My new backhoe thumb

[workinallthetime]

I am about to embark on my own thumb journey, lol. I love the fact that you use whatever you have around to build stuff, cause thats what I do. I found some online to get the basic idea and even called one company. these guys wanted 1800.00 for the mechanical thumb and 3000 for the hydro. one. Im thinking my b3030 really doesnt need a 1800.00 thumb. between the scrap metal, a mig welder, a torch and some redneck engeering i can build this baby for about 30.00 (pins).
good job man, build ya a grade blade to, you will love it

[rcrcomputing]

Originally Posted by workinallthetime

I am about to embark on my own thumb journey, lol. I love the fact that you use whatever you have around to build stuff, cause thats what I do. I found some online to get the basic idea and even called one company. these guys wanted 1800.00 for the mechanical thumb and 3000 for the hydro. one. Im thinking my b3030 really doesnt need a 1800.00 thumb. between the scrap metal, a mig welder, a torch and some redneck engeering i can build this baby for about 30.00 (pins).
good job man, build ya a grade blade to, you will love it

I'd look at the simple welds on dkrug's here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/b...ighlight=thumb

Then, you could swith-hit between articulated and not etc.. I choose to weld a long piece on to make sure it stayed on! And didn't look at his till after I was done. For a grade blade, I REALLY need some metel!

[escavader]

GOOD JOB,I THINK ITS PERFECT.Mine is welded on and im not sorry i did it either.Takes some thinkin doesnt it ?
ALAN

[rcrcomputing]

Originally Posted by escavader

GOOD JOB,I THINK ITS PERFECT.Mine is welded on and im not sorry i did it either.Takes some thinkin doesnt it ?
ALAN

You just HAD to put your two cents in huh. Which made me look up your profile to see yours, find your "quick hitch in the bucket" trick. Now I'm reading all up on it and seeing how to integrate into a rake I'm going to make with rebar and trampoline springs...

And yes, tractoring makes my brain tired... Or at least tractorbynet does.. ha

[wedge40]

Here is the one I like best.. No welding required on the backhoe.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/b...ighlight=thumb

Wedge

[Shmudda]

Wedge,

Thanks for the complement here......

That thumb was the best thing I have on this machine so far as its really useful. Didn't take long to design neither!

Craig

[dfkrug]

Originally Posted by rcrcomputing

As for the teeth, I've seen all the curved ones etc.. But am unsure what the advantage would be other than you'd break more posts as you pulled them out of the ground. This thing has plenty of grip....

Looks fine, RCR. Simple, effective, and you got to recycle some leftovers.

My first thumb was straight, too, and the subsequent ones all had just
a slight curve. I also found that I had plenty of grip with either no teeth,
or just a few small teeth.

[workinallthetime]

at what point do you measure to get your over all length of the thumb ? I looked at mine and I am figuring around 24". some like that bolt on job look real short and some look like they are the same length as the bucket at about 90 degree on the curl. I would think you would want it just slightly longer but i duno

any input would be great, im rounding up metal this week.

[rcrcomputing]

Originally Posted by workinallthetime

at what point do you measure to get your over all length of the thumb ? I looked at mine and I am figuring around 24". some like that bolt on job look real short and some look like they are the same length as the bucket at about 90 degree on the curl. I would think you would want it just slightly longer but i duno

any input would be great, im rounding up metal this week.

I did as you say and made it the same length at 90%. When it closes, the middle tooth of the bh hits right at the second tooth from the bottom.

I originally had the very bottom cap at the end of the channel stick out a bit further than the rest. That also disfigured 4x4's when I pulled them out of the ground.

There are times when I wish I had a horizontal piece to fit over the teeth, like when I'm reaching down the side of the dam and plucking small cedar trees. Hard to grab a tree that's only 1" diameter.

[rcrcomputing]

Originally Posted by dfkrug

Looks fine, RCR. Simple, effective, and you got to recycle some leftovers.

My first thumb was straight, too, and the subsequent ones all had just
a slight curve. I also found that I had plenty of grip with either no teeth,
or just a few small teeth.

Thank you! Have you noticed an advantage to the curved design?