Jump to content

Unofficial Home of Old Simplicity & Allis-Chalmers Garden Tractors

Johnny Bucket Cost


IronPony

Recommended Posts

I was thinking that I would like to have a Johnny Bucket for my AC712 but when I went to their site the price is now close to $700-800 with shipping etc. There are no costly gears, hydo or anything. I can't see where the cost is in this product. Has anyone made their own? How much did it cost to make your own? Any plans available? Dan aka IronPony
Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=35213&SearchTerms=bucket This is mine Elon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kent just posted a link in Tech Tips for several different plans. They should be pretty much what you need to get started. Main cost of steel depends on what you have or what you can scrounge from a salvage yard. I would think a $100 or less with recycled steel purchased from salvage and allowing for new fasteners, etc. We recently bought some 1/8" hot rolled steel sheets from a salvage yard to redeck out 28" trailer. It didn't need to be pretty as the round bales really don't care what they ride on. :) The figure above is based on what we paid for the sheets. There is enough left from that project to build at least 1 or 2 johnny buckets. Cost of steel plate - $60 Cost of structural members - free (ok maybe $20 value) Cost of hardware & paint - $20 Cost of builing it yourself - PRICELESS It may not be as pretty as a powder coated factory built item, but it is not intended to enter a beauty contest, but to do work. I can live with a little "ugly" as long as it works! My wife does ! :D
Link to comment
Share on other sites

700-800 with shipping is not that bad,i have my own business doing ornamental iron work so i buy steel everyday. I can tell you that the cost of steel has sky rocketed. Add the cost of steel to the cost of the equipment that he has invested in, press brake, welders, plus the time it took to design the product and lets not forget the powder coating finish that is on the buckets. Like i said by the time the smoke clears $700 - $800 doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me. How much time do you think you would have into designing and fabricating your own? That's just my 2 cents.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:
Originally posted by wantedinct
700-800 with shipping is not that bad,i have my own business doing ornamental iron work so i buy steel everyday. I can tell you that the cost of steel has sky rocketed. Add the cost of steel to the cost of the equipment that he has invested in, press brake, welders, plus the time it took to design the product and lets not forget the powder coating finish that is on the buckets. Like i said by the time the smoke clears $700 - $800 doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me. How much time do you think you would have into designing and fabricating your own? That's just my 2 cents.
I agree with you 100%..I checked a year or so ago on having a shop bend one up on a press to form the bucket so I wouldn't have to do alot of welding..Plus I thought a formed one might be stronger than a welded up one..The shop quoted me about $300-$375 just for that..The steel alone was about $250..Then I would still have to build the hitch ect..and paint it up and get all the other little hardware parts..
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I built my own Johnny Bucket a couple of years ago for about $200 In My personal opinion If I was gonna spend $800 I would spend a little more and buy a loader, JMO
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you take time to compare the price with prices of other New Attachments for any major brand of garen tractor you will find that the price is about normal. I think a Snow blade for Simplicity GArden Tractors runs around $800 new if I remember right.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aren't the tillers about $1500 new? Until there's alot of Johnny buckets around used the price will stay up there.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If I'm not mistaken last Sunday's Sears flyer in the Sunday paper had their equivalent of the front bucket for around $400. One might be able to adapt that bucket for less than the price of the Johnny Bucket if you don't factor in your labor.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:
Originally posted by wantedinct
700-800 with shipping is not that bad,i have my own business doing ornamental iron work so i buy steel everyday. I can tell you that the cost of steel has sky rocketed. Add the cost of steel to the cost of the equipment that he has invested in, press brake, welders, plus the time it took to design the product and lets not forget the powder coating finish that is on the buckets. Like i said by the time the smoke clears $700 - $800 doesn't sound all that unreasonable to me. How much time do you think you would have into designing and fabricating your own? That's just my 2 cents.
Well said! The man engineered, and builds a very fine product, which he probably owns the pat. and rights to. For which he deserves all due recognition and remuneration. Due as you please, buy or build, but if I were him, I'd take exception to any other product being called by the name I own. Or infringing upon my patent for that matter! I have never compared the Sears product with the Johnny Bucket, but I would bet there is a significant difference in quality. Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got a Johnny Bucket. I have used and abused it. The powder coating has withstood a lot of use. It is a very fine product that performs like advertised and goes together with no modifications. I fab a lot of things but I couldn't get close to the quality of this item. I agree that steel has shot up in price and unless you have acess to recycled steel the cost of building it in new steel would be pretty high. Just my opinion. Mike
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...