FEL Project Pics wanted

[BigBill]

New pics of the FEL arms & cylinders to follow soon.






The kid started cutting steel for the bucket today. Once the FEL is fabricated we can pull the engine and disassemble the tractor so we can box the rear frame and add the subframe for the backhoe. He used the cutting torch for hours today having fun cutting parts. He is going to weld the bucket up too.

You guys were right about the cost of using tubing, i added it up today and its another $300. I think i'll run all hoses and get those rubber iso holders to clamp the hoses in place it looks much neater than the hoses flopping around.

[BigBill]

I'm thinkig of fabricating a 2' x 2' x 54" bucket for my FEL. This way i won't be temped to over load it. I was thinking of using a farmall cub snow plow blade for the rear part of my bucket and build it from there.

[outdoors4evr]

Seems like the bucket size would relate to the strength of the front end of the tractor. This would include the front axle strength and the performance of the power steering.

[BigBill]

Seems like the bucket size would relate to the strength of the front end of the tractor. This would include the front axle strength and the performance of the power steering.

There's no use having a bucket so big it won't handle it. I think having a smaller bucket would be better. I have it almost tac'd up so pics in a few days to follow i think it looks great. Plus i need a bucket more for lifting structural steel to move it. At onetime i could move this stuff by myself but not anymore.

[BigBill]

I deceided to go with 1/2" tubing with 37 degree parker type fittings. I got the bulk head fittings and most of what i needed so far. Its not cheap but it will look awesome all tubed up with hoses going to the cylinders.

I been looking for a 1/2" tubing bender the kind i used in building machines. Talk about high prices. I did a search while looking for one i got on to ebay. I just won one for $27 and some of these list new for $100 and even higher. Ebay saved my butt again. Even with shipping there unmatched.

Right now were tacking up the bucket after making some changes to it and about to fit it to the arms and cylinders. Once the bucket is fitted to the arms we can put it aside to focus on the tractor to wrap it up and get it fired up. There's a few months of work yet. I'm going to be really fussy on how its built.

[BigBill]

Were pulling the engine to refresh it by spring plus it will allow us the get the gusset plates inside the frame area too. I'll take pics of it when we do it.

Of course were still cleaning the garage.

I lost a brand new S-K 1/4" dr socket set in the move from 4 years ago. We just found it in one of the boxes from the move that we just had stored away. Its funny that set cost me $59 a few years back and it costs $100 now.