Garden Tractor

2007 - Volume #31, Issue #4, Page #10

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Garden Tractor "Boom" Loader

"It's a real back saver and can lift up to 700 lbs.," says Bill Shatter, Sioux Falls, S. Dak., who built a 2-wheeled, telescoping boom to mount on front of a Deere garden tractor.

Bill's friend Joe Thompson helped build the boom, which bolts onto the front end of Joe's Deere 140 H-1 garden tractor. "The frame is completely independent of the tractor. It supports the boom and also balances the load," says Shatter.

The two men got the idea when Joe wanted to put some metal storage racks on top of the 13-ft. high rafters in his garage. Joe deals in lawn and garden equipment, including tillers and snowblowers.

The frame is built from 3-in. sq. tubing and is supported by a pair of 8-in. high, spring-loaded caster wheels. A center-mounted swivel plate located behind the axle allows the unit to shift from side to side as the tractor's front wheels are turned. The boom clamps onto the frame, and the frame bolts onto the tractor.

The boom operates off the tractor hydraulics and is raised and lowered by a heavy duty cylinder borrowed from a Koyker loader. A vertical length 2 by 3-in. rectangular tubing supports a hinged, telescopic arm made from 1 1/2 by 2 1/2-in. tubing. The telescopic portion of the boom can be adjusted up to 2 ft. and is held in position by changing the position of a pin.

"At full length the boom can reach up to 13 ft. high," says Shatter. "We came up with the idea because there wasn't room in Joe's garage for a skid loader. His storage racks are made of 3-in. channel iron and measure 4 ft. wide by 10 ft. long, yet the boom had no trouble handling them. We've also used the boom to lift a snowblower into the back of a pickup. To counter balance the load we added six slab weights on back of the tractor.

"The caster wheels are off an Oliver sicklebar mower, and the swivel plate is off a one-legged trailer designed to hook on behind a car. I use the same lever to raise and lower the boom that's used to operate the snowblower, tiller or mower deck," he notes.

Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Shatter, 6912 W. Sixth St., Sioux Falls, S. Dak. 57107

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Garden Tractor Boom Loader TRACTORS Loaders It s a real back saver and can lift up to 700 lbs says Bill Shatter Sioux Falls S Dak who built a 2-wheeled telescoping boom to mount on front of a Deere garden tractor

Bill s friend Joe Thompson helped build the boom which bolts onto the front end of Joe s Deere 140 H-1 garden tractor The frame is completely independent of the tractor It supports the boom and also balances the load says Shatter

The two men got the idea when Joe wanted to put some metal storage racks on top of the 13-ft high rafters in his garage Joe deals in lawn and garden equipment including tillers and snowblowers

The frame is built from 3-in sq tubing and is supported by a pair of 8-in high spring-loaded caster wheels A center-mounted swivel plate located behind the axle allows the unit to shift from side to side as the tractor s front wheels are turned The boom clamps onto the frame and the frame bolts onto the tractor

The boom operates off the tractor hydraulics and is raised and lowered by a heavy duty cylinder borrowed from a Koyker loader A vertical length 2 by 3-in rectangular tubing supports a hinged telescopic arm made from 1 1/2 by 2 1/2-in tubing The telescopic portion of the boom can be adjusted up to 2 ft and is held in position by changing the position of a pin

At full length the boom can reach up to 13 ft high says Shatter We came up with the idea because there wasn t room in Joe s garage for a skid loader His storage racks are made of 3-in channel iron and measure 4 ft wide by 10 ft long yet the boom had no trouble handling them We ve also used the boom to lift a snowblower into the back of a pickup To counter balance the load we added six slab weights on back of the tractor

The caster wheels are off an Oliver sicklebar mower and the swivel plate is off a one-legged trailer designed to hook on behind a car I use the same lever to raise and lower the boom that s used to operate the snowblower tiller or mower deck he notes

Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bill Shatter 6912 W Sixth St Sioux Falls S Dak 57107

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