Jims1025R
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2021
- Messages
- 280
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
- Tractor
- John Deere 1025R, John Deere 15 Mini ex, Polaris 700 6x6 Ranger & Airplane
BxB301,
Of course, you will do what is right for you, which, is as it should be. Some of us write here simply out of a goodwill sense of caution. Yes, I built my own house, aircraft hangar, and workshop, as well as a lot of equipment over the decades. I have also owned a mini excavator since 1998, with about 2500 hours on it, doing all the maintenance and a few modifications myself.
Consider one aspect, when comparing what you've built: House, excellent! but, when something doesn't quite work , you can still live in the house, and most likely fix it ('cause you know it so well!) - I've lived since 1990 that way, it's excellent - I have never hired a repairman! But, when your mini-ex stops working, it's 100% not usable, and probably stuck where it is, taking your time, and not producing any outcome. That's fine, if it's home, and you have the time for loss of use, and to fix it. I completely rebushed and repinned mine shortly after buying it. All new Yanmar bushings, and I made all new pins, turned, hardened and ground to a couple of thou clearance to each joint. It was a lot of work, but well worth it, I've got 2500 hours of use out of it! When I think of making all of those joints to a good tolerance new, I understand, and shudder at the amount of work.
I suggest, if you have not already, find a mini-ex to run for a while. While you're running it, pay very close attention to "loose" joints, both boom and controls. Is it okay for you? Can you make your joints that good? If you're going to make your project with only one pump, practice digging with the mini-ex using only one control (motion) at a time. This will give you an idea of what to expect from a single pump machine, no or very little compound motion.
As for the weight of the machine, consider the balance of the machine when you start to pull on a tree root fully extended. My mini-ex is 3000 pounds (so very small), and I can drag it across the ground when pulling against a tree root, or football sized rock in the ground. A lighter machine would be even less useful this way. And, (having flopped mine twice), consider a seatbelt and roll bar. Sadly, we humans have a terrible habit of trying to prevent what we're on from flipping, by extending an arm or leg. That's a super terrible idea when you're on a digger of any kind! As the saying goes, if you think safety is expensive, try an accident.
When my student crashed us in his plane crashed us five years ago, I was wearing my seatbelt. I pulled it out of the airplane as I was ejected. 3 mounts later, I was well enough to begin walking again. Two broken ankles are not nice, don't let something you built bite you! Mini-ex's flip a little too easily!
Of course, you will do what is right for you, which, is as it should be. Some of us write here simply out of a goodwill sense of caution. Yes, I built my own house, aircraft hangar, and workshop, as well as a lot of equipment over the decades. I have also owned a mini excavator since 1998, with about 2500 hours on it, doing all the maintenance and a few modifications myself.
Consider one aspect, when comparing what you've built: House, excellent! but, when something doesn't quite work , you can still live in the house, and most likely fix it ('cause you know it so well!) - I've lived since 1990 that way, it's excellent - I have never hired a repairman! But, when your mini-ex stops working, it's 100% not usable, and probably stuck where it is, taking your time, and not producing any outcome. That's fine, if it's home, and you have the time for loss of use, and to fix it. I completely rebushed and repinned mine shortly after buying it. All new Yanmar bushings, and I made all new pins, turned, hardened and ground to a couple of thou clearance to each joint. It was a lot of work, but well worth it, I've got 2500 hours of use out of it! When I think of making all of those joints to a good tolerance new, I understand, and shudder at the amount of work.
I suggest, if you have not already, find a mini-ex to run for a while. While you're running it, pay very close attention to "loose" joints, both boom and controls. Is it okay for you? Can you make your joints that good? If you're going to make your project with only one pump, practice digging with the mini-ex using only one control (motion) at a time. This will give you an idea of what to expect from a single pump machine, no or very little compound motion.
As for the weight of the machine, consider the balance of the machine when you start to pull on a tree root fully extended. My mini-ex is 3000 pounds (so very small), and I can drag it across the ground when pulling against a tree root, or football sized rock in the ground. A lighter machine would be even less useful this way. And, (having flopped mine twice), consider a seatbelt and roll bar. Sadly, we humans have a terrible habit of trying to prevent what we're on from flipping, by extending an arm or leg. That's a super terrible idea when you're on a digger of any kind! As the saying goes, if you think safety is expensive, try an accident.
When my student crashed us in his plane crashed us five years ago, I was wearing my seatbelt. I pulled it out of the airplane as I was ejected. 3 mounts later, I was well enough to begin walking again. Two broken ankles are not nice, don't let something you built bite you! Mini-ex's flip a little too easily!
