Ultra mini excavator

[Bellboy]

Shall I take you to court for child labour! No, I'm only kidding! I was doing the same thing at that age. I'm a 1993 model, and still running.Although, these minis get bigger and the quality of work gets better. Good workers, but if you don't watch them, they tend to go playing with their toys pictured in the foreground! :drinkup

 

[totalloser]

There are a few different ways to make a ROPS not get in your way. First is copy a folder and have it on pins. Second is cut it at the lowest height you will work at, and weld a plate on either end drilled for bolts. Put a cross brace on the lower part so it does something for you when you have the top off. Then you can just unbolt it, but even unbolted, it will give you some protection from going all the way over. Just keep in mind where your elbows are going to swing.

I put up a thread for fixing nubby teeth, but can't find it now. I welded segments of leaf spring onto my junk teeth. It works really well (heat treated spring steel!). Still holding up really well. I think better than Chromemoly teeth. I'll see if I can find it.https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=6217&highlight=spring+steel
There it is. It's a little ugly, but easy and apparently stout.

 

[Bellboy]

Eric, what you been doing that needs a digger that small?

 

[DILLIGAF]

ultra underground mini

doesn't matter how small the digger is, if you get it bogged the price is still 1 cold carton of beer :drinkup

 

[Hendrik]

ROPS ROPS ROPS YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE!

But get a rollbar! My buddy flipped his when a ramp scooted out getting off the trailer. I think his ROPS may have saved his life. The #1 killer of tractor operators used to be squashes by rollovers. Hence the law for ROPS. I know for farm tractors they are required by law.

I know what you mean but these micro machines don't always come with a inbuilt ROPS, my half tonner does not and whilst I could fit some sort ROPS the next problem is seat belts.
Yes I can fit seat belts to the machine but I find that safe operation is just as good and being prepared to exit the machine on the best side. There are loads of operators who use machines and not fasten the seat belt, leaving them in more danger of being thrown from the machine and crushed by the ROPS, happened to a cousin of mine who was an inexperienced forklift driver, now he has a crushed leg and suffers 24/7.
Sure I'd love to have a nice safe, air conditioned cabin with a wireless but in the micro class it's not going to happen anytime soon but give the Japanese some time and they'll probably fit a cabin to a 500kg-1000kg class ex, with DVD player. However this would make the micros less versatile.
And tell your buddy that it is necessary to secure the ramps to wherever they are attached, as you would know it is very easy for an ex to have track stopped and the other to turn, end result is it is going to spit out one ramp, leaving the operator to look like this On my ramps I drilled a couple of holes on the back of the ute tray and use high tensile bolts to secure the ramps to the tray, I throttle the machine right back and go up very slowly. When I use my ramps to up stairs and such I use heavy duty tie downs to secure the ramps, sure it takes a bit longer to do the job safely but it's quicker than a extended stay in hospital or worse.

 

[strott]

Rops are a brilliant idea, not only from a safety point of view but also as an extra counterweight on the machine!!

My K008-3 comes with folding Rops on the front of the machine and a retractable seatbelt bolted to the machine by the seat.

 

[Hendrik]

Rops are a brilliant idea, not only from a safety point of view but also as an extra counterweight on the machine!!

My K008-3 comes with folding Rops on the front of the machine and a retractable seatbelt bolted to the machine by the seat.

I am not anti ROPS but pointing out that in some applications it is pretty much impossible to have it and still have the machine work as it should. Looking at the set up of the ROPS on the K008-3 it looks like you gain a couple of inches on the turning radius, depending on the type of work this may not be a big deal but I have quite a few scratches on the weights up the back, from squeezing into tight spaces.
Another thing to consider is outside dangers, sitting on a micro you are pretty much exposed to stuff falling on you. Being strapped in with a seat belt pretty much traps you.

 

[strott]

I am not anti ROPS but pointing out that in some applications it is pretty much impossible to have it and still have the machine work as it should. Looking at the set up of the ROPS on the K008-3 it looks like you gain a couple of inches on the turning radius, depending on the type of work this may not be a big deal but I have quite a few scratches on the weights up the back, from squeezing into tight spaces.
Another thing to consider is outside dangers, sitting on a micro you are pretty much exposed to stuff falling on you. Being strapped in with a seat belt pretty much traps you.

I completely agree with what you say about the Rops and didn't mean for my comments to sound argumentative

I tend not to strap myself to the machine either, mainly because as you said you can't escape quickly if need be - if you feel the machine's about to roll over you jump in the opposite direction!!!!

My previous K008-3 had the rear mounted roll bar which made the machine about 30mm wider which usually ment when it was really tight the ROPS came off completely to get the machine into the site and it would usually stay off for the remainder of that job. The rear mounted Rops did add tailswing as you pointed out and compared to the front mounted Rops I don't know how I worked with the extra tailswing!! Losing that 50mm length off the back makes a big difference.

Only issue with the front mounted Rops is that when it is folded down (e.g working in a garage) you can not operate the boom/bucket so you have to undo the top half and remove it from the machine completely whereas on the rear mounted Rops all you had to do was fold it down!

As you say there are sometimes when there is no option but to work without it.

 

[Hendrik]

Idiots and machines don't mix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCuMXsfWZ2s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB3lGxIhtCw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PEEYiODk7s&feature=related
and why do people think it is cute to let young kids operate machinery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpcR6qc833s&feature=related

 

[Hendrik]

ultra ultra micro ex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PxaLpfW17Y&feature=related

 

[strott]

Why do people let young kids operate machinery?

Probably because they consider any type of job that has a manual side to it and is not office based is done by anyone - so therefore they think anybody can do it (not helped by the fact that anybody can hire a mini digger) and have little respect for what is involved.

 

[JDMGrading]

I thought that video was stupid...but I've always let the youngins sit on my lap and play with the controls on the trackhoe.

 

[strott]

I thought that video was stupid...but I've always let the youngins sit on my lap and play with the controls on the trackhoe.

That's the safest way to do it - you can take over if you need too.

This also helps get young ones interested in plant e.t.c so its all good.

 

[DragNut]

Welcome to the site.

I'm am very curious as to the uses of a machine this size. I always thought they would make a nice toy for children with wealthy parents, but have a hard imagining a use to justify the expense for a business. I am sure you had a good reason for buying it and I am always looking to learn more, so I would appreciate hearing your thoughts.

At the rental company were i work we rent these out to pro contractors all the time, they use them mainly inside of jobs, (basements, tight spaces) they also come with 100pound hammers you can mount on them to jackhammer floors and whatever, so yeah the get laughs but they also save your back!

 

[d-oh]

Sometimes, you don't want a big bad diggin machine anyway. not to beat a dead horse here but being able to cut hours of manual labor and do some precision work, while keeping the ground wear and tear to a minimum, i can go for that.

 

[Hendrik]

No pics yet but it is some really cool engineering...

The dipper is built as a "U" channel with the hydraulic hammer slid in thru the bottom. The bit is clipped to the side of the boom. After you curl the bucket in all of the way, you release one lever, slide the bit in, close the latch and flip over the high speed pedal to run the hammer. No hoses, pins, lifting, etc...

Not sure if someone has told you this but it is highly recommended that when storing a hydraulic hammer it is placed in the upright position.
Reason being if it lays on it's side for an extended period of time the seals can be squashed because of the weight of the piston.
Anyway now that I have figured out picture posting, here is a picture of my baby ex taking on a tree stump and it won with a bit of effort
https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=153605#post153605

 

[Taylortractornu]

Ive run a few PC 03 Komatsu hoes. Theyve been grey market machines but Ive saved alot of work to. also rolled one over on flat ground to lol.

 

[Hendrik]

also rolled one over on flat ground to lol.

No great skill required to tip one on an uneven surface but flat ground????
Do tell us more.
Disclaimer: I haven't tipped anything over..........yet but always willing to learn.
I came close the other day, unloading off the back of the ute after a shower of rain and just as it was tipping over center it slipped a little bit on the ramps because the tops of them are smooth aluminum. Thankfully the tracks gripped onto the ramps.
Have to do something about that.

 

[Big Dazzler]

No problems here, I get that all of the time.

To bad you weren't closer, I'd let you "play"

...it's nice to carry 1 bucket in each hand when I'm loading up!

The bigger guys are busy around here, but I'm training them to let me have the small jobs.

sounds like my rc30 positrack.....little toy, lots of fun, makes money :drinkup

 

[hvy 1ton]

Hey haf .AST, didn't you get a new ford with a sweet stainless dumpbed? I'm pretty sure i saw it on LTS. I know it was yellow and i think i saw your mini mini in one of the pictures.