Topcon laser on bobcat grader

LS did you get running yet I run a topcon system 5 with 2 recievers on a deere and levels best works pretty good we get close to 20,000 sq ft a day to within 1/4 inch with a guy that has about 8 months experience fine grading so that's a huge win.

CM1995 said: Cat blade with Trimble system. Click to expand... Is this the GB124 that you mentioned in your thread CM? If so, how are you finding it?

Queenslander said: Is this the GB124 that you mentioned in your thread CM? If so, how are you finding it? Click to expand... I think it's the BB124. It's not the newer "smart" blade. Bought it back in 2018 for a warehouse expansion job. This blade works fantastic for fine grading pads. Once you bench the blade and account for the compaction loss in the material being graded that blade can keep 1/2" or better tolerance depending on material as fast as a 279D will go. That blade is what pushed into GPS on our D3 and then 325. The production gains of that little box blade fine grading a 50K SF pad and placing DGB for the slab was impressive to say the least. It's for sale as we've outgrown it but I'd imagine shipping would be a bugger to Down Under. What's next on the list is a smart grader blade with GPS and new CTL. That will allow us to use a CTL to fine grade parking lots without having to mob in the D3.

We’re pricing one at the moment, along with the new 255 CTL. We have Topcon 2D on our graders, so hoping we can use those receivers on the new blade.

Queenslander said: We’re pricing one at the moment, along with the new 255 CTL. We have Topcon 2D on our graders, so hoping we can use those receivers on the new blade. Click to expand... What do you plan on using it for? We have Trimble/Cat branded receivers and dual plane laser.

Just shed pads, around feedlots, cattle yards, house hold driveways etc. Basically, areas that are too tight for a full size grader. No need for 3D at this stage. They have blades in stock now but the loaders are two months away….at least.

The 2018 model box blade we have now works great for that type of work. It can be set up for flat plane, single slope or dual slope depending on the laser's capability. Cat dealer has a demo day for the new CTL's May 9th. I'd like to go but I'll be 3 hrs away on a project we are about to start and not ready to swap either 279D at the moment.

I guess the main reason we are looking at the GB is that we are coming from a grader background. It does have those little wings that swing forward to help carry material something like a box blade.

I think you will be happier with the grader blade rather than the box blade coming from a full size grader. The box blade is nice for spreading stone on pads but has very little side to side articulation. A grader blade would work better for us clipping final grade on small parking lots and such. The new 265 Cat's look interesting.

I just brought one of these home. We are putting 3D on it, Topcon according to the OEM seems to have the best system for this, so that is what we are going with, using a total station. We will put it on the Minitour.

KSSS said: I just brought one of these home. We are putting 3D on it, Topcon according to the OEM seems to have the best system for this, so that is what we are going with, using a total station. We will put it on the Minitour. Click to expand... Congrats! Let us know how it goes.

Update, I had forgotten about this, after the last update I did. System still didn’t work, we toned both harnesses and turns out both were pinned wrong, they gave us new harnesses and all is right with the world now, good setup. I like the adjustability, can set it high before compaction.

Good deal. Glad you got it worked out. The most time consuming part is figuring how much a specific material will compact. The dense grade base we usually get will compact .15' when putting it down 6-8" thick.

CM1995 said: Good deal. Glad you got it worked out. The most time consuming part is figuring how much a specific material will compact. The dense grade base we usually get will compact .15' when putting it down 6-8" thick. Click to expand... Cut to finish - always a balancing act!