HOW TO FINISH GRADE WITH AN EXCAVATOR // Excavator Tips and Tricks - How to Make a Flat Pass
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- In today's Down & Dirty we're going to talk about how to finish grade in an excavator. Typically you're not finish grading in an excavator, but if you're in one of those situations where you need to, here's a tutorial on the mechanics behind finish grading with an excavator.
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am just junior operator, but i tried your tips yesterday & i have found that they are working for me better. Thanks
Glad they've been helpful!
I’m taking a class right now. And while the other student works on the machine. Your videos are required viewing. Thanks. Very nice cam angle. I appreciate every word. Talking through it helps a bunch❤
Awesome, thank you!
Thank you for showing me how to fly says the mosquito to the eagle.
This from the home owner of a 9hp towable backhoe with almost 20 hours of experience... You saved me a chunk of learning curve. Appreciated.
haha this comment made me laugh out loud! Happy to help...even with the small projects!
New excavator operator over here in the Uk , just want to say great video. Simple and easy to understand , keep them coming , they’re definitely helping me ,
I'm an operator in Ghana. Greetings
@@thesmallthings5024 Greetings from Georgia
YES! YES!! YESSSS!!!! That's EXACTLY what I nee to see as a new operator of a mini-ex! Nice slow instructions with bucket an you visible. More, MOre, MORe, MORE, please. Off to buy some merch for taking my request! BOO-YAH!!!
Haha happy to help! Let me know what else you'd like to see and I'll throw some videos together for you
@@DieselandIron Bought a cap an a sticker to put on my Kubota KX-018-4. I' like to know what exercises your recommend most for becoming proficient. One is obviously what you covered in this video. What else would you suggest accompanied by some good video tutorials. What was the best thing that you did when you first started? Thanks again. I appreciate you!
The quality of a teacher does a lot for the success of his students.
Thereafter, as you mention, it's a question of practice.
If there is one thing this industry requires it is a lot of practice
Thanks as a farmer with an excavator these video's are great.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome vid. I personally put a huge emphasis on leveling the machine first before starting. Get a nice pad to sit on first then work in a radius
Leveling the machine helps you be more productive but if you're only doing a small area it might not be worth the time to level a spot.
Thanks for the tips bro just keep the good work up its awesome I'm an operator as well but I love watching blokes like you learn a lot my moto is I'm always learning new tricks everyday you can teach an old dog new tricks 😀 👍
Very helpful. The takeaway I see is you don't have to take full width bucket mounding cuts every time...except when load trucks. Keeping the stick perpendicular as much as possible helps too. I used to try to grade with the full extent of the machine and it was uncontrollable.
You will eventually gain the ability to grade with the machine at full reach. It just takes time and practice. Whenever you are fine grading you switch from a production scenario to a "take your time" scenario. Even if I were to take several cuts at full speed it would be slower than taking a nice slow pass one time using half my bucket. Slower is faster when it comes to fine grading
Right, it just takes seat time!
And understanding each machine has its own sensitivity you gotta get to know each machine you operate.
Sounds a little crazy, but if you look on the floor of some Cat machines there are three little circles that are slightly elevated on the floor ahead of the controls. I like to take a small level and place it on top of those three circles to make sure the machine is flat before I try to fine grade with an excavator. Then I'll lay some dirt under the track to level the machine before I dig. I then work from back to front like you said then side to side then if the machine has a blade I'll "blend" my sections together with the blade. Usually comes out nice and flat.
Great advice James! I had no idea the dots were a good level indicator. Thanks for the comment brother
As a new operator getting level is the bit I worry about. I would have thought a level would be standard in an excavator. But these videos have shown more than a few tips and tricks on how to get level, and I guess over time I'll get a good sense of being level or a bit off. So far it's easiest to tell when I slew around that I'm not on level ground.
new operator to this line of work , when you've been running equipment for a few years and try something new its this, its like a whole different ball game lol great video
Thank you! I appreciate the compliment brother!
Thanks for taking the time to make this video, it's been a help 👍
Happy to help!
Couldn’t have said it better my myself, awesome video brother 😎
Thanks man! I appreciate it.
Greet teachings...Im just starting out here in my sixties....love it!!
The other grade finish vlog is good but this this one is awesome. I liked how you said moving piles sideways can damage the stick. Great tips and advice 👌
Thanks!
As a chic just doing some simple stuff around the farm and so irritated with how crappy my stuff looked with a little backhoe on a tractor…this was quite helpful. Thank you
Happy to help! Here's to making your stuff look less crappy 😜
@@DieselandIron haha, thanks! 😊
Keep practicing you’ll be better than ever eventually seat time is always a priority!
Awesome video! Thank you :) I'm just starting out and am doing my first job. I'm working on a dirt track and I need to camber the road so water drains off the centre into the trench and off the side. Could you give me advice on how best to do that? I don't have any other machines just me and my excavator.
Depending on the situation you could dig a small trench for one of your tracks to set your angle or you could create a small mound to raise one of your tracks up. That will allow you to grade with the machine in the correct position.
Great video . The principle carries over I think with all grading get level path and then take passes over the new partially on the ground to be graded keeping the bucket or blade on new graded side. Important for machine to be level to begin with . It's easier said than done.
I agree, when possible it is much easier to level the machine first. If you're unable to then you make do. Thanks for the comment Tim!
New oporator here,
When trenching or grading or anything in general, do you ever do anything past the 90 when it starts to lift? obviously you go opposite direction to the start and push the boom down to counter, my question is, is it worth going that little extra or keep it beyond the 90 and then restart
Yes, you will go past 90 all of the time. If you don't go past 90 then you are only using about half of the travel you can get out of the bucket. It takes time to get good at the transition but, over time it becomes just another thing. When you're digging a long trench then it's more efficient to move the machine once you get to the 90 degree point. The majority of the time you are digging right up to the machine so moving the tracks isn't an option.
@DieselandIron thanks for your reply mate, appreciate it
Good video Bryan🤙I use those tactics all the time🤙
Thanks James!
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for watching, let me know if you have any questions!
👍🏼 well done bud 💪🏼
Thanks Mike! I appreciate ya brother
So helpful thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Yes when u can pull a straight line that's when u can say you've got Experience still wayyy more to learn but yeah you've gained a level of experience Very good training Brian 👍 🤔 I've never seen a proper video on stockpiling material U Brian be the first to do that new operator's need to learn that and it's something that a lot of new operator's have asked me about and U Brian are the correct person to address this Top Class Videos Brian Great content just a matter of time before U blow up big 👍
🤔 where the hell were u when I was learning 😅 guess u were doing the same 😂
Haha thanks Junia! I really appreciate all the compliments! Let me see what I can do when it comes to stockpiling. I'll have to get on a job where it makes sense to do that. Thanks for watching as always!
U got it Brian but keep it in mind see on my end if you're a green operator you're going to get the green victimized out of u it's what I went through and I personally don't want anyone else to go through that so anything a younger operator ask me about I help them out and I will let u know what they're looking for so U can have some input because yes I have sent them all your way 😂 check my buddy Brian out u will learn something for sure keep up the Great work Brian and thank U for the Great videos
@@juniafrank8724 I really appreciate that Junia! We will do our best to get these green guys trained up! You just tell me what we need to teach them!
Very nice explanation of some techniques. Thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Great video as usual Bryan, I’ve seen something done before and wanted to know if it’s something you’ve done in the past. When digging a trench the operator I work with tends to start his pass about a foot into what he knows is on grade and just lightly brushes the top before making the finish pass on the trench, I’m assuming this is to help him set up what his boom speed so he can pull it flat. What are your thoughts on this and have you done it before?
Great question Ryan. That's actually a technique I use as well when digging in a trench situation. It gets your hand speed correct before you actually start cutting material which will help you stay on grade. Another technique I will use is to start bringing my stick in and right before it starts to cut material I will catch it by raising my boom. That's another way to set your hands before actually cutting material. I'll try to make another Down and Dirty showing these two techniques since this video is doing so well. I'm seeing a lot of additional questions so I think it would benefit everyone if I show these on camera. Thanks for the comment Ryan.
i like your vedio i have learn a lot by watching your vedio.that will help me be a good operator thnk you
Thank you for watching!
It's just amazing how an expert can make you think that working like this is very easy
Thanks for sharing this. Im interested in training.
Seat time is the best training you can get in this industry. Where are you from?
good tip for the guys that are starting out!🤘
Thanks for watching David!
Great tutorial
Very nice control mate 👌
Thank you!
Looks like a nice excavator.
Still had plastic on the seat when we got it!
Thanks for the concise demo sorry I haven't been keeping up with your videos the past few weeks
No sweat man! It's the busy season so I completely understand. Thanks for watching brother!
Smooth work. Great experience you have.
Thanks Lebanese dude!
EXCELLENT CONTENT!!!
Thanks Kelly!
Awesome video! I am watching it over and over, hoping it will stick for tomorrow in the seat lol. I wonder if you have done any videos on boulders and moving material after the rock breaker is finished with it.
I haven't done a video like that yet. Here in Michigan we don't find ourselves getting into boulders too frequently outside of doing boulder walls.
@@DieselandIron that makes sense!
I know these videos are kinda old, but could you tell me what your camera setup is like? My boss and I have been talking about setting up gopros on us and the machines to record stuff for kinda like a montage reel for his new website he’s building. Is there anything that you didn’t have from the start but over the years wish you had from the beginning when recording your work?
My main vlog camera that provides you with all the cinematic footage is a Sony a7iii. For all of the equipment footage I'm using a F4 18-105mm lens. In cab footage is two GoPro Hero 7's with suction cup mounts. I highly recommend getting a good magnet mount as well since it lets you get some cool angles outside the machine without having to worry about losing your GoPro. The only thing I wish I had gotten sooner is my audio recorder. I use a Zoom F1 for all of my vocals and it is a game changer when it comes to the in cab audio. If you don't plan on recording yourself speaking while operating then don't worry about the audio recorder.
@@DieselandIron for right now we just want to record footage, but my boss and I (separately) have always wanted to make UA-cam channels for work. I recently started with him in March and I really like my job, so I brought up the camera idea and that’s when he said he’s always wanted to do it also. We’re on our way to securing a bunch of state work and I just thought it would be cool to record what I do all day. My six year old son can’t wait to work with daddy and on the weekend I have to drive him to job sites and show him the equipment and what I do. My father also thinks this stuff is super cool and likes when I record things but it’s super hard to set trench boxes while holding a phone 😅 thanks for the info, I’ll see if my boss will split some of this stuff with me, maybe a tax write off lmfao 🤣
@@PoohOnYourShoe shoot me an email at contact@dieselandironproductions.com if you have more questions on camera stuff or editing software. I am happy to chat with you and give you all the pointers I can
Thank you
Love the vid....Thanks!!!
Thanks brother, and thanks for watching!
Thank you Sir.
Thanks for watching!
Very good effort man, thanks
Thank you!
Another trick for practicing would be to do passes on a concrete / asphalt slab keeping the bucket just above the ground... you'll know when you hit. Ideally it's an old slab you don't care about. That will help you get used to the motions with an easier way to tell if you're going a little too deep, but you still have to watch to see if you're going too high.
I would highly encourage using a slab of concrete you don't care about. If you're trying to learn how to do this then odds are high you will hit the concrete. Don't eff up nice concrete gang!
Once again good Video & explanation keep em coming!👍
Thanks man! Good to hear from you again brother!
I knoww been caught with work Lately Brother, mad I couldn’t stop in on your podcast & do you think there’s any possibility that we can get some motor grader Videos like in depth controls of operation/projects or road construction & residential work 🧐
Great video
Thanks brother!
Cool double view operation👍
Thank you! Everyone seems to really like the dual cam view.
Thanks bro, excellent video,
Thanks for watching!
Awesome video thanks
Thanks for watching!
God bless you and your family.
Back at ya Jean!
Can you make one of making a bench and climbing on to load trucks or something??
That would have been a godsent a few years ago. I got a Ton of help from the other senior ops at the time. I’m sure the channel owner can explain it better.
Let me see what I can come up with. I'll try to find a situation where I have some stockpiled material I can climb up on to show you guys. Thanks for the request Thomas!
I'll try to get a video out here in the near future for you guys.
Awesome video
Thanks man!
Awesome videos/content as usual 👍
Thanks Kyle!
This was great!
Thanks Nick! Happy belated birthday brother!
@@DieselandIron Thank you brother!!
Thanks man 👌
Thanks for watching!
@@DieselandIron I'm now up at 4.30am waiting to go down and do what I learnt from your video as soon as the sun comes up 😂😂
thanks good stuff
Thanks for watching!
thanx4post
Thanks for watching!
Very helpful! What the model of that case?
Thanks Brayden! This was a Case CX210D
I thought that was what it looked like in the thumbnail... that’s one of the models I’ll be running... We have a CX130D, a CX210D, and a CX250D with a 60’ reach
It a very nice job
Thanks for watching!
Can you show a video on what angle to have the bucket and when to start curling to get a level pass??
This is that video. I can't really show you exactly when to curl to stay level because every machine is different. Boom and stick geometry's vary. You might have a quick coupler or a rototilt that changes the distance from the hinge point to the tip of the teeth. All of these things will change how you need to pull to stay level. This is one of those skills that just takes seat time and experience to learn. I wish I could give everyone a quick "do this" but, it just doesn't work that way.
Let us suppose that we do not have space to move backwards and the material accumulates in front of the excavator without the possibility of being able to remove it. What do we do? I ask because I am practicing with an excavator and that happens to me a lot and I have to go over the accumulated material and in this way I "break" what I have smoothed.
Sorry for taking so long to respond. If you know you aren't going to be able to back up then you need to push the material away from you before it crowds in too close. Similar concept to what you do in a loader so you aren't chasing piles. Take a scoop and when you return for another, push the material away from you before setting up for your next pass. Also, make sure your passes don't come all the way into the machine. Leave a bit of margin for your push out.
Thankyou, I'm a sewer and water foreman and have zero operators, now I'm supposed to be doing an earthworks site, FML. I am expected to run dozer grader and finish ex
Sounds like you have your hands full! Where are you located?
@@DieselandIron I'm located in calgary alberta canada..... gotta love 2 to 3 meters of frost lol
@@ironmenlandscaping That sounds like a pretty miserable time with no man power. I was going to offer up Rick and I coming out and helping but that's getting pretty cold...🤣
@@DieselandIron the thought alone is good enough for me. Also the video was awesome thanks for the help
Kris Evashkevich shame your not in the uk as I'm Blue card operator for 360's and retired looking for ad hoc hours on my log book
Well done Bryan, what machine were you in?
Thanks Wayne! This was a Case CX 210D. Very nice machine.
You bad like gas. Keep it up.
Thanks for watching!
Very nice 👍
Thanks for watching!
you don't suggest moving bucket while doing this so you have a longer range? My teachers showed me that way but it looks way easier your way lol
As you get better you can start incorporating movement of the bucket. In the beginning when you are just trying to get your hands under you I would keep movements as simple as possible
Thanks bro for your time efforts and patience to do this video if other operators bags other operators and think their better why don't they do what you do probley there just have to much pride in what they do think that there shit don't stink ahahah blokes like that are just hypercrits I use my pride little by little and combine it with the rest of my knowledge 😄 just keep them vids coming bro it helps alot peace ✌
I really appreciate all the kind words and the comments! I really appreciate guys like yourself that takes content for what it was meant. Let me know if there's anything you want to see and I'll do my best to make a video on the topic!
Hi, bro.! would you be able to do a video on final trim and GPS work I'm more of a bulk operator tips and tricks on final trimming would be good 👍
Let me see what I can put together!
Thanks for indirectly telling me to get out of the truck before you do this!
Oops wrong video!!
Lets say you need to dig a flat trench but it needs to be smooth so you cant dig with your teeth down and you have to move your bucket to level it out as you go, you got any tips for that? and that tip about moving the boom faster at the start and adjusting it as you go is so simple but hard to get through your head in the field you just start pulling on the sticks as fast as you can lol
I don’t exactly understand by needing to move your bucket to level it out but what I’ve seen done is they’ll set the bucket flat on the bottom of the trench and then pull towards the machine, it’s a little harder because then you moving the boom, stick, and bucket curl all at once (you’ll need to curl out to keep the bucket teeth parallel to the bottom of the trench) but it leaves a nice smooth finish when your done. I’ve also found this technique works well when finishing grading light materials like sand as it doesn’t take much to over-dig and because your bucket is on grade you can curl the bucket to take small cuts.
I would say get it as close as possible with the teeth then use the heal to smooth out the bottom and always remember slow and steady you'll get fast over time without even trying.
When I started my cheat was To set the dipper at 90°to the boom, glance at the the dog bones for my bucket level, and also the ground level to my dipper depth mark in relation to the side of my straight wall, check my tracks to the topsoil key in my mirror then travel back and finishing as I walk out. Perfect cover every set. I also check my depth with the size of the spill and on level ground the relation of the boom cylinders to the boom.
When using this technique I always swing on my last bucket to check my path before reversing on the mirrors.
As others have commented here, heeling in your trench with the back of the bucket is the most effective way to get a flat bottom trench with a toothed bucket. I will cut to grade (staying maybe half a tenth high) using my teeth like normal. My last pass, maybe two passes will be with the back of the bucket, dragging it with quite a bit of down pressure to clean up the bottom of the trench. That should leave you a nice flat bottom while being right on grade.
If I understand what your saying you walk the machine back with and get finish grade in trench that way?
Cooool🍻🍻🍻
Thanks!
Ole boy
Thanks for watching!
Goooodd
Thanks!
What is your favorite excavator
Probably the 345C but I haven't had a chance to run one of Cat's next gen hoe's yet so I can't say for sure...
Thanks for the video, very helpful. As a newbie with excavators I just have to remind myself not to watch how You use the controls.. I have ISO controls on my excavator ...
These should be the same. I believe ISO controls are "Cat" controls which is what I'm running. Thanks for watching!
@@DieselandIron You are right. ISO pattern is CAT pattern, but there are lots of internet references that have this incorrectly reversed. ISO is the predominant control pattern on excavators worldwide. If however, you started to learn on a backhoe the ISO is the opposite of what you became familiar with.
Put your bucket flat b a lot better and easier for grade bud
Gps buddy auto
👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍
Every time I start an excavator I am a Rocky cuple days later I am really better
It always takes a little bit to shake the dust off.
You know what man… I’m been looking for work as an operator in an excavator, all the out here say “ we are looking for operators” what can you run? Skid but I learn fast. If you can’t operate an excavator then no??? Sounds like we both want something… I want to learn and you want an operator. That’s the problem these damn companies don’t want to teach and fucking cry
It is a problem in the industry
Make sure the machine is level... or know how to keep level with your side movements 😂 well... “level” as in following the desired grade. it’s so much to explain. It’s nearly impossible to thoroughly explain everything you need to consider when running heavy equipment. It’s an art form. You can slap any idiot in a piece of equipment but only a select few can truly operate them with actual skill.
And now you know my struggle making this content! Keep it short and concise so people don't lose interest but cover as much information as possible. At the end of the day nothing replaces seat time. Thanks for commenting!
It is hard to get good. I'm far from there haven't been doing it long anough. That's what is so cool about it you just get better with time.
Just because somebody isn't good at running equipment they aren't idiots. Maybe if they think they are good when they aren't then they earn the idiot title.
No no no.
You can’t “finish grade” with an excavator. Clean up, that’s different and if you want it any cleaner, say within 3 tenths, get a dozer, blade or even a slip loader.
Get the right tool for the job.
If you’re taking time by grading with an excavator, you’re not making money when that machine should be digging. That’s where it’s productive.
And sweeping is terrible for the spindle motors…. Unless you’ve got money to burn.
Duane, I feel like you have outed yourself as an armchair operator. I would encourage you to watch, listen and learn rather than spewing industry terms you've heard from UA-cam videos you've watched on the industry. If you can't get grade closer than 3 tenths in a hoe then you need to get out of the seat. Again, as I stated in reply to your first comment, you aren't going to grade an open field with an excavator. This is for areas where it is appropriate.
ROTOTILT!
I'm an American! We don't believe in rototilts. We like doing things the hard way
@@DieselandIron hahaha here in the nordic countries you don't really see a pro without one!
@@allu50 the US is so far behind in realizing the value of attachments. Contractors just have a hard time getting past the cost of the attachment and recognizing the value and increased production potential.
Please stop teaching people to sweep. It’s hard on the machine and operators don’t get better from doing it.
It's a common function that pretty much every operator uses when you don't have the luxury of a finish dozer.
Very helpful video! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Great Video
Thanks for watching!