Excavator Buckets & Attachments Explained

Excavators can be equipped with various types of buckets and attachments, allowing them to perform a wide range of tasks.

Digging bucket size chart

Non-mechanical buckets & attachments

Standard Bucket: This is the most common type of bucket used on excavators. It has a curved shape and is ideal for general digging, trenching, and loading tasks.

Digging Bucket: These buckets have sharper teeth or edges compared to standard buckets, allowing for more efficient excavation in dense or rocky soil.

Grading/Ditching Bucket: These buckets are wide and have a smooth, flat edge, making them suitable for leveling and grading tasks, such as creating slopes or finishing surfaces.

Tilt Bucket: A tilt bucket has a hydraulic mechanism that enables the bucket to tilt in different directions, providing increased flexibility for shaping and contouring work.

Riddle/Skeleton Bucket: This bucket has gaps between its teeth or bars, allowing finer materials like sand and gravel to fall through while retaining larger debris. It is commonly used for sorting and sifting applications.

Clamshell Bucket: Clamshell buckets consist of two hinged buckets that open and close like a clamshell. They are used for precise material handling, such as digging trenches or lifting objects like pipes.

Rock Bucket: Designed for working with rocky terrain, rock buckets have reinforced structure and additional wear-resistant features to withstand harsh conditions and protect against damage.

Ripper Tooth: A ripper attachment is used for breaking up hard ground, pavement, or rock. It features a single pointed tooth or multiple teeth that penetrate and loosen the material.

Pallet Forks: Pallet forks allow and excavator to lift pallets and Forklift tipping skips

Concrete Buckets: Concrete buckets can be filled will concrete and poured into a trench from a spout. These are useful

Roller Attachment: Compactor attachments have a padfoot roller fitted which can be used to compact soil and aggregate

Hydraulic attachments

Hydraulic Hammer/Breaker: This attachment is used for breaking and demolishing concrete, rock, or other hard surfaces. It delivers high-impact blows through a hydraulic system.

Auger: An auger attachment is used for drilling holes in the ground, typically for installing posts, fences, or piers. It consists of a rotating helical screw blade.

Grapple: Grapple attachments are used for grasping and lifting bulky or irregularly shaped objects, such as logs, debris, or demolished structures.

These are just a few examples of the buckets and attachments available for excavators. The specific options may vary depending on the excavator model and manufacturer.

Differences between bladed and toothed buckets

Toothed Buckets

Toothed buckets, as the name suggests, have teeth or pointed edges along the cutting edge of the bucket. These teeth are typically made of hardened steel and are designed to penetrate and dig into various materials, such as soil, gravel, and soft rock. The teeth provide increased digging power and can effectively break through compacted or dense surfaces. Toothed buckets are commonly used in general excavation and digging applications where strength and penetration are required.

Bladed Buckets

Bladed buckets, also known as smooth-edge buckets, have a flat, smooth cutting edge without any teeth. The edge is usually straight or slightly curved. These buckets are primarily used for grading, leveling, and finishing tasks. The smooth edge allows the bucket to create a clean, flat surface and achieve precise grading results. Bladed buckets are commonly used for tasks such as landscaping, site preparation, and road construction where a smooth finish is desired.

The choice between toothed and bladed buckets depends on the specific task and the type of material being excavated. Toothed buckets excel in digging through tough, compacted, or rocky terrain, while bladed buckets are more suitable for applications that require precise grading and leveling. Some excavators may have quick-change systems that allow operators to switch between toothed and bladed buckets based on the job requirements.

How to fit Excavator Buckets and Attachments

Fitting excavator attachments involves securely connecting them to the excavator's boom, arm, or quick coupler system. The specific method of attachment will depend on the type of attachment and the excavator's design. Here are some common ways to fit excavator attachments:

Pin-On Attachments

These attachments are secured to the excavator using pins or bolts. The excavator's boom or arm will have corresponding pin bosses or mounting points where the attachment is aligned and secured. Pins or bolts are inserted through the attachment's mounting bracket and the excavator's connection points, and then secured with nuts or locking mechanisms.

Quick Coupler System

Many modern excavators are equipped with a quick coupler system, which allows for rapid attachment changes without manual pinning. The quick coupler is mounted on the end of the excavator's arm, and the attachments are designed to connect to the coupler using a compatible locking mechanism. This system enables faster and more convenient attachment swapping.

Hydraulic Connections

Certain attachments, such as hydraulic hammers, hydraulic thumbs, or hydraulic breakers, require hydraulic lines to be connected to the excavator's hydraulic system. These attachments typically have hydraulic hoses or fittings that need to be connected to the excavator's hydraulic ports. The excavator's hydraulic system powers and controls the operation of these attachments.