Finally Building my Backhoe

[Iplayfarmer]

I need some opinions...

If I have the right size twist drill bit do I need a reamer?

As I understand, the reamer is to re-shape the bushing after any welding distortion. Could I not do the same thing by running the drill through it again?

 

[jmolwitz]

A reamer is long enough to get both holes at once .

 

[GPintheMitten]

I'm looking forward to following your project, Iplay. I plan on building a FEL and maybe later a backhoe for my small Kubota.

One thing I noticed, you said you were considering trying to make this work for $1K or less, or maybe just build the best you can for your use (or something like that). My advice, is just build it the best you can and if you go over $1K by a $100, it will likely be well worth it.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'm looking forward to following your project, Iplay. I plan on building a FEL and maybe later a backhoe for my small Kubota.

One thing I noticed, you said you were considering trying to make this work for $1K or less, or maybe just build the best you can for your use (or something like that). My advice, is just build it the best you can and if you go over $1K by a $100, it will likely be well worth it.

Point taken. The top priority here is to make the right thing for my needs. The $1K thing is more of a game to me than anything. If I need to go over to build the right thing, I will.

 

[eireog68]

I am new here to the site but if i might make a sugestion you have not mentioned plating any of the conections and looking at your pictures you are not leaving very much meat on the end of that steel tube from what i can see in the pictures so far unless you are only picking up hay it will crack at the joints unless you support them with plate steel at least 1/4" plate at all joints and welds.
good luck i love to see people build there own stuff it shows we are not all lazy and stupid.

 

[Renze]

A reamer reams to a tolerance and surface roughness you could never aquire with a plain and simple drill. Most reamers here in europe have a h7 tolerance which is +0 to +0.32mm oversize. A conventional spiral drill cuts with a +0.3 to +1mm tolerance.

oh, and most important: a reamer will not jam when trying to bore just that 0.5mm out of a hole...

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I am new here to the site but if i might make a sugestion you have not mentioned plating any of the conections and looking at your pictures you are not leaving very much meat on the end of that steel tube from what i can see in the pictures so far unless you are only picking up hay it will crack at the joints unless you support them with plate steel at least 1/4" plate at all joints and welds.
good luck i love to see people build there own stuff it shows we are not all lazy and stupid.

Thanks for the advice, and welcome to TBN.

There will definately be plating. I have a large piece of 1/4" plate that will be cut down for the various joints. I also have a stick of 3" X 1/2" plate that will be used for the higher stress points like the attachment points for the ram pins.

As for the lack of meat on the ends of the boom, I'm just going to have to be careful to properly weld these points. I'll also be plating the ends which will add an additional 1/4" of material.

On another note, I ordered both a 1" drill bit and a 1" adjustable reamer from the website that Brad linked to. I also snuck out at lunch and bought a cutting torch from a guy in the area (via Craig's List). Now I have two torch bodies, two cutting heads, and a handful of tips, Between it all I still can't make a single working cutting torch. All I need, though, is a tip nut and a tip for the brand new Harris torch that is in the bunch of stuff I bought today.

Any advice for a newbie learning to cut with oxy/ace? Most specifically, if I'm buying a tip anyway, which one should I get for cutting 1/4" steel?

 

[6sunset6]

I understand trying to keep cost down. Do it myself. I have tried to use pipe for collars in the past as you are but have not been satisfied . Not enough meat left and a lot of machining to keep them square , round etc.
I went to shaft collars. McMaster carr has them $1.50 for a 1" ID 1.5 od 5/5 thick with a set screw. They have a million sizes
If I want two holes to line up I lock them on a shaft and weld them in place.

 

[dfkrug]

Wow, they have pretty good prices on a lot of their stuff.

Back in 95, we had an Enco store here and I bought a 1.000" hand reamer
that had 6" of flutes so I could align bushings that were as much as 6"
apart. It was only $35 back then. I have never tried those adjustable
reamers in Brad's link. I sold my reamer after I finished with it to another
guy who threatened to build a CADDigger. (He never did.)

I have also taken a 1" twist drill to shed 40 pipe, to clean out the welding
seam. I used those for "poor man's bushings" where the pin did not
turn (mechanical thumbs).

If you want to buy DOM, you can buy it in small pieces from one of several
online steel sources.

 

[J_J]

Iplayfarmer ,

I would recommend using DOM tubing, and 63/64 pin stock from these guys.

MetKit Corp - Home Page

Select catalog of parts, HTML format, Bearings, pins, and tubing.

 

[Kernopelli]

I went to shaft collars. McMaster carr has them $1.50 for a 1" ID 1.5 od 5/5 thick with a set screw. They have a million sizes
If I want two holes to line up I lock them on a shaft and weld them in place.

I did this myself when I built my FEL. Worked great. The set screw holds the pins in and keeps them from turning to boot.I found them at out local Rural King farm supply store. I recently picked up about 4 feet of DOM at an auction so that's what I'll be using if I ever get started on my hoe build but the collars worked fine.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

If I'd seen that Surplus Center had 1" lock collars for $0.79 before I bought the schedule 80 pipe, I might have gone that route. As it is, I'll use what I have. If I have to do something different later I will. That's the beauty of building something myself. If I don't like it, I'll just build it different.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2116011820090554&item=1-2460-1&catname=

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I got a call from my wife this morning... My box from Enco showed up. That's pretty good for having just ordered it Monday. I also just got a propane tip for my new cutting torch.

I don't know if I can wait until Saturday to get back to working on this backhoe.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Post Script to the Enco Box Arriving:

The 1" drill bit is only 9/16". It's clearly marked on the bit that it's a 9/16", but the outside of the box says it's a 1". The box is obviously too small to contain a 1" bit, though.

I've sent an e-mail to customer service. I'll update with what happens for the enlightenment of potential Enco customers.

 

[MJPetersen]

Just hate it when that happens. I hope that they quickly send you a properly sized one. Maybe they will let you keep the 9/16 too rather than pay to send it back.

Mike

 

[mjncad]

Maybe they will let you keep the 9/16 too rather than pay to send it back.

Mike

ENCO let me keep a couple SPI white on black steel rulers that were tough to read since the East Indians did a lousy job of printing (not engraved) the gradations on them. They also refunded my money promptly, so I think there is a good chance he'll be able to keep the 9/16" bit.

 

[jd2305cd]

Got a sketch of what you going for, just curious....

 

[dcyrilc]

Post Script to the Enco Box Arriving:

The 1" drill bit is only 9/16". It's clearly marked on the bit that it's a 9/16", but the outside of the box says it's a 1". The box is obviously too small to contain a 1" bit, though.

I've sent an e-mail to customer service. I'll update with what happens for the enlightenment of potential Enco customers.

That's actually kind of humerous... In a frustrating sort of way.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

That's actually kind of humerous... In a frustrating sort of way.

If I were on some kind of timeline to get the backhoe done or if I had nothing else to do without having the right drill bit, it might be more frustrating. The funny part to me is that it is VERY obvious that no 1" drill bit could fit in that box that's marked as a 1" bit. I'm pretty sure they'll tell me to keep the 9/16". If they want to send a shipping label, though, they're entitled to get it back.

Got a sketch of what you going for, just curious....

I have several unfinished sketches. Everytime I get a new part or a new idea, I start the sketch over. Here are 2D shots of the two that I'm working from. There are many flaws in the design still that I'm well aware of, but anyone feel free to chime in with suggestions. I got to the point where I need to start building so I can sort out the issues in real space.

We had a very helpful discussion last year as I was in the early stages of designing...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/138284-backhoe-design-ideas.html

 

[jd2305cd]

Thanks for the link it was a good read, lots of good info.. I'll be watching this closely.. Its on my wish list of projects..

Looking good so far..