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Read articles →An owner putting a mechanical thumb on a subcompact tractor's backhoe to actual use, picking up an 8.5-foot, 714-pound red oak log and moving rocks, rather than just explaining how it works. The host draws on prior hydraulic-thumb experience on full-size excavators to give an honest comparison and a tentative verdict. Best for subcompact tractor owners weighing whether a mechanical thumb attachment is worth adding.
Posted by the Outdoors With The Morgans channel, with a tone suggesting an owner-operator using the tractor for property maintenance and firewood work.
The host was impressed after limited use, calling it a slick little unit and handy for cutting firewood and moving logs, though it does not compare to a hydraulic thumb.
The host says a mechanical thumb absolutely does not compare to a hydraulic thumb on a mini excavator, but notes most people with subcompact tractors won't have an $80,000 mini excavator anyway.
The log measures 8 feet 6 inches long and 16 inches in diameter, and according to a log weight calculator should weigh about 714 pounds.
