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

[Sprinklerman]

Look at the toro dingo , tracked with the backhoe attachment . I have run them and they are pretty powerful for their size ,fit in tight spots . And have the bucket for moving dirt . if you have to put down plywood , it will run on 1 sheet. The guy uses it for tree work and does way more than he should with it and it keeps on moving .

 

[oldpilgrim]

i was watching some guys dig a grave recently and they used something similar to this. Not exactly. this brand but the same general style. it fit between the graves very well and they could move it easily.

 

[Sprinklerman]

A neighbor of mine bought one of those from Harbor Freight to dig new drainfields , between sale coupons and specials he got it a lot cheaper than list . It works ok , it beat a shovel . It had no swing power to knock dirt back in

 

[Kub]

In my neighborhood there is a company that sells burial vaults and they have used a Kubota L35TLB for many, many years, so at least it did the job for them, plus if Kubota's advertising carries any weight with you, they put out a B20/L35 1994 brochure with a picture of the L35TLB digging a grave in a cemetery. As far as the weight goes the L39 is almost 1000 lbs heavier than the L35. I own a L35TLB, but never dug any graves in a cemetery, but did dig a grave for a 135 lb billy goat and for sure, it wasn't cemetery quality.

 

[Cataclysm]

Based on what you wrote you probably already have the right machine for your area. I would lose the 36" and get a 24" or even a 16" then take smaller bites so your not pulling as hard. With a little practice and thought you can leave 1/3 or less damage that's easy to smooth up. Around here at least I have to haul off the excess dirt to the pile in the corner with the FEL so an excavator is out.

Do you set the concrete boxes or vaults? I do that and a small machine isn't going to do that very well if at all. As far as the length is concerned you may already do this but I learned to dig with the FEL and/or 1 outrigger up. That takes up way less real estate and why I would lose the 36" bucket. To heavy even unloaded and pulls way too hard and drags you around.

I would also lose the plywood. Way too hard on your back plus I'm not convinced its worth while. The caretakers have to understand that a machine that's big enough to do the job properly is a machine that's big enough to leave tracks. Those tracks can be filled and they will look just fine pretty quick.

The cemetery's around here look great and you wouldn't know a 18,100 lb Cat 420D prowls the rows.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Around here, we have a lot of trees and rocks. When I was watching the guys using the little portable trencher to dig, one guy would keep going down into the hole with a battery operated sawzall to cut off the roots. In New England, our cemeteries are some of the oldest in the country and we take pride in our tree shaded cemeteries. In our small town, our family plot is in one that's been in continuous operation since 1662.

It can be tough digging.

 

[DigSouthArk]

Based on what you wrote you probably already have the right machine for your area. I would lose the 36" and get a 24" or even a 16" then take smaller bites so your not pulling as hard. With a little practice and thought you can leave 1/3 or less damage that's easy to smooth up. Around here at least I have to haul off the excess dirt to the pile in the corner with the FEL so an excavator is out.

Do you set the concrete boxes or vaults? I do that and a small machine isn't going to do that very well if at all. As far as the length is concerned you may already do this but I learned to dig with the FEL and/or 1 outrigger up. That takes up way less real estate and why I would lose the 36" bucket. To heavy even unloaded and pulls way too hard and drags you around.

I would also lose the plywood. Way too hard on your back plus I'm not convinced its worth while. The caretakers have to understand that a machine that's big enough to do the job properly is a machine that's big enough to leave tracks. Those tracks can be filled and they will look just fine pretty quick.

The cemetery's around here look great and you wouldn't know a 18,100 lb Cat 420D prowls the rows.

My 36" bucket is less than a month old, so I can't toss it yet. LOL. Bought it to save time. Been digging with an 18" up until then. Got pretty good at digging with one outrigger up and/or the FEL in the air. 18" just took too much time and caused too much turf damage having to reset my machine back and forth from one side to the other to get the bottom clean and the walls plumb. What used to take 45 minutes or more with the 18", I can now do in 10-15 minutes. That allows me more time for backbreaking plywood work , and enables me to get back on the road to go dig the next one.

I attempted to get into selling and setting concrete boxes, but they were just too heavy and hard on my machine. Blew a hydraulic hose once and just too much creaking and squeaking. It could probably handle it, but I was too afraid to chance it. Not to mention that neither my truck or trailer are setup to transport concrete boxes/vaults. Just not enough extra room to haul a tractor, tent, chairs, grass, lowering device, tools, AND a c-box.

The funeral homes and cemeteries love the plywood, but I hate it. I lay down an 8' x 12' mat of plywood under my dirt pile so that when I'm finished cleanup is a lot easier and the final product is a lot cleaner. That's not so bad, it's when the ground is wet and I'm having to build a plywood road to get in and out that kills me. It seems that most complaints or comments about tracks come from people attending the service; people who have no affiliation with the family or the cemetery. Most cemetery caretakers are very understanding, but they're quick to change their opinion as soon as they get a complaint. I never leave tracks without filling them, but that's just more extra work and you're likely to still get complaints.

What are your thoughts about putting some turf tires on my 110? I've never ran a machine with turf tires. Some people say they'll make all the difference, while others say they won't make any difference because the machine is just too heavy.

 

[oldpilgrim]

Yup billstmaxx on youtube is a good channel to check out. He has posted several videos of how he digs and sets up for burials.

He has used a JD 110 TLB for many years.

 

[Cataclysm]

My 36" bucket is less than a month old, so I can't toss it yet. LOL. Bought it to save time. Been digging with an 18" up until then. Got pretty good at digging with one outrigger up and/or the FEL in the air. 18" just took too much time and caused too much turf damage having to reset my machine back and forth from one side to the other to get the bottom clean and the walls plumb. What used to take 45 minutes or more with the 18", I can now do in 10-15 minutes. That allows me more time for backbreaking plywood work , and enables me to get back on the road to go dig the next one.

I attempted to get into selling and setting concrete boxes, but they were just too heavy and hard on my machine. Blew a hydraulic hose once and just too much creaking and squeaking. It could probably handle it, but I was too afraid to chance it. Not to mention that neither my truck or trailer are setup to transport concrete boxes/vaults. Just not enough extra room to haul a tractor, tent, chairs, grass, lowering device, tools, AND a c-box.

The funeral homes and cemeteries love the plywood, but I hate it. I lay down an 8' x 12' mat of plywood under my dirt pile so that when I'm finished cleanup is a lot easier and the final product is a lot cleaner. That's not so bad, it's when the ground is wet and I'm having to build a plywood road to get in and out that kills me. It seems that most complaints or comments about tracks come from people attending the service; people who have no affiliation with the family or the cemetery. Most cemetery caretakers are very understanding, but they're quick to change their opinion as soon as they get a complaint. I never leave tracks without filling them, but that's just more extra work and you're likely to still get complaints.

What are your thoughts about putting some turf tires on my 110? I've never ran a machine with turf tires. Some people say they'll make all the difference, while others say they won't make any difference because the machine is just too heavy.

How do you keep from sliding around sitting on top of the plywood and digging with a 36"? Just curious. Heck when I catch a big root or rock on the 24 it just drags my big cat to the hole. Specs on your machine say it weights 7280lbs. Is that sound right?

Were you swinging those boxes off the FEL or the hoe? If the hoe I'm surprised it could lift one let alone swing it in the hole. They do take up a lot of space and at least around here you have to make sure you have enough weight on your GVW. Sounds like you do the set up as well. I've never got into that for the very reasons you stated plus I do other stuff besides grave digging.

But back to your issue at hand. Maybe you already do this but is there any chance of running a set of forks on the FEL and using them to handle the plywood? If the plywood was properly stacked you could use the forks to unload and place them and to pick them up and restack them on your trailer.

Sometimes people are going to complain. They seize upon some detail and have the need to regain some control in the situation. I have a pretty good working relationship with the caretakers but I know what you mean. Sometimes the next level up has "ideas" even though most have never came out and watched the process.

I think turf's will definitely decrease your visible track. Is there anything else you do with the 110 where turf's would cause problems? It would be an expensive experiment to see if its worthwhile but at 7280lbs it just may be the ticket. One of my friends has turf's on a CUT JD and he says it leave almost no track on lawn but won't do anything at all in the mud.

 

[aczlan]

But back to your issue at hand. Maybe you already do this but is there any chance of running a set of forks on the FEL and using them to handle the plywood? If the plywood was properly stacked you could use the forks to unload and place them and to pick them up and restack them on your trailer.

I would use forks, then put two pieces of strap through each of the pieces of plywood spaced so that they line up with your forks.
That way, you can put the stack of plywood on your forks and flip pieces it off the stack as needed. When it comes time to reload, you lift and stack the plywood using the forks in the strap loops.

Aaron Z