DIY Manual thumb kit for any smaller backhoe or excavator

[@idahoduckhunter]

This makes sense. I had to think how a manual thumb would work. Nice job!

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video 😊👍

[@pokechopachunky2905]

I keep missing your videos. YT no longer tells me you have something new. This was a great video

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video, yes unfortunately YT doesn’t notify most of my subscribers for the past year or more. Keep in mind I post a new video every other Friday 😊👍

[@rowhitknee1868]

Great Video! 👍

[@Swamp-Fox]

That manual thumb looks like a game changer! If I had a mini excavator, I would definitely add one!

[@randytravis3998]

keeping the weight down on a small unit helps .. nice add onto the machine

[@Mikefestiva]

Definitely 👍 😊 Thanks for checking out my video!

[@_autoverse]

It really does seem a thumb, be it manual or hydraulic makes a world of difference to an excavator.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Nice little Yanmar! that thing is in great shape!

[@ChrisWilliams-pu8pj]

Mike, Greate to see you back at it. Quality job as usual. Have a good one!

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks Chris I really appreciate it man!

[@1rustytree]

Good job Mike, looks like it works good!

[@rainmaker3700]

I gave the thumb a thumbs up!

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks 😊

[@littlemanphil7905]

As if i didn't already want one of these machines. 😂

[@krisf8178]

Cool! Thanks for making this. I enjoyed it!

[@sjoemie_himself]

Nice add-on for this machine. Seems to be a US thing though a thumb on an excavator. Can't remember ever seeing one on a machine around here. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from the Netherlands, Mark

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video Mark! Yes I have heard from many people in Europe that they don’t commonly use thumbs 👍 interesting that they haven’t caught on?

[@craign5616]

Does the trick - well done!

[@jiminsequim3218]

Very cool, Michael! 😃

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks Jim!

[@soulis1000]

Nice work, totaly agree with you that a manual thumb is the way to go on that machine.

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks 👍

[@MikefromMOMichaelTurner227]

Hey!!! Awsome idea!! Well done Michael!!

[@TheHomePros6221]

Really enjoyed watching this mike!

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks man! I should have installed one of these thumbs years ago back when you shared your thumb video with me. Do you still have your little mini Excavator?

[@TheHomePros6221]

@@Mikefestiva oh yea I use it all the time, I can’t wait to finish restoring this Nissan Hanix mini I’m just still waiting on the pinion slew gear to be finished being made. My thumb has been working flawlessly it’s the best upgrade you can do to a mini

[@bernietoast2686]

Great video Mike, thanks for your effort!

[@mammut1291]

Nice mod and great video, thanks Mike

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks man 😊👍

[@weshipitjamaica4354]

Superb

[@jeffryrichardson9105]

Awesome job!👍🏽😊❤️🇺🇸

[@MattLitkeRacing]

Thumbs up on the thumb 👍

[@mraaron12341]

Thank Mike. Love Dave’s music. Always compliments your videos.

[@Mikefestiva]

Right on! Yes Dave’s music is great 👍 he is also a really good human as well 😊

[@msTECH86]

I just finished the season and I already know that I will install such an attachment to my excavator this winter. Thank you for video ;D

[@noyopacific]

Thanks for the video !

[@Gunge-vq2ik]

great mod thank you!!!

[@051biohaz]

Hey Mike, another great video man…and damn those welds look great..:) thanks for the upload

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video! I really appreciate it man 😊👍

[@lukelawrence5026]

Hey Mike. I just discovered your channel a few days ago. I binge watched your mini dump truck series and I found it to be so engaging and I loved watching you engineer it. Ive always wanted to build a tracked utility vehicle of my own. I learned so much. Watching you showed me that I really can do it and I plan to start this winter. I may even post a video series on it as well. Thanks again and happy fabricating!

[@scottsherwood8555]

I like how you think about what you’re putting together. Thanks for the tip on not using brake clean to lean parts up. You do nice work Mike.

[@miltonpomales5405]

It works better than the other hydraulic ones!!!

[@blackbuttecruizr]

Excellent video, solid reasoning behind the manual thumb.

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video man 👍😊

[@blackbuttecruizr]

@@Mikefestiva thanks for taking the time to film and edit!

[@lcdc59]

Thank You!!!

[@mikeelliott6501]

Nice work Mike as always

[@Lee-At-Green-Pheonix-Rc]

Plus u could always add a hydraulic cylinder later on if you ever want to

[@EricGreen-o5y]

Great video Mike

[@Tubeagrutis]

Cool stuff, Mike! Nice to see some fabrication and you making your equipment better. Thanks for the content and keep it coming.

[@craigkeller]

Savvy

[@c.mikelongo6628]

As always, nice work.

[@50Acres]

Nice work Mike, I don't know how I got by without my thumb.

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video! How’s your Yanmar holding up? Any new projects you been doing lately?

[@50Acres]

@@Mikefestiva no problem man, It's holding up great, It sits a lot so that worries me but it always seems to be fine. I keep up on maintenance. I just made a little driveway turnaround by digging out part of a hill.

[@cpjones1989]

Love the yanmars I’ve got a b15-3 it out performs heavier newer machines

[@jerrygoldfuss466]

Great video Mike!

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks 😊

[@dogpotter]

great project thanks for sharing

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video! 😊👍

[@dougtravins9624]

Nice kit Mike. You made a useful tool MORE useful. I wish I had o machine like this when I built my house in the woods.

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks Doug! Yes me too, back when I built my cabin years ago, all the digging was done with a shovel, pick and wheelbarrow. I have done some much manual digging over the years. It’s nice to finally have a few machines to help around the house 😊👍

[@JoyT5]

Great video. Thank you for posting it. I enjoyed watching it.

[@Mikefestiva]

Right on! Thanks 😊 I have been enjoying your mini excavator and skid steer lift capacity series, thanks for posting those videos 👍

[@JoyT5]

@Mikefestiva Awesome. Lots of people like our lift test videos and we will be doing more of them. We expecting a shipment with wheel loaders to arrive soon. We will do lift tests for them as well. Stay tuned :)

[@BricoleurTV]

5:29 Remember telling you so, years ago when you bought the machine 😘😉

[@mwendell]

Time to build a log trailer.

[@DrDjones]

Well done dude

[@DonCatherman]

Thinking about making one for my . TB016.......Great information for my project...TY

[@Imtheengine]

Thanks for great content!

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks man 😊👍

[@scott5747]

I added a manual thumb to my Kubota B3030 tractor with backhoe. It does make a difference. The one I got was bolt on clamp fit, but I could weld it if I wanted. I do want the accessory unit with diverter for a clam shell attachment on the bucket for brush $$$.

[@MrNosajwhitey]

You always seem to use the gentle amount of revs for your machines

[@Mikefestiva]

Yes unless I need to work fast I usually don’t rev my machines up much more then half throttle, especially when working with a tired out 34 year old machine 🤣 Thanks for checking out my new video 👍

[@NilsKall]

Just started to mount my cheap manual Vevor thumb. It was only 150$ but I think it will be really useful on my Komatsu PC16.

[@TheHomePros6221]

@@NilsKalllol😂

[@southernyankeehomestead3230]

Good work! And a thumb, either manual or hydraulic, should be a standard on any excavator or backhoe. Also a side note.... if you get the marigold paint that's usually right beside the yellow it matches the yellow equipment paint much better. It's a minor thing but for touches and accessories it gives it a cleaner look.

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video. I actually started re painting my Yanmar last summer and the engine cover is this same yellow. I haven’t finished the boom painting yet.

[@RaysGarage-dl4bq]

Ive been telling my dad that we need a thumb of any kind but now im convinced that I definitely need one

[@gregarnold7516]

Great video

[@mocarp1]

Having an extra thumb is always helpful. Mike, how you like those particular welding sleeves? Had them long?

[@teedawg2112]

comment for the algorithm 👊 💥

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks 😊

[@stephenhavens3267]

Any updates on the templar 250? I bought one because of you, worth every penny so far.

[@Mikefestiva]

My Templar is holding up well so far, I really haven’t gotten out a lot on it, just to darn busy with life, kids and work. Glad yours is working out for you as well!

[@Ants_Pants]

iv used a manual thumb also and i tried to add a hydraulic cylinder on it but broke it pretty fast, it just gets in the way while loading stuff on the trailer and very easy to smash the hoses/ram

[@Mikefestiva]

Yes the manual thumb seems to work pretty well! Thanks Ants 😊

[@MrBowmanmt]

Will this work for my JD 310D

[@aircommuter]

It looks handy but my machine has an extendable dipper that might prevent the installation?

[@bert26a]

Its hard to find one of those old Yanmars. Andrew Cammarata has had good luck with his.

[@LeonisLupusRex]

Yeah last year i got myself a all most mint condition 2004 B 15-3 EX Yanmar and all tho its a 1750 kg machine its so much beater then a shovel. I am looking to put a thumb on it as well but i am going with a hydraulic one cause i got the aux lines so might as well.

[@paulwatts905]

👍👍

[@DougsMessyGarage]

Hey Mike. Sweet mod for the Yanmar. When I got my machine I had looked at a couple of auctions that were selling similar sized units that didn't have thumbs. With having the plasma table, I didn't think the lack of a thumb was an exclusion. Fortunately, the machine I eventually got came with a thumb. You are absolutely correct that it would be hard to build your own thumb for the cost of that kit. It turned out great. Question. Are you still able to get genuine acetone? A few weeks ago, I tried to buy some here in Canada and all I was able to find was an environmentally friendly acetone substitute. I didn't bother getting any because I had an alternative available. If real acetone is still available in the US, I might have to make a run south to grab a couple of gallons.

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks for checking out my new video Doug! Yes we can still buy Acetone at Home Depot and other stores. I went to recharge my AC in my Toyota FJ Cruiser this summer and it turns out the Simple recharge kits you can buy at auto parts stores are no longer available in Washington. So I went online to order some and you can find it but unfortunately they won’t ship it to Washington! Bummer.

[@photog1529]

Just curious...how large is your property? I have 5 acres and its hard enough to find the time to properly manage.

[@earnestmatlock9694]

Awesome video Mike. That made a ton of difference in that machine and good sense too. They should make a bolt on accessory on the new machine's. 73 GOD bless Earnest K5EWM.

[@funone8716]

2 Thumbs up for the thumb......see what I did there?

[@Mikefestiva]

Haha 🤣 thanks

[@joell439]

👍👍😎👍👍

[@alleybuilds5370]

250$ and a day of labor.. 100% worth it.

[@Joe-mf4jx]

How’s it been 3 years?!?!

[@Mikefestiva]

Crazy how time is flying by so fast!

[@funone8716]

REALLY

[@bryduhbikeguy]

Awesome work, and video Mike. Thumbs Up ! ( Just wish I wasn't 'Like' 666, on Friday the 13th ;) )

[@Mikefestiva]

Thanks man 👍 Haha 🤣