Finally got the hang of setting the ladder on soft bottom without it sinking

Been working a sand and gravel job on the Ohio River and the bottom is like soup. Kept having the cutter ladder dig in too deep and bog down the whole operation, losing maybe 2 hours a day just fighting it. My foreman, a guy named Ray, told me to try running the swing pump at about 70% power instead of full throttle when lowering it into a new cut. Did that for the past three days and it's like night and day. The ladder settles in gentle and the suction stays strong without the whole rig shuddering. Anyone else have a specific pump speed trick for different bottom types?

2 comments

2 Comments

kevin2182d ago

Ray's 70% trick sounds like the difference between a controlled landing and just dropping the whole rig into the river soup.

jones.angela2d ago

That trick saved my bacon last season!