Thinking of Buying Mini Excavator--Need Help

[8934]

Thanks for the Thumb advice, I have looked on EBAY, and other websites and have found numerous vendors, and then JD sells one....

Can anyone recomend a good reputable vendor? Or should I get the JD one?

 

[coopers]

Highline Portafab - Excavator Thumbs & Rakes
CWS Industries ? IMAC Attachments, Mining Attachments, Backhoes, Hydraulic Excavators, Dozers, Material Handling
PSM-Pacific Services & Manufacturing-Construction Attachments, Thumbs & Buckets

Top three choices for me. CWS for larger machines, HPF for mini's. Here's a guy's thumb from my area...he put it on his JD 35D. PSM and HPF are about 15 minutes away from my house.

 

[8934]

Thanks I will check them out.

I did check with the JD dealer, the entire "JD thumb kit" is $1,500.

 

[coopers]

If you're on a budget than JD will do. However, if you can spend 3-4k then the above thumb by HPF is great for minis. The JD thumbs are ok but they aren't as strong IMO.

 

[kthompson]

On the thumb, you need to know what you want it for. Might sound dumb but I do not like the one shown above. Not sure I have ever seen a flat thumb used and there may be a use where it is great. But if you will be lifting rounded stuff (trees or stumps) think such design will limit you. Local shop who builds thumbs built mine with a curve (buckets are not curved that I have or seen) so I could cradle a log or logs between the thumb and bucket. It works great. For little stuff (like 3 inches or less it does not clamp them tightly but I can grasp and wrap around a tree of about 18 inches and not depend on just the teeth to hold it. Again on the thumb design above for some stuff it probably is the best, just don't think it would be larger rounded items.

 

[coopers]

Kthompson is correct to a degree.

It really is personal preference. You generally don't grab trees in the middle of the thumb. You clamp down on the tree with the teeth of both the thumb teeth and bucket teeth. But again, it's more personal preference. I've never had a problem with the HPF or CWS thumbs, both of which are similar in design. I actually don't like curved thumbs too much but again, it's personal preference.

 

[KentT]

Kthompson is correct to a degree.

It really is personal preference. You generally don't grab trees in the middle of the thumb. You clamp down on the tree with the teeth of both the thumb teeth and bucket teeth. But again, it's more personal preference. I've never had a problem with the HPF or CWS thumbs, both of which are similar in design. I actually don't like curved thumbs too much but again, it's personal preference.

Well, sorta...

If you want to use the tree trunk for any purpose other than firewood or pulp, you do not want to grab it between the bucket teeth and the teeth on the thumb. The immense pressure exerted by the small area of the teeth will splinter the log internally -- been there, done that, when clearing my lot. We lost three nice white pine sawlogs of 24" plus, because the trackhoe operator squeezed them too tightly with the bucket teeth. Though there wasn't much damage visible from the outside, when we sawed the first slab off each one, we could see that the whole inside was cracked and splintered...

There's a reason why most logging equipment and knucklebooms use curved "fingers" instead of teeth...

IMO, you only grab a tree trunk with the teeth when you're trying to pull something out of the ground (but why, since nosing it over away from you generally works better?) or if you're trying to bite/break it into. You can snap 8" to 12" pines like pencils, to pile them, with a decent sized trackhoe...

 

[8934]

Thanks for the advice, after looking around I think I will probably save up my money and go for JD thumb. I wont be dealing with lumber, just mainly invasive trees, and construction debris.

But this has been very informative for me.

Thanks again.

 

[kthompson]

Thanks for the advice, after looking around I think I will probably save up my money and go for JD thumb. I wont be dealing with lumber, just mainly invasive trees, and construction debris.

But this has been very informative for me.

Thanks again.

I totally agree there is a lot of personal preference in the thumbs, but I do know when holding a tree with teeth ONLY you have to keep it tight. Seems not to be much of an issue with "A" single trunk but if lifting a few smaller ones they can shift as you are lifting coming into better alignment and thus smaller in diameter and become loose between the teeth or for that matter even in a curve thumb. So requires more attention and more of being sure you are keeping the clamping pressure on the load. For me, I drop much less if in the curve of the thumb than between the teeth only. At same time what fits between teeth only is often such as stumps and are heavy. You probably will be safe with the JD design but that does not mean it is the best one for your use. Take your time and look. You do want it to be out of the way and can not hit anything when retracted. They sure are handy if you are doing anything other than digging dirt only.

The comment about pinching logs between the teeth and damaging them, boy that is true. Often will be moving full trees that just dug and will pinch the tree trunk and snap it rather than get down and use chain saw. It is ugly but pilling to burn or rot so ease is the issue.