TECHNICAL RESOURCE
Buckets - Buying and using
There is often a degree of confusion, and even ignorance, where buckets are concerned, and yet this is quite literally the sharp-end of the whole machine, where all the work is done.
People spend tens, or even hundreds of thousands of pounds on the latest excavator, and then negate any advantages gained by fitting them with old, or incorrectly specified buckets. Whether they fit the same old, ‘patched-up antique’ buckets that have been knocking around their plant yard for years, or buy the cheapest new bucket they can find, irrespective of build and quality, the net result is that their machine will under perform.
People spend tens, or even hundreds of thousands of pounds on the latest excavator, and then negate any advantages gained by fitting them with old, or incorrectly specified buckets. Whether they fit the same old, ‘patched-up antique’ buckets that have been knocking around their plant yard for years, or buy the cheapest new bucket they can find, irrespective of build and quality, the net result is that their machine will under perform.
Bucket fit - pivot bracket dimensions:
A potential elephant trap. Everyone thinks they have a 'standard' hitch, until they get a bucket which does not fit. the truth is more complex; the majority of excavator quick hitches and couplers are not fitted at the OEM factory, but by the dealer or even end user.
Always double check the basic dimensions of the buckets your machine uses. Never assume they are 'standard'.
It is much cheaper for you to measure twice, than for us to weld once!
Always double check the basic dimensions of the buckets your machine uses. Never assume they are 'standard'.
It is much cheaper for you to measure twice, than for us to weld once!
Buying And Using:
At DIGBITS, we understand that getting the right buckets, and using them correctly is vital. Having the right tool for the job maximises efficiency and prevents damage.
There are a few general bucket rules which apply to all excavators:
There are a few general bucket rules which apply to all excavators:
- Cycle Times: Bear in mind that the fastest cycle times (i.e. the time taken to dig a full bucket load, tip it into a truck/skip/hopper and return to the dig position) are NOT necessarily achieved with the widest or largest capacity bucket. This is especially true in harder ground conditions.
- Stability: It is not generally advisable to exceed the maximum bucket width declared in your machines specifications. Any modifications to the machine work equipment – boom or dipper extensions, quick-hitches etc. – will tend to de-rate the overall machine stability.
- Narrow Digging: On most machines, the limiting factor for bucket width will be the width of the bucket linkage and pins. It is possible to build taller narrower buckets, though these may have a reduced breakout capability, the potential for collisions with parts of the excavator with normal buckets would not reach, and cannot dig deeper than the bucket itself.
- Digging Buckets: Keep the teeth in good condition, and try to catch any wear before it becomes critical (see Repairs) to avoid expense. Do not be tempted to use for heavy duty, demolition, rock or quarry applications – sadly most customers who buy our XHD buckets have already scrapped a perfectly good GP or HD buckets on these jobs.
- Ditching Buckets: These are designed for re-handling and levelling of soil, so expect them to dig compact or rocky ground. The width of these buckets, and their lighter construction means it is worth avoiding catching the outer edges on objects which are firmly fixed into the ground (e.g. large rocks or manholes) as they will bend. We are often asked why we don’t build them heavier – the answer is that you would end up putting a ‘corskcrew’ type bend into your dipper arm!
- XHD Buckets: These can be used on any application, from digging soil to digging and loading rocks in a quarry. Refer also to the notes on Digging Buckets and Cycle Times.
- Price. If you’ve read the notes above, you won’t be surprised to hear that with buckets – as with many things in life – the cheapest is rarely the best choice. We’ve all seen the sob stories, in the papers, on the TV (on shows like Watchdog) of people who’ve employed the cheapest builder, or gone on the cheapest holiday, had the cheapest double-glazing fitted, and ultimately, cheap buckets are just the same – the only good thing about them is the price. See Specification to find out why.
- Specification. Once you’ve decided the type of bucket you need – Digging, Ditching, XHD etc. – what you really need to know is the specification, in order to make a true comparison of what you’re getting for your money. Unfortunately, not all bucket manufacturers are as honest and forthcoming with this data, and for good reason too. These are the key criteria:
- Materials: Cheap steel, with low hardness (through, not just surface) is one of the most common problems with cheap kit. For larger gauge, high wear applications, we always use Hardox 400 (see our BUCKETS page for full information on this product) a registered and highly regarded trademark product, but some rivals will fob you off with a specification that quotes for "Hardbox"!
- Imported: There is nothing intrinsically wrong with imported goods, but we make every one of our buckets in-house, here in the UK. We do not bring in either finished buckets or part finished (without pivot brackets) from overseas. Buying from us you know you are paying for British workers, employed in a factory and conditions that meet UK standards. You also know the carbon footprint of your bucket's journey to your site does not begin half way around the world.
- Bosses: Another trick to cut cost out of buckets is to delete the machined pin bosses from the bucket pivot plates. This is done in two ways;
- Drilling the pivot plates – this method offers a poorer bearing characteristic than welded-in, machined bosses, and will result in the pin holes wearing or even stretching far quicker than with welded-in bosses.
- Welding ‘dummy’ pins into the pivot plates for Quick Hitch buckets. This is fine, until the pins wear, and then how do you replace/repair the pins? With conventionally fitted pins, you can at least turn the pins through 180 degrees to get some more wear out of them, without any special tools, but if they’re welded in place it’s far more complicated. On diameters 60mm and up, this is less of an issue, but is definitely a consideration on smaller machines.
- Size: It sounds obvious, but cheaper buckets are very often smaller! How? Well most buckets are bought and sold on their cut width, but that’s only one key dimension, and the depth and height also factor into the overall capacity. We will supply all these key dimensions, and more, to our customers, so you don’t need to mess about with buckets which can often be as much as 25% lower in capacity?
- Delivery: Your buying a bucket to fulfill a specific need, so you’ll want to know when you can have a bucket delivered, and how much you will be charged for delivery to you or your site. If it’s being made to order, you also need to know an honest and accurate manufacture time. We NEVER mislead customers about any of these issues, but sadly we do know of numerous cases where customers feel they have been let down by other suppliers. Be sure you can trust your bucket supplier.
- Materials: Cheap steel, with low hardness (through, not just surface) is one of the most common problems with cheap kit. For larger gauge, high wear applications, we always use Hardox 400 (see our BUCKETS page for full information on this product) a registered and highly regarded trademark product, but some rivals will fob you off with a specification that quotes for "Hardbox"!
- Manufacture Time: We always try to sell customers the right bucket/attachment for their job, rather than just using the ‘let’s shift what we have in stock’ approach. Often we have stock of the right kit, but equally there are times where we need to manufacture to customers requirements. In this case, we will tell you an accurate build date, at the time of order, and we will stick to it. As a rough guide, we can normally guarantee the following lead times for buckets:
- Excavators from 0.5 to 5 tonnes; 2-4 working days.
- Excavators from 5 to 10 tonnes; 2-5 working days.
- Excavators from 10 to 20 tonnes; 2-10 working days.
- Excavators from 20 to 30 tonnes; 3-14 working days.
- Excavators over 30 tonnes; 21 working days.