When should I use a Blade VS Teeth on my Excavator Digging Bucket?

So, you want to know when you should use a Bladed Bucket over a Toothed Bucket on your excavator. That's a great question and one we regularly get asked here at Rhinox. With more than 35 years in the construction industry we have seen people using Digging Buckets for all sorts of jobs, but in this article we will outline the best uses for a Bladed Bucket and Toothed Bucket so that you can decided which option is best suited to your job.

Blades VS Teeth - When should you use them?

Buckets with Teeth

A Digging Bucket fitted with teeth is probably the most commonly seen excavator bucket. If you've ever seen an excavator it would likely be fitted with a digging bucket fitted with teeth. But why are they so popular and when are they best used?

Toothed Digging Buckets are best used to break up compact materials like sedimentary rock, or penetrate stubborn ground like solid or frozen dirt. The pointed teeth attached to the edge of the bucket enable you to put all of the power of the machine into the ground through these points, to increase the strength and ability to break up the material. So, the toothed bucket is the best choice if you're trying to dig trenches, flower beds, drive ways or similar. They will speed up your excavation and help you to complete your job faster.

Although the toothed bucket is mainly used to break up material, it is also the best choice for bulk moving material and removing objects that might be stuck in the ground, like roots or large rocks. The teeth are able to get underneath the objects and lever them out, speeding up your excavation process. But, if the object is stuck too firmly, we would recommend using a Frost Ripper Tooth instead, as these concentrate the power into one point for even more power into the area. If you want to know more about Frost Ripper Teeth, click here.

Buckets with Blades

So, it sounds like the Toothed Digging Bucket can be used in all situations, right? Incorrect. There are a few key times when you probably shouldn't use a toothed bucket or when you would prefer to use a bucket with no teeth, and when this occurs we would recommend fitting a blade instead. Using a bucket with no edge option fitted can cause damage to your bucket so we would also recommend fitting a Bolt-on Blade if you want or need a bucket without teeth. As well as protecting your bucket edge, it also adds strength and rigidity to your bucket while digging. If you want to know more about what a Bolt-on Blades is, how it works and how it can save you money, click here.

But, when should you use a Blade on your bucket, over using teeth? One of the most common reasons is that you want a trench with a flat bottom. Using a blade is the quickest and easiest way to get a flat finish to your trench while digging. This will leave your trench with no teeth marks or digging lines as the blade smooths out the material as you pull the bucket through the ground. Flat bottom trenches are ideal for laying pipes or cables to ensure that they are connected accurately and safely.

Another reason bladed buckets are used is for digging around utilities. It is becoming more and more common that utility contractors want excavators to be used without toothed digging buckets on site due to the potential risk of hitting cables or other utilities already in the ground. Bladed options like the Bolt on Blade or Uni Tusk Blade are the preferred option in these situations due to the reduced chance of utility strikes under the ground.

So, there you have it. The main scenarios where you should use a Toothed or Bladed Digging Bucket on your excavator. If you want to purchase a toothed or bladed bucket to carry out one of these jobs check out our buckets - they are available for a wide range of machine makes and models. Click here to shop online now.

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