Is there such thing as.....

M

Mith

Active member
A small excavator with a very long reach, or an attachment to extend the reach?

We've got drainage ditches and streams that need cleaning out. They have mostly leaves and branches in them so it doesn't need to be particularly powerful, hence why an extension on a smaller digger might work.
However, a machine with short reach is either going to get stuck or fall in. Really wants 20-30' reach.

I did spy a few very cheap 20+ton excavators that would work, but I don't think it would go down well if I picked one up! Not to mention it would be impossible to move one around!
 
JCB and others build TLB's with the "extendahoe" option, which extends the dipper on the back hoe quite a bit. They're spendy,:sorry: but not nearly as much as a trackhoe.
 
Brutus, thats a good point. I'm not sure that a TLB would be cheaper than a trackhoe though. I'm looking at stuff that is essentially working scrap :D
I have been keeping an eye on ebay, and stuff like these comes up.
30 ton trackhoe and that one is seriously tempting, however, you couldn't physically fit it down the roads to the farm.
JCB TLB is kinda spendy. Actually there is one down the road that hasnt been moved for a while

Its really only a one time job, so as much as I'd love to have one, a 30 ton digger might be a bit excessive. (Although, there is 1/4 mile driveway to resurface etc)

I think really what I'm looking for is some sort of attachment to fit a 2-3 ton mini excavator, I can build the attachment, rent a mini to fit it to. Do the job, then sell the attachment on ebay.

I've got a dinky little backhoe, but as Dean suggested, it probably wouldnt take a longer arm.
 
If you were to go with the TLB, could you pick up work with it on the side to allow it to earn its keep??
 
Well, thats a good question. Probably, yes.
Actually, I'd love to do that sort of thing full time but I dont think now is a good time to get into the building/excavating trade.

I suppose another thing to consider is whether I could buy something cheap now (machines like that were worth about £2-5k in scrap this summer), hang on to it and resell to break even or profit when the work is done.
 
Mith said:
A small excavator with a very long reach, or an attachment to extend the reach?

We've got drainage ditches and streams that need cleaning out. They have mostly leaves and branches in them so it doesn't need to be particularly powerful, hence why an extension on a smaller digger might work.
However, a machine with short reach is either going to get stuck or fall in. Really wants 20-30' reach.

I did spy a few very cheap 20+ton excavators that would work, but I don't think it would go down well if I picked one up! Not to mention it would be impossible to move one around!
Click to expand...

Not small, but normally are available used...

http://www.gradall.com/
 
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