Professional Documents
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Model 650
Assembly
Instructions
Disclaimer
These instructions do not purport to cover all details or variations in equipment, nor to provide for every possible
contingency to be met during construction, operation, and maintenance. Should further information be desired or
should particular problems arise that are not covered sufficiently for the purchaser's purpose, the matter should be
referred to CADplans Corp. Daleville, VA.
This document contains propietary information of CADplans Corp and is furnished to its customers soley to assist that
customer in the construction of the equipment described. This document shall not be reproduced in whole or in part
nor shall its contents be disclosed to any third party without the written approval of CADplans Corp. Daleville, VA.
CADplans makes no claim of merchantability or fitness, for any particular purpose of these plans. Builder of this
equipment must accept all liability responsibility including safety and compliance with provisions of any laws or acts.
In no event shall CADplans liability exceed the purchase price paid for these plans and any legal actions brought
against CADplans shall be tried in the state of Virginia, County of Botetourt. We shall in no event be liable for death,
injuries to persons or property or incidental, contingent, special or consequential damages arising from the use of our
products.
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please use our customer service number 540-992-4758 between 6:00pm and 10:00pm ET.
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payment is due upon receipt.
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If the merchandise is found to be defective or damaged in shipment, contact CADplans for replacement items.
Copyright
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means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without prior written permission of the original copyright owners, CADplans Corp.
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READ BEFORE BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION
Material, Tools, & Techniques
Power and versatility in a small economical unit makes CADDigger a desirable machine to own. The machine can
perform digging tasks better than a farm tractor, yet doesn't disturb the soil like large machines. A great deal of time
was spent developing CADDigger so it could be built with only a few metal working tools.
Mechanical tubing is a heavy wall steel with a precision inside diameter. It is not pipe. Using this material, you cut a
piece, weld it in place and have a precision hole. Weld two aligned with a pin and you have an assembly only a very
big machining center could produce. Those customers who have the machines available to them can weld bar stock in
place, lay out the holes, and drill & ream the holes to produce CADDigger. This is a successful technique, but
CADDigger was designed for the home owner without machines or machining skills.
The only tools typically needed to produce CADDigger are a drill press, welder (stick preferred), bandsaw, electric
drill and hand tools. Other tools are helpful, but not necessary. If you have other tools (lathe, mill, etc.) and know
how to use them, do apply them to CADDigger.
The techniques used are the latest applied by equipment manufacturers. Low tensile strength castings are being
abandoned for steel fabrications. Steel is a very forgiving material to work with allowing you to cut and drill with little
practice. Unlike castings or wood used in other projects, steel can be easily repaired should you make a mistake. And
since the parts are so simple, don't feel bad about abandoning a part and starting over, which is better than having a
defective part in your machine. Always remember, you are quality control. Make that part right now so you won't
have a problem later.
Preparation
Excavators and backhoes are notorious for the extreme power they can generate. From the first time hydraulics were
applied to a shovel man knew this was the way to dig. This must be remembered when building CADDigger, the
joints and assemblies are subjected to high forces. Take your time during construction, align parts carefully and weld
all parts fully wherever they touch. Use full size fillet welds. This means each leg of the fillet equals the thickness of
the thinner part being welded. (See Fig 1.)
Note: Large fillet welds may cause parts to draw together. These areas require the minimum size weld.
Take your time when cutting parts with the bandsaw. Increasing down
pressure to increase cutting speed causes premature blade failure and
crooked cuts.
The more precise your parts are cut the easier your assembly will be.
Torch cutting and abrasive wheel cutting can produce good parts in the
hands of skilled craftsman, but the bandsaw produces quality parts almost
all of the time. Precision alignment of parts comes from fixruring during
welding. Block parts with steel scraps during welding to minimize
Fig. 1 - Typical Full Size Fillet Weld thermal distortion.
Build the machine on a level surface. If you set up the frame on an unleveled surface, obtaining squareness
will be difficult. If the machine is not square, it will not dig properly and will not tow straight when converted or
trailering.
Tack weld an assembly prior to welding and check for accuracy. A tack weld can be easily removed, where as a
completed weld can cause you to scrap a part that was misaligned. Thermal distortion will require you to hand adjust
the holes. This is normal. The more even the temperature a part remains, the less distortion will occur, but distortion
will occur. Test fitting pins in holes will reveal distortion. The hand reamer recommended in the instructions makes
quick work of the 1" holes. If a pin is stationary in a hole (such as the cylinder pin holes in the boom), precise fit is not
always mandatory. I have been known to install a pin with a ball peen hammer with excellent results. This is not
READ BEFORE BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION, com.
the case where the pin must rotate. Precise fitting is called for here. Take your time and make the fit correct. Grind
and ream as necessary to make the mating pin fit the hole. Don't scrimp on effort here, as a quality fit will result in a
quality machine.
Hydraulics
Hydraulics hoses are usually least expensive pre-assembled in standard lengths. Use hoses rated 2000 psi min.
working pressure or greater (not bursting pressure). Use the hose size that matches your components. Any hose 1/4"
ID or greater is acceptable. Matching hose size to cylinders and the valve will reduce the number of adapters, which
can cost as much as the hoses. Hose lengths are not given due to various components used, just insure the hoses are
not stretched when the machine is moved through its travel. Only couple hoses with high pressure couplings. Parts
available at the hardware store are not high pressure rated and can burst. The open center stack valve recommended is
straight forward in design, (1) inlet, (1) outlet, and (2) connections for each cylinder. The inlet is the side with the
pressure relief valve built in. If you reverse the inlet /outlet you will blow an o ring out of the valve or possibly have a
more serious result. Be careful with this connection. Monitor the oil temperature closely. Serious injury to the
operator and/or the machine can result from oil temperature above 130 degrees F.
Bucket Teeth
I have not recommended a specific brand of bucket teeth but just about any
kind of small to medium tooth will do. Maintain 105 degrees between the
leading edge of the bucket and the teeth. If you wish, you can fabricate the
teeth. Simply cut some 3/8 steel 1 1/2" wide x 2 1/2" long. Cut a support
from 1" x 1" x 5" for each tooth. Grind an angle where the support will hold
the tooth so the tooth will be at a 105 degree angle to the leading edge of the
bucket. Grind the back of the tooth to 15 degrees for relief so the tooth will
cut. Hard surface weld on the front of the tooth increases the life of the tooth.
One bead around the front surface is usually enough.
Operating Tips
Take your time learning to operate CADDigger. Notice CADDigger works by
"clamping" earth between the teeth and the stabilizers. Don't try to push
the bucket into the ground more than a couple of inches.
y
Fig. 3 View of Assembled CADDigger Bucket
Keep the teeth cutting towards the stabilizers and you will be pleased with
CADDigger is built from the drawing package, photos and video. Carefully watch the video to help you learn special
construction techniques and tips such as hole fabrication, bucket construction, and hydraulic circuit construction.
4
CADDigger 650 CONSTRUCTION
General Tips
=> It is recommended that all holes up to 1 1/2" diameter are drilled. If you cannot drill holes up to this size, they can
be fabricated by cutting a larger hole with a hole saw or torch then welding in a piece of mechanical tube.
=> Some mechanical tubing or drawn over mandrel (D.O.M.) tubing runs undersize inside. If the material you find is
undersize on the ID, use 63/64" steel roundstock to fabricate pins or you must ream to 1.002" ID. This can be
done by hand if removing less than .015". An alternative to reaming the 1 1/2" inside diameter of the mechanical
tube would be to reduce the OD of the cast bronze bushing so that it will fit in the mechanical tubing. This can be
done on a lathe or by hand such as carefully reducing the OD with a belt sander and repeatedly checking for fit.
Do not us a heavy press fit or hammer in the bushing as this will crush or reduce the ID and the pin will no longer
fit.
=> Use high strength welding techniques such as 6011 or 7018 stick welding electrodes. Avoid lower strength
welding processes such as 6013 stick welding electrodes or small flux core or MIG welders. Consult a local
welding supply or CADplans if you have questions.
=> Tolerance buildup and variation in components used can cause the swing cylinder rod to hit the boom pivot corner.
Insure the rod does not hit the pivot when the cylinder is fully extended. In order to fix this situation if it occurs,
bevel the corner of the boom pivot until the required clearance is achieved. The correct location can be determined
by trial and error.
=> You may deviate from specified items if you find alternates with the same generic specification (such as valve,
pump, etc.)
=> All steel is hot rolled, unless otherwise specified. Cold rolled may be substituted, but is not required.
=> Alignment of parts within an assembly is best accomplished by assembling the mating components while tack
welding. For example, when tack welding the boom, assemble the two cylinders to insure they are parallel to the
boom. Also assemble the boom extension to insure the boom extension is parallel to the boom. This technique
will insure the mating components will mate and are properly aligned. You can even move parts through their
motion to insure they function prior to final welding.
=> Anchor pivot pins. Pins on the main pivot and boom must not turn or excess wear will result in the steel part. I
have successfully anchored these pins using a bolt-weld combination. To weld, use a 3/16-1/4x1x3" section of
steel bar welded to the pin and then bolted into the corresponding bracket (see Sheet #16). Pins that rotate very
little, such as the rear pin on the boom extension cylinder and the bucket curl cylinder, can use the bolt-weld
combination or a bolt & nut. If a bolt & nut is used in any pin application, make sure that clear bolt (no threads)
ends up against the inside of the mechanical tubing. The pins used in CADDigger's pinned joints can be
substituted with grade 2 bolts. The bolts you obtain must have a good quality finish so they will run smooth inside
the bushings. Use caution welding the pins. High strength materials must be welded with low hydrogen rods to
eliminate cracking.
CADDigger 650 CONSTRUCTION, com.
Instructions
STEP 1 => OBTAIN HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS.
=> Obtain your hydraulic cylinders prior to the construction of the pivot, boom, boom extension, or stabilizers. The
closed-pin center-distance and the stroke-distance must match the hydraulic specifications to insure proper
operation/rotation. The CADDigger is designed to account for small variations due to measurement errors during
assembly.
=> Use Diamond plate specified on Sheet # 325. This is an important safety feature to ensure the foot rest or step of
CADDigger are a non-skid surface. Oil will occasionally be spilled on CADDigger during assembly and usage. If
a hose should fail during operation, you want to maintain a sure footing.
=> Fabricate frame as shown on Sheet #301.
STEP 5 => WELD SWING CYLINDER REAR MOUNTING BRACKETS TO CADTRAC FRAME
=> In the previous step we assembled the CADDigger Frame/Stabilizer Assembly to the CADTrac frame.
=> Assemble the boom pivot fabricated in Step 3 to the frame.
=> Assemble the swing cylinder to the pivot as shown on Sheet #321. Extend this cylinder fully. Rotate the boom
pivot to the right until the cylinder is positioned V" from the frame. This will position the rear hole of the swing
cylinder very close to the position shown on Sheet 327. Place a pin through the rear of the swing cylinder and the
Items 352 and 353.
=> Weld the rear cylinder mounting brackets to the CADTrac's frame as shown on Sheet #327. This is the correct
technique to assemble the swing cylinder mounting brackets. If the rear mounting brackets are assembled to
the dimensions shown, it is highly likely that the swing cylinder will be improperly positioned and might
allow the cylinder to contact the frame.
HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS:
Bucket - 2" bore, 10" stroke, 20.25" retracted length Qty: 1
Extension - 2" bore, 8" stroke, 20.25" retracted length Qty: 1
Boom - 2.5" bore, 8" stroke, 20.25" retracted length Qty: 1
Swing - 2" bore, 8" stroke, 20.25" retracted length Qty: 1
Stabilizers -- 2" bore, 10" stroke, 20.25" retracted length Qty: 2
HYDRAULIC HOSES:
Hydraulic hoses can be Obtained from various sources. Select a length long enough to ensure the boom can swing
through its complete travel both side to side and up and down. Select hoses with fittings that will attach to both the
cylinder and to the valve body. The best sized hose is that which has fittings that match your cylinders and valve to
reduce the number of adapters. A 1/4" ID is the minimal hose size. The hose lengths below must be modified if you
use a different valve, etc. One wire hydraulic hoses are recommended. The two wire hoses operate at a higher
pressure but offer a limited flexibility.
Hydraulic Pressure Hoses (wire reinforced w/ 2500 psi working pressure):
Bucket - 3/8" NPT x 96", 108"
Swing - 3/8" NPT x 36", 48"
Extension - 3/8" NPT x 60", 72"
Boom - 3/8" NPT x 36", 36"
Stabilizer - 3/8" NPT x 36", 36", 36", 36"
CADTrac Loader Power Beyond Port to Quick Connect ~ 3/8" NPT x 60"
Quick Connect to Stabilizer Control Valve inlet - 3/8" NPT x 24"
Stablizer Port Beyond Port to Backhoe inlet ~ 3/8" NPT x 24"
Stabilizer and backhoe outlet ports to T ~ 3/8" NPT x 24", 24"
T-Connection to Quick Connect - 3/8" NPT x 24"
Note: Heavy duty wire ties work well for securing/bundling the hoses.
8
HYDRAULIC FITTINGS, BACKHOE:
Bucket Hoses - SAE 6 (M) to 3/8" NPT (F) Qty: 2
- 3/8" NPT (M-F) 90° Swivel Qty: 4
Extension Hoses - 3/8" NPT (M-F) 90° Swivel Qty: 2
-- SAE6(M)to3/8"NPT90degF) Qty: 2
GREASE FITTINGS:
Quantity of 12 required for cylinders and pivot joints.