I used to work for an excavation contractor, not running equipment but managing the maintenance. I spent enough time around equipment, however, to suggest to you that a tractor/backhoe would be a better choice. More versatile for the different work, and parts and service are generally (very generally) less expensive than a mini. We used backhoes for most of our residential utility work because of the versatility. If it's in snow country you also have your road clearing gear too. Using one piece of equipment instead of three was great for profitability. Plus they can usually be trailered if need be. Resale is typically doable on decently maintained equipment. Grease often, keep oil changed, etc.
Anyone Experienced with Mini Excavators?
- Thread starter Jaynelson
- Start date
E
EricW
Well-known member
I have both a New Holland BX-55 mini excavator and a John Deere 100 TLB similar to this one. I do the kind of work you are describing almost weekly in some fashion or another. Each does have its place and each shines in different applications.
That said, if I could only have one tool in the bag for in general land development/construction site work, it would be the 110 TLB Hands down. I say this assuming your digs are typically less than 10’ and even water lines depending on location are in the 6’ range.
The 110 TLB loads and trailers easy, it sips fuel, and it does a ton of work. Some guys who own John Deere ag tractors (the green stuff) get tripped up on the size of the 110 TLB based on their ag experiences and the implements they use. There is a big difference between the green JD ag tractors and the yellow construction grade stuff like the 110 TLB. My 110 can carry a full length 35’ red fir log with a 14” diameter top and 24”+ diameter butt. I build log booms that are used to corral floating wood debris and the 110 carry’s these size logs all the time. It also carries the brush/wood debris/logs/stumps that wel collect every year (with the front grapple attachment).
The versatility of the TLB is so much greater for all of the uses you will encounter in your project. Here is a list of attachments I have acquired for mine that make it such a joy to own and use. Most of these attachments are easy to find in the used world and like yourself, many sellers bought them for one time site specific use. You can usually rent just the attachment pretty cheap too.
This is a typical 110 TLB: https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/200109731/2003-deere-110
Starting from the front:
Brush Grapple, I have packed so much stuff with this grapple. The key is to get a grapple as wide or preferably a little wider that the the front tire foot print. When using the grapple to clear the land you dont want to run over the stuff you are trying to pick up. I also think the dual top clamps are a must when carrying irregular size loads. I have this one and love it. I have abused it horribly over many years and done nothing but beat it back into place. In general I have been really happy with every thing I have purchased from Everything Attachments. They ship well and stand behind their products. In your case though I would try to look used or buddy up with your skid steer neighbor and borrow his in trade for something you have. Between a couple of us here where I live we have everything under the sun for attachments and we swap them around a lot. The 110 TLB should have the front skid steer quick attach which will accept any front attachment from the skid steer world. This is not true of the green JD equipment usually. The 110 comes hydraulically plumbed to function this grapple from the joystick.
Pallet Forks:
Snow Bucket - if you have to plow much this is the ticket. Also handles bark, sand, etc. I am careful though not to scratch the nice powder coat that keeps snow falling out all day long.
We also custom built a small man basket for the front pallet forks for siding/roofing/gutters/anything off the ground.
Rear:
Box Scraper - Use it for finish grade, graveling/repairing roads, ripping up old sod/vegetation, etc. The one I have has a 6 way function so I can pull ditch or slope roads of pads for runoff or drainage. It stays on most of the time. https://www.everythingattachments.com/Tractor-Box-Blades-Box-Scraper-Grader-Box-s/85.htm
Log Tongs: If you have many logs to move, this attachment to the rear 3 point hitch is the stuff. When used with the brush grapple you can drive down the limbed log with grapple open gathering the limbs then back up to the log and skid it to the deck and drop it on the way to the brush pile. I can work faster with my 110 set up this way then 2 guys with saws can put wood on the ground and limb it. I have cleared up to 20 acre pieces with 40 loads of logs with this combination.
Chit man, I gotta run, this got kinda long. I’ll add more later when I get a minute. EW
That said, if I could only have one tool in the bag for in general land development/construction site work, it would be the 110 TLB Hands down. I say this assuming your digs are typically less than 10’ and even water lines depending on location are in the 6’ range.
The 110 TLB loads and trailers easy, it sips fuel, and it does a ton of work. Some guys who own John Deere ag tractors (the green stuff) get tripped up on the size of the 110 TLB based on their ag experiences and the implements they use. There is a big difference between the green JD ag tractors and the yellow construction grade stuff like the 110 TLB. My 110 can carry a full length 35’ red fir log with a 14” diameter top and 24”+ diameter butt. I build log booms that are used to corral floating wood debris and the 110 carry’s these size logs all the time. It also carries the brush/wood debris/logs/stumps that wel collect every year (with the front grapple attachment).
The versatility of the TLB is so much greater for all of the uses you will encounter in your project. Here is a list of attachments I have acquired for mine that make it such a joy to own and use. Most of these attachments are easy to find in the used world and like yourself, many sellers bought them for one time site specific use. You can usually rent just the attachment pretty cheap too.
This is a typical 110 TLB: https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/200109731/2003-deere-110
Starting from the front:
Brush Grapple, I have packed so much stuff with this grapple. The key is to get a grapple as wide or preferably a little wider that the the front tire foot print. When using the grapple to clear the land you dont want to run over the stuff you are trying to pick up. I also think the dual top clamps are a must when carrying irregular size loads. I have this one and love it. I have abused it horribly over many years and done nothing but beat it back into place. In general I have been really happy with every thing I have purchased from Everything Attachments. They ship well and stand behind their products. In your case though I would try to look used or buddy up with your skid steer neighbor and borrow his in trade for something you have. Between a couple of us here where I live we have everything under the sun for attachments and we swap them around a lot. The 110 TLB should have the front skid steer quick attach which will accept any front attachment from the skid steer world. This is not true of the green JD equipment usually. The 110 comes hydraulically plumbed to function this grapple from the joystick.
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Pallet Forks:
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Snow Bucket - if you have to plow much this is the ticket. Also handles bark, sand, etc. I am careful though not to scratch the nice powder coat that keeps snow falling out all day long.
We also custom built a small man basket for the front pallet forks for siding/roofing/gutters/anything off the ground.
Rear:
Box Scraper - Use it for finish grade, graveling/repairing roads, ripping up old sod/vegetation, etc. The one I have has a 6 way function so I can pull ditch or slope roads of pads for runoff or drainage. It stays on most of the time. https://www.everythingattachments.com/Tractor-Box-Blades-Box-Scraper-Grader-Box-s/85.htm
Log Tongs: If you have many logs to move, this attachment to the rear 3 point hitch is the stuff. When used with the brush grapple you can drive down the limbed log with grapple open gathering the limbs then back up to the log and skid it to the deck and drop it on the way to the brush pile. I can work faster with my 110 set up this way then 2 guys with saws can put wood on the ground and limb it. I have cleared up to 20 acre pieces with 40 loads of logs with this combination.
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Chit man, I gotta run, this got kinda long. I’ll add more later when I get a minute. EW
My advice would be to rent one IF you have the time to run it non stop for a week or two. You can get a ton done. I rented a JD 35G a couple weeks ago and tore out and leveled off a mile of OLD fence. Tore out a million rocks too. $950 + a little fuel for 7 days.
Like others said get a thumb for sure.
I have not run any other brand minis but the deere seemed to run very smooth and quiet and had over 3000 hrs.
5 ton would have been nice, but they do get significantly more expensive. If you rent one I would probably go as big as you can to get more done in a short amount of time.
Like others said get a thumb for sure.
I have not run any other brand minis but the deere seemed to run very smooth and quiet and had over 3000 hrs.
5 ton would have been nice, but they do get significantly more expensive. If you rent one I would probably go as big as you can to get more done in a short amount of time.
J
Jaynelson
Well-known member
So the TLB option definitely seems popular...would anyone's tune change if the terrain was steep, tight between obstacles, and generally gnarly (rocky, muddy, stumps, drop offs, etc? Cause that's what we're dealing with. Attached a couple of pics - the pic with the culverts is 1 view of my building lot. The pic with the yellow mini is putting in a road last year at my lake property. I'm thinking that with the TLB and how tight things are in this part of the world, that re-positioning (or getting to a position you want) might be much tougher than the excavator, and that you would be stuck all the time? Thoughts?
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