A mini excavator is a or tracked or wheeled vehicle, which has an operating weight of close to 20,000 pounds. Many excavators are quite popular as they are versatile and have many uses for different construction jobs. It is better to rent a compact or a mini excavator as it is more expensive to buy it. Not every compact excavator is suitable for every construction job, hence it is better to just rent the machines of various sizes and weights according to different tasks that you need to complete.
Difference between a Mini Excavator and a Standard Excavator
It is critical to understand the difference between a mini excavator and a standard excavator. As mini excavators offer more benefits over standard excavators, hence they are preferred for certain jobs. As the name suggests, a mini excavator is quite light and small, hence they offer less top ground damage and reduced track marks. As a mini excavator is very compact, it is much easier to work with on crowded sites as compared o bigger machines. For instance, you can easily get around a parking lot in a mini excavator, whereas a standard excavator can cause some problems in a parking lot due to its comparatively large size. Another advantage of the small size of the mini excavator is that you can easily transport it between various sites. A compact excavator can easily be loaded on the back of a utility truck for a quick transfer between different sites. You need to make sure that your utility truck can support the weight of the excavator. A mini excavator runs for a longer time than a standard excavator as the work done by it is much less intense. The bucket sizes of a mini excavator ranges from 12 to 24 inches. To improve the versatility of a mini excavator, you can attach some attachments to it. Renting a compact excavator for your project is a much more convenient option than buying a large machine. Before renting, you need to choose which machine is suitable for the task that you need to accomplish.
Parts Of An Excavator
The three main parts of an excavator are:
- Undercarriage: It is the lowest section which makes the excavator move around the work area.
- Tracks: Usually excavators are equipped with metal caterpillar tracks which are made by a series of plates made of steel and are connected by steel pins. These form a continuous track, which run on rulers and are driven by wheels called track sprockets. These are usually made of steel as it is hard wearing. The tracks are equipped with rubber pads so as not to damage paved surfaces. Modern excavators are fitted with rubber tracks that is reinforced with steel wire so as to minimise further damage.
- Track Frame: The track frame is the main body of the undercarriage and is a solid rectangular frame made of steel with track bodies on both sides. There is a centre pen which connects the track frame to the house. It consists of slew ring, swing gear, swing bearing and a hydraulic swivel at the apex. This enables left to right movement of the body of the excavator when it is stationary.
- Final Drives: The final drives consist of a hydraulic motor and a gearing system, connected by a drive shaft to engine above. This gives power to the tracks and hence each track can be powered for both left and right turning. When one track is stopped, while the other keeps on moving, it enables the whole excavator to turn on the spot.
- Blade: this is an optional attachment and the addition of a blade to the undercarriage enables the excavator to move loose material for clearance of the ground.
2.House: The house seats above the undercarriage and consists of the power source and operator controls.
- Operator Cab: The cab is an enclosed cabin where the operator can sit and control the excavator. It consists of excavator controls and provides the operator protection from the falling materials. The all-round glazing in the cab provides a 360° visibility to the operator.
- Counterweight: A counterweight is incorporated into the upper housing towards the end of the excavator, as the fully extended digging arm can tap the excavator. Earlier the counterweight was projected beyond the rear of the tracks to enable maximum stability. The first zero tail swing excavator was produced in the year 1993 which enabled it to be manoeuvred easily in confined work spaces.
- Engine: The excavators get all their power from diesel engines as they produce more horse power than petrol engines. The engines produce the power for the tracks and enables the excavator to move around the work site.
- Fuel and Hydraulic Fluid Tanks: the fluid and hydraulic fluid tanks are located in back part of the excavator and give protection and easy access for refuelling.
- Arm: The arm is attached to the main body of the excavator and performs the actual physical work. The hydraulics act like the muscles of the arm to help move different components.
- Boom: It forms the top part of the digging arm and it governs the up and down movement. There are one or two cylinders in mono booms which help it move up and enables vertical movements. In knuckle booms, there is left and right movement and there are some mini excavators which have booms pivoting at 180° in horizontal direction.
- Stick: The stick is attached to the end of the boom by a hinged joint. The stick is also known as the dipper arm. The stick, arm, crowd or dipper cylinder extend from the upper part of the boom till the end. During operation, the stick is pulled towards the boom, which drags the bucket through the ground with the downward movement of the boom, enabling the digging movement for the excavator.
- Bucket: The bucket is attached to the bottom end of the stick by a hinged joint. The bucket cylinder located on the outside of the stick pulls the bucket to lift the material the is dug. When the arm is lifted, this cylinder extends to the tip of the bucket and releases the held material. The buckets can come in different shapes and sizes to hold different volumes of waste.
Attachments: Attachments are optional tools which can be attached to the excavator to increase the range of functions of the excavator. Types of attachments that can be attached to the excavator are augers, logs platters, earth drills and compactors.
Mini Excavator for Rent
Different Uses For Mini Excavators
The use of a mini excavator makes construction tasks safe and efficient. As they are small in size, the can be moved quickly in awkward areas and can make any task be done at a quick speed. Plowing snow, digging holes, repairing sewer lines, landscaping, etc. can easily be done with the help of a mini excavator. It is critical to follow some steps to enable smooth operation of the excavator.
Select an operator who is fully trained
A mini excavator is a versatile machine that brings many benefits to different construction jobs, but these should only be operated by trained workers. The operator needs to have an in depth understanding about how to use the machine. A fully trained worker pays attention to details about every machine.
Read the operation manual for using the excavator properly
Before renting a mini excavator, ensure that you read the manufacturers excavator operator manual. The operator need to thoroughly go through the instruction guide. The manual covers the steps on how to use the control and also the description about each and every control in detail. Make sure that you check the warning labels on the mini excavator. These are usually labelled by the maker inside the cab. The warnings inform you about the danger signs to look out for when using the machine. You need to make sure that you know where the fire extinguisher is. Before first use, check the levels of the coolant and the engine lubricant. When you take time to familiarise yourself with a new machine, you reduce the chances of any accident while using the machine.
Test the machine before use
After you go through the instructions, you need to test the mini excavator. You should do a standard ignition with the key or a digital keypad is used to run a mini excavator. Ensure that you always have your seatbelt on before testing the machine. Even though compact excavators move at a fairly slow speed, you need to always have the seatbelt on as it protects you in case the machine overturns. Test the mini excavator in a large open area with a levelled surface. Make sure to go through the controls and get a feel of the mini excavator. You need to get used to the rotating cabin where you can see how the controls respond to your inputs. Also ensure that the boom responds to the controls. Mini excavators are stable machines but should be tested on a levelled surface to reduce the risk of overturning the machine for users who lack experience.
Get used to driving on the tracks:
Most excavators use rubber tracks which typically just moves forward and backward. One needs to get accustomed to moving the machine using a very limited range of wheel motion. The controls ensure that you move both the left and right tracks by themselves. When you move the trucks separately, you can turn the machine in any direction. When you use the hand controls together, you can move the machine in the forward as well as the backward direction. Proper training is essential to get used to turning and moving the mini excavator.
The use of a mini excavator makes construction tasks safe and efficient. As they are small in size, the can be moved quickly in awkward areas and can make any task be done at a quick speed. Plowing snow, digging holes, repairing sewer lines, landscaping, etc. can easily be done with the help of a mini excavator. It is critical to follow some steps to enable smooth operation of the excavator.
Select an operator who is fully trained
A mini excavator is a versatile machine that brings many benefits to different construction jobs, but these should only be operated by trained workers. The operator needs to have an in depth understanding about how to use the machine. A fully trained worker pays attention to details about every machine.
Read the operation manual for using the excavator properly
Before renting a mini excavator, ensure that you read the manufacturers excavator operator manual. The operator need to thoroughly go through the instruction guide. The manual covers the steps on how to use the control and also the description about each and every control in detail. Make sure that you check the warning labels on the mini excavator. These are usually labelled by the maker inside the cab. The warnings inform you about the danger signs to look out for when using the machine. You need to make sure that you know where the fire extinguisher is. Before first use, check the levels of the coolant and the engine lubricant. When you take time to familiarise yourself with a new machine, you reduce the chances of any accident while using the machine.
Test the machine before use
After you go through the instructions, you need to test the mini excavator. You should do a standard ignition with the key or a digital keypad is used to run a mini excavator. Ensure that you always have your seatbelt on before testing the machine. Even though compact excavators move at a fairly slow speed, you need to always have the seatbelt on as it protects you in case the machine overturns. Test the mini excavator in a large open area with a levelled surface. Make sure to go through the controls and get a feel of the mini excavator. You need to get used to the rotating cabin where you can see how the controls respond to your inputs. Also ensure that the boom responds to the controls. Mini excavators are stable machines but should be tested on a levelled surface to reduce the risk of overturning the machine for users who lack experience.
Get used to driving on the tracks:
Most excavators use rubber tracks which typically just moves forward and backward. One needs to get accustomed to moving the machine using a very limited range of wheel motion. The controls ensure that you move both the left and right tracks by themselves. When you move the trucks separately, you can turn the machine in any direction. When you use the hand controls together, you can move the machine in the forward as well as the backward direction. Proper training is essential to get used to turning and moving the mini excavator.
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