GreensvilleJay
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Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
BX2380 - FEL Excavation Project - Possible or no?
- Thread starter CV428
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It can absolutely be done - I've done similar with my old BX25 (now sold). I cleared a 20x30 shed and a 30x30 area for a pad. I didn't have as many trees as you have though.
The cutting edge will help - a lot.
It will be hard on your tractor. You will want to remove the mower.
A box blade will also help tremendously.
The cutting edge will help - a lot.
It will be hard on your tractor. You will want to remove the mower.
A box blade will also help tremendously.
All good advice. I'm going to call in the favor for the mini-ex and maybe rent a skid-steer for a weekend, then use the BX to move the loose dirt instead of digging it. I'm decent in both (mini-ex and S-S) but nowhere near expert.
As for "abuse of equipment," I completely get it and that's why I asked. I only have 210hrs on my BX2380. Half were mowing, half were moving boulders, logs, bricks, concrete, etc. I bought the BX before we had major projects and it was meant as a bulletproof mower and FEL was for moving 30 yards of mulch a year. After we got it, I started looking for projects to use it for. We used it to move all of the dirt from a 30,000 gal pool project (not dig, move). We built a 70' x 7' granite retaining wall two years ago. Most boulders and flagstone were right at the limit for the little tractor but it handled it like a champ. There were a few massive ones that I needed to borrow heavy equipment for. We even used it for a week of tornado cleanup and I was competing with skid steers with grapples. I've been extremely impressed with it and it's one of my all time favorite purchases. That's why I was having a hard time setting a limitation for it- it has done everything I have needed it to do.
As for "abuse of equipment," I completely get it and that's why I asked. I only have 210hrs on my BX2380. Half were mowing, half were moving boulders, logs, bricks, concrete, etc. I bought the BX before we had major projects and it was meant as a bulletproof mower and FEL was for moving 30 yards of mulch a year. After we got it, I started looking for projects to use it for. We used it to move all of the dirt from a 30,000 gal pool project (not dig, move). We built a 70' x 7' granite retaining wall two years ago. Most boulders and flagstone were right at the limit for the little tractor but it handled it like a champ. There were a few massive ones that I needed to borrow heavy equipment for. We even used it for a week of tornado cleanup and I was competing with skid steers with grapples. I've been extremely impressed with it and it's one of my all time favorite purchases. That's why I was having a hard time setting a limitation for it- it has done everything I have needed it to do.
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GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
GREAT plan... do the 'dirty digging' with other machines, leave the 'transportation' to the Kubota.
You'll find it's more efficient and easier on equipment.
Nice thing is you can LEAVE the relocation of fill for later, move what you can, when time permits.
Often it's best to spend an hour planning the job than 10 hours fighting, trying this and that, dang ,now this is in the way, arrgh, gotta move 3 MORE things,........
You'll find it's more efficient and easier on equipment.
Nice thing is you can LEAVE the relocation of fill for later, move what you can, when time permits.
Often it's best to spend an hour planning the job than 10 hours fighting, trying this and that, dang ,now this is in the way, arrgh, gotta move 3 MORE things,........
Donystoy
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LX2610HSDCC, B/H, Loader, plus numerous other attachments. B7200 sold
With regard to the tree stumps can you not just rent a stump grinder. You can grind away the entire stump while removing the spoils with your loader as you go. A backhoe also would certainly help as previously mentioned. I certainly could not live without a backhoe that I have had for 40 years. Many years ago I levelled a back yard with a handheld rototiller and a wheelbarrow. Never again.
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xrocketengineer
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX1880, FEL, Grapple, 36 in. Forks, 48in. MMM, Quick Spade, Ripper
Well you learn something every day. Before I clicked on the hyperlink, I legit thought you had attached a shovel to the front of your tractor. "No way!" I exclaimed as I zoomed the photo to take a closer look.
fried1765
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Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
Ya think?
A zero turn mower is a much more efficient way to cut grass!
BAP
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
2012 Kubota 2920, 60MMM, FEL, BH65 48" Bush Hog, 60"Backblade, B2782B Snowblower
Abuse of a machine is How you use it, Not the amount you use it. You can put a 1000 hours on the machine and move 5000 yards of material and not abuse the machine. Or, you can put 1 hour on it and move 1 yard of material and beat the living H*** out of it. It’s not the machine that makes the job, it’s the operator. Most guys on here who are giving advice are not good operators, they just use their machines. A good operator is an artist who can take a machine and do a job without it even looking like work, with the smallest machine available. Many buy or recommend a bigger machine to compensate for their lack of abilities. To the OP, use whatever you need to to do the job and keep pecking away at it. You don’t need to have fancy equipment if you have time and patience.
I’m starting to believe that I’m the only one that never had any success using my loader as a digger, even with having a tooth on it. This is with my B2910, which is a bigger tractor than the BX, but still small in the overall scheme of things.
Perhaps part of the reason is because I have a backhoe. I have successively completed projects that required moving a fair amount of dirt. The last one was several hundred of cubic yards of dirt. In any event, what has worked for me is using the backhoe to break the soil loose, and using the loader to pick up the loose soil and move it where needed. For that big project I actually used the backhoe to load my 5x8 dump trailer, as the distance moved was 80 yards average. I pulled the trailer with my BX2200.
I probably gave up too quickly on the loader as a digger years ago, and fell back on using the backhor since I had it. But I’ve never had much luck trying to the scrape the surface off of virgin earth. I can envision how you could get started, and then scrape along the vertical edge, perhaps to grab buckets of dirt that way.
Anyway, the OP‘s question was along the lines of "can I do it", rather than "should I do it".
My answer would be no, you shouldn’t do it. But for me, the "can I do it" side is difficult or impossible to answer. I’m pretty sure the answer would be you probably can, if you have enough time and patience. Everyone of those 10 inch tree stumps are going to be a challenge if you only have the loader with a tooth on it. And if you find something unexpected things could get very interesting. Like a large boulder, or around here you can find shale.
Over the years, I have occasionally seen examples of excavation type work that was accomplished with the tractor/loader combination that amazed me, so I know it can be done. I don’t recall seeing anything of significance that was excavated using only a BX/loader combo.
Perhaps the original poster should start a separate thread titled "show me your tractor/loader excavations…" The response (or possibly lack of it) might be enlightening.
Perhaps part of the reason is because I have a backhoe. I have successively completed projects that required moving a fair amount of dirt. The last one was several hundred of cubic yards of dirt. In any event, what has worked for me is using the backhoe to break the soil loose, and using the loader to pick up the loose soil and move it where needed. For that big project I actually used the backhoe to load my 5x8 dump trailer, as the distance moved was 80 yards average. I pulled the trailer with my BX2200.
I probably gave up too quickly on the loader as a digger years ago, and fell back on using the backhor since I had it. But I’ve never had much luck trying to the scrape the surface off of virgin earth. I can envision how you could get started, and then scrape along the vertical edge, perhaps to grab buckets of dirt that way.
Anyway, the OP‘s question was along the lines of "can I do it", rather than "should I do it".
My answer would be no, you shouldn’t do it. But for me, the "can I do it" side is difficult or impossible to answer. I’m pretty sure the answer would be you probably can, if you have enough time and patience. Everyone of those 10 inch tree stumps are going to be a challenge if you only have the loader with a tooth on it. And if you find something unexpected things could get very interesting. Like a large boulder, or around here you can find shale.
Over the years, I have occasionally seen examples of excavation type work that was accomplished with the tractor/loader combination that amazed me, so I know it can be done. I don’t recall seeing anything of significance that was excavated using only a BX/loader combo.
Perhaps the original poster should start a separate thread titled "show me your tractor/loader excavations…" The response (or possibly lack of it) might be enlightening.
TheOldHokie
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3901/LA525, B7200DT/B1630, G2160/RCK60, G2460/RCK60
My grandfather dug a full basement under the old farm house using a shovel, a wheel barrow, and dynamite. Family legend has it Grandma was busy baking bread while he was lighting off charges....
Lots of things can be done with less than optimal equipment
Dan
No doubt about that! Compared to a spoon and a bucket…a shovel, a wheel barrow, and dynamite is optimal!My grandfather dug a full basement under the old farm house using a shovel, a wheel barrow, and dynamite. Family legend has it Grandma was busy baking bread while he was lighting off charges....
Lots of things can be done with less than optimal equipment
Dan
GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Real World rediculousness...
Neighbour's using his SS with 5' wide bucket to expose his crushed French Drain. So far, he has 4' of it exposed and it's less than 2' down,been at it 2 hours+.
Same job with my BX23S would take 10 minutes.
Too bad he didn't take pictures of his new house build, then he'd KNOW he now has to go DOWN 8' to get to the Drain's end.
Neighbour's using his SS with 5' wide bucket to expose his crushed French Drain. So far, he has 4' of it exposed and it's less than 2' down,been at it 2 hours+.
Same job with my BX23S would take 10 minutes.
Too bad he didn't take pictures of his new house build, then he'd KNOW he now has to go DOWN 8' to get to the Drain's end.
Prisoners did their way out of jail using a spoon carrying the dirt out in their pockets and dropping it in the courtyard. Just depends on how motivated you are to get the job done.
fried1765
Well-known member
Equipment
Kubota L48 TLB, Ford 1920 FEL, Ford 8N, SCAG Liberty Z, Gravely Pro.
My mother, dad, and I, dug a substantial, (partial) basement under this now 294 year old house.My grandfather dug a full basement under the old farm house using a shovel, a wheel barrow, and dynamite. Family legend has it Grandma was busy baking bread while he was lighting off charges....
Lots of things can be done with less than optimal equipment
Dan
We did it with my dad under the house, loading (with shovel) a beefed up cranberry box.
Made a ramp out of a 2x12 with oak runners, and box slid up and down that.
Rope went from box bridle up through a pully mounted on a cut off telephone pole set at the top of the hole, and hooked to the front bumper of our '36 Ford.
My dad would load the box, I (10 yr. old) stood at the top of the hole, and when he had the box full, motioned my mom to back up.
The box would slide up the ramp, and I would dump it at the top.
My mom would drive forward, the box would slide down the ramp,...... and the process would repeat.
MANY evenings, and every weekend for several years, ......this is what we did.
I still own/live in the 294 year old house!
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GreensvilleJay
Well-known member
Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Bottom line..loader buckets make LOUSY 'digging devices'.
Simple fizzicks. The loader bucket is 4 FEET wide, BH bucket is 12 inches, so even a toothless BH bucket can have 4x the force from the get-go.
All 'loader buckets' ARE great for high volume hauling of loose fill like gravel, mulch, compost, sand, etc.
It's a tool vs application thing.
Used the stair ramp trick to get guys prized HD MC out of a basement. Good old '73 CJ-5 hauled it up. Never did ask him how or WHY it was in the basement.
Simple fizzicks. The loader bucket is 4 FEET wide, BH bucket is 12 inches, so even a toothless BH bucket can have 4x the force from the get-go.
All 'loader buckets' ARE great for high volume hauling of loose fill like gravel, mulch, compost, sand, etc.
It's a tool vs application thing.
Used the stair ramp trick to get guys prized HD MC out of a basement. Good old '73 CJ-5 hauled it up. Never did ask him how or WHY it was in the basement.