bucket toothbar

varmint · Dec 23, 2003

Many readers will remember the discussion last summer about home-made tooth bars. Inspired by another poster, I found some combine teeth at TSC for about $5 each (each consisits of two German-forged steel teeth connected by a short crosspiece) and got a piece of 3/8" x 4" bar stock. Here're some photos showing the finally welded up bar, which works fine for digging in my hardened ground-up asphalt material pile that I use for road repairs. Considering my small bucket/tractor, I think they should be stout enough.

MikePA · Dec 23, 2003

Second picture, from below.

PineRidge · Dec 23, 2003

I like them. I see business possibilities for you. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

scottbrrtt72 · Dec 26, 2003

Wow, that looks like something out of a MAD MAX movie.....nice work!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

WVBill · Dec 26, 2003

Good Job! That's the way I would have done it except I don't have a welder so I drilled two holes for each pair of teeth through the bar stock and the bucket and just bolted it on. Not very removable but I havent found a job yet I couldn't do with the tooth-bar on.

They are mean little shin (and anything else) catchers though! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

scottbrrtt72 · Dec 27, 2003

Did you use a mig or an arch welder to fasten those teeth?

varmint · Dec 27, 2003

A friend who welds more than I do used his $100 arc welder and a handfull of 6011 rods to stick it together. Low-tech.

frank_f15 · Dec 27, 2003

seems like they will do the job, may take a few min. longer to remove or attach ,but what the heck.

RoyJackson · Dec 28, 2003

Where abouts are you in northern MD, Varmit?

varmint · Dec 29, 2003

Roy- not too far from you, if you're in York Co.- down by Jacksonville- about 45 minutes from York, PA.

RoyJackson · Dec 29, 2003

"Roy- not too far from you, if you're in York Co"

I'm in Windsor, bit SE of York...

I know Jacksonville...haven't been down that area for a while though.

rambler · Dec 31, 2003

Someone else did that a while back. Knowing how many I bust in rocks while combining or mowing alfalfa, I'm still not sold on their longjevity, but any farmer will have a bucketfull of good used ones (the sharp edge wears off & they are tossed) sitting around, instead of paying $5-10 a piece for the sickle guards. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

--->Paul

nomad · Jan 1, 2004

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( .... instead of paying $5-10 a piece for the sickle guards. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
)</font>

While you are here, Paul... I'm thinking to add a sickle bar cutter to the edge of my bucket. It will work then like a mow & collect (the grass in the bucket.) Very useful, isn't it? Now, the only left work is how to give the motion to the sickles there on the bucket edge. Lets hear the simplest idea.

rambler · Jan 2, 2004

Orbit (hydraulic) motor driving a wobble box.

A direct mechanical drive would be more efficient, but cost more & too many parts to get it plumbed through a loader - shafts & belts just won't make it.

Electric drive probnably isn't robust enough with 12v available.

Only leaves hyd.

--->Paul

Egon · Jan 2, 2004

Think Swather!!!

Egon

nomad · Jan 3, 2004

Yes, Paul, hydraulic driver looks best option.
But, instead of a hyd. motor, I'm thinking about a simple hydraulic vibration system with a small piston on each end of sicklebar cutter. Anyways, since this sickle cutter will not be more than 3-4 ft (as it will be mounted on the bucket end) the power required to operate it will not be high. Also, the friction in this system will be less because it's not a mechanical friction. Worth to make such a system? Not sure yet. But certainy, worth to try. Will see.

Ben_W · Jan 3, 2004

I had thought about using those for a toothbar also. I was wondering since the 3/8 by 4" bar has to be bolted to the bucket anyway, could the teeth just be bolted to the bucket and forget the bar?

varmint · Jan 5, 2004

I had thought about that too, but it would have been 10 bolts, not 3 or 4, and more importantly, the teeth have slots cut in them to fit over (in my case) a 3/16" bar, and that slot needs to have some steel welded in it so as to not weaken the teeth, so you might as well do it right...

Ben_W · Jan 5, 2004

I stopped by a farm store and took a closer look at the teeth and you are right, the bar would add a lot of strength and probably save some wear and tear on the bucket edge. Thanks