Daddy has a new bag!!! Tractor Work Platform

[woody]

I have been needing a platform also I may have to try this. did you fix a way to secure it to the tractor, if it skids off the forks it will hurt.

 

[EddieWalker]

How do you get up there? Rely on another driver or from a ladder?

 

[FTG-05]

I have been needing a platform also I may have to try this. did you fix a way to secure it to the tractor, if it skids off the forks it will hurt.

In the last pic, you can see the 1" ratchet I used to secure it to the tractor forks for just posing for the pics. When I use the platform at height, I'll use a 2" 3K lb WLL ratchet strap to keep it tight against the fork body.

 

[FTG-05]

How do you get up there? Rely on another driver or from a ladder?

The last paragraph: "The bottom of the tote is just above 8', so I could reach it using my 8' ladder. However, I'm really hoping I can teach my wife enough to use the tractor to lift me up while she's in the seat."

I haven't used it yet for real, just had it in the air for pics. I gotta feeling that +99% of the time I'll be using the ladder. Training my wife to use/drive the tractor may be a hill too hard to climb.......

 

[k0ua]

The last paragraph: "The bottom of the tote is just above 8', so I could reach it using my 8' ladder. However, I'm really hoping I can teach my wife enough to use the tractor to lift me up while she's in the seat."

I haven't used it yet for real, just had it in the air for pics. I gotta feeling that +99% of the time I'll be using the ladder. Training my wife to use/drive the tractor may be a hill too hard to climb.......

If you do go the wife route, I would advise spending about a day having her operate the basket/tractor with some weight in it (not you) It will react differently with and without weight, and I hope your tractor has an hydrostatic transmission, that will make creeping toward the building much easier especially for an operator without years of experience.

I would also suggest that you do the absolute minimum of travel with the basket. In other words, get it set up on level ground right next to the building so the operation will just consist of raising and tilt, not much ground travel.

She will have to get used to the idea of moving up a bit and adjusting the tilt, and repeating that motion. It also depends, on the person. Some people have steady nerves and a steady head. Some don't. I would trust my life to some people and have, and others, meh, not so much.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks. I've always relied on a ladder because I'm too scared to rely on somebody at the controls not dumping me. I know a guy that had is son in law, who is an Air Force fighter pilot, run his tractor while he stood in the bucket trimming branches. It worked great until his son in law got too close to a branch that flipped him out of the bucket and onto his back on the ground!!!!

 

[FTG-05]

If you do go the wife route, I would advise spending about a day having her operate the basket/tractor with some weight in it (not you) It will react differently with and without weight, and I hope your tractor has an hydrostatic transmission, that will make creeping toward the building much easier especially for an operator without years of experience.

I would also suggest that you do the absolute minimum of travel with the basket. In other words, get it set up on level ground right next to the building so the operation will just consist of raising and tilt, not much ground travel.

She will have to get used to the idea of moving up a bit and adjusting the tilt, and repeating that motion. It also depends, on the person. Some people have steady nerves and a steady head. Some don't. I would trust my life to some people and have, and others, meh, not so much.

That pretty much kills that idea right there. There's no way she'll spend a day learning a tractor.

Absolutely agree on the minimum travel bit while in the platform.

 

[FTG-05]

Thanks. I've always relied on a ladder because I'm too scared to rely on somebody at the controls not dumping me. I know a guy that had is son in law, who is an Air Force fighter pilot, run his tractor while he stood in the bucket trimming branches. It worked great until his son in law got too close to a branch that flipped him out of the bucket and onto his back on the ground!!!!

I agree, I believe I'll be using the ladder as well.

But that's all right, climbing in and out isn't that big a deal since I can hold onto the basket while doing so. And working at heights will be ok as well since I'll be on solid "ground" (i.e. the basket floor).

Thanks,

 

[FTG-05]

Got to use the work platform several times over the last couple of days.

I replaced incandescent flood lights with LEDs in two light fixtures. One of them could have been done with a ladder, the other was too tall for my 8' step ladder. I'm not pleased with "flood" aspect of the lights, too "spotty" but I can live with it especially since now I won't be having to replace them all the time like I did with the incans.

Then I installed the 7280 lumen LED outdoor light about 16-18' up in the air yesterday: Holy Cow is that a bright light!!!

So far it's been very easy to use and far more convenient to use than climbing a ladder all the time with tools, fasteners etc. Load up the platform, lift it up and position it, put ladder up then go to work, easy peasey.

Thanks,

 

[PJSprog]

Very nice, FTG-05. Put a safely harness in there, and OSHA might even approve. :laughing:
I really like the rubber mat addition.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I wouldn't mind making one of those FTG. Which Craiglist edition was that in? I live in middle TN so if it is in the Nashville edition, it might be handy for me to pick one up.

 

[FTG-05]

I wouldn't mind making one of those FTG. Which Craiglist edition was that in? I live in middle TN so if it is in the Nashville edition, it might be handy for me to pick one up.

It was in the Hsv CL, but it might have been in the Nashville one as well.

Here's the ad: 33 gal totes

 

[jmc]

Good idea. I did something similar but with just a plain skidsteer bucket for cleaning out single story gutters. 6 foot wide coverage plus about 2 feet per side you can safely reach. Throw the sludge in the bucket so you don't have to rake it up off the ground. Ladder access to bucket wasn't too inconvenient. Overall, safer than the old way (ladder, 4 feet at a time, on irregular ground.)

 

[hawkeye08]

I plan on this project also. I want to get several, have some water storage to water trees in pasture in addition to man lift. I think my wife will be able to drive tractor fine..

 

[rd_macgregor]

With wife (or other potential heir) operating the tractor, you might want to have good medical insurance, but not too generous a life policy.

 

[BTDT2]

I really like the man-lift cage you made. I fabricated my own many moons ago and a couple of safety recommendations.

1)Try to get your better half to operate the tractor when you need to load, move, transport stuff that makes for a safer two person project. As an example whenever I need to back the tractor out of the shop I ask her to do it while I check for clearance. Over time she has become a safer operator than me, albeit my pickup took a pretty good hit when she was unloading garden fertilizer.

2) Always double check your quick attach locks. I tilt the cage all the way forward to check the locks from the driver's seat and check the reliability of the two safety straps. Now that I'm in my golden years and no longer bounce well I also use an independent safety harness with fall stop protection.

3) We use two way radios when working at max height because a cab restricts line of sight for the driver.

4) The tractor is never moved with the FEL up, we always re-position first and then raise the bucket. In the past twenty years I'm guessing around 40 plus hours spent safely 'in-the-cage'

5) Last, but most important, don't stand in a standard compact bucket at height, there is nothing to hold on to, and even if you bounce well, it could be a very bad day

 

[k0ua]

I really like the man-lift cage you made. I fabricated my own many moons ago and a couple of safety recommendations.

1)Try to get your better half to operate the tractor when you need to load, move, transport stuff that makes for a safer two person project. As an example whenever I need to back the tractor out of the shop I ask her to do it while I check for clearance. Over time she has become a safer operator than me, albeit my pickup took a pretty good hit when she was unloading garden fertilizer.

2) Always double check your quick attach locks. I tilt the cage all the way forward to check the locks from the driver's seat and check the reliability of the two safety straps. Now that I'm in my golden years and no longer bounce well I also use an independent safety harness with fall stop protection.

3) We use two way radios when working at max height because a cab restricts line of sight for the driver.

4) The tractor is never moved with the FEL up, we always re-position first and then raise the bucket. In the past twenty years I'm guessing around 40 plus hours spent safely 'in-the-cage'

5) Last, but most important, don't stand in a standard compact bucket at height, there is nothing to hold on to, and even if you bounce well, it could be a very bad day

I loved your post. I am old and fat and probably don't "bounce well" either.:thumbsup:

 

[kco]

I agree, I believe I'll be using the ladder as well.

But that's all right, climbing in and out isn't that big a deal since I can hold onto the basket while doing so. And working at heights will be ok as well since I'll be on solid "ground" (i.e. the basket floor).

Thanks,

I use a salvaged portion of my sundeck for a crude platform. Although far from "safety-approved" it is safer than working from a ladder.

I use 1/2 of my extension ladder to access the platform. I drilled holes in the four pallet fork uprights to carry a round bar just shorter than the fork frame width so I can leave the bar in the frame all the time. The ladder is mounted by running the bar through the top hollow rung, and held in place with a lynch pin. When moving locations I shove the ladder tight against the pallet fork frame and hold it up with a sling.

Here are a couple of photos:

 

[FTG-05]

I wouldn't mind making one of those FTG. Which Craiglist edition was that in? I live in middle TN so if it is in the Nashville edition, it might be handy for me to pick one up.

Dang it: If I had thought about this thread and your post yesterday morning I was up at Nashville yesterday (I-440/Nolens Pike and Napoleon) picking up a table saw, I could have brought you one of these IBC totes.