# I Have Sticky Clay == How to Make Nonstick Bucket, suggestions!



## The 203 (Apr 27, 2020)

3550 Ford backhoe bucket,
I just put my 12" bucket on and am concerned about our Missouri clay sticking in the bucket. Our clay compares too modeling clay. That bucket is narrow, deep and long.
Those are advantages for trenching but not in our sticky ground.
I'm going to go over the inside of the bucket with a flap disk to knock the loose rust off. It should self-clean with more use, but it has surface rust now.

How do I make the inside slickerer?

I have sprayed diesel fuel in the skid steer bucket with some success.
It may sound stupid but I'm considering cleaning and painting the inside of the bucket before I use it. The paint will wear off but hopefully as it does it will wear smooth.

I'm open for suggestions. !!!!!!!!!

That pin with the wire bale on it is temporary until I get to Tractor Supply to buy a different pin. That wire bail wouldn't last long while digging

I'm going to install ground source heat pump using my big pond along with the water lines buried from the pond to house, so I have a lot of digging to do.
And, dig a large Koi Pond.
Also Water line needs rerouted
This dense clay does hold water well. Although the Koi Pond will be lined.
I'm rambling

I'm almost ready and anxious to put this tractor too work.
Thanks Mike

















Moderator:
Please move if it should be in a different forum.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

Teflon paint polish coating.


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## The 203 (Apr 27, 2020)

bmaverick
I was going to make a joke about a Teflon coating in the first post. I think I'll try the DuPont; I have seen their dry lubricant, but it didn't cross my mind. That would work well on the big side swing chain on the backhoe also.
Thanks Mike
Edit
I have been blading our road for years and fighting sticking snow. I need to come out of the woods more often


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## Hacke (Feb 22, 2011)

You can connect chains between the bucket lip, or bottom, and the stick. The chains stretches as you curl out the bucket, and pulls out the load. Takes a bit of experimenting, depending on the geometries of the stick/bucket movement. If you connect the chains with solid bars/rods in between (like a ladder) it will be more effective. Here is a video that shows one solution:







Here is a simpler version (no stretching), not demonstrated:


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## The 203 (Apr 27, 2020)

bmaverick said:


> View attachment 83868
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Hacke said:


> You can connect chains between the bucket lip, or bottom, and the stick. The chains stretches as you curl out the bucket, and pulls out the load. Takes a bit of experimenting, depending on the geometries of the stick/bucket movement. If you connect the chains with solid bars/rods in between (like a ladder) it will be more effective. Here is a video that shows one solution:
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Hacke said:


> You can connect chains between the bucket lip, or bottom, and the stick. The chains stretches as you curl out the bucket, and pulls out the load. Takes a bit of experimenting, depending on the geometries of the stick/bucket movement. If you connect the chains with solid bars/rods in between (like a ladder) it will be more effective. Here is a video that shows one solution:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hacke
I think I'll try the stretching out version. Not to the bottom. I'll watch again.
I have part of an old tractor tire chain that I could use.
I do understand and like what you're saying about it pulling tight as you dump. I''ll leave a little slack. I like that better that the other way.
I see that I'm not the only one with clay sticking. My first thought was that the chain would just slice the clay onto cubes and stay put but I think it will work. Our clay is nasty.
I had seen a chain welded into a bucket once but didn't know why.
I rewatch all the videos out there. Good stuff
Thanks Mike


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## Hacke (Feb 22, 2011)

It will work after some testing, and it will definitely be cheaper than pallets of PB blaster:


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

The 203 said:


> bmaverick
> I was going to make a joke about a Teflon coating in the first post. I think I'll try the DuPont; I have seen their dry lubricant, but it didn't cross my mind. That would work well on the big side swing chain on the backhoe also.
> Thanks Mike
> Edit
> I have been blading our road for years and fighting sticking snow. I need to come out of the woods more often


If you take the bucket only off, get it all sandblasted and then dried from all oils, you can then have a place coat the entire bucket with non-stick Teflon PTFE permanently. I'm not sure what the cost of this would be. With the supply shortages right now, Teflon is hard to get.


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

Hacke said:


> It will work after some testing, and it will definitely be cheaper than pallets of PB blaster:


PAM spray is cheaper.  
LOL


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## bmaverick (Feb 20, 2014)

The 203 said:


> bmaverick
> I was going to make a joke about a Teflon coating in the first post. I think I'll try the DuPont; I have seen their dry lubricant, but it didn't cross my mind. That would work well on the big side swing chain on the backhoe also.
> Thanks Mike
> Edit
> I have been blading our road for years and fighting sticking snow. I need to come out of the woods more often


Mike, before Teflon, people would use baked enamel like the old pots and pans. Baked enamel is still used for appliance ovens. 

If you can get RainX at a discount, I be it would work too.


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## The 203 (Apr 27, 2020)

bmaverick said:


> Mike, before Teflon, people would use baked enamel like the old pots and pans. Baked enamel is still used for appliance ovens.
> 
> If you can get RainX at a discount, I be it would work too.


bmaverick said:
Mike, before Teflon, people would use baked enamel like the old pots and pans.

Baked enamel was good.


I have been searching for the web on the clay sticking in buckets issue. I read more than one suggestion of digging it out with a sharpshooter. Our clay you would need another sharpshooter to clean the sharpshooter. Getting at the wrong end of a shovel is not why you buy a backhoe. You always need the shovel but hopefully not to clean out the bigger shovel.

I think the guy with the mini excavator that has the D-rings welded in and the chain pulling tight when dumping has it right. Geometry will be different on mine but ill tack weld and dry test chain movement before committing. Measure twice and weld once.
He had those D rings back from the cutting edge where the bucket is shallow. That keeps the chain and D-rings back from the cutting edge and less likely to interfere with cutting and the chains are back where the bucket is deep and the chains are needed.
If clay sticks to the shallow front, it won't be much, and the next cut will push it off
I'm going to start with testing his setup.

The other video the guy is relying on the weight of the chains to remove the dirt. Looking at my bucket and knowing my dirt I can't see that working for me.


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## Rolex (11 mo ago)

Many years ago my friend had the same problem, he knows I love problems so he turned to me for help.

He had an old bath tub on the property but any large container like a 44 gallon on its side and cut open would work.

I put in any old oils and fuels I could get my hands on, the more the better, I then added some water for the oils to float on.

Put a loop on one end of the container so he could drag it along the side of the trench as he moved along the trench.

Before each scoop of dirt was taken he would dip the bucket in the solution, after a while he would only need to dip his bucket every ten or so scoops.

It works best when both sides of the trench are clear, one for the oil bath and one for the excavated soil.

At the end of the job he let the fluids settle then collected the oils and stored them for next time.

PS; a small hole in the bucket will help stop suction holding the clay in place.


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## Groo (Jan 17, 2020)

might try a layer of UHMW or Stainless


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## The 203 (Apr 27, 2020)

I think UHMW would work pretty well with something like a steel strip overlapping the leading edge and the edges stitched down with lag bolts. Then all those nuts would be protruding on the sides.
That is a tough plastic.
Stainless would be good for making buckets but I suppose cost is the Issue.
Rolex's : Suggestion of drilling a hole to relieve suction came up as helping a lot in discussions on other forums I visited to read on the subject.
It sticks in corners and grows with each bucket full.
I'm going to give the chains that stretch out while dumping a try first.
I would rather have that sandy clay like shown

Upcoming winter storm coming has me busy getting all the holiday shopping done. The mobs hit the food stores when the weather forecast says snow.  I would much rather work on my tractor.

Everyone have a safe and happy Holiday!


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I kinda like Hackes first video that shows the chains ejecting the muck out of the bucket.


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## The 203 (Apr 27, 2020)

pogobill said:


> I kinda like Hackes first video that shows the chains ejecting the muck out of the bucket.


Yep, Thats my plan
Mini excavator bucket project (youtu.be)


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## realpetro7 (18 d ago)

I have been blading our road for years and fighting sticking snow. I need to come out of the woods more often


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