6 way valve for log/rotaor grab

[Pedrod316]

 

 

Looking at £300 + plus for extra parts to form 2nd aux port from volvo

[doobin]

Mate, you could have paid any ag mechanic £300 to fit you a second set of aux ports and a changeover tap by now. Stop faffing around and take the advice.

[Pedrod316]

Mate, you could have paid any ag mechanic £300 to fit you a second set of aux ports and a changeover tap by now. Stop faffing around and take the advice.

 

 

Mate,

 

In my last post i thought i had attached a photo from volvo manual showing exactly how they have done it and the cost of it,

 

Just so people like myself would understand exactly what a lot of usefull people on here were meaning!

 

I am not faffing about i know how it is done, was just trying to help others !!

[LGP Eddie]

For what is supposed to be a bit of friendly take it or leave it advice over how a grab can be simply piped to an excavator, it certainly seems to get people a bit excited!

 

My take on it, and no I don't need to list up my credentials, is that just about everyone has been correct so far?

 

My preferred method would be to have the grab operation off the servo lever, via a simple 'T' into the bucket crowd ram setup and single tap.

I think the grab operation is more intuitive on the lever to replace the bucket action and have no issues with a less accurate rotate.

However as is very rightly pointed out, this may require some form of flow reducing to get the rotate to a controllable level that the operator is comfortable with?

 

Doing it opposite if it suits you or you don't want to bother reducing flows etc will produce the better result first off, as obviously you get a controllable rotate plus a quick grab action without any further modifications?

 

Like I say, it's whatever suits you and nobody is right/wrong as far as I can see?

 

One factor nobody has throw in, is the fact that some may want to still pick up a short extension piece on their existing quick hitch to give more reach and variable geometry?

This can be achieved by going for the Offset Boom controls instead of the Bucket Crowd?

There should be little need to utilise the offset on grab work, and depending on machine you may have a nice set of two way pedals on the floor, one for offset and the other for auxiliaries.

A simple 6 way solenoid changeover into the offset pipes and then follow the existing auxiliary pipes down the boom/dipper will give you two sets of auxiliary lines with which to operate the grab and keep everything else standard to pick up the short extension piece.

It won't suit all machines, as some have offset on a changeover from slew on the servo lever.

 

One thing I'd like to point out is that as excavators become more popular for such applications, people really need to keep their eyes open when purchasing for models that are especially suited for running attachments.

Obviously if purchasing new, then all the manufacturers options can be looked at, but I can tell you with all honesty sometimes the importers themselves aren't even aware what is available, as the UK has traditionally been such a basic market in machine specification terms.

Go to certain parts of Europe and you will see all manner of pipework hanging from machine dippers.

 

If purchasing used, it's can be worth seeking out machines with the extra circuits, and if something like a Kubota with a single proportional double acting line via a rocker switch, plus a single standard double acting line via buttons, can result in a nice factory setup.

Komatsu can be very nice in this respect an I was impressed with the new CAT of Stephens setup too.

 

I'm very lucky to have the setup I currently have with virtually everything on proportional rollers on the joysticks including Tilt, Rotate, Tracking (Forward/Reverse) Tracking (Left/right) Blade, Gripper, Two speed Tracking, Changeover and Horn!

 

I can stress enough, that a good intuitive setup, is a safer setup, plus will result in better production and a tidier job.

 

 

Eddie.

[Logan]

Quite right Pedrod and Eddie, it is after all a forum.

 

Eddie, that's interesting that even with all the spec on your machine you prefer the grab operated from the bucket crowd position (if I read you right).

 

Do you have other timber cranes currently, with joysticks, if they all this config too? Just wondering. As you say, it's what you get used to or feel works best.

 

Cheers, John. (also known as Bungalow, and the man with one brain cell).

[LGP Eddie]

Quite right Pedrod and Eddie, it is after all a forum.

 

Eddie, that's interesting that even with all the spec on your machine you prefer the grab operated from the bucket crowd position (if I read you right).

 

Do you have other timber cranes currently, with joysticks, if they all this config too? Just wondering. As you say, it's what you get used to or feel works best.

 

Cheers, John. (also known as Bungalow, and the man with one brain cell).

 

On my setup with Engcon Tiltrotator, the actual grab is picked up via a quick hitch under the Tiltrotator unit, and would be what you would call a 'fixed head' not 'free swinging' setup.

Thus my bucket ram is still in full normal operation giving me the ability to still crowd the grab as if it's a bucket.

 

The actual grab is plugged into the auxiliary pipes that are under the Tiltroator unit, via a centre swivel giving full 360 continuous rotation plus the ability to angle the grab 45 degrees either way.

 

It all adds up to being able to manipulate the grab any which way via a combination of the three movements, and the neat trick on my Engcon is that it connects the auxiliary pipes itself without leaving the cab!

 

As for the actual grab control, I have a choice of using non proportional buttons which I prefer as they leave my thumbs unhindered to tilt and rotate, or a fully proportional roller, which I save for very accurate work.

 

It's all hard to explain without the machine in front of you, but there's a fair chance it may be at the APF and if anyone wants a closer look just ask.

 

This joystick is very similar to my own, but I have additional rollers fitted to it!

 

The only timber crane I operate regularly is Greg's Farma Crane, on two levers plus a single lever to operate the grab function.

This has rotate on the lever and I have no issues with it?

 

 

 

Eddie.

[Logan]

That is a well thought out setup esp. the swivel and self connecting aux. Reminds me I must order APF tickets soon, will look out for your machine.

 

Am saving up a lot of questions so will be looking out for you too!

[LGP Eddie]

That is a well thought out setup esp. the swivel and self connecting aux. Reminds me I must order APF tickets soon, will look out for your machine.

 

Am saving up a lot of questions so will be looking out for you too!

 

Thanks, It's really all I do, so can be very demanding when specifying.

 

Take a look at this video of the Engcon system and EC-Oil in action. It's basically the same setup as my own, and may answer a few, or throw up more questions?

 

If the Kubota doesn't make it to the show, you're still welcome to come and have a look if you're up this way.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffFrhZjDNwU]engcon EC-Oil - Svenska - YouTube[/ame]

 

 

Eddie.

[Logan]

Cheers Eddie, will take a look at that later, am holed up in the woods at the mo geeking at poor signal phone! Appreciate the invite. Cheers, John.

[Pedrod316]

For what is supposed to be a bit of friendly take it or leave it advice over how a grab can be simply piped to an excavator, it certainly seems to get people a bit excited!

 

My take on it, and no I don't need to list up my credentials, is that just about everyone has been correct so far?

 

My preferred method would be to have the grab operation off the servo lever, via a simple 'T' into the bucket crowd ram setup and single tap.

I think the grab operation is more intuitive on the lever to replace the bucket action and have no issues with a less accurate rotate.

However as is very rightly pointed out, this may require some form of flow reducing to get the rotate to a controllable level that the operator is comfortable with?

Doing it opposite if it suits you or you don't want to bother reducing flows etc will produce the better result first off, as obviously you get a controllable rotate plus a quick grab action without any further modifications?

 

Like I say, it's whatever suits you and nobody is right/wrong as far as I can see?

 

One factor nobody has throw in, is the fact that some may want to still pick up a short extension piece on their existing quick hitch to give more reach and variable geometry?

This can be achieved by going for the Offset Boom controls instead of the Bucket Crowd?

There should be little need to utilise the offset on grab work, and depending on machine you may have a nice set of two way pedals on the floor, one for offset and the other for auxiliaries.

A simple 6 way solenoid changeover into the offset pipes and then follow the existing auxiliary pipes down the boom/dipper will give you two sets of auxiliary lines with which to operate the grab and keep everything else standard to pick up the short extension piece.

It won't suit all machines, as some have offset on a changeover from slew on the servo lever.

 

One thing I'd like to point out is that as excavators become more popular for such applications, people really need to keep their eyes open when purchasing for models that are especially suited for running attachments.

Obviously if purchasing new, then all the manufacturers options can be looked at, but I can tell you with all honesty sometimes the importers themselves aren't even aware what is available, as the UK has traditionally been such a basic market in machine specification terms.

Go to certain parts of Europe and you will see all manner of pipework hanging from machine dippers.

 

If purchasing used, it's can be worth seeking out machines with the extra circuits, and if something like a Kubota with a single proportional double acting line via a rocker switch, plus a single standard double acting line via buttons, can result in a nice factory setup.

Komatsu can be very nice in this respect an I was impressed with the new CAT of Stephens setup too.

 

I'm very lucky to have the setup I currently have with virtually everything on proportional rollers on the joysticks including Tilt, Rotate, Tracking (Forward/Reverse) Tracking (Left/right) Blade, Gripper, Two speed Tracking, Changeover and Horn!

 

I can stress enough, that a good intuitive setup, is a safer setup, plus will result in better production and a tidier job.

 

 

Eddie.

It seems the three way valve into the crowd boom is the easiest way, but will the 3 way ball valves hold back the pressure in the ram when the grab is attached to quick hitch with a load of logs in it? Or will the ram start to drop/open.?

 

Or do you have to have the crowd ram fully open before you change oil flow direction, if so this is not ideal as you will loose a bit more of reach