I rented a mini excavator this weekend!

[930dreamer]

Removed two tree stumps that were against the shop wall. Dug up the drain line from a mobile home that was on the property at one time, not sure what type of tank this is. Also these concrete pads from the front of the shop.

Still can't upload all the pics?

 

[Gto7419]

Those things are awesome!

 

[rburke65]

I want one!

 

[manwithtools]

***** that it not have a hydraulic thumb. It makes them much more versatile.

$40k will get you started rburke65

 

[nadogail]

Looks like a fun toy to play with.

 

[Roschili]

I work on one of these atleast once a week. People are great at tearing the hydraulic hoses off the arm.

They are super useful and a lot of fun tho!

 

[CraigStu]

I rented on a year or so ago for a day. First time I ever touched one. Got my gravel drive culvert pipe extension in and had so much fun I am thinking about what else I could use one for.

 

[cstmg8]

I get it, I look for any reason I can to rent one. Hoping to put a beach in our pond this year.

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[karoc]

Removed two tree stumps that were against the shop wall. Dug up the drain line from a mobile home that was on the property at one time, not sure what type of tank this is. Also these concrete pads from the front of the shop.

Still can't upload all the pics?

Oh dang, I was wanting to rent one to do the same thing. I have about 7 to remove before I can bring in my fill dirt for a slab. Here its price at 250.00 for day, but I been putting it off cause did not know if it would work. Guessing you dug around stump then work the stump loose or had to cut some roots? Please do post some pics. This is fantastic, oh and how hard was it to learn to operate it?

 

[930dreamer]

Day three today, yesterday i was trying to dig out a cactus type plant right next to the shop wall and I put the excavator arm through a window pane. D'OH **** .

 

[930dreamer]

Oh dang, I was wanting to rent one to do the same thing. I have about 7 to remove before I can bring in my fill dirt for a slab. Here its price at 250.00 for day, but I been putting it off cause did not know if it would work. Guessing you dug around stump then work the stump loose or had to cut some roots? Please do post some pics. This is fantastic, oh and how hard was it to learn to operate it?

I'd never operated one before, but it's pretty easy, just have the rental place show you all the controls. Yes dig around the stump base and pull the stump towards you with the bucket, some trees you can just pull/push out.

 

[bigdav160]

Oh dang, I was wanting to rent one to do the same thing. I have about 7 to remove before I can bring in my fill dirt for a slab. Here its price at 250.00 for day, but I been putting it off cause did not know if it would work. Guessing you dug around stump then work the stump loose or had to cut some roots? Please do post some pics. This is fantastic, oh and how hard was it to learn to operate it?

I own one. I keep finding uses for it and use it all the time.

The controls (in ISO) I find very intuitive

 

[captain14]

930dreamer

Only one photo showing of the mini-excavator only

Sounds like fun except for the shop window.

I guess that’s a new thread on how to replace a shop window?

 

[930dreamer]

930dreamer

Only one photo showing of the mini-excavator only

Sounds like fun except for the shop window.

I guess that’s a new thread on how to replace a shop window?

Not sure why but I can't upload a picture to GJ from my computer or phone, only the excavator pic?

 

[alexb2000]

I have a Bobcat 328 I bought 10 years ago for $10K. It has paid for itself many times. I agree a hydraulic thumb is a game changer, along with a quick change bucket. I've dug MANY stumps off my place in NM. I also planted about 100 trees with it, put in gas line, etc.

The only problem.... people always want to "borrow" them. Don't do that.

 

[finn]

I bought one a couple of years ago. Deere 26G. Probably should have stepped up to a 35G, but the smaller machine tucks into the garage for winter nicely.

It would have obviously been cheaper to rent for the initial project, but it’s remarkable how many small things you can find to use it for. I figured that I don’t play golf, so the excavator and CTL are my hobbies.

 

[Bert_]

I hardly even consider it "work" running one. Now you just need to run a midi, bigger machine and better hydraulics.

 

[67carl]

My other half likes to garden but our soil is mostly clay and we have a lot of trees and bushes in the backyard (so many roots). Digging anything is brutal. She saw this and wanted to get it (sorta joking), but we live on a 14k square foot lot in the burbs, not really practical for the lot size and for many other reasons.

 

[manwithtools]

My other half likes to garden but our soil is mostly clay and we have a lot of trees and bushes in the backyard (so many roots). Digging anything is brutal. She saw this and wanted to get it (sorta joking), but we live on a 14k square foot lot in the burbs, not really practical for the lot size and for many other reasons.

Oh boy, you just opened a can of worms with that link...

 

[rangerfredbob]

I rented one last June, one of the post holes for my shop had too much lumber in it to dig by hand (someone buried a bunch of lumber scraps about 6' deep right where I wanted a post for the shop that I didn't know of beforehand) so I rented one, was $300 for the day on the biggest one you could drag home yourself without them delivering (I think a John Deere 35G) and that took care of the hole problem in about 15 minutes, then I had 5 douglas fir stumps to pull so I went for it, it was very effective. I think I only put 4 hours on the hour meter and took it back the same day. It didn't take long to get used to the controls

 

[CraigStu]

I also found the controls easy to get used to. I did have a small mishap punching a hole though one of my osb trailer sides that I put in place to haul gravel. My fault. I was getting too confident and decided to swing it and move the bucket while swinging. No biggie, just enough to convince me to move one way at a time for the rest of the day.

 

[930dreamer]

Finished for the weekend, wish I could have completed all the tasks I had planned. I tried to lift a large piece of metal with the excavator but it was too heavy.

I needed the metal removed so I could trench for a new service from the pole, part of the existing line is buried between the shop and pole. Unfortunately for me I now know just how shallow the line is as I snagged it while back dragging with the blade. It's not in conduit and was buried about three inches. Nothing tripped but now I have to get this fixed and done correctly.

A dirt question- I dug 10'x10'x10 pit and filled it back in, how long will it take to settle so I could pour a slab over?

Still can't upload pics!

 

[gnpenning]

Glad you had fun with it and accomplished most of what you wanted.

You should have been compacting in lifts as you were filling the hole. It will take a long time for you to get a solid base. You can try compacting 10' down but I don't have high hopes for it. You can try running water, there are problems with either way at this point. Best option redig and compact as you go. Hopefully someone will come up with a better solution. Good luck.

 

[MTY]

I bought a mini for 8K in 2017. It had just under 3300 hours on it. It is at 3540 now. It dug the basememt, 100+ feet of trench for for retaining walls, tree stumps, electric conduit trenches, water lines, yada, yada, yada. I will dig the shop footings and pad with it. It has paid for itself. It is small, but light years ahead of a shovel. I think it is one of the best purchases I have ever made.

HF's compact plate ******** has worked well for almost 3 years. Now that they have changed their marketing strategy, I have no idea how they will price it.

 

[greenlizard]

My son has two. A JD 35g and a JD 17g. I’ve had the 17g at my house for the last month adapting a special use bucket for him. It had 12 hours on it when he dropped off, now has about 28 hours. I’ve got to get one. Next to my tractor this is the greatest invention ever for property maintenance!
Unfortunately the 17g is returning home this week. My son needs it for his business.
My wife had to try it out:

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

Best spent $$ during my build. Rented a Mini JD35 w/ breaker attachment to clear / demo the concrete from the old structure. Yes a thumb is extremely helpful for demo.

I did the excavating with a friends bobcat mini. (don't recall the model but similar size to the JD I rented) Will be hopefully borrowing it again this spring to do drain tils and final grading.

 

[Gummi Bear]

My son has two. A JD 35g and a JD 17g. I’ve had the 17g at my house for the last month adapting a special use bucket for him. It had 12 hours on it when he dropped off, now has about 28 hours. I’ve got to get one. Next to my tractor this is the greatest invention ever for property maintenance!

Unfortunately the 17g is returning home this week. My son needs it for his business.

My wife had to try it out:

It looks like she’s having fun!



I rent mini excavators pretty often for work, and on occasion on the weekend for a project. I’d really love to own one. The JD35G is one I’ve rented several times, and it’s Takeuchi equal.



I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[greg13]

***** that it not have a hydraulic thumb. It makes them much more versatile.

$40k will get you started rburke65

I'd like a nickle for every customer that says they know how to operate one, and another one for every machine that I have had to repair when they don't.

 

[930dreamer]

I'd like a nickle for every customer that says they know how to operate one, and another one for every machine that I have had to repair when they don't.

Any brand that you would say is better then another in the used market?

 

[930dreamer]

So now I'm at the point where I need to decide what to do with two septic tanks that I have no use for. The Bobcat I rented with their trailer is the largest setup my Sunbelt rental has, I'd have to have a larger excavator delivered to my shop because I don't have a trailer.

 

[NUTTSGT]

So now I'm at the point where I need to decide what to do with two septic tanks that I have no use for. The Bobcat I rented with their trailer is the largest setup my Sunbelt rental has, I'd have to have a larger excavator delivered to my shop because I don't have a trailer.

Shhhhhh. Any record of them ?

Pump them out, break in the lid and fill with sand.



I'd love to have a mini but for now, I just have to be satisfied with my lil JD TLB.

 

[sgf13]

I have a Bobcat 328 I bought 10 years ago for $10K. It has paid for itself many times. I agree a hydraulic thumb is a game changer, along with a quick change bucket. I've dug MANY stumps off my place in NM. I also planted about 100 trees with it, put in gas line, etc.

The only problem.... people always want to "borrow" them. Don't do that.

I'm jealous. I have been looking for one for four years without success. My 12k original max price is now 17k and I still haven't found one worth buying, or someone beats me to it.

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[alexb2000]

I'm jealous. I have been looking for one for four years without success. My 12k original max price is now 17k and I still haven't found one worth buying, or someone beats me to it.

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I make sure and have some cash around if something comes up on the weekend I want. I drove 5 hours from NM to divide CO to get a Bobcat trencher attachment that was brand new for $3000. The ONLY reason I got it was I had cash on the weekend and I left to get it at 6am on a Sunday. One more day and 50 other guys would have bought it.

I'm sure you'll get one if you keep after it.

 

[jaybird3897]

They are fun! I drilled 24” 4ft post holes with my rental, talk about a big post hole LOL.

 

[healtoeae86]

Looks fun, cant wait to rent my own one day.

 

[finn]

I'm jealous. I have been looking for one for four years without success. My 12k original max price is now 17k and I still haven't found one worth buying, or someone beats me to it.

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That’s why I ended up buying a new 26g, even though it was outside of my planned budget for a toy. I looked, unsuccessfully, for months for something used that wasn’t a project.

Of course they started turning up locally six months later!

 

[Bert_]

I've run a deere 60D quite a bit. Not quite as mini but you can get a lot more done. It's bigger than what some guys want but it's a nice size.

 

[finn]

I've run a deere 60D quite a bit. Not quite as mini but you can get a lot more done. It's bigger than what some guys want but it's a nice size.

The 50g or 60g were above my pay grade by quite a bit. Sort of regret not digging deeper into the piggy bank for the 35g over the 26g, though.

 

[Bretny]

I have a kubota micro excavator, its 3500lbs. But may be small but theres hardly a stump left in my yard. I had 36in white pines. Yea it took a long time to dig them but when you own the machine time is only diesel. I put a complete septic in last summer. Part if the line went through ledge rock. I did 98% of that septic with a 8 month old strapped to my chest. He slept through most of it. The motion and purr of the diesel engine really puts him to sleep.

I put about 600hrs on my machine in 3yrs, home owner use only.

 

[Bert_]

The 50g or 60g were above my pay grade by quite a bit. Sort of regret not digging deeper into the piggy bank for the 35g over the 26g, though.

I dug about 200 ft of water line at the farm early this winter. I really appreciated the bigger machine when digging a 6-ft hole. Dug the hole in a few hours and I won't claim to be that great of an operator. Has good reach and lift capacity too. I set cement curbs for the pit with it.

Downside is it's heavy. Almost too much for a pickup unless you got a heavy gooseneck trailer. I've hauled it on a 14K bumper hitch trailer but it's overweight.