How To Operate an Excavator

[CDUB]

If you position the machine on uneven ground and it wants to rock, back up a little,scoop a little dirt and throw under the front of the tracks, and track up on the small piles. You have to gauge how much you need and which side deeds a little more. Let it rock a time or two and see where it's moving most.
They can be difficult to handle if their rocking back and forth. You get to bouncing around in the cab and pretty soon the machine is pulling the handles for you.
Renting a mini is a good idea, but don't be too discouraged if it doesn't go that well. I've always thought they are al little harder to handle than a full size machine, because they are so quick and they pull themselves around and over so much easier.
If your tracks are bad or out of tension keep them running on even ground as much as possible. If one gets out from under the machine you can hear and feel it. Pick that side of the machine up with the bucket and it will go back. If the track aren't in good shape, you have to be more careful about how you approach certain jobs.
I was too black and white when I said a track should never be run off an excavator. If you are running around with loose wore out ropes on it you will probably loose one once in a while.

 

[dozerman400]

I learned the excavator mostly from my uncle who is retired now. But I'd bet big money he could still out produce 95% of operators today.

SAFETY FIRST

Dig a trench in loose sand with your own arm with hand cupped like an excavator bucket. Throw the sand to the side as fast as you can and observe the angle of your hand as your trenching and dumping.

Then with excavator at full throttle(so hyd pumps work properly), with out trying to be fast, extend stick 3/4's or more out with dumped bucket, pull stick in at steady pace while curling bucket in & adjusting boom up and down to stay level. Soon as you can get a full bucket start lifting, swinging, extending stick out then dumping. Before all material is out of bucket start swinging back while still dumping to empty bucket and get another one

Keep in mind point A to point B, no extra movements (it ads minutes & distance that wares out machine faster).

 

[greggn]

Do any of you have videos or a youtube channel I could watch for more learning? How is this ... ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTOzrkC-21M

 

[mitch504]

Fellow on youtube called "letsdig 18" is a good operator, his name on this forum is dirtman2007

 

[Uphill]

We Lived on a farm for 38 years, having any equipment is a blessing. We bought a 4-5ton mini ex a few years back and i don't think any other piece of equipment is more fun to operate! We watched every Utube video we could find and then began operating. Work it, learn it and be safe.