Digging a New Pond With a Drag Line Excavator

[@rattles3044]

As a kid in the 60s, i had the joy of wastching my grandfather and father operate draglines. My grandfather operated a crawler dragline and i loved watching him cleaning canels. My father operated a crane on a rubber tired chassis. He did a lot of heavy lifting. When there was no lift jobs he would do dragline work. Grandpa was very good. But my grandpa would gather me up and say, "Lets go watch your dad!" While watching my grandpa would say.... "Poetry in motion, poetry in motion !" When my dad, my mothers brother and I would go trout fishing my uncle said the same about my dad fly fishing...... "Poetry in motion, poetry in motion !"

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

Poetry in motion. That’s a great way to describe a great dragline operator!

[@truckinpoppop6777]

Looks like it’s in great condition. Back in my quarry days, we had a 41 set up with a drop ball breaker and a couple 80D front shovels. I think the 41 was set up as a dragline originally. Those old Murphy engines would last forever.

[@henryratajczak7806]

Old Murphy Diesel sounds great. Very efficient N/W 41 machine. Fantastic operator too.

[@paulne1514]

I went for a job digging a lake. When we got down to the crane, I told the owner, I couldn’t operate it the way it was. Drag cable was frayed badly. With some tools, I fixed the cable, then threw the bucket as far as I could, then backed the crane up till all the cable was off both drums. Then started hoisting both drums as I walked the crane forward. Then started digging. I ran a Loraine, it was like a tonka toy. Have run FMC, Bsyrus Erie, American and Northwest. Almost all were mechanical. No air or hydraulic assist. One Northwest, they gave me a hand crank. I had to start the pony motor, the use it to start the big motor. No heat in any of the cranes.

[@020Dutchy]

Still remember when there were only machines like this to dig, great to watch again!

[@jayjones6904]

Ole northwest good machine perkin in it they were fuel efficient

[@williamdodd5113]

I was a banksman on a 10 and 22 rb back in the 80s , operator was an old timer who worked all over the middle east operating cranes. You are a master operator, beautiful to watch

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

He is a great operator! Its like watching an artist.

[@SteveFajnor]

Im working on his old 65' model 41 right now. A long time family friend of mine bought it from him and as he was fighting cancer sold it to a local guy. Id moved the machine with Bob a few times when he was still digging so i became attached to it and knew where it went when it was sold. Its been about 11 yrs since Bob lost his fight to cancer so last yr i tracked down the owner and offered to work on it and help dig his pond. Hes pretty unfamiliar to cranes so the machines sat for a handful of yrs now but big Dave and Bob Coats (rip) would be happy to know its still dialed in like a swiss watch just alittle tight from resting. Awesome video and pond, thank you for sharing!

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

Wow, very cool. Thanks for sharing. Where is the 41 located now?

[@SteveFajnor]

Between Charlotte and Bellevue, I'm in Charlotte. Not too far from you guys

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

@@SteveFajnor, nope, not far at all. 👍🏻

[@ranger2316]

They are artists! The equipment was so quiet. Well done, thank you for sharing!

[@edmcelhone4501]

they were one tough machine swing good on side hills didnt heat too bad

[@edmcelhone4501]

i should say if u were off level a bit linkbelt bad for swinger heating but had nice controls but machine not as tough

[@edmcelhone4501]

u good look like banks hand racked

[@graemedalgleish8944]

I ran a Bucyrus Erie for years digging dugouts. It got a lot easier after I started dowsing for water.

[@xokindygarden]

Great video! He can really drive that machine. Cant wait to see the pond develop

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

It’s like he’s done it once or twice! Haha. Sure was fun to watch him.

[@landonchurch1]

Looking forward to watching the development!

[@martiniv8924]

Great job 👌🏻😎 greetings from the U.K. ✌🏻🇬🇧

[@irench]

That is quite cool and if I'm not wrong there is no need to blade off the sides as the drag does that all at once.

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

Yeah, he can throw the piles past where a long stick excavator can so you have a nice fishing area all around the pond.

[@davidstout5883]

That is so cool not anyone can operate a drag line

[@tickedoffsheikh8587]

Greetings from Guyana 🇬🇾. The dragline is a common sight here however, there are more British draglines such as 10,22,30 RBs, NCKs and Priestman. I did see a Link-Belt Speeder. In the bauxite mines they had the large models of the NW and the 'walking dragline'- that strips the overburden to reach the bauxite ores. Anyway, I would like to congratulate Dave for taking good care of his machine...lots of greasing points...! Is that a Murphy diesel? And lastly I love the idea of the pond for the animals to come drink water. Great video. 🇬🇾

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

If I remember correctly Dave was running a Murphy diesel but I could be wrong. The thing just chugged along without a care in the world how much it was lifting.

[@padraig4530]

Sadly the machines you mention are no longer being used in the UK. They're great machines 👍 🧑‍🎄👋

[@samanli-tw3id]

Nice crane

[@yuriyfitak6942]

Wow. Amazing

[@jayjones6904]

Run them when had to keep bag of sugar with me lol

[@edmcelhone4501]

old murphy run forever

[@jayjones6904]

New subscriber

[@josiahvonb3426]

The drag line is cool and all but that is alot of machine for just a yard and a quarter.

[@rattles3044]

The way a great operator runs a dragline is throwing the bucket to get a load and then throw the dirt when emptying the bucket. No work is needed after the throw of dirt because it is spread smoothly. With a bigger bucket, it is much harder to throw the bucket. I have watched operators that could double the reach of the boom to drag the bucket. With a lighter bucket, the farther the reach to drag the material closer than change to a bigger bucket to move the material that was drug closer.

[@mikewehling4449]

a north west is backwards !

[@FullQuiverOutdoors]

Haha! I’m sure half the operators think the same thing. Depends on what you’re used to.