Pihrana Bar works GREAT!

[stillatit]

The piranha bar looks and sounds great; my indecision is based on where I live. It is the Ozarks hills in southern Missouri and the rocks are everywhere. Would the landscaping that I am doing be better done with a toothed bar where the projection is probably double that of the piranha?

 

[Raised on a Deere]

The piranha bar looks and sounds great; my indecision is based on where I live. It is the Ozarks hills in southern Missouri and the rocks are everywhere. Would the landscaping that I am doing be better done with a toothed bar where the projection is probably double that of the piranha?View attachment 567035View attachment 567035

I have had mine for 3 or 4 years, 6’ bucket, have dug many many rocks, and I do not worry the least now when I catch a tooth under a rock and use the curl on the bucket to lift the rock. The bar takes more than the hydraulics can deliver and the horrible sound of digging and scrapping rock seems to do no harm to it. I have no bucket or tooth bar distortion from Seriously abusive use.

I am sure it can be damaged but my worries just like yours proved ill founded. It is much stronger than the bucket edge would have been without it.

 

[atsah]

I’ll try not to rain on the parade here but, I bought and used a PTB for a couple of years, it worked well at a couple of things including digging, it will take brush down but no where near as well as a ratchet rake. It’s **** near impossible to buy the best device To do everything when we are talking implements.

When new members read through these threads a year from now they should be able read all points of view, the PTB is great for doing certain things but there are things it does that other devices do better.

 

[dragoneggs]

I値l try not to rain on the parade here but, I bought and used a PTB for a couple of years, it worked well at a couple of things including digging, it will take brush down but no where near as well as a ratchet rake. It痴 **** near impossible to buy the best device To do everything when we are talking implements.

When new members read through these threads a year from now they should be able read all points of view, the PTB is great for doing certain things but there are things it does that other devices do better.

Fair enough. I have had my PTB for about 5 years and it has been the best mod I have done to my tractor. I have dug roads into side hills, and cleared lots of brush and vines, and cut and filled several terraces. I go just a little under the surface to clear vegetation and it works great. Back drag, scoop soft and hard materials and have never had a reason to take it off. About 400hrs on my BX now and none of those hours are mowing.



I don't have any experience with a ratchet rake but I haven't run into no need to improve on my PTB around my property. One or the other is a no brainer if you are going to do any dirt work. I did measure the thickness just now and it is 1/2in and must be hardened steel because I routinely hit rocks and work it hard and it still looks great! Just saying with pics to prove it. Keep in mind this work was done with a SCUT!

 

[GirlWhoWantsTractor]

The piranha bar looks and sounds great; my indecision is based on where I live. It is the Ozarks hills in southern Missouri and the rocks are everywhere. Would the landscaping that I am doing be better done with a toothed bar where the projection is probably double that of the piranha?View attachment 567035View attachment 567035

We don't call those "rocks" around here.....that's good soil. Have used the PTB to dig deeply into my native soil, which is just hard-packed red clay that is almost as hard as rock, liberally sprinkled with more rocks of various sizes, commonly up to 16" across. The PTB doesn't seem to even notice them. It must be made of very hard steel as it is completely unaffected; no nicks, dings, or marks of any kind. Agree with Raised on a Deere, the PTB is much, much tougher than the bucket itself and protects the bucket from damage. Like dragoneggs said, def the best accessory on my tractor.

 

[N2DFire]

How thick is that steel? 1/2 inch or more?

Without being anywhere near that I could measure - I would say it's about a 1/2" maybe a little thicker & dragoneggs says his measures out to that.


I'm at work so I don't have my photo library and these are the only two previously uploaded shots I have that show the PTB.

That load of rocks is 1 of 4 that I picked up off of roughly 2 acres and that was just "surface rock" that I didn't want to hit with the bush hog.

I have the same hard clay & "field stone" like GirlWhoWantsTractor and this thing hasn't hit anything that's bent it or backed it off yet.


I will agree with atsah that there is no "One perfect tool" for all jobs and (while I have never used one) I can see where the Ratchet Rake would work great for small saplings and anything "viney" or "creepers" because of it's bi-directional design and if that sort of thing was my main focus it would be my tool of choice. The RR also has limitations, one being that you can't dig with the bucket while it's on.

I kind of look at the RR as a "purpose tool" for a specific set of jobs whereas the PTB is a Swiss Army Knife or a Leatherman tool - there may be purpose tools that do the jobs better, but the PTB will do a lot of different jobs well enough.

At the end of the day it's your dollars so it's your decision what's best for you. Either way you get tractor time & that's what really matters right?

 

[MikeR 2018]

View attachment 567088

Wow, that's a nice wall project. Did you lay the stone? What kind of foundation do you need?

 

[Texas Dawg]

I currently use a Ratchet Rake for clearing brush but have to take it off to dig. Does anyone have any experience using both that can give a comparison/contrast of the two?

 

[dragoneggs]

Wow, that's a nice wall project. Did you lay the stone? What kind of foundation do you need?

Thanks! Yes wife and I did the work, 88lb Allenblock I think. For the base, I dug a small trench and laid crushed gravel so the first course is mostly buried. Had to terrace the slope to put in my wife's garden. Here is an old thread with lots of pictures of the build if you are interested.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/285396-my-first-many-retaining-walls.html

 

[mic214]

A tooth bar is next on my list of things to get for my tractor!