Ideas wanted/needed for BH hydraulic Thumb controls.............

[Runs With Scissors]

Ok y'all, Now that I have a working hydraulic thumb, I need a way to control it.

I was working on a "foot pedal" set up, but I am having second thoughts.

There is precious little room on the BH, so I was thinking of making some sort of "finger" or "hand" controls.

My main concern is the force required to move the plunger on the hydraulics seems a bit excessive for a "hand/finger" controller to work.

Here are some preliminary pics of what I have "started".......

I basically bought a "shifter cable" and was going to use that to "push and pull" on the rear remote valve/plunger via a homemade foot pedal.





here is a crappy pic of what I am dealing with.





I'll get some better pics today.

 

[trikepilot]

I am not where I can grab a pic, but why not just replicate what the OEM thumb valve is like? you have already engineered way more complicated stuff. The thumb valve is somewhere down low under the seat and there is a long ball-tipped rod that sticks up to within reach between your legs

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I am not where I can grab a pic, but why not just replicate what the OEM thumb valve is like? you have already engineered way more complicated stuff. The thumb valve is somewhere down low under the seat and there is a long ball-tipped rod that sticks up to within reach between your legs

Can somebody bring me up to speed? Isn't RWS converting the thumb on a BH77, and I thought there wasn't a factory hydraulic thumb for the BH77? Is he planning on using a rear remote?

For my 'future' thumb project to add a hydraulic thumb to the BT900 on my L35, I've tentatively decided to use a solenoid valve with push buttons on one stick. Plumb it up like a third function.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Can somebody bring me up to speed? Isn't RWS converting the thumb on a BH77, and I thought there wasn't a factory hydraulic thumb for the BH77? Is he planning on using a rear remote?

For my 'future' thumb project to add a hydraulic thumb to the BT900 on my L35, I've tentatively decided to use a solenoid valve with push buttons on one stick. Plumb it up like a third function.

Yes sir, I am converting my "manual thumb" to a "hydraulic thumb" and since I have 3 rear remotes (and never used one yet ), I have decided to dedicate one of them to the "thumb" project.

I am currently planning on using the middle remote to control the thumb.

I have removed the lever, but I am thinking that maybe I will need to custom make one in order to have some mechanical advantage due to the force required to "push or pull" that valve?

Here are some more pics of my "progress" thus far.




Now here are some various pics of how I have it "cobbled together".

 

[#40Fan]

Might look into using two hand grips/controls to push/pull the valve.

 

[skeets]

Maybe and I have no idea if it would work, but how about a set like the grapple function open and close

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Yes sir, I am converting my "manual thumb" to a "hydraulic thumb" and since I have 3 rear remotes (and never used one yet ), I have decided to dedicate one of them to the "thumb" project.

I am currently planning on using the middle remote to control the thumb.

I have removed the lever, but I am thinking that maybe I will need to custom make one in order to have some mechanical advantage due to the force required to "push or pull" that valve?

Here are some more pics of my "progress" thus far.

View attachment 181350


Now here are some various pics of how I have it "cobbled together".

View attachment 181351

View attachment 181352


View attachment 181353


View attachment 181355

Thanks. I may hit you up sometime for some dimensions on the thumb itself. I'd like to use an OEM thumb pivoted on the bucket pin, if I can find one that fits.

Good luck with your venture.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Might look into using two hand grips/controls to push/pull the valve.

Can you expand on that?

I was considering a linear actuator, but I can't solve how they would "return to center".

When you say a "hand grip controls" are you talking about something like a "motorcycle throttle" that twists? (or similar)

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Maybe and I have no idea if it would work, but how about a set like the grapple function open and close

Right now I am hoping to be able to "feather" it a bit.