oceanobob
Senior Member
Over the last few years have been occasionally renting a small Kubota KX model and in the more recent past the U15 model Kubota (no tail) - both these are the models with those narrow / expanding tracks - in order to access backyards and other confined areas. Have a couple jobs needing to break some concrete and some tight area trenching and the U15 machine became avail for purchase from the rental company, so signed the forms and joined the ranks of parked backhoes and am proceeding to run the smaller equipment.
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Am considering a thumb to help with demo materials. In researching, there were a couple attributes may I ask about:
If the thumb is indeed considered notably more useful if it is mounted to effect a clamp regardless of bucket rotation, what are the thoughts on the Bucket Thumb idea where the pivot point consideration is moot as a part of the bucket and then (when not needed) the 'bucket w clamp' weight can be removed/dettached: such as in my application when I would install the hammer breaker?
For whatever reason, I seem to only find these thumb style buckets for these smaller machines (U15 is 2 tons) in Australia or New Zealand or a chinese to english marketing website. Wonder if I should weld up my own by purchasing a spare Kubota bucket and extending the mounting tabs/ears and installing the small ram in that newly created and protected pocket? I am surmising this is better than say the other variation of the thumb bucket by placing the rams on the heel of the bucket.
Maybe a fab project is necessary if experienced folks like/prefer the idea of a thumb/grapple mounted on the bucket.
~
Am considering a thumb to help with demo materials. In researching, there were a couple attributes may I ask about:
- Should the thumb be on a pivot on the same point as the bucket to maintain a clamp as the bucket rotates?
- What is the method with the hydraulic controls to limit excess clamp force - is there a such a thing as user adjustable pressure regulator valve, for example?
If the thumb is indeed considered notably more useful if it is mounted to effect a clamp regardless of bucket rotation, what are the thoughts on the Bucket Thumb idea where the pivot point consideration is moot as a part of the bucket and then (when not needed) the 'bucket w clamp' weight can be removed/dettached: such as in my application when I would install the hammer breaker?
For whatever reason, I seem to only find these thumb style buckets for these smaller machines (U15 is 2 tons) in Australia or New Zealand or a chinese to english marketing website. Wonder if I should weld up my own by purchasing a spare Kubota bucket and extending the mounting tabs/ears and installing the small ram in that newly created and protected pocket? I am surmising this is better than say the other variation of the thumb bucket by placing the rams on the heel of the bucket.
Maybe a fab project is necessary if experienced folks like/prefer the idea of a thumb/grapple mounted on the bucket.