What's a good way to scoop up large stones?

[dave1949]

Went out and scooped this one. The one next to it was a bit too large for the tractor.

That's a good illustration of how the throat opening (distance from the leading edge to the back of the bucket) on your loader buddy is a lot different than a standard utility bucket. The OP can buy one, but you aren't comparing apples to apples. Good sales technique though Do they come with a grapple arm(s) too?
Dave.

 

[dave1949]

For rocks laying on or close to the surface I use my bucket and grapple or the chain method or I pry them into the bucket with a 5' bar. I keep the bar handy in the FEL torque tube. You have to be flexible and use what works. No two rocks are the same. My grapple helps alot to hold the ones that wont actually fit into the bucket.
It is the ones that are half buried that give me trouble. Those I have to swear at.

I have a 6' hexagonal bar, point on one end, chisel on the other. I call it my 'Maine Toothpick'. :laughing: Use it just like you describe for stubborn rocks.
Dave.

 

[Don87]

As Magicheater showed in his video(and others have stated), it's all in the technique.
If you watch his 'technique', you'll notice that he knows his machine, and the bucket.
Practice, practice, practice.....learn the machine, that's the key.
Another little tip to remember......most of the time, all ya gotta do is get about 1/3 of the total weight off the ground in order to move something, IE: reverse and drag.
1 more tip that people overlook, usually the 3 point will have twice the lifting capacity of the FEL........use that to your advantage

 

[Code54]

As Magicheater showed in his video(and others have stated), it's all in the technique.
If you watch his 'technique', you'll notice that he knows his machine, and the bucket.
Practice, practice, practice.....learn the machine, that's the key.
Another little tip to remember......most of the time, all ya gotta do is get about 1/3 of the total weight off the ground in order to move something, IE: reverse and drag.
1 more tip that people overlook, usually the 3 point will have twice the lifting capacity of the FEL........use that to your advantage

Yep - I take my carry all, drop it off, roll the rock on it, throw a strap around the BIG rock, then re-attach it to the tractor and drive away. Plus then I can put a few others in the front bucket - makes a great counter weight....

 

[foggy1111]

FWIW....on stubborn rocks.....a tire chain makes a good "net" or web to put behind a rock/boulder.....and pull it with a chain hooked to the drawbar.

 

[jimmyj]

I use a manure bucket. It looks like the loader buddy but it does not have steel webbing between the tines. The thing is handy as all get out for just about everything, rocks of all sizes, logs, hay, straw, brush, even pallets.

 

[jimmyj]

Mine sorta looks like this pic.

 

[Runner]

I use my pallet forks. For the really large rocks, I mount them on the three-point hitch.

 

[beenthere]

Runner
That looks like a great way to move rocks. And with the HTL, you can even dig them out.

I've used my forks for rocks too, and have one now that the FEL won't lift that I plan to move soon with the forks on the 3 ph. It is a big flat one that I've only been able to skoot out of the way for now.

 

[jenkinsph]

I use a rock bucket on my 110 for smaller stuff and use forks for large rock and stumps.

Here's the rock bucket on the 110.

 

[JoeL4330]

scanned the posts and didn't see mention of slope ...helps a lot if you are on the downhill side, steeper the better (within reason) ...of course, if your property is flat...

you could always place a really big rock in front of the rock you are trying to move, to keep it from skittering away (like removing peanut butter on the roof of your mouth...)

Or, see picture

 

[Don87]

FWIW....on stubborn rocks.....a tire chain makes a good "net" or web to put behind a rock/boulder.....and pull it with a chain hooked to the drawbar.

Fantastic idea.....I never thought of that one.

 

[horse7]

FWIW....on stubborn rocks.....a tire chain makes a good "net" or web to put behind a rock/boulder.....and pull it with a chain hooked to the drawbar.

I like this idea... I have a set of tire chains for a truck that I changed the tire size on, so the chains are free and just sitting around.

Sometimes a big rock can be dragged by choking them, but the chain not too infrequently slides under the rock and comes off, the tire chains should should net the rock better than a single chain would.

 

[mx5guy]

I loaded this rock using the push rock up slope as you lift FEL at same time and get rock off ground so you can move it.