Tractor Pick Ax - for a guy with a weak back

[ericher69]

I vote to attach your current bucket mounted axe to the 3 point hitch! You will break something expensive. Good job on the fab though just need to refine it now

[Meltedmetal]

If this was full time work related and not (I suspect) a personal somewhat limited project I'd suggest purchase/rent a 3 point hitch mounted post hole auger with probably 14 inch screw especially if the tractor 3 point hitch has down pressure or a loader mounted hydraulic drive to get the down pressure since the soil is apparently very hard. But I suspect that kind of money would present an obstacle or at the very least take the fun out of it.
That said it occurred to me that it might be more prudent to mount the pick straight out of the bucket or under it parallel to the floor of the of the bucket so that rather than prying on the front edge of the bucket the pressure would be straight back on the hinge pins of the bucket(have to turn the bucket straight down to use) And if you add a couple of short spikes on either side you can move round bales of hay in your spare time. I have found in the past that old drive axles from rear wheel drive cars and trucks(depends how big a spike you need) work good for stuff similar to this and if they are damaged they are pretty much the price of scrap if you can find a place working on trucks.
Meltedmetal

[Gobysky]

My 3 point hitch does not have down hydraulic pressure. I thought about the auger that would run off the PTO, but I wouldn't use it enough to justify the expense....
And like you said, it's all about the fun of the project. I'm looking for an excuse to weld, and this is just one of them. I'm not working in my career do medical reasons, so this makes a great hobby, and a useful one.
Thanks for all the great ideas.

[Gobysky]

Took the advice and made my "Ground Breaker" interchangeable with my 3-point hitch, until I can get the loader bucket flex issues worked out.
If this thing gets any heavier, I'll have buy an engine crane to move it around my shop. lol

[Manisoba]

Unless your driving in reverse you'll probably find that it won't go in the ground. The angle cut on the bottom is the wrong way and will cause it to ride on top. If it was me I would tip the top of it back so the shank is on an angle forward.

[Gobysky]

Exactly, another mod in the works. Didn't know I'd be putting it on my 3 point.

[Gobysky]

This should take some of the flex out of the bottom of the bucket. Starting to laugh at myself. I enjoy welding, but I'm going to have to sit down and plan out these projects a little more carefully. This thing is starting to look like some old relic tank barrier off of some distant historic war beach.

[USMCPOP]

Plant in the spring or the fall when the ground isn't as hard. That's the best time for trees and other perennials anyway.

[Goodhand]

I fully understand OP's love of welding and his fabricating the attachment to the bucket, but may I suggest using water to soften up the concrete soil, prior to using the pick?

[Gobysky]

I fully understand OP's love of welding and his fabricating the attachment to the bucket, but may I suggest using water to soften up the concrete soil, prior to using the pick?

We usually wait for a good rain. However, there's so much clay in the soil that the water doesn't penetrate very deeply. Fabricating this thing was an excuse for a welding project, to fine tune welding skills and other plasma cutting techniques. You might say the the project was of "secondary" importance. Frankly one day it will make a good anchor for a mooring ball for someones sailboat.......maybe not heavy enough for that either. LOL.