Can a Compact Tractor do it?

[Snave]

I am thinking of buying a compact tractor but am not sure they have enough power.

It would need to have a backhoe with enough power to dig into limestone rock.

A FEL that can grade and move bulk soil.

An auger that can dig into limestone rock.

What make model would you recommend to balance price and performance? Why?

 

[Carl_NH]

Based on your location in Abaco, I know you do have some tough conditions. We spend Feb every year in Treasure Cay, a great place.

If you plan to actually work on the base limestone get a larger TLB Kub L35 or L48 or JD 110 series that you can attach a hydralic hammer to the BH. These will run $32-50K range new pending options.

If you don't require a hammer attachment go with the B21 series TLB from Kubota. These are tough commercial units that don't break the bank to buy new ($25K), as well they last a long time with minimal repairs. If you can find a good one used great, but they are tough to find. Also pending the size truck/trailer you have, you might find the bigger units too much to haul.

So if you can buy new, I would advise that since parts and repair availabilty in your location may put you down for a few days.

good luck,

Carl

 

[Hawkflyer]

Man you don't need a tractor, you need an Abrhams M1A1 tank, and a truck full of explosives!! I too would recommend a larger machine. A compact is not really designed to handle the kinds of loads you describe.Good luck!

 

[Slamfire]

I think about the smallest machine that will do your work is a skid steer. Even then it'll be slow.

 

[chim]

What exactly is the limestone like on your island? The limestone around here - PA, USA - is really hard stuff. When I worked in a limestone quarry for a while when I was a kid. There was absolutely no posthole digger or backhoe made that would dent the stuff. Carbide or diamond-tipped tools were about the only thing that would. Right now my Brother-in-law is installing an underground drain from a rainspout at Mom's place, and there's a top of a limestone rock right where it shouldn't be. He needs to knock off a piece about the size and shape of a half of a basketball. Tomorrow he's bringing a large air compressor and jackhammer to do the job. I get to backfill /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.............chim

 

[Ozarker]

My brother can show you how to deal with rocks. He is a powder man for a construction company. He packs em' and blows em' up. Makes lots of little rocks out of big rocks.

 

[chim]

Thanks for the offer, but the rock is between Mom's house and pool. Have an uneasy feeling about getting really aggressive in that location. Way back when, they'd let us (expendable?) young guys work with the blasting outfit when they shot rock at the quarry. Sometimes it got pretty impressive............chim

 

[John_Mc]

Snave -

I'd have to agree with others that a compact tractor is probably too small for the job, though you might get by with one of the bigger units (JD 4600 or 4700, NH TC 40 or TC 45, etc) with the right attachments. I believe you'll need impact (like a jackhammer), not just digging force if the limestone is solid, rather than broken up chunks. A skidsteer may be the better way to go. We used one with a jackhammer attachment to tear up a lot of concrete floors where I used to work, then switch to a bucket to clear the broken up chunks out. Around here (VT) used skid steers are easier to come by than used Compact Tractors. Another alternative might be a mini-excavator.

BTW... I have a sister and brother-in-law who spend ~6 months/year in Hopetown (the other half is in New Hampshire). He's owned land there for 20+ years. Ever run into Jerry Whiteleather in your travels?

John Mc

 

[Snave]

Thanks for all the great feedback. Looks like a skid steer, although I really liked the idea of a tractor. Maybe later an L35 or L48.

Hawkflyer - How much doeas an Abrahams M1A1 run these days? Sounds like fun. How precise can you get with your tree holes? What range?

Slamfire - If I can't find the tank, the skid steer wins.

Chim - our limestone can't be as hard as your limestone. We can hand dig a tree hole in a few hours with a pick axe. A Cat back hoe an dig through it. V buckets work better than flat bottom buckets.

O Zarker - are you related to Hawkflyer. Powder sounds like a pretty spectacular way to move some rock. Better accuracy with your holes than the tank and almost as fun.

Thanks for your help.

Snave

 

[Hawkflyer]

Hole placement is pretty accurate, but controling the size and depth is REALLY tricky. As for price I think you can pick one up used for about $2,000,000. Shipping is also a bit high. The strong point though is, if you take it on the road, traffic is never a problem.

 

[wasabi]

Check out an American company called Power-Trac at their www.power-trac.com website. They offer 45hp or 65hp (2400 series) machines w/ backhoe that you might find interesting.

Good Luck!

 

[sniezur]

Snave,

Which part of Abaco you in??? My mother-in-law grew up in Cherokee Sound. We go down there a couple times a year.

Based on what I have seen you need more than a compact tractor to do work on the earth there.

The boat trip form the mainland to Marsh Harbour would be pretty expensive to ship the unit in.

 

[Snave]

Thanks guys. I went with the skid steer and arranged for a machine with some attachments that should make things a little easier. Should get it Wednesday. It won't do everything, but its a start. The backhoe will have to wait. And I still want a tractor.

Wasabi - those machines look awesome. I will definately place one of these on the top of my wish list for the next machine. Nice on terf and can handle slopes. Lots of power. More than lots of attachments. Good prices. Not bad.

Sniezur - I live in Marsh Harbour. Cherokee is at the other end of the earth. Just joking. But the long and winding road to get there makes it feel that way. Its 12 miles in according to the sign, which someone amended to read 112 miles.

The land is pretty rough. And getting things over here is expensive.

Thanks

Doug Evans

 

[sniezur]

Snave,

Do you know Kevin Sawyer??? He is my wife's cousin and he works at the nursery right by the airport.

I will have to give you a shout when we are down there this fall visiting.

 

[kurth]

Sorry, I asked this question on another thread -

I've got a dense layer of 3 or 4 inch diameter rocks about 8 inches under the surface. You can dig them by hand with a heavy shovel, steel digging bar, and softening the ground with water. A 2-hp handheld gas auger is stopped cold by this layer.

But, as I've got over 300 post holes to dig, I'm trying to figure if a Kubota BX22 has the power and weight to handle this with a PTO-attached auger, as well as get through this layer with the backhoe for trenching. Otherwise, I'll get a Deere 4210 which weighs 1000 more pounds and has about 50% more PTO horsepower, and which is the same price, although sadly *without* a backhoe.

I'd buy the Kubota if I was reasonably sure it could do it, but the nearest dealer is 67 miles away with totally different soil conditions, so there can't be any kind of trial run before a purchase.

 

[MikePA]

Ive only dug 9 post holes (175 more to go - 9" auger) with my TC25D so I'm no expert but I don't think hp will help you dig post holes better. (Someone correct me if I am wrong /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)I run my tractor barely above idle when I am digging. If I increase the rpms I break more shear bolts when I hit rocks. If I'm just above idle, the auger will bounce and, if the rock is small enough, it will work itself loose and come up. When I do hit rocks, it jostles the tractor a bit but nothing major.

Of the nine holes, all of them are 36" deep except 2. Those 2 holes are about 30" deep. In each case I hits rocks I could not get through. My only recourse would have been to use a sledge hammer and something (digging iron?) to break them up. However, I had no idea how thick the rocks were. In one case, it covered the entire bottom of the hole while in the other case it covered half the bottom of the hole. In both cases I would have 'destroyed' the hole to get the rock out. So, I used 2 bags of concrete in these 2 holes instead of 1.

If you know you're going to hit rocks, you might want to seriously consider a digger with a slip clutch. Also with rocks, you will probably have to get off the tractor to clear rocks out of the hole, I know I did. In such situations, resist the urge to try it with the auger running. Stop the auger, clear the rocks/dirt, get back on the tractor and start the auger.

 

[Fly_Rodr]

I agree with MikePA, I use my PHD the same way, just above idle. The additional hp and weight would not help with a CUT. You might want to rent a Bobcat with a HD auger that has downforce.