Excavator vs 3pt attachment?

[20 20]

Woody65, I live about a 100miles north of you but do know the oneonta area fairly well. I have owned 3 ex'es over the years and will agree with the others no comparison between BH and ex. I own an IHI 35J now and will write that it has not let me down once, great machine. I also have a JCB 8015, it weighs just under 4000lbs. Even the baby mini is a heck of a digger it has surprised me at what it can do. I have used them both to dig wells, septic, ponds, and do some logging. A great place to look for EX'es is machinery trader, you can narrow your search to area, money, type, and so on. Just be carefull of "carroll's equipment" they post there often and IMO are what I would call a quick turn around seller. The machines sold are abused not used, been there 3 times trying to do business, ole saying goes 3 strikes YOUR OUT! Sorry for the rant but just hate to see someone get takin.

If you find an ex in upstate and need some help looking, let me know. I am not an all knowing mechanic, but I do have a lot of experience with excavators and do all my own mechanical work.

 

[Code54]

Mini EX all the way - we rent one every year and take care of all the projects that come up, it is unreal how much I can get done in one day!! I found it is not worth me buying another backhoe when I can rent a NICE mini EX for $200 a day once or twice a year.

 

[radioman]

Another thing is that the EX tends to have a longer/deeper reach then the TLB. When My TLB couldnt reach, I had to dig a lower shelf with the FEL and work from that.

 

[Woody65]

Woody65, I live about a 100miles north of you but do know the oneonta area fairly well. I have owned 3 ex'es over the years and will agree with the others no comparison between BH and ex. I own an IHI 35J now and will write that it has not let me down once, great machine. I also have a JCB 8015, it weighs just under 4000lbs. Even the baby mini is a heck of a digger it has surprised me at what it can do. I have used them both to dig wells, septic, ponds, and do some logging. A great place to look for EX'es is machinery trader, you can narrow your search to area, money, type, and so on. Just be carefull of "carroll's equipment" they post there often and IMO are what I would call a quick turn around seller. The machines sold are abused not used, been there 3 times trying to do business, ole saying goes 3 strikes YOUR OUT! Sorry for the rant but just hate to see someone get takin.

If you find an ex in upstate and need some help looking, let me know. I am not an all knowing mechanic, but I do have a lot of experience with excavators and do all my own mechanical work.

Thanks a lot for the offer 20 20. I have a couple of months before I will definitely be in need of the ex. So I will keep my eyes peeled for a reliable machine near our area.

 

[Woody65]

Here is picture of only 1 I found online IHI IS-7GX3 Mini Excavator in New Jersey, United States (IronPlanet Item #427814)
Appears to be close to/was replaced by the 7J and now the 9VX (zero swing).
Somewhere is the 3/4 - 1 ton class with 5'-6' dig depth. (Based on 7J & 9VX specs.)
Wish I could find one that slod for what this one did @ $3500. Used TLB attachements if I find them are over $5k around here.

SSdoxie, the one I was looking at was in better cosmetic shape ( don't know mechanically cause I didn't get to see it) than that listing and the asking price was $4200. That was why I was interested. In his ad, he said the machine weighed 2600#. I tried to get specs on the 7GX but couldn't find any.

 

[camshawn]

I have a small excavator (15000 lbs)and have used a backhoe here as well. I would go for the excavator as the working field is 360 deg. The backhoe only works 180 deg.
The excavator imo is just more versatile for building,trenching and general site works.
I would buy, use and sell when your work is done. I still use ours 20 yrs later several times a year to cleanup tree stumps, feed the burn pile, repair water lines, ect.
Cam

 

[20 20]

I have to ask, maybe I'm slow I see a few post write, buy, use and sell, why? I figure once mine was bought/payed for and did the job I originally bought it for why get rid of it??? Mine are payed for and don't really owe me a thing even if they sat for months they would still come in VERY handy down the road. I'd rather have the machine (that I know the shape of) sit there and be ready when needed, instead of having to search all over again. They have MANY different attachments, anything from cutting weeds and grass, post hole digger to fire wood processor. I will swear by my machines as being the most important piece of machinery, or at very least on the top of the list. Some examples where they can be used, the obvious, digging holes, mowing, pulling engines, lifting and placing odd heavy objects, logging, and the list goes on. I just find it odd that some will buy and sell an ex but buy a tractor and probably put about the same amount of hrs on or less and keep it

 

[yelbike]

If you can afford and justify the capital tied up in the ex, than no worries. Buy, use, sell is a good way to avoid rental fees. Rental is a good option too. No maintance, especially if you only use it once a year.

I have to ask, maybe I'm slow I see a few post write, buy, use and sell, why? I figure once mine was bought/payed for and did the job I originally bought it for why get rid of it??? Mine are payed for and don't really owe me a thing even if they sat for months they would still come in VERY handy down the road. I'd rather have the machine (that I know the shape of) sit there and be ready when needed, instead of having to search all over again. They have MANY different attachments, anything from cutting weeds and grass, post hole digger to fire wood processor. I will swear by my machines as being the most important piece of machinery, or at very least on the top of the list. Some examples where they can be used, the obvious, digging holes, mowing, pulling engines, lifting and placing odd heavy objects, logging, and the list goes on. I just find it odd that some will buy and sell an ex but buy a tractor and probably put about the same amount of hrs on or less and keep it