Just some work pics

[CM1995]

As for the steel box, it came with a bunch of steel chokers, from a auction years ago. It's made me more money than probably anything else I've bought.

We use it mostly for commercial roofers. All their tools/trash/materials from the ground to the roof and back. I've got a fancy one now , with a hydraulic dump bottom, that we use for trash, but this one has given good service.

It originally had a steel bottom on top of the forklift pockets, but it was all torn up when we got it. I cut it out and put in 3/4" marine plywood, and just put in new plywood when it gets bad. If you want to dig out of it, you would need a steel bottom.

Sheet steel, angle iron, and some square tubing for the forklift pockets, and you'll be set. This one is roughly 4'x8' x 12" tall. You could put a arm and bar on it, so you can move it with the excavator bucket, just like the big bedding boxes.

I need to start back perusing IP and see if I can pick up one. Probably wouldn't want to mimic a big one with a pull/lift arm as the mini probably wouldn't have enough ass to pull it much less lift it.

Fork pockets would suffice since the CTL's are constantly going from bucket to forks.

 

[Oxbow]

Fascinating tidbit, there's 8 different lever / control patterns, just in cranes that I own. And I can run any of them without too much thinking.

Which should tell you exactly what a poor unskilled dirt digger I am. I should probably only be allowed to use a shovel.

To be honest, I have to really stop and think which does what with my pattern of preference, but if I get in one that is wrong I can't hit the ground with the bucket.....unless I don't want to. Funny thing is, if I get on a rubber tired backhoe I can switch pretty easily, but something with tracks I just as well get out and use a shovel.

Years ago, before pattern changers, I worked for another contractor. They rented an additional machine for a bit. The husband/wife owners each ran equipment, but the wife actually ran excavators more than anyone else, and she had to have what we called John Deere controls (backwards!), so she had Cat switch the lines before going to get the machine. We needed to haul rip-rap from a source to a job on the river, and then we would move the rented machine over to the job from the source. I can't remember why, but she decided that I should load the rip-rap - on her dad's trucks - in which he had just installed new side boards. I profusely objected.

So there I was loading this rip-rap. Ever so carefully, and literally doing one function at a time trying not to drop a big rock in/on the trucks. After a couple of days I could mostly be functional using the WRONG pattern, and we finshed hauling the rock without destroying the trucks. After that I was really screwed up regardless which pattern I used. My pea brain evidently does not have the capacity to compartmentalize joystick patterns. It took quite awhile running things the RIGHT way to become smooth again!

 

[skyking1]

^all that is why I really like Case backhoes. No brain bending required. It is a whole different set of brain/machine instruction.
EDIT: I really should say "case controls" because the first Cat 416 I operated had Case pedal and lever controls.

 

[DMiller]

Seems I end up on Deere Backhoe to move Topsoil, Cat or Deere Track to load either raw fill dirt or clay, then Cat and or Deere Rubber Tired loaders then between a Oval D6 or a 7F to a HiTrack 6 and controls is what they are and I have to sit and toy a minute or three to not put a bucket tooth or cutting edge into something I do not want it in.

 

[Camshawn]

My Kubota excavator is the same as cat control. That is what I learned. At work we rented a mini to dig a little trench yrs ago that was the other flavor. I was ok with it until I forgot what machine I was in then I would bang the side of the trench. The good thing was I never hit the new building with the bucket.

 

[Tags]

Nice job saving Thanksgiving! Hope you had a nice day.

So are you going to just change your screen name to “Operator” now??

 

[crane operator]

So are you going to just change your screen name to “Operator” now??

Not quite. I know where my meager skill set lies.

Although CM1995's suggestion of the wheel spacer, lifted, f450 with a fat tailpipe, custom tune and dump trailer, with a rental mini- sounds like the path to success, riches, and dancing girls, I'll muddle along with what I know.

 

[CM1995]

Not quite. I know where my meager skill set lies.

Although CM1995's suggestion of the wheel spacer, lifted, f450 with a fat tailpipe, custom tune and dump trailer, with a rental mini- sounds like the path to success, riches, and dancing girls, I'll muddle along with what I know.

One step away from being in da' big bitness!

If you have any money left over after customizing the 450, Cat Financial is offering 0% for 36, 3.73% for 72 on all mini's - Practically giving them away!

 

[Welder Dave]

The owner of that truck probably won't even drive it in the rain let alone pull a trailer. Just the opposite, carry it as a trailer queen.

 

[DMiller]

Was this on Wednesday, NO lights, NO chains, one strap sort of across the bucket arms. Local Contractor, Half Ton pockup. I could see pickup tail lights but anything lower than the Road tractor I was driving they would have been blocked by the bucket.

 

[CM1995]

The owner of that truck probably won't even drive it in the rain let alone pull a trailer. Just the opposite, carry it as a trailer queen.

You haven't seen the grass cuttin' young bucks around here with a dump trailer and a rental mini about to be a big time earth mover.

Big bling wheels on spacers and a 10" exhaust pipe like Crane Op said.

 

[hvy 1ton]

There's a second box / ledge over there where the 90 is, I could probably change it around, but that's the way it was.

A normal DWV 90 is acceptable there.

The thin green pipe is probably the sewer and drain pipe they sell at the big box stores. Rubbish for anything draining something important like poop from your house. SCH 40 is the only way to go from house to septic IMO.

SDR 35 is fine as long as it's somewhat deep and bedded well. The latter rarely happens in residential plumbing around here. Back when 4" SCH 40 was over $5/ft I welded together 100' or so of SDR 11 HDPE pipe that all had to sit on ledge rock down to the tank. It was under $2/ft and you can't hurt it.

 

[crane operator]

I need to start back perusing IP and see if I can pick up one. Probably wouldn't want to mimic a big one with a pull/lift arm as the mini probably wouldn't have enough ass to pull it much less lift it.

Fork pockets would suffice since the CTL's are constantly going from bucket to forks.

A lot of the boxes are built like this, and a taper on one end makes them a lot easier to clean out, than what mine is. I would probably put some better pockets underneath it (square tube on the ends and at pallet fork distance). Angle iron or square/ rectangular tubing around the top edge will stiffen up the open edges if you build a box like the one in this picture.


This is actually a picture from the KBR auction that you mentioned a while back. You missed out on this one, but it wouldn't be very hard to make one, or have a welding shop build one.

A normal DWV 90 is acceptable there.

Well after CM1995 mentioned it, I decided I would change it before it got buried. So its two 45's and a short straight section now. If its wrong its all on him.....

 

[crane operator]

Oof, sounds like a poor time of year for that to happen.

Not really a big deal here. We've been kind of cool, but 20's at night and mid 40's in the day. No snow or frost to deal with.

 

[CM1995]

A lot of the boxes are built like this, and a taper on one end makes them a lot easier to clean out, than what mine is. I would probably put some better pockets underneath it (square tube on the ends and at pallet fork distance). Angle iron or square/ rectangular tubing around the top edge will stiffen up the open edges if you build a box like the one in this picture.


This is actually a picture from the KBR auction that you mentioned a while back. You missed out on this one, but it wouldn't be very hard to make one, or have a welding shop build one.

View attachment 326744




Well after CM1995 mentioned it, I decided I would change it before it got buried. So its two 45's and a short straight section now. If its wrong its all on him.....

Pierce has a KBR auction a couple of times a year so I'll be on the watch. Probably pick up one cheaper than building one. That one looks wide enough for a CTL bucket not to spill out while dumping.

I have several tons of angle iron mostly 3x4 and 4x4 left over from a Field and Stream built here several years ago that would work great to beef one of those up.

If it were my sewer line running from my house I would've used two 45's. Some muni's here will not allow a 90 on a sewer lateral, DWV or not. Has to be 2 - 45's with 2x pipe diameter between them.

 

[hvy 1ton]

Some muni's here will not allow a 90 on a sewer lateral, DWV or not. Has to be 2 - 45's with 2x pipe diameter between them.

I haven't seen that requirement yet, but It's not a bad idea.

 

[hvy 1ton]

Hey Crane Op, is that cleanout a two way? It's not a huge deal if it isn't, but might make a plumber's day in the future if it is.

 

[crane operator]

Hey Crane Op, is that cleanout a two way? It's not a huge deal if it isn't, but might make a plumber's day in the future if it is.

it is. Its a pretty open crawl space, and I don't see any reason one would have to clean out back into the house, but I was replacing it all and thought "why not?"

 

[Natman]

I had a low time U 25 mini for a couple years, so small but impressive in what it could do. i don't recall the op pattern, but after i learned on it, it's now the correct one. I only found out later as a new operator I should have never learned while on a steep slope and one with a side slope to boot. I sold it for what I paid for it, after putting 100 hours on it. I used that SDR thermal welded stuff on my 3" hydroelectric supply line. Laying right on the ground, real rocky ground, exposed to UV except where it's gotten overgrown, 1/4 mile, for 18 years now, zero issues.

 

[f311fr1]

TN State Law requires 4" schedule 40 from house to tank. We have to bush up from 3" at the house to 4" to the tank quite often. We alwas use two 45s to make a 90.