I’m the new owner of a 25 year old excavator. Samsung 210 ……For better or worse. Has a 36” digging bucket and good hydraulic thumb. Both will be great to have in the future. Main reason for purchase though is a fairly long term part time job cleaning ditches, a settling basin, and windrowing and stirring compost. For this I want a smooth edge higher volume bucket, and in a perfect world I’d like it to be shaped and mounted such that it had two cutting edges and could literally shovel going out and hoe coming back. I need to spend some serious time with a tape measure, level, and protractor and start drawing this up. May get a buddy to do some CAD work. I expect to build this myself, maybe beginning with a small wheel loader bucket. Any thoughts, examples to consider, etc?
I would build from scratch. You'll have more time & money in it starting with an old bucket.
You’re right. I’d started off with good candidate in mind for a plain high volume bucket. Just add mounts. Hadn’t really adjusted thinking to best way to achieve the two way bucket.
I've wanted a bucket like that for years! Definitely keep us posted if you end up finding or making one.
Do you need to be able to shovel and dig alternately on every pass? I pile manure for some guys, I have a pin-grabber and pick the bucket up backwards when I want to shovel. Honestly, I'm not sure I have ever felt the need to have a dual-direction bucket, I'd also think it would be both heavier than it should be, and with that cutting edge out the back, the geometry of the curl would most definitely be non-conductive to ditching.
You want a shovel, as in you push to fill the bucket? Then a cutting edge on the back to smooth on return stroke? I think you have it backward. There is a reason shovels are only used in big mining & quarry operations. Fill the bucket pulling toward you, you can see what is happening. Push away to level, it just works better. Refilling an excavation, I pull toward me. Usually I am separating the spoils from a lawn. A wide toothless bucket usually has a flat surface from the cutting edge back. Might scoop some from the top of the pile. When down to several inches tall, I keep the edge on the grass, work from one side of the spoils. I can see a corner of the cutting edge. Roll out the bucket while curling the dipper, & raising the boom slightly. If the cutting edge remains touching the sod, you get a reasonable grade. Second pass, clean it up more. Flattening your work is easiest pushing, again with a toothless bucket. It is rare to see an expert who doesn't have two, or three buckets. Always toothed buckets for digging. Always smooth wide bucket to undig.
Looks like someone has already made it. Know some guys who swear by their Multi-Ripper bucket for tough digging.
That is shaped NOTHING like I envisioned. I need to study on that. Thank you.
I don’t have a pin grabber, and the way I envision using this machine I’d be swapping bucket direction 1 to 15 times per hour if I did. Be very rare that I’m hoeing from elevated position. I envision shoveling into some areas and top loading hauling equipment. I need to be able to shovel a path out into broad areas covered in dump truck piles, casting material one way and forming windrows. May at the same time be hoeing material from other side adding to windrow. It’s a deal you sort of have to see to appreciate.
I have swapped positions multiple times per hour, not 15 mind you, but once every 10 minutes would not bother me. Only takes about 10 seconds to flip.
Again, I don’t have a pin grabber.
Followed the links to the “two way bucket” It has a swinging plate to form a back wall digging either direction. Shape makes more sense now. It’s listed as a “discontinued product” which may be a hint regarding the viability of my idea….
I remember seeing something exactly like you are talking about loading trucks from a corn pile. I believe it was a YouTube video. It has been several years since I saw it but was very similar to this and guy was using it both directions. Would close gate and shovel or leave open and pull towards himself then close gate just like the apron on a scraper when the bowl is full.
I’ve watched them load corn from a distance like that. Lighter, more consistent and flow able material than I’m dealing with obviously. The hydraulic slides give a nice, clean, tight, controlled dump. I don’t see enough bucket articulation to dump into a truck WITHOUT the slides.
I agree, was just curious how the concept itself would work in your application. Does your machine have 2 way auxiliary hydraulics? I would think something like a 4 in 1 bucket off a smaller wheel loader or track loader would work for what you are describing. Mount it to machine like a shovel and would be able to drag toward yourself and clam to load bucket or close and push into pile and open the bucket to dump. Would be able to mount to machine to achieve the best reach and force and not have to worry about being able to articulate enough in both directions to dump
That’s funny. I was eyeballing the 4 in 1 bucket on a small wheel loader auctioned a few days ago with similar thoughts. Which led to thoughts of melding my hydraulic claw together with a pair of clamshells buckets as a solution to limited articulation. I’m still sketching and thinking.
This is what I’ve got. My objection to using a 4 in 1 bucket is mainly that I’d like the two sections to be mirror images and work about the same going away as coming back. Also the claw cylinder and linkage is right there begging to be used for one of the clams.
That’s quite a fancy bit of iron mongering. I suspect the package cost more than my whole excavator.
"Shaken not stirred".....