Thumb Anyone sorry for adding a Thumb to BH?
- Thread starter Gale Hawkins
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Pixguy
Super Member
Another example why TBN is full of Great People! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
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Gale Hawkins
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- 11,813
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- Murray, KY
- Tractor
- 1948 Allis Chambers Model B 1976 265 MF / 1983 JD 310B Backhoe / 1966 Ford 3000 Diesel / 1980 3600 Diesel
Artisan thanks for that detailed posting on that spliting option. I was thinking about an eletric option before I decided I would tear any system up.
It was by accident that I am getting a thumb for the hoe. First I lost a tooth off the hoe bucket then i broke a couple foot off of my FEL cutting edge.
The welding shop pointed out the hoe teeth had been put on upside down. Since the other three hoe teeth were worn or upside down I just bought a new set of four since they were only $6.50 each. The shop has already replaced the teeth, straighten out the bucket and welded patches on the to the two places where the bucket had worn holes from digging and abuse.
Your fab work on your grapple looks awesome by the way.
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Gale Hawkins
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- Joined
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- 11,813
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- Murray, KY
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- 1948 Allis Chambers Model B 1976 265 MF / 1983 JD 310B Backhoe / 1966 Ford 3000 Diesel / 1980 3600 Diesel
Where to Mount Digging Teeth UP or DOWN - TractorByNet.com
I moved the tooth mounting thoughts to this new thread to reduce confusion in a Thumb thread. :thumbsup:
I moved the tooth mounting thoughts to this new thread to reduce confusion in a Thumb thread. :thumbsup:
JohnDeere4300
Veteran Member
No, I'm not sorry for adding a Thumb to my BH!!!... I just hate it that I went so long without one!!!
I bought my 4300 new with a BH on it in 2001... It took me until 2010 before I decided to add a Thumb!:ashamed:... I didn't buy one, I decided to ''build my own''!
I built everything for it, Including the pins, brackets and a way that adjusts it like a ''top-link''... But I only have a large threaded bolt on one end of it!... I also cut a piece of tubing so I can pick up larger things!... I could turn this one into a ''hydraulic Thumb'' since there is plenty of room.... When I get time I plan to build me another one!... The only thing I bought was small lynch pins to replace the 3 hitch pin clips.
I don't leave mine on when I'm digging, I just pull a pin and take it off... But mine will fold up in the brackets for storage!
This one in the picture is the first one that I ever built!... I started building some now that has more of a curve to it on the end!... I've been selling them in my area after several people saw mine!
The day I got it painted, I took it out and put it through a test!...I picked up a large rock, and the Maple is 33'' round, and 5' 1'' long!!!... Don't know how I went so long without one!!!... They're great for loading a trailer with large round blocks of firewood!
I've used this one A LOT for picking up rock out of the creek and a lot of other things, and haven't broke it yet!!!
Bill
I bought my 4300 new with a BH on it in 2001... It took me until 2010 before I decided to add a Thumb!:ashamed:... I didn't buy one, I decided to ''build my own''!
I built everything for it, Including the pins, brackets and a way that adjusts it like a ''top-link''... But I only have a large threaded bolt on one end of it!... I also cut a piece of tubing so I can pick up larger things!... I could turn this one into a ''hydraulic Thumb'' since there is plenty of room.... When I get time I plan to build me another one!... The only thing I bought was small lynch pins to replace the 3 hitch pin clips.
I don't leave mine on when I'm digging, I just pull a pin and take it off... But mine will fold up in the brackets for storage!
This one in the picture is the first one that I ever built!... I started building some now that has more of a curve to it on the end!... I've been selling them in my area after several people saw mine!
The day I got it painted, I took it out and put it through a test!
...I picked up a large rock, and the Maple is 33'' round, and 5' 1'' long!!!... Don't know how I went so long without one!!!... They're great for loading a trailer with large round blocks of firewood!I've used this one A LOT for picking up rock out of the creek and a lot of other things, and haven't broke it yet!!!
Bill
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Gale Hawkins
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- Joined
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- Murray, KY
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- 1948 Allis Chambers Model B 1976 265 MF / 1983 JD 310B Backhoe / 1966 Ford 3000 Diesel / 1980 3600 Diesel
Bill that is a awesome looking thumb you built for your JD hoe. The way you have it painted it looks OEM. All of the replies have me excited.
GC-Manufacturing called this AM and stated my 8"x32" manual thumb will ship out tomorrow. Based on my second set of forks that just came our new thumb should arrive this Thur or Friday so I am excited. The BH is at the welding shop so maybe I will have it back by this weekend. :thumbsup:
GC-Manufacturing called this AM and stated my 8"x32" manual thumb will ship out tomorrow. Based on my second set of forks that just came our new thumb should arrive this Thur or Friday so I am excited. The BH is at the welding shop so maybe I will have it back by this weekend. :thumbsup:
Artisan
Veteran Member
Thanx for the kind words, we try hard... The GrapplOmatic should see some real progress by the weekend. It has not been w/o mistakes behind
the scenes, hopefully my mistakes will remain forgotten and my work
and How To will live into the future helping others. Were payin' it forward, yes we be matey HARrrrrr! As I have got so much from this forum, tis the least we can do in return...
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Gale Hawkins
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2009
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- 11,813
- Location
- Murray, KY
- Tractor
- 1948 Allis Chambers Model B 1976 265 MF / 1983 JD 310B Backhoe / 1966 Ford 3000 Diesel / 1980 3600 Diesel
Artisan I think the posted mis-steps are fully as helpful what turned out right.:thumbsup:
The driving reason we are at the welding shop is I broke off part of the cutting edge due to a weld braking on the FEL and since I drove the BH to the welding shop my interest in the thumb was reborn.
Our new cutting edge for the FEL bucket came in today and I dropped it by the shop. Our bucket is 7.5' wide and I found a new cutting edge through a local tractor company. It is 8' x 8" x 3/4" with one cutting edge since it is a weld-in cutting edge and should be the strongest part on the rig.
That kind of steel is very expensive. It listed for $368 and I paid well over $200 for it but should have the cutting edge addressed for 5x the life of the FEL.
Hopefully if the thumb comes in late Thursday I will have it to play with by Sat.
The driving reason we are at the welding shop is I broke off part of the cutting edge due to a weld braking on the FEL and since I drove the BH to the welding shop my interest in the thumb was reborn.
Our new cutting edge for the FEL bucket came in today and I dropped it by the shop. Our bucket is 7.5' wide and I found a new cutting edge through a local tractor company. It is 8' x 8" x 3/4" with one cutting edge since it is a weld-in cutting edge and should be the strongest part on the rig.
That kind of steel is very expensive. It listed for $368 and I paid well over $200 for it but should have the cutting edge addressed for 5x the life of the FEL.
Hopefully if the thumb comes in late Thursday I will have it to play with by Sat.
JohnDeere4300
Veteran Member
Thanks!
That's what a friend (Dougster) said too when I got it all finished!
You will be ''more excited'' when you get to use it for the first time!!!
Post some pictures when you get it mounted, and when you get time to use it!:thumbsup:
Bill
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Gale Hawkins
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2009
- Messages
- 11,813
- Location
- Murray, KY
- Tractor
- 1948 Allis Chambers Model B 1976 265 MF / 1983 JD 310B Backhoe / 1966 Ford 3000 Diesel / 1980 3600 Diesel
Bill I will force my self to get some photos posted.
We took my son's go-cart over to the welding shop yesterday and he had the new FEL cutting blade on and it looks awesome.
It only took him 5 hours to cut out and replace the old one with the new heavy piece that must weigh about 120 pounds. Removing and replacing the 4 hoe teeth, bend the bucket back into shape with jacks then welding steel straps over the areas that has worn through from 30 years of use took another 2 hours he said.
I liked to have fell over when he told me his rate was $35 per hour which includes gases and rods. At 68 he is mainly retired but still has the same shop behind his house that he has worked out of for 35 years. He had worked building pipe lines before coming back home to raise the family so he is a super welder.
Next I am going to get him to clean up the rear of 16' flat dump with a wood floor on the F700. It has the remains of an electric old electric lift gate and one corner of the bed got bent down a bit. Looks like someone backed into something solid with that corner of the bed when fully dumped.
Late tomorrow the thumb may be in so it is like Christmas eve for me.
We took my son's go-cart over to the welding shop yesterday and he had the new FEL cutting blade on and it looks awesome.
It only took him 5 hours to cut out and replace the old one with the new heavy piece that must weigh about 120 pounds. Removing and replacing the 4 hoe teeth, bend the bucket back into shape with jacks then welding steel straps over the areas that has worn through from 30 years of use took another 2 hours he said.
I liked to have fell over when he told me his rate was $35 per hour which includes gases and rods. At 68 he is mainly retired but still has the same shop behind his house that he has worked out of for 35 years. He had worked building pipe lines before coming back home to raise the family so he is a super welder.
Next I am going to get him to clean up the rear of 16' flat dump with a wood floor on the F700. It has the remains of an electric old electric lift gate and one corner of the bed got bent down a bit. Looks like someone backed into something solid with that corner of the bed when fully dumped.
Late tomorrow the thumb may be in so it is like Christmas eve for me.