A tooth bucket is a very handy and important excavator attachment

Different Types of Excavator Buckets

Examining the Different Types of Bobcat Excavator Buckets & Their Various Uses

Many people can probably recall a time when they tried to do some type of landscaping work or perhaps a construction-related project with tools/equipment that were not quite right for the job. In such cases, they were likely able to get the project/work completed, although it may have taken more time and effort than necessary, generated a good deal of frustration, and produced results that were acceptable but less than ideal or desired.

Upon reflection after the job was finished, these people were almost certainly resigned to the fact that it would have been better to invest in the proper tools or equipment upfront instead of trying to do something very specific using general-purpose or unsuitable gear; this is a textbook case of investing a bit more at the start to save time, money, and/or effort in the long run.

The same principle applies to Bobcat excavator buckets.  Although such pieces of equipment are primarily designed for the purpose of digging, an excavator bucket may also be used for backfilling, ditching, and grading/clearing.  Furthermore, the texture or conditions of the ground can also vary greatly, including but not limited to:

  • Ice
  • Rock
  • Soft Soil
  • Hard Clay
  • Frost-Covered

Consequently, choosing the right type of bucket for the job will be critical to ensuring the best outcome in terms of performance, as well as time savings and cost savings.  To aid with this selection process, the Bobcat Excavator Attachment Specialists from Tag Equipment in Stouffville, Ontario offer the following outline of the various types of Bobcat Excavator Buckets:

  • Digging Bucket (some might call this a tooth bucket)
    • All-purpose – standard attachments that are common to most excavators
    • Bucket width, shape of teeth (blunt/sharp) vary based on type of surface
  • Rock Bucket
    • Principally designed for use in prying up or ripping up hard rock surfaces
    • Larger and sharper teeth – reinforced structural parts for added strength
  • V-Bottom Bucket (sometimes called a Vee Bucket)
    • Bucket is angled (V-shaped) to facilitate penetrating/digging through soil
    • Ideally suited for the excavation of ditches or trenches in pipe-laying jobs
  • Hardpan Bucket
    • Similar to a rock bucket in design and toughness/structural reinforcement
    • Has an additional row of ripper teeth, mounted along back edge of bucket
    • The extra teeth are used for loosening hard/compacted soil during digging
  • Skeleton Bucket
    • A modified digging or tooth bucket, constructed of bars separated by gaps
    • Allows smaller pieces/chunks of material or aggregate to fall through gaps
    • Can be used for jobs where coarser and finer materials must be separated
  • Clean-Up Bucket
    • Another modified type of digging bucket – does not have any rows of teeth
    • Acts like a large-capacity scoop; mostly used for soft soils or soft materials
    • Can also be utilized for backfilling, ditching, and grading (sloping; leveling)

Sometimes, despite the type of excavator bucket being employed for a specific project, the materials to be handled are simply too awkward in their size and/or shape to fit into the bucket; example of these substances might include one or more of the following:

  • Boulders/rocks
  • Concrete chunks
  • Large tree branches
  • Demolition-related debris

Under such circumstances, the addition of a hydraulic thumb attachment to an excavator can make it easier to pick, hold, and move very bulky pieces, thus increasing the overall capabilities of that singular piece of equipment and also improving time-efficiencies and cost-efficiencies for the project.

Tooth Buckets and Hydraulic Thumbs for Bobcat and Other Makes of Excavators

Tooth Bucket as an excavator attachment

Selecting the correct type of excavator bucket for a specific digging, ditching, or grading project can improve performance and productivity while also saving time, money, and/or wear-and-tear on the machine itself.

Consulting with the knowledgeable specialists at Tag Equipment can help in the selection process and ensure that such an upfront investment of funds is aligned with delivering a maximum return.  Tag Equipment offers a comprehensive range of excavator equipment attachments, including digging/tooth buckets and hydraulic thumbs, for all of the leading manufacturers:

Looking for the right excavator bucket suited to your particular type of digging?  Call the compact equipment experts from Tag Equipment today at 647-559-3703 to speak with one of our knowledgeable representatives.