Shrub Bucket

[BGL990]

I've seen a couple of pictures of what I think is usually called a shrub bucket. A narrow, pointed sort of
bucket good for digging out small trees and shrubs, or maybe trenching. I wanted one, and a friend needs
some help digging out some echinacea roots soon, so I built one.

The backing frame is 2" x 4" with 1/4" walls, and the bucket itself is 1/4" sheet (or is that plate when it
gets that thick?). I machined the bottom quick attach pins out of solid bar stock and cut holes for them
in the backing frame with an ordinary hole saw. The curved upper quick attach brackets are pieces of
3" x 1/4" flat bar. I welded them on while still flat (sticking straight up), and then bent them by hand
with an oxy-acetylene torch and crescent wrench. They aren't pretty and the fit isn't perfect, but so far
they have held up to anything my tractor can dish out.

I didn't get any pictures until I had it done almost done, but here they are:

First, a front view. Unpainted and before the upper quick attach brackets.

 

[BGL990]

Same state, rear view.

 

[BGL990]

Closeup of the machined quick attach pin welded in.

 

[BGL990]

Painted and on the tractor, front view. I didn't bother to cover in the back part of the bucket area because
I don't think it will be necessary. If I have a problem with too much material spilling out the back, I'll
fill it in.

 

[BGL990]

Side view.

 

[BGL990]

Closer side view. You can see the not-so-great upper quick attach bracket.

 

[BGL990]

I figure if one digs down in stages you should be able to dig a nice trench. This position would create a
24" deep trench, 10" wide at the bottom with slightly vee'd sides.

 

[BGL990]

Last one, ground level, fully rolled back.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Cool. You're really busy busy busy with all these great projects. Keep up the great work! John

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Great idea. Good work.

You will weld in a plate across the back. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've been thinking of making something similar for my skid steer. I hadn't considered making it out of plate. I'd planned on using large pipe. I might have to reconsider....... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[kuby]

Very nice. Let me know how it works on transplanting little spruce.
Bob

 

[jimgerken]

Hey, nice job! I want one. I saw one on the front of a Bobcat at the local county fair this fall. Surprizingly it was very well sharpened on the leading edge. Did you consider grinding an edge onto it? Might be easier to get it into the ground, and cut thru some smaller roots that way.
Anyway, looks great! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[PineRidge]

Brad that is a nice looking project. Very professional looking! I hope that it works well for you also when you put it to work.

 

[BGL990]

Yup, I already did grind the edge. It isn't razor sharp, but I think I will sharpen it even better than it is. It does make a difference cutting through roots.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

That is a terrific idea and a nice implementation. You've posted a bunch of projects and they all look really great. Thanks for letting us see them.

Cliff

 

[srs]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've been thinking of making something similar for my skid steer.)</font>

I believe Gatorboy has a similar product that he uses on his Bobcat skid steer.

 

[Cdash]

Next time you make top brackets, get a hunk of pipe with an inner diameter just bigger than the OD of the top of the quick tach bracket. Cut it lengthwise so you have a little over half of the pipe circumference. Weld that to your frame, then take barstock and weld to the frame, heat and bend over the pipe and weld to the pipe. See attached. Works every time.

 

[BGL990]

Thanks, good tip. I did actually plan to do something like that originally, but you know how it goes - it's the weekend, the metal store is closed, you are on a roll, and it is so close to going on the tractor ..... I just couldn't wait so did it this way. It definitely wasn't the easiest thing to get it to fit even this good, so next time it is the 1/2 pipe thing and actually mount it to the loader with clamps or something so everything can be tacked in exactly the right place.

 

[slowrev]

Great job and very good idea.

Has anyone thought of making one of these for the 3 point hitch ? It seems like it would work very well with a top tilt cylinder on it.

 

[Cliff_Johns]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( get a hunk of pipe with an inner diameter just bigger than the OD)</font>

I know this is out of context, but this is how I read it. I'd like to find a piece of pipe like that.
Cliff