Backhoe Learning Backhoe

[sandman2234]

The drain field company left a backhoe next door, and the operator told me I could use it if I wanted, and offered to leave his keys. As long as I was willing to repair or replace what broke, he didn't have a problem with it. I took out a 24" stump that was in the corner of my property before I chickened out on using it. That poor old hoe has been run hard and long with few stops for grease. Figured I better get it back before it broke down, and actually did manage. Took me a half hour to get that stump out of the ground. Needless to say, operation was done at slightly above idle!
David from jax

 

[SLOBuds]

I took 3 stumps out this weekend which was pretty good practice. Every once in a (long) while I would think that I was making progress. Then I would turn around and jam my left hand abruptly to the left and the backhoe would fling out in that direction (as instructed) and everything would go to heck in a handbasket.

Many years ago I took my son to Taos New Mexico for a ski trip. I hired an instructor one morning for both of us. After failing to pick up anything after an hour or so, the instructor asked me if I was an Engineer. I said 'no, why?' He said that I think about everything too much!

So anyway. The lower idle helped immensly. It even helped me to relax a bit so maybe I wouldn't THINK about how to get everything to move.

As the day wore on I got sore and fatigued - it was a busy day - and then my motor skills got worse. I've seen that before on the farm after a long day of heavy work. And the backhoe technique gets worse then as can be expected.

But I think I'm on the right track now thanks to everyone's suggestions. I will keep going with the various techniques that were outlined here.

Thanks again.

 

[Richard]

When I learned, I was using a Kubota L-35. What frustrated me the most about it was it seemed the hoe controls were either full ON or full OFF there was very little in between for finesse.

Later, I bought a full sized industrial JCB and for MY experience, the difference in the controls (only as related to the L-35 I used) are night & day.

So, if your machine is as twitchy as the L-35 was, I could see why it might be a bit disconcerning.

Just keep learning on some more stumps, rocks and other goodies!

 

[SLOBuds]

When I learned, I was using a Kubota L-35. What frustrated me the most about it was it seemed the hoe controls were either full ON or full OFF there was very little in between for finesse.

Later, I bought a full sized industrial JCB and for MY experience, the difference in the controls (only as related to the L-35 I used) are night & day.

So, if your machine is as twitchy as the L-35 was, I could see why it might be a bit disconcerning.

Just keep learning on some more stumps, rocks and other goodies!

Yes, it is exactly an L35. Good to know that other setups may be easier to use, but now I want to see if the L35 hydraulics can be feathered better. I'm happy with the L35.

I'll take that over to the hydraulics group.

 

[Riddler]

Martin, it may be hard to imagine right now, but if you have plenty of projects lined up for the BH, you'll be reacting, not thinking, at the controls before you know it. A project that involves repetitive movement will speed your learning, like digging a few hundred feet of trench. Digging a straight line with a level bottom forces you keep your eyes focused on what the bucket is doing, not your hands.

Like you, when I started, I feared I was hopeless. Then I tackled a project where I had to dig a couple of dozen 5' deep pits in an open field, all the same size and shape (for a soil consultant to hop in and take soil samples). By the time I got to the last few pits, my eyes would just focus on the bucket as it moved while my hands just did their thing. I probably have 200 hours under my belt now, but I would guess that things became second nature in a lot less than 10 hours.