Mini Excavators

[909]

Lets say if one were to be in posession of some raw land , and wanted to develop it . Make a road , some trails , maybe even dig a foundation ... what type of mini excavator would you buy and how difficult would it be to learn to use if you were mechanically inclined.

 

[Scott Danforth]

To make a road, or dig a foundation you are into something bigger than a mini excavator.

A mini is great for trenching, digging along your foundation to waterproof. However building a road would be like painting a house with a toothbrush

 

[909]

Hey thanks for your reply Scott. So definitely get something bigger . It's all new to me, and was hoping to buy something small first, to learn .

The roads are already there , but they're just dirt roads. I was thinking to just improve on them, with gravel .

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would rent a mini excavator, then decide if you need to get a skid steer, motor grader and excavator.

 

[dingbat]

Hey thanks for your reply Scott. So definitely get something bigger . It's all new to me, and was hoping to buy something small first, to learn .

The roads are already there , but they're just dirt roads. I was thinking to just improve on them, with gravel .

A friend used his mini excavator to dig the water lines from the house out to the barns.

Roughly 24” deep, 14” wide by 250 ft. long. Took 2 full days. Wasn’t impressed with the equipment.

I used the front end loader on my tractor to push gravel. Use a drag hallow to smooth it out.

 

[matt167]

A mini ex for clearing or improving a road isn’t really the best tool for the job. I think a mini can generally dig 10’ down max but it’s limited for gravel spreading and such.

A SCUT or CUT tractor with a loader and a backhoe would be more versatile. Skid steer would be a possibility as well but sit down before you look at the price

 

[KD4UPL]

A mini can be a 4,000 pound machine, a 10,000 pound machine, or larger. They are pretty easy to operate. They are great for digging ditches and holes. They are pretty useless for making or maintaining roads.

 

[Mystified43]

Lets say if one were to be in posession of some raw land , and wanted to develop it . Make a road , some trails , maybe even dig a foundation ... what type of mini excavator would you buy and how difficult would it be to learn to use if you were mechanically inclined.

For raw land, leveling, digging etc. an excavator will not provide all you need, you're better off with a TLB, Tractor Loader / Backhoe... and Integral unit like the L47 / M62 Kubota. Quick attach backhoe, the 3PT easily installs and off you go with a box scraper...

 

[Bondo]

For raw land, leveling, digging etc. an excavator will not provide all you need, you're better off with a TLB, Tractor Loader / Backhoe... and Integral unit like the L47 / M62 Kubota. Quick attach backhoe, the 3PT easily installs and off you go with a box scraper...

Ayuh,.... If I could have just one machine to do all the things required for buildin' a homestead on raw land,....
I'd be lookin' for a TLB like a used cared for Ford 555, or Case 580, or such sized machine,....

 

[dolluper]

A Case 580 extendahoe 4 wheel drive will keep on working when you can't
Great machines will do everything you want...Anything else at least a 20 ton excavator will be needed

 

[FLATHEAD]

I’ve spent more time than I care to remember in a 580E. Tough machine but your looking 40 to 50 thousand for a half decent used one. 100,000 plus new.

 

[ejnichol]

Rent before you buy would be a good idea. A compact tract loader aka skid steer along lines of larger ones say a Cat 289/299 is good at small scale grading and redistribution. A TLB can be good if its a large one.

 

[909]

Equipment is too expensive boyos.

Aggregate supplier offered to level things for a few extra bucks with a skid steer while delivering the material

 

[909]

Update:

Couldn't be happier .

Thanks for the lessons boyos.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Looks great!

 

[909]

Thanks .

Turned out better than expected.

 

[dolluper]

Not bad at all..couple drifting corners just watch out for the widow makers

 

[alex666nder]

Hey! That looks good. I don't know if this helps. But, if you are still interested in buying a new one. Kubota U17 and Bobcat E10 appear to be some good options. I hope you understood that these Mini excavators are often easy to operate and have user-friendly controls. Anyway, is a plausible option(for future reference), especially for this temporary work. So how much extra you had to pay? The corners seem to be a little tricky.

MOD Edit. Removed hyperlink

 

[tilly56]

hi there
Thinking about developing raw land? An adaptable mini excavator, such as the Bobcat E35 or Caterpillar 303.5E CR, could be an ideal choice. Learning their use is quite doable, particularly if you're spatially aware and have some machinery familiarity. Just keep safety and legal guidelines in mind. Consider training if necessary.

 

[909]

Update :

Most of the important stuff is in.