Mini excavator size?

[Rlachermeier]

Hello everyone. Recently sold my Case 580CK backhoe and looking to pick up a mini ex. What would be the smallest size unit that would be able to remove tree stumps? Thanks!

 

[mrbb]

I think you need to know what sized tree stumps your talking about, some big ones will tax a lot of machines! unless you don;t care about how long it takes to get one out!, and then, HOW do you plan to load a LARGE one if you get a smaller machine that can DIG em out, but not load them or move them easily? do you have other machines for this?
as I said, the size of the stumps matters when picking a machine!
as they will all dig out small stumps, but as they grow in size, so will the size of a machine needed to remove them, and then, comes again how fast you want to dig them out,. as time is money for most folks, so its an important part of the equation

 

[Rlachermeier]

I think you need to know what sized tree stumps your talking about, some big ones will tax a lot of machines! unless you don;t care about how long it takes to get one out!, and then, HOW do you plan to load a LARGE one if you get a smaller machine that can DIG em out, but not load them or move them easily? do you have other machines for this?
as I said, the size of the stumps matters when picking a machine!
as they will all dig out small stumps, but as they grow in size, so will the size of a machine needed to remove them, and then, comes again how fast you want to dig them out,. as time is money for most folks, so its an important part of the equation

The size tree stumps vary from small to medium. The time it takes to get them out won't be a big issue as I'm retired and in no hurry. I have A Bobcat 751 to help with moving the stumps although they will probably just be burned on the property. The mini ex will be exclusively for personal use. I would like something trailerable. I've been watching allot of videos on the E26 and am amazed at what it can do. Other than tree stumps I also have some light landscaping that will need to be done. I'd like to stay under $20K for a used machine but as you might imagine those are hard to find.

 

[Buckshot Ranch]

I've owned a Yanmar B27 mini ex and a Case 580CK. I currently own a John Deere 310SE and a John Deere 450 crawler with backhoe attachment. I have used each to remove stumps on my ranch ranging from a couple of inches to 3 feet in diameter and from fresh cut to several years old. My experience is that if you have used the Case 580CK to pull stumps you are going to be very dissatisfied with an ex under 16,000 pounds. I don't think it will have the breakout force you might hope for? I too am retired, but spending hours to work your way around a large stump is not only hard on the equipment, but not particularly enjoyable on the body. And as you discovered, finding a suitable sized ex that was well treated, under $20k, is a challenge these days. But that may change in about 6 months with the apparent nose dive of the economy?

 

[mrbb]

I agree with the above
in order to have a lot of good power and break force, your going to need a heavy machine to come close to what your backhoe once did for you!

and I don;t know what you mean by LIGHT, under 10k or such, is what many can only legally tow in some states
so, at that weight, your going to be disappointed IMO to your old backhoe!

maybe what you should do is rent a few different sized machines and see what you like, and then go from there, this way you will have real seat time to make a decision, only problem with this might be, they will all be newer machines and well past the 20 k price to find used?/
but as they say,
some times its better spend more and just buy once than buy a few times, trying to find what you want
renting gives you again, real seat time to judge things!

[h4][/h4]

 

[Buckshot Ranch]

The size tree stumps vary from small to medium. The time it takes to get them out won't be a big issue as I'm retired and in no hurry. I have A Bobcat 751 to help with moving the stumps although they will probably just be burned on the property. The mini ex will be exclusively for personal use. I would like something trailerable. I've been watching allot of videos on the E26 and am amazed at what it can do. Other than tree stumps I also have some light landscaping that will need to be done. I'd like to stay under $20K for a used machine but as you might imagine those are hard to find.

By the way, you mentioned burning stumps? About 30 or so acres of my ranch is in heavy timber, mainly coniferous and a medium mix of deciduous trees like aspen, birch and western larch. I have logged my woodstand for many years and have burned slash and stumps each fall. I have never been able to reduce stumps much bigger than a foot in diameter to ashes in a single burn. I finally gave up and bought a chipper for dealing with most of the branches. And on a section of my west fence line I started a bullwork of old stumps that I call "stumphedge". I use either the 4 in one bucket on my backhoe or the dipper to transport the stumps and pile them. As you might imagine, stumphedge has become quite the critter condo for squirrels, marmots, racoons etc...we don't have any venomous critters in my neck of the woods so that hasn't been an issue. Eventually, nature will do it's thing and reduce the wall of wood to dirt. I don't have any visible neighbors so no one can claim the wall is unsightly and it can't be seen from the house. I've also started shaving stumps instead of pulling them, where it really isn't necessary to remove the stump. I use a Husky 395XP saw with a 32 inch bar to flush cut the stump. As long as I dig down a couple of inches around the stump I can usually make a good slice without any dirt contact by the chain. I've also shave cut with my smaller 20 inch Husky using the same technique. It takes a little practice and a lot of caution and safety equipment, like chaps, but I think it sure beats pulling the stumps and a lot easier on the equipment and fuel.

 

[Rlachermeier]

I've owned a Yanmar B27 mini ex and a Case 580CK. I currently own a John Deere 310SE and a John Deere 450 crawler with backhoe attachment. I have used each to remove stumps on my ranch ranging from a couple of inches to 3 feet in diameter and from fresh cut to several years old. My experience is that if you have used the Case 580CK to pull stumps you are going to be very dissatisfied with an ex under 16,000 pounds. I don't think it will have the breakout force you might hope for? I too am retired, but spending hours to work your way around a large stump is not only hard on the equipment, but not particularly enjoyable on the body. And as you discovered, finding a suitable sized ex that was well treated, under $20k, is a challenge these days. But that may change in about 6 months with the apparent nose dive of the economy?

I never actually got a chance to use the 580 for digging stumps as I was chasing leaks until I decided to sell it. So I don't really have a point of reference. I would like a heavier unit but would also like it to be trailerable without have to purchase a bigger truck and trailer.

 

[Rlachermeier]

I agree with the above
in order to have a lot of good power and break force, your going to need a heavy machine to come close to what your backhoe once did for you!

and I don;t know what you mean by LIGHT, under 10k or such, is what many can only legally tow in some states
so, at that weight, your going to be disappointed IMO to your old backhoe!

maybe what you should do is rent a few different sized machines and see what you like, and then go from there, this way you will have real seat time to make a decision, only problem with this might be, they will all be newer machines and well past the 20 k price to find used?/
but as they say,
some times its better spend more and just buy once than buy a few times, trying to find what you want
renting gives you again, real seat time to judge things!

[h4][/h4]

I do believe renting before buying could avoid allot of regrets.

 

[Rlachermeier]

By the way, you mentioned burning stumps? About 30 or so acres of my ranch is in heavy timber, mainly coniferous and a medium mix of deciduous trees like aspen, birch and western larch. I have logged my woodstand for many years and have burned slash and stumps each fall. I have never been able to reduce stumps much bigger than a foot in diameter to ashes in a single burn. I finally gave up and bought a chipper for dealing with most of the branches. And on a section of my west fence line I started a bullwork of old stumps that I call "stumphedge". I use either the 4 in one bucket on my backhoe or the dipper to transport the stumps and pile them. As you might imagine, stumphedge has become quite the critter condo for squirrels, marmots, racoons etc...we don't have any venomous critters in my neck of the woods so that hasn't been an issue. Eventually, nature will do it's thing and reduce the wall of wood to dirt. I don't have any visible neighbors so no one can claim the wall is unsightly and it can't be seen from the house. I've also started shaving stumps instead of pulling them, where it really isn't necessary to remove the stump. I use a Husky 395XP saw with a 32 inch bar to flush cut the stump. As long as I dig down a couple of inches around the stump I can usually make a good slice without any dirt contact by the chain. I've also shave cut with my smaller 20 inch Husky using the same technique. It takes a little practice and a lot of caution and safety equipment, like chaps, but I think it sure beats pulling the stumps and a lot easier on the equipment and fuel.

The only reason I would prefer digging vs grinding is I am trying to convert the couple of tree lines I have back into field. I have 13 acres of alfalfa that I rent to a local farmer and it would be easier to bale without have to go around the trees. The attached pics shows the trees.

 

[Rlachermeier]

I agree with the above
in order to have a lot of good power and break force, your going to need a heavy machine to come close to what your backhoe once did for you!

and I don;t know what you mean by LIGHT, under 10k or such, is what many can only legally tow in some states
so, at that weight, your going to be disappointed IMO to your old backhoe!

maybe what you should do is rent a few different sized machines and see what you like, and then go from there, this way you will have real seat time to make a decision, only problem with this might be, they will all be newer machines and well past the 20 k price to find used?/
but as they say,
some times its better spend more and just buy once than buy a few times, trying to find what you want
renting gives you again, real seat time to judge things!

[h4][/h4]

Preferably 7K or less

 

[mrbb]

Preferably 7K or less

like I said, rent a couple , but I think your going to find one's that light don't do much in the way of digging bigger stumps out, or just how hard you will be working a machine doing so
for how often a home owner needs to MOVE a bigger machine, its most likely cheaper to have a tow company move it when needed
most repairs can be done on site these days
so no real need to have to own a larger truck and trailer, be nice to have yes, but honestly, its not really needed!

 

[Buckshot Ranch]

The only reason I would prefer digging vs grinding is I am trying to convert the couple of tree lines I have back into field. I have 13 acres of alfalfa that I rent to a local farmer and it would be easier to bale without have to go around the trees. The attached pics shows the trees.

I haven't done any stump grinding on my ranch, although I have considered a grinder attachment for my Bobcat? I have discovered that it doesn't take much soil coverage over a shaved stump to produce grass. And it doesn't take too long for a small or medium stump to become soil. Looking at your pic, and your tree line, I would be reluctant to spend the money on a medium ex if that was my primary reason for getting one. My experience is that the main reason an ex can be superior to a decent and equal sized extendahoe is in speed and in some cases, traction. But by the same token, an equal sized ex doesn't have the loader capability, transit speed or backfill speed of the backhoe. And don't forget the additional maintenance and repair costs of a tracked machine. The other day I rolled the bead of one of my front backhoe tires. An hour of strap up, valve removal and compressor time, and I had the tire back on bead and the backhoe back on line. Conversely, when my dozer lost a track roller a couple of years ago I spent a month waiting for the part and doing the R&R to get it back on line. Don't misunderstand me, I love my dozer and my backhoe can't compete with the push power, but it can get very pricey when you try to fill the barn with various specialty specific pieces of equipment!

 

[Buckshot Ranch]

I haven't done any stump grinding on my ranch, although I have considered a grinder attachment for my Bobcat? I have discovered that it doesn't take much soil coverage over a shaved stump to produce grass. And it doesn't take too long for a small or medium stump to become soil. Looking at your pic, and your tree line, I would be reluctant to spend the money on a medium ex if that was my primary reason for getting one. My experience is that the main reason an ex can be superior to a decent and equal sized extendahoe is in speed and in some cases, traction. But by the same token, an equal sized ex doesn't have the loader capability, transit speed or backfill speed of the backhoe. And don't forget the additional maintenance and repair costs of a tracked machine. The other day I rolled the bead of one of my front backhoe tires. An hour of strap up, valve removal and compressor time, and I had the tire back on bead and the backhoe back on line. Conversely, when my dozer lost a track roller a couple of years ago I spent a month waiting for the part and doing the R&R to get it back on line. Don't misunderstand me, I love my dozer and my backhoe can't compete with the push power, but it can get very pricey when you try to fill the barn with various specialty specific pieces of equipment!

like I said, rent a couple , but I think your going to find one's that light don't do much in the way of digging bigger stumps out, or just how hard you will be working a machine doing so
for how often a home owner needs to MOVE a bigger machine, its most likely cheaper to have a tow company move it when needed
most repairs can be done on site these days
so no real need to have to own a larger truck and trailer, be nice to have yes, but honestly, its not really needed!

Good points MRBB. Years ago I had a Ram 3500 Cummins dually and a 25' heavy equipment gooseneck trailer. I bought both new, used them frequently for about 6 months and then parked them in my barn for 4 years. I towed about 30,000 lbs with them in a single max trip. I had a grand total of 11,000 miles on each. One day it occurred to me that I was staring at $75k cash (this was before new diesel trucks cost as much as my first home) collecting dust in my barn. I sold them both that week and went back to a gas dually Ram 3500 and a 14k, 20' car hauler. I figure it's a lot less liability exposure to breakdowns and with the money I saved I was able to buy another piece of equipment that I actually use!

 

[mrbb]

yeah the way I see big trucks and trailers anymore is, if there not making me money, there not really worth having, as 90% of the time my equipment stays on my properties, and I have friends that own things if I need stuff moved HAHA!
that or again, I have in a pinch used a local tow company
for how often I have to tow things, and the costs of new trucks and insurance and up keep on lic for towing heavy, 'its just not cost productive for me!
like I said, honestly most all repairs happen on site, and a PRO bonus I found NOT having means to haul things, I get a lot less people asking to USE my things or have me do FREE work for them, so it saves my equipment extra hours and wear and tear , as I can tell folks I don;t have a way to get to them now HAHA!

 

[Buckshot Ranch]

Spot on brother! I use to think I was the most popular girl at the dance until I sold off a couple of my often borrowed pieces of heavy equipment. One of my best borrowing customers even cracked, "well heck, why would I come over anymore?" My equipment and tools were being borrowed so often that I use to answer the phone by saying "Bucks equipment and tool supply, if I don't have it, you don't need it". Several years ago my vintage 5 yard dump truck cracked the rear axle housing. Did any of my "buddies" offer up at least an encouraging word and a cold beer in support of the repair? Ha! So what did I do? I said the heck with it, I don't need the insurance, licensing and repair headaches to haul a few loads of road base to my ranch and my "buddies" places every year. That dump truck is now a giant planter in one of my pastures! I still have a heavy 2 1/2 ton flatbed for hauling hay and materials. But I only insure it for the occasional use off ranch. You hit the nail on the head when you said that if it's not making money, it's not worth owning. I look at all pieces of equipment as liabilities. Yeah, it's nice to have them when you need them, but eventually they're going to break down and cost you time and money. And tracked machines, like my dozer and track hoes, always seem to cost the most to fix. I'm guessing that like me, you're a decent shade tree mechanic? That's about the only way to begin to control the bleeding when you own equipment!

 

[MX727]

I wouldn't get anything smaller than a Yanmar ViO55, but would prefer the 80 size. That starts getting into an issue for trailering.

For the treeline clearing, rent a large dozer (D6 size, but I think CAT calls them D4 now??) and push those lines over. Just did that on my place for the same reason. Much quicker if they are as small as you say.

 

[mrbb]

another thing to think about is, , even if you want a smaller machine, if you have the budget, and can handle buying a bigger one, do so, at the rate things are increasing in price, odds are down the road you will be able to sell it for more than you paid for it, its almost an investment buying some things these days!
and you will get the work done easier on both you and the machine , not to mention faster if that mattered
and once you have a larger machine on land you own, you tends to find more uses for it
as I said, when done you can most likely sell it and get all your funds back
its just tying up the funds till you get it all done, that you have to be able to handle!

 

[Fabricator]

Personally, I'd keep the treelines - perhaps open up a few places to have better access between fields. The treelines offer a great habitat for wildlife.

 

[Rlachermeier]

Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. I pulled the trigger today and picked up this Bobcat 331. It checked all the boxes on my wishlist with one exception (it doesn't have a close cab) but that's OK because I just ordered my bee suit today. Played with it a little bit and I will say it takes a little getting use to. Unlike a skidsteer there's more moving parts but I look forward to getting familiar with all of them.

I will say I was just about ready to give up the search for a mini and go after another backhoe but then this one hit the market at the last minute, was close and the seller delivered it to my property.

A backhoe could have done the same job but I look forward learning how to use a new toy.

 

[mrbb]

well congrats to you and best of luck with the new addition of tools to play with,
and I think you will find, an excavator is a much more useful tool than a backhoe is, once you get some seat time in!