Father and Son Backhoe Thumb

[Bigbear]

Cost of material, about 5 bucks, cost of electric, gas etc, probably a dollar, having your 12 year old son help, PRICELESS. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have been wanting to build a thumb for some time, last night I asked my son if he wanted to help and he said yes. Most of the time, we ask the young ones to help, and then move them aside because they might make a mistake or get hurt. Last night when he said yes, I remembered all the mistakes I have made along the way, and learned faster from making those mistakes than from watching someone else. If he makes a mistake, it's not the end of the world, and I can fix it.
Well, turns out, he picked up the welding thing rather quick, took me longer to get welds like his /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. We worked about 3 hours on the project, and I kinda hated to see it almost finished, still need 2 heavy U bolts to hold it on the dipper arm.

I guess the thumb is no big deal and may rust out or break, but the time we share with the little ones will last a lifetime. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bigbear]

A little closer picture.

 

[JimMorrissey]

Bigbear,

That's a great thumb! Sounds like you enjoyed building it and there will likely be other fun projects in the works.

Tell us how it works and attach some pics of her in action.

 

[Bigbear]

Thanks JimMorrissey, it was a great project, and works just like I wanted /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. I will use it for firewood logs and retrieving debris from the creek. Here is a picture of it picking up some logs I have that need cut into firewood, throws them around like a rag doll. Back in Feb, we loaded the green ash logs with a 30 hp New Holland and it was all it wanted to put them on the truck.
I now have a very useful thumb attachment /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif and my son now wants a welder for Christmas /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

I just love those inexpensive attachments !!! Really nice looking and performing job. I can't imaging living without my el cheapo thumb. Out of curiousity, are those holes in your bucket for mounting something that I may need to make next? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Cheers!

 

[Bigbear]

Wow HomeBrew2, you noticed the mounting holes for my sour-mash converter attachment. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Really think their for drainage (could <font color="red">still </font> be for sour-mash use) , I have wondered why they were there myself. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[HomeBrew2]

Ohhh, a mash converter on the BH ... must be for small runs, mine's on the FEL /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I saw an outfit on the net a while back that made a grader blade attachment for a BH bucket (can't find it now and didn't clip a pic) and thought maybe you did something similar.
Cheers!