How I spent my weekend...

[Kent]

... testing out the new Johnny Bucket Jr. See the results at the link below. You'll probably be surprised -- I was.[A href='http://www.simpletractors.com/operation/johnny_bucket_jr_.htm'][img src='http://www.simpletractors.com/images/bucket/top_view_small.jpg'][/a]

[Kent]

Kent, It looks like you really put that JohnnyBucket to the test..! I don't think the average homeowner would ever move that type of material over that type terrain. I'd like one just to move mulch, bagged shrubs, sacks of mortar, and landscaping blocks. Thanks for showing us what it can really do. And, thanks for the great pictures and narrative. John Scheele has a dynamite product at an unbelievably reasonable price. He should link your page from his site. Herb........... BTW - You did real good with that Varidrive.…. Just think how much easier it would have been with a Hydro…..

[AGCO918]

KENT: i love your tractor.it looks great.your are a cool looking guy.always wanted to know what you looked like.trying to put a face with a name on here.your bucket looks great.john sure has a great product.would like to see more tractors with the bucket on it.agco918

[Kent]

Herb, Just think how many times I had to shift from 2nd or 3rd (travelling) to 1st so I could scoop, to reverse and back out, to 2nd for travelling, back to first to spread the fill, to reverse to back out, and back to 2nd or third to travel back for another load.... It does a great job for the types of things that you're talking about. With hydraulic lift, I'd guess a good working limit would be 200 lbs in the bucket. I can't speak directly for the manual lift, but if I were going to be using a manual lift a lot, with those kinds of bucket loads, I'd seriously consider adding a rear counterweight like the oldies used to offset the weight of snowblowers.... I have a rear counterweight (complete with donut weight) on one of my old Big Tens, but it's rusted and stuck in the lift and I haven't spent the time to disassemble it and try to get it out. PB Blaster alone has not done the trick, spraying it in from the top.... Next, I'll be using the bucket to move stone and work on my retaining walls. I want to terrace some of the steeper slopes in the back yard, using native stone retaining walls. Then, there will be backfilling. My goal is to completely till, level and reseed the back yard next spring, but there's a lot of work to be done before then.... You can see some of my "practice work" on dry stone walls in the center of the picture linked below. I'll never be able to build some of the works of art that you see here in New England, but I think this old farm boy can build one that will stand for a while and hold a bank in place! There's a house nearby called the "Podunk Mansion" (since it's really on Podunk Road) that must have close to 2000' of dry laid stone walls about 4 feet high around the perimeter of the homesite. There's few cracks in it big enoungh to stick your finger in -- using NO cement. Kent[A href='http://www.simpletractors.com/images/bucket/out_of_woods.jpg']http://www.simpletractors.com/images/bucket/out_of_woods.jpg[/a]

[Kent]

Agco, Thanks for the compliments -- the tractor certainly looks better than when I bought it, but it certainly still isn't a "show" tractor. It does a lot of hard, dirty work, just like the pictures show. As far as my looks, I hope you're talking about me driving the tractor, and not my neighbor standing behind it... Kent

[grandpawrichard]

Kent, You did a Fantastic job on the description of putting it together and using it! The ohotos are also really good! You sure have a Nice Looking house there! As always, you never cease to amaze me! Could you Please Send me a few Buckets of your energy and expertise? 80) Dick

[MPH]

Kent, you sure did put it to the test. Thought when I cracked the frame next to the bevel gear box on my 725 dozing gravel last summer I best addmit I don't have a D-9. must have been weak before I started after looking at what you did. Only ? I have is how does that red thing in pic 23 attach to the rear lift? nice job, tough way to spend a weekend eh. MPH

[JCS]

WOW!!! 1. Very nice text & pictures!!! 2. Now I know what are "LEADER" looks like!!!

[Roy]

Kent, Outstanding report on the Johnny Bucket and work you did! I wouldn't worry about cracked/broken axle tubes or looking like a show tractor. If you can't use a tractor to work with then it isn't worth anything. I've abused my B-1 for nearly 25 years and it has taken everything with few failures. One of the failures was a broken shift ball stud but things like that happen with anything. The worst failure was when the starter/generator belt broke and took out the choke cable, throttle cable, kill switch wire, and fuel line all in one fell swoop. Press on with the hard work and good stories. Roy