Meanwhile down south.....

[Keif]

I did Danny well the dealer did ! Basically the cover of the aux pedals we welded onto the little stubs on the tracking levers ! Simple but effective I’ve added new Carpet since

Thanks for the picture.

Curious do you reverse by rocking your foot and using heel or move feet back and push down with your toes?

Since you have a cab model it really needs an oriental rug not carpet

 

[Hg2702]

I’ll be honest there a bit short for reversing but it is possible I normally rock my feet back

 

[Keif]

It was cloudy for the entire 40min drive to this job, the sun came out as I set the parking brake. Then sun 90f and 90% humidity for 2.5hrs.

Hard to tell from the pictures but they had a 2-3.5ft high grassy berm in the backyard with a low spot in the corner. I knocked the berm down, filled the low spot and shared some dirt with their neighbors.

I usually work in rural areas so it was weird to have a crowd watching off and on. Not perfect, but customer was happy with the expense to perfection ratio. Going to get a call back when they decide on an above ground pool to prep the spot.

I chained the machine down in the sun, then drove away as the clouds covered the sky again......

 

[Jimoz]

Did you quote them for the fence

 

[Keif]

Did you quote them for the fence

It's a beaut ain't it. Made sure not to bumb it, coulda started a chain reaction and de-fenced the entire neighborhood.....
Right now I just do machine stuff, trying to decide if I want to do more, such as concrete, seeding, fence work, etc.

 

[Keif]

Found this lady on my excavator blade. 200-900 eggs in the sac, most will die from cannibalism!

Garden is growing.

 

[Keif]

My first time building a bucket and it's going well. 18" bucket, 2" taper front to rear and 1.5" taper bottom to top and a 19" cutter bar. Going to weld a metal strap over the pin bushing the the QC stuff will be complete. Hopefully I'll be painting it early afternoon.

 

[doobin]

Nice work. How will you roll the back?

 

[Keif]

Nice work. How will you roll the back?

Not totally sure.

First I'm going to try tacking and bending as I go. If that doesn't work I'll try bending it with the press. If I can't figure that out, then I'll cut it in flat plates and piece it together.

 

[Keif]

Didn't get as far as I wanted but I'm farther along than I used to be.

 

[V8Druid]

looks like it's going to be a nice shape that

 

[Keif]

@doobin
Started bend like this.

Finished bend like this.

@V8Druid
Thanks

 

[V8Druid]

@doobin
Started bend like this.
View attachment 16227
Finished bend like this.
View attachment 16228
@V8Druid
Thanks

"where there's a will there's a way .. more than one way to skin a cat .. necessity is the mother of invention " very crafty Keith ... can't beat a good solid bench to work on .... that's an old nibbler Boyo .. looks a good un though ..... may have needed a bigger ratchet strap if it'd been 6mm though

I like wedges and hook plates ... can abuse stuff into shape well, with a good wedge

 

[Keif]

"where there's a will there's a way .. more than one way to skin a cat .. necessity is the mother of invention " very crafty Keith ... can't beat a good solid bench to work on .... that's an old nibbler Boyo .. looks a good un though ..... may have needed a bigger ratchet strap if it'd been 6mm though

I like wedges and hook plates ... can abuse stuff into shape well, with a good wedge

That last bit of tight curve had me working hard, ended up with three bars welded to it.

I wish I would have left the sides a little prouder compared to the bottom of the bucket. Other that that I'm happy with my creation.

 

[V8Druid]

That last bit of tight curve had me working hard, ended up with three bars welded to it.

I wish I would have left the sides a little prouder compared to the bottom of the bucket. Other that that I'm happy with my creation.
View attachment 16232

ah .... it's an alligator not a nibbler.....bucket looks smart

 

[Keif]

ah .... it's an alligator not a nibbler.....bucket looks smart

No it's a bastard! (or Sawzall) Going to get a plasma cutter in the near future...

Thanks, I'm surprised it went so well.

Checking on some ar400 wear strips for the bottom.

 

[doobin]

Jesus, how long did it take you to cut those profiles with that thing??? What thickness are they?

 

[Keif]

Jesus, how long did it take you to cut those profiles with that thing??? What thickness are they?

I started cutting one out and gave up 3inches into the curve.

I took a cardboard template to a local fab shop and they cut me 4 sides and support pieces for just slightly more than I can buy the metal. Said it would be slightly more next time, but the profile is saved in computerland.

Sides are 1/4" with another 1/4" support along the curve. Made them like my current buckets just slightly lighter.(the TAG buckets that came with machine are used on units up to 12,000lb)

 

[Keif]

Had some annoyance with the final bit, but finally got it going on and off smoothly. Brushed it with ospho so it will be ready to paint tomorrow. It was dark, so I went straight to the real test. Machine is lifted up by the tip of the bucket and the blade. Bucket came out straight

 

[Keif]

How much should a quick hitch for a 1.7t machine weigh? Threw mine on a scale and it was 27.2kg, it's manual hitch, pins not included.