Backhoe Backhoe -- rock picking techniques?

3RRL · Jul 9, 2007

Jay4200 said:
Nice rock. I routinely do the same too, provided I can get the thing up into the bucket. Your picture is a good example of the kind problem rock that I'm talking about, albiet pretty danged big! I've many times lifted the front of my tractor while pulling the dipper and boom in tight, and once got stuck in a wheelie, sitting on my subframe mount even with the 'hoe pulled all the way in.

I've pulled big rocks out of holes and from the top of steep slopes easily, but flat ground is a different story. So, I'll bite, how'd you get that one tipped up onto the bucket w/o rolling forward and off?

JayC

It took me several tries until I finally got it to pinch. There's no secret technique to it, for me it was trial and error. Just lucky to get it and move it to where my road washed out.

john_bud said:
Jeepers, Rob!

Good thing that hoe is on a stout tractor or you would have trouble driving around with that rock on the back!

How big was it anyways?

Don't know for sure but guess it is approaching 800 to 1,000 pounds or so? Here's where I was taking it ... about a hundred feet down the to the road.

I keep the fel full with dirt when using the backhoe for picking rocks, but not for general digging. Here's what I had in the bucket.

Hahaha, just kidding. I do have a bucket of dirt when moving rocks with the backhoe though.

On another note, I've thought of adding "teeth" protruding out and sideways a little from the boom for "gripping" when pinching rocks like this. That might be a good solution to Jay's original question? Pinching would be easier if there was a backstop down there instead of just the narrow boom?

3RRL · Jul 9, 2007

Those photos were BEFORE I made the subframe for the backhoe and having to pluck rocks like that is what made me build it. I knew I was asking for trouble without the subframe. It was also before I installed the dual bucket grapples. So everything I added to the tractor was to make my chores easier and safer.

Regarding bucket hooks for the backhoe, before I made my thumb, I have 2 sets of hooks to chain rocks and logs, etc. I could use the curl or uncurl depending how the object was situated. Some times just to drag out to a better place for grabbing or pinching it.

Now it's easier with the thumb (and bucket grapples) to move or drag stuff to a better position.
I get the really big stuff with the grapples when I can.

But move a lot of stuff into a better position with the backhoe.

3RRL · Jul 9, 2007

Here are some thumbs I looked at before building mine.

This one is Dave's articulating mechanical thumb.

This one is mine.

Here are some others that were shared here on TBN.

Below is the concept I tried to copy for my thumb.

Sorry for steeping on your thread so much Jay, but I'm thinking you might be interested in the thumbs for what you do too? Hope I'm right there? If not, please forgive me. After going through what you describe you are going through, that's when I decided to make one.