Mini Digger

massey woman

Anyone selling a mini digger

Sam Kade

http://search.autotrader.ie/www/plant_search?country=IE&sort=5&currency=EUR&modelexact=1&keywords=mini+digger&min_pr=&max_pr=&submit=Search

There are also a few mini diggers on donedeal.ie

Also ebay but there are all in the UK but they are cheaper than here.

adne

www.euroauctions

They have an auction of mini diggers tomorrow....

massey woman

Thanks for the replies
The mini diggers look so narrow that there must be a heavy point loading on the tracks
What are they like in wet ground and am I codding myself thinking they are more practical than a jcb

Colmm23

Hi MW,

Can you tell me what sort of work your thinking off doing?
What size mini digger are you looking at?

Unless your looking at a 5-7 ton mini digger your not going to get the same digging power of a jcb.
As for wet ground they wont be fantastic but then neither is a jcb!

massey woman

Cleaning up drains,shoring,fencing,burning bushes general farm work that never gets done cos its always raining and the ground is ever in shi:e
I was thinkin of a 4 tonne but I m told it wouldnt pull you outa bed
Is a 7 tonne a huge machine though on the other hand
Should one go for rubber or half rubber or steel tracks
i have a JCB but it can only operate on the road otherwise your filling holes from the legs or back filling the tyre tracks
Thanks for the replies

reilig

massey woman wrote: »

Cleaning up drains,shoring,fencing,burning bushes general farm work that never gets done cos its always raining and the ground is ever in shi:e
I was thinkin of a 4 tonne but I m told it wouldnt pull you outa bed
Is a 7 tonne a huge machine though on the other hand
Should one go for rubber or half rubber or steel tracks
i have a JCB but it can only operate on the road otherwise your filling holes from the legs or back filling the tyre tracks
Thanks for the replies

I contemplated buying a digger for years, but really found that I could not justify it. I got 60 acres of land that I bought about 3 years ago cleaned off by Frank Reynolds last year. He sent an experienced driver for 5 days with a 13 ton machine. These guys know what they are doing - they don't leave piles of clay like you would see with other digger drivers. They are the best around. Even if I had my own digger, I could never do what they do. You will be surprised how much they can get done in a day. For me, they cleaned every drain, put in new gaps. They put down a couple of hundred fencing posts (about 3km worth). Laid 1000m of shores. Broke down all hedges. Total cost for the machine was just over €2000 after I got the Vat back. I'd be months doing all that he did and it would never be right. Half the farmers in the country have track machines and 95% can't drive them properly.

My advice is for you to contact him. I can give you his number if you want it. He's not that busy at the moment and could come to you even in good weather. He has 3 or 4 driver that have been with him for almost 30 years. They have speed and accuracy. There's a lot of machine drivers out there at the moment that only took up driving in the building boom and and that are stretched to the limit of their skill with foundations. IMO it would be a much better option than spending money on something that you really don't need. Its not like you will have work for it 6 days a week.

Other option would be for you to hire one for self drive - if you can drive it. Keen hire rates to be got out there at the moment.

adne

You would buy a good 6 - 7.5 Tonne digger that will do all farm work for 8-9000.

You could sell it again in 2 years at 1,500 less.
Its all provided that you able to drive it....

JohnBoy

to me one of the main advantages of a track machine over a jcb on a farm is the fact that you can do drainage work without having to constantly pick yourself up and drop back down and driving in and out with the JCB.

The only thing is you need decent weight to be able to do any appreciable work sideways. I've only ever used a 3 ton machine and you wouldnt do much out to the side of em.



the reduced damage from the tracks is another obvious benefit. i'd go for rubber tracks if you have roads to cross.


they are also intensely fun to operate

massey woman

Thanks for the replies and particularly Reilig's
As ever most factual and sensible
Like you I have used both Frank and Stephen Reynolds in the past
I have little to do in reality and most of the time you end up waiting for the man you want and when he comes its either raining or you cant get off work
I totally agree with the comment on the JCB and the damage done by the legs
My needs are more or less tidying up and ongoing annual maintenance
When you own land in Leitrim there is always a wet spot or two that needs attention and hence my interest in a mini digger
I think I will treat myself !

adne

Massey Woman - You should consider an old 10 tonne machine as opposed to a mini digger for farm work.

I recently seen an Hitachi Ex100 with shuck body but perfect hydraulics and engine sell for €4000.

You need to consider the width of the tracks - i.e. Size of Machine - if draining very wet land

massey woman

Thanks Adne
Yes I will look at anything basically worth the money
The only thing is that the older the machine the more wear and more repair/maintenance
Going to look at an EX 75 looking for €10k with 4 buckets
What do you think?

kerryman12

Hi

Weused do a lot of contract work down the years with various track machines etc.
The advise I would give is as follows, such as it is.

If you buy a machine you will have a asset that depreciates very quickly. With older machine there can/will be a lot of maintenance -trust me on this one. It will take you a good bit of time to get up to spead on how to operate one. Ok on the one hand anyone can drive a machine, but there is a differance between driving a digger and knowing what you are doing. Depending on how much is to be done, you would be better off with a mid size machine 9-12 ton,driven by someone who is good at it. The amount of work that will be done by this size of machine with a good operator as opposed to a smaller machine drive by anyone else is quite considerable!!

Best REgards

cormywormy

Here you are 2 machines perfect for you. http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/trucks/857806 http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/trucks/876672