What's your hoe doing?

[aighead]

Oh yeah, I have a new question and I'm wondering if anyone has tried it with their backhoe loader or a normal loader...

I was thinking about plowing snow, and using the loader is effective but can it be made better on the cheap? I then thought about turning the loader into a poor man's bulldozer. I've got the extra bar, that was double sent to me for the over-the-bucket forks, sitting here. I thought about a sheet of plywood, probably 3/4", reinforced with some 2x4 attached to the back and set at an angle, could be strapped to that bar and made so it covered the entire opening of the loader bucket with which to then push snow/dirt/sand whatever? So, essentially, closing off the loader. I feel like that'd work. It may make some grading jobs easier too?

Anyone seen or tried something like that? Is that dumb? Am I missing something?

 

[Willie B]

I plow snow with the loader bucket. not at all a problem. My only complaint is when the ground isn't frozen it seems one corner of the bucket is always digging in. Cutting edge is parallel to the rear axle. Most of my neighborhood driveways are not flat. one corner of the bucket is inches above the ground while the other is scalping.

Snow pushers use a slot 4 or 5 inches wide the bucket's cutting edge rides in. Gravity allows the snow pusher to compensate for this. Usually snow pushers are somewhat wider than the bucket. Tires aren't packing down the snow you pushed last pass.

 

[Tinkerer]

Thanks guys!
Tinkerer- I like the idea of a phone controlled block heater. I don't understand what the coil operated switch is though, and 80 amps? Is 80 what you've got running to it? That seems like a lot!

The magnetic coil operated switch is rated to handle 80 amps. I have a 20 amp supply circuit going to it.
The tank heater is 1500 watts. That is beyond the WIFI switch's capacity.
The two switches and duplex outlet are really quite easy to install and inter-connect the wiring.
The WIFI switch was my biggest challenge. I learned the hard way that the screen time, on my phone was not set to be on long enough for the switch to program to it.
Increasing the screen time on , in the phone settings solved the issue.
I use those same style of switches to control my shop lights, bench lights and burglar alarm.
I have a bad habit of forgetting to turn off the lights when I leave.
The phone app shows if the switches are on or off.
The wifi switches have rockers on them and can be turned on and off like a conventional switch.
The image is of the 80 amp switch I used.

 

[T-town]

Do you cut windows in after or do you not want many windows?

.
We 'wraped' the house in one fell swoop.... the windows are there.... just covered for now. Finally got above freezing yesterday. Planning to set a few of those windows soon.

My 310b does NOT like the cold... but have not had the need to attempt a 'fire up'. But she is out in the cold..no place to put her up for the long nite just yet.... I'm workin on the place for me and the Mrs. 1st !

 

[Swetz]

I'm workin on the place for me and the Mrs. 1st !

Smart Man!!!

LOL

 

[HarleyHappy]

I use a Wi-Fi controlled outlet for my case 580 SE on the side of my garage for the last 2 years as I put a 9.6” plow on it.
It draws 7.5 amps and will warm it up enough to start in 45 minutes to an hour.
So before I get ready to go out I just turn it on in my phone app.
I did the same for my garage heat so I can turn it on and set temp at anytime.
Very convenient.

 

[Welder Dave]

Ether in small amounts is not harmful. Millions of engines came with ether injection systems. Make sure you have fuel and never use with glow plugs or intake heaters. Only use a very short burst. Some engines it says to give additional short bursts until the engine is running smooth.

 

[aighead]

Welp, my 'hoe was plowing snow yesterday! We got a quick several inches and the temperature wasn't too bad out, so I fired her up and plowed the "neighborhood" and a few neighbor's driveways, rather than wait for the township to come out and do it. It did a fine job except for when I couldn't really tell where the edge of the road was and I started to slip off into the ditch. I don't like that feeling. I think I will try to make my poor man's plow as mentioned at the top of this page. I was moving tons of snow but it would end up just shoving out both sides of the bucket. That meant I had to take several trips to clear the big chunks out of the road. I think if I had a flatter front, like a real snow plow it would help mitigate that a bit, especially if I can figure out a good angle on it.

 

[HarleyHappy]

I bought a Curtis 8’ plow for 100 bucks and made C mounts so it hooks up right to the bucket and added a circuit for the power angle.
I do have a Y chain on bottom to hook bucket in with a chain binder.
First year when angled the rear tires would run over the banks, especially on a corner.
Last fall I added wings with a slight angle so now the plow measures 9’6
Works great, total cost was 400 without labor but man it pushes snow.
On full angle I get great banks which helps as my driveway is 770’.
Getting ready to go out and plow now. Lol
Might post pics when it not all covered with snow lol.

 

[aighead]

Yeah, I'd love to see pictures. With the price of a sheet of plywood and the 2x6 I'd attach (which I have around) it'd be close to a 100 dollar project right there. The roads I'm doing are basically a lane and a half or just over, so as long as I could clear that I don't mind running over snow, I just would like to be able to push from the middle of the blade and have it move to the correct side. I ended up pushing a pile of snow and letting it build up in the middle, then using that bulge to move snow off to the sides, so basically filling the bucket, which then acted as a plow blade. I think there is room for improvement.

 

[Willie B]

I built a plow mount for a farm tractor where the plow blade replaced the bucket. I found that floating the loader caused it to push down on the Fisher plow blade. It stumbled on every bump or pebble.
When I decided to try a 9' Meyers plow on a Case 4 X 4 backhoe I rigged the pivot points of the plow as low as possible, they were below the bucket. I could lock the loader with the pivot pins for the plow 5" above the ground & it pushed snow well, though I couldn't angle the blade much, or it pushed the front of the backhoe to the side. The whole rig was ungainly & too long to maneuver.
A number of years I've been plowing with only the backhoe bucket. It works well, but for two problems. It requires a lot of passes to clean an area & there is always one corner of the bucket digging in when earth isn't frozen.

 

[Willie B]

Yeah, I'd love to see pictures. With the price of a sheet of plywood and the 2x6 I'd attach (which I have around) it'd be close to a 100 dollar project right there. The roads I'm doing are basically a lane and a half or just over, so as long as I could clear that I don't mind running over snow, I just would like to be able to push from the middle of the blade and have it move to the correct side. I ended up pushing a pile of snow and letting it build up in the middle, then using that bulge to move snow off to the sides, so basically filling the bucket, which then acted as a plow blade. I think there is room for improvement.

Bulldozer operators use a technique called slot dozing.
If you want to move everything in an area down to a given depth, you figure what you can push in a pass. Back up enough to fill the blade in a run, push a full blade over the drop. Back up farther in the same slot, push that blade full. Repeat the process until you have a slot full length of the push & deep as the blade is tall.

Move over & repeat that process in a slot parallel to the first leaving a ridge between. Make as many parallel slots as you have room.
Then move the ridge between.

It's a more efficient way to move material.

More efficient than that is a snow pusher, or box plow. 10 or 12 feet wide for your backhoe, it makes the most of your machine.
Truth is balance of a backhoe makes it less than perfect as a snow plow. Less than perfect but nearer perfect than a shovel.

 

[aighead]

Much more perfect than shoveling! I'll go to relatively amazing lengths to avoid picking up a shovel.

 

[HarleyHappy]

Wille not sure what I am doing but unless I put a very severe down angle I can’t put enough down pressure to float front wheels.
What I did was copy a set of bolt on forks and added V plates and hold down rods.
I do wish I hadn’t spent much time on them as the chain binder really locks it into bucket and takes a minute to take off.
I do wish I had got a 9’ plow but they want good money for them so the first year I used it as is and this fall I added 8” wings and angled slightly so I can use it as a snow pusher or angle and make banks.
I also welded a 2” pipe across the bottom of the cutting edge and seems to be lasting well.
I added a circuit in the bucket hydraulics so I split the 2 during winter.
Now I’m thinking of adding a grapple to help with the trees. Lol
While it’s not as fast as a plow truck, it’s more agile and has way more power and I can really build the banks.
I also put in a pressure relief block and have them set at 1250psi but may have to bump it up as the banks freeze.
Overall I’m quite happy with it as it makes me use the backhoe more during the winter and have to keep it running.
I did crown my driveway with it last fall after turning up the PR valves and it worked awesome.
Being a Curtis plow like a Meyers it trips the whole blade not sure if this is why it works so well.

 

[Willie B]

My plow that I replaced the bucket with was fisher (edge trip only) & it was on an International 385, pretty light on the front. I was plowing gravel driveways & it seemed to stumble on every pebble. I think of a pole vaulter. Stubbing stopped forward motion at the loader boom pins. Tire chained rears kept going throwing the tractor into a wheelie.

I set a Myers 9' up on a Case 580K. That I used the push frame mounted under the bucket. Used the bucket curl & a hoist chain to raise the plow blade. It worked well & if I were plowing a road it'd be fine. If I angled the blade much It'd push the front wheels sideways. It was just too long & ungainly with an extra five feet out front & a backhoe out back.

 

[aighead]

Man, top notch job Harley! Looks great! If I build something it will be much more low rent.

 

[NH575E]

Much more perfect than shoveling! I'll go to relatively amazing lengths to avoid picking up a shovel.

I picked up a shovel the other day to transplant a tree. About 4 stabs into the ground and my knees began to hurt. I went back to the barn and got the HOE. It made a big ol mess but dug the tree out and the hole to put it in with little to no effort.

I used the loader on my little tractor to suspend the tree in the new hole so I didn't bend the tap root. Still had to do SOME shoveling to get the dirt in around the roots and pack with a grubbing hoe.

 

[aighead]

I've dug, with a shovel, very little since having the backhoe. The wife doesn't mind shoveling and kids deserve some hard work and I'm fine with that.

 

[T-town]

We are having a bit of snow here..... but before that weather came through we were able to finish the house..... from the dripedge up !! below that there's still a bit to do...



Sheathed the garage.... and called the roofer... he came 2 days later! A couple guys... 1/2 day.. 14 square of shingles and we are good to go.




Now.... work on the soffit when the weather allows... and inside anytime!
Figured I would wait for the soffit/fascia work to be done before I installed windows.... sometimes I get the drops...would hate to see a hammer or whatever bounce into a window.

Drain/vent lines to be roughed in... electric to rough in.... and then a call for inspection.

I need to pick up a space heater..... getting a bit chilly inside at times and I'm not too good at working with gloves on the hands....... something run off a propane tank??

 

[Swetz]

Looking great...thanks for the pics. That hoe is surly earning its keep!!

Sheathed the garage.... and called the roofer... he came 2 days later!

Well that worked out perfect!

I need to pick up a space heater..... getting a bit chilly inside at times and I'm not too good at working with gloves on the hands....... something run off a propane tank??

A kerosene heater (salamander) would work great, until the windows go in. After, one of those propane indoor heaters would be a spot to go and get warmed up, while working.