Backhoe Build A Backhoe For PT425... It Could Happen

MossRoad · May 26, 2006

/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif $$$$$$$$$ ALERT!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I was pre-warned that 1" I.D. X 1.5" O.D. tubing was expensive...... This is to confirm that it is.

5.5', that's 66" @ $29.00 per foot equals $180.00+ after tax!!

I found it locally and bit the bullet and bought it. Will measure twice and then measure again before cutting. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Another thing to note. I took my 1" grade 8 bolt with me and found that it fit in some pieces of the tubing and not the others. The counter guy said the tubing has a manufacturing +- tollerance of .015". The one that they brought to the counter was -.005 and that was too tight for the bolt. They found one that was exactly 1" and it was snug but not tight. That's the one I took. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif He said if I have to order any more, they cannot guarantee that it will be the same size, so that's why I took the piece I did. I won't need that much, but figured if I mess something up, it could be a pain to find more locally less than 5' long.

So far my buget is right around $200.00 with the new tubing and the L brackets for the boom assembly from the junkyard. Also have a couple bucks in a bolt. Not too bad so far. The biggest expense will be the hydraulic valves and hoses.

I'm going to use those cylinders that I have at first. If they prove too weak, I can always get larger ones. I figure I might as well try it. The worst that can happen is that I'll have to torch off one mount for each one and re-weld in the proper location if I have to replace the cylinders with fatter, but shorter ones. Frugality rules for now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

MossRoad · May 26, 2006

Put in some more time tonight. Cut two 1" bushings and an 8" tube for the boom pivot assembly. Welded one 1" bushing to the diamond plate side of each of the boom pivot brackets. Mocked it up with clamps to the frame. Looks like it will work fine. Also rough cut two of the three pieces of plate that will form the small box assembly that will go around the boom pivot tube.

Running totals:
Time = 5.5 hrs.
Cost = $200

MossRoad · May 26, 2006

Put in some more time tonight. Cut two 1" bushings and an 8" tube for the boom pivot assembly. Welded one 1" bushing to the diamond plate side of each of the boom pivot brackets. Mocked it up with clamps to the frame. Looks like it will work fine. Also rough cut two of the three pieces of plate that will form the small box assembly that will go around the boom pivot tube.

Running totals:
Time = 5.5 hrs.
Cost = $200

MossRoad · May 27, 2006

Put about 4 more hours into it today. Built the first half of the pivot tube box, cut some more parts, drilled more holes in the brackets for the boom and boom cylinder to attach to, wore out a grinder wheel and burned up another motor on my band saw. All-in-all, a good day! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Well, the motor didn't burn up, but the cheap, crummy, milk jug plastic fan melted off the shaft again. This time I just pulled the end of the motor off and the pulley, pulled out the melted fan and put it back together again. My neighbor, who is a machinist and an electric motor rebuilder looked it over and agreed with me that it truly is a piece of junk. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif He also doubted that the fan actually moved any air into or out of the motor since it is a solid plate with the blades on the outside. The best it would have done is pull air in from the pulley and immediately out the vents without circulating anything in the actual motor. I hooked up my air hose to the end of the motor and ran it that way most of the day. Works fine and runs cooler than with the so called fan. I would not suggest anyone purchasing that saw with that motor. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Bought 5 pounds of welding rod. $12.00
Two grinding wheels. $6.00
Running totals:
Time = 9.5 hrs.
Cost = $218

MossRoad · May 27, 2006

Put about 4 more hours into it today. Built the first half of the pivot tube box, cut some more parts, drilled more holes in the brackets for the boom and boom cylinder to attach to, wore out a grinder wheel and burned up another motor on my band saw. All-in-all, a good day! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Well, the motor didn't burn up, but the cheap, crummy, milk jug plastic fan melted off the shaft again. This time I just pulled the end of the motor off and the pulley, pulled out the melted fan and put it back together again. My neighbor, who is a machinist and an electric motor rebuilder looked it over and agreed with me that it truly is a piece of junk. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif He also doubted that the fan actually moved any air into or out of the motor since it is a solid plate with the blades on the outside. The best it would have done is pull air in from the pulley and immediately out the vents without circulating anything in the actual motor. I hooked up my air hose to the end of the motor and ran it that way most of the day. Works fine and runs cooler than with the so called fan. I would not suggest anyone purchasing that saw with that motor. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Bought 5 pounds of welding rod. $12.00
Two grinding wheels. $6.00
Running totals:
Time = 9.5 hrs.
Cost = $218

BillCroasmun · May 27, 2006

MR,
Not to hikack the thread but if that is the only (or at least main) concern with the band saw at the HF price would it still not be a worthwhile investment as long as you know you need to upgrade the fan/cooling? I know I'll be getting a band saw within the year or so and was contemplating the same model as yours so I'd love some feedback. Mine won't be for heavy or constant usage so I am hoping it meets my needs. Maybe cutting a hole in the upper area of the enclosure and surface mounting a PC power supply fan on the outside can cheaply suck the hot air out. At the low cost of a mod like that it would still make the HF model quite a bit cheaper than most I see.

Thoughts?

BillCroasmun · May 27, 2006

MR,
Not to hikack the thread but if that is the only (or at least main) concern with the band saw at the HF price would it still not be a worthwhile investment as long as you know you need to upgrade the fan/cooling? I know I'll be getting a band saw within the year or so and was contemplating the same model as yours so I'd love some feedback. Mine won't be for heavy or constant usage so I am hoping it meets my needs. Maybe cutting a hole in the upper area of the enclosure and surface mounting a PC power supply fan on the outside can cheaply suck the hot air out. At the low cost of a mod like that it would still make the HF model quite a bit cheaper than most I see.

Thoughts?

toy · May 28, 2006

Your back hoe project is really looking good, hope you are enjoying this project. When you get it finished you will have a lot of earned satisfaction. Nowabout your band saw how hard would it be to replace the junky motor with an old american electric motor. Every one of us have probably bought some import tool at some time or another because its a few dollars cheaper and you can get it now instead of waiting which makes it very tempting I know. I bought two 4 and 1/2 angle grinders $20 each and I don't use an angle grinder very often and I never used either one of them for a long time, but the first time that I used one of them it tore up (bearings went out so I went to my other garrage and got the other used it for about ten minutes and down it went same problem . That was $40 down the drain but something that we forget when we figure how much we lost and that is $15 tank of gas to go get the first two angel grinders and then I went and got a milwaulky grinder, finished that job with it and have used it on a lot of other jobs since and have not had any problems with it whatsoever. There have been alot of other things that I have bought that were imports that I have had the same luck with. One other thing comes to mind shop lights I bought six lights for my new garrage imported lights was all I could find it took me three trips back to the store to get the lights to partially work (2 of the lights only had one bulb that would burn after about six hours of service. I know others may have other opinions but that is just two of my experiences but you can't hardly find any thing made in usa any more and if it is made in usa the made in usa lable is so small that it is hard to find just like the labels on the imports. I hope no one gets offended at this post

toy · May 28, 2006

Your back hoe project is really looking good, hope you are enjoying this project. When you get it finished you will have a lot of earned satisfaction. Nowabout your band saw how hard would it be to replace the junky motor with an old american electric motor. Every one of us have probably bought some import tool at some time or another because its a few dollars cheaper and you can get it now instead of waiting which makes it very tempting I know. I bought two 4 and 1/2 angle grinders $20 each and I don't use an angle grinder very often and I never used either one of them for a long time, but the first time that I used one of them it tore up (bearings went out so I went to my other garrage and got the other used it for about ten minutes and down it went same problem . That was $40 down the drain but something that we forget when we figure how much we lost and that is $15 tank of gas to go get the first two angel grinders and then I went and got a milwaulky grinder, finished that job with it and have used it on a lot of other jobs since and have not had any problems with it whatsoever. There have been alot of other things that I have bought that were imports that I have had the same luck with. One other thing comes to mind shop lights I bought six lights for my new garrage imported lights was all I could find it took me three trips back to the store to get the lights to partially work (2 of the lights only had one bulb that would burn after about six hours of service. I know others may have other opinions but that is just two of my experiences but you can't hardly find any thing made in usa any more and if it is made in usa the made in usa lable is so small that it is hard to find just like the labels on the imports. I hope no one gets offended at this post

marrt · May 28, 2006

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( burned up another motor on my band saw)</font>

What's that old saying again? Something like "you get what you pay for." /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Just kidding. I had a similar problem with a piece of junk I bought and was able to find a cheap fan on Surplus Center. This fan looks like the 120MM 12v fans you see in some PC’s, but is 120v. I hooked it up to the motor power switch and it works fine. Could be an option.

I've bought a bunch of Harbor Freight stuff too. I think it's hit and miss with them. These days, I usually view their stuff as use once and throw away. However, I have bought some stuff there that was surprisingly good quality (a socket set for example). We don't have a store here so I have to mail order everything...without looking at it first. I just saw a 9" hand grinder the other day in their catalog for $39.95. Was tempted.

Looking forward to the next set of pics.