Homemade Excavators

Determine the size your excavator needs to be. A good long base of at least six feet is recommended.

Set your welder to cut, and cut the 3-foot-square steel for the primary crossbeam, 6 to 8 feet in length.

Cut two 3-foot 3-inch square steel posts to serve as stabilizers.

Weld the stabilizers to the crossbeam to serve as "feet."

Cut a 1-foot 3-inch-square piece of steel and weld it perpendicularly to the rear stabilizer and to the side of the primary crossbeam. The basic frame is constructed.

Cut a hitch-shaped piece of sheet steel with a 1-inch hole through the rear to serve as a tow point and weld it to the vertical 3-inch-square bar attached in Step 5. A tow ball will go into this slot.

Build the bucket. Cut the 1/4-inch steel into two identical trapezoidal shapes; alternate the trapezoids to have a more obtuse angle, about 130 degrees, to serve as the digging side of the bucket. These are the sides. Cut and weld additional sheets of the steel to connect to the trapezoidal pieces to form the bottom and front and back of the bucket. The bucket can be made as wide and deep as needed. Be sure not to outweigh the base unit. Cut and weld an additional piece of 3-inch-wide steel out of the flat steel to run along the length of the digging portion of the bucket to give it more penetrating power. Notches can be cut into this piece to give the bucket "teeth."

Cut two 2-inch steel pieces and drill a half-inch hole through them and attach them to the rear-upper edge of the bucket to serve as a pivot point off the hydraulic arm.

Cut an additional 3-inch-square piece of steel to serve as the two-piece arms that will attach to the shovel. These should be of equal length, 3 to 4 feet. Drill holes a half-inch in on both ends of both 3- to 4-foot steel posts.

Cut a 3-foot 3-inch steel post and mount it vertically to the main frame, opposite the hitch. This will serve as the primary bucket arm support. Drill holes a half inch from the top of this post and bolt the arms into pivoting position.

Construct a hinge for the bucket to move on. The hinge is made up of two 6-inch pieces of flat steel, about an inch wide, that the hydraulics can push on to move the bucket. One attaches 5 inches up the bucket arm above the bucket, with the other end meeting the other hinge arm and the end of that hinge arm attaching to the bucket mount.

Weld the hydraulics to the bucket arms (the boom). Weld one on the arm closest to the machine so that the push is directed toward the adjoining joint. Mount the second hydraulic to the boom arm furthest away from the main frame so the hydraulic pushes downward toward the bucket. Hydraulics should be rated to around 2,000 pounds.

Cut and bolt, through drilled holes a half inch in, two pieces of flat steel to the vertical post already welded to the main frame that is opposite the hitch and then bolt the first bucket arm to the unit.

Cut a base plate out of the flat steel; it should be no wider than the machine. The operator's feet will rest here. Weld it in place.

Attach the engine to the rear and run hydraulic tubing to the hydraulics as specified by the hydraulic operating instructions. The hydraulics can be operated by levers mounted in front of the seating area, sending air into the hydraulics to subsequently move the arms.

Weld a stationary seat in place.

Cut four 3-inch-square posts 3 feet in length and drill holes a half-inch in through each end of each post. Drill holes for these posts at each corner of the previously made horizontal stabilizers, constructed during step 3. Bolt them on. Then cut four to eight 6-inch flat steel pieces for the far ends of these 3-inch-square posts. These 6-inch flat pieces should be cut at 45 degrees on the tips, one inch inward to create points for hammering into the ground. This will serve as additional stabilization.

Weld the axles underneath and attach the tires to the axle.

Attach the tow lights, or purchase attachable temporary tow lights. Run the necessary wiring to the auto tow plug.