Specialty Buckets Find Plenty of Use
Paul Kirby, project superintendent for Western Municipal Construction, has a crew working on a sewer line replacement job in an alley in Missoula, MT. Because of the confined work area, the crew is using an excavator-mounted Felco Vibratory Compaction Bucket to dump, then compact spoils in the trench. The vibratory bucket with flow control valve combines the compaction performance of a vibratory plate with the versatility of a bucket. It is especially suited for compacting granular and rocky materials. The operator has been able to easily maneuver the bucket in the narrow alley and with low overhanging power lines and tree limbs.
While Western Municipal used the vibratory bucket for this particular application, Roller Compaction Buckets (shown) are its preferred compaction attachment. According to Kirby, the company has 20 of these buckets, which feature a tamping pad roller design within the basic duty bucket. They are used by crews whenever possible for compaction in clay or cohesive materials.
Less than two blocks away on a similar jobsite, L.S. Jensen Paving is using a vibratory bucket manufactured more than 20 years ago. According to Frank Velock, an L.S. Jensen employee, the bucket has been working for years with minimal damage.
A Felco Bedding Conveyor and Roller Compaction Bucket are also being used on the project. The Bedding Conveyor has been able to save the contractor time and money by eliminating the need for dump trucks to be constantly dumping into the trench. The conveyor mounts to the excavator carbody between the tracks, with a hopper on the idler end of the undercarriage. The operator can charge the hopper and place the material as needed.
Velock also appreciates the versatility of the Roller Bucket. “The Roller Bucket we have right now covers everything,” he notes. “It’s faster and we cover more ground. And we passed all of our compaction tests with it.”
CEAttachments Excavator Thumbs*
The excavator thumb allows you to pick and move hard to handle objects such as pipes, rocks or loose debris without changing attachments.
• Hardened bushings at the pivots
• Welded cutting edge for extra durability while transporting material
• Tucks up and locks against dipper when not in use for full use of other implements
• Available in hydraulic or rigid mount and stick-pin or weld-on mount
ATCO Blue Diamond 5600W Thumb
The 5600W extreme-duty excavator thumb is a wider version of the current 5600 model.
• Suitable for demolition, timber, scrap recycling, general excavating and brush cleanup
• Measures 30 in. wide by 57 in. long
• Three positions
• Folds away when not in use
Buckets are perhaps the most common attachments you’ll find on construction sites. They enable skid steers, backhoe-loaders, excavators, wheel loaders and even telehandlers to dig, load, trench, grade and perform a host of other tasks. Following are some of the various models and accessories available.
Rockland RL
Rollout Bucket
The RL Rollout Buckets are designed to give your loader the dump height of a larger machine.
• Increase dump height by 3 to 4 ft.
• Twin pocket design
• Dual cushioned cylinders for maximum load control
• Available for material that weighs less than 1,500 lbs. per cu. yd.
Kenco 35-cu.-yd.-Bucket
The Kenco 35-cu.-yd. bucket is a tough, large-capacity rehandler.
• Coupler or pin-on lugging available
• Shell liner, cheek plates and cutting edges constructed of AR400
• Side plates constructed of 44W
• Four section bolt-on cutting edges
Hall’s Dirt
Squeegee Blade
These dirt blades can convert a toothed bucket to a smooth, wide edge in 60 seconds with no bolts or tools needed.
• Eliminate tooth marks
• Will fit any brand or size bucket from 8 in. to 3 ft.
• Models available for backhoe-loaders, mini-excavators or large track excavators
Helac PowerGrip Multipurpose Bucket*
Helac Corp. has expanded its line of PowerGrip multipurpose buckets to meet demand for 20-ton excavators and backhoes.
• Three models for excavators and backhoes up to 45,000 lbs.
• Can be used as a general-purpose, trenching, grading or clamshell bucket, grapple or hydraulic thumb
• Consistent holding force through 120° of movement
FFC Attachments Grapple Buckets*
FFC Attachments offers Scrap and Trash Grapple Buckets for rough-terrain forklifts.
• Scrap Grapple Buckets come in 1.0- and 1.75-cu.-yd. capacities with individually operated dual grapples and cut-out end plates
• Trash Grapple Buckets come in 1.75- and 2.25-cu.-yd. capacities with full end plates and a one-piece grapple
• All models measure 96 in. wide with a 10,000-lb. lift capacity and a 36,000-lb. operating weight
• Optional bolt-on edge
Amulet BRUT Nitro Series Rigid Thumb
The severe-duty Nitro Series rigid thumbs are now available for base machines ranging from 18,000 to 120,000 lbs.
• Suitable for demolition, land clearing and rock, as well as scrap and log handling projects
• Serrated, three-tine design
• Independent main pin
• Four positions with added rotation
Fecon FGB72
Grapple Bucket
The FGB72 grapple bucket attachment for skid steers is designed for clearing debris, rock and trees.
• Dual independent arms for awkward-shaped material
• Rigid frame for difficult applications
• Weighs 815 lbs.
• 37-in. opening, 32-in. depth and 72-in. length suitable for scooping small material on hard surfaces
Laser Cut Davis
6-in-1 Bucket
The 6-in-1 convertible bucket is built to angle, doze and convert back to a bucket all from the operator’s seat.
• Acts as side-shift dozer with dozer extensions
• Power angles, belly dumps, grapples and scoops
• Backfill ditches in 30% less time vs. a standard or 4-in-1 bucket
Leading Edge Attachments DigNRip Bucket
The DigNRip excavator bucket functions similar to a trencher for severe rock and frost removal.
• Ripper tooth tips positioned to combine the contact positions associated with the rolling movement of the bucket cylinder and the sweep action of a stick
• Teeth angled for maximum ripping
• Constructed from AR400 steel
ESCO Scoop Bucket System
The Scoop bucket system consists of the Multi-Pin Grabber coupler and the Scoop bucket with standard Super V tooth system.
• Maintains productivity of a bucket mounted directly to the excavator
• Coupler attaches to pins mounted within the beam of the bucket
• Available in the heavy-duty (HD) class for excavators ranging from 7 to 40 metric tons
• Can also pick up standard lugged buckets and other attachments for machines in the same weight class
AIM Low-profile Skid-steer Buckets
AIM Attachment’s low-profile buckets have a low center of gravity to better utilize the breakout force of the skid steer.
• Durable, compact design allows for greater visibility of the cutting edge
• Available in a long-bottom
configuration
• Optional features include pin-on teeth, small crimp-on teeth or add-on toothbars
Quick Attach
Combo Bucket
This 6-in-1 combination bucket is capable of dozing, grappling, leveling, digging, loading and dumping.
• Suitable for use on demolition, construction, landscaping and municipal jobs
• Also enables grading and backdragging
• Interlocking serrated edges hold objects securely
Werk-Brau Multi-Tine
Thumb EZ Grip
The Multi-Tine Thumb EZ Grip is designed to aid in handling or loading irregularly shaped objects.
• Can be left on machine during normal excavation procedures
• High-strength steel used throughout entire weldment
ALLU SM Bucket
The ALLU SM mixing, aerating, screening and pulverizing bucket can be used for fast, effective processing of materials such as soil, clay, sludge, coal and C&D waste.
• Can scoop, shake and separate soil from waste matter or mix different materials together in one step
• Several sizes available for use on skid steers, excavators, loaders and loader-backhoes
Construction Attachments Multipurpose Buckets
These compact multipurpose buckets enable a tractor, skid steer or backhoe-loader to scrape, bottom dump, clamp, dig, doze, clam load, backfill and load material.
• 54- to 72-in. widths with 6.7- to 9.1-cu.-ft. heaped capacities
• 19-in. maximum clam opening
• Pre-drilled front cutting edge to accept bolt-on reversible cutting edge or teeth
• Rear hitch designed to match carrier hitch dimensions
• Optional One-Touch hydraulic kit to actuate clam circuit on tractors without auxiliary hydraulics
2006 Attachment Guide Articles
| Specialized Attachment for Rent pg 25A | Roadbuilding pg 41A |
| Demolition pg 31A | Utility pg 43A |
| Material Handling pg 34A | Miscellaneous pg 45A |
| Cost Effective Slope Packing pg 35A |
