Using bucket as work platform.

[eanjay]

I was just browsing a copy of 'Handy Devices for the Farm & Home' (1978), and in chapter Vlll under the heading 'Around the Home' is the suggestion the a "front-end load is an excellent substitute for scaffolding". I guess guys have been doing this since tractors, or at least FEL were invented.

EanJay

 

[Bedlam]

I can remember my uncle using the town pay loader to attach x-mas lights to the poles in the center of town. One guy driving , the other in the bucket.
My dad in the the police car.( He was police chief).The "cop car" was our family car.Huge gray box of tubes for the radio in the back seat floor, that I sat on.We also routinely rode on the tailgate in the down position.
In the past few years, Ive seen even riding in the back of a pickup outlawed.
Time Change. But its common sense that wasn't practiced. I'm sure back then without the net etc, that accidents that did happen we never knew about.
Here we don have to wear a seat belt. WHY? no not because we are macho, because there is still a shred of respect for our freedoms.
I always wear a belt. I have one son who does also and a daughter that doesn't.Can I convince her? I try , thats all I can do, A law isn't going to make her.
We cant be protected from every danger, just be make aware of the possibility and make our own decision of level of risk.
Definitely a sticky subject, with allot of thoughts, and a bit of bashing. But good discussion.
Al

 

[whodat90]

OK, so I get that hydraulic failure is a concern. Why isn't tire failure, parking brake failure, HST malfunction, or any of a million other, just as likely, things a concern? Honestly, if my loader doesn't pop it's hydraulics with a full bucket of gravel, how likely is it to do so when it's just little 'ol me in there? For those of you with HST trannies, what if the centering spring broke and the thing started driving away on it's own? What if you're up in the bucket and a tire pops? That could put quite a lean on the tractor. I'm not saying the danger of hydraulic hose failure doesn't exist, I'm just saying that it's not necessarily more or less likely than any other failure with similar/same results.
whodat

 

[N80]

I think hydraulic failure would be the most sudden and catastrophic. Not saying that other stuff can't happen. I think its odd that I've sort of come out on the 'macho-stupid' side of this issue. In reality, I never get in the bucket while the tractor is on. I never let anyone near the tractor when I'm in the bucket. The tractor is on level ground. I've done it a grand total of two times, and both times the box blade was down like an anchor.

Its a potentially dangerous activity (one among many) so if I weigh the risk and decide to do it, I try to limit as many liabilities of the risky behavior is possible.

 

[SPYDERLK]

There are many reasons for risk. They all have to do with some perceived gain:

 

[N80]

Love it!

 

[jimmysisson]

Love it!

Me, too, especially the eggs and the pigs. Still I'm glad they don't all have motors, that much less fuel for us. They must have stronger air over there than we do - a refrigerator on a bicycle here would be tough on the tires!
Jim

 

[jk96]

if my loader doesn't pop it's hydraulics with a full bucket of gravel, how likely is it to do so when it's just little 'ol me in there?

I used to think the same thing. Just for info, I had one of my hydraulic lines on a DX24 burst in my shop. Started the tractor, raised the (empty) bucket to back out and the line burst, spewed oil everywhere and the bucket FEL crashed to the ground instantly. This was enough for me to make sure I don't use it for a platform, or put anypart of my body underneath without bracing.

Off topic, but anyway - Spyder, I loved the pictures. I'm in the fireworks industry and spend 2-3 weeks every year in China. I'd post pics but yours are almost identical to mine. Most persons I've seen on a motorcycle? Six. Husband with wife riding sidesaddle holding one or two kids does not even make me raise an eyebrow anymore. I've also never seen so many people with so little living harsher, but happier, more fullfilling lives. There's a big difference between the focus on family and the materialistic ways we find ourselves living in hear in the U.S without even realizing it. Kinda makes you open your eyes a little and appreciate things a whole lot more.
jk

 

[AchingBack]

I must love cats. About a year ago, my son's calico cat climbed about 30' up into a white oak. At that height, she was on the lowest limb. As it was raining, dark,she wasn't my cat, and because I'd always heard they will eventually come down on their own; I tried to ignore the matter. Sure enough, about three hours later she was down.

Fast forward to last week. Miss calico, has now had a litter, and been spayed. She isn't quite healed from this, but decides she feels well enough to go back up the same tree. I did not discover this until it was dark, misting, and threatening to snow. I had the sinking feeling she wouldn't be able to make it down by herself, and I had two choices. I could ignore her little cries for help, trusting she'd soon get hungry, and figure out how to descend. Or, I could lay awake all night, the tree not 30 feet outside my bedroom windows. Who could go to sleep with a poor little cat up a tree in a snow storm?

The only hope I had for a peaceful night's rest, was to employ my tractor. After I made my way into the woods in back of the house, and next to the tree, I fully extended the loader on my Mahindra 2615, placed an extension ladder against the bucket, climbed up into it, pulled the ladder up after me, placed it into the bucket, leaned it against the tree, and discovered I was too close to the tree. So, I climbed back down into the bucket, left the ladder leaning against the tree, climbed out onto the loader arms, held on, and dropped to the ground. Next, I backed up enough to obtain a safe angle on the ladder, got a step ladder, climbed up to the loader arms, and back into the bucket. I then tied the ladder to the toothbar, to the tree, and prayed. What an adrenaline rush I felt as I shakily made my way up the fully extended ladder. Moist bark is very slippery, and I was concerned the ladder might give way somehow. I was barely able to reach her, and she wasn't willing to release her grip on the bark. I kept reassuring her, and myself, everything will be OK. I grabbed her by the nape of her neck, and tugged, pulling her into my jacket so I could use both hands on the ladder. When the rescue was over, I scolded her, and warned her against climbing that particular tree again.

I am glad I read this forum topic because I may not have thought about using my tractor in this way. It was in some very tight circumstances, and took quite a bit of manuevering. Everything went well, thank God. With a lift height of 96.5", the loader/ladder combination saved the day. I never want to do this again though. Also, I was wearing special footware with skid resistant soles.

Please folks, don't try this at home.

 

[rback33]

Also, I was wearing special footware with skid resistant soles.

Please folks, don't try this at home.

Not flip-flops?