Bit late to the comment section but here in Australia we exclusively run 4 in 1 buckets on skid loaders. You'll NEVER see a solid bucket here on a job site! Here's a couple tips for ya. You can make the dozer blade less aggressive by closing the 4 in 1 so that there is a roughly 6 inch gap then roll forward and make contact with your grade. Then slowly open or close depending on how fine or hard you wanna cut. It is A LOT easier to use a 4 in 1 with a hand controlled machine though. You can also use the 4 in 1 to cut in reverse by using both cutting edges to make it more precise or really dig by just using the open gate cutting edge. Alex did a really good job though for running a foot controlled machine for the first time. A lot better than I would have done as most of the machines here are hand controlled.
Yep, open the jaw and rotate to precision cut. There is no real control with an open bucket like that. Feel is definitely a thing. I learned on a JCB wheeled machine. Lot easier on tracks of course. But then I am talking 40 years ago! Jeeze I miss that sort of work (when you dont have to do it… :-)
Agree on all counts. Combo bucket is absolutely amazing. Another one you can’t do without is the rake/rick bucket. If you typically deal with rock you have to have one of these. Great to screen out rocks quick, but not a better implement for grading I’ve ever used….even the combo can’t grade as fast…
I wholeheartedly attribute where my company is today to you and a few other youtubers. i started watching you 4 years ago when all i had was a chevy s10 and a shovel wit some bridge and highway construction experience. everything you do is inspiring. yesterday i bought my first bobcat and have amounted a few f350's and a 15 yard high sided dump trailer. you are goals man!
I wanna work for you. I'm 23 and from the metro area. I've ran all sorts of equipment and I love how you run your business and I really like the RU-vid side of it cause that's my dream. You are the guy I hope to be one day
Red♦️ FTW! Alex has a lot of guts agreeing to let us watch him learn the new machine! End result was very impressive! I got here by searching for How do I use a laser level to determine grade? Your Part 1 video was very informative! I stuck around to watch the finish of the job. Glad I did!
I'm a recent subscriber, I've been an operator/mechanic/builder off and on for the last 27 years. I really enjoy your content because I've learned something out of each and every video. If I'm being honest I think you should sell these videos, but I sure am glad I don't have to pay cash out, (I sat through a lame ass 5 minute advert. just to make sure you get a few cents and I'd do it again anytime to keep your lessons free). Thanks much for the effort you put into these videos, we appreciate it.
Using the laser is key to changing the grade in slight accurate amounts. Having a feel for the machine is what separates the average from the great operators. Way to go for teaching him a little about that.
Red: THANKS a ton needed refresher on how to do grade and you guys nailed it, ALEX as an outsider looking in, you are a model for the young kids today because you jumped in with both feet instead of running away because it was hard. Honestly speaking any video you can produce on your job sites would be beneficial I would use any and all of them here in Colorado
Learning new stuff while your new boss films you is not nerve racking at all.LOL NOOB handled it quite well. When ever I got on something new I liked to be far away for the first little bit until I felt comfortable with the controls.
Red. That was very informative and an excellent explanation of how to read grade. I’ve operated equipment for most of my life and have never been able to read a graderod until now.
Red. Nice work, Alex. It feels good when the boss puts trust in you and you prove it was the right decision. Checking levels for a long retaining wall a few years ago and a porch last summer, I couldn’t justify the cost of a laser. I used a length of clear tubing with food colored water in it. The reference end was zip tied to a stake in the middle and I would hold the other end along other stakes and mark the water levels on them. That gave me consistence reference points to measure from.
Red thank for teaching us all your great knowledge and skills. I hope to put to practice soon, this spring should have a new job. Binge watching to learn more. Thank you and God bless you.
I love guys who can't use a 4in 1. I have bought more buckets from them over the years. I started on an old I H crawler loader my dad had with a Drott 4in1. When I bought my first skid steer the buckets weren't available. As soon as I could I bought my first and haven't looked back.
I love the drott bucket and yes you are correct you don't see them on steer skids to often, you mostly see em' on larger tracked loaders (955 cats etc..) doing demo work. But then again if you would be using a dozer for this job it's the same thing you can't really see the cut you are making either. Think the kid is doing pretty well with no experience. Also turn the controls around on that machine I have did it on a few in the past foot for steer hand for bucket all it takes is some new lines makes life easier ( like a excavator)
Learning and eye takes looking at what you're doing not at your boss too! I always find i learn faster if I'm told what you want done, and then let rip, with small tips brought out as I'm working. For instance let him fail his angle a few times, then walk up, explain that his angle isn't aggressive, when he feels a light bite, it's a good thing, and you want a consistent amount of resistance. When you feel freedom you're doing it wrong. That's at least how I would have went. Regardless Stan's the man for letting a noob take care of his driveway and teaching him tools that will further his knowledge in the field!
What a great RED video, was very interesting, fascinating, & really learned a lot about RED. You’re the BEST, & RED is so awesome! Super Great RED technique you have there. Never knew just how truly great RED would be in saving time as well.🤣 Cheers Stan😉
Whenever I used a 4 in 1, I would be in reverse, have the bucket opened so that the back of the bucket set my grade, and the front of the bucket would carry extra material to fill in any holes or dips that got made. Going forward you are constantly creating ruts with your tracks, where going in reverse and carrying the material in the front of your bucket helps to always level the ground off.
Great job, I've done asphalt for 3 years, and we always eye balled everything, my 3rd year, their 17th, for the most part we did great, but watching u for awhile now, I see how we should have been doing things, using that transit ,I don't work their now, bullshit pay, to many know it all, I could work everything on the job, upstate Ny America paving
I like to see bosses that have the patience to teach new skills, a lot of times people are given one chance and if they mess up they never touch the machine again!
RED, 4 in 1's are great , I used to operate a 941 Traxcavator with a 4 in 1 bucket . When using a 4 in 1 on a skid-steer in the blade position , you need to think of yourself as operating a bulldozer ; you can't see the cutting edge on a bulldozer so you cut by feel , unless you're moving massive quantities of soil . I actually use a CAT D-2 bulldozer for dressing the roads on my mining claim .
I agree with you Stan I learned on a hand and foot control bobcat but I have used the hand controlled bobcats and if you ask me they are too touchy. Their all electronic their not like the older ones where the controls actually go to the hydraulic pump and you get a feel for what your doing, they go to a computer and get sent where they need to go and most of the time its delayed. I own an S175 with the hand and foot control that goes right to the hydraulic pump instead of being all electric and other than changing the fluids and keeping the Desil Guzzling Kubota engine fueled it really has not given me any issues its from 2011 with only 272.8 hours on it. Also Red
Helped a lot more grading videos please want to learn more!! I use a compact tractor just starting out and have learned a lot from Your channel how can I learn more :)!! I’ve never ran equipment ever but always wanted too !! This year back in January I gambled my savings picked a decent small tractor and have been going strong !! Do a lot of horse arenas and brush control fire Prevention being in Southern California! This summer did a lot of grading on my own property to help to learn and have down a few on others everyone happy so far this winter we shall se if we get rains hopefully we will know how my grades are !! Great videos keep it up !! Buying a laser was mandatory for me , eys work but ya can’t see when Your trying to get it perfect 👌🏽
Thank heeps ,have not long got a tractor with a 4 way bucket and your vidios have been great,watch from down under, I had to do a convertion on your 1 inch in 8 feet ,about 1 in 100 ,but the laser level info was also very handy.Thanks again Mark (And by the way Red)
Can you give some background on the piece about how adding soil ontop of the dripline of oak trees ends up affecting the tree negatively or killing them?
I know this video is over 2 years old, but I have a question about the 4 in 1 bucket. Could you use the rear blade and the front of the bucket raised just slightly off the ground to scrape material similar to how a belly scraper works? I'm thinking that the new material being cut by the rear blade would push the loose material up into the bucket, allowing you to remove more material instead of just bulldozing it? I've never used a 4 in 1 before so I have no idea how it "feels".
4 in 1's are awesome "IF" you can use one, they are tough to run until u get the time in behind one. It's all I will use now, it does it all... Close the top of the bucket down and u can shave off as little as an inch (if desired) and it will roll it into the bucket for u.. It will also keep you from gouging the ground. It's almost impossible to grade with the dozer blade part of a 4 in 1 without using the top half of the bucket as a downward guide.
Nothing like throwing it all at him at once eh. Minor but telling him to use the 4N1 bucket when you meant “blade” would throw him off. Say what you mean, mean what you say. You still get a thumbs up for the knowledge you share. RED Milwaukee 😉
Situational Question - coming from a small startup business perspective. I’m 25 and was running an army of One for awhile. Now that I’m bringing in help, I too have to spend time training them. I do not however own any large equipment (skid, excavator, even a trailer that can pull it) so I pay to have it delivered for a day or a week. My question to you: how would you approach Employee payment / hourly rate when incurring very high cost of rental? The catch here for me is that I’m paying so much money To have the equipment there for an allotted time, yet it will take (unproductive/inefficient) time training employees on it. This not only takes their time (that I’m paying for) but the rental’s time ad well as my own time since I am occupied with them. Is this just something that I should just expect to hire the bullet on with each new hire? I only am willing to make the investment training the few I believe to be a long term team member. From your experience, is it worth investing in a total Noob? Or simply hiring an expert and paying them the high rate that they come with?
Personally I wouldn’t be training anyone on a rental, I would wait until I had my own machine that way I knew while I had the rental it was ran efficiently and I could take it back ASAP
Stan, thanks for the video sir. SO you rule of 1" drop for every 8ft to prevent grading. I have a job for a clients parking lot that is about one perfect square acre. They want to put asphault on top of dirt/gravel they have now. KNowing does the golden rule you mentioned of 1" of graing for every 8ft apply sir?
Hey if you want less aggressive of cutting with the back blade of a 4in 1 roll the thing forward just like a motor grader so it doesn't bite as hard. Also in NC everybody has a 4in1 bucket. Good video tho
I found your videos while looking up how to read grades, as i have a sloping block and need to work out what to do with it... anyway, i learned that and a bit more! Red 👍
When your using the lower cutter on the 4/1 bucket, you can use the bucket cutting edge as a height reference for gauging where your lower cutter is sitting. 👀😏😎👍👋✌️🇨🇦
