Build a dirt conveyor

[BigEddy]

Anyone ever make a dirt conveyor?
I have a swampy "pond" to excavate, but each time I work on it, I end up moving the material several times. The issue is that the sides slope 10' down steeply and the backhoe only has 180 degree swing, so to get any reach, I need to back down to the mud's edge, but then can only place the spoils on the shore. I tried backing my trailer down there and filling it, but with the soft ground and the slope, it wouldn't come up full. So I have to pile it on the shore, drive up the hill, then hoe it again up onto the flat, then load the trailer or use the FEL to carry it away.

I was thinking if I made a 15' conveyor, I could place my trailer on the flat, then use the hoe to deposit the spoils on the end of the conveyor, and lo and behold it would be deposited in my dump trailer. It would have been really useful recently on a foundation excavation job I did, where the only access between the foundation and the landcaping was 10' wide, and there was nowhere near enough space for all the dirt from the 7' deep hole.

I have a couple of 5hp gas engines available to use - and it only needs to move material away fast enough to have a spot to drop the next bucket full.
Good idea, dumb idea, pitfalls?? So what would I need to make one? Any ready made stuff out there I might be able to scrounge and modify? Where would one look for used conveyor belting?

Of course I could rent an excavator for the job, but that would be admitting defeat.

 

[DKinWA]

I think the conveyor is a great idea for your project. If Ritchie Bros has an auction place near you, they probably have lots of conveyors/parts. The one here in washington always has a ton of used conveyors/parts and they usually go pretty cheap. Another place to look would be any rock or gravel pits near you. They always have old stuff laying around and most will sell it at scrap prices or less just to get rid of it.

Most conveyors from places like this will probably be too long, but it's not hard to shorten one for your needs. Most of them also use electric motors, but you could easily adapt a hydraulic motor and gas engine to one. You could even put an old axle and tires on one end and wheel it around to where you needed it with the tractor. You could probably put one togther pretty cheap with a little scrounging.

 

[Darren]

Ready made:

http://patzsales.com/prod07-07.htm

There's a company in the UK that makes something similar. I don't believe they distribute in the U.S. any more. Shouldn't be that difficult to make one.

 

[dummy]

6 or 8" PVC pipe for the rollers, plywood inserts for the rollers, piece of rod for the axles, 2 x (6, 8, ?) for the rails and framework and rubber floor matting for the conveyor belt. An old front tine rototiller for the drive unit ( what we had on hand, rear tine would probably work too).

 

[btolle]

You could use an extension ladder for the frame. Build a couple of rectangular boxes to join 2 sections of ladder together so it would be easy to set up and break down.

You could put the rollers between the end rungs and the end of the ladder (remove the end rungs if you need more space).

If you are only going to use it for one job you could probably get away with just the end rollers. Parrafin on the bottom of the belt would help it to slide over the rungs easier if you don't have center rollers.

You might need to add a couple of metal loops on the bottom to keep the belt from sagging too much but that would not be a big deal.

Just an off-the-wall thought.

You might see if a roofing company has an old conveyor for sale. Roofers use a conveyor that has wheels on it and is adjustable for height and has a gas engine.

Bill Tolle

 

[DocHeb]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Parrafin on the bottom of the belt would help it to slide over the rungs easier if you don't have center rollers. )</font>

Just be careful afterwards when using the ladder or we'll be reading about your exploits in the Safety Forum. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif