I am looking into putting some form of grade control on a excavator, does any one have any experiance here? I have nor picked up a atm with my machine yet so money is a object, I am thinking of a simple target light system mounted on the boom, I am not looking for sub mill accuracy, but it does need to be close, as I need the water to flow... oh and to make it interesting I am putting it on a machine with a extend-a-hoe. (Menzi Muck)
Have you looked at Topcon´s lazer system? They have indicators that mount to the dipper. The extenda hoe could be a problem, though.
:lmao May I suggest, Doctor, that you seek out an ATM at a truck stop.
I stoped at one and some one beat me to it..................
I have talked with my local supplier and he sugested a simple light targer it lights up when it is plum and then tells you if you are off, farily simple... I was just wanting to know if any one has had any experiance with one
At the risk of stating what you already know It is very easy to set up a simple light system so long as you respect its limitations. By that I mean an excavator ( never mind a Menzi :notworthy ) has a lot of variables, boom, arm and bucket all conspire together to give you an infenite (sp) amount of positions ( height of a set point on the arm ) when a bucket tooth is touching the ground. You have to make sure that each time you take a level/grade check, that the bucket, arm and boom are in as near same exact positions. Have the bucket crowded slightly more this time and you will get a different reading to last time. Respect the limits and you wont go far wrong. :drinkup
Hi there, I would sudjest an Apache 6, it has a 15 degree each way compensator on it so you can programme it so you can check your grade with a flat bucket over a 30 degree arc, 15 each way from plumb, but the unit has to be a set distance from you main bucket pin at all times and the unit has to be directly in line with you main bucket pin. We have one for general drainage and grading works and it is fantastic. When you turn it on you set the distance into it from the unit to the main bucket pin then this lets it calculate the difference from being plumb, very clever and simple at the same time, the longer your dipper is the better these work as you get a greater length of range for the 15 degrees each way.
Excavision and Bullseye 5+ I got an Excavision and a Bullseye 5+. Because of the weather I been working in the Hills so I haven't used the Laser Reciever yet. I moved back to the Bottoms today so I'll try to get some pictures up early next week.
Interesting, I am venturing into grade controls, something I know very little about, only cause I have never needed it I have worked with grade stakes, and lazer and target on a story pole and seat of the pants, so any imput is aperacited.
Thanks for that Johnny, not a make or model I am aware of. Putting it bluntly I wasn't even aware such a thing existed. :notworthy
I just finished a drainage job installing 12" tile. I tried out a topcon magnetic laser receiver on the stick of a komatsu pc50. I was impressed with how close i got the trench bottom to grade. Only cost $675, and the fellows behind me doing the final grade with stick and shovel thought it worked great. And they would know after 2700 feet of tile! Paid for very quickly i thought.
A fancier setup would be Oncon´s Excavision. Excavision II is out, but not all the distributors have it. The price is a lot more than the simple dipper mounted indicator, but it will tell you if you´re on grade or how far you have to go until you´re on grade no matter what position the work equipment is in. The price is reasonable since it means that you don´t have to have a helper on the payroll to tell the operator where the grade is....he can see it all from the cab.
My local dealer sugested the tapcons reciver, in either a stub wielded on the bucket or placed on the boom. I guess some of the counties like the set up, I thought that it would be a good place to start and then upgrade to something better.