Mini Excavator (1.5 ton or smaller)

[CPEC_Andy]

What kind of projects do you use 1.5 ton or smaller mini excavators for?

[Steiner]

I use a 3500lb machine for

digging and pulling stumps
excavating walkways and dumping right into the dump trailer
drainage jobs to install drain boxes and 4" pipe
Clearing small trees and brush in back areas of homes

I guess the possibilities are endless, why do you ask?

[CPEC_Andy]

We rent mini-ex's. In working with Kubota we are trying to create content relevant to mini-ex users. Best practices, safety, uses and applications etc....

Thanks for your time.

[alexschultz1]

Originally Posted by CPEC_Andy

What kind of projects do you use 1.5 ton or smaller mini excavators for?

Drainage problems, small retaining wall projects, ponds, small shrub removal... It helps to have one when a job is too large for a crew of 3 with shovels and too small for a bigger machine.

[GreenI.A.]

I find that mini's that small are just about useless on most jobs guys get them for. For the price in renting, a 6k or 9k machine can be rented for not much more and will make for much quicker work, with a larger bucket, faster speed, more strength, longer reach. What I have rented a little mini for was a job we did this year, it was a court yard in the center of an office building. We were not able to bring in a larger mini and could only use one that could make it through a 4' door way.

[CPEC_Andy]

Originally Posted by GreenI.A.

I find that mini's that small are just about useless on most jobs guys get them for. For the price in renting, a 6k or 9k machine can be rented for not much more and will make for much quicker work, with a larger bucket, faster speed, more strength, longer reach. What I have rented a little mini for was a job we did this year, it was a court yard in the center of an office building. We were not able to bring in a larger mini and could only use one that could make it through a 4' door way.

Access issues are one of the chief contributors to our rental success with the smaller mini-ex's. That and their less destructive to existing turf in landscape applications.

[4 seasons lawn&land]

anything where you dont want to trash the lawn really. That size is the best for 5 gallon potted shrubs. Not very comfortable at all taking my KX 161 on a small high end property. Would love to have a U 17 !

[GreenI.A.]

I need to get an attachment for my dingo. It goes out on just about every install with the mini.

[stuvecorp]

I've rented a baby Kobelco a couple times and totally loved it. Had to dig out egress windows but it had to fit under 4' access. I think it would be great to pair with a RC/PT 30.

The dealer sold it and never got another one for rental, that's the only reason I never used it more. If I had 'spare' money I would have one...

[MJ Services]

I used a Bobcat mini x to fill in a coi pond at my own house. it was a mess, overgrown etc, when I bought the place. two years later i finally got around to it. only problem was I had to borrow a larger deck over trailer to get it home from the rental place, but it had a blown wheel bearing. So I had to use my single axle lawn mowing rig. That stuck me with the mini mini mini ex. seemed to have ample power, but I woulda liked more of course. It did the job pretty easily, just took a while. This coi pond was huge by the way. Took me about 10 hours over 2 days to get it done. A friend of mine has a small, but very successful excavation company. He told me once "a baby ex will do everything a big one will do, it'll just take longer and can't go as deep" he told me his wife says the same thing about him.....get it?