mini digger grab

[robert t]

finely got myself a little 3 tonne digger to feed the chipper , along with a shiny botex grab

Made an adapter for it and got it piped up

My problem is the rotator is piped into the breaker circuit and it will only spin one way , is there an easy way to make it turn both ways or is it something i have to get used to . i may have to get a new two way block fitted , has anyone done this conversion?

 

 

I got caledonian forestry to supply and pipe mine. Im not to clever my self with these things.

He fitted these blocks so when I want to fit the grab I connect the quick fittings and turn the lever. It rotates either way on the bucket tilt lever and opens and closes with the rocker peddle on the floor.

[LGP Eddie]

It is usual to have a changeover from one way to two way operation as you say Sandy, but not on all I suspect and the larger return pipe points to possibly not?

 

Some are much more obvious than others (CAT are actually on the boom) but as you say it'll almost certainly be a small block with tap (sometimes no handle, just square drive) that requires turning to divert the flow.

 

I note you're west coast of Scotland and the person you need to call is John Craig at JCC Engcon Stirling.

If it's possible with an excavator and hydraulics he can do it!

 

In your own case if you have buttons on the lever it'll almost certainly be a two way auxiliary circuit, but probably no way of altering flow which could make operating a rotate quite jumpy.

 

Many manufacturers have now really jumped onto the fact that excavators can carry such a vast range of attachments and are fitting fully proportional auxiliary circuits with adjustable flows to make for superb control of all functions.

 

Kubota do them on their 5 and 8 tonners and Komatsu have just announced such a package from 3 tonne upwards.

It's the way they'll all go eventually but well worth speccing on purchase as you can fit so many things to the end of them.

 

Go for it with the 'Thumb' virtually every machine in North America has such a setup and really a complete no brainer?

Why spend all day chasing stuff about when with the press of a pedal the thumb pops out and you've got a grapple.

Bobcats are already rigged up for them and if you check out their website you'll get some ideas from there.

 

Eddie.

[sandy2210]

had a fxed grip on my last digger a 3 ton cat and would not be without one now biggest problem with the fixed type is with small branches etc on the ground the bucket teeth have to go below ground level before comeng to the talon making for a hole in the ground (does that make sence im not very good at explaining )hence the idea of a hydraulic one. I know what you mean about the american ones and they all seem to be on a ram , whats available in this country all seem to be fixed

[Busy Daddy]

Thanks for the info i will have a good look on monday

I will let you know how it goes as i am chipping tuesday night

Robert t mine is similar to yours but i took the ram off to save on weight

I did think about making a telescopic extension for it but decided against to try and keep the weight down

[Breezeblock]

if you have a machine that the valve block only has a single acting spool the cheapest way i have found of doin it was with 2 cetop 3 valves one for rotation and one for grab or blank off the bucket ram and use that service for the grab and pipe up the rotation with one cetop 3 valve easy peasy this is what i have done on machines from 1 ton up to 50 also make ure that the grab has a crossover relief valve in it or it willblow the guts out the motor if you are not sure give me a call 07780301277 ps where abouts are you

[sandy2210]

got my digger back to-day the lever on 803 if fitted is in front of the radiator just below the hydraulic level sight glass maybe no handle on it just a square you put a shifter on to -mine does have a lever on it-- that is to change from one way to 2 way operation

Edited March 30, 2012 by sandy2210
left a bit out

[sandy2210]

Finally got round to fitting a thumb to my 803 the thumb is from digbits and the ram was one i got from a mate, had a hell of a job getting fittings for it as it is an unusual metric thread and had to get a couple of bushes made up for the ends. it just so happens that when it is extended it is the same length as the solid rod supplied with it, so you can lift the ram out of the way until you get the bucket under the log then just press the pedal. I was surprised how smooth and controllable it was considering it is piped to the breaker circuit only other thing was I had to take off the quick hitch as the bucket was to far away from the thumb and that narrow bucket is the only one I have that does not have welded pins -after a wee bit of practice was able to pick up from a small twig to the tree in the pics