Mini Excavator Uses & Hiring Advice

An excavator is a type of construction vehicle that can be used in a variety of different ways, mainly to dig or move large objects. Excavators are commonly seen on construction sites and roadwork development projects.

Components of an Excavator

Excavators are commonly constructed of the following elements:

• Cab – A cabin where the operator sits and controls the machine
• Undercarriage – Home to the gears and motor, and track roller that moves over the ground
• House – Contains engine, fuel cylinders and oil, is connected to the undercarriage
• Engine – Powers the machine and the hydraulics used to operate the boom
• Boom – The extension that connects to the attachments
• Attachments – Connected to the boom, there are a variety of different attachments e.g. trenching buckets, grading buckets, hydraulic breakers, plate compactors, rippers, grapples, clamps etc...
• Stick – Connects the boom to the undercarriage and is able to adjust in length depending on the distance necessary to operate the boom and the attachment.

How Are Compact/Mini Excavators Different To A Regular Excavator?

Yanmar unveiled the first compact excavator in 1971 and they continue to be the industry leader today.

As their name suggests, compact (or mini) excavators are smaller and lighter, typically weighing between 0.7 to 8.5 tonnes. Modern compact excavators are powered by hydraulic systems to move the boom, stick and attachment.

Compact excavators are available with wheels or tracks. Wheels are ideal for flat, smooth terrain such as roads, whereas tracks can be used for rougher terrain such as dirt or gravel. Whether they have wheels or tracks, mini excavators are considerably different to operate from your standard road vehicle, therefore specific training is required to operate them correctly.

The Advantages of A Mini Excavator Compared To Larger Ones

To put it simply, they work incredibly well in small spaces and bring a lot of power to jobs where space may be restrictive. They are often much smaller than standard excavators, and because of the sheer amount of attachments available, they can be used for a large array of jobs (see below). Additionally, the cab on most mini excavators can move 360 degrees, offering a great range in motion especially in smaller spaces.

A Mini Excavator Can Be Used In Many Ways

Mini excavators are commonly used for small to medium-sized operations such as landscaping and forestry purposes, light construction work or small demolition projects. They can basically be used for almost any job that is too big for a shovel, or other basic hand tools. Because of the range of attachments that are available, some more common jobs for a mini excavator are as follows:

• Flattening Landscaping
• Digging Trenches
• Digging Irrigation Ditches
• Ploughing Snow
• Demolishing Small Structures
• Repairing Sewer Lines
• Digging Holes
• Removing Stumps

Things To Consider When Hiring A Mini Excavator

As mentioned above, mini excavators are incredibly versatile and can be used for a number of jobs. Although, you should take the following into account before hiring one:

• Operating weight – the weight of the vehicle is important if the terrain is unstable, or if the terrain is particularly sensitive to weight.
• Dig depth – Compact excavators commonly dig at depths of 6-8 feet. Different models provide different dig depths, so it is important you know deep you need to go.
• Dump height – this is the maximum height that the boom and attachments can reach. Some dumper bins may be high to reach.

Hiring, Sales & Parts

A T Wilde & Son specialises in the sale, parts and servicing of construction equipment and can assist with any queries about compact excavators and their parts. We are dealers of top brands including Kubota, Yanmar and many more.

Our associate company Wildes Plant Hire has a full fleet of Yanmar mini excavators available for hire. Please call 01743 718 777 for more information.