Home made Backhoe

[vicashoe]

This is one of many hoes I built. This one I am keeping. It is made from the basic plans of the CAD digger 708. I used 1/4" steel instead of the thinner walled steel the plans calls for. I added a Prince 6 spool hydraulic joystick valve. Along with hydraulic stabilizers that were designed afer a similar Woods hoe. The tank is a 4 gallon tank all hoses are 3/8" ID. The main mast was bent 7 degrees giving it an extra 1 foot approx. digging depth. I sacrificed reach for depth. So this hoe can now dig about 7-7 1/2' I also used a Prince gear pump with a flow control valve to vary the speed as I need. Very strong machine. Too strong for a 3 point. I intend to make a sub frame for my Ford 861. No welds were made from a mig welder. I used a DC arc welder using 7018 rods high heat and penetration. Needed for this machine. I will match this machine against any of the commerically built ones.

 

[irwin]

A fine looking hoe vicashoe. Sounds like you did it right.

 

[Johndeere3720]

Very nice hoe. Is your tractor green? I could have used that yesterday when I dug out a road to get to the far side of the property. I had to use the skidsteer since the road is on a steep hill. It used to be hills, now its flat, Oh, are you going to put a thumb on your hoe?

 

[bobodu]

Looks great.....except for that Gawdawful paint that got spilled on it...
Oh well...that's why we have graffiti removal solvents.

 

[GuglioLS]

Excellent hoe, after all it's a vicashoe! About how long does it take you to build one like that? The cylinders, are they 2.25" ID with a 1-3/8" rod? After enlarging the photo 400% I was trying to figure out where you rest your feet? I didn't see a foot rest or floor plate. Another question I have is how did you bend the curve in the plate to form the bucket?

Very impressive......

Larry

 

[dirt ditch]

That is a very nice backhoe.

Post some action pics when you get the sub frame built.

 

[gordyy]

very nice id like to build one like that someday

 

[R W]

A very well built BH. Using 1/4" wall RHS and the 7 degree bend in the boom are a big
improvement, have always felt many HM backhoe plans endorse material that is to light.

 

[J_J]

I believe he cut out a thin notch and welded it back up. Is that right? That is what I did to mine.

 

[R W]

Are one or two rams used on the swing. What is the swing angle?

 

[Monjuro]

how much did it cost for the backoe material ??

 

[Rob-D]

No welds were made from a mig welder.

This cracks me up when I hear it. Your family car along with every piece of modern machinery including all the new tractors and heavy machinery coming out today are welded with guess what.... CNC MIG.

 

[towmotor]

This cracks me up when I hear it. Your family car along with every piece of modern machinery including all the new tractors and heavy machinery coming out today are welded with guess what.... CNC MIG.

I don't know how much vicashoe knows about industrial welding, but if his entire exposure to MIG welding is confined to low penetration "short arc", then I wouldn't wonder at his not using MIG for a backhoe.

True enough, stick welding has been eclipsed by the various MIG processes in virtually every industry that utilizes heavy structural welding, leaving stick to do the job where greater portability is required.

Having said that though, a MIG welder that will equal an AC buzzbox, in terms of penetration and duty cycle, will cost many times what you'll pay for the buzzbox or for the small "suitcase size" MIGs.

 

[Rob-D]

Hi Tow,
All true just as long as we don't attempt to establish the premise that stick has better penetration.
Is a stick welder cheaper? Initially yes, but consumables over time I'm not sure.
In the long run it's hard to beat a 220 volt Miller or Lincoln MIG for power and arc. They are beautiful machines.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Is a stick welder cheaper? Initially yes, but consumables over time I'm not sure.
In the long run it's hard to beat a 220 volt Miller or Lincoln MIG for power and arc. They are beautiful machines.

I dunno about that part of the equation...Gut feeling says consumables are about the same either way, heck maybe even MORE expensive for a mig..
-Wire
-Shielding Gas (And Tank Lease if you dont own the tank)
-Tips
-Drive Rolls
-Liners/Sleeves

Just to name a few off the top of my head. With a stick...just buy the electrodes...

 

[Rob-D]

I dunno about that part of the equation...Gut feeling says consumables are about the same either way, heck maybe even MORE expensive for a mig..
-Wire
-Shielding Gas (And Tank Lease if you don't own the tank)
-Tips
-Drive Rolls
-Liners/Sleeves

Just to name a few off the top of my head. With a stick...just buy the electrodes...

You might be right. My argument isn't about cost it's about the process. I can weld everything down to to 24G. Can you do that with stick? I do thin stainless and aluminum down to 1/8 inch with a spool gun. Can you do that with stick? No. Those are the types of welding I do and MIG works well for them. Is TIG or other processes better in certain apps? Yes but overall MIG has the versatility and flexibility that I need.

Penetration problems? Learn how to weld or go jump in a bucket of Viagra, it's a dead horse.

 

[wldrbob]

rusty steel, out of position work or outside=stick. inside, new steel,flat position=mig light steel,aluminum and out of position depends on your skill level. can be done with either. mig is usualy easier but i can weld 24 gauge with a1/16 stick and aluminum with 3/32 or 1/8 aluminum rods. that said i would rather use my mig .grind out your edges and you will get satifactory results with either

 

[David Devuono]

You guys are missing the most important part. With a stick welder you have to unplug the wifes stove and run a cord in through the kitchen window, My Mig works off a 20 amp 110V outlet!

lol

 

[Iplayfarmer]

You guys are missing the most important part. With a stick welder you have to unplug the wifes stove and run a cord in through the kitchen window, My Mig works off a 20 amp 110V outlet!

lol

I've heard stories from the original farmers in the area about dimming the lights on a whole square mile block when they went to strike an arc.

 

[Scotty370]

Man this is a 'tough-crowd'! Nicely built, VS!!!! One of theses days, someone will set up a Cage-Match thread, for stick vs wire machines! And, DD, I paralleled into my range circuit to an outside outlet to save moving the stove! Just gotta make sure the missus isn't cooking! Nothing but 'high-class' over here!!! ~Scotty