as an experienced operator myself. One thing that is really important to teach new operators is to always teach them to look behind themselves as they move backwards. always span where they are moving to always know what is around them. alot of operators get lazy and complacent and it can get them in a messy situation with either damaging what they may back into or hurting or killing someone who was walking up to you without notifying you or geting your attention before walking behind you
This is very good advice I work I'm plumbing and sewer work. Sometimes with the digs operating ones of thes really makes you nervous when your not paying attention to backing up. Maybe make some blind spots on them.
Hello, I am a factory that manufactures small excavators. We export large quantities of small excavators, lawn mowers and various machines every year. If you need it, you can contact me:Email：sales@leking.net, Web：www.leking.net
I'm an electrician and working with Excavator is not my profession ... but the operator explained it so well that it kept my attention until the very end. Now if someone leaves me on a desert island with such a machine ... I will be able to dig my way out of the other side of the planet;)
Thank you! The first video I watched left me with the ability to open the windows and wonder about the glow plug position. Not much on operation. Yours is far superior. I feel trained enough to get in an open field and develop some muscle memory. The boss has me position the new excavator, but saw I was not as proficient as he. You video gave me the overview I needed! Hit the nail on the head! I can figure out the AC later, after the paycheck is cashed!
Randy, thank you so much for this video. I had to replace about 40' of the side sewer at my house and thanks to this video, I was able to rent and competently operate a kubota mini excavator, cutting my job time drastically. I had the trench done in about an hour and a half, having never operated any kind of excavator before.
@@BruceWayne-mb4hk having done it myself, I'd strongly recommend taking around 10 minutes just playing around with the controls to not only familiarize yourself with them, but to get a feel of how sensitive they are. That way if you need to finesse your way around something, you'll have an idea on how much pressure you need to apply to the sticks to get the desired result.
Quick tip... I always move back and forth after putting the stabilizer bar on the ground. Cause usually you’ll be sitting just on the bar and the back part of the tracks. After you work the bar down a little ways below the dirt surface. Your tracks will flatten out and you’ll have more surface area on the ground and a lot more stability.
Very well done video. Well executed, clear voice, nice split screen and simple to understand. I wish there were more videos on YoutTube of this caliber.
Hi. I am legaly blind and will never have the opportunity to use one of these but really enjoyed your video. Love to see machines work. Thanks for the great vid. It was very well done.
You're welcome. And we've had a blind client out to run our excavator before. He did amazing and I was just in shock how well he did. Here is a video of that. ruclips.net/video/lE2m9co3Xhs/видео.html
Excellent introduction! Just spent my first hour ripping out some gone-crazy shrubbery with a Kato mini. Learned everything I needed to know from your video! Maybe this will be how I make a few extra bucks during retirement. Appreciate you taking the time and money to help all us DIY'ers.
Practice, practice, practice. Thanks. We're getting one for the farm as contractors are always so busy with maybe 1 year waiting list. Good clear instruction.
Thanks man. I’m applying for a job and my friend said make sure to put on the application excavator experience. I said I’ve got some backhoe experience. He said that’s good put that and put excavator. Now thanks to you I can fake it til I make it!!!....if I land the job
I'm considering collapsing my swimming pool. I've watched hours of youtube videos on this but the biggest concern I had was the heavy machinery. After finding your channel, I believe I can do this myself and save some money (and to be honest, have some fun with the project). This video has given me the confidence to try it.
Thanks for the comment, and glad we are able to help educate you on equipment. Just be CAREFUL! It takes years to become proficient as an operator so you want to be cautious when operating. Keep safety first and foremost as your top priority! Also, if you are renting a Mini-Excavator don't think that because it is "mini" it is safer, the opposite is generally true. With a smaller machine it doesn't have as much weight and a very large base so it is very easy to tip one over or get in real trouble so always respect the limits of your machine.
@@HeavyMetalLearning Due to space constraints, a Mini is more than likely in my future. I will respect the limit of the machines. I have no plans on winning any Darwin awards (if you know what I mean).
Daryl Lackey collapsing my swimming pool this weekend. After watching this and other videos, I think I’m ready. Rented from Sunbelt; they had the easiest rental process and best prices! How did it go if you did it yourself?
Bruce Becker overall it went very very well. I rented a bobcat and a mini ex. I wish I knew enough about the sizing to tell you what size machine. I’m guessing here but I think the bobcat was a 450 and the mini ex was a 7500 (Yanma 35?). The bobcat was primarily to move dirt and debris around but the mini ex with a 750# breaker star of my demo. Be careful with this though as that much weight at the end of the mini ex makes it very unstable. You want to keep the break as close to the mini ex as possible. Also be careful with the hydraulics of the breaker. They just kind of hang out there and can easily get pinched. I pinched 3 hoses on the last day within 3 hours of each other (hurrying trying to beat a storm - costly mistake). You’ll also want to get an grinder with a curing wheel. I picked up Sears branded from Lowe’s for $30 and it worked perfectly for the rebar - go slow with cutting. I used two cutting wheels total. Wear fire retardant gloves and eye protection. The ambers that fly off will burn fabric (staying from experience here). Overall the project wasn’t that tough, just tedious. Omg get quality ear protection especially for the breaker. That is very loud. And wear eye protection for this as well. And boots. You need boots because you will be walking on rubble. I broke down the wall on the adjacent to the steps in the shallow end mainly because it was the only way I was going to get into the pool with the mini. Once I had the wall broken down, I used the bobcat to dig out a ramp on the outside of the pool wall so that when I essentially entered the pool I was at ground level in the shallow end. I took lots and lots of pictures which I’ll share if interested.
As a certified heavy equipment operator of 6 machines it is highly I'll advised to give anyone the idea that it is acceptable to dig from the side. You did mention that the machine is not as stable but that is a very lethal piece of advice as the mini as well as a 300 are HIGHLY prone to tipping and being unstable from side digging. For teaching anyone that has never used any machine I would just not recommend digging side on at all as this will give a dangerous impression that it's only a "little" dangerous. Everything was awesome but as this is instructing new comers to these machines any piece of advice that leaves room for interpretation of safety will cause injury. Not casting stones just figured I would share my knowledge from the field as to help make better and safer rental users :)
Appreciate you constructive feedback. While I would say I generally agree with your statement, I don't think I would call it a "lethal" mistake for not digging square to your tracks (if the machine was not designed to dig that way there would be lock-outs to prevent it), so I agree it's good practice but no reason to scare a new operator when not necessary to just teach them the best technique. Thanks for the comment.
@@HeavyMetalLearning oh it is not to scare. I just see it happened to often where the comfort level becomes the issue not so much the information. I've personally seen a few minis roll over due to complacency. Usually those that roll in that fashion are full bucket loaded added to the speed and weight pulling the mini over. Its practice that if it's not considered a lethal choice it can become lethal so it's more about the level of danger that the machine can be in without an experienced operator at the helm a small tip can turn into a big roll especially when you are fighting the balance. As a way to combat side digging with new operators you can recommend also using a 1 o'clock or 11 o'clock track positing and digging at diagonals to the tracks is a much safer and more stable way to side dig
Thanks so much for this video! There aren't many like it, but this is exactly what people need to get started. The rest will come with practice. Machine will be delivered this morning. Can't wait.
Thanks for your videos'. I have a new New Holland e57c and have never used a excavator before. I was a little nervous about even loading it and using it but your videos have helped me so much. I will be loading on a 22' diamond c 20000 GVWR tilt trailer and using my 1997 f350 7.3 dually for my tow truck. After watching your video's I believe I have a set up that will work and the more practice the better off I will be. Thanks for the emphasis put on safety also.
Thank for these videos, I've rented a mini ex and a track steer and it was very helpful and I managed not to roll them or go through the side of my house.
I'm looking at renting one to dig down to the foundation of my house (mini ex), was it very tricky? I've operated forklifts and genie booms, scissor lifts etc. I'd be digging down about 6'
George Zed I didn’t think so, no. Just go slow. Ideally you have a spot you could practice a bit. The biggest risk against a building is being too rough on the sticks and smacking something or digging up a line you didn’t know was there. Be real easy on the sticks, finesse is the hardest part.
oh yeah....good call....but I think it depends what your role is because I don't think most operators are required or need to remove rings. Not the same hazards as laborers and carpenters etc
Excellent video. I'd add one thing. I'd add a box in one of the corners that just shows a block diagram of the controls being moved (as seen from above). The ones being moved would be in bold as you are moving them. This would be sort of like showing the steps for a dance routing with the footsteps along with the dancers doing them - old school. Once again - thanks much.
Thanks for the upload, to be fair it's complicated and simple at the same time... i'm glad i didn't rent one, it would have taken me few days to learn how to operate it. The difficulty was working in tight space demolishing a structure, the guy i paid to do it did it in less than a day. It would have taken me 2/3 days, and loads of fun but i could have done damages to neighbouring properties.
all top operators have a cigarette in their mouth unlit. doors open and air con at full power, no seat-belt and a rock station mixed with static at all times
How it works here is that the machine gets the crap scratched out of it the operators smoke in the cab with the aircon running then open the doors when it's dusty as hell with air con running again,then work in the mud all day and not spin the tracks to get it out at all ,then I pick it up and drive on the road and make a big mess ,sound familiar any one.??
The gent clearly stated that he was not an expert at the beginning of the video but I enjoyed watching. I'm old and haven't run a backhoe or excavator in many years. All I know is using multiple levers and foot pedals. Love to try a joystick machine sometime.
Thank you! Yes, there sure have been a lot of developments in the equipment but all the basics still apply. You should visit one of our sites so you can get back in the seat!
Thanks for the video! I'm renting one of these this weekend to dig up a bunch of brush stumps. Getting a jump on the controls definitely helps since I only have it for one day!
It only takes about 10 minutes to learn how to operate a machine. It takes about 10 years to know how to handle the situation that you will find yourself in and how to handle the dirt, that's always an obstacle. Have been operating machines of all types since 1985.
How long would it take to learn how to grade my gravel driveway and stack boulders to make a wall? I have a class A CDL and can operate a roll off so I don’t have 2 left hands 🙌
Great video. Noticed that the video in video was a bit out of sync. Was trying to follow your hand movements while watching the dig. Would love to see it done on an incline/decline also. Great demonstration, thanks heaps!
So i just saw you guys on mechanic Steve's page at the festival in Texas. I saw a add for a mini-excavator and clicked the Video and i immediately said he looks familiar. Great demo man.
As a professional excavator driver when operating a mini Digger with a Blade Allways Have the blade at the Back when you are Digging, there are 2 reasons for this no 1 you have more Digging pressure for the Bucket to dig and less chance of pulling Wheelies, no 2 you wont break your Back with the Digger bouncing and being unstable, please feel free to test this out as you won't be long finding out whats best 😂😂😂😂
Coming from the lowlands (Netherlands). On the mini’s here you see a lot of extensions bolt on the blade to make it even more stable. Just 4 or 5 inch extra helps a lot in soft and wet dirt or clay. And the crazy man is right. Keep your blade in the back while digging. One or two bounces you Will survive, But getting kicked around in that cabin all day wears you out.
Very impressive. Can you show how you push and pull the bucket in a racking motion horizontally across the surface whilst keeping it level? Is there a skill to do this or is the digger designed with this in mind? Similarly, if you are digging a trench and want to maintain the depth through its length.
Thanks for the comment. I think we can put some of that in the next video. Not sure on the exact tip or trick other than just plenty of practice using both the boom and stick at same time to keep height consistent.
I don't see any tamping when backfilling is it hard on the machine? Also can you get in trouble by driving over a newly filled trench especially with one track in the loose fill?
Not necessarily. You definitely can use the bucket to do some compacting of the soil, just depends on how big an area. And generally as long as the trench is filled in you can drive one track on it but just be prepared that side may sink in a little.
I have one on my property for stuff . and ,my 9 yrold son actually asked me to start him a sand box with my Mini Excavator. I did and every wk he says Dad Can U fill back some dirt w the blade to make his roads better, so I did.Blade works Great
Hi ,Very nice video :)does the mini excavator have track extension lever? ,i mean lever that can extend the track sideways and tracks become wider,that extend them sideways ,because the mini scooper i worked for a while had that lever and with the blade on ground and bucked from other side on ground it was this way on the air and than i was able to move the lever and stretch the tracks sideways ,beside that, is this method with the excavator in the air, supported with mini dozer blade and bucket from the other side on the ground safe ?Thank you :)
No, our mini's and most I know don't have extenders on the tracks. We have a smaller electric excavator that has that, which I believe those smaller units do have that so they can fit through a standard doorway for an indoor project. In those cases, you don't need to have the tracks in the air to extend them but can do that if you don't want to mark up your floor.
@@HeavyMetalLearningThank You :)The videos are very nice and useful :)Yes ,the track extenders are for small and narrow spaces ,i also heard that but the excavator itself is very heavy for indoor operations :)
Very helpful video. Question: I need to dig out a 22' x 9' area to 8-10" deep for a new patio AND dig into a small hill to build a 3' retaining wall. Would a mini excavator be the right tool?
By the way I worked for Komatsu Australia and we called it a backfill blade, have em on every machine which ends in a 8 or 5 under 5 tons - AKA PC18, 35, 45, 55, 88, 138, 228, etc. PC stands for Power Crawler, and yes every other Komatsu abbreviation makes more sense than 'power crawler' which dates back to the 50s when Komatsu was a deadass Japanese-only outfit and is an example of jinglish that just hasn't gone away. Almost all machines from 138 down have blades, we had at least a couple 228s (20-25tonners) with blades, I went through a workshirt cutting the plowbolts out with an oxy torch from beneath while on a creeper, hard to avoid the burn doing that. All the models with MR or US in their title are minimal or zero swing radius machines - that means you should be able to swing the machine all around and your counterweight should remain inside of your tracks. On the other hand standard body excavators will have 'LC' in their name, such as PC450LC-8. LC stands for long counterweight or long carriage, they do not have blades. Komatsu mini-excavators (PC55 and down) are actually mechanically Yanmars, the powertrain, turbo, maybe even the pump (not sure) are Yanmar, this is the same with Hitachi and probably a bunch of other brands. Komatsu Skidsteers/Bobcats have Kubota engines and are made in Italy, same as the backhoes, you can identify them with a serial code ending in F - F stands for f***ed because all Komatsu Backhoes and Skid loaders are garbage, you need extend-o arms to work on those Backhoes, we had a skidsteer came back with 9hrs on the clock having lost a tyre off the rim, then the door broke and locked one of our mechs in for half a day. You get the picture. Komatsu does best with its larger excavators and mining equipment especially the ol' American=made Dresser haul trucks, the articulated trucks are good, the wheel loaders are pretty good (not as good as Volvo) and the dozers are a go to if it weren't for CAT. Pretty good gear.
Depends what moves, if you are referencing the back-filling I think we did cover something similar on the larger one. As far as doing most of the scoops and only using the side of the bucket for finish grade. Unless you are referencing something else. Thanks for the comment!
Tohle budu potřebovat!!! Budeme všichni tady na baráku, tak budu muset zvětšit sklep... Aby se to tam všechno vešlo... Inspiroval jsem se tím vašim hrdinou Tejtem... Musím tam vykopat tu honírnu s masážema... Kateřina bude makat!!! :D Vole, tak musím to nějak všechno zaplatit :D
I want to rip out some juniper bushes from my front yard. They are about 3 feet high, 6 feet wide. At first I was thinking about renting a skid steer, but this looks like it might work better. I think I could just reach down from above, grab them with the thumb, and pull them out. Any suggestions?
Jimbo Bob think It's likely to depend on what type of location it is as there are likely to be multiple buried services in a pavement or sidewalk compared to a grass verge along a county lane.
Great video! Thank you very much for the simple instructions. If I could make one comment, I believe part of instructions with this machine should be the suggestion to use a spotter - a second person on the ground maki g sure the operator does not hit anything. Thank you again.
As an young mechanic we young mechanics use to think this was a useless peace of machinery due to it having a small bucket but after operating an D1 Dozier (a.k.a. the hand shovel ) I appreciate this tiny machine a little more . It's like we thought that a few D1s were faster than this machine but now I think not .
if you want to excavate a thin top layer of earth with a micro digger, about 7 cm (3 inches or 700mm) can you just use the stabiliser bar and push earth around whilst driving forward? or maybe in a couple of goes? 1 inch at a time?
I would say that generally speaking, no. They are designed to be pressed in to each other and you will notice there are hydraulic relief valves on them so they will let up a little if too much pressure.
This is good BUT perhaps in your video if you could focus the camera on the various internal parts when explaining its functions so it is clear and visible to the viewers.
Thanks for the comment and feedback. Yes, we have heard that before. We'll see if we can do better on future videos. Unfortunately we only have so many cameras so it's tough to cover all the angles but I totally agree it would be helpful to have some more closeup shots of the controls. Thanks again!
@@HeavyMetalLearning just a suggestion and am optimistic it would work i.e to bring the rear camera lower and increase the magnifying power of the lenses or zoom as long as it gets a clear shot of all the small parts involved in starting this machine. And just so that we can hear you loud and clear on video while explaining and describing the different parts involved with its functions.
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as an experienced operator myself. One thing that is really important to teach new operators is to always teach them to look behind themselves as they move backwards. always span where they are moving to always know what is around them. alot of operators get lazy and complacent and it can get them in a messy situation with either damaging what they may back into or hurting or killing someone who was walking up to you without notifying you or geting your attention before walking behind you
Thanks dude!! Appreciate it
I agree but also have a spotter which makes things a lot safer.
@@karlso7314 very true. forgot about that
This is very good advice I work I'm plumbing and sewer work. Sometimes with the digs operating ones of thes really makes you nervous when your not paying attention to backing up. Maybe make some blind spots on them.
Hello, I am a factory that manufactures small excavators. We export large quantities of small excavators, lawn mowers and various machines every year. If you need it, you can contact me:Email：sales@leking.net, Web：www.leking.net
I bought a little 1.2 ton machine, i can't wait for it to arrive so i can try. This is a kid's dream comming true. That was a great crash course!
I'm an electrician and working with Excavator is not my profession ... but the operator explained it so well that it kept my attention until the very end. Now if someone leaves me on a desert island with such a machine ... I will be able to dig my way out of the other side of the planet;)
Better just watch all of our videos...you never know what piece you’ll be stranded with!
🤣🤣🤣 try to survive isn't a crime 👍👍
@@HeavyMetalLearningwts ur location of traning i wana join
Thank you! The first video I watched left me with the ability to open the windows and wonder about the glow plug position. Not much on operation. Yours is far superior. I feel trained enough to get in an open field and develop some muscle memory. The boss has me position the new excavator, but saw I was not as proficient as he. You video gave me the overview I needed! Hit the nail on the head! I can figure out the AC later, after the paycheck is cashed!
Randy, thank you so much for this video. I had to replace about 40' of the side sewer at my house and thanks to this video, I was able to rent and competently operate a kubota mini excavator, cutting my job time drastically. I had the trench done in about an hour and a half, having never operated any kind of excavator before.
That is so awesome to hear...we love to hear stories like that!
I’m glad to hear that it was easy. I’ve never operated an excavator but need to dig in footers for my shed
@@BruceWayne-mb4hk having done it myself, I'd strongly recommend taking around 10 minutes just playing around with the controls to not only familiarize yourself with them, but to get a feel of how sensitive they are. That way if you need to finesse your way around something, you'll have an idea on how much pressure you need to apply to the sticks to get the desired result.
@@HeavyMetalLearning hello, I will be purchasing a pc55 mr next week and this video was very helpful, thank u
Quick tip... I always move back and forth after putting the stabilizer bar on the ground. Cause usually you’ll be sitting just on the bar and the back part of the tracks. After you work the bar down a little ways below the dirt surface. Your tracks will flatten out and you’ll have more surface area on the ground and a lot more stability.
Excellent tip! Thanks for sharing!
Or you can just have the blade behind you pushed down a little , adds wieght to the bucket , easier to drive ....
Very well done video. Well executed, clear voice, nice split screen and simple to understand. I wish there were more videos on YoutTube of this caliber.
Thanks Roy! We’ll continue to put out more videos like this.
Very well done!! Could you please go into some depth about digging up against a wall!!
Hi. I am legaly blind and will never have the opportunity to use one of these but really enjoyed your video.
Love to see machines work. Thanks for the great vid. It was very well done.
You're welcome. And we've had a blind client out to run our excavator before. He did amazing and I was just in shock how well he did. Here is a video of that. ruclips.net/video/lE2m9co3Xhs/видео.html
Excellent introduction! Just spent my first hour ripping out some gone-crazy shrubbery with a Kato mini. Learned everything I needed to know from your video! Maybe this will be how I make a few extra bucks during retirement. Appreciate you taking the time and money to help all us DIY'ers.
Practice, practice, practice. Thanks. We're getting one for the farm as contractors are always so busy with maybe 1 year waiting list. Good clear instruction.
Thanks man. I’m applying for a job and my friend said make sure to put on the application excavator experience. I said I’ve got some backhoe experience. He said that’s good put that and put excavator. Now thanks to you I can fake it til I make it!!!....if I land the job
Your helping me learn to operate the machine helped me a lot.
I'm considering collapsing my swimming pool. I've watched hours of youtube videos on this but the biggest concern I had was the heavy machinery. After finding your channel, I believe I can do this myself and save some money (and to be honest, have some fun with the project). This video has given me the confidence to try it.
Thanks for the comment, and glad we are able to help educate you on equipment. Just be CAREFUL! It takes years to become proficient as an operator so you want to be cautious when operating. Keep safety first and foremost as your top priority! Also, if you are renting a Mini-Excavator don't think that because it is "mini" it is safer, the opposite is generally true. With a smaller machine it doesn't have as much weight and a very large base so it is very easy to tip one over or get in real trouble so always respect the limits of your machine.
@@HeavyMetalLearning Due to space constraints, a Mini is more than likely in my future. I will respect the limit of the machines. I have no plans on winning any Darwin awards (if you know what I mean).
Daryl Lackey collapsing my swimming pool this weekend. After watching this and other videos, I think I’m ready. Rented from Sunbelt; they had the easiest rental process and best prices! How did it go if you did it yourself?
Bruce Becker overall it went very very well. I rented a bobcat and a mini ex. I wish I knew enough about the sizing to tell you what size machine. I’m guessing here but I think the bobcat was a 450 and the mini ex was a 7500 (Yanma 35?). The bobcat was primarily to move dirt and debris around but the mini ex with a 750# breaker star of my demo. Be careful with this though as that much weight at the end of the mini ex makes it very unstable. You want to keep the break as close to the mini ex as possible. Also be careful with the hydraulics of the breaker. They just kind of hang out there and can easily get pinched. I pinched 3 hoses on the last day within 3 hours of each other (hurrying trying to beat a storm - costly mistake). You’ll also want to get an grinder with a curing wheel. I picked up Sears branded from Lowe’s for $30 and it worked perfectly for the rebar - go slow with cutting. I used two cutting wheels total. Wear fire retardant gloves and eye protection. The ambers that fly off will burn fabric (staying from experience here).
Overall the project wasn’t that tough, just tedious.
Omg get quality ear protection especially for the breaker. That is very loud. And wear eye protection for this as well. And boots. You need boots because you will be walking on rubble.
I broke down the wall on the adjacent to the steps in the shallow end mainly because it was the only way I was going to get into the pool with the mini. Once I had the wall broken down, I used the bobcat to dig out a ramp on the outside of the pool wall so that when I essentially entered the pool I was at ground level in the shallow end.
I took lots and lots of pictures which I’ll share if interested.
As a certified heavy equipment operator of 6 machines it is highly I'll advised to give anyone the idea that it is acceptable to dig from the side. You did mention that the machine is not as stable but that is a very lethal piece of advice as the mini as well as a 300 are HIGHLY prone to tipping and being unstable from side digging. For teaching anyone that has never used any machine I would just not recommend digging side on at all as this will give a dangerous impression that it's only a "little" dangerous. Everything was awesome but as this is instructing new comers to these machines any piece of advice that leaves room for interpretation of safety will cause injury. Not casting stones just figured I would share my knowledge from the field as to help make better and safer rental users :)
Appreciate you constructive feedback. While I would say I generally agree with your statement, I don't think I would call it a "lethal" mistake for not digging square to your tracks (if the machine was not designed to dig that way there would be lock-outs to prevent it), so I agree it's good practice but no reason to scare a new operator when not necessary to just teach them the best technique. Thanks for the comment.
@@HeavyMetalLearning oh it is not to scare. I just see it happened to often where the comfort level becomes the issue not so much the information. I've personally seen a few minis roll over due to complacency. Usually those that roll in that fashion are full bucket loaded added to the speed and weight pulling the mini over. Its practice that if it's not considered a lethal choice it can become lethal so it's more about the level of danger that the machine can be in without an experienced operator at the helm a small tip can turn into a big roll especially when you are fighting the balance. As a way to combat side digging with new operators you can recommend also using a 1 o'clock or 11 o'clock track positing and digging at diagonals to the tracks is a much safer and more stable way to side dig
Thanks so much for this video! There aren't many like it, but this is exactly what people need to get started. The rest will come with practice. Machine will be delivered this morning. Can't wait.
Rented a mini excavator for tomorrow, dont even know how it will look lol, so this is extremely helpful. Thanks!
How did it go?, was it easy ?
Glad I could help! Good luck
Same situation today n the weekend. Only operated forks.
Thanks for the vid n wish me luck hahah
Lol same here, last-minute research, why didn't I look all this up ages ago!
Thanks for your videos'. I have a new New Holland e57c and have never used a excavator before. I was a little nervous about even loading it and using it but your videos have helped me so much. I will be loading on a 22' diamond c 20000 GVWR tilt trailer and using my 1997 f350 7.3 dually for my tow truck. After watching your video's I believe I have a set up that will work and the more practice the better off I will be. Thanks for the emphasis put on safety also.
Thank for these videos, I've rented a mini ex and a track steer and it was very helpful and I managed not to roll them or go through the side of my house.
LOL....glad we could help! Thanks for the comment!
I'm looking at renting one to dig down to the foundation of my house (mini ex), was it very tricky? I've operated forklifts and genie booms, scissor lifts etc. I'd be digging down about 6'
George Zed I didn’t think so, no. Just go slow. Ideally you have a spot you could practice a bit. The biggest risk against a building is being too rough on the sticks and smacking something or digging up a line you didn’t know was there. Be real easy on the sticks, finesse is the hardest part.
Great job ! Thank you very much. Easy to learn even for french people and very well recorded. Greetings from France & Switzerland
Awesome guide, I am renting a mini excavator this weekend to dig up a large mountain garden and this video is helping me a lot.
Glad it helped! Good Luck!
Thank you for helping me learn to operate the machine.
I was mesmerized the whole time! Love it! I did notice one safety mistake and I didn't catch it until the very end! Your ring!
oh yeah....good call....but I think it depends what your role is because I don't think most operators are required or need to remove rings. Not the same hazards as laborers and carpenters etc
Excellent video. I'd add one thing. I'd add a box in one of the corners that just shows a block diagram of the controls being moved (as seen from above). The ones being moved would be in bold as you are moving them. This would be sort of like showing the steps for a dance routing with the footsteps along with the dancers doing them - old school. Once again - thanks much.
Thanks for the upload, to be fair it's complicated and simple at the same time...
i'm glad i didn't rent one, it would have taken me few days to learn how to operate it.
The difficulty was working in tight space demolishing a structure, the guy i paid to do it did it in less than a day.
It would have taken me 2/3 days, and loads of fun but i could have done damages to neighbouring properties.
Thanks for the comment! Agree, prob a good idea to bring in a pro.
Yeah!!! He definitely floated an air biscuit at the 7:40 minute mark.
Thanks for the vid, very helpful. Im trenching for a sewer lateral connection tomorrow and it'll be my first time on a excavator.
Excellent training. Well thought out, good split screen shots and plenty of different situations.
Awesome to hear....thanks for the comment!
Thanks for teaching you
It's my pleasure
@Albert Landry Bullshit:P
There is grammer mistake thanks for teaching me not you oKkkk
It’s a joy to watch this. Will explore nearby job site to prepare a hill site for building my place.
NICE!
all top operators have a cigarette in their mouth unlit. doors open and air con at full power, no seat-belt and a rock station mixed with static at all times
Working a site with a mini ex operator right now, can confirm this is true 😂
That sounds like me.
Extremely accurate. Don’t forget the dick bag grader operator with their black and mild
How it works here is that the machine gets the crap scratched out of it the operators smoke in the cab with the aircon running then open the doors when it's dusty as hell with air con running again,then work in the mud all day and not spin the tracks to get it out at all ,then I pick it up and drive on the road and make a big mess ,sound familiar any one.??
Dont forged dirty windows and reflection jacket on the seat
The older ones kinda suck when trying to stay warm but this one is a beauty. Thankfully the look of the controls on the inside haven't changed.
Beautifully explained Sir. Lot of love and respect from people of Pakistan
Thank you!
Mini excavator, Komatsu 👍👍🙏
The gent clearly stated that he was not an expert at the beginning of the video but I enjoyed watching. I'm old and haven't run a backhoe or excavator in many years. All I know is using multiple levers and foot pedals. Love to try a joystick machine sometime.
Thank you! Yes, there sure have been a lot of developments in the equipment but all the basics still apply. You should visit one of our sites so you can get back in the seat!
My unit when I was at bragg still had the old Mercedes See Trucks, where the backhoe was operated from outside with just three levers
here in finland we use rototilt. you can rotate and tilt the bucket in every direction on our machines weeery handy.
Yes, those are awesome features!
Had no clue what I was doing but said yes to running a 50G, thanks to yourself I now get a pay raise 😂🙌
The boom swing is for digging off center, such as digging roadside ditches. You should train new operators to use that feature.
Great advice!
Wayne S. I also use that feature to dig a beam alongside a concrete form.
Thanks for the video! I'm renting one of these this weekend to dig up a bunch of brush stumps. Getting a jump on the controls definitely helps since I only have it for one day!
Good luck!
You had me at the soft jazz......Now to go out and get it off the tilt trailer. Great video, Thank you.
Right to the point, sharing knowledge peer to peer. This is what the internet used to be about!
Thanks for the comment!
I got to expert level in 2 months....had a great teacher
Thanks for sharing this tutorial..im Equipment operator from Philippines..
It only takes about 10 minutes to learn how to operate a machine. It takes about 10 years to know how to handle the situation that you will find yourself in and how to handle the dirt, that's always an obstacle. Have been operating machines of all types since 1985.
Yeah...that’s probably fair!
How long would it take to learn how to grade my gravel driveway and stack boulders to make a wall? I have a class A CDL and can operate a roll off so I don’t have 2 left hands 🙌
From Pakistan Love you Mr. Operator
your video is very much informative for me
its really very helpful for me
i m very Great full to you
Thanks for the comment!
Excellent Video. But how do you dig a trench up against a wall, is it possible with one of these?
Yes...that is where it’s handy to have the backhoe swing arm so you can dig off the side.
Great video. Noticed that the video in video was a bit out of sync. Was trying to follow your hand movements while watching the dig. Would love to see it done on an incline/decline also.
Great demonstration, thanks heaps!
So i just saw you guys on mechanic Steve's page at the festival in Texas. I saw a add for a mini-excavator and clicked the Video and i immediately said he looks familiar. Great demo man.
Awesome...thanks for the comment!
As a professional excavator driver when operating a mini Digger with a Blade Allways Have the blade at the Back when you are Digging, there are 2 reasons for this no 1 you have more Digging pressure for the Bucket to dig and less chance of pulling Wheelies, no 2 you wont break your Back with the Digger bouncing and being unstable, please feel free to test this out as you won't be long finding out whats best 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the comment and feedback!
@@HeavyMetalLearning super channel it really helps drivers / operator's well done ☺☺☺
Coming from the lowlands (Netherlands). On the mini’s here you see a lot of extensions bolt on the blade to make it even more stable. Just 4 or 5 inch extra helps a lot in soft and wet dirt or clay. And the crazy man is right. Keep your blade in the back while digging. One or two bounces you Will survive, But getting kicked around in that cabin all day wears you out.
I always wondered why my dad sometimes left a mini ex with the cab turned around. That explains a lot.
I was thought not to dig on the drive wheels
Very impressive. Can you show how you push and pull the bucket in a racking motion horizontally across the surface whilst keeping it level? Is there a skill to do this or is the digger designed with this in mind? Similarly, if you are digging a trench and want to maintain the depth through its length.
Thanks for the comment. I think we can put some of that in the next video. Not sure on the exact tip or trick other than just plenty of practice using both the boom and stick at same time to keep height consistent.
I don't see any tamping when backfilling is it hard on the machine? Also can you get in trouble by driving over a newly filled trench especially with one track in the loose fill?
Not necessarily. You definitely can use the bucket to do some compacting of the soil, just depends on how big an area. And generally as long as the trench is filled in you can drive one track on it but just be prepared that side may sink in a little.
I THINK I AM GOING TO GET ONE OF THOSE FOR MY PROJECTS AND FOLLOW YOUR INSTRUCTIONS,
PRETTY SIMPLE TO HANDLE
THANKS FOR SHARING
thanks for the comment....good luck!!!
I have one on my property for stuff . and ,my 9 yrold son actually asked me to start him a sand box with my Mini Excavator. I did and every wk he says Dad Can U fill back some dirt w the blade to make his roads better, so I did.Blade works Great
Awesome....thanks for the comment!
Hi ,Very nice video :)does the mini excavator have track extension lever? ,i mean lever that can extend the track sideways and tracks become wider,that extend them sideways ,because the mini scooper i worked for a while had that lever and with the blade on ground and bucked from other side on ground it was this way on the air and than i was able to move the lever and stretch the tracks sideways ,beside that, is this method with the excavator in the air, supported with mini dozer blade and bucket from the other side on the ground safe ?Thank you :)
No, our mini's and most I know don't have extenders on the tracks. We have a smaller electric excavator that has that, which I believe those smaller units do have that so they can fit through a standard doorway for an indoor project. In those cases, you don't need to have the tracks in the air to extend them but can do that if you don't want to mark up your floor.
@@HeavyMetalLearningThank You :)The videos are very nice and useful :)Yes ,the track extenders are for small and narrow spaces ,i also heard that but the excavator itself is very heavy for indoor operations :)
Very helpful video. Question: I need to dig out a 22' x 9' area to 8-10" deep for a new patio AND dig into a small hill to build a 3' retaining wall. Would a mini excavator be the right tool?
Yes...sounds like the perfect tool for you. Potentially a skid steer would work as well if just trying to grade down less than a foot.
By the way I worked for Komatsu Australia and we called it a backfill blade, have em on every machine which ends in a 8 or 5 under 5 tons - AKA PC18, 35, 45, 55, 88, 138, 228, etc. PC stands for Power Crawler, and yes every other Komatsu abbreviation makes more sense than 'power crawler' which dates back to the 50s when Komatsu was a deadass Japanese-only outfit and is an example of jinglish that just hasn't gone away.
Almost all machines from 138 down have blades, we had at least a couple 228s (20-25tonners) with blades, I went through a workshirt cutting the plowbolts out with an oxy torch from beneath while on a creeper, hard to avoid the burn doing that.
All the models with MR or US in their title are minimal or zero swing radius machines - that means you should be able to swing the machine all around and your counterweight should remain inside of your tracks.
On the other hand standard body excavators will have 'LC' in their name, such as PC450LC-8. LC stands for long counterweight or long carriage, they do not have blades.
Komatsu mini-excavators (PC55 and down) are actually mechanically Yanmars, the powertrain, turbo, maybe even the pump (not sure) are Yanmar, this is the same with Hitachi and probably a bunch of other brands.
Komatsu Skidsteers/Bobcats have Kubota engines and are made in Italy, same as the backhoes, you can identify them with a serial code ending in F
- F stands for f***ed because all Komatsu Backhoes and Skid loaders are garbage, you need extend-o arms to work on those Backhoes, we had a skidsteer came back with 9hrs on the clock having lost a tyre off the rim, then the door broke and locked one of our mechs in for half a day. You get the picture.
Komatsu does best with its larger excavators and mining equipment especially the ol' American=made Dresser haul trucks, the articulated trucks are good, the wheel loaders are pretty good (not as good as Volvo) and the dozers are a go to if it weren't for CAT.
Pretty good gear.
This is awesome info....thanks for sharing!
Further: why don't you use these movements (11:00) on the big excavators?
Depends what moves, if you are referencing the back-filling I think we did cover something similar on the larger one. As far as doing most of the scoops and only using the side of the bucket for finish grade. Unless you are referencing something else. Thanks for the comment!
Concise and adequate ......Thanks for sharing!
You're welcome....thanks for the comment!
Very interesting insight on how these things work.
Thanks for the comment!
Thoroughly enjoy all your training vids. Very simple and precise. 👍
Thanks!
Tohle budu potřebovat!!!
Budeme všichni tady na baráku, tak budu muset zvětšit sklep... Aby se to tam všechno vešlo...
Inspiroval jsem se tím vašim hrdinou Tejtem...
Musím tam vykopat tu honírnu s masážema...
Kateřina bude makat!!!
:D
Vole, tak musím to nějak všechno zaplatit :D
can you do a video about the komatsu pc 55 mini excavator?? it can be good
A gentleman teacher.
Thank you!
Did they do away with the sliding door just like on the newer Cat mini?
Usually the sliding door is on the tight swing units that are more compact.
HEY HOW ARE YOU DOING CAN YOU GO THROUGH THE CONTROLS AND INSTRUMENT OF A SANY EXCAVATOR INCLUDING SYMBOLS ON THE DUSH BOARD
Great video as usual Randy very thorough thank you
Thanks!
I want to rip out some juniper bushes from my front yard. They are about 3 feet high, 6 feet wide. At first I was thinking about renting a skid steer, but this looks like it might work better. I think I could just reach down from above, grab them with the thumb, and pull them out. Any suggestions?
Yeah, I would recommend a mini-excavator over a skid steer for removing any landscaping.
Wow this was a great find. Thanks for sharing, really helped a lot.
Thanks for the comment!
Hi, do you know the features this mini digger has like boom.
huh
I WAS EXPECTING THE THUMB TO BE CONTROLED BY HAND...
THX
In many they are. Komatsu has it as an option on their minis, the new PC35 we got after this video had thumb controls on joystick.
One thing should have been included before you started digging (dial before you dig)
Good call!
They don't know where the main is half the time it's just a guess dial before you dig
Jimbo Bob think It's likely to depend on what type of location it is as there are likely to be multiple buried services in a pavement or sidewalk compared to a grass verge along a county lane.
when you own property.. you can dig averywhere you want
i make a video like his ruclips.net/video/qp5rLxJp1Io/видео.html
Awesome and clear instructional video..👍👌
Glad you liked it
Hello can you demonstrate a rubber tire excavator operation?
I'll see what we can do...thanks
Great video! Thank you very much for the simple instructions. If I could make one comment, I believe part of instructions with this machine should be the suggestion to use a spotter - a second person on the ground maki g sure the operator does not hit anything. Thank you again.
Great tip!
awesome clear instructions, Hi from AUS!
Do you have a video that shows proper operation on a backhoe?
We have 2 other excavator training videos, but we don’t have anything on a wheeled backhoe. We’ll see if we can get one at some point.
I run a jcb-3cx I was wondering if you had any tricks about grading with this machine
These videos are really help full.
Thanks for the comment!
Excellent Vid, Thanks for sharing your Knowledge & EXP.
how far can you throw the bowling ball, and what's the best technique?
Tough question. How many pounds? What are the weather conditions? What kind of oil is in machine? (this might take a whole separate video...lol)
Throw like a discus in the Olympic style.
will it start with the the safety lock lever down
Thanks. I need to learn how to use one of these for my garden landscaping projects.
Soooo cool, thanks for the very in depth, well organized tutorial!
Glad you enjoyed it!
i make a video like his ruclips.net/video/qp5rLxJp1Io/видео.html
As an young mechanic we young mechanics use to think this was a useless peace of machinery due to it having a small bucket but after operating an D1 Dozier (a.k.a. the hand shovel ) I appreciate this tiny machine a little more . It's like we thought that a few D1s were faster than this machine but now I think not .
Thanks for the comment!
if you want to excavate a thin top layer of earth with a micro digger, about 7 cm (3 inches or 700mm) can you just use the stabiliser bar and push earth around whilst driving forward? or maybe in a couple of goes? 1 inch at a time?
Got any info about working correctly on hilly property ?
Don't have any videos on that, but sounds like a good idea for a future video.
Good video, feel better about renting one, thank you.
You’re welcome...be safe
Can you break the thumb or thumb cylinder by curling the bucket to much into it?
I would say that generally speaking, no. They are designed to be pressed in to each other and you will notice there are hydraulic relief valves on them so they will let up a little if too much pressure.
Given a choice between a JCB type excavator and any of these type excavators (Komatsu, CAT. John Deere, Daewoo etc), which machine would you choose?
We prefer our Komatsu, but I think there are plenty of quality machines out there. Interested to see how others chime in.
Fabulous video!
Much thanks!!!
Good teaching
Glad you think so!
Very informative. Well done. Thank you.
Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for the comment!
Incredible teacher
At 6:35 he shows how use a foot pedal to swing the arm only. As he says, it is useful when digging a foundation.
next to a building
Cool , love my little PC30 kamatsu .
Yeah...they’re awesome!
so by the looks of it if you mess up closing your bucket you'll slam the wall to your right?
we're you planing to do a walk around and check the fluids?
Very well detailed how to video. Good work 💯
How to change buckets and attachments and how to raise and lower the dozer blade
I approve of this message 👍🏻
16:30 that was a nice shot with the bowling ball, but we all really want to see you take a shot from behind the three point line.
This is good BUT perhaps in your video if you could focus the camera on the various internal parts when explaining its functions so it is clear and visible to the viewers.
Thanks for the comment and feedback. Yes, we have heard that before. We'll see if we can do better on future videos. Unfortunately we only have so many cameras so it's tough to cover all the angles but I totally agree it would be helpful to have some more closeup shots of the controls. Thanks again!
@@HeavyMetalLearning just a suggestion and am optimistic it would work i.e to bring the rear camera lower and increase the magnifying power of the lenses or zoom as long as it gets a clear shot of all the small parts involved in starting this machine. And just so that we can hear you loud and clear on video while explaining and describing the different parts involved with its functions.