Rock Bucket

jmc · Nov 30, 2003

Jinman,

The other problem I have with chasing debris with a bucket is digging up the full bucket width rather than just where the piece of debris is. Around here, those areas are more likely to wash out. Wondered if you would have the same problem with a full width rock bucket. Unless the big rocks were so thick that you were trying to pick up several at a time, maybe something narrower would be better? One of my armchair projects is to build a hydraulically actuated set of "tweezers" for the FEL for this job.

John

leaddog · Nov 30, 2003

I made a stone bucket using scrap car axels for tines. Go to search and type in: stone bucket, in attachment forum, 6 month for time. I have pictures there. It works very good. If you have any questions email me and I'll try and answer them. Sure saves the back.
leaddog

PineRidge · Nov 30, 2003

Jim thanks for the offer on the arrowheads however I'm not much of a artifact collector. However if you ever get your wish and turn that section of property into pond I'll be more than happy to bring my fly rod over for a visit. hint, hint /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jinman · Nov 30, 2003

Les, that is an excellent stone bucket. I'd love to make one of my own, but I think the one my dealer showed me will be fine for what I need. Your's looks like it could handle anything you could get into it. Did you ever finish your "canopy" over the top to stop rocks from rolling out? That's the only improvement I'd suggest. How wide is it? It looks to be about 5 ft.

leaddog · Nov 30, 2003

The bucket is just over 4ft. and yes I did add another bar to the top to keep any rocks from falling on my head. The only thing I would change would be to set the tines deeper in the bucket to make it about 4 to 6 in shorter. When I was digging stones out of the stone pile I had trouble with having enough leverage as the tines were to long. I cut 4in off and it works better. It was made with some scrap stuff that I had and was fun doing.
Leaddog

JFarms · Dec 1, 2003

Jim, your Texas rocks grow much bigger than mine. If you've lots of them to get out, I'd lean toward the grapple. My neighbor's son (professional heavy equipment operator) was leveling his pasture with a BIG unnamed tractor, so I ran over, with all the cash I could find, to ask him if he'd remove a briar patch of climbing/tangling roses between our properties (they were in the way of a fence). (I couldn't touch the job with my 4100). With his grapple bucket, he was done in 20 minutes with the remains buried, saved me days of work, & did it for free! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Of course if you're not on a budget, then get both! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I admit to liking my stone fork. I hear the main selling point for forks is they allow contractors to remove debris & rocks, while sifting out dirt, which is expensive to haul off. But I'm guessing a grapple would probably get your big rocks more easily. Best of luck.

jinman · Dec 1, 2003

( some scrap stuff )

Truly, one man's scrap is another man's treasure. I'm more impressed with your rock fork than any other I've seen. Those axles give it lots of strength. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

AndyMA · Dec 1, 2003

I've had a Rock Bucket from Vreten in Sweden for several years now. http://www.vreten.com/index.php?menu=330&page=sten
I had a quick attach mounted on the rear of it so that is quickly attaches to either my 2120 or TN. I find it a very useful tool although I have done some things with it that the directions tell you not to and bent a couple of the forks. What I was doing when I bent them was trying to dig out rocks that weren't on the surface. It also works very well for brush and ripping out bushes. I also many times park it near where I'm digging with the backhoe and put the rocks on it. When I'm done I just drive the rocks away and fill in the hole with the clean stuff. The bucket you're looking at and the one I got look identical and I wonder if they are made by the same company. My bucket was not cheap, I seem to remember about $1700 with the quick attach mount. Be careful when you get it mounted. If I had to do it again I would set mine up for additional rollback capability. The attached picture is a manufacturer picture and not on my tractor.

Andy

AndyMA · Dec 1, 2003

( What do you plan to do with the baseball size rocks it leaves behind? )

Good Question-- The fork works well and leaves behing some fairly small rocks. A quick trip over the area with a York Rake takes them out pretty well. The York Rake works much better when it doesn't have to deal with the larger rocks and roots. In most cases I get off the tractor and shovel the small stones into the bucket for removal.

Andy

jinman · Dec 1, 2003

Thanks for the link and details, Andy.
From my brief exploration, I've found that the gap between tines varies from 4-1/2" down to about 2-1/2". If I can find the smaller gap, that will be my choice. Later this week or next I'll get back by my dealer and look at his spec sheet again. The rock forks he showed me were yellow, but they were'nt made by Rockland or Bradco. I do know that the same company made the forks and the grapple to be installed together. Maybe they have a website or he will let me photograph/copy his spec sheet. I'll try to post a picture. He knows that if he sells me something there may be two or three other people I'll contact who will buy from him also. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif