Using the Bucket Solutions Quick Attach Spade Attachment

[LPSteinmetz]

As I have mentioned in previous threads, I am the new owner of a Kubota L4060. Over the past two weekends I have been busy digging up two 20-30 year old Chinese Tallow stumps in an area where we plan to build a new steel building. Several weekends ago we cut down the trees and left about 5-6 foot of trunk.

Last weekend we started on the first tallow. I used the Bucket Solutions Quick Attach Spade on my bucket. Admittedly, this was my first major project using my new tractor and this attachment. It took me three hours on Saturday and five hours on Sunday to get the slightly smaller of the two tallow stumps out. This included using a Sawzall and a chainsaw to cut through the bigger roots and a Wyeth-Scott 3 ton Power Puller as an assist. My wife and I were absolutely beat by the time we toppled the stump.

This weekend I decided to try the spade attachment on my plate mounted pallet forks instead of attached to the bucket. Without hesitation, in the future I would go the fork mounted route probably everytime. I will admit that I am getting more comfortable using the tractor but, using the forks, I had better visibility in trying to figure out my approach but I was also able to dig deeper with the forks than the previously weekend when I had it attached to the bucket. Including short breaks, it took us 5 hours.

Last weekend I was a little sceptical of my purchase of the spade attachment; this weekend I am a huge fan. It also convinced my wife that this is the perfect attachment to use to plant the one hundred and one trees she has planned for our property.

 

[jeff9366]

I use a Bucket Solutions'/Bucket Spade often, mounted on optional Kubota L2296 Heavy Duty Round Back Bucket on my L3560. Bucket Spade is an especially rigid mount on the thick L2296 bucket. Be sure to tighten the aluminum allen screws, which hold the mounting pads to the mounting bolts, regularly. The pad screws tend to work loose. (It would be nice if Bucket Solutions included some spares with the BS but they do not.)

I am sure you have discovered the importance of adequate ballast mounted on the Three Point Hitch. I use a Rollover Box Blade, which allows me to fill holes by pushing dirt, with the tractor in reverse. (Rigid 3-Pt stabilizers required.)

Mine is most often used to lift mature Blueberry plants for division and replanting. These plants sometimes weigh 400 pounds when they are lifted with the root soil. In the past I also used the BS/BS for creating replanting holes. Last year, however, I purchased a Dirt Dog All Purpose Plow, more commonly known as a Field Cultivator. Three days ago I ripped the new ground to be planted with the Field Cultivator, then planted small Blueberry divisions with a garden spade. This was faster, as it involved moving less dirt for the holes, and allowed me to align the replanting holes perfectly straight in the rows. The Field Cultivator ripped 10" to 12" deep, assuring the small division roots will have soft soil in which to spread. (It would be very slow and laborious to lift mature Blueberry plants with a garden spade.)

My next "go to" task is excavating weed Palmettos, which the BS/BS does rapidly, normally two stabs per Palmetto, rarely more than four stabs.

I occasionally excavate and replant Sable/Cabbage Palms, which have a compact "stub" root structure.

I have never used my BS/BS other than bucket mounted as I do little large tree work. A couple years ago I helped my neighbor plant a large Bradford Pear. I had to make a LARGE hole to reach the necessary depth. That was OK because the pot was maybe 48" in diameter. Using intermidiary forks the Bradford Pear hole could have been smaller, however the pear has lots of soft soil in which to spread its roots.

What length forks do you use? If you were to purchase forks ONLY as an intermediary between BS/BS and bucket, what length pallet forks would you choose?

It would be great if Bucket Solutions produced an SSQA mount Bucket Spade.

BS/BS is not a Backhoe but for $400 for the BS/BS, rather than $8,000 for a Grand L Backhoe, it is one fine tool. I am a fan.

BS/BS LINKS TO T-B-N ARCHIVE:http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/328798-bucket-spade-today-fel-bucket.html?highlight=

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...da-planting-sand-pears-kubota.html?highlight=

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/266341-trees-removed-roots-using-fel.html?highlight=


DIRT DOG FIELD CULTIVATOR LINK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=

 

[k0ua]

Jeff it looks like you are getting your moneys worth out of your Bucket Spade. While the home made one I have may not be quite as capable, it was cheap! I have less than $10 in it. I used it to dig out a very large and persistent stump, and many rocks in the yard. And have sadly used it to dig several burial graves for our pets. We have planted flower bulbs and dug several roadside trenches with it. A rather handy thing to have for little money.

 

[LPSteinmetz]

I use a Bucket Solutions'/Bucket Spade often, mounted on optional Kubota L2296 Heavy Duty Round Back Bucket on my L3560. Bucket Spade is an especially rigid mount on the thick L2296 bucket. Be sure to tighten the aluminum allen screws, which hold the mounting pads to the mounting bolts, regularly. The pad screws tend to work loose. (It would be nice if Bucket Solutions included some spares with the BS but they do not.)

I am sure you have discovered the importance of adequate ballast mounted on the Three Point Hitch. I use a Rollover Box Blade, which allows me to fill holes by pushing dirt, with the tractor in reverse. (Rigid 3-Pt stabilizers required.)

Mine is most often used to lift mature Blueberry plants for division and replanting. These plants sometimes weigh 400 pounds when they are lifted with the root soil. In the past I also used the BS/BS for creating replanting holes. Last year, however, I purchased a Dirt Dog All Purpose Plow, more commonly known as a Field Cultivator. This year I ripped the new ground to be planted with the Field Cultivator, then planted Blueberry small divisions with a garden spade. This was faster, as it involved moving less dirt for the holes, and allowed me to align the replanting holes perfectly straight in the rows. The Field Cultivator ripped 10" to 12" deep, assuring the small division roots will have soft soil in which to spread. (It would be very slow and laborious to lift mature Blueberry plants with a garden spade.)

My next "go to" task is excavating weed Palmettos, which the BS/BS does rapidly, normally two stabs per Palmetto, rarely more than four stabs.

I occasionally excavate and replant Sable/Cabbage Palms, which have a compact "stub" root structure.

I have never used my BS/BS other than bucket mounted as I do little large tree work. A couple years ago I helped my neighbor plant a large Bradford Pear. I had to make a LARGE hole to reach the necessary depth. That was OK because the pot was maybe 48" in diameter. Using intermidiary forks the Bradford Pear hole could have been smaller, however the pear has lots of soft soil in which to spread its roots.

What length forks do you use? If you were to purchase forks ONLY as an intermediary between BS/BS and bucket, what length pallet forks would you choose?

It would be great if Bucket Solutions produced an SSQA mount Bucket Spade.

BS/BS is not a Backhoe but for $400 for the BS/BS, rather than $8,000 for a Grand L Backhoe, it is one fine tool. I am a fan.

BS/BS LINKS TO T-B-N ARCHIVE:http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/328798-bucket-spade-today-fel-bucket.html?highlight=

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...da-planting-sand-pears-kubota.html?highlight=

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/266341-trees-removed-roots-using-fel.html?highlight=


DIRT DOG FIELD CULTIVATOR LINK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=

Very interesting write-up!

I already learned about the aluminum allen screws. Last weekend I got the spade cockeyed on my bucket and decided to take one more shovel full before jumping off and realigning the spade. I ended up breaking off the aluminum screw and will have to use an easy-out to remove it. Yesterday, although I was using the fork mount, the other screw vibrated out but fortunately I was able to find it. I suppose if you keep them tight it doesn't matter that they are aluminum but I was surprised when I discovered that they were made of this material.

Yes...I definitely had ballast on the back, my 6' rotary cutter. It is not what I would usually use but I had plenty of room to manuever with it so I didn't bother to switch it out for my box blade.

I used 48" forks yesterday. I have 48" forks only because I made a mistake when ordering. Everything I bought with my Kubota I bought on the same interest free loan. I hadn't used the forks yet so I called the dealer and asked if I could swap them out for 42" forks. I was told no because it was all rolled in on the purchase loan and no substitutions could be made. After going back and reading threads about 48" vs. 42" it seems like 42" may be favored by many (maybe most) but there were enough advocates of 48" that I decided to just not worry about it. For what I was doing yesterday I thought the 48" worked just fine. If I was (and I will be) digging holes to plant older trees (not saplings) I might want a shorter fork but this is not something I plan to do a lot of so I will make it work with what I have.

You are correct, it is not a backhoe. I really wanted a backhoe but just could not justify the added expense. For what the quick-attach spade does and what it cost, I probably already made my money back and, other than one broken screw, cleaned off it almost looks new so I think it is a tool that will last as long as I will need such a tool.

 

[jeff9366]

I already learned about the alumninum allen screws. Last weekend I got the spade cockeyed on my bucket and decided to take one more shovel full before jumping off and realigning the spade.

"A stitch in time, saves nine." (Quote from my pioneer Grandmother, often heard in my adolescence.)

I was surprised when I discovered pad screws are fabricated were made aluminum.

The pad screws are sacrificial. Better to occasionally replace an aluminum screw than to bang up the expensive Grade 8, fine thread, steel clamp screws into which the aluminum pad screws thread. In two years I have not been able to think of a better, still cheap, alternative.

Let me know if you determine replacement size/thread, OK? Someday I will need one.

I keep thinking 32" pallet forks would be a good length for mounting the BS/BS. A little LESS leverage stress on the BS/BS, bucket and FEL.

 

[jeff9366]

Jeff it looks like you are getting your moneys worth out of your Bucket Spade. While the home made one I have may not be quite as capable, it was cheap! I have less than $10 in it. I used it to dig out a very large and persistent stump, and many rocks in the yard.

And have sadly used it to dig several burial graves for our pets.

As a retired La-de-Dah wine sales and marketing klutz I have NO practical skills, other than mopping floors, which I learned in the Navy.

As a retired engineer you have the advantage. Bet you did your own welding, in addition to design.

I used my BS/BS to bury our beloved Australian Shepperd in our yard, soon after the spade arrived.

 

[LPSteinmetz]

A stitch in time, saves nine. (Quote from my pioneer Grandmother, often heard in my adolescence.)



The pad screws are sacrificial. Better to occasionally replace an aluminum screw than to bang up the expensive Grade 8, fine thread, steel clamp screws into which the aluminum pad screws thread. In two years I have not been able to think of a better, still cheap, alternative.

Let me know if you determine replacement size/thread, OK? Someday I will need one.

Very good point...hadn't thought of that but should have. Aluminum is out of the ordinary when it comes to fasteners but the light just didn't go on that there must be an engineering reason involved in the design when I was looking at the broken screw.

 

[k0ua]

As a retired La-de-Dah wine sales and marketing klutz I have NO practical skills, other than mopping floors, which I learned in the Navy.

As a retired engineer you have the advantage. Bet you did your own welding, in addition to design.

I used my BS/BS to bury our beloved Australian Shepperd in our yard, soon after the spade arrived.

I did do my own welding, and design.. I learned both the design and welding along the way (well OK, I had been welding for a while), But still the welds while strong, (they must be as none have broken) are not all that pretty, they have sufficed. The engineering I did was telecommunications engineering. That followed 21 years as a telephone technician. And that followed radio and television technician. So my design skills ain't quite up to par. And my welding skills, while greatly improved in the last 5 years, ain't nothing to really brag about. I might brag some, but I really shouldn't.

My point is that even though a persons skills might not be all they should be for such a project, I would encourage them to to just jump in and start doing it. It can't hurt, you will learn lots in the process

If anyone wants to see my design and fab up of my little home made shovel, and the mistakes I made along the way you can click here.

If you would like to see my fabrication mistakes and struggles with my Pin On to SSQA conversion on my old Kubota you can click here.

As you can see, I am not very skilled, at least not like some of the guys on here who are really engineers and fabricators. But everyone has their niche, and everyone is good at something. :thumbsup:

 

[iplumb]

Hi guys old thread, but have found a great deal on a bucket spade. Just wondering if this has caused any damage to your bucket lip?

 

[jeff9366]

There are numerous brands of Bucket Spades with diverse means of attachment to FEL buckets.

There is a lot of variation between FEL tractor buckets: high volume "light materials" buckets, standard buckets and heavy duty buckets, such as the Kubota L2296 heavy-duty, round-back bucket, approximately 100 pounds heavier than the standard Kubota bucket.


My experience has been with Bucket Solutions' Bucket Spade.
First on a Kubota B3300SU tractor loader package (25-horsepower) with standard bucket. This rig is one of several predecessor models to the current Kubota L2501.

With Bucket Spade attached to a standard bucket prudence during operation is important. I used my Bucket Spade on the B3300SU for two years with no damage to metal, just scuffing of paint where mounting pads contacted the bucket. Bucket Solutions Bucket Spade is 110 pounds of steel, so it is more robust than the thin steel of the bucket. It would be possible to rumple the bucket operating the pair imprudently. Used imprudently, the bucket will be the weak link, not the spade. I never had this outcome.

Now I use the same Bucket Spade on my heavy-chassis Kubota L3560 with the optional L2296 heavy-duty, round-back bucket. L2296 provides a very rigid, supportive mount for the Bucket Spade. I use this combination pretty hard, much harder than when attached to the B3300SU; after five years no damage, no distortion, nor perceptible dulling of the cutting edge. I give Bucket Solutions high marks for "build".

My soil is Florida sandy-loam. No rocks.

Prudent operation is more important than the Bucket Spade parameters. Gravity is your friend.


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