Backhoe Should I ad a Thumb to my backhoe purchase today?

[Gary Fowler]

I have used my hoe for probably twenty years with no shortage of boulders around here. I'm the first one to get something if I figure it will be easier or just more fun, but just don't see it. I hardly think all my hoe work was done at 50% efficiency. Usually, boulders go right back in the hole or trench once a covering of nice fill has been introduced. I could see, if I had to pick a bunch of boulders out of a pile and put them in a loader bucket or trailer, but that's kind of rare.

You dont miss what you never had. A person born without thumbs learns to get along without them and adapts but can never totally do what folks with thumbs can do. That is the same with a backhoe, you can get along without one to an extent but never be able to do the things that one can do with a thumb. I have to admit that a fixed position thumb that has to be repositioned by hand is not as convenient but still better than not having one at all.

My hydraulic thumb is just like a hand. I can pick up small items and place exactly where I want them without moving from the seat. I once unloaded a stack of cross ties from the back of my truck using the thumb. I grabbed them one at a time, pulled it out and then stacked them in a pile, all without touching any of them by hand.
I can pick up root balls and shake the dirt out of them before placing them to the side for later removal. This was really convenient when digging out a bunch of small sweet gum saplings 4-8" butt diameter. I would dig around them, then push them over, grab with the bucket and thumb and lift out of the ground, shake the dirt off then stack them neatly to the side and go after another. Lifting logs for cutting, picking up a small storm damaged tree and hauling it away using the backhoe so I dont have to cut it up into small pieces is also handy. Also handy around my place lifting out small rocks of around 100# and placing them in my RTV for hauling to disposal site rather than trying to lift by hand or skid into the FEL.
There is really no end to how handy a thumb is. And really, you dont miss it unless you have gotten used to having it.

 

[GeneV]

Here's my youtube buddy John doing his thing with the thumb:

 

[Industrial Toys]

All my cats do all day long being couped up in the house during the winter is complain that they don't have a thumb!

Just for interest it would good to know the usefulness of a non'hydraulic thumb over a hydraulic one. Like I mentioned, I sometimes clamp stones against the dipper. Kind of abusive!

 

[4570Man]

Just for interest it would good to know the usefulness of a non'hydraulic thumb over a hydraulic one. Like I mentioned, I sometimes clamp stones against the dipper. Kind of abusive!

About like like taping a popsicle stick to your hand to replace your real thumb.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's got to be better than using your dipper stick.

 

[4570Man]

It's got to be better than using your dipper stick.

Until you want to dig something and it’s in the way. If you set the thumb low enough to be much use it’s bad in the way and set high enough to dig it’s not much use as a thumb.

 

[fried1765]

Until you want to dig something and itç—´ in the way. If you set the thumb low enough to be much use itç—´ bad in the way and set high enough to dig itç—´ not much use as a thumb.

HYDRAULIC is best by FAR !!!
But I am sure.......manual is better than none.

 

[mikester]

Thanks grm61. I will add the Hydraulic. It was my first thought anyway.

I will ask you also the same question I am now asking JJ.

I have decomposed granite soil, regular dirt and clay areas to contend with. I have selected a LS tractor and backhoe combination for the job. Have a choice of a LB 3100 series, LB2100 series or LB 1100 series backhoes. Price stops me from the LB3100 series and there is only a 130# difference in the digging force and 1ft reach and depth capability difference between the LB2100 and LB1100 series backhoes. There is a $1000 difference. Is the $1000 worth the extra foot dig depth, 1ft reach and 130# of digging pressure?

Thanks again for the added response.

Thanks again.

You lost me at the LS tractor part. If digging is your priority then get an industrial TLB. AG tractors are not made for digging. If you are planning on a lot of trench work then a thumb might not be as important and the 3ph BH is the wrong choice at the end of the day. Spend a day climbing on and off the tractor every 3-4 feet of trench going from the front to the back seat and you will know exactly what I mean.

I wouldnt buy a new backhoe without a thumb. Its like buying a loader grapple without a thumb.

 

[paulfun9]

Something that always makes me laugh is the people who talk about the average home owner needing to get on and off the backhoe to reposition it often when digging.
To them I can suggest this, spend the day digging the same ditch with a pick and shovel, loading the extra into a wheelbarrow and haul it away!
This will make you very aware of how lazy we have become!
I smile every time I have to get on and off because I do remember very well spending the day filling an industrial size wheel barrow by hand and having to climb down into and out of the ditch we were digging and push all that dirt hundreds of feet to the dump site and most of the time the direction with the full load was uphill!

 

[GeneV]

All my cats do all day long being couped up in the house during the winter is complain that they don't have a thumb!

Just for interest it would good to know the usefulness of a non'hydraulic thumb over a hydraulic one. Like I mentioned, I sometimes clamp stones against the dipper. Kind of abusive!

Was this for me? In case it was, well yeh hydraulic is of course handier, but I'm just saying for me, if I was gonna go through the expense/hassle of installing 3rd function or diverter valve or whatever, it's gonna go to a grapple up front, not a thumb in the back. Grapple beats backhoe thumb all day long, a mechanical b/h thumb is a poor man's grapple.

I think it's LS tractors that have serrations on the dipper stick with the idea of clamping stuff against it like you're doing.