Digging Ditches?

[bearmtnmartin]

there are two ways to ditch with a TLB. You can drive parallel to the ditch and reset every bucket width, or perpendicular to the ditch and use the bucket to swing yourself along until your bucket no longer cuts at 90 degrees to the ditchline. All are a pain in the posterior, and an ex is way better for that job. Actually you can also set up at about 30 degrees with your steer wheels parallel to the ditchline and use the backend to push yourself along, maintaining that angle. The best thing if you haven't or don't ditch much is to paint a line for the ditch centre and one each for the edges. Remember to go wider as the cut increases or the side angle changes and it looks funny.(unprofessional)If you go to Lawnsite and look in the Heavy equipment forum, bobcat rob is a video a holic who runs a hoe and he has some nice footage of ditching. There is a process for making the volume cuts and the finishing cut, and if you get it right, you get a really nice result.

 

[Wis Bang]

The early 'pros' had a machine just to finish slopes & grades...the Gradeall...the bucket curled and the boom went up/down - in/out - and also rotated side to side...

On a shallow trench get one side down in the hole for the angle may work too...

 

[jdfire]

You might want to consider using a boxblade. 3RRL has some great posts on using his boxblade to create ditches along his road. Just another option....

 

[newbury]

You might want to consider using a boxblade. 3RRL has some great posts on using his boxblade to create ditches along his road. Just another option....

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/116316-various-boxblade-uses.html
/edit - seminal thread

 

[MikeD74T]

Tom, Weld or bolt cheeks onto your backhoe bucket at the angle of the side slopes & dig parallel with the ditch. If you've really got a lot to do get a v shaped bucket made or adapt a used one. Something like this: http://www.exac-one.co.uk/products/buckets/v_buckets/ MikeD74T

 

[tommcintire]

Tom, Weld or bolt cheeks onto your backhoe bucket at the angle of the side slopes & dig parallel with the ditch. If you've really got a lot to do get a v shaped bucket made or adapt a used one. Something like this: V Bucket MikeD74T

I had wondered about doing something like that. I have a good pile of steel staring me in the face, including a good amount of 1/4 inch plate... The catch is that while I learned to TiG weld in college (long story, but suffice it to say I got to work with a nuclear certified welder in a research lab for a while), I never have learned to stick weld. I now have a welder (inherited it along with the steel from my grandfather), but need to tackle some projects

Since you are relatively nearby, can you suggest good places beyond CraigsList, etc, to go looking for used buckets? I live in Pepperell, MA and work in Manchester... I see you list seacoast NH and Coos County, which lucky for you takes you up towards Nash Equipment...

-Tom

 

[NH_Dave]

Tom,
Check out Chappel Tractor in Milford, NH
Home - Chappell Tractor Sales
Dave

 

[tommcintire]

Tom,
Check out Chappel Tractor in Milford, NH
Home - Chappell Tractor Sales
Dave

Thanks! That is actually where we got our machine... Great people to deal with, I highly recommend them.

 

[NH_Dave]

Tom.
If you check their website under used equipment you will find a number of different buckets for sale. That being said, I don't know that any will fit/adapt to your machine. Good Luck.
Dave

 

[MikeD74T]

I had wondered about doing something like that. I have a good pile of steel staring me in the face, including a good amount of 1/4 inch plate... The catch is that while I learned to TiG weld in college (long story, but suffice it to say I got to work with a nuclear certified welder in a research lab for a while), I never have learned to stick weld. I now have a welder (inherited it along with the steel from my grandfather), but need to tackle some projects

Since you are relatively nearby, can you suggest good places beyond CraigsList, etc, to go looking for used buckets? I live in Pepperell, MA and work in Manchester... I see you list seacoast NH and Coos County, which lucky for you takes you up towards Nash Equipment...

-Tom

Tom, you've left out a crucial detail -what are you digging with??? Nothing listed in your profile? Miked74T