mini hoe thumb oops

[washita]

what is the theory on thumb placement on the mini hoe? I ended up bending the **** outa mine this past weekend, was picking up 12'' diameter x 6' long trees, thinking about making it a folding thumb and reinforceing the grip area, would like to beef it up without adding a lot of unneccesary weight

 

[J_J]

CDP-Backhoe.com -Backhoe thumbs

Placement is up to you as to what you want to pick up. To pick up something 12 in and have the bucket hold it more secure, then the thumb would have to further back, but if most of what you are doing is thin stuff, then move it closer to the bucket pivot point.

 

[Red Zebra]

Do you have the PT thumb, other brand, or homemade?
I built my own....and have bent the teeth when picking up rocks.

 

[washita]

I have the pt built thumb that bolts to the dipper arm I am constantly straightening the teeth with a pipe wrench, and I have already broken the weld on the backside of the bucket bad welding is bad welding no matter where you buy something, but I have a tendency to use equipment past it rated capacity

 

[J_J]

Rather than letting the thumb and the bucket share the load equally, why not mount the thumb far enough back, so that the bucket can curl under the load a little, and the thumb would be used for support. Now, if the thumb is long enough and curved enough, it could also be used to it's advantage. Even if that thumb is a bolt on thumb, I would also reinforce the area around the mounting plate. Did you notice the hydraulic thumb? You could switch the PTO circuit to operate the bucket, with another valve of course and the QA circuit to operate the thumb. In this picture, theumb is back somewhat, and the bucket is folded a little under the logs, rather than trying to just pinch them.

http://www.power-trac.com/thumbE.jpg

 

[Rivco]

what is the theory on thumb placement on the mini hoe? I ended up bending the **** outa mine this past weekend, was picking up 12'' diameter x 6' long trees, thinking about making it a folding thumb and reinforceing the grip area, would like to beef it up without adding a lot of unneccesary weight

I attached my homebuilt thumb to the bucket pins...After I took these photo's I welded in 2 cross tubes between the thumb teeth for added strength and had no problems.

 

[Marks481]

I wish PT mini-hoe had that built in 30 degree angle like Rivco's. I think it would make it much easier to scoop dirt.

 

[Rivco]

I wish PT mini-hoe had that built in 30 degree angle like Rivco's. I think it would make it much easier to scoop dirt.

Tim;
The angled dipper arm did make digging a lot easier. After a while I also added John Deere bolt on teeth to the 16" bucket as well.

 

[KentT]

Do you have the PT thumb, other brand, or homemade?
I built my own....and have bent the teeth when picking up rocks.

I lost a tooth picking up rocks -- I'm guessing some were in the 400 lb range, if not more. I couldn't lift them with the boom extended, I had to curl it in close to the PT.

Any way, the welds on the PT welded-on tooth gave way, and I lost the tooth. Still haven't replaced it -- I haven't needed to order anything from Tazewll lately other than that, to make my minimum order amount...