New PT attachments

[Charlie_Iliff]

The forks on my 1845 are adjustable, but using it as a manlift would have some problems:
1. The forks aren't self leveling.
2. Total lift is only 6'
3. The hydraulics bleed down.

I don't see it on the website, and never saw one in person, but I think PT offered a forklift conversion that was a vertical frame (mast?) with a lift that ran up and down the front like a conventional forklift. My understanding was that the PT carried it, but its onboard lift mechanism gave it higher lift capability. Anyone ever see that attachment?

 

[RegL]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( I'd also love to have a chipper-shredeer for my 1845, but I'm not sure I can justify it, even if they make it. Similarly, I would like their post pounder, but extended two feet. 8' posts are OK for most fence, but occasionally we use 9 or 10. I'll probably buy a pounder when the next big section needs replacement. )</font>
We use the PT post driver on a 1850 and it has a foot that extends downard in 6" increments to allow you to drive post 10' and longer. The stroke is 42" on the 500# hammer. I will say the PT driver works better than the two other brands we used in the past. An articulated machine is perfect to position a post driver, steering right or left swings the driver, the aux. pto and arm tilt sets it vertical, then lower onto the foot and drive. Two people can drive more post than 4 can with a standard farm tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )</font>

Went this morning to look at some stuff that's going up for auction this weekend ( I have that spare adaptor plate for the 1430 just sitting in the barn). Saw a couple old 3pt wood splitters that looked like they would be handy for the right price. And than I saw one of those post pounders you guys are talking about. It looked about the right size for the PT 1430. I think the name on it was shaver, or something like that. Would one of these work with the 1430? How much would one be worth in average condition? Thanks.

Reg

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

<font color="red"> I think the name on it was shaver, or something like that </font>

Check Shaver Products
Shaver Web Page

I think most Shaver and other small post drivers would be adaptable to be carried and positioned by the PT. When I went to Tazewell first, before I bought the 1845, I asked about the post pounder on a 1430. They told me it wasn't listed on the price list because a customer had turned a 1430 over with one. They are high, and can be topheavy, so considerable care would be required on anything but level ground, but I'll bet a 1430 can handle one.

 

[blackwell]

We have used the PT post driver off our 1850 on the 1430 and it handles it fine on reasonably level ground. I agree with Charlie, on steep areas it would get TIPPSY with the 550# hammer all the way up.
EB

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

EB:
In an earlier post, you said that your PT post driver had extension feet so that it could drive 10' posts. I have written Terry to see if it's still configured that way. The one I saw in Tazewell had been modified to break concrete.
A couple of years ago, I saw a vibrating post setter (on a track hoe) The Wyoming rancher who had it said he broke/split a lot fewer posts with the vibrator. What has been your experience with the PT driver? Is there a lot of wastage? What posts do best? My primary use would be 9' posts, set with 5 1/2 feet above ground strung with no-climb horse wire.

 

[toy]

When I went to Tazwell last year I saw a pt that had the lift arms taken off and a fork lift mast put on it. The man that was running it said that it was an older model one that has the high low range gear. He said that it increased the lift capacity quite a bit.

 

[blackwell]

Charlie,
I have not used a vibrator type post driver, so I have no comment there.
We drive treated, mostly softwood post 5" to 8" diameter in lenths of 8' to 10'. The most common is 6" dia by 8' long, extending 5' out of the ground. On the larger post we slice two edges with a chain saw to sharpen a little but drive the smaller ones blunt. We have driven over 20,000 post with the PT and broke 1 to 2%, mostly knots, etc. A couple years ago we had an extreme dry spell and used a 4" auger to pre-drill and then drove the post, worked great even on the large ones.
I have a friend who uses a large track loader and sets the bucket on top of a post and just pushes them in the ground. I think he breakes as many as I do.
I believe all the PT post drivers have the adjustable foot. It's just a piece of pipe welded on the back of the driver main frame with a hole drilled thru. A smaller pipe with holes about 6" apart and a foot welled on the bottom is slid inside and pined at the desired height. Works well.
EB

 

[blackwell]

Toy,

I think I saw a couple of those at PT. If a person needs a deciated rough terian fork truck PT offers a fork and mast that will lift 2000# 8' high on the 425 and 1430. I understand it takes about an hour to remove arms and mount the fork/mast. It would lift in a straight line instead of an arc. Would be nice if you did not need to change often.
EB

 

[BrianP]

Hi all. I would love to buy or have one made!! A 2 ft adapter to lengthen the front loader arm. Like adding a male PT plate on the end of the mini-hoe. I know you couldnt have the same weight, but just load the bucket less.
I would also like a bigger materail bucket for mulch. Brian /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[bubenberg]

we took the light material bucket and added a 5'x1'1/2 angle iron frame to the back of the light material bucket. for visibility/weight reduction purposes we used small expanded metal to fill in the frame. we probably hole 18-20 cubic feet of mulch each scoop rather than 10-14 with the plain bucket.

 

[blackwell]

Brian,

We made a light material carier to attach to the pallet forks on the 425 by cutting a 16 ga. steel sheet 5' x 5' and bending 90 degrees 2' from the edge, thus making a back and bottom in one piece. Then cut two triangles of 16 ga 2' x 3' for the ends. Tacked a piece of 1/4 x 4 flat bar under front for cutter bar and to reinforce the front edge. Outlined the back and end with 1.5 x1.5 x .120 wall sq tube to reinforce edges. Set on forks and install 3 ea. 3/8 bolts. The forks gives the structure strenth without much weight. As stated in Hans post, expanded metal could be used on part or all the area we used steel plate. This thing would hold about 30 cu ft of light material. Will hold 4 sq bales of straw or full of shreaded mulch.
I think PTs have had more modifications and special GISMOS build for them than any machine I have heard of. They are a good platform to adapt to and easy to modify.
Life is good for all these frusterated tinkers. Me included /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

EB
Sounds as if 20000 is a sufficient sample, and the driver has the advantage over the vibrating compactor/drivers that it holds the post vertical while driving.
Have you ever driven posts for post and rail fence? I assume they tend to explode where they are drilled for the rails. We have something over a mile of post and rail that we repair rather than replacing, but a lot is fairly old.

 

[blackwell]

Charlie,

We have built two small sections of new post and rail fence, total about 400'. Sharpen the post, then raise the hammer less for each stroke, less impact force and more strokes. The PT driver uses a 4-way valve which allows the operator to raise the hammer any amount up to 42" then drop it for heavy or light impact. We did break some, but not many. We did not try it but drilling a small pilot hole would also help.
EB

 

[Tak]

How about this idea (just an idea so far, haven't worked on it yet)

A leveller or bucket with scarifier or ripper teeth mounted on it to make levelling a more efficient process. The pt seems better suited to pull the rippers so the if the rippers were mounted up front, they would need to be configured to be dragged rather than pushed.

lt

 

[MossRoad]

Hey, Who's this guy??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Long time since we've heard from you. How's it going?

Does the PT box blade have scarrifiers? Do you pull it or push it?

 

[bubenberg]

Aloha! How are You? Great idea.
hans /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Tak]

Aloha to all. Still here. I've been around off and on (just reading posts though). Looks like the posting activity has picked up a bit lately. We've been buried in work partly due to the unsually wet weather we've been having which makes jobs last 2-3x as long as usual. Have been using the tractor mostly around the nursery and at jobs for only basic tasks so really haven't had much to contribute to the forum. Did have a small job where we had to haul 10 cy of mulch and compost across 150 ft of beautiful lawn. Worked out great in no time flat. Have a few upcoming jobs with much more extensive pt use required. We'll see how that goes. Hope to be able to contribute more to the forum as we gain more experience. Till then, aloha.

 

[Tak]

mr,

Dont' know about the pt box blade having scarifiers or not. Although a box blade has it's advantages, the bucket / scarifier combination has the ability to move a quantity of material around the site. Maybe it would be best suited for more preliminary rough grading? The pt doesn't seem heavy enough for bulldozing type movements so maybe it might be more efficient to carry large quantities of soil? Also, definitely pulling rather than pushing rippers. Of course, for light grading, maybe the box blade might work our better.

 

[Tak]

mr,

I must be a very inefficient person. Where do you guys find the time to keep up with this forum? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif My posting time for the last 3 posts are 2:58am local time. That's the only time I could find to squeeze in a response.

lt

 

[J_J]

Which model PT do you have?