Thumb Hydraulic thumb for BX23 BH

[nasdaqsam]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( nasdaqsam, The link below will take you to a photo of the thumb I fabricated for my hoe. I had someone else weld it up. This isn't a real good pic. but maybe if you show it to your welder he could come up with something on a smaller scale. I used two of the teeth from my Box Blade for the (thumb) and regular plate and box steel for everything else. The pivot pins are 4140 rod.

David Photobucket )</font>

I like that you did a nice job on it.

I will show it to my welder and see what he thinks.

Thanks

 

[nasdaqsam]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Any ideas of where to get a hydraulic thumb for the BX23 BH? Is this possible or do they have to be mechanical? )</font>

<font color="blue">Rockland Mfg</font> makes "mini thumbs" for mini excavators up to 5,000lbs. Weighs only 90lbs.

</font><font color="blueclass=small">( Also is there something similar for the front bucket? )</font>

And they also make grapples.

Ask Google: <font color="green">+(hydraulic thumbs)</font> and you'll get results that are just hydraulic thumbs. )</font>

Wow, great info. I especially like the photo of the one on the Kubota.

I wish they showed the hydraulic set-up. I will write to them and see if they will send me some info.

Thanks

 

[nasdaqsam]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( Also is there something similar for the front bucket? )</font>

web page )</font>

I see they are pre-ordering the grapples. I wonder if this is a new product or they only build to order? Looks like a fairly simple unit to work with.

Thank you

 

[JimMorrissey]

Do some research on here for thumbs (if you already haven't). I really think you'll be surprised how well a mechanical thumb will work for you.

A hydraulic thumb will definitely "cost" the BX. They really excel when you need to be extra gentle (say with old rocks that you don't want to damage making a stone wall) or you want to get underneath something and be able to pluck it from its location when your machine is at its max reach. I'm sure there are a few other examples, but I honestly think you'll really enjoy a mechanical thumb. I'm going to get one for my hoe soon.

Here's a picture somebody posted a few months back of a thumb they made themselves if you do any fabrication work yourself. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif I tried to find the original post, but can't. Somebody will know.....

 

[HomeBrew2]

Here's a link to my original thread $0.50 thumb .
I used it all winter and early spring for rocks an logs. Finally got it cleaned up and primed this week.
Cheers!

 

[nasdaqsam]

I looked at the units that have been posted and wrote to the respective manufacturers. So far no one makes one that fits the BX series, although there are still two I have not heard from.

They do make them for the mini excavators but they are 8" wide and the BX bh stick is a lot smaller than that so it looks like fabrication time.

As for the hydraulics, for me I think it is going to be a must as my main purpose is going to be to very selectively pick stones off my beach with out disturbing the surrounding soils. The more control I have the better it is going to be to accomplish this. Digging under to push up against the thumb will require disturbing the soils.

Thanks for all the info

 

[JimMorrissey]

Looking forward to seeing your hydraulic thumb when it's complete!

Are you sure you'll be able to tap off the system correctly in order to supply flow to the thumb? You may find that you'll need to restrict the flow a bit so it's not too fast.

 

[nasdaqsam]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Looking forward to seeing your hydraulic thumb when it's complete!)</font>
I will post pictures as soon as I can get it done. Still have some searching to do though.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Are you sure you'll be able to tap off the system correctly in order to supply flow to the thumb? You may find that you'll need to restrict the flow a bit so it's not too fast. )</font>

I'm not sure right now how that portion is going to work. I did see a control assembly on one of the sites that taps off one of the stabilizers arms reroutes the fluid then back. They move quite slowly so I am thinking that may be an option.

www.attattachments.com On the bottom left of the page they have the set-up I am talking about. I have to call them to see if this is what it is designed for.

 

[nasdaqsam]

After exhaustive research there is only one viable solution. All of the thumbs I have found are just to big for the BX. So thanks to all the help from this forum I have been able to amass enough info that my fabricator is going to make one with all the hydraulics. This guy is real good. Everything he does looks factory. Right now it looks like the price is going to run just under $ 1,000 for the complete set-up. I found one place that would custom build one but they wanted $ 2,000.
I will post pictures in a few weeks once we get it done. He goes on vacvation next week and will be working on it after that.

We are going to tee off the main hydraulic lines to run the thumb. The only thing I am a bit worried about is wether or not we have to reduce at that point. I don't think it is going to have a negative effect on the hoe operation as the thumb will mostly be used in direct conjunction with the bucket and the hydraulics should be able to handle that.

Any thoughts?

 

[jim_wilson]

Please do post the results when you get your thumb built - I may be interested in buying a setup like that too if your fabricator is interested in building more.