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Eddiebackblade

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
227
Location
England
Just the same here Stock, this is just disposal of brash on on sensitive sites that are agricultural and would usually be performed by placing metal sheets on the ground to protect a conventional fire from damaging the ground.
We decided the skip would be more effective and much easier to contain and clean up afterwards.
It has proved a very effective and tidy solution.
 

Demo_Andy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
61
Location
England
Occupation
Demolition Machine operator
Hey Eddie, nice report and pics.

Loving the selector grab set-up.

Just an idea for you if you're raking up alot/clearing brush with the grab to reduce cycle times. Try and get hold a lightish 4'-5' length of RSJ and use that in the grab as a scraper. Leaves a good finish with practice and speeds you up a lot.
 

Eddiebackblade

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
227
Location
England
Thanks Andy,
I hear you with the Rsj, as I currently just pick up a convinient straight log and use that with reasonable results.
We have been looking into manufacturing a rake to fit onto the Engcon utilising some agricultural spring tines that are commonly available at a reasonable price mounted along a good length of box section.

It would be a bit of trial and error to get the spacing and tine selection right, but wouldn't cost much so worth a go.

Hope you are keeping busy

Eddie
 

Eddiebackblade

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
227
Location
England
Spot on with what we come up with Stock:thumbsup, thanks for the link and the Spaldings site has proved quite a challenge for myself before but they do similar.
I have also seen a few Menage rakes advertised in the Tractor mags at prices that would warrant buying and chopping the 3 point link brackets off.

Only trouble is they are possibly too cheap to be made of anything worthwile.

I think a good row of the tines pictured with the replaceable tips would be a worthwile/realistic project for sensible money and fairly easy to play about with spacings.

There is another type of tine that is straight and looks like a 'jackhammer' point. I believe it has some form of quick mounting if it gets damaged but obviously has no spring effect.
The company that manufactures the 'Postpuncher' post knocker for excavators manufactures a very lightweight version and it is strangely called the 'Scragg'. Looks handy enough for tidying up some topsoil though.
 

Wolf

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Messages
1,203
Location
California
ust an idea for you if you're raking up alot/clearing brush with the grab to reduce cycle times. Try and get hold a lightish 4'-5' length of RSJ and use that in the grab as a scraper. Leaves a good finish with practice and speeds you up a lot.

That is a really practical idea. Good thinking, Demo Andy. I like it alot.
 

AtlasRob

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,982
Location
West Sussex UK
Occupation
owner operator
Great pictures Eddie, really pleased that investment is out earning you some money. :drinkup
 

joispoi

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
1,284
Location
Connecticut
Are you ready to trade in the flail mower for a snow thrower?:D

Snow and ice can be a PITA especially if your shoes aren't notched to clean the sprockets.
 

Eddiebackblade

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
227
Location
England
Joispoi, tell me more about about shoes notched to clean the sprockets?

Seriously I was very conscientious about cleaning the tracks out parking on timbers etc during the cold snap we had, but was completely caught out when the temperature got to around -12c and stayed there!
The top rollers were completely solid and nothing was shifting the mud from around them.
Yes I did have to resort to a Chainsaw to carve the mud out in slices!:eek:
 

joispoi

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
1,284
Location
Connecticut
Where the shoes bolt onto the chains, there are already small holes in the shoes. These holes let a small amount of material pass through each time a sprocket tooth enters the chain. They aren't big enough to allow a lot material to pass through, though. If one large hole is drilled on center with the link, it will allow snow and mud to get pushed through. This will prevent the links from getting packed with ice which will cause excess tension on the tracks and could make the sprockets jump (it makes a sickening sound when it happens :eek:)

The down side to the enlarged relief holes is that it's an access point for more dirt, sand etc to enter your tracks.

I can't see that relief holes on the shoes will make much of a difference for keeping the tracks clean in general. You still have to shovel out your tracks at the end of the shift.

Last time I had to track through snow was last winter in Iceland. There was 3 inches of ice on the road so the lowboy couldn't come and get me. The PC300 was up in a snow filled quarry in the hills. I took it for a 3 hr walk through the snow. The found that the best thing to clean the snow out of the tracks was when I took it through a 2 foot deep river that was frozen ontop but moving pretty swiftly under the 5 inches of ice. (Crossing and tracking down the river cut a half mile off my trip).
 

Eddiebackblade

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
227
Location
England
Joispoi, I understand where you are coming from with the relief holes and have posted a picture of a CAT 320clu I photographed this week with some serious shoes on and with large holes that might explain more clearly.

You are right about the water, as the last site had stream crossing and this proved very effective at getting the frames cleaned out of icy mud and snow.
 

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joispoi

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
Messages
1,284
Location
Connecticut
I tried finding some pictures for you, but I couldn't find any. Turns out your pictures are better, anyway. :drinkup
 

cps

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
811
Location
Ireland
Occupation
plant mechanic
Hi there Eddie hows it going over there, that wee kubota must be working hard as i havent seen you on here in a while! Hope shes still preforming well! keep us updated!
 

Eddiebackblade

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
227
Location
England
Hi CPS, all has been very busy for the Kubota over the winter period.

Thankfully both the Flail Mower and Selector Grab have proved to be excellent purchases, with good utilisation of both and only one chipped flail in a good few hours now.

The base machine is heading for 350 hours now and really apart from the track master pins that have been a nightmare (welded solid now) the machine has been faultless.

This is despite having worked in some fairly harsh conditions and a lot of steep slope work.

I still have a couple of months booked, but have learnt quickly that this Environmental work is very seasonal.

Have loads of pics to post when I get a little more time.

Do you ever make the trip to Hillhead Show?

Eddie.
 

Panhandler Bob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Messages
123
Location
Western Pa.
Occupation
operator
:cool::notworthy:cool2 Eddie hve not heard much lately (different theard ??) How goes it? Very well thought out and built machine. Best of luck. Bob aka ZZ:beerchug
 

qball

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
1,072
Location
il
Occupation
local 150 operator
eddie, you still muckshifting? kubota still running?
 

stock

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2008
Messages
2,022
Location
Eire
Occupation
We have moved on and now were lost....
Qball I believe he is and has purchased some more kit ........................
 

Nige

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Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
28,977
Location
G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
Joispoi, I understand where you are coming from with the relief holes and have posted a picture of a CAT 320clu I photographed this week with some serious shoes on and with large holes that might explain more clearly.

You are right about the water, as the last site had stream crossing and this proved very effective at getting the frames cleaned out of icy mud and snow.
Eddie, working with squelchy material all the time as you obviously are those trapezoidal holes in the shoes are magic. They are specifically designed to extrude soft materials through the holes in and so avoid packing of mud, etc, around the sprockets. They wil lwork equally well in colder temperatures as in warmer ones. No idea if Kubota does anything like that but Cat offer them as an option for pretty much anything on tracks.
 

AtlasRob

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
1,982
Location
West Sussex UK
Occupation
owner operator
eddie, you still muckshifting? kubota still running?

Qball I believe he is and has purchased some more kit ........................

Hi stock, you should have a pm somewhere in hyperspace.

Qball Eddie is doing fine thanks for asking.
As stock states a few bits have been added including another Kubota, slightly smaller but fitted with a tilty all the same.

He has a few vids on Youtub http://www.youtube.com/user/lgpeddie Happy New Year.
 
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