Hi from Darwin Australia

Hi folks I've got on order a new Cat 305.5E2 which should arrive in a month. Just starting a new little business - also have a Hino 15t Tipper that I'll carry it around in.

I operated excavators for years (just the 10-30t range - Kobelcos) when I was younger but now am just going to run this on the side as I have a good fulltime job in IT (completely different I know!). Plan is to get my son and son-in-law operating the business.

The excavator is coming with a long stick, hydraulic quick hitch, 300, 450 600mm buckets, 1600mm tilt mud bucket, and a ripper. Oh and a thumb All the attachments are just the cat stuff. It has an airconned cab also.

Just a couple of "newb" questions if people can help;

1. Wondering about levelling systems - pricing ones like trimble and others they are like 25% of the cost of the excavator which is unaffordable to me. I can get the i-dig ("classic" 2d one) system in Australia for about $8k which is a lot less - just wondering if people have experience with these or have any other advice? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu1LH4iWW0o

2. Wondering about the long stick and the thumb.. do people have similar setups and if so does the machine rock too much? Also will the thumb get in the way digging deeper trenches? Its a little bit wider than the 450mm (18"?) bucket which would be the main bucket for deeper trenching I'd think. If I had a big job just digging I guess it wouldn't be that hard to remove it?

3. My public liability insurance requires me to have used the governments "dial before you dig" service to be covered for damaging under ground utilities. I imagine on some jobs where i am working on someone elses project the might tell us "yep we've checked it all so you can go ahead". Just wondering do people get this in writing or something first? Just heard about a bad situation locally once where this happened when some poor fella augered a large shade post for a major car dealer in the city and went through the whole city's main optic fibre run! The client told the operator that it had all been checked and was right to go.

Any advice much appreciated

Welcome!

I'm no operator, so I don't have much helpful advice, but I do know with the long stick, coupler, and thumb you should have extra counterweight installed. Hopefully your dealer included this in the package.

ALWAYS call yourself before you dig, ALWAYS get it in writing, or a copy of a document saying it's clear. Never trust a client, contractor, homeowner, etc. Digging up fiber will break you, buried power or gas line might kill you, or someone else. Heard of one case where they were installing water main, dug through a pressure sewer line that wasn't marked or located. While they were scratching their heads the lift pump in the manhole kicked on, filled the pipe ditch with ****e. You can imagine how things went from there!

G'day Darwin,

Not professional but a story to tell about Gov't and dial before you dig. About 15 years ago on the East Coast on a property I had just purchased and was doing new fencing. Did the dial before you dig thing. Local council who run the sewer, water in the area actually refused to come and tell me where the lines were. I was told get a surveyor. Now I did explain to them that I was putting the new fence exactly where the old one was but their water meters were meant to be outside the fence line and these were not outside the fence line - well inside??? No matter how much I wanted their help they refused.

So I had a Bobcat with auger and driver and had him dig where the old post was. He hit something hard and I had a look when he stopped but could not see anything. Well turns out the old water pipes were concrete and he cracked the main water pipe and I had an automatic fountain about 25 meters high and a shocked Bobcat driver who was motionless. I eased his mind by telling him I had asked him to dig the hole and so it was on me. I said just ring the Council and have them come fix it. He dialed and said you talk to them.

I looked at my watch knowing I would be stuck with the bill probably. Only took them 20 minutes to turn up and then only maybe 40 mins all up to packed up and gone. They had a large stainless steel bandage to put on it and it was done. So one hour from call to cure. The ground was like free flowing lava by the time they got the water cut off - it was pressurised at both ends.

Naturally I was not surprised to get a letter/invoice from the Council. However I was a little taken aback to see that I had been charged three hours for one hours work. So I arranged to just go and see the head guy who had signed off on the invoice.

I started by having a chat about the actual invoice and he conceded it may have been a little more than what was - like three time the time!!! However I think I got his attention when he demanded I pay the bill promptly or all manner of calamity would come down on me as I quietly requested since they would not tell me where there water pipe was and since it was actually inside the boundary of my property that I would be happy to pay his invoice but before I did so I would like him to remove his main water line from my property as there was no easement on my title survey to my land! Once he had done that we could talk again.

Never did hear from them again!

However the lesson is that even if you ask you are still gong to get stuck with the invoice any chance they get! I have lost a few as well but was happy not to pay the bill. I did mention to the head guy when he said I should have known where the water was that the fellows who came to fix it when I asked the same question answered by saying 'No-one knows where this line runs.'

Always do the dial before you dig. Always get the signed declaration from your engaged person - they might not be so up front as me!

Enjoy your new digger and hope the 'sons' make a go of it for you,

Regards, MX45.

Very jealous mate i looked at one, ended up buying 2nd hand. Dirt ninja has same set up check his videos. https://youtu.be/EurCEYAS5mI

lantraxco said:

Welcome!

I'm no operator, so I don't have much helpful advice, but I do know with the long stick, coupler, and thumb you should have extra counterweight installed. Hopefully your dealer included this in the package.

ALWAYS call yourself before you dig, ALWAYS get it in writing, or a copy of a document saying it's clear. Never trust a client, contractor, homeowner, etc. Digging up fiber will break you, buried power or gas line might kill you, or someone else. Heard of one case where they were installing water main, dug through a pressure sewer line that wasn't marked or located. While they were scratching their heads the lift pump in the manhole kicked on, filled the pipe ditch with ****e. You can imagine how things went from there!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the helpful replies - especially regarding dial before you dig etc. Would love to hear any comments on levelling systems if anyone has experience.

Lantraxco - I just contacted the dealer and the heavier counterweight is standard

TrentNz said:

Very jealous mate i looked at one, ended up buying 2nd hand. Dirt ninja has same set up check his videos. https://youtu.be/EurCEYAS5mI

Click to expand...

Hehe thanks Trent - I have been looking at his videos it does look good - I look forward to getting the new toy. So you got a 305.5E 2nd hand? Hows it going? Are you happy with it?

I went with a kubota u50-3 just so i had lower over head costs incase things didnt work out, i can always upgrade later, however with brand new atleast you have piece of mind knowing you have a warrenty and that the machine should be pretty reliable for the first few thousand hours.