Skidsteer Stump Bucket Build

[NC Fabricator25]

So I've needed something to help me remove trees for a number of projects, trying to clear a small (mircro for you guys out West ) pasture, clearing some trails around the property, etc. Have a skidsteer, but the full width bucket tears up a lot of ground and is not ideally suited to digging out small stumps. I've looked at stump buckets for a while but couldn't affort the $1k - $2k, so I decided I needed a new project.

I scoured online brands for ideas and decided on a few things: I needed a grapple to deal with the stumps and logs, wanted a fairly narrow bucket opening to focus the digging force (about 15"), and of course it needed to work with the standard SS quick attach plate and hydraulic couplers. So I started a few weeks ago, and just finished it up today with plenty of pictures along the way.

So a trip to the scrap yard yieded some 1/4" plate for the sides and back. Overall length is about 30" and about 20" high in the back. The Powermax 45 cuts like butter, and I usually use a 4ft stick of 1" aluminum angle as my guide. The slots in the back are for plug welding through to a steel tube to reinforce the top edge of the bucket.

-David

[NC Fabricator25]

First pick shows a marginal attempt to bend the top of the back plate down. I slotted it partially with the plasma to help, and it did work but didn't bend evenly, but I don't think the bucket will care.

Pic 2 is a piece of 1/4" scrap I've had a while that was part of a conveyor belt housing, very rusted on one side and faded paint on the other side. I cut it up for the bottom of the bucket. Finally I layed out the bucket on the floor to get it tacked up.

[NC Fabricator25]

First two pics show the bucket tacked up, upside down. I welded a couple of wear strips on the bottom, more of the rusty 1/4" scrap plate. The cutting edge is 1/2" x 4" 1055 steel that I ordered from discountsteel.com, one piece about 16" along the bottom, and two side cutting plates about 4" high.

Next two pics are the backplate that fits to the SS quck attach plate. The scrap yard had some nice pieces of 5/16" plate, about 10" x 42" which were used to construct the back plate. This plate was welded up to the back of the bucket to reinforce the 1/4" plate on the back of the bucket.

I'll continue the saga tomorrow, getting near my bed time. -David

[fatfrank]

I can't wait to see it in action.

[rmack898]

I'm calling a foul here, you have too many anvils. If you can stack them and use them for horses (pic#1, post #2), you have too many anvils and make the anvil deficient envious.

Nice build so far and I too would like to see it in action.

[Ironman]

Now I understand what you're making. We call that a tree spade round here.
I made one last year from a piece of 3ft gas pipe, and as I don't have a skidsteer, the neighbour borrowed it to plant trees.
I'll have to get it back.

I used a 1/2" plate for the SS mount, but I like your setup. I made it to fit a Case, as that was available to measure.
As I am assured this is a universal mount, but when buddy used it on a Bobcat he complained it was hard to attach.

[gwiley]

Looking good. I have one that I spent about $600 - you would have to kill me to get it off the SS

You are probably already thinking this route, but….

1. Use teeth - they make the bucket righteous. Can't tell you how many times I have used them to break a fat vertical root or stump well below grade by poking it a few times - something that a cutting edge just can't do.

2. Consider serrated edges on the top of the sides so that you can "cut" horizontal roots as you back out. I don't have them but wish I did.

The 12" or less opening makes the stump bucket a nice tool for some trenching as well - stuff that you would either call in a backhoe for or try to do with fancy footwork and a dirt bucket.

[Pat]

David,

What brand and model of skid steer do you have? I have a 1992 Case 1845C that I would like to borrow some of your ideas and make a 12" bucket for. At the present time I use my homemade fork attachment to grub small to medium stumps out. It does not work all that great because I did not design it to tilt too far downward, which means I make a lot bigger mess than a bucket would. I will be following your build with great interest. Thanks for sharing.

[NC Fabricator25]

Originally Posted by rmack898

I'm calling a foul here, you have too many anvils. If you can stack them and use them for horses (pic#1, post #2), you have too many anvils and make the anvil deficient envious.

Nice build so far and I too would like to see it in action.

Too many anvils is impossible! I am fortunate to have several, I've picked them up when available (not often here in NC) at reasonable prices.

Originally Posted by gwiley

Looking good. I have one that I spent about $600 - you would have to kill me to get it off the SS

You are probably already thinking this route, but….

1. Use teeth - they make the bucket righteous. Can't tell you how many times I have used them to break a fat vertical root or stump well below grade by poking it a few times - something that a cutting edge just can't do.

2. Consider serrated edges on the top of the sides so that you can "cut" horizontal roots as you back out. I don't have them but wish I did.

The 12" or less opening makes the stump bucket a nice tool for some trenching as well - stuff that you would either call in a backhoe for or try to do with fancy footwork and a dirt bucket.

Good ideas gwiley, and you'll see that I've incorporated them into my design!

Originally Posted by Pat

David,

What brand and model of skid steer do you have? I have a 1992 Case 1845C that I would like to borrow some of your ideas and make a 12" bucket for. At the present time I use my homemade fork attachment to grub small to medium stumps out. It does not work all that great because I did not design it to tilt too far downward, which means I make a lot bigger mess than a bucket would. I will be following your build with great interest. Thanks for sharing.

It's a 2001 New Holland LS160, convinced the wife into purchasing it while we built the workshop over the course of 3 years, it was essential. She says we need to sell it as soon as we're finished with all the projects...can't say that I disagree, which means a very long time! This attachment works very well during my testing, please copy away!

[NC Fabricator25]

The first two pics here show me fitting the Q/A plate up to the skid steer to fit the brackets in place and tack weld. The brackets for the lower pins and the upper pockets were all fabbed out of 5/16" plate.

Next pics are of the attachment plate fabbed up and fitted to the back of the bucket itself. Note the super fancy slots that are plug welded through!