Engcon Big Dig Day - Yeovil - 18/19th October

[Engcon UK]

Hello All,

We're running another Big Dig Day next month, this time in Yeovil (just for all you West Country lads). The general format will be the same as before - plenty of different coloured diggers to try out, with different control systems, ranging from minis to 20 tonne machines. Planning to have ducks and backhoes as well as tracked machines, together with GPS enabled diggers , but I'll have more details in the coming weeks.

Like the last one at Wicksteed Park, the event is a two-day affair - Friday and Saturday - and all are welcome (although only competent digger drivers will be allowed on the machines). Timings are from 10am until 5pm on both days.

Refreshments for operators will be provided and there will be a viewing area if you want to bring the other half or Co-Pilot (but you will remain responsible for both throughout) and, as before, it will be a great networking event and excuse to catch up - we had over a hundred at Kettering over the two days.

To give us an idea of numbers for catering I'd be really grateful if you could register beforehand at https://engcon.com/bigdigday

More details to follow, but here are a few shots of the last one in April

 

[JD450A]

(although only competent digger drivers will be allowed on the machines)

That's me out

 

[V8Druid]

That's me out

..... me too then ... have to take me own and show 'em some proper tilt

 

[Engcon UK]

That's me out

to take me own and show 'em some proper tilt

OK, OK.

Do we need a screened-off area with a supervisor then?

 

[doobin]

Can that Yanmar 1.7t really handle a tilty? I can't imagine there's any slew force for sidewqays digging, and much less breakout.

My Powertilt must be a similar build height when run under the Q/H, and whilst I'm glad to have it, I'm equally glad to be able to drop it off as soon as I'm done with it on the 1.7t!

Would love to try one on a 2.7t, but really can't risk the temptation to spend any more pennies at the moment. Plus, I think I'd have to have it under a q/h, and then the stack height would be too much to be any use?

 

[Engcon UK]

Can that Yanmar 1.7t really handle a tilty? I can't imagine there's any slew force for sidewqays digging, and much less breakout.

My Powertilt must be a similar build height when run under the Q/H, and whilst I'm glad to have it, I'm equally glad to be able to drop it off as soon as I'm done with it on the 1.7t!

Would love to try one on a 2.7t, but really can't risk the temptation to spend any more pennies at the moment. Plus, I think I'd have to have it under a q/h, and then the stack height would be too much to be any use?

Smallest one we've done so far is 1t, Doob, although if you want to know about the Yanmar, talk to Chris Meek - the owner. He'll be bringing his digger to Yeovil.

John Clarke (based up in the Wirral) has a twin hitch setup where he shares the EC02 between his TB210 and TB216, Here's one of the 216:



and the 210:



Probably 80% of our installations are twin hitch. The issue about sideways force is that it's generally the tilt ram that's doing the digging, not the slew ring.

Not sure where in the world you are, but if you can't make it to Yeovil, let me know where you are and we can get you a ride on a local unit.

 

[Hg2702]

Booked the day off for it today

 

[Monkeybusiness]

Can that Yanmar 1.7t really handle a tilty? I can't imagine there's any slew force for sidewqays digging, and much less breakout.

My Powertilt must be a similar build height when run under the Q/H, and whilst I'm glad to have it, I'm equally glad to be able to drop it off as soon as I'm done with it on the 1.7t!

Would love to try one on a 2.7t, but really can't risk the temptation to spend any more pennies at the moment. Plus, I think I'd have to have it under a q/h, and then the stack height would be too much to be any use?

I’ll have one with a twin-hitch setup on my E27 when it eventually arrives (it’s at the dealers just waiting for the extra counterweight apparently...) - you’re more than welcome to come and have a good play on it once I’ve got it. I’m not convinced the digger will handle the tilty particularly well but there are other attachments being shared with my 6 tonner so they are both running S40 pickups, and the hydraulics are already on the machine so it’s just plug and play.

 

[doobin]

I’ll have one with a twin-hitch setup on my E27 when it eventually arrives (it’s at the dealers just waiting for the extra counterweight apparently...) - you’re more than welcome to come and have a good play on it once I’ve got it. I’m not convinced the digger will handle the tilty particularly well but there are other attachments being shared with my 6 tonner so they are both running S40 pickups, and the hydraulics are already on the machine so it’s just plug and play.

One thing to be aware of- the second AUX on the E27 has a slighty delay before activation. It also runs at a lower flow rate than the main aux, with no way of changing it. The mechanic says that's just how they are. It's OK for rotator work, and may well be OK for the rotate on a tilty. But it may also be f****ng annoying, so watch out! The heavy counterweight is great, mine is really planted.

My other problem is that I'm on normal 30mm pins, not S30. I'm not really willing to change three hitches and f**k knows how many attachments, so I would probably end up with a monster stack height. Robert, any guesses how high with Harford Wedgelocks at 125mm centres vs S30?

 

[doobin]

View attachment 8961

and the 210:

View attachment 8962

Is the 210 direct mount or hitch?

Not to piss on his chips but that looks more hassle than it's worth. He's hardly got the bucket a foot off the ground yet already at full boom height. You can barely load a track barrow with a normal quick hitch on a micro, so to load it with that he'd have to twist and tilt. Guessing it'll be a button divertor and aux on a foot pedal (?) so thats a lot of contortion, physical effort and concentration just to tip the bucket into the dumper. Then the same again to return to dig. Couple that with the much reduced breakout and I think I'd sooner get off and shovel.

Not used my Powertilt in anger on my Bobcat micro yet, so could be wrong!

 

[V8Druid]

OK, OK.

Do we need a screened-off area with a supervisor then?

I ain't bringing Sparty .... he's not keen on travelling in the car ....

 

[TiltyShaun]

I have got mine direct mounted. Been on for 18 months and hired a digger with a breaker twice in that period. I guess it depends what your work is. I have been looking at other machines. I don’t want to go down in size as I like what the Kx71-3 does for its size. I don’t want to go up in size as I like to be able to move the digger myself. When I need a bigger digger digger it is usually only for a short period as I need to go deeper or load a truck. I can live without the Engcon and hire a digger in for a few days!

 

[doobin]

I have got mine direct mounted. Been on for 18 months and hired a digger with a breaker twice in that period. I guess it depends what your work is. I have been looking at other machines. I don’t want to go down in size as I like what the Kx71-3 does for its size. I don’t want to go up in size as I like to be able to move the digger myself. When I need a bigger digger digger it is usually only for a short period as I need to go deeper or load a truck. I can live without the Engcon and hire a digger in for a few days!

I agree with you re digger size. We're not really groundworks contractors, more jack of all, so it's more important to me to be able to move diggers between jobs when I want. The 2.7t is a very usefull addition, and I wish I'd bought it sooner. But I couldn't do without the 1.7t and it's been instrumental thus far in my business. And for the money the 1.2t costs and the effort it saves, it's my favourite thing in the yard at least once a month.

 

[Engcon UK]

One thing to be aware of- the second AUX on the E27 has a slighty delay before activation. It also runs at a lower flow rate than the main aux, with no way of changing it. The mechanic says that's just how they are. It's OK for rotator work, and may well be OK for the rotate on a tilty. But it may also be f****ng annoying, so watch out! The heavy counterweight is great, mine is really planted.
My other problem is that I'm on normal 30mm pins, not S30. I'm not really willing to change three hitches and f**k knows how many attachments, so I would probably end up with a monster stack height. Robert, any guesses how high with Harford Wedgelocks at 125mm centres vs S30?

Couple of things here, Doob.
Using the machine's hydraulic circuits is generally a cheaper option but they are not designed to run tilties, so you may be right in saying that it will be annoying.
I've just had a look at the Hartford website and can't see any dimensions, but the construction height of an EC02 is 245mm. I suspect that this will be a good bit lower than the powertilt.
Your other point is more fundamental and we get this all the time (I'm sure Aiden will concur). Tilties work best with S type couplers. I know this has been covered off before and if anyone wants an explanation I'll post it. In your case it will be an 'all in' option. You can't use your existing hitch geometry attachments without converting them to S type. I fully understand that this is a deal breaker for many, but it's better to be honest and upfront about it than lead people up the garden path. An Engcon top bracket for S30 attachments costs £100.

 

[Engcon UK]

Is the 210 direct mount or hitch?
Not to piss on his chips but that looks more hassle than it's worth. He's hardly got the bucket a foot off the ground yet already at full boom height. You can barely load a track barrow with a normal quick hitch on a micro, so to load it with that he'd have to twist and tilt. Guessing it'll be a button divertor and aux on a foot pedal (?) so thats a lot of contortion, physical effort and concentration just to tip the bucket into the dumper. Then the same again to return to dig. Couple that with the much reduced breakout and I think I'd sooner get off and shovel.
Not used my Powertilt in anger on my Bobcat micro yet, so could be wrong!

Twin hitch, Doob. He swaps it between the two diggers.

TBF it spends most of the it's time on the TB216. I believe he put the S30 hitch on the 210 to standardise his attachments more than to run the tilty, although he does use it when he can't get the bigger one in to the site.
The control system is (from memory) SS15 which is buttons on each joystick to operate tilt and rotate with the flow controlled by the pedal (a little bit like Druid's)

 

[doobin]

Couple of things here, Doob.
Using the machine's hydraulic circuits is generally a cheaper option but they are not designed to run tilties, so you may be right in saying that it will be annoying.
I've just had a look at the Hartford website and can't see any dimensions, but the construction height of an EC02 is 245mm. I suspect that this will be a good bit lower than the powertilt.
Your other point is more fundamental and we get this all the time (I'm sure Aiden will concur). Tilties work best with S type couplers. I know this has been covered off before and if anyone wants an explanation I'll post it. In your case it will be an 'all in' option. You can't use your existing hitch geometry attachments without converting them to S type. I fully understand that this is a deal breaker for many, but it's better to be honest and upfront about it than lead people up the garden path. An Engcon top bracket for S30 attachments costs £100.

To be fair, it'd probably be easier to get an EC02 and a set of S30 buckets. Other attachments such as post knocker, ripper or grapple would want to be mounted via original Q/H anyhow in my book.

If the stack height is less than a PowerTilt, then it would probably be acceptable to me under the normal Q/H, or is this a no-no too?

I'm guessing a 'dumb' ec02 and set of four buckets is around £7-8k? With the right line of work and your finance I may be tempted to the dark side yet, but I'm already better set up than 95% of mini digger operators.

Thank f**k I can fabricate OK, else all this malarkey would start costing some serious money!

 

[Engcon UK]

To be fair, it'd probably be easier to get an EC02 and a set of S30 buckets. Other attachments such as post knocker, ripper or grapple would want to be direct mounted anyhow in my book.
If the stack height is less than a PowerTilt, then it would probably be acceptable to me under the normal Q/H, or is this a no-no too?
I'm guessing a 'dumb' ec02 and set of four buckets is around £7-8k? With the right line of work and your finance I may be tempted to the dark side yet, but I'm already better set up than 95% of mini digger operators.
Thank f**k I can fabricate OK, else all this malarkey would start costing some serious money!

Ordinarily I would say go twin hitch and convert your other attachments, but you may be better off going direct mount and taking the tilty off when you don't need it.
Money wise you're about right. Your other point about differentiation is spot on.

Sorry (on edit), twin hitch needs S type both top and bottom. Anything else is just horrible.

 

[CPS]

Sorry (on edit), twin hitch needs S type both top and bottom. Anything else is just horrible.

Fully agree.... it might sound ok and make sense..... until you to to use it. Geometry is just all wrong!!

 

[V8Druid]

's one thing I regret, when I built my VA-r was not making it capable of direct mount ... that Miller is a big hitch ... with my old 'pin on' original system, under it the build was 630mm C/cs ... with the Hill under it it it's a lot more and to have been able to go direct would've been a real saver/bonus .... but, C'est la vie .... can't adapt/alter/modify it, as the tilt ram geometry is all built around being picked up with the Miller.
Would have to make it a whole new top end/half ... I think .... 's why I want to build a 'Druidspec.' S type-ish for under it and lose a lot of height, back to the original build height, nigh on
Have it all sketched up, but still need a ram to finalise dimensions .... reluctant to 'rob' the S50 I have of its ram though and ain't come across anything suitable as yet ..... out of interest Robert ( @Engcon UK ) ... what'd a new ram cost me from you guys roughly - S45 or 50 .. nigh on the same

 

[doobin]

Fully agree.... it might sound ok and make sense..... until you to to use it. Geometry is just all wrong!!

Too much stack height?