Can we talk about "value" mini excavators?

[fastline]

Here is a brief rundown. Working in a container tree nursery where rows of trees are ganged together. To get the picture, basically containers are run about 100 long and wide, all touching each other. Between these ganged rows, there is only a 4ft walkway. The weight of each is roughly 75-100# with container size of around 15". The reason I share all that is trees will need moved out as sold, or select ones moved to another grow area, etc.

The management of all of this is becoming too much and I had the idea for a mini for this. The reason I shared the details above was regarding the swing, weight, and use of the machine. I have looked at the CAT 300.9 for instance, but unless someone can just super sell a higher end piece, a "china special" might be on the menu just to make this affordable. I am hoping for some feedback. I would much rather have used quality than new junk but on the used side, all I find are used up "rentals". I don't care if it says 'Bobcat', if it was a rental, I am already leery.

Just to clarify, the bucket would certainly not be used to grab and carry trees, but something custom would need to be designed, which is why aux hydros would be super helpful! The reason for the mini is the whole grow area is wet sand, and at only 4ft wide, it creates challenges. The hydros, tracks, and versatility of a mini cannot be ignored here.

Basically what is intended is a very custom fitted machine that can run down the row, possibly with a little help, snag at least 1 tree, and load that for a customer. With all that said, other ideas are extremely welcome! Another thought proposed was a complete hydro buggy from scratch, but I think that is getting dreamy.

 

[Vetech63]

Why not a small skid loader?

 

[Jonas302]

Guinea Pig

Ok you can laugh now or give me crap later :D I just wired off money to China. Alibaba score! I purchased one 1.8t mini ex and a mini skid steer. Skid steer is tracked and 25 hp Kubota diesel. I was told about 45 days to Port of Tampa. I got 6 additional attachments between the 2, in addition...

www.heavyequipmentforums.com

 

[Vetech63]

YIKES!!!!!

 

[skyking1]

there is nothing "value" about the 300.9
I have rented one several times to do what it was designed very specifically to do, which is walk through a 30" door way and work on concrete. They are tippy, jerky, not able to walk and chew gum at the same time. On dirt they would not be good. Working on them is also a PITA. Everything is so tight. The operator's station is a pain.
I have also rented the John Deere 17 several times recently.
It is ~50" wide extended, 38" retracted.
It performs like a real machine, smooth and fast, stable for what it is, good thumb.
It does not have travel pedals per se, but they cleverly put some flat spots at the base of the sticks and you can travel forward with your feet once you figure that out. It is a game changer over the stick only compacts as you can do forward travelling bucket assists and move through a site quickly.

Don't shoot yourself in the foot trying out the smallest iron, because it will universally suck in comparison to the next sizes bigger.

 

[ianjoub]

I have a china version 1.8t as noted in the above guinea pig thread. I have had some teething issues with the mini skid steer, but the mini ex has been flawlwss. I am at 40 hrs or so now.

The controls seemed a little jerky at first, but I have learned to be smooth with them.

There are no foot pedals for tracking, but you wouldn't want them. When the track motors are operated, it takes hyd power from other things: if tracking forward and lift the boom, it will veer right.

Top speed is 2.3 mph.

It has plenty of power to do what it is designed to do.

It has (as an option) a hydraulic thumb.

It has a boom swivel as well as whole house rotation. These hyd lines could be repurposed to a second hydraulic function.

The cab is a little tight at 6' tall, but bearable and useable.

So far, I am quite pleased with it.

 

[KSSS]

I was going to look up the specs of a 17 sized machine. I have rented these as well and found them to be really productive for their size. I have been so impressed I have been tempted to buy one at times. I think it would be pretty simple to find or build an attachment that would make handling those trees much easier. As I ponder what your doing. If each of those containers had wires that extended up from the container and into a wire grab hole, you could put excavator tooth in the hole, or fab a grab hook instead of a bucket to move those containers. Those 17's are easier to find used and honestly I think any 17 that could retract its undercarriage of a well known brand would be fine. If all your doing is flinging 100 pound trees, that thing would last forever.

 

[digger doug]

Local nursery has a rig on the back of a tractor, long stroke cylinder hung from ROPS.
Worker walking behind actuates cylinder to push down on a piece of well casing, to dig plant. Cylinder is hung on a loose mount to allow worker to move & guide the digging.

Cycles back up, other worker, puts canvas under and around to catch plant, well casing is split & hinged, first operator undoes latch.

 

[fastline]

Thanks for the input guys! As mentioned, the 300.9 CAT was just a quick example. I am not even firm that a mini-X is what is needed here but here is the basic criteria.
1. On rubber tracks. Running on sand. Wheels just won't work.
2. Reasonable speed and turning
3. Hydraulics system so custom devices can be built for this special task
4. Ability to lift to about 5ft for loading of a trailer/truck.
5. Ability to lift around 500#. Example is 4 trees on a pallet.

As well, my fat typo above. Tree rows are about 100 containers long and SIX containers wide, then a 4ft walk path. What has to be thought out is retrieving a tree in the center of the row, which would be at max 3 deep. We also want to see more than one of these carried at a time. Obviously some manual work will be required! But saving backs is what we are trying to achieve here.

 

[fastline]

Local nursery has a rig on the back of a tractor, long stroke cylinder hung from ROPS.
Worker walking behind actuates cylinder to push down on a piece of well casing, to dig plant. Cylinder is hung on a loose mount to allow worker to move & guide the digging.

Cycles back up, other worker, puts canvas under and around to catch plant, well casing is split & hinged, first operator undoes latch.

Very interesting Doug! And a testament to thinking outside the box!

 

[digger doug]

So take that mechanism, make a gantry with 4 wheel hydraulic drive, that straddles the rows.
First operator can drive the machine standing on a platform to one side, and still
operate cylinder, second operator with canvas is on other side, catches the plant,
and set's it on low level shelf, others can slide and stack onto a pallet.
Pallet can be setting on a scissor lift, and when done, raise up to dock or truck level and rolled off.

 

[skyking1]

I have a china version 1.8t as noted in the above guinea pig thread. I have had some teething issues with the mini skid steer, but the mini ex has been flawlwss. I am at 40 hrs or so now.

The controls seemed a little jerky at first, but I have learned to be smooth with them.

There are no foot pedals for tracking, but you wouldn't want them. When the track motors are operated, it takes hyd power from other things: if tracking forward and lift the boom, it will veer right.

Top speed is 2.3 mph.

It has plenty of power to do what it is designed to do.

It has (as an option) a hydraulic thumb.

It has a boom swivel as well as whole house rotation. These hyd lines could be repurposed to a second hydraulic function.

The cab is a little tight at 6' tall, but bearable and useable.

So far, I am quite pleased with it.

See that track forward and boom up and swing right crap is just bad valving and circuit design. The 17 Johnny doesn't do anything like that. It's entirely predictable.
Years ago I ran a daewoo that did the same kind of thing.
It's just bad design.

 

[ianjoub]

Thanks for the input guys! As mentioned, the 300.9 CAT was just a quick example. I am not even firm that a mini-X is what is needed here but here is the basic criteria.
1. On rubber tracks. Running on sand. Wheels just won't work.
2. Reasonable speed and turning
3. Hydraulics system so custom devices can be built for this special task
4. Ability to lift to about 5ft for loading of a trailer/truck.
5. Ability to lift around 500#. Example is 4 trees on a pallet.

As well, my fat typo above. Tree rows are about 100 containers long and SIX containers wide, then a 4ft walk path. What has to be thought out is retrieving a tree in the center of the row, which would be at max 3 deep. We also want to see more than one of these carried at a time. Obviously some manual work will be required! But saving backs is what we are trying to achieve here.

Sounds like a mini or full size skid steer would be a better option than a mini ex. You can get/use far more attachments as well:
tree spade
pallet forks
auger
grapple
tree shear
etc...