Homebuilt Hydraulic Thumb?

[FullMetalBucket]

Just thinking about building my own hydraulic thumb for the TB007. It should be simple, but as far as the geometry goes, are there any hard and fast rules or formulas for positioning the brackets or is it trial and error? Does anyone have any plans in .pdf format available or good online resources? I'm going to search here and online, but I thought if anyone had done a homemade hydraulic and have pics/advice they could share it would be most appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Squizzy246B]

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=1729

 

[AlabamaDirtGuy]

If it was me, I'd buy the one I want and just get it installed. Much quicker and no engineering. I wish mine was hydraulic, that stupid thing is heavy!

 

[greywynd]

FMB, I've been thinking about building one for my little Hitachi, I have some pics and files you would likely be able to make use of. I think your machine and mine are close in size. Seeing as we aren't a huge distance apart, I wonder....maybe we can make a pair up at the same time?

I'll try to get some of the pics posted later, need to resize them for the web.

For these small machines, I'm wondering about using regular mild steel versus AR plate, maybe doing some hardsurfacing on the thumb teeth. What do guys think of that approach? Would let me fabricate it a lot easier and cheaper for sure.

 

[dumptrucker]

I have fabricated a couple of thumbs in the past. I use wood as a starter point. Couple of 2x4's and some luan plywood. You can put something together real quick and check out where things line up. Then when you are satisfied you take the wood thumb to the local steel shop and have them cut the pieces of the thumb using the wood template. Bring it home and weld it up.

 

[Ray Welsh]

FMB, I've been thinking about building one for my little Hitachi, I have some pics and files you would likely be able to make use of. I think your machine and mine are close in size. Seeing as we aren't a huge distance apart, I wonder....maybe we can make a pair up at the same time?

I'll try to get some of the pics posted later, need to resize them for the web.

For these small machines, I'm wondering about using regular mild steel versus AR plate, maybe doing some hardsurfacing on the thumb teeth. What do guys think of that approach? Would let me fabricate it a lot easier and cheaper for sure.

If I was you, I'd use good steel and use less. You'd save component weight, and would avoid failures from mild-steel stretching under load........C ya....Ray

 

[Eric]

My boss has built two of them, they work well and were done the old fashioned way.... trial and error. Lots of marking, tack welding, then cutting off, trying again and so on. Look around on our site here and you'll see one of them. http://www.performancebreaking.com/

 

[SouthOnBeach]

i gotta say that the time that it takes to fit it all up, cut everything out, weld it all together. i would think one would be better off buying it all done. unless that is you have a lot of spare time to kill. after looking around, i ended up buying one from usa attachments that i have been happy with. if i remember right someplace they even said they would just ship the pieces to you so you could weld them all up yourself too. :beatsme

 

[Alan Mesmer]

I built a fixed thumb for my K008 Mini ex and bought a hydraulic thumb for my KX121-3 as a kit.
The hydraulic thumb kit I bought: they supplied the thumb, weld plates, cylinder, hoses, extra length bucket pivot pin, and relief valves. I welded it on in 3 hrs.
Make sure if you build one you get relief valves or you will definitely bend/break a pin or tear a weld.
Just my opinion but I would buy one and take the time you are going to mess around with it and go dig and make some money.
Good Luck
Alan

 

[74inchShovel]

All Thumbs

Winters here can bring a stop to work, so 3 years ago it seemed like a good time to fab a thumb for my TBO 25. Went to 3 or 4 manufacturers web sites, and came up with a plan that best fit my tools ( Arc Welder, Horizontal Bandsaw, Drill press) and abilities ( average). A screamin' deal on a vermeer cylinder kept the price below $200.00, and the math penciled out to saving me $60.00 an hour over buying new. It will perform at least as well as the "factory" thumb on my TB135. I would triple check all dimensions, while tacking assembly in place. Dont make it wider than your narrowest ditch you will ever dig, maybe a couple inches narrower. Definitely go with an industrial cylinder, as to a large degree you will have to design around this. Good luck!

 

[ff1221]

I have fabricated a couple of thumbs in the past. I use wood as a starter point. Couple of 2x4's and some luan plywood. You can put something together real quick and check out where things line up. Then when you are satisfied you take the wood thumb to the local steel shop and have them cut the pieces of the thumb using the wood template. Bring it home and weld it up.

Hey fellas, I'm new to the site but started watching the threads when my mini-ex arrived three weeks ago. I decided to build a hydraulic thumb for it, because i'm in landscape construction and i'll use it a lot. I took the same approach as Dumptrucker and built a model out of plywood to figure out all the geometry, then took it to my local fabricator to build. I'm dropping the mini-ex off this morning to have it put on, I'll post some pics when it's done.:thumbsup

 

[iron kid]

fab one for my 200. by the time i was done i could bought a used one cheaper, and did the labor myself.
i seen a nice one at sale a few days ago 2100 with quick cups.

 

[Seaside LPS]

Why not find one on a similar machine on a dealer lot and just snap some photos and write down demensions and get the code off the ram and just copy it. Seems like it would be alot easier than starting from scratch. Just an idea.

 

[ff1221]

Why not find one on a similar machine on a dealer lot and just snap some photos and write down demensions and get the code off the ram and just copy it. Seems like it would be alot easier than starting from scratch. Just an idea.

Kubota doesn't make on for that size of machine so it is a new concept to all the local fabricators, I would have had to travel miles to find one. One shop about 2 hours away quote $2000 to build it, and my local shop was $960. One place in BC was $4000. Time well spent in my opinion.

 

[TFPace]

It looks like the hydraulic thumb is preferred over the fixed thumb? I've only used a fixed .... guess its what we get used to?

 

[BIGBEN2004]

If it was me, I'd buy the one I want and just get it installed. Much quicker and no engineering. I wish mine was hydraulic, that stupid thing is heavy!

I hope you are using the bucket on the machine to help put your thumb up and down. Other wise yea they can be heavy. I had one on a Deere 120 hoe I used to run and it weighed close to 700 pounds, their was no way I was going to pick that one up.ointhead