LGP Eddie

I had great success with a Digbits Thumb on a Takeuchi Tb016 for very little money. It paid for itself first week out. It was on a friend's machine, and it's been a real bonus to him since.The best thing we did was junk the standard stay arm and replace it with a tractor top link which means you can adjust it to be exactly where you want it. However that being the very cheapest option and solely bought for one job, I'd recommend you pay the little extra and get yourself a decent grapple. Plenty to choose from and hopefully guys on here will share their experiences of them as there is a huge range of price/quality variations out there. Someone like Abiljo will make whatever you want and ensure its Hardox, as that's ideally what you want. Eddie.

I had a message regarding Kubota and Volvo, and somehow can't find it? Could you just PM me again please, and I'll pass on my thoughts. Thanks. Eddie.

I use it a fair bit and it's been good for us to be honest. I have some big 44mm for recovery use, and for simple rough work where we would want to pull a windblow with a 20 Tonne Excavator and the like. This has had so much hammer it's untrue, and really is incredible for the cost. I bought some 20mm and that hasn't proved to be as strong as it's rating may suggest? This was bought to simply pull down windblow or hung up with the Tracked Dumper when required, and was specced at 20mmm to suit a large snatch block for redirecting. Depending on your application just go as big as you can sensibly handle, and it should be a good buy? Eddie.

Just for general information really as guarding is very important. Cabcare do a range of fully certified versions that can be simpler Cab mounted right up to the real deal full demo spec. If you look under Yanmar they do one for the Vio cab, and for anyone else searching they also do a great setup for the Kubota. I would think that they will do a lot more than these if asked, plus they are certified which will eventually become an issue in itself. Rock / Demolition Guards Catalogue | CabCare Eddie.

Punching well above it's weight there Stephen! Nice to see the machine is really making a difference for you. I agree on the transport, if you have a regular professional outfit, plus a couple of backup options it's not too bad. I sometimes don't move for months on end, so it's a balance as to if it's worth the hassle of doing it myself, and the Client always pay anyway. Eddie.

Yes I went over to his yard to run him through all he needs to know to keep her in perfect condition, top people and I hope we may see the two machines turn out together on a project yet! Still cleans up very nicely and really is a straight to work machine. I don't shy away from working my kit hard, but it never wants for anything and it really was working flat out until the moment it left. I'm biased but I think he's bought well, and I may yet get to do a shift back on it if he's stuck for an Operator sometime! Eddie.

Should have just bought my old one Stephen! The guy that bought it came to look at my current setup to see what it could do, with thoughts of a much larger machine. Once he'd seen what it could do and how I look after my kit, he had no hesitation. I'd say he saved a minimum of 45K, and got a fantastic full setup ready to go straight to work. These Pocket Rockets are where it's at for a lot of this work, and there is another machine literally just about to come into the mix that will provide a cost effective compact, powerful solution. There is also a great dealer for them in your area too. I have a demo already booked, so I'll share my thoughts. The winch is out to work shortly so I'll get some video of it in action. Eddie.

Lovely bit of kit, is that infeed conveyor available on the 1590? Eddie.

What you after exactly, as I've hunted high and low for the right 150hp+ unit with Twin Trac to add a crane to, that isn't simply being moved on since someone else had the best of it? I know where there's a T191 Twin Trac with Botex 560 on it that needs some tidying up if that's any use? Eddie.

That is going extremely well, must have a decent flow, but you can get all that with head fitted onto a trailer behind a Defender legally? If so take that link off here mate, that's a cracking niche you've got yourself there!! It's either Takeuchi of Bobcat that have a possible towable tracked version out now? Eddie.

I've had plenty of call for one and would be interested in any good contacts especially with Tracked Skidsteer or small dedicated carrier machines. As for purchase, unless you're going to run it yourself or have someone who will look after it as their own I'd be a bit cautious? Mulching is hard on everything, and no matter how careful things can and will break, but much of this is preventable with a decent operator who keeps absolutely everything in top condition. It's a feast or famine job, so ideal if you have other applications for the machine when the Head is sitting idle. Eddie.

It probably will be more unstable in standard form, I have plenty of extra width/length and weight to keep things bolted to the floor. Take that two piece in the woods and you'll not want to part with it though! Fair spec for a hire machine. Eddie.

I haven't even got a copy myself now. I'm calling the Editor to get a few magazines and see if he will part with a digital copy. I'll let you know what I can get. Eddie.

Nice Two Piece Boom Kubota and Selector Grab, is it yours? Please Please, get some guarding on that front window! We are getting so close now to a real bad accident in the Industry caused by all the Grabs and Tree Shears going onto Excavators with no guarding, and sadly it will take such an event to bring the full weight to bear to enforce it. I know of one very lucky and one sadly not so lucky this last season. Eddie.

The Tree Brothers are literally just up the road from there with Towed and Tracked chippers. Seriously good lads who will work with you I'm certain. 07704498952 Matt or Dan. Eddie.

It's been a while since I posted up thoughts on 3 point linkage skidding winches, with much valuable input provided on what was good or not. It was for a project I had in mind that was a little different to the norm, and it finally had it's first shakedown today. Basically I wanted the ability to carry a decent size skidding winch not only on front and rear linkages of a Tractor, but also on the Kubota?? The simple fact is the Kubota will go where a Tractor won't even look at, usually without a mark, and has the ability of reaching up/down/around obstacles. I've basically had it all custom made by John Craig at JccEngcon, having done all the homework myself. I eventually chose a 6.5 tonne Tajfun from Kilworth, and Andy has been a brilliant help with the project. It's a fantastic unit with the unusual feature of dual PTO inputs, 540 standard plus 1000 reversed for Front linkages. I went full spec of powered upper pulley and radio remote, and two minutes today showed it was the right way to go. Greg's face was a picture when the rope started coming out at him! Basically to fit the Kubota a mounting has been made that has a Hydraulic Motor powered PTO, and the whole thing runs through my EC-Oil system including the electrics, so I can actually fit this in around 20 seconds from the cab when required then switch back to whatever attachment is required next. When not required on the machine it's a simple job to remove for Tractor use. There's just the Radio Remote to charge tonight, and it's all sorted hopefully, but working perfectly with the standard wander lead this afternoon. If anyone has a requirement for some winching where a Tractor simply won't go, or wants no impact, plus the ability to work over fences, down slopes etc, then let me know! Hopefully I'll get a video of it in action. Eddie.

I'll probably have enough numbers to fill a full day I'd imagine this time around, so count me in please. Eddie.

Near Junction 12? What size Volvo and was the small machine a yellow Komatsu? Eddie.

I've not seen it done afterwards, but there is machine I've seen with this as standard and it won't come to me? I have an old 3 tonne JCB in my mind? I'll ask John Craig his thoughts on this subject, as if anyone will know how to best prevent it he will. Eddie.

Thanks for all the replies so far and the PM's, this place is such a great resource. It's clear it's not going to be an easy task and I really need an Excavator base to eliminate the need to prove anchor points etc. It's a pretty odd application and will be a real showcase for someone if I can get the job. I'm certain there's one lurking out there somewhere that would like a couple of weeks holiday from the woods and they will get well looked after for their efforts. I'd like to see some pictures of the Doosan setup, that sounds handy? Eddie.

Just a thought, but how about getting the Idlers fitted with the rim of a sprocket to help keep a grip either end? Sprockets are cheap enough, and not a big job for a decent fabricator? You could fit guides, but it would need to be something sacrificial like nylon blocks to prevent them damaging the track. Eddie.

I'm looking for someone with a top notch Excavator based Skyline setup for an unusual project I'm pricing. Ideally 20 tonne plus base unit, as the main factor is the fully suspended load it can handle safely. This will be a very strict job in terms of safety etc and the need to keep downtime to minimum, hence wanting someone running a really nice tidy unit. The project will hopefully be mid summer, which will hopefully be a quieter time of interest for someone to bring one out of the woods for. The project is in North Staffordshire, but obviously such a unit is going to be from further afield, and should be around two weeks duration. Any recommendations/contacts much appreciated. Eddie.

Looking good Stephen, I bet you don't regret the decision to go with an Excavator to assist with projects? Just a few images of the Kubota out of Mulching clothes and now doing a bit of extraction on a thinning job. It makes the job easy, providing an obstacle free route for the Tracked Dumper, and loading it far quicker than it can utilising it's own crane. The Tracked Dumper really does work on the little and often principle, but if conditions allow it can still shift a worthwhile load with minimal impact. Eddie.

Forgot to add the last post was spot on with the 'Twin Blade'! Graveyard shift for Volvo EC20C | Construction Digger Blog | The Construction Index Eddie.

Simple fact on hard digging with a mini, the maximum breakout you can extract from it is forcing the boom down as hard as she'll have it within reason with the dipper extended and then crowding the bucket to scrape the teeth into the material. The blade being at the rear extends the pivot point of the machine considerably as it's trying to lift itself, hence extracting the maximum. Test it yourself? Blade out in front on a hard surface, apply downward pressure and you'll lift the machine up easily, spin around and now try to lift it with the blade at the rear. This will make it cough and some models with long blades simply won't lift? This is what keeps them bucket teeth tips forced down into the material, and utilising just the action of the powerful crowd ram, you're giving all it's got to whatever the hard obstacle is in the trench. Most assume wedge themselves in with the blade and pull at it, but the dipper is long and won't produce anywhere near as much force as the rough arsed method someone told me about above! If the going is really rough, generally it ends up a combination of the two methods to first loosen material and then dig it out. Eddie.