Tractor Sizing Grave Digger Seeking Sub-Compact/Compact TLB for 36" Bucket

[roadhunter]

The JCB 210 or Bobcat B300 might be worth a look. The 4 wheel steering on the JCB is really easy on turf.

 

[4570Man]

The local funeral home which does the grave digging here has a pretty good sized Kubota mini excavator. Their excavator is no small fry. It is probably a KX040-4. I used to mow a cemetery. I don't know if they put down plywood or something, but it didn't cause any turf damage.

 

[powerstroke444e]

I have a homemade 29" smooth bucket for big holes, ditches and backfilling on my B26 and it does fine. On hard dry dirt it struggles a little but it don't have teeth. I have dug a few graves and it did fine, but I would have a mini ex if I did it for a living.

 

[TomSeller]

If you are moving from one cemetery to another, a backhoe is much better for speed of transporting, loading etc. than an ex. And digging a grave is not a lot of soil, so the advantages of an ex is not going to be a big deal.. I'd get a good used B26. While I have not dug a grave, my B21 would seem to be the right size/weight/capacity. The B26 is a step up. A bucket on an FEL is awfully nice to have.

 

[stuckmotor]

My grandfather wanted his grave to be one foot deeper than the standard depth and asked that my brother and me to go out to the cemetay and check the hole. When he died in 1989 we went to check and I was surprised to see that the backhoe consisted of two men with picks and shovels. Now, after reading of all the access problems with a real backhoe, the picks and shovels make more sense.

 

[MossRoad]

Not to take away from the thread...but I don't recall ever seeing the topic of "grave digging" come up on TBN (I could be wrong)...

At any rate...I'd like to relate something about the community here...there is an organization of local young men that voluntarily hand dig graves...mostly because cemeteries here are extremely respected and cared for...it may not sound like a big deal but a completely different train of thought goes through ones mind when they pass a cemetery and see men with spades rather than a backhoe etc...

There used to be some pretty good discussions/lessons on here about the subject by one particular TBN member. He had some darn good ideas and some darn good compassion and respect for the dead (and the living), too.

As for the JD 110 tlb.... that's what a little company that owns a BUNCH of small and old cemeteries around here uses. And those old cemeteries are packed tight. They use a LOT of plywood that they keep on the trailer with the tractor. I imagine that they'd have to move a stone or two in most places just to get the tractor in.

I'd think as other's have mentioned, you'd want to be able to dig the hole all from one place, so you'd have to have more than 8' reach. To dig a hole 6' deep and 8' long you'd need a 10' reach measured from the very edge of the hole at grass level. A lot of the tractors mentioned won't dig to that depth at the end of the hole.

 

[DigSouthArk]

First: That's a darn small hole!

Good catch newbury :laughing:. That should have read "3'W x 8'L x 4.5'D". It was wayyy past my bedtime. I'll address your other questions and comments in another general response to the board.

 

[DigSouthArk]

Thank you to everyone for your excellent advice and comments.

First I'll explain my reasoning on choosing TLB over Mini-Ex. The first and main reason that I chose a TLB over a Mini-Ex is the FEL. When back filling a grave you will always have excess fill to haul away; when burying a standard size outside burial container (vault) you will have roughly 2.5 yards of excess fill, and when burying a casket without a vault you will have roughly 1.25 yards to haul away. In some cases the cemetery will have places nearby that need fill and will allow you to place it in those areas, but more often than not they have a pile in the furthest corner of the cemetery. The second reason that I chose TLB over Mini-Ex was the cost, with TLB's coming in at roughly half the cost of a mini-ex.

I have limited myself to Kubota simply due to personal preference. When I first established my business, I did quite a bit of research comparing all types of machines, including Kubota, JD, JCB, Case, Bobcat, Terramite, Yanmar, etc. I eventually narrowed my selection down to the John Deere 110 TLB and any of the Kubota B or L-series. I ultimately went with the JD 110 simply because I was able to get a good deal on a used machine from a private party off of Craigslist. In hindsight, I wish I would have purchased a L35 or L39. However, after figuring out the hard way that the JD 110 is too heavy, I'm admittedly afraid that the L35 or 39 may be too heavy. That is why I am curious about the B26.

I am currently running R4 Industrial Lug tires, simply because that was what was on the machine when I bought it. I have seriously considered upgrading to turf tires, but I am not sure if they will make enough of a difference. I am afraid to make the $1,500+ investment in four tires just to find that the weight of the machine is really the problem and I'm still sinking everywhere I go.

 

[blueriver]

I can't advise on the B26 ... years ago I was to meet a man for a business appointment ... he says jump in the truck I've gotta close a grave and off we drove talking business along the way ... when we got there he handed me a shovel!!!

 

[powerstroke444e]

only 4.5 deep??? Most in these parts have to be 6'+ but at 4.5' I would not have a problem using a b26 I would get a grave bucket. google it and you will see a few companies make them. Also get the quick attach buckets as in a really dry time or near a tree you may need a smaller bucket to get it dug. You most likely would have to reset one time to get the full 8' reach. Attached are a few photo's of putting a drain system around my house which was 8-9'deep it can be done with a b26 but about 20' per hour or less at that depth using a 12" bucket. The larger bucket would have went faster.