PF Engineering plans

[Carol in CA]

Unfortunately there is an entire country between me and him.

 

[milkie62]

I may still get out there in the next few weeks,I have email notification so just keep blipping this thread and ask me so I do not forget to get back to you.He seemed pretty confident in his design and said He would put it through its paces.I would guess as long as you used decent sized cylinders since that is how hydralics get its power it will come down to machine weight overcoming whatever you are digging.

 

[Carol in CA]

This sort of sounds like the only working model is the one he has built? I know CADPlans and MetKit have been around for more than 10 years because I built the BH more than ten years ago. Those plans left me hoping for a better set, and PF was a bit less expensive. FWIW, the MetKit was more than worth it. The UPS guy who delivered it wasn't too happy though.

It will be interesting when the PF Engineering plans arrive some time this week.

 

[/pine]

A while back a member (FARMGUY1) started a thread about building a backhoe using the PF plans and had posted a video on youtube...but he never followed it up or gave any updates on the project...

 

[Carol in CA]

Found his single post from March of last year. No answers for the questions posed and the YouTube is no longer up. His observations were that the steel was expensive and to shop on-line for parts. Also that the small tractor hydraulics were lacking and to use a pto pump. His was a 3pt hitch mount. I did that with that with my earlier one more than 10 years ago. The 3pt hitch mount leaves tons to be desired. Not going there again. I have designed a frame, so we will see how that goes.

 

[/pine]

Found his single post from March of last year. No answers for the questions posed and the YouTube is no longer up. His observations were that the steel was expensive and to shop on-line for parts. Also that the small tractor hydraulics were lacking and to use a pto pump. His was a 3pt hitch mount. I did that with that with my earlier one more than 10 years ago. The 3pt hitch mount leaves tons to be desired. Not going there again. I have designed a frame, so we will see how that goes.

I remember watching the video...IIRC...he had to make some modifications after initially fabricating without fitting stuff...things like cylinder end mounts and sizes...I had hoped he would keep his progress posted...I had been interested in making one...I've since bought an independent machine (ditch witch) which has turned out to be a sage decision for me...

 

[dfkrug]

Years ago I had a Ford 1100 4wd diesel and built a BH for it from the CADPlans.
I had lots of help. Our thought about the plans was that they left much to be desired though everything was
there.

You are doing the right thing to try to find a first person review of the PF plans you want.

I did my CADDigger so long ago, the Web was barely up and my cameras were all film. I wish I
could find my old stash of photos. The blue thing in my avatar is the 728, next to a rented Cat 315.

Also back then (1995?) Metco Supply had no "Metkits" tho I did buy their hyd cyls and DOM tubing.
I had a local steel recycler cut the plate I needed, using an OA torch and guide. I built everything
using only a metal bandsaw and Lincoln 225AC buzz box (ugh). The plans I bought are all marked up with
the errors I found. I hope that they improve them as they continue to be sold.

 

[Carol in CA]

PF plans arrived today. I'll need a few days before I can make an observation about how colorful this journey will be.

 

[notme]

When I did the BH for the Ford with CADplans years ago, I also used the Metkit. Don't have that option with the PF Engineering plans. The plans are ordered. When I see them I will see what format is necessary for a shop to cut out the parts for me. Since I plan to scale the plans down some, that will present another interesting challenge. I also plan on a finger in place of the bucket, though I will make the bucket also. Another aberration is that I plan to make it out of plywood first for proof of concept and to get all the hydraulics operational. Since there may well be a variety of hydraulics that do not exactly match up, some innovation will be required.

An understatement if I ever made one.[/QUOTE

do you know what plan # u had built, I don't see many neg comments about the newer ones. 821/831/841 but even those models are quite old now.. late 90's im thinking, theres several builds of htem on the net, much more popular then ubuild it plans. check youtube

 

[Carol in CA]

No longer remember the plan number. All that info went with the tractor when I sold it.

As for negative comments by builders. My impression was that when you are dealing with the only business in town, complaining is useless. There were no other plans available from anyone. Yep, lots of holes in the information offered; some outright mistakes. They seemed to be notes and drawings gathered as the result of a build, sort of like a journey or diary of information. They may well have had all those things addressed over the years.

One of the reasons that this time I chose the PF Engineering plans is that they promised sources, part numbers, and approximate costs. That stuff is there, though I am sure it is dated. Place to start though. And they were less money than CADPlans.

One surprise thus far is that plans for a sub-frame for the tractor are included. I can and will build the solid mount as opposed to the 3pth mount.