Yet another attachment question.

[jbman]

Hello folks, I am about to pull the trigger and make a PT purchase, thought I had it all figured out, but going back through the archives, I have to ask..... should I really include the blade in my list? Going with the 425. I have been reading archives until I dream PT at night. My plans were to get: The grapple bucket, the mini-hoe, the forks, and I was going to get the blade, but now I'm not sure about that one. I was going to add the blade for that once every 4 or 5 year snow we get here in NC, and I thought it might be useful to spread gravel in the drive, and this and that. But after alot of reading, I just don't see many of you using it much, and I'm not sure that I really need it. Back in the 'most useful implements' thread, I think I saw one mention, and that was by someone that lived in the great white north. So, is it reasonable to think I can use the grapple bucket for the occasional smoothing out gravel by dragging it backwards, ( after dumping gravel ) and the ever so rare snow removal, etc, or will I find the blade fairly useful?

Thanks for any advice, hoping to run to Tazewell at the end of the week....
Jim

 

[KentT]

Because of the long teeth on the grapple bucket, I think you'll find it of limited use for leveling gravel or dealing with snow. You'd have better luck with a light material bucket, IMO.

I have a sno/dirt blade, but to be honest I've only played with it a couple of times -- but that's because I'm still doing site prep before building the house, so I don't have a driveway to maintain.

A boxblade would likely do better at grading/spreading gravel than either the bucket or snow/dirt blade because it "traps" the gravel inside with its boxed ends and pulls it to low spots or until the thin layer is spread...

 

[MossRoad]

I have the large material bucket and the snow blade and have used both to remove snow. I would say that if you are on a budget, the bucket is a fine tool for removing snow and will work well, but the snow blade works much better. I'd estimate that it takes me twice as long to clear my drive with the bucket VS the snow blade. That being said, it takes me 5 minutes VS 10 minutes.

If you only get one or two snows a year, and it takes you an hour to clear your drive with a blade VS two hours with a bucket, you have to ask yourself if that extra $$ you spend on the blade is really worth an extra couple hours a year.

 

[jbman]

KentT, Mossroad - thanks for the help. I won't be doing alot of either snow removal or gravel spreading as we very rarely get enough snow to worry about, and I would just be filling in low spots etc with gravel for the driveway. It's a 1/4 mile driveway, but the bottom layer is big 3 inch type rock covered by crush and run. I don't think the box blade would work well on it, and it doesn't seem many poeple were very fond of the box blade, so I have been kind of staying away from that. The LMB is $450, and the blade is $450. I definately think I want the grapple bucket, but I can see KentT's point about the teeth making it tough to use for smoothing gravel or snow removal. Do you think I would be better off getting the LMB along with the Grapple bucket.... or should I just save 450 for now?

Thanks again... all advice greatly appreciated....
Jim

 

[jbman]

By the way.. forgot to mention, heading to Tazewell this Friday for a demo and the maintenance training. Should be a cool day... a nice motorcyle ride combined with playing with tractors. My kind of day. Hopefully the demo will help with my decision on the blade etc.. but, I am still open to any advice I can get from you folks in advance.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[KentT]

IMO, the LM bucket is a great addition to the toolkit IF you have the need to move/haul a lot of mulch, sand, topsoil, etc. It's essentially a large wheelbarrow, and can be used to haul a lot of different things.

In comparison, it holds about twice as much material as the grapple bucket (or the HD rock bucket which is the basis of the grapple bucket). I think if you had it, you'd likely find that it stays on the PT the most of any attachment in general use.

The grapple bucket is for a specialized purpose -- handling brush, limbs, etc. -- and it does great at that. It can also be used for digging when needed -- since I've gotten mine, my HD rock bucket hasn't even been mounted on the tractor -- that's certainly one bucket I would NOT buy if buying new. You can sharpen the teeth on the grapple bucket and it will actually dig better than the rock bucket since the teeth are longer and narrower.

The LM bucket and grapple bucket make a good combo... and at $450 is affordable.

 

[jbman]

Thanks Kent, I'm now leaning that way. I shouldn't have large amounts of material to move very often, but if I can use the LMB as sort of a blade, for the few times I would want one, then it would obviously be much more useful than the blade. I'll go that direction for the demo.

Really do appreciate the advice. I just don't know of any other way I could possible get good info for these decisions. You all have taught me quite a bit so far. Thanks very much once again.

Jim

 

[MossRoad]

The LMB is my most used implement, by far. I intended to purchase a lawn mower that could do other jobs and ended up getting a front end loader that also does a decent job on the lawn. I really surprised myself with all of the uses I could find for the large bucket. As stated, it becomes a powered wheelbarrow. My manual wheel barrow is now rusting under the deck. By this time next year, it will probably be a planter out in the flowerbeds, tipped on its side with petunias growing out of it!

I average about 50 hours a year on our tractor, so far. About a half an hour a week for 30 weeks mowing, so that's 15 hours. Maybe 2 hours snow plowing, total all winter. The other hours are all loader, brush hog and fork lift hours moving leaves, trees, yard debris and such and clearing and maintaining trails on our property. It really surprised me how much I can accomplish with such a small machine in such a short amount of time.

 

[jbman]

Thanks for the input MossRoad... I am glad I took the time to reconsider the blade and ask here. Getting pretty psyched here about going up to Tazewell. If all goes well, I should have me a PT by next week.....

Jim

 

[BobRip]

KentT, Mossroad - thanks for the help. I won't be doing alot of either snow removal or gravel spreading as we very rarely get enough snow to worry about, and I would just be filling in low spots etc with gravel for the driveway. It's a 1/4 mile driveway, but the bottom layer is big 3 inch type rock covered by crush and run. I don't think the box blade would work well on it, and it doesn't seem many poeple were very fond of the box blade, so I have been kind of staying away from that. The LMB is $450, and the blade is $450. I definately think I want the grapple bucket, but I can see KentT's point about the teeth making it tough to use for smoothing gravel or snow removal. Do you think I would be better off getting the LMB along with the Grapple bucket.... or should I just save 450 for now?

Thanks again... all advice greatly appreciated....
Jim

I have used the grapple bucket for smoothing gravel by dragging it backwards. Works pretty good. If not angled right the cylinder bracket can leave a groove in the gravel. I have not really used it for snow.