FT’s JCB projects.

[Flying Torquewrench]

I bought some 25mm bar and made cuts in it so that I could shape it. As I don’t have a bender I had to be resourceful. After bending the bar I then welded the cuts back up.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

These were then welded into the bucket and a cross brace was added for additional strength.

I made this 3 years ago and it had a lot of abuse. Whilst the welding is far from perfect (first time with an arc welder) there are no cracks etc and everything works as advertised.

 

[FerdiNL]

It doesn't have to be the pretiest bucket

Cheers for the details! I expected it to be more expensive

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

We have a reasonable amount of building work planned around our house. Unfortunately our garden is on quite a steep slope so getting building materials up and down it is a right pain in the backside.

Add to that the the lane in front of our house is to narrow for anything bigger then a 7.5 tonne lorry and the logistical nightmare is complete. All the materials that I use have to be collected from the local builders depot by trailer. They have a 7.5 tonne lorry with a crane but this can only carry 1 pack of blocks/bricks or a jumbo bag of aggregate at a time. £15 per delivery adds up quite quickly, especially when you need 2000 concrete blocks.

Initially I have been picking the blocks up with the trailer and then load them in the wheelbarrow to take them where they need to go. As the builders depot only have forklifts they can’t put a pallet of blocks in the trailer. It is normally placed next to it and then I can place them by hand in the trailer. In all fairness, most times the forklift driver lends a hand. Then I get home and have to load them in the wheelbarrow to push up the slopen (no access with the trailer) and unload.

This had to change as it is quite punishing for the body and to time consuming. Therefore I came up with the plan to build a lightweight block grab for the mini digger.

A grab that you normally see on a lorry.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Taking into account that I have no lathe and don’t know anybody locally with one, there were several problems to overcome.

Started of by making some bushings. Nothing special, just some mild steel pipe in which a 25 round bar would fit.

Cut to size and in the process of installing the grease nipples.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

The main structure is made out of 50 x 50 x 5 mild steel box section.

First couple of bushings installed and ready for welding.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Cutting some of the 25mm round bar to be used as pins.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Then we hit a snag. The 25mm round bar was slightly to big for the pipe is was meant to sit in. Not having a lathe was a bit of an issue. Had to o it with the good old angle grinder and the results aren’t to bad.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Cut some channels in them to aid the distribution of the grease. Again, all done with the angle grinder so far from perfect.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Made a couple of brackets, pins and bushes to connect the hydraulic cylinder to the legs of the grab. Drilled a hole lengthwise so that I could get grease to where the cylinder pivots around the pins.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

And of course you need a hydraulic cylinder and hoses.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Trying to find out where the best place is for the hydraulic cylinder. Some blocks and a ratchet strap came in handy.

It also confirmed that my ‘own’ design worked.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Hydraulics installed. The hydraulic cylinder gets its power from the bucket ram as the auxiliary system is only single acting. Which can be used but it requires a lot more money to be spend on valves and electric controls for the valves.

For me this set up works and it takes less then a minute to connect the hydraulic hoses.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

And finally, a test if it all works.

It can lift just shy of 250kg which is not to bad for the little JCB. That is roughly 16 concrete blocks and makes it a lot easier to get them from the trailer to where I need them.

It will not win a beauty contest but it works for me and that is what matters.

Since this photo was taken it has been modified so that the rubber doesn’t bend as much.

Next modification is to try and make it rotating, even if only by 90 degrees.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Neat. Love the ingenuity. That should make life a lot easier.

When you disconnect the hydraulics, do you then have to bleed them, or does it sort it's self out just by being pumped round?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Cheers Lazy-Ferret, it bleeds itself so no real hardship. Tend to lose a little bit of hydraulic fluid but it is minimal.

It doesn’t get used a lot so it is not that it is on/off several times a day. Otherwise a quick connector might be a better option.

 

[solarman216]

Excellent home engineering, and ingenuity, much can be done with hydraulics, well done Rick

 

[FerdiNL]

Nice bit of engineering!

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Not the best quality but I have been busy removing bits of an old foundation.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Followed by digging out the trench for the new foundation. Formwork will be used, hence the extra width.