Mini

[woodworkingboy]

No previous experience with this type of equipment, I've taught myself to use this machine through observation and practice. Still going up the learning curve with it, but my dexterity when using it has much improved. It belongs to the crane operator, and he usually brings it to the jobs. I would classify him as an expert at operating it, so there is good opportunity to see it used to great advantage. I'm still learning to pick up the weight he does tight in along the side, but that is getting better too.

Some safety concerns....lifting up the joy stick panels on either side will void the controls, except for the forwards and backwards movement sticks, and a number of times the straps on my chaps have caught on the stick when getting off, and I've put my food down on the track and then the thing started to roll, obviously very unsafe. I now make a point of turning off the engine when getting off for even a short duration. I really don't know the proper safety procedures when operating, and I take it slow on inclines using the grappler to provide stability. I've seen a guy tip one over, but he was lucky and was ok. Proper training would be nice if there was the opportunity, they sure are an asset for tree work and I find it really fun to use. The crane operator must be appreciating my efforts with it, since he seldom gets on my case about something now when he sees me operating it, besides his standard cautionary of not breaking any more hydraulic hoses and stopping the job.

Any thoughts on minis would be cool to read, and I'd be curious how many of you guys are using one in your work?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Sure are cool little machines. I will be renting one here soon for a couple of maintenance projects I have in store


That must have read real funny... fixed .. Lilly is sitting here hitting keys and helping my spelling

 

[SoonerFan]

Practice makes perfect, Jay.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Right, Dennis, and once you don't have to think about the controls any longer, the learning curve becomes less steep. I've reached that point, but still sometimes a mistake with right and left. Interesting how one physically learns that stuff without thinking about it. If you asked me what a particular lever does when moved one way or another, I'd have to think about it. When operating, you just move as required. Physically learned manual skills I guess it is. Lots of little tricks too, it's cool.

The other day I watched a guy operating a substantially larger excavator with an articulating grapple. In tight quarters the mini has a leg up, but that articulating feature makes for quicker operation, no doubt.

 

[arborworks1]

My landscaper buddy rents a mini x alot. I mess around on it a few times a month. Like riding a bike you don't forget what does what. I'm not sure I could talk someone thru the operating it over the phone though.

On another note I run a boxer track machine. And a gehl 140 on a daily basis.

 

[Husabud]

I use a mini quite often for stumps and replanting. I wish someone made a wheeled mini. I think it would do less damage to the lawns.

 

[Koala]

If you asked me what a particular lever does when moved one way or another, I'd have to think about it.

I get what you say. I work part-time for a guy who has a big plant nursery. When I'm not doing tree work for him, sometimes I use his mini. Not for moving logs, just for digging. Practice is the best teacher. Not using it every day ,but only seldom, when I'm operating with it I have to think which control does what.
Slowly slowly it just become an extension of your arms. I know guys who could lay your table with their mini.

 

[woodworkingboy]

That's a nice thing about the device, you can be gruff with it and move a lot of brush quickly and toss things around, or turn the grapple under and sweep up debris and pick up a little branch that gets left. It seems about as fine as your ability to manipulate it. It can move surprisingly heavy logs along the side.

 

[thattreeguy]

jay you ought to see us "sweep" with the prentice loader.....huge grapple...i call it over kill,

have fun with the mini ex, i have a fella that brings one over for 60 an hour and theres no way i can keep up with him

but my mini skid...the dingo it rocks, i just got forks for it......sweet....once again thanks for the kick butt machine willy

 

[Thor's Hammer]

Mine. Or was mine, sold it last year. -

 

[flushcut]

I wish I had a mini, maybe next year.

 

[Koala]

Nice Ed. But it was not that "mini"...

 

[Thor's Hammer]

15200 kgs

 

[blue]

Not sure if I'd wanna be stood on the grapple making that cut

 

[treeman75]

Here is my mini its a vermeer s600tx, loads logs and drags brush and can feed the chipper. I love it!

 

[Koala]

I'd love it too!

 

[sotc]

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I've made some works with a mini excavator, like digging the foundations for my house, amazing little machines. But I'm still at the bottom of the learning curve. Too much time between 2 jobs.
For treework, I 'd love to find an articulated loader, but with the size of a miniskid.

Sotc, I'm really jealous.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Willie has a mini just to move his 090 in and out of the shed.

 

[Al Smith]

A little tracked excavater certainly has a leg up over a standard back hoe in certain situations .They dug the foundation and crawl space last summer for the addition I built using a little Bobcat digger .What's neat in a tight situation is the 360 degrees of rotation you have .

During the excavation I ran my butt off using Toms' skidloder carrying away the dirt .

 

[woodworkingboy]

One advantage of the mini over the trawler is that you can throw things with it.

 

[sotc]

Willie has a mini just to move his 090 in and out of the shed.

Yep, I just hate changing out attachments

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[stig]

Willie has a mini just to move his 090 in and out of the shed.

No, he uses cheap immigrant labor for that

 

[Al Smith]

Oh Lawdy I'll bet that thing is a real joy to run my my .