I have used a mini-digger to dig footings etc but never to level ground.

If I cannot move the digger (limited access) and hence can't use the
dozer blade, is there a way to use the arm/bucket for levelling? My
concern is that soil drawn towards the digger with the bucket will
not be level due to the arc transcribed by the arm.

Any ideas anybody?

Thanks,
Jon...

In article , 
jon@nospamthanks says...

> I have used a mini-digger to dig footings etc but never to level ground.
> 
> If I cannot move the digger (limited access) and hence can't use the
> dozer blade, is there a way to use the arm/bucket for levelling? My
> concern is that soil drawn towards the digger with the bucket will
> not be level due to the arc transcribed by the arm.
> 

If it's such a small area why not use a shovel?

It takes a bit of coordination, but they are quite cunning. If I recall 
correctly from about 15 years ago, when you pull (or push) both levers at 45 
degrees the bucket mouth more or less follows a straight line because 3? 4? 
cylinders are moving at the same time. I'm sure someone else will explain 
better.

On Thu, 15 Sep 2005 19:17:23 +0100, jon <jon@nospamthanks> wrote:


>I have used a mini-digger to dig footings etc but never to level ground.
>
>If I cannot move the digger (limited access) and hence can't use the
>dozer blade, is there a way to use the arm/bucket for levelling? My
>concern is that soil drawn towards the digger with the bucket will
>not be level due to the arc transcribed by the arm.
>
>Any ideas anybody?
>
>Thanks,
>Jon...


It can be done, but takes some degree of skill

As the arm moves forward is swings an arc, you need to lift and lower
the piviot of point (the elbow) by using the sholder joint.

Rick

On Thu, 15 Sep 2005 21:22:11 +0100, "Newshound"
 wrote:


>It takes a bit of coordination, but they are quite cunning. If I recall 
>correctly from about 15 years ago, when you pull (or push) both levers at 45 
>degrees the bucket mouth more or less follows a straight line because 3? 4? 
>cylinders are moving at the same time. I'm sure someone else will explain 
>better. 
>


Nowdays you use 2 joysticks to controll the movment, using small
subtle movments of the joysticks. 45 degrees would snap them off.

Rick

Rick wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Sep 2005 19:17:23 +0100, jon <jon@nospamthanks> wrote:
> 
> 
>>I have used a mini-digger to dig footings etc but never to level ground.
>>
>>If I cannot move the digger (limited access) and hence can't use the
>>dozer blade, is there a way to use the arm/bucket for levelling? My
>>concern is that soil drawn towards the digger with the bucket will
>>not be level due to the arc transcribed by the arm.
>>
>>Any ideas anybody?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>Jon...
> 
> 
> It can be done, but takes some degree of skill
> 
> As the arm moves forward is swings an arc, you need to lift and lower
> the piviot of point (the elbow) by using the sholder joint.
> 
> Rick


Thanks for the response Rick, I had a feeling that was probably the case
with mini diggers at least :-(

Regards,
Jon

Newshound wrote:


> It takes a bit of coordination, but they are quite cunning. If I recall 
> correctly from about 15 years ago, when you pull (or push) both levers at 45 
> degrees the bucket mouth more or less follows a straight line because 3? 4? 
> cylinders are moving at the same time. I'm sure someone else will explain 
> better. 


I hope this is still the case as it sounds much easier than I was 
expecting...