Some basic attachment questions from a newbie

[Tractor Seabee]

GPintheMitten:

I've seen your thread on the R&D, part of the reason I'm interested in one. Why do you think it won't work for post holes? Too wide of a hole? I'm not doubting, just trying to judge some tools capabilities before I buy.

Seabee:

Yup, if I had money to burn... heck, even if I didn't have enough to burn but just had more than I could spend... I considered a BH, but it would add almost 50% to the price of a tractor and FEL. Even my local dealer suggested it wasn't a great idea, seeing as the turning radius is limited and one has to constantly move the tractor. He suggested renting mini-excavators for digging jobs. So... no BH for me. In any case I'm interested in your homemade implements... I assume you have some decent welding skills?

Jeff:

I like the Stabilworks stuff... but they don't ship across the border, so no use to me. I've read about folks upgrading Bxx20 3PH systems to Bxx30 3PH systems, so I plan to research that avenue as a possible upgrade for the turnbuckles... at this point though, I won't be switching off the rear implements that often.

You have to be a good welder if you want things to not break. A horz band saw, drill press, arbor press, torch, reamers, end mills for the drill press to use as a milling machine and the skills to use all that are also a requirement. I've done all these things most of my life and I am one of the old guys now. I am also going to build the telescoping sway braces like Stabilworks as soon as I find the right materials. I am also scratching my head over the rest of the cumbersome BX 3 point system. Want to get down the links and pins and no tools to hook things up.

Ron

 

[GPintheMitten]

The Rip n dig will dig a 2 ft deep hole and to get that deep, you would probably need about a minimum of 3 feet diameter hole. I try to set my posts 42 inches deep.

 

[bp fick]

This is just a thought, and you've probably already settled on the B2920, but honestly? The extra horsepower cannot be used by the FEL and that is governed by the pump, which is the same on any of the 20 series Kubota. That extra power is best utilized by the rear PTO in operating power hungry attachments such as a chipper.

Just something to mull in your inner thoughts, but attachments make a tractor useful. Otherwise, it is merely a mobile engine. You might be able to spend that extra $1200 of the 2920's surcharge on implements. If money is tight, and it almost always is, consider the lower horsepower 20 series B's and put the money toward tools to get the job done. Again, just a thought to mull over. Be sure to post photos of your new tractor when it arrives. We all love new baby pictures.

 

[dochockin]

I did price out the Bs, and was even looking at the BXs. The local dealer has a (new) 2011 B2920 he's trying to sell with a freshness discount, so it's actually cheaper than a B2620. I'm considering a flail mower, so I assume the extra HP will help with that. I will post photos

 

[Gary Fowler]

A PHD is what you need for fence post and even then you will be doing a lot of hand dirt packing around the post or putting in a lot of concrete to fill in the hole. We used a PHD just for corner post and used steel T-post for the rest of the fencing on our 42 acre tract. MY BIL drove hundreds of T post with hand driver but I found that with a ground helper(BIL), I could push them in with the FEL as long as I didn't hit a rock. I just had tractors (2) both with FEL for 3 years and finally bought a B26 TLB and cant believe how much I have used that little tractor. In the 18 months that I have had it, I have put nearly 300 hours on it and about the same on my RTV in 3 years both of which I couldn't do without. I realize a backhoe is a major purchase and so is an RTV but they are worth the money for me as the RTV saves me lots of walking and is very handy for hauling materials, tools, tree limbs, dirt etc. and with the Backhoe not having to dig with a shovel and pick axe AND to have it available whenever I need it. Renting is great for the one of a kind task that you may need a hoe for and if that is all you need one for IE, digging one trench, then by all means just rent one, but I use mine almost daily for everything from planting plants, digging up rocks which grow profusely here, digging up stumps, dead trees, moving larger rocks, piling debris, cleaning grown up fence rows and many other things.
My backhoe has a hydraulic thumb which is indispensable for me as I use it to move downed trees out, pull up fence post when needed, lift rocks to put in the RTV for hauling away and just about anything that I would have to do by hand and a strong back (which I no longer have) so it is a life saver for me.