Lima 2400

[HFDZL]

I presently work for Lane Const. in western MA. We have moved a Lima 2400 in from FL, to excavate gravel in our pit. I have the friction license. Dragline operation is completely new to me. I grasp the principles of what has to happen, and would have little problem digging in dry ground. I have to dig underwater. You have visualise the bucket. Is there a way to set the bucket, adjust the length of the drag chains or closing rope, to get a full bucket. I keep coming up empty or with maybe 1-2 yds of material. The old timer that put the machine together told me that my company would give me a hour in the seat before he left, "and now you know everything" I have a lot of respect for the men that came before me in the trade, I find having to learn the hard way is very frustrating in this situation.
Advice from anyone? Thanks- Herb

[Tom Berry]

contact Richard Hyde, 38090 Barnesville-Bethesda Road, Bethesda, Ohio 43719-9775, 740-484-1213. He is the expert on Lima.

[dave]

I have a friend in Thompson Con. who i consider to be a expert on draglines and all cable machines his name is Willy Tedesko e-mail me at dfhall2000@yahoo.com or call us at 207-725 9305 and i will give you his number . good luck D.F.Hall

[ddt56]

How deep is the water you are digging in? On a Hendrix bucket, where the chains hook to the bucket, there are two sets of eyes to hook your chains to. For deep digging you hook the shackles in the topmost eyes. There are only two settings. You might try lengthening your dump rope, the one that runs through the sheave at the top of the bucket. If you dump rope is too short, you will be pulling up on the nose of the bucket when you are under water. Lengthen it until it wants to dump when you bring the bucket out of the water, then shorten until it will hold a load. You might try casting your bucket out beyond the tip of the boom also. New pond or old diggings ? Good luck
DT

[HFDZL]

Thanks for all the replies. I have talked to Hendrix Mfg. and have found that the drag chains are 2 ft to short. I don't know how much this changes the digging performance. I am working on learning to cast the bucket. The digging is virgin gravel about 20 ft. I should be able to dig to 60-70 ft. Or half the lenght of the boom. We had an excavator digging that started the pond, about 2-3 yrs ago. The chain attachments are in the upper position.

A work in progress, as I run the machine I am learning all the adjustments and how to work on it.

Herb