and assumed the NH system was more. One can get just the QA lock system for 400. I was somewhat shocked. I will talk to the NH dealer, and report back.
I plan to weld the tabs, with pin tubes, from my current HD buck to attached the QA to the loader. If done correctly, this should extend the bucket less than 1/2 inch.
Finally, I am investigating using a hydraulic locking pin mechanism. I want auxiliary hydraulics at the bucket anyway, and, if I can find appropriate cylinders, the cost difference would not be significant. It would actually make the fabrication easier.
Having a hydraulic lock would make the possiblity of relatively sleek mobile storage devices(like wood boxes, tool boxes, etc) with built in QA receivers that you would not have to get off the tractor to move(and would not need forks to handle.
As for the Euro style couplers, I can't find a good reason to use them, as the lifting capacity of my loader isn't even close to the design limits, and the skid steer qa system has a bunch of attachments.
Thanks again for all the advice.
Chris