Thumb update:

Made the thumb wider so it fits better between the bucket teeth, which required cutting new reinforcements. Cut the ones for the support leg as well and decided where to attach it to the thumb.

Then worked on the adjustable support leg. A cylinder each welded to the end of a box section. The lower fitting was easy, just an approximate half-circle with three shallow cuts of the angle grinder and then bend it back and forth until it breaks out.

The upper fitting having the added challenge of being narrower than the box section, so it got tapered a bit by cutting some wedges out and banging on it with a hammer.

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Always keep your hole saw plugs, in case you need to Ctrl-Z a hole you just cut so you can make it bigger 😆

Sure wish there had been room for the drill press in the car last time we went to the old place!

Four biggish holes were cut through 10mm plate, eventually. Of the right size this time.

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Slides, more or less.

The outer one has an annoying seam inside, so we'll see what to do about that when I've figured out the lengths.

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#SalvagePunk #Homestead #Metalworking

Today's progress on the thumb:

A tube section and restored pin for the support. Since the pin is kinda long, I could make some more tube sections on the outside as well.

And two beefy pieces of thick plate with a hole in them for the thumb, plus two more tube sections for reinforcement. One with a groove to keep the quick-release pin from rotating and sticking out.

That's it. Recycling is slow work. Spent a lot of time running around looking for two pieces to fit inside of each other for the support.

#DIY #MiniExcavator #ExcavatorThumb
#SalvagePunk #Homestead #Metalworking