Six types bucket for your next project

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Varieties of Excavator Buckets include:

There are a number of different types of excavator buckets available, each serving unique purposes and offering various advantages. Buckets can be tailored to match the specifics of an excavator and its intended tasks.

Excavator buckets are typically crafted from high-grade steel to ensure extended durability. When selecting a bucket, it is vital to inspect the quality of the welds to guarantee efficiency and reliability in operations.

● Digging Bucket

Digging buckets are among the most commonly used buckets. They usually come with teeth to help break through tough soil layers.

● V-Shaped Bucket

The V-shaped bucket is ideal for laying pipes. Its slanted surface reduces power requirements.

● Rock Bucket

This bucket, equipped with long, sharp teeth, excels at excavating hard rock areas. It is reinforced to prevent damage under high pressure.

● Clean-up Bucket

As the name implies, this bucket is used for cleaning and scooping materials. It lacks teeth since it doesn't need to break through hard materials.

● Skeleton Bucket

Widely used for sorting materials, skeleton buckets successfully separate larger pieces of rock, concrete, or other debris. They can be customized by adjusting the bucket and grid sizes.

● Trenching Bucket

A trenching bucket is perfect for digging narrow trenches. They can be designed with a smooth edge or equipped with teeth, depending on the specific application.

RSBM attachments offer cost-effective earthmoving and materials handling solutions for some of the world's leading equipment brands, including Volvo, Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hyundai, and Hitachi.

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Choosing an excavator for your job is only the first step in acquiring the tools you need. Whether big or small, excavators are highly versatile due to the wide range of bucket and attachment options available. Given the numerous types of backhoe and excavator buckets on the market, many factors contribute to finding the right bucket for the job.

From understanding excavator bucket dimensions to learning about the various Excavator Bucket Types, this guide will assist you in choosing the correct bucket to meet your needs.

Choose An Excavator Bucket That Suits Site Conditions

The first consideration when selecting an excavator bucket should be the specific application and material type you will be handling. Opt for the largest bucket suited for your job, keeping in mind material density and the size of the hauler truck.

The bucket's weight affects the excavation cycle time, becoming significantly heavier when loaded with dense materials. Typically, smaller buckets are ideal for higher-density materials to maintain productivity. Being able to load your hauler truck quickly with minimal cycles helps reduce fuel consumption, wear, and downtime.

Different tasks may require specific bucket types. For instance, digging an 18-inch trench with a 30-inch bucket is infeasible. Certain buckets are designed for specific material types, such as rock buckets with V-shaped cutting edges and long teeth for penetrating hard rock, or digging buckets suited for challenging soil. Ensure that you select a bucket capable of lifting and handling the density and type of material you'll be working with.

YuchaiHI Excavator Bucket Types

Excavators can perform a wide range of functions, from digging trenches and laying pipes to landscaping and snow removal. The available bucket types enable excavators to handle different materials within these applications. While specialty buckets are available, the most popular types include:

• General-purpose/digging buckets
• Grading/cleaning/ditching buckets
• Heavy-duty/severe-duty buckets
• Trenching buckets
• Micro trenching buckets
• Angle tilt buckets
• Tilt ditch cleaning buckets
• Skeleton buckets
• Utility buckets

General-Purpose Bucket

A general-purpose (or digging) bucket is versatile and suitable for many excavating tasks. As the standard attachment for excavators, these buckets come with short, blunt teeth effective for working with soil and are available in multiple sizes to meet various needs.

Materials that can be handled with a general-purpose bucket include:

• Dirt
• Sand
• Topsoil
• Clay
• Gravel
• Loam
• Silt
• Loose gravel or stones
• Frost-covered soil

Wear-protection components can be added to allow this bucket to work with more abrasive materials.

Grading Bucket

Grading buckets feature smooth edges, wide construction, and flat cutting edges, making them ideal for tasks like material loading, grading, leveling, back-filling, sloping, and ditch cleaning for improved drainage. Known also as clean-up or ditching buckets, they are constructed with lift eyes, weld-on side cutters, and reversible bolt-on cutting edges for enhanced versatility.

Grading buckets can be used for various applications, including:

• Landscaping
• Ditch maintenance
• Slope shaping
• Road construction
• Utility work

Heavy-Duty Bucket

Heavy-duty or severe-duty buckets are crafted from high-strength, abrasion-resistant steel, making them suitable for handling rock quarries and other high-density materials efficiently.

Common heavy-duty bucket applications include:

• Blasted rock
• Hard-packed clay
• Stone
• Sharp rock
• Ripped basalt
• Gravel
• High-silica sand
• Shot granite
• Shale

Even more substantial materials can be moved with severe- and extreme-duty buckets, including:

• Limestone
• Sandstone
• Broken slag
• Basalt

Trenching Bucket

Trenching buckets, similar to grading buckets, are used for precise trench digging, ideal for cable trenches, pipe culverts, and drains. Their narrow design, sharp blades, and extended front sections allow efficient deep trench excavation with fast cycle times.

Micro-Trenching Bucket

This specialized bucket is designed to dig deep trenches only a few inches wide. Often referred to as a fiber-optic bucket, it is used for laying fiber-optic cables, irrigation systems, and pipes, offering significant time savings for contractors.

Angle Tilt Bucket

Angle tilt buckets feature 45-degree rotation in either direction, providing added functionality for creating precise slopes and reducing the need for frequent position changes.

Uses for angle tilt buckets include:

• Grading
• Trenching
• Ditch cleaning
• Sloping
• Land clearing or snow removal
• Finishing
• Leveling
• Landscaping
• Excavating in hard-to-reach areas

Tilt Ditch Cleaning Bucket

This bucket, similar to grading buckets, can tilt at a 45-degree angle, enabling operators to work at challenging angles. It is often used as a "finishing" bucket at the end of projects for smooth, tidy finishes.

Skeleton Bucket

Skeleton buckets resemble digging buckets but include large slots that allow fine materials to filter through while retaining larger materials. This dual-purpose bucket is excellent for separating stones, concrete, and debris from usable material.

Utility Bucket

Essential when excavating near pipelines and cables, utility buckets minimize the risk of striking cables, offering improved safety and structural integrity. They are best for work around gas lines, water, sewerage pipes, and underground cables.

Specialty Excavator Buckets

Beyond common bucket types, various specialty buckets cater to specific job requirements, such as:

• V-bucket: Ideal for trench-digging, creating long, angular, V-shaped trenches for pipes and utility cables.
• Rock bucket: Featuring long teeth and a V-shaped cutting edge for efficient rock excavation.
• Frost bucket: A specialized version of the rock bucket, with additional teeth for ripping through frozen ground.
• Hard-pan bucket: Similar to rock buckets, featuring attached ripper teeth for loosening compacted soil.

Renting or Buying Used Excavator Buckets? Know What to Look For

Considering renting or buying a used excavator bucket can be a cost-effective option. However, it's crucial to inspect for damage and repairs thoroughly. Key evaluation aspects include:

1. Cracks, bends, and dents: Check weld points for any structural imperfections or rust fringes.
2. Rust: Assess if rust is localized or indicates severe wear that could compromise functionality.
3. Scalloping: Worn teeth exhibit a half-moon shape. Plan for potential replacement if they are significantly worn.
4. Parts availability: Ensure that replacement parts are readily available, especially for discontinued models.
5. Fit: Confirm the bucket's compatibility with your excavator size and weight to avoid inefficiency or machine damage.
6. Play or movement: Test the bucket's operation for looseness in bushings, pins, or couplers.
7. Dig: Perform a digging test to verify operational efficacy and cycle time.

Selecting an Excavator Bucket Size

Choosing an appropriately sized bucket is essential for maximizing productivity and efficiency without compromising safety. Follow this excavator bucket size chart for guidance:

• Up to 0.75-ton machine: Bucket widths of 6 inches to 24 inches, or 30-inch grading buckets.
• 1-ton to 1.9-ton machine: Bucket widths of 6 inches to 24 inches, or grading buckets 36 inches to 39 inches.
• 2-ton to 3.5-ton machine: Bucket widths of 9 inches to 30 inches, or 48-inch grading buckets.
• 4-ton machine: Bucket widths of 12 inches to 36 inches, or 60-inch grading buckets.
• 5-ton to 6-ton machine: Bucket widths of 12 inches to 36 inches, or 60-inch grading buckets.
• 7-ton to 8-ton machine: Bucket widths of 12 inches to 36 inches, or grading buckets from 60 inches to 72 inches.
• 10-ton to 15-ton machine: Bucket widths of 18 inches to 48 inches, or 72-inch grading buckets.
• 19-ton to 25-ton machine: Bucket widths of 18 inches to 60 inches, or 84-inch grading buckets.

Excavator Bucket Capacity Calculation

To calculate bucket capacity, you need to consider the material's weight, cycle time, and your production targets. Follow these five steps:

• Determine material weight in pounds or tons per cubic yard.
• Measure cycle time and calculate cycles per hour.
• Divide the hourly production requirement by cycles per hour to find the per cycle payload.
• Divide the per cycle payload by material density for nominal bucket capacity.
• Calculate heaped and struck capacities for precise bucket volume measurements.

Excavator Bucket Customization and Accessories

Customize your excavator bucket with features like:

• Teeth types: Options include chisel, rock chisel, single tiger, and twin tiger teeth.
• Teeth spacing: Wider spacing for rocks; tighter configurations for trenching.
• Edge configuration: Choose between spade or straight edges for specific applications.
• Side cutters: Additional bolt-on side cutters for enhanced digging.
• Wear protection: Include bottom and side wear plates and sidebar protectors.
• Quick coupler: Easily switch between attachments.
• Power-tilting coupler: Enables tool tilting within a 180-degree arc.
• Thumb: Attach a thumb for securing irregularly shaped loads.

Changing Excavator Bucket Teeth

Follow these steps to replace worn teeth:

1. Wear safety gear and gather tools.
2. Position the bucket appropriately.
3. Remove existing teeth using a pin-removal tool and hammer.
4. Clean the tooth adapter.
5. Insert the retainer and position the new tooth.
6. Insert the pin and hammer it into place.
7. Ensure the pin is locked in the retainer's recess.