Best attachment for mini-loader

[Dave Alviti]

Thanks to both @andy ellis and @Will C - I love what we do here and it's customers like yourselves that make it so rewarding

[stampy]

I've had an Opico Skidster for about 18 months - bought it on ebay on a whim for 4.5k which seemed a lot (to me), but I wouldn't sell it for twice that now!

 

With regards to attachments, by far my favourite is the rotating grab (knockaround type, no hydraulic rotator) that I got from Ian at Pons Medda engineering for a really good price, and then chopped it about a bit to make it better. It takes a bit of getting used to compared to a grapple bucket or fixed grab but is more versatile than a fixed grab in my opinion, especially on a tiny machine. Took some pics of the different ways you can handle stuff with it - pick stuff up at right angles to the machine for max lift, crowd the butt(s) against the headstock to lift it in line with the machine, or just grab the end and drag which works so well with brash as it follows you round corners/through gaps etc. 

 

I've got pallet forks with the awesome Extendo beak for bigger diameter lumps of wood, and a rake which slides on the forks which is very much a mark 1 prototype but very useful in the right setting. Fun to try and squeeze every last bit of productivity out of such a tiny thing.

 

Also got a removable towhitch welded on the back for dragging chipper round site/shunting trailers at the yard.

 

 

 

 

[stampy]

Oh, also it'll go up 8' ramps into the back of my Cabstar, with space for ground mats/bits and bobs. 8' ramps is just the right side of too sketchy, 6' ramps are a no go 😁

[doobin]

1 hour ago, stampy said:

Oh, also it'll go up 8' ramps into the back of my Cabstar, with space for ground mats/bits and bobs. 8' ramps is just the right side of too sketchy, 6' ramps are a no go 😁

You're more of a man than me, I like my 10' ramps!

 

The rake looks great, drill the tops of the fork pockets for M16 and weld a nut on top. Then you can lock them in place with an M16 bolt.

Edited February 11, 2022 by doobin

[stampy]

6 hours ago, doobin said:

You're more of a man than me, I like my 10' ramps!

 

The rake looks great, drill the tops of the fork pockets for M16 and weld a nut on top. Then you can lock them in place with an M16 bolt.

Great idea locking the forks in with a bolt, might well do that. normally when the beak is fully extended out it just clamps on the top of the rake bar, holding it on so you can push up a pile, open the beak and drop the rake off and pick the pile up. But I snapped the end of the beak off...

[lux]

I've had an Opico Skidster for about 18 months - bought it on ebay on a whim for 4.5k which seemed a lot (to me), but I wouldn't sell it for twice that now!
 
With regards to attachments, by far my favourite is the rotating grab (knockaround type, no hydraulic rotator) that I got from Ian at Pons Medda engineering for a really good price, and then chopped it about a bit to make it better. It takes a bit of getting used to compared to a grapple bucket or fixed grab but is more versatile than a fixed grab in my opinion, especially on a tiny machine. Took some pics of the different ways you can handle stuff with it - pick stuff up at right angles to the machine for max lift, crowd the butt(s) against the headstock to lift it in line with the machine, or just grab the end and drag which works so well with brash as it follows you round corners/through gaps etc. 
 
I've got pallet forks with the awesome Extendo beak for bigger diameter lumps of wood, and a rake which slides on the forks which is very much a mark 1 prototype but very useful in the right setting. Fun to try and squeeze every last bit of productivity out of such a tiny thing.
 
Also got a removable towhitch welded on the back for dragging chipper round site/shunting trailers at the yard.
 
 
 
 

£4.5 k for it was a bargain. That’ll earn its keep in no time. Good find.

[htb]

9 hours ago, lux said:

£4.5 k for it was a bargain. That’ll earn its keep in no time. Good find.

Mine cost me £1200 even more of a bargain.

[lux]

Mine cost me £1200 even more of a bargain.

That almost constitutes theft [emoji23]. Nice one. Gotta get lucky sometimes [emoji106]

[htb]

9 minutes ago, lux said:

That almost constitutes theft . Nice one. Gotta get lucky sometimes

Had it for 10 yrs mind.

Little Kubota as well B6100, with snow plough £1500.

Both very useful.

[lux]

Had it for 10 yrs mind.
Little Kubota as well B6100, with snow plough £1500.
Both very useful.

That’s rubbing salt in[emoji23]. £120 quid a year for a mini loader. Decent.

Those little kubota compact tractors are ace. Bomb proof.
I used to use an 8200 hst in the mid nineties. It punched well above its weight and never ever went wrong. I don’t think the modern ones are too shabby either.