Your most used/valuable attachment?

motownbrowne · Mar 24, 2015

We grow vegetables, so the rototiller is an absolute must-have for us. Beyond that, pallet forks are certainly very handy, and now that I know how useful the Farmi winch is, I'd never go into the woods without it.

stephan · Mar 24, 2015

OK so for me +1 for the landscape rake.

Ibow · Mar 24, 2015

bindian said:
Yes I do.................

Brandi, wow. That is very cool. Did you make that up or did you buy it? And yes, I also would be interested in knowing how you pull it. Do you somehow try to "float" your backhoe? Very cool attachment. And the nice part is, you don't have to remove the backhoe in order to put another attachment on.

Islandtractor - the ripper is also very cool.

Thanks again to all who have responded. Very much appreciated.

joeyd · Mar 24, 2015

When not moving snow I would have to say my forks.

legrandice · Mar 24, 2015

What are these attachment things you speak of! Sigh...no trailer or wallet capacity for any at this point. In a few years I will start buying! A grapple is on top of the list.

bindian · Mar 24, 2015

IslandTractor said:
Great attachment for the backhoe.

This is my favorite backhoe attachment:

View attachment 417989 View attachment 417990 View attachment 417991

A ripper makes very quick work of medium sized trees that are too big to just push over with a grapple and where chainsawing would leave a stump that needs digging out. Ripping the roots and pushing the tree over leaves a very small scar and no stump. Easy peasy. Ten or so minutes per tree up to about six inches in diameter including moving them to a pile. Bigger trees possible too but usually require moving the BH a couple of times to rip more roots.

Island Tractor,
That is a neat tool. But if you have pin on bucket pins...........it's a POA to change from bucket to ripper. Especially if you have a thumb that uses the bucket pivot pin. Besides.......digging in the dirt is fun.
hugs, Brandi

IslandTractor · Mar 24, 2015

bindian said:
Island Tractor, That is a neat tool. But if you have pin on bucket pins...........it's a POA to change from bucket to ripper. Especially if you have a thumb that uses the bucket pivot pin. Besides.......digging in the dirt is fun. hugs, Brandi

You are correct, change over can be a hassle unless you get a guide pin to line things up. The guide pin is just a tad smaller in diameter and a few inches longer than the main pin with a cone shape on one end. Just hammer it through and it lines things up so you can then just push the guide pin out with the main pin. But, yes, it is a hassle. I'd love to get a quick attach mount for the BH like the big boys use.

bindian · Mar 24, 2015

Ibow said:
Brandi, wow. That is very cool. Did you make that up or did you buy it? And yes, I also would be interested in knowing how you pull it. Do you somehow try to "float" your backhoe? Very cool attachment. And the nice part is, you don't have to remove the backhoe in order to put another attachment on.

Islandtractor - the ripper is also very cool.

Thanks again to all who have responded. Very much appreciated.

Ibow,
Thanks! Yes, I designed and cut it out. I did have my super cool welding shop do the hot stuff. I made a plywood mockup of the "glove" mount for the bucket teeth to make sure when stowing the bucket......... it would clear the boom. The chain retaining the blade gives it a little slope float or tilt. It mostly follows the contour of the grade. It is for finish grading. Works great on finishing dams that are already retaining water. I do not understand your question on how I pull it.
hugs, Brandi

Ibow · Mar 24, 2015

bindian said:
Ibow,
Thanks! Yes, I designed and cut it out....I do not understand your question on how I pull it.
hugs, Brandi

Brandi - that is pretty cool. Good for you. That is some kind of an attachment. What I meant was, when finish grading, I wondered how you "floated" your backhoe. Seems the 46 Backhoe on the back of my John Deere doesn't necessarily have a "float" position on it although I have to admit, I've never tried "float" anything with it. I'm wondering how you finish grade with it other than just to lower it to a certain depth and start pulling forward.

At any rate, that is quite the attachment. Quite impressive! Thanks for posting.

bindian · Mar 25, 2015

IslandTractor said:
You are correct, change over can be a hassle unless you get a guide pin to line things up. The guide pin is just a tad smaller in diameter and a few inches longer than the main pin with a cone shape on one end. Just hammer it through and it lines things up so you can then just push the guide pin out with the main pin. But, yes, it is a hassle. I'd love to get a quick attach mount for the BH like the big boys use.

Us mechanics call that a bullet. I haven't taken the time to make 1 & 1/2 inch and 2 inch bullets yet. The same diameter will work also.
hugs, Brandi

bindian · Mar 25, 2015

Ibow said:
Brandi - that is pretty cool. Good for you. That is some kind of an attachment. What I meant was, when finish grading, I wondered how you "floated" your backhoe. Seems the 46 Backhoe on the back of my John Deere doesn't necessarily have a "float" position on it although I have to admit, I've never tried "float" anything with it. I'm wondering how you finish grade with it other than just to lower it to a certain depth and start pulling forward.

At any rate, that is quite the attachment. Quite impressive! Thanks for posting.

Oh.............how do you float it:confused2:. You have to be able to dance, chew gum, and rub your belly at the same time.:laughing: Actually, its just hours and hours of running the backhoe

. Kinda comes easy now.:licking: I am planning a front grader blade off of the loader next.

It will have a remote diverter to change from tilt to grade angles left and right. So you have to get off:ashamed: to change from left and right angles to left or right tilt. Then it will run off of the diverter valve button on the joystick. I would love to get a surplus propane tank to make the blade for that project. But folks want to many $$$ for them. Thanks for liking it.
hugs, Brandi

Ibow · Mar 25, 2015

bindian said:
Oh.............how do you float it:confused2:. You have to be able to dance, chew gum, and rub your belly at the same time.:laughing: Actually, its just hours and hours of running the backhoe. Kinda comes easy now.:licking:

Well, that rules me out. Can't do more then one thing at a time. Again, congrats on a terrific invention/attachment and best wishes in your next endeavor - looking forward to the picts of that one to!

IslandTractor · Mar 25, 2015

bindian said:
Us mechanics call that a bullet. I haven't taken the time to make 1 & 1/2 inch and 2 inch bullets yet. The same diameter will work also. hugs, Brandi

You just need the main pin "bullet". Use that to install the main pin and the just operate the BH to lift the bucket. It swings easily then and is easily lined up for the second pin.

bindian · Mar 25, 2015

IslandTractor said:
You just need the main pin "bullet". Use that to install the main pin and the just operate the BH to lift the bucket. It swings easily then and is easily lined up for the second pin.

I know...........I do it a lot when I put the auger on there. It's just awkward moving the thumb around under the dipper stick. My thumb is 1 inch steel. Kinda heavy. The bucket pins are 1 & 1/2 inches. Two inch bullets would be for rebuilding the cylinders.
hugs, Brandi

bindian · Mar 25, 2015

Ibow said:
Well, that rules me out. Can't do more then one thing at a time. Again, congrats on a terrific invention/attachment and best wishes in your next endeavor - looking forward to the picts of that one to!

Maybe if you led with your left foot?:laughing:
hugs, Brandi

RoyJackson · Mar 26, 2015

Depends on the season, but the RFM and snow blower are definitely the most used. Unless there is a specific task, the mower stays on all Spring, Summer and into Fall...the blower stays on the Winter (which, here in Vermont, is pretty lengthy).