farm boy00
Veteran Member
- Joined
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- Howard City, MI
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- John Deere M&MT, Case 1030 comfort king, Sears ST16, Craftsmen 6000, homemade articulation mini-loader
Is that the base for your backhoe??
DIY Mini Digger
- Thread starter Colcreate
- Start date
- Views: 79153
Is that the base for your backhoe??
chaffe
Silver Member
Yeah man
Eric Salop
Elite Member
Don't let the lack of comments put you off Colcreate, you have knotched up nigh on 3000 views already, so pleanty of people are keen to see your progress. You really do seem to know what you are doing, so that's why not many are chipping in with suggestions.
We seem to go through periods on TBN when picutures no longer upload, not your fault. At your rate of progress, you may be on to the final coat of paint before they get the upload sorted - you deserve a break for a few days.
We seem to go through periods on TBN when picutures no longer upload, not your fault. At your rate of progress, you may be on to the final coat of paint before they get the upload sorted - you deserve a break for a few days.
OP
Colcreate
Member
Don't let the lack of comments put you off Colcreate, you have knotched up nigh on 3000 views already, so pleanty of people are keen to see your progress. You really do seem to know what you are doing, so that's why not many are chipping in with suggestions.
We seem to go through periods on TBN when picutures no longer upload, not your fault. At your rate of progress, you may be on to the final coat of paint before they get the upload sorted - you deserve a break for a few days.
Cheers Eric, I've taken a few days off boating and diving so no updates for a few days anyway.
OP
Colcreate
Member
Thanks for taking the time to post this Boggen.
Once I have full functionality and am nearing the end of the basic build I intend on stripping it completely down for final welding and painting before reassembly. At that point I will build in some more strength to the key areas such as those you suggest although I won't be able to extend the width of the pivot plates as the boom mounting will foul.
The pivot pins will be capped and secured at the end with bolts as well, effectively tying the assemblies together and preventing the plates from spreading. That coupled with the strength and shape of the boom mounting should do the job. The bending moments will be spread over all four mounting plates as a complete assembly rather than on any single or pair of plates.
I haven't rounded off the corners of the pivot plates yet as I have been saving up for a plasma cutter. Now it's arrived I can be more creative and will be in danger of putting in gussets in every corner regardless.
OP
Colcreate
Member
OK, I've managed to connect up the hydraulics now using a temporary reservoir tank that I made from a steel box that was lying around. It's a bit on the small side but fits nicely in the space and can be replaced with a larger custom made thing at a later date.
Here's a description of how I have plumbed the hydraulic circuit:
1P3060 hydraulic pump, around 27lt/min @ 1500rpm
Pumps directly to a Danfoss A80 priority valve on the orbital steering valve.
Output of steering valve goes to an old marine double ended steering ram that I adapted and fixed to the Land Rover front axle.
The priority valve ensures I will always have flow and pressure to steer regardless of other demands on the system.
Main hydraulic flow is taken from priority valve outlet and piped up to a 1/2" - 6 bank spool valve mounted at the front of the digger.
This valve is a bit of an overkill here but has a power beyond (carry over) feature which shares the hydraulic flow with the huge ex-Massey Ferguson backhoe valve that is now fixed in place at the rear.
I'm using one of the front spool valve functions to drive the main transmission 160 hydraulic motor which works well except that in neutral it locks off the motor completely rather than allowing free-wheeling. I will have to change out this spool at some point as it is too jerky and something will break. The other five spools will be used for the Front End Loader that I haven't even though about yet.
At the rear the massive backhoe valve fitted in nicely and is now fully operational.
The flow from this valve returns to the tank via a tee piece to a filter unit currently mounted above the reservoir.
The return from the front spool valve also feeds back to the filter via this tee.
Here's a photo of the backhoe and valve.
The main boom is now 100 x 100 x 6mm RHS, I'm using the lighter 90 x 90 x 5mm RHS as the stick but will be plating both sides with 5mm thick steel plates now I have a plasma cutter.
The boom top ram mount has two positions and at its lowest point will allow deeper digging, not sure if this was a good idea or not but it's all welded up now so it's staying...
The rest of what you see here is a mock up just tack welded together to figure out stuff. I've already changed it since I took the photo but it was too dark when I finished to take another.
The 2" stick ram has since been changed out, it leaked and was too heavy and too short a stroke. The stick pivot and lengths have also been changed.
I'm working on the slew rams and brackets now....
Here's a description of how I have plumbed the hydraulic circuit:
1P3060 hydraulic pump, around 27lt/min @ 1500rpm
Pumps directly to a Danfoss A80 priority valve on the orbital steering valve.
Output of steering valve goes to an old marine double ended steering ram that I adapted and fixed to the Land Rover front axle.
The priority valve ensures I will always have flow and pressure to steer regardless of other demands on the system.
Main hydraulic flow is taken from priority valve outlet and piped up to a 1/2" - 6 bank spool valve mounted at the front of the digger.
This valve is a bit of an overkill here but has a power beyond (carry over) feature which shares the hydraulic flow with the huge ex-Massey Ferguson backhoe valve that is now fixed in place at the rear.
I'm using one of the front spool valve functions to drive the main transmission 160 hydraulic motor which works well except that in neutral it locks off the motor completely rather than allowing free-wheeling. I will have to change out this spool at some point as it is too jerky and something will break. The other five spools will be used for the Front End Loader that I haven't even though about yet.
At the rear the massive backhoe valve fitted in nicely and is now fully operational.
The flow from this valve returns to the tank via a tee piece to a filter unit currently mounted above the reservoir.
The return from the front spool valve also feeds back to the filter via this tee.
Here's a photo of the backhoe and valve.
The main boom is now 100 x 100 x 6mm RHS, I'm using the lighter 90 x 90 x 5mm RHS as the stick but will be plating both sides with 5mm thick steel plates now I have a plasma cutter.
The boom top ram mount has two positions and at its lowest point will allow deeper digging, not sure if this was a good idea or not but it's all welded up now so it's staying...
The rest of what you see here is a mock up just tack welded together to figure out stuff. I've already changed it since I took the photo but it was too dark when I finished to take another.
The 2" stick ram has since been changed out, it leaked and was too heavy and too short a stroke. The stick pivot and lengths have also been changed.
I'm working on the slew rams and brackets now....
Last edited:
GPintheMitten
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2009
- Messages
- 3,291
- Location
- Flushing, Michigan
- Tractor
- Kubota B2620 with BH65 backhoe, Ford 2N
Great build. Will be following along.
OP
Colcreate
Member
Backhoe slew rams
I'm back to work now so progress will slow up on this project...:thumbdown:
Here's where I am at the moment:
The slew ram brackets were cut from 10mm thick steel plate and have been tack welded in place
The cylinder ends are fastened to a chassis crossmember, I'll cut a piece of heavy angle to span across the top of these 1" pins to reinforce the mounting and support the false floor that will cover the rams.
The boom has full 180 degrees of movement and it seems the rams will work together quite well. I would have liked slightly heavy more powerful ones here but will see how these work under load. Just need to get all the hoses made up.
The dipper ram (should that be called a stick ram?) that was leaking has been swooped out and a 1 1/2" ram with a longer stroke has been fitted. The extra stroke has enabled me to move the pivot point further down the arm I now have a 1:4 ratio which should give me more force at the bucket.
Large 5mm triangular plates have been tacked onto both sides of the length of the boom to provide the bottom mounting for the dipper cylinder.
I'm back to work now so progress will slow up on this project...:thumbdown:
Here's where I am at the moment:
The slew ram brackets were cut from 10mm thick steel plate and have been tack welded in place
The cylinder ends are fastened to a chassis crossmember, I'll cut a piece of heavy angle to span across the top of these 1" pins to reinforce the mounting and support the false floor that will cover the rams.
The boom has full 180 degrees of movement and it seems the rams will work together quite well. I would have liked slightly heavy more powerful ones here but will see how these work under load. Just need to get all the hoses made up.
The dipper ram (should that be called a stick ram?) that was leaking has been swooped out and a 1 1/2" ram with a longer stroke has been fitted. The extra stroke has enabled me to move the pivot point further down the arm I now have a 1:4 ratio which should give me more force at the bucket.
Large 5mm triangular plates have been tacked onto both sides of the length of the boom to provide the bottom mounting for the dipper cylinder.
Last edited:
OP
Colcreate
Member
Backhoe stabilising legs?
Backhoe legs?? Not sure what to do here so would welcome your comments on this and any photos of ones others have built.
Some backhoes have a ram leg either side which move vertically and can be set down to stabilise the machine when digging. If I used this option the rams would sit inside of the rear wheels so wouldn't be a very wide footprint.
Other backhoes have arms either side that fold down often giving a wider or longer footprint. This option seems the most complicated due to the space available.
Both above types can be operated independently so can be used to level the machine.
The other method used on diggers/excavators is a shallow but strong blade the full track width of the machine which is operated by a single short stroke ram. The blade can be used to dig in and lift the machine but can't level it. It can also be used to scrape the ground level as well. This option seems the easiest and having only one ram would leave a hydraulic circuit free for other uses like a bucket thumb.....
Which design should I go for (or any other ideas)?
I have rams for each method, just not sure if I need to go too OTT here...
Backhoe legs?? Not sure what to do here so would welcome your comments on this and any photos of ones others have built.
Some backhoes have a ram leg either side which move vertically and can be set down to stabilise the machine when digging. If I used this option the rams would sit inside of the rear wheels so wouldn't be a very wide footprint.
Other backhoes have arms either side that fold down often giving a wider or longer footprint. This option seems the most complicated due to the space available.
Both above types can be operated independently so can be used to level the machine.
The other method used on diggers/excavators is a shallow but strong blade the full track width of the machine which is operated by a single short stroke ram. The blade can be used to dig in and lift the machine but can't level it. It can also be used to scrape the ground level as well. This option seems the easiest and having only one ram would leave a hydraulic circuit free for other uses like a bucket thumb.....
Which design should I go for (or any other ideas)?
I have rams for each method, just not sure if I need to go too OTT here...
farm boy00
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2014
- Messages
- 1,297
- Location
- Howard City, MI
- Tractor
- John Deere M&MT, Case 1030 comfort king, Sears ST16, Craftsmen 6000, homemade articulation mini-loader
I like the blade idea. But how much clearance with there be??