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forestry cage for farm tractor

Started by timberfaller390, January 05, 2010, 04:00:12 PM

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timberfaller390

I am fixing to start building a "cage" for the operator station on my tractor. I have a pretty good idea of how I am going to do it but I was just wondering if anybody had pictures of thier home built cages they could post. I am going to go with expanded metal for the sides and back and 2x2 square tubing for the frame and limb sweeps and a piece of 1/8 or 3/16 plate for the top. The tractor is a JD 5103.
L.M. Reese Co. Land Management Contractors
Stihl MS390
John Deere 50G excavator
John Deere 5103
John Deere 440 ICD dozer

woodmills1

go to

payeur.com

click on used products and the first one is a Kioti with their forestry cage on it as well as FOPS
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

timberfaller390

Yeah I want something similer to that but I will probably omit the doors and front screen
L.M. Reese Co. Land Management Contractors
Stihl MS390
John Deere 50G excavator
John Deere 5103
John Deere 440 ICD dozer

240b

Expaned metal is very sharp!( great for removing fingers!) Look for some welded or woven wire screen w/ 2" openings . Sand screens use this material. If the tractor doesn't have ROPS this this needs to be able to act as a ROPS/FOPS device and must be made well. Your life will depend on it! Don't forget an escape "hatch" if you enclose it completly Build it heavier than you think is nessary and have a professional welder or machine shop do the structual work at least. Again, your life will depend on it!  Sorry to sound like this, but tractor accidents are messy and tragic.  You have the chance to build something really cool to meet your needs, good luck and have alot of fun.

Raider Bill

The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

timberfaller390

The tractor does have ROPS. It is a few years old now with a few scracthes so I don't feel bad about drilling holes in my pretty new toy anymore. As far as an escape hatch goes that's why there will not be any doors or front screen. When I was working for the Forestry Commission our dozers had some type of expanded metal for the cage but it was flat. It looked like you took a sheet of EM and steam rolled it.
L.M. Reese Co. Land Management Contractors
Stihl MS390
John Deere 50G excavator
John Deere 5103
John Deere 440 ICD dozer

bill m

Go to my photo gallery and look at the pictures of what I made for my tractor. I have done this for two of my tractors and for others.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

Wudman

We used expanded metal for the screens on a home fabricated forestry cage on a D-37 Komatsu.  I think it is fine for the sides, but a little too light for protection from the rear.  You will have a slightly different application for a tractor, but be sure to use heavy enough material to protect you.

Both of our "problems" occured on fire duty at night.  The first wasn't too bad.  I backed into a pungy stick that penetrated the stock armour over the valve body controls.  It was lightweight sheet metal in an area that sould have been well armoured.  No damage there other than a stick broken off in my control linkage.  There is now a heavy plate over that area.  The second had the potential to be a little more serious.  My Dad backed up on a broken top sapling (about 2" in diameter).  It penetrated the expanded metal and knocked the armrest off under his right elbow.......a little too close for comfort.  It went through the expanded metal like a broadhead through a deer.  Be sure to have heavy enough protection to guard against this type of invasion from the rear.

Wudman     
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

timberfaller390

The thing about a farm tractor vs. a dozer is a tractor will not crawl around the places a dozer will. I am building the cage to keep branches and othe debris from slapping me in the face. I am not saying that you can't get hurt by a branch coming through the cage i'm just saying you are less likley to get into thick debris and slash with a tractor. I at one time made my living as a wildland firefighter with the GA. forestry Commission and I can tell you that I pay alot more attention to where I drive my tractor in the woods than I did my dozer. Tractors have limits as to where they can go because of puncturing tires, I didn't have to worry about that with a dozer so "*DanG the torpedos" so to speak. I do intend to build a substantial cage after all it is my butt that has to set in the seat but I am not as worried about stuff coming in on me as I was with the dozer.
L.M. Reese Co. Land Management Contractors
Stihl MS390
John Deere 50G excavator
John Deere 5103
John Deere 440 ICD dozer

Wudman

I agree with you.  You won't be backing through the stuff with a farm tractor that you will with a dozer, but I was pretty surprised at the size of sapling that came through the screen.  It wasn't over 2 inches and I would have thought that it would have bent and deflected.  My primary concern with a farm tractor in the woods would be something falling from above.  My brother in law was injured when he hung a small tree with a disc harrow while driving through a narrow woods road.  The sapling pulled down on top of him and pinned him against the steering wheel.  The rim of the wheel collapsed or it may have killed him.  You seem to have the overhead issue addressed.  Good luck to you.

Wudman
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

GRANITEstateMP

Bill

I like the roof and down tubes out front.  The wire mesh in back makes ya feel alot better too.  What I really liked was seeing the fire extinguisher thats not in the way but easy access.  It's not too obtrusive but does the job and it looks like you can still use the tractor for other AG use's without much difficulty (blindspots / easy on and off). 
Hakki Pilke 1x37
Kubota M6040
Load Trail 12ft Dump Trailer
2015 GMC 3500HD SRW
2016 Polaris 450HO
2016 Polaris 570
SureTrac 12ft Dump Trailer

bill m

GRANITEstateMP,
THis is my third year logging with this tractor. Thats about all I do with it. The screen is from a screening plant at the local quarry. Good HARD steel. The tractor also has a full skid plate. I will see if I can get a good picture of it.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

fishpharmer

TF390, Sounds like you have good design worked out.  You might want to check with the tractor manufacturer about drilling and/or welding on the ROPS.  I am pretty sure it will void the warranty if that applies,and may even be render it unserviceable.  Its definitely worth checking.  That doesn't mean you can't mount something to the ROPS it just might have to "clamp" to the ROPS.  Just a suggestion, hope it helps.
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

Ed

Quote from: fishpharmer on January 07, 2010, 10:39:10 PM
TF390, Sounds like you have good design worked out.  You might want to check with the tractor manufacturer about drilling and/or welding on the ROPS.  I am pretty sure it will void the warranty if that applies,and may even be render it unserviceable.  Its definitely worth checking.  That doesn't mean you can't mount something to the ROPS it just might have to "clamp" to the ROPS.  Just a suggestion, hope it helps.

I'm kinda with fishpharmer on this one.

Don't think I would do any drilling on the rops. Seems to me welding would be ok, rops are usually formed tubing, that tells me it's a soft, ductile material.
In all honesty, there is probably a 4x safety factor figured in.......gives you some leeway.

Ed

thecfarm

I doubt any drilling or welding would be allowed by the manufacturer. I bet they would tell you the ROPS would not be rated for the weight or however the manufacture rate the ROPS. We have some storage racks at work and nothing can be done to them or the rate weight is void. I'm not saying I would not do something to the ROPS and worry too much about it.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

timberfaller390

I am not planning on drilling the ROPS. The tractor has had limb sweeps and a homemade canopy on it for a couple years now. I used U bolts to clamp it to the brush guard and ROPS. I am going to redesign the whole set up to incorparate the cage. I want to end up with something like what they have on tractors used for right-of-way mowing. The cage will go from the outside edge of the right fender to the outside of the left and from slightly behind the Rops to the front edge of the fenders. since the fuel tank is behind the seat I will have to make a hatch to acess the fuel cap.
L.M. Reese Co. Land Management Contractors
Stihl MS390
John Deere 50G excavator
John Deere 5103
John Deere 440 ICD dozer

bill m

On some tractors the ROPS are filled with sand. It helps keep them from bending in case of a roll over.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

timberfaller390

The ROPS on mine is just hollow tubing. It has the hinge on it to let it down to get in low places.
L.M. Reese Co. Land Management Contractors
Stihl MS390
John Deere 50G excavator
John Deere 5103
John Deere 440 ICD dozer

beenthere

Quote from: bill m on January 08, 2010, 06:52:30 PM
On some tractors the ROPS are filled with sand. It helps keep them from bending in case of a roll over.

That is interesting, but can't grasp why sand would prevent bending. Even if packed. Maybe it is mixed with portland cement and water first?

Any additional insight as to why this would/might work? I'm just curious.

My ROPS has holes drilled in it, but I am sure Deere wouldn't give permission to drill more holes due to their suspected liability.  If I needed a hole, I'd drill it tho.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

timberfaller390

I am not sure how that would work either. Paw Paw showed me how he used to bend the condensor worm for a still once. You just take your copper line and fill it with sand then bend around a stump. The sand kept the copper from pinching shut. Maybe that.s the intended effect for the ROPS to keep it from pinching together and becoming that much weaker in a roll over. I don't think I have ever seen a tractor with sand in the ROPS.
L.M. Reese Co. Land Management Contractors
Stihl MS390
John Deere 50G excavator
John Deere 5103
John Deere 440 ICD dozer

bill m

Ford 3600 and 3000 ( mid 1980s models ) both had sand in them.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

fishpharmer

Quote from: bill m on January 08, 2010, 08:57:02 PM
Ford 3600 and 3000 ( mid 1980s models ) both had sand in them.

Could it have been to add weight to the tractor?
Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
Lucas 618 with 50" slabber
WoodmizerLT-40 Super Hydraulic
Deere 5065E mfwd w/553 loader

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

chevytaHOE5674

I've cut/welded/drilled/built a few ROPS and never given two thoughts about them being secure enough. Use the right material, lay good welds and there should be nothing to worry about IMO.

bill m

Quote from: fishpharmer on January 08, 2010, 09:05:35 PM
Quote from: bill m on January 08, 2010, 08:57:02 PM
Ford 3600 and 3000 ( mid 1980s models ) both had sand in them.

Could it have been to add weight to the tractor?
Not sure - both came from the dealer like that.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

beenthere

Get those better ideas from Ford... ;D ;D
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

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