Loader bucket shape?

Mith

Active member
I've seen lots of designs for loader buckets, any opinions on which is the best kind of shape, and what shape one does your tractor have?

I'm just starting to make the one for my loader, and need to decide what its going to be like. I really want it to be very strong, rather than hold a huge amount of material.

Some buckets are curved and almost like a C shape, with the top coming right over. others are L shaped, with nothing on the top. Others are more < shaped. I could find some pictures if you don't know what I am talking about. Google 'loader bucket' and take a look at the different shapes.

Any thoughts? Any pictures of your tractors loader bucket?

Cheers
 

Mith

Active member
Well I started anyway, and this is what I came up with yesterday afternoon. Found a fair bit of 1/8" steel scrap (old mower chassis) in the weeds.
I reinforced the top lip with a solid steel bar. I plan on welding a bit of 1/8" strip steel underneath an on the back corner to protect the bucket against wear.

Need to weld on a cutting edge. 1/4" steel good enough? Should I weld a strip along the front with a hard facing rod?

Thanks
 

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Jim_S

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Here's an old picture of my loader bucket. I'll get some detailed pictures of the lip reinforcing and post them.

Jim
 

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Doc

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Mith, that looks GREAT. Your design is very much like my Kubota's bucket, and like the picture Jim S. shared with us. :thumb: I think that is a good design. Enough open on the top for an object taller than the bucket.
Be sure you add hooks like on Jim's, they can really come in handy.

I have a set of forks for my bucket which let you carry all kinds of things that won't fit in the bucket. I mainly move my implements around with the forks (box blade, rotary cutter, etc ...) This lets me store them out of the way. When I want to put them on the tractor I have to use the forks to move the implement outside in the open before I hook it on.
I bet you could make yourself a set of forks. Let me know when you want to see pics of the ones I have.
 

Mith

Active member
Jim, thanks. That bucket is similar to what I built, except the back some in on the front if you see what I mean. On mine the back is at 90 degrees to the bottom.

Doc, the bucket has a quick attach system (or will when its done). The box frame you see behind it is attached permanently to the loader, and the bucket hooks onto it.
I am going to make some forks in the near future. I'd appreciate pictures of your forks. Are they the type that fit straight to the loader, or do they attach to the bucket?
Maybe you could start a thread on loader attachments. Might get the old creative juices flowing.
 

PBinWA

Member
Mith,

You may want to add some reinforcement around the lips. I re-inforced the top edge and the sides of my bucket. When I do heavy duty work I use the toothbar and that helps a lot.

If you want to see bad bucket design, check out pictures of the Kioti CK30 bucket on TBN. I'd say 50% of the pictures posted of people's CK30's show them with buckets that are bent in the middle.

I'd do some forks too. They are very useful. You could do a set that can hold 4 forks across and you have a good set of brush forks too.
 

BoneheadNW

Member
Mith, don't want to hijack your thread, but if anyone could post close ups of their forks attached to their bucket, I would appreciate it. Most of my loader work these days is hauling odd shaped stumps out of the area I am clearing. Sure, a chain helps, but some type of forks would be quicker I think. I hope to put in a couple of hours after my half shift today.

Now, back to Mith's bucket..................
Bone
 

PBinWA

Member

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Mith

Active member
PB, I was going to weld either a 1/8" or 1/4" strip along the cutting edge to stop it bowing. I might make a big gusset inside the bucket to tie the bottom to the back and top a little. Reckon that'll be enough to stop the cutting edge bowing?

That tractor is near on exactly the same as mine, just 2 more engine HP.
Looks like the bucket sticks a long way over the front axle, that's gotta be hard on those wheels.
 

Mith

Active member
Got my bucket done (apart from paint, but I hate painting).

First picture shows the quick attach. Hook onto a frame at the top then 2 pins slide in the bottom.
Second is the overall thing. I added a 3/8 bit of steel for a cutting edge.

My CAD program calculates its volume to be a shade of 4 cu ft. Anyone know what a cu ft of various materials weighs?

I'm still waiting on 1 fitting to finish the loader, sounds like its not going to be in for a while either :(
 

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Doc

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Looks good. You're going to love it!!!!!!!! It's a true back saver. :D
 

Mith

Active member
Thanks guys.

And Brian, thanks for the link, just what I was after.
Looks like I might have enough lift to take a full bucket of sand.
 

Big Dog

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Great information and I'm sure my single axle trailer would have appreciated I read this before hauling cinder blocks and cement this weekend!!!!
 
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