Mrs. Suggested that we might consider a Mini-Excavator in our future.

[Fixastuff]

Get that excavator once you have it you'll find tons of uses for it!

 

[KilroyJC]

As to road maintenance, our main road is in pretty decent shape, and I can do most upkeep with my tractor and scrape blade. Road maintenance with the mini-ex would be for putting in a couple more culverts and reopening/re-creating several badly-overgrown tracks and paths through the property. I would also want to create a pond or two, and our lot is a cove so there is some slope in many parts.

AGAIN - THESE ARE THE TYPE OF CONVERSATION AND DEBATE I AM LOOKING FOR AND YOU ALL ARE GREAT!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!

 

[KilroyJC]

According to my Kubota dealer he said contractors are replacing their backhoes with a Skidsteer and a minix

A couple years ago on our local Craigslist there was a vintage Caterpillar tracked loader with and excavator bucket on the back. I think it had like a 3-yard split bucket on the loader end and weighed 20000+pounds and was wayyyyyu too much money for me, but something set up like that on like a Case 310-sized platform would probably fill the bill perfectly!

 

[KilroyJC]

I've had a 555 for a few years now. It's a 2wd model. It will go anywhere your hoe talents can take you. I would assume the same from a mini ex, depending on the size machine you are looking at. Moving a mini ex an 1/8 mile by tracking is a painful experience.

Again, depending on mini ex size, they are limited as to what they'll lift with the boom extended horizontally. Not being familiar with your mill setup, I don't know how far horizontally you want to lift the logs?

Hopefully this thread will draw the attention of excavator owners. An excavator is a very handy tool in the right circumstances.

this is what I am dealing with now, I plan by summer to have a shed and the mill up off the ground on a deck.

 

[m7040]

Get that excavator once you have it you'll find tons of uses for it!

Fixa, you are so right on that. I find a lot I can use it for that saves on lifting things or moving things out of the way and create piles that the tractor can grab and transport. Wish I had gotten a bigger one and a 6 way blade. Also using it to grab logs and carry it sideways out of congested area. It is a tool that helps me be better at what I do at 80 years old
And excels at digging out stumps. The ability to index it around the work in progress is great. Using a big bucket with smooth edge is great for leveling. Wish I had a tilt bucket.
Post hole digger attachments can be very useful because of ease of placing it where you want
It is handy for firewood cutting in lifting up the log to a convenient position for chainsaw and then pick up the cut pieces and put it on trailer or stack it in a pile
And then there is digging and create piles that are easy to pick up with the tractor
Digging a pond with it I would not recommend though. Unless it is small

 

[4570Man]

Get that excavator once you have it you'll find tons of uses for it!

I’d always been a backhoe guy until I bought an excavator on a whim about 2 years ago. It’s the handiest thing I’ve ever had and I don’t have backhoes anymore.

 

[dirttoys]

Mini is certainly better at somethings than others. I bought a tractor, skid, then mini. If I was starting over I would reverse that order. They are slow moving, but, I do as much road maintenance with the x as I do the skid and tractor. Two machines could do everything if you have a mower for the skid.

Skid for moving and grading.
Tractor for mowing.
X for all ground engagement.

You will have more fun running the x than either of the others (I do anyway).

Best,

ed

 

[KilroyJC]

Fixa, you are so right on that. I find a lot I can use it for that saves on lifting things or moving things out of the way and create piles that the tractor can grab and transport. Wish I had gotten a bigger one and a 6 way blade. Also using it to grab logs and carry it sideways out of congested area. It is a tool that helps me be better at what I do at 80 years old
And excels at digging out stumps. The ability to index it around the work in progress is great. Using a big bucket with smooth edge is great for leveling. Wish I had a tilt bucket.
Post hole digger attachments can be very useful because of ease of placing it where you want
It is handy for firewood cutting in lifting up the log to a convenient position for chainsaw and then pick up the cut pieces and put it on trailer or stack it in a pile
And then there is digging and create piles that are easy to pick up with the tractor
Digging a pond with it I would not recommend though. Unless it is small

The pond would be small, and q Lot of it would be damming up a branch in a crease in the land, primarily to make a penstock for pressurized water feed for a potential micro hydroelectric setup Not to mention irrigation and general use. If I make it where I want it I can have about 140’ of head. There is another potential spot for a second penstock that can give me almost 180’ of head.

 

[m7040]

I sold my backhoe recently. Never used it anymore. There is a little learning curve with the excavator. The backhoe had a different pattern for controls so had to adjust to the new controls but after a short while it was second nature.
It would be good idea to rent one to see if you like it before buying.

 

[4570Man]

I sold my backhoe recently. Never used it anymore. There is a little learning curve with the excavator. The backhoe had a different pattern for controls so had to adjust to the new controls but after a short while it was second nature.
It would be good idea to rent one to see if you like it before buying.

Most mini excavators have pattern changers. I run mine on backhoe since I learned on a backhoe.