DIY/Homemade Tractor Hacks w/ No Welding Required

[sleuth]

First time poster. Waiting on my 1st tractor to be delivered tomorrow - a 1959 Ford 881.
I went to the top of my budget and bought the best, most full-featured, and powerful used compact tractor I could find in the area, and as such I didn't leave a lot of room in the budget for implements. It comes with a rear grader blade. I am planning to purchase a post hole digger in the near future and I'm keeping my eyes out for a front end loader.

In the meantime, I spent most of the evening last night looking for easy-to-build accessories. I stumbled on this forming and spent a couple hours reading through a lot of the threads on custom builds.

That said, I don't own a welder and I have never welded. I think 99.9% of the diy hacks I found on this site and others require at least some welding. What I'm looking for are some hacks that do not require welding, i.e. useful accessories you can build out of off-the-shelf hardware, pressure-treated dimensional lumber, and perhaps bolted-up off-the-shelf metal hardware.

Anybody got anything like that? I was really surprised last night that there was so little out there that I could find. I recognize that options are limited without a tractor, but I thought I'd find a few things.

I plan to use my tractor for a lot of things, but mainly garden & construction related, and installing fencing. Also plan to clear out 6 acres of woods with it.

Thus far, I've only come across a carry-all.

Oh, and nice to meet you all.

 

[Looking4new]

:welcome: from northern Ontario, Canada

 

[Jim Timber]

Start looking at chainsaw mounts then. It's the first thing after bucket hooks I'll be adding to mine once I get one.

 

[CalG]

Save up for an A/C buzz box welder. Used they can be had for around $150 or even less (the AC/DC versions seem to run more)

A welder and a face mask, along with a pair of gloves and a hack saw will open up a whole new world!

If you don't pay yourself to do it, You will just pay someone else!

 

[sleuth]

Start looking at chainsaw mounts then. It's the first thing after bucket hooks I'll be adding to mine once I get one.

You got a picture? I have a feeling I'm thinking of something different than you.

 

[bcp]

Search libraries, bookstores, and internet for 1930-40-50 farm machinery books. Many of them were full of non-welded projects.

I used to have one called "Shopwork on the Farm" but haven't seen it for years.

Bruce

 

[motownbrowne]

Welcome to the forum. I'd agree about buying a welder. I don't think you'll regret it. Also, congrats on the tractor. I like the old fords. However... what do you know about the Select-o-speed transmission? It is pretty poorly regarded and I guess the parts are nearly impossible to come up with. I don't know much about them myself, but would caution you about working it too hard. I don't know if there are any options for swapping the SOS with a 4 or 5 speed, but that may be in your future. Otherwise, maybe consider selling it before it breaks and buying a different powermaster. If it was recently redone, you may be fine.

Maybe send soundguy a PM, or start a new thread with the name of the tractor in the thread, I bet he'd bite on that. He seems to know a lot about the old Fords.

 

[Jim Timber]

Well, this is how I carry it on my atv now:

I'd also get a 180A MIG as your first machine, personally. It'll save the trouble of buying a second welder shortly after the first.

 

[DT86]

Save up for an A/C buzz box welder. Used they can be had for around $150 or even less ...

My thoughts exactly. Get a welder or make friends with someone who does!

 

[DT86]

Search libraries, bookstores, and internet for 1930-40-50 farm machinery books. Many of them were full of non-welded projects. I used to have one called "Shopwork on the Farm" but haven't seen it for years. Bruce

My grandmother was a school teacher and brought home lots of old library books when one of the schools was closed. Those about (then current ) farming techniques of of the 40's and 50's are my favorites.