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Mini Machines

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Mini Machines

Postby droogs » 12 May 2022, 16:08

Not sure if this would be the right place for the post, so feel free to move if needed.

We are at the point in life where over the next 18 months or so we will inherit some money, pay off the mortgage etc and look to selling up here in Leith and try to get a bit of mixed land (14 - 20 acres) with the intention of building a cob/strawbale set of buildings (house, workshops, sheds etc) along with a small accomodation block for boarding students for courses that SWMBO intends to run in traditional storytelling and stuff.

So with that in mind, I have been looking at mini dumpers, excavators, tractors etc. Do any of you chaps have experience with them good bad etc?
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Re: Mini Machines

Postby 9fingers » 12 May 2022, 16:26

A couple of youtube channels that I follow seem to do a lot of work with John Deere 755 or similar machines
They are about 20hp but might be a bit limited for excavating but you might get a back hoe to work ok

eg Dig Drive Diy https://www.youtube.com/user/gooddogneil/videos
and Captain Kleeman https://www.youtube.com/c/CaptainKleeman/videos

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Re: Mini Machines

Postby RogerS » 12 May 2022, 17:17

I'm delighted for you, Alan, given all that you've been through.

Are you buying new or secondhand ? I have some experience of mini-diggers including those that are narrow enough to go through a door and into the house. Great for excavating if you need to put in a proper concrete floor etc.

Also the next size up. I think reach can be critical. As in how deep an 'ole do you want to dig. I know that my builder is having to get a larger digger to excavate the hole for our sewage treatment plant. The good news is that he can then use the extra brute force to drag out a few stumps.

Could you hire some from different companies to try them out ?
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Re: Mini Machines

Postby droogs » 12 May 2022, 18:31

It will be 2nd hand Roger for the most part. Though the little zero tail mini excavators can be got from the land of Chinesium for a very good price, around £8k with a 4m/2.5t depth/capacity. If I can, I would love to get a 40 - 60hp front loader tractor with a CTL quick load plate for the flexibility of attachments and an excavator or a tractor with a back hoe. Even though the capacity will be smaller. It really all depends on what land we eventually can get and how much is forest/pasture etc.

~Very early stages of looking but trying to get the groundwork (pardon the pun) before seriously looking to part with cash.
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Re: Mini Machines

Postby MJ80 » 12 May 2022, 19:59

I've got an old bobcat xe320 mini digger, it's pretty useful but I would love a front loader for carting stuff about on the farm. The digger does its job and I'll be selling I on soon, but you will really need a loader or trailer if you need to move stuff about when you are working. Its no fun moving piles of earth from one place to another just using the reach on the digger.
On buying, go and see the machine, check for leaks when it's up and running, check under under seat to see if the rotary manifold leaks. Lift the digger up with the arm, feel for play between chassis and cab in the slew ring. See how much movement there is in the arm, especially on the king post. I made the mistake and bought blind, its been a running repair job and ex hire machine but cheaper than hiring one out here. I'll sell it and get my money back. I wish that I bought the kubota I saw in person it was a much better machine, even though it looked worse. Check the hours it's got on it. I'd go for something a bit bigger or one with expanding tracks should I get another. Buy bigger, hire smaller if you need to get through a door.
I don't know what they are called in the UK, but John deer and others make a small tractor that I'd like to get. It's got the hook ups and removable accessories, mower decks, front loader, drive off the back etc. For our place it would have been better than the 4wd ride on we got.
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Re: Mini Machines

Postby Lons » 12 May 2022, 20:27

I don't know anything about the tractors Alan but I've hired a lot of diggers over the years, some for many weeks at a time.

If you want one that's versatile to do most work but not too large then a 1 or 1 1/2 tonne machine is best IMO, I've dug out trenches to a 900mm with ease and shifted many tonnes of rubble, rocks and earth, they are also man enough to winkle out some fair sized stumps with care however the most veratile machines I used regularly were classed as Micro diggers and had moveable tracks to get them through doorways, I also could transport them easily on my 8x4 trailer. In those days you could get a half decent used one for around £12k and I was tempted but I think they've come down in price now.
If it is a digger you go for then I'd advise you look for a dumper truck or large powered wheelbarrow to partner it.

BTW My mate bought a s/h tiny excavator of some Chiwanese generic make and it's surprising what it can do though powered by a lawnmower size engine, good for general work like patio prep and scrub clearance but not man enough for founds etc.
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