Ran a scraper today!

[Copenhagen]

What a blast! :Cowboy

It was a CAT 615 and I got to run it for half a day while one of our operators was at a dental appt.

I did pretty good, but not great.

What gear should I use to scrape? I was in 2nd and that seemed right. Should I just select a gear based on soil type or is there some kind of "rule of thumb"?

How much of a lift should I lay down when I dump? I did 4"-5" for sake of compaction.

 

[Dozerboy]

Gear and how much throttle depend on what your picking up loose or hard material is a big cut or picking up windrows really its what works best for you. 6" lifts would be the norm but if the material is to wet or dry you need to go thiner.

 

[BrianHay]

I have never been on a 615. That is an elevating scraper no? My time has been on 621 27 31 and and mostly 637. You did well in second gear that is the norm. Only time I load in a different gear is if I'm were it is realy rocky. Then I drop down to first so myself and the machine don't take so bad of a beating. If I'm loading a windrow whenever possible I run over it first to pack it. Loose material is harder to load, you only get part of a load and then it just piles up in front of the bowl. In an elevating scraper I don't imagine that's an issue though. Thin lifts are good for comaction as well stradding your tracks each time you dump helps a lot to. I run the throttle wide open all the time giving my hydraulics full power and use the tranny hold to control my speed.

 

[Tn Bulldog]

Brian A 615 yes is a elvating or a "paddlewheel" scraper





later

Bulldog

 

[BrianHay]

Right on. Thanks for the input Bulldog. I would like to try one of those out someday. I hear they are an excellent finishing machine.

 

[richardcatdaddy]

subject

We have an older 615 pan,paddle wheel,self loader what ever you wish to call it.After time goes on,it will throw the chain and then ya gots to put it back on by getting up on 3 wheels or a dirt pile.Long as it dont have teeth it is a great little finish machine.If it has teeth,really good for stripping sod or hard topsoil.:usa

 

[BrianHay]

I can imagine putting that chain on is about as much fun as changing the cable for the apron on an old TS14 eh?
I've done lots of finishing on all the machines I mentioned above. My favorite all around is the 37. Some say its to big to finish with but once you are used to it I don't find it any harder then a TS14 or 627 unless you are to wide to fit into a ditch bottom or something like that.

 

[BrianHay]

Have you got a chance to get back on it yet Copenhagen?

 

[Copenhagen]

Have you got a chance to get back on it yet Copenhagen?

I was on it for the entire next day. I finally got to the point where my cuts and fills were smooth as glass.

Honestly, I dont know how your back can stand operating one of those things. I am a young buck at 24, but after a day and a half on it, my back was killing me.

I think if I had gotten more time on it, I could have gotten to the point of just listening to the strain on the engine instead of having to turn around to watch it the whole time.

I promise you this, I will never call a scraper operator a "glorified truck driver" ever again. Even with this little machine, you can still put a lot of dirt in the wrong place. ( My boss spent the lunch break driving it and managed to fill 2' where I only needed 6"!!)

My blade skills are better than I thought though. I managed to put a 2% crown down this road before we blue topped it. After we shot some grade, the most I was off was about a tenth and a half. I was mighty impressed with myself!

 

[BrianHay]

Right on. The newer machines have come a long ways as far operator comfort goes. As long as the seat and hitch are working well its not so bad anymore. But if one of those isn't working you get beat up purty bad. The bigger machines are a far smoother ride as well.
That's realy cool you have a diferent outlook on scraper ops now. Realy bugs me when guys call em stupid. Scraper ops are just like everyone else. Some are stupid some are not. I've often called guys on that one when I here them beekin off. Told em if you think its that simple hop in that other 37, keep up with me, keep it shiny side up and don't screw up my grades. Or better yet take the lead, don't let me catch you and don't screw up the grades. No one has taken up that challenge yet.

 

[richardcatdaddy]

subject

Well I made a mistake,we have a cat 613 pan,not a 615.Sorry bout that.But after running a 613,623,621 and 621B and a Terex ts24 twin engine I can honestly say,I hate em all.Comfort?Right,them thimgs just aint designed for operator comfort.Atleast none I been on have been.:drinkup

 

[BrianHay]

lol that's a big 10-4! although cat took a big step up with the F and G series. No mater how fancy the cab gets its still a scraper eh

 

[Copenhagen]

I think the need to angle the seat almost sideways like a roller. Or figure some way that you could rotate the seat, similar to a backhoe, and still be able to reach the pedals.

My back and neck still hurt.:crying

 

[BrianHay]

The new G series has a seat that swivels. Makes a huge difference. Try running the pedels with your left foot. Takes some getting used to but once you do I find it way more comfortable and it saves on the neck cuz its easier to look behind you. Watch the hitch when you turn it on. It should jump up fast. If it creeps up slowly it probably needs a nitrogen recharge. Another indication is if it comes up but only moves an inch or two when your traveling its probably low. Having a full charge in it is like nite and day how it rides. To much charge in it will have the same efect though so don't let anyone over charge it. The proper charge for it should be stamped on the accumulators. The seat of course makes a huge difference to. If it doesn't have much give it hurts bad. With a good seat unless its a realy rowdy haul road it should almost feel like your floating with the machine moving underneath of you. Another thing that helps, relax. Don't fight the machine it will win everytime. If your tensed up hanging onto it tight all day your twice as sore as if you relax and move with the machine...within reason of course lol realy hurts bouncing your head of the rops.

 

[8-ball]

ran a scraper today

i found out very quickly that a 61 yr. old and a cat 627-b don't go together! after 11 hrs. on it i had to tell the boss [as bad as i hated to admitt it] that he probably needed a younger guy to run the old girl! i will say that that old machine would haul dirt, sure didn't need a pushcat either! wished i was 21 instead of 61! oh well, you young guy's have fun!:notworthy :usa

 

[Copenhagen]

I wish I could put the knowledge, experience and wisdom of a 61 year old into my 24 year old body!!:notworthy

 

[BrianHay]

Haha right on Copenhagen me too....but I'm kinda in the middle though. I have a ways to go before I'm an oldtimer but I'm not a real youngun anymore ether lol I be 32 on the 13th

 

[Dozerboy]

I look at it this way if your sore after running a scraper then your going to fast for your haul roads. And if you get flack from the boss for slowing down quit, because he cares more about moving a few extra yds of dirt then your well being.

I never want to see our scraper hands get that close to FG that what we pay finish blade/dozer hands for. But keeping everything smooth really helps out the finish hands just leave everything .2'-.3' fat. Now if all your have to cut FG with is a scraper thats different.

 

[MKTEF]

Well
There was sold 2 scrapers in Norway in the beginning of the 70's.
There has not been sold or imported any, as i have heard of, the last 20 years.
Theese two where used on some big earthmoving projects then, and then parked.

So it is very difficult for us to get any seat time in one. I think we got to much rock around the country.....
But i would like to try one, one day.

 

[Serv]

I promise you this, I will never call a scraper operator a "glorified truck driver" ever again.

Since reading the above quote here a while back in an older thread, I've been operating my old elevating Fiat scraper a couple times a week. I must admit, it's pretty darn tricky to keep everything even. I use mine for moving soft river silt dirt. The biggest challenge for me to avoid creating whoops when loading. No matter how much I try to correct them, they just get worse after they start. I usually have to call in the dozer to straighten my mess out. I would imagine that a heavier, more powerful machine might prevent some of those bumps that make my machine porpoise at times.


There's usually a big newer Cat machine parked at our local dealer. I've been thinking about asking to demo it so I can see if I'm missing anything when it comes to operating a "real" scraper. But for what I need it for (ranch type work), I couldn't see myself paying the big bucks for a Cat anyway. :beatsme


here's some pics of my bad boy. So far, I only have around 7k dollars in it including the 4500.00 buying price. Finally tackled all the bugs and leaks. :cool2