Big Tree Spade Mounts On Tractor's 3 Pt Hitch

Big Tree Spade Mounts On Tractor's 3 Pt Hitch HITCHES Hitches 19-2-7 "It'll dig up a tree up to 8 ft. tall and almost 3 in. in dia. in two minutes or less," says Earl Weber about the big hydraulic tree spade he built to mount on the 3 pt. hitch of his tractor. Mounting the spade on the 3 pt. makes it more versatile than commercial models that mount on wheeled trailers, notes Weber, a retired farmer from Dunlap, Iowa. "I've moved thousands of trees with it since I built it 10 or 15 years ago and I've never had an ounce of trouble with it," says Weber. The 4-bladed spade is about 6-ft. high, 35-in. in dia. at the top and narrows to about 1 ft. in dia. at the bottom. The hydraulically activated blades, which are each 3 ft. long, are made out of high tensile steel. Each is powered by a 4-in. dia. hydraulic cylinder with 3 ft. stroke. Slides are 1/4-in. thick plate iron. They'll dig down 3 ft. and can easily handle a 400 to 500 lb root ball, Weber says. Including the four hydraulic cylinders bought new for $40 apiece, Weber has less than $500 in the machine, which he now rents out to neighbors. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Earl Weber, R. R. 1, Box 194, Dunlap, Iowa 51529 (ph 712 643-5756).

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