Tackle Many Jobs with One Machine: Attachments Increase Mini Hydraulic Excavator Versatility by Greg Worley 

For digging, lifting and clean-up on job sites with tight quarters, mini hydraulic excavators combine powerful performance with easy maneuverability. Able to go where larger machines can’t, mini hydraulic excavators are ideal for work in backyards, inside buildings and around fences. Their hydraulic systems enable them to quickly move large amounts of material, and attachments make these machines useful in many industries including landscaping, construction and agriculture.

The work performed by mini excavators typically involves changing tasks often throughout the day. A coupler can help to maximize your investment by allowing the operator to quickly change attachments, enabling your mini excavator to do multiple jobs in less time. Here are some examples to demonstrate the range of tasks a mini hydraulic excavator can perform.

Digging
With digging depths of more than 10 feet, mini hydraulic excavators go far below ground surface. A variety of attachments are designed to improve digging speed, accuracy and precision.

• Standard buckets dig through earth for many purposes, and you should determine what features are needed based on the job. Buckets for general excavation work come in many dimensions, and capacity depends on the bucket size and shape, along with the type of soil on your jobsite.
  
• Don’t let cold weather or unexpected rocky patches delay operations. In areas with hard, compact or frozen dirt, rippers cut through challenging ground conditions to loosen soil and improve productivity.
• Designed to drill holes of all shapes and sizes, augers can also bore through a variety of soil types. From installing fence posts or building poles to planting shrubs, an auger efficiently extracts soil to your specifications. In dense ground, select an auger with high speed and torque to prevent stalling.

Choosing the right bit for your application will also increase efficiency. For example, a tree bit features a tapered tip to drill holes with a large mouth and narrow base. This type of hole would properly fit a root ball. A tree bit could also drill holes with a small diameter to fill with mulch.

Material Handling
Whether you’re picking out rocks and debris from soil, moving tree limbs or carrying materials for waste recycling, a tool to help navigate this task will improve accuracy.

• Thumb attachments rapidly take bucket work from digging to material handling. Hydraulic controls located inside the cab optimize performance by allowing the operator to easily grasp items and move them. To increase efficiency, select a thumb that can fold back against the machine stick when not in use to seamlessly move between digging and grabbing.

Lifting
Eliminate the need for multiple machines by using a mini hydraulic excavator for lifting tasks normally accomplished by a crane. For example, in drainage applications, the same piece of equipment can dig a trench, and then lift and place the pipe.

• Select a machine and bucket with appropriatelift radius and capacity. Here, it’s essential to know the weight of the load you’re lifting. Reference the machine’s load chart to ensure safety.

No matter which attachment you choose, quality and design are important factors when selecting equipment. To last through many hours of use in tough environments, high-strength, tempered steel will stand up to wear and tear. Additionally, support from a trusted dealer network will ease concerns over downtime if you find yourself in need of service or parts.