My homemade backhoe made from a riding mower

[fixit]

The biggest problem you will have is a lack of weight to keep it on the ground unless the soil you are digging is very fine

I have a 3.5 ton excavator and you can pull it along in the wet if you dig to deep in one go. The answer is to fill the bucket by taking a shallow pass the full lenght of the reach so the soil fills the bucket

it will also fall right back out again with no need to rattle it out

Good luck:thumbsup:

 

[Travelover]

Is the Red Green show still on TV?

 

[DavidVT]

Enjoy your project.
Show us how it works when you are done!

Others I've seen:
Micro Hoe <BR>pics 1
or
Backhoe, Backhoe plans, Build a Backhoe, CAD plans - welcome to Backhoeplans.com

 

[chad22]

Is the Red Green show still on TV?

Oh. I love that show. It's still on PBS. I think it comes on tonight. I could be wrong haven't watched it in awhile. Mainly due to not getting the new digital signal in very good. It cuts in and out whenever something good comes on.

Chad

 

[chad22]

Enjoy your project.
Show us how it works when you are done!

Others I've seen:
Micro Hoe <BR>pics 1
or
Backhoe, Backhoe plans, Build a Backhoe, CAD plans - welcome to Backhoeplans.com

I'll be sure to put up a video on youtube of it action when I finish it. Since it's cold outside and I don't have any place warm to work on it. I'm doing it slowly.

I've been waiting until we get some warm days now and then and working on it then. It's supposed to be in the 60's here sometime this week. I can't believe it, it's usually freezing cold here this time of year.

I expect to be done with the backhoe and have her up and running by March or April.

Chad

 

[chad22]

Just a short update on the backhoe. Awhile back we got a few good warm days so I did some welding on the boom bracket that the cylinder attaches to. The bracket I made came off an old exercise machine.

I drilled out the holes with the drill press and a metal hole saw. I held the brackets in place by hand and welded away. Almost caught my gloves on fire. Though I did manage to catch the dry grass on fire beneath me. I quickly put it out.

In the picture where the stick attaches to the cylinder. That pivot point is just temporary. I'm gonna have to use another piece of tube for the stick anyway since I noticed later on that it is twisted and just will not work.

I also want to make it dig deeper. Currently it will have a 2 ft dig depth and that won't be enough depth for me.

I did some thinking and figured the way I got the backhoe attached now will just bend the frame of the mower as it will just pull down on the flimsy frame. So what I'm gonna do is build a square like frame for it first and then brace it to the sides on the upper and lower parts of the mower.

Chad

 

[Iplayfarmer]

A good, solid subframe is definately the way to go.

 

[rjmack]

sometimes trial and error is the best way to learn. :thumbsup:

 

[jinman]

So how come a project like this can be done with a riding mower

Found on the web. Not my video.
YouTube - backhoe.flv

But when someone asks about doing it to an 8N tractor
they are warned against it? Surely an 8N is sturdier
than a riding mower. I would like one for digging in
soft dirt, sand, and river gravel, and load it onto
a low trailer to be pulled behind a 4 wheeler.
Basically big sandbox toys to use down near the river
where the floods pile dirt, sand, and gravel up every year.
My little dirt scoop just doesn't carry enough each trip.

Pooh Bear

PB, all that video needed to be completely hilarious was to add a Keystone Cop chase in the middle. Surely you don't take that jerky little dirt scratcher seriously. You are right that your 8N could do better, but it just might be the difference between a little dog and a big dog. They both bark, but at the end of the day, they're still both dogs. These are fun projects, but very thin on practicality or usefulness.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

PB, all that video needed to be completely hilarious was to add a Keystone Cop chase in the middle. Surely you don't take that jerky little dirt scratcher seriously. You are right that your 8N could do better, but it just might be the difference between a little dog and a big dog. They both bark, but at the end of the day, they're still both dogs. These are fun projects, but very thin on practicality or usefulness.

I think a little micro backhoe like this one will never compare to a regular backhoe, but it beats the heck out of a shovel. I think it comes down to personal preference. What would you rather have in your hand, a shovel or a welder? If you'd rather have a welder, you spend 20 hours building some crazy project that will save 10 hours of shoveling.

 

[zman007007]

At my age I would do 200 hours of building to not do 10 hours of shoveling. LOL zman:laughing:

 

[JoelD]

Just a short update on the backhoe. Awhile back we got a few good warm days so I did some welding on the boom bracket that the cylinder attaches to. The bracket I made came off an old exercise machine.

I drilled out the holes with the drill press and a metal hole saw. I held the brackets in place by hand and welded away. Almost caught my gloves on fire. Though I did manage to catch the dry grass on fire beneath me. I quickly put it out.

In the picture where the stick attaches to the cylinder. That pivot point is just temporary. I'm gonna have to use another piece of tube for the stick anyway since I noticed later on that it is twisted and just will not work.

I also want to make it dig deeper. Currently it will have a 2 ft dig depth and that won't be enough depth for me.

I did some thinking and figured the way I got the backhoe attached now will just bend the frame of the mower as it will just pull down on the flimsy frame. So what I'm gonna do is build a square like frame for it first and then brace it to the sides on the upper and lower parts of the mower.

Chad

At first blush I'd be concerned about that ram bending the metal it is attached to like a pretzel, you'll be amazed at how strong they are. I had a homebuilt hoe a few years ago and I actually bent 1 inch solid pins.

Joel

 

[chad22]

At first blush I'd be concerned about that ram bending the metal it is attached to like a pretzel, you'll be amazed at how strong they are. I had a homebuilt hoe a few years ago and I actually bent 1 inch solid pins.

Joel

Wow. 1 inch solid pins? Now that's strong. Now lets hope that doesn't happen.

Hopefully everything will hold up. "especially my welds". :laughing:

I sure hope that when I fire the thing up and operate the cylinders that one or more of my welds doesn't break. :laughing:

Nah my welds are getting better and I suspect they will hold.

I remember one time I made a cross to take out to my cousins grave as soon as I started tapping the thing into the ground the welds broke and the thing fell apart. :laughing:

I said heck with it and got a piece of wire and wired it together. I won't be able to wire the backhoe together though. lol

Or there's always the trusty duct tape that red uses on the red green show. lol

Chad

 

[ToolBoxTavern]

I am so waiting the you tube video when you get finished. I think I will do a similar project to load the dump wagon I made. Just waiting for the donor I'm gonna use. :thumbsup:

Here is the post of my wagon http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/192129-riding-mower-weight-lifting-rack.html

 

[jimmyj]

I love the project Chad! Good for you. Keep the pics coming and like the others, I'm dying to see your first use video! :thumbsup:

 

[chad22]

I love the project Chad! Good for you. Keep the pics coming and like the others, I'm dying to see your first use video! :thumbsup:

Thanks.

I've changed the design of the pivot for the swing. I had a piece of 3" x 3" square tubing laying around so used the air grinder to cut it down, so I could make this new pivot.

I also had two pieces of metal gave to me, that had the right size holes in the right spot for the bushings. That's those 4 top and bottom pieces that have a curve in them. They were longer pieces and bent as legs for a table. But I cut them out to size and used the grinder to cut the angles into them and then smooth them with the bench grinder.

I'm also gonna order some more 3" square tubing for the boom and stick.

I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.

Chad

 

[chad22]

Just thought I would update you with some videos of my backhoe project. :thumbsup:

Here's a video of the pivot before I painted it.

YouTube - Pivot for backhoe before I painted it.

And here's a video of it after the paint.

YouTube - backhoe pivot after paint

Chad

 

[NH-Rob]

Looks like you are learning lots. to bad you don't have chop saw to cut your metal with. I use mine all the time. Keep up the good work it should keep you busy and out of trouble.
Rob

 

[blue mtn mech]

i love to see man taking interest in the art of metal fab. i cant wait to to see how you work turns out .P.S. keep up the good work