fabricating a new and improved bucket for my mini-excavator

[ArlyA]

over here the brand name is Hardox my guess is that something similar is available over were you are but with the USA trade restrictions on steel maybe it is priced out of the market The most popular abrasion-resistant steel with excellent structural properties.

I looked it up and maybe I missed something but the thinnest version I seen of it was .333 of an inch thick. 1/8 sheet in .125. I'd guess wear resistant sheet that thin is not the norm anywhere.

 

[Vigo327]

I like it! Honestly wish there were threads like this more often about cutting up and modifying buckets.

 

[dfkrug]

I looked it up and maybe I missed something but the thinnest version I seen of it was .333 of an inch thick. 1/8 sheet in .125. I'd guess wear resistant sheet that thin is not the norm anywhere.

It was so easy to add wear plates on the back of the bucket, they could easily be replaced if they ever wear out.

For these light-duty machines, I doubt the buckets will ever wear thru a total of 1/4" of steel on the curved part of the carcass. Same with teeth. I can not see having to replace welded on plow-steel teeth ever. And if I do, it is easy to weld on another one.

Obviously it is different with industrial hoes and minis (Kubota M62s, for example). I once restored a Kubota B21 that had 2400h on it. Hoe bucket was in good shape, except for crappy original cast teeth were duller than a hammer. I believe the current B26 uses much better teeth.