tnwalkingred
Well-known member
Anyone got one? How useful are they? I'm thinking about buying one to clear out some small trees and clean up fence rows.
Kyle
Kyle
Mini excavators
- Thread starter tnwalkingred
- Start date
Don't have one but have used one several times on the farm. They have good uses but have their limits. I think for the purpose of digging out small trees in a fence row it would be ok, would not want to do a lot of pushing with the blade on one. Last one I used had a thumb on it, very handy.
Black and Good
Well-known member
I own one they are a handy little machine but the down fall to the them is if you need to pack material, Gravel or whatever. That's where a backhoe shines or you have to a Skid Steer with it. B&G
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
I'm in the excavating business and we have owned several mini's, for some things they can be the only thing that works. What are some more details on what your doing, I think there might be a better machine for you.
Black and Good
Well-known member
denvermartinfarms":22tz6kjn said:
I agree, BTW I'm in the Excavating business as well. If you already have a skid steer that makes a big difference how practical a mini can be. B&G
skyhightree1
Well-known member
I also do excavation and mini excavators are just that. If I bought one it would be used for digging trenches footings etc as said before they ate great but restrictions on there usage. However if you were buying one to clear acreage save your $.
jedstivers
Well-known member
As long as you have mini trees your ok. You can rent them cheap too.
wbvs58
Well-known member
I bought a 13 ton excavator last year so I don't know if you class it in the mini size. I bought it for digging drains and making levee banks and clearing. I clear with it along with my Kubota M7970 which has a FEL and 4 in 1 bucket which is very usefull at grabbing and stacking the timber high. The excavator is pretty much ideal for what I do, big enough to easily push over trees about 18" diam and occaisional bigger after digging out one side of them first. I do have fairly sandy soil which helps. I find the excavator is big enough to do the job but still small enough to manoever between the trees and be able to push them outwards onto the cleared area. It does have a blade on it which is reasonably capable at pushing the bigger trees along the ground to the stack. I am looking at getting a mechanical thumb for it however with the FEL on the tractor I manage pretty well.
Ken
Ken
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
I can tell you that for all around clearing and use on a farm a track loader will be the best single all around machine, you can build ponds, roads, clear, ect, not all things you can do with a mini, and if your dealing with any full size tree's you can defiantly forget it. The smallest excavator your going to clear any normal trees with is about a 25 to 30k class.
Black and Good
Well-known member
denvermartinfarms":21m2jyrq said:
:nod: X2
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
If you don't mind me asking, what is a idea of your budget for this?
tnwalkingred
Well-known member
Denver,
I could spend up to 30k on a piece of equipment. My goal is to start clearing the 160 acres at the house. I figure buying a piece of equipment and selling it when done is better than dropping 1000 dollars a acre paying someone else. I've thought and a track loader as well. I'm only interested in clearing smaller trees to begin with. What would you recommend?
Kyle
I could spend up to 30k on a piece of equipment. My goal is to start clearing the 160 acres at the house. I figure buying a piece of equipment and selling it when done is better than dropping 1000 dollars a acre paying someone else. I've thought and a track loader as well. I'm only interested in clearing smaller trees to begin with. What would you recommend?
Kyle
skyhightree1
Well-known member
Tnwalking,
I know you didn't ask me what I suggest... but one thing I'd like to say is don't spend 30k on something that can't do everything. If you want to play with smaller trees rent a mini. 1000 an acre is a steal here I get paid more than that to clean a 1/4 acre lot.
I know you didn't ask me what I suggest... but one thing I'd like to say is don't spend 30k on something that can't do everything. If you want to play with smaller trees rent a mini. 1000 an acre is a steal here I get paid more than that to clean a 1/4 acre lot.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
I think your plan is good, if you aren't pretty familiar with this kind of equipment get someone who is to look it over with you before buying. A track loader is exactly what you need IMO, there's just alot you can do with one, where an excavator is great for some things but also very limited.
You can get a real nice 943 cat for 18 to 20k$ there are other models that would suit you, but there are some to stay away from, a hydrostatic transmission is a plus over a machine that's a power shift, worn out steering g clutches and brakes can cost more to fix than some machines are worth. In this type of machinery hydro's are easier to work on and not any more expensive sometimes.
Look at machinery trader and look at some different models, cat is pretty much the way to go on track loaders. Growing up in this business we have owned more loaders than I can even try to remember and have had every brand there is. Let me know if you look at something and have questions, this equipment is one thing I know my way around pretty well.
You can get a real nice 943 cat for 18 to 20k$ there are other models that would suit you, but there are some to stay away from, a hydrostatic transmission is a plus over a machine that's a power shift, worn out steering g clutches and brakes can cost more to fix than some machines are worth. In this type of machinery hydro's are easier to work on and not any more expensive sometimes.
Look at machinery trader and look at some different models, cat is pretty much the way to go on track loaders. Growing up in this business we have owned more loaders than I can even try to remember and have had every brand there is. Let me know if you look at something and have questions, this equipment is one thing I know my way around pretty well.
tnwalkingred
Well-known member
Sky high,
Prices like your talking about is the exact reason I want to buy something and do it myself. How much do you charge to clear an acre of small standing timber on level ground?
Denver,
The cat 943 is exactly what I've been looking at tonight. Looks like 20k will buy a nice machine as you already stated. I do know a guy in the business who will help me with my purchase if I decide to go that route. I still plan to get a couple of quotes but my gut says hiring it done is not going to be cost effective. I would like to do between 5-20 acres before the spring. Of course if I buy a machine I'll just do it in my spare time. How do you pile the trees without getting a lot of dirt in them? Trying to burn piles with dirt in them is a experience I do not want to live again!
Kyle
Prices like your talking about is the exact reason I want to buy something and do it myself. How much do you charge to clear an acre of small standing timber on level ground?
Denver,
The cat 943 is exactly what I've been looking at tonight. Looks like 20k will buy a nice machine as you already stated. I do know a guy in the business who will help me with my purchase if I decide to go that route. I still plan to get a couple of quotes but my gut says hiring it done is not going to be cost effective. I would like to do between 5-20 acres before the spring. Of course if I buy a machine I'll just do it in my spare time. How do you pile the trees without getting a lot of dirt in them? Trying to burn piles with dirt in them is a experience I do not want to live again!
Kyle
tnwalkingred
Well-known member
Sky high and Denver,
Would do you think about renting a machine? I could rent one for a week at a time but I'm not sure how much I could accomplish in that time?
Kyke
Would do you think about renting a machine? I could rent one for a week at a time but I'm not sure how much I could accomplish in that time?
Kyke
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
When you push a tree if it's big and has a stump I always try to knock most of the dirt out of the stump, then Carry the tree to the pile if it's a big tree, if they are smaller trees I get a small pile of them and then top the teeth found and push the small pile to the big pile. It's not hard to make a pile without dirt, just takes a few days to get a feel, then you don't even have to think about what your doing anymore.
A 943 or 953 will work best for you, sometimes a 53 won't cost anymore and they will be a little easier to sell when your done. A expensive fix on them is the equalizer bar between the roller frames in the front, you can spend several thousand on them pretty fast if it's at the end of it's life. there are plenty of good machines for sale.
There is probably good points to doing it yourself and to hiring it done, but often doing it yourself in this situation will work out better over time.
A 943 or 953 will work best for you, sometimes a 53 won't cost anymore and they will be a little easier to sell when your done. A expensive fix on them is the equalizer bar between the roller frames in the front, you can spend several thousand on them pretty fast if it's at the end of it's life. there are plenty of good machines for sale.
There is probably good points to doing it yourself and to hiring it done, but often doing it yourself in this situation will work out better over time.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Possible option, but if you haven't ran one much you might not be efficient enough at first to get the most out of it. Your certainly not going to clear 30 acres in a week.tnwalkingred":19am46kw said:
tnwalkingred
Well-known member
Denver,
If I happen to find a good deal on one in MO maybe I'll just pay you to come consult for me! Lol.
Yeah I realize I can't do thirty acres in a week but could I do 10? How many acres of small standing trees on level ground can an experienced operator clear in a weeks time?
The only advantage to renting is not having the cost of repairs. I figure if I spend 20k on buying a machine I need to set aside at least 5k for repairs over the course of how long I keep it. If I'm going to be spending my own time to run a machine it might as well be my own machine that I keep until I've done all I wanted to do.
When you carry a big tree to the pile do you just carry it in the bucket? When you push a pile of small trees are you saying you point the teeth of the bucket down while you push so you don't get much dirt in the pile?
Excuse my ignorance but vie never ran anything type of equipment other than a farm tractor.
Kyle
If I happen to find a good deal on one in MO maybe I'll just pay you to come consult for me! Lol.
Yeah I realize I can't do thirty acres in a week but could I do 10? How many acres of small standing trees on level ground can an experienced operator clear in a weeks time?
The only advantage to renting is not having the cost of repairs. I figure if I spend 20k on buying a machine I need to set aside at least 5k for repairs over the course of how long I keep it. If I'm going to be spending my own time to run a machine it might as well be my own machine that I keep until I've done all I wanted to do.
When you carry a big tree to the pile do you just carry it in the bucket? When you push a pile of small trees are you saying you point the teeth of the bucket down while you push so you don't get much dirt in the pile?
Excuse my ignorance but vie never ran anything type of equipment other than a farm tractor.
Kyle
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
How you push depends all on how you learn to get something done, there way more than one way to do all of this, sometimes I lay the bucket flat and push a pile and them sometimes I will tip the teeth down, not strait down but at an angle, yes most of the time I pick up bigger trees and carry them whenever possible.
If there small trees 15 to 20 acres is doable in a weeks time with 1 machine, it does depend on how much cleanup there is. After clearing you can back drag the teath over an area and have it clean and in pretty good shape to seed and roll.
If there small trees 15 to 20 acres is doable in a weeks time with 1 machine, it does depend on how much cleanup there is. After clearing you can back drag the teath over an area and have it clean and in pretty good shape to seed and roll.
