I drove one today for the first time. My septic guy left it with me and told me I could use it. I don't think he knew I had never driven one ever! It is a Case CX50B. The thing is, I had watched a ton of your videos so I just took it real easy and started with some small stumps in my back yard, and then pulled up some chain link fence. After about an hour I was pretty decent on it, but still being super careful and moving relatively slow. There is no way I could have done this without these videos, and even though I had never even sat on one, I totally knew how to be safe with it. And I had zero problems. Thanks man! I want one now of course!

When your digging in harder ground your machine can pull itself forward so it depends on what the situation calls for to position your blade

Great job on your videos, I've been operating my own equipment for years (no doubt having dumb luck without proper training in the beginning), such a great resource that you're making available online...so worthwhile for anyone wanting to learn and improve. Thanks so much.

I own a Takeuchi TB240 and I rip out alot of stumps, Ive always found it easier to have the blade in front of me to keep from pulling the machine around as the roots are much harder to dig through than earth. That or if I am hanging over a banken, I use it as an outrigger to remain stable. As far as mistakes ( I still do this from time to time) taking off with the blade down is a very common one. Another note, the blade in the front can help you when cleaning up a pile as it gives you something to push the pile against once it gets too small. May want to add, Ive seen people not familiar with equipment do 360 degree turns and dig the machine into the ground excessively as they turn. I always make gradual turns to save the running gear and tracks. Good video!

Thanks for these videos, new mini excavator owner here, little backhoe experience, but these really help keep me out of trouble and get me working on my farm.

Good Morning! I have been watching your videos the last couple weeks, as my family decided to invest in a mini-excavator as it is so difficult to get contractors to show up in a timely manner for a reasonable price (among other issues). Based upon current rates, I figure that the break-even point on the purchase versus paying someone else is about 400 hours. Having zero experience in an excavator before taking delivery two weeks ago, I am now up to 16 hours of seat time, and haven’t wrecked anything so far. A neighbor, who was a heavy-equipment operator for forty years, happened by last week and commented to my wife, “He isn’t very good with that thing, is he?” as I was fighting out an 18” walnut stump. Mrs. Replied “He only has five hours on it.” Neighbor then said “Well, he’s doing really good then!” The hardest part of being a new excavator operator is overcoming muscle memory from operating a Bobcat 610 for 7+ years - every time I try using the foot controls for movement and then try to use boom/stick controls simultaneously , I unconsciously start trying to use the foot controls to operate the boom, with entertaining results. So I only use foot controls when no boom operations are taking place. Thank you for providing such useful content - I am certain I would be performing far worse without it!

The blade goes where ever you need it. It is not a mistake if you are digging hard ground on a steep grade. It is better to have the blade in the back if you are digging to full depth. The blade gets in the way when you are trying reach the max depth of the machine. If you are siding down a hill, then it goes in front. That doesn't mean it's a mistake. If you are loading a truck on top of a pile, then it goes in front so you don't slide off the top of the pile and fall 8 feet on the roof. That is not a mistake. Usually small machines have rubber tracks or street pads, so you end up with the blade in front to keep from sliding around when it's muddy. That is not a mistake. Maybe just different techniques for different situations?

I will be renting one in a couple days with 0 experice. I appreciate your videos. I feel like I'll save a couple hours of time already knowing what you teach. I especially like the tip on digging a trench 6-12 inches deep at a time and practicing scraping the teeth along the ground.

I have only operated a mini Ex once for about 10 hours. My experience is on a Backhoe and a larger size excavator( 15yrs, 7yrs ). We live on a mountain so all the terrain is pitched. I found it was most important that the blade was downhill for stability. I was far more worried tipping that mini on 4-1 than I ever was On a D6 on 2-1 slope. On level ground doing shallow digging I simply found it faster to have blade in front. Our ground is soft with deep soil.

I was always taught to dig with the blade at the back so that you still have the stability and it’s not in the way and also if you are cleaning up dirt it is easier to have your blade at the front so you can use it as something to stop the material and pick it up. Also if you are digging a trench put the material to the right so when you are swinging back into the trench you can see people in the trench if they are in it so you don’t hit them.

It isn't often I use 360 excavators but when I do I generally park the machine inline with its tracks, blade up, dipper fully out and bucket fully opened out. I do this so all the hydraulic rams are closed and not exposed to weather or risk of other damage.

Great videos, I want to one where you're working on slopes pushing over trees, delimbing them and piling them and brush into piles.

Wonderful channel. Even though I know how to operate this machines I always learn something new from you. Cheers from Italy

About digging over the side . Rotexs are made with a harder bearing race and tooth surface at the front of about 20o , and marked that way when you install one . All of the ones Ive replace from wear or broken were caused by guys digging over the side alot . So if youre working it hard , dont dig over the side . While Im at it , on all excavators , boom cracks in the middle of the arch are caused by twisting against the baffle stiffener plates inside the boom . the crack generally runs down the weld , or the cylinder boss weld . The number one cause of that is " Sweeping " . Dont sweep . The side loading on your bucket is what keeps guys like me employed. Ive pretty much seen all the inventive ways of wrecking a machine .

I agree with a ll the positive statments. Thank you in advance, I have a job working with a family member with zero experience. He will watch all these videos before ever turning the key to start.

My Kubota has an electronic key; therefore, I always extend the boom as far as possible and place it on the ground 45° off the trucks line. That prevents burglary that occurs very often around my area, especially when the machine is left at night in complete darkness

Very good video Randy spot on mate

I am an operator for about 35 years now, great video but I disagree with digging with the blade behind. Reason is least wear and tear on drive motors, and who cares if you slightly pick up the machine when pushing down, if so take the bucket back up a bit. I put my blade down with some slight pressure on it, especially when digging out tree stumps or pulling up concrete or other heavy work. Even the smallest drive motors cost thousands, and mine leaked oil bad because of digging the wrong way.

Many small excavator houses extend over the tracks. If you operate one of those you need to turn the house so you have a safe step. Life is so much better then the draq line I started on almost sixty years ago.

Being a complete novice but do have my own unit so like to look after it What I always do if not using it for a while is get all the rams in over here in the U.K. lot of rain and they can get rusty if left out for long periods just a small point of what I do Thanks //

I have a 2013 Yanmar Vio35-6A with many different pin grab buckets and attachments. One "mistake" I'll never make again is leaving removable buckets sitting in the middle of a location (where it's real easy to NOT see it, and forget about it, while sitting in the nice 50,000 pickup truck) and then accidentally run it over😳. I now make sure that any loose buckets are well away from any possible vehicle travel areas.

Great information

Being squared not always doable unless your clumsy,but putting the bucket on the ground when rotating the undercariage is a must

What would be a good size mini to dig around home Basement foundations for repair and WATERPROFFING

on a farm with lots of drains to clean your always lifting from the side and specially if there are lots of weeds and dirt to come out and often suction from water/mud it,s a challenge to lift. also the ground is often sloping towards the drain that creates lift aswell,

good vids. nice job

Informative video. Some guidance on the picking and carrying of loads would be useful. Needs to slew slowly, use short chains to limit load swing, reduce the lift capacity by 50%, etc.

can you do a video about the komatsu pc 55 mini excavator?? it can be good

Good teacher ❤❤❤❤

About the blade being on the back while digging so how about the positioning of it if the job would be lifting 5k pounds? Would it be then the blade needs to be in the same side as the thumb rather than on the opposite side? 🤔 Thanks

When you are going uphill and downhill where the front blade goes?

The blade belongs where it belongs. Totally different on a grade. I dont think digging over drive motors is as big a deal with rubber tracks, more forgiving. But those aren't.. I wouldn't do it if I didnt have to. Also I always turn the house a little right when parking. We could see clearly when you step down with it square you had maybe a heals worth of track to step on. If you kick it 10 degrees or so to the right (from seat) you have the whole track to step on.

I just finally got accepted into my local operator's union apprenticeship program, it was difficult to get in. I go for 10 weeks of training in May. I have zero experience and watching you're videos have given me alot of confidence. One thing I've noticed with the operator's I work with is they never grease all the fittings. How often do you grease everything up?

Where did you get the mirrors on the outside of cab?

Tenk you

when the ground is icy, you definitely need the blade in back for down pressure. but in either position ice will move the excavator.

i have a mini ex, new to it, spinning of the ditch seems difficult, 24" bucket on kx040. Do i just suck or does the track width vs bucket size make this unsafe practice

HEY -- in the perpendicular side raising of the tires you were raising - Is it true that it also puts an extreme strain on the tract components that is Not a good thing in the long run - OR Not ? ! - and or how much of a big deal is it - say digging stumps that are hard to dig .

gee thank you

I have a mini and I have found it digs better off the blade in front.

Got any tips for working minis on slope?

So many times I've watched operators digging in hard ground with the blade in the back and the ass in the air, blade in front unless your digging deep down directly in front of you

I'm a novice at this. I'm going to buy a mini excavator. I live in Oregon and my property is on steep land but there are roads. I have to traverse these roads to get where I'm going to work. Thing is some of these roads are outsloped. So when I'm traveling these roads do I put the arm and bucket on the uphill side? Or do I put it on the downhill side to break a fall? Sorry like I said I'm a novice I just don't know. If anybody can help me with this I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

i just learned a very expensive lesson renting a tiny 2000lb machine. i needed to traverse a 20% grade slope because my land is all sloping and i tipped the thing totally over on its side. i just off and got away unhurt and get the excavator back upright with a comealong, but the engine got damaged running on its side and ill going to have to pay for that. i think what i should have done is dig a somewhat level road to drive the traverse on.

Good editing

6:00 "fully extended like that." Here's what is confusing me. When filling the reservoir (having emptied it to work on hoses) I read that I have to "extend"/"contract". But in this case the manual is referring to the CYLINDERS -- not the 'limbs'. Your "extended" is the OPPOSITE of what the manual means. Limbs extended/contracted = cylinders contracted/extended. IS THAT CORRECT or do I still not understand? Someone, anyone? THANK YOU.

In a larger machine loading trucks from a large stock pile and being higher on the pile than the top of the tires of truck (s) your loading (ESPECIALLY a LOT higher than tires as if your in the clouds 😉👌)

and when you got the breaker on i would always have the blade at the front that fellow might know a lot of things but!! where you should have the blade is never at the back only on some occasions . but most of the time its at the front

Question when you are digging and lifting dirt or roots from the hole is it not better to have the blade in front of you. Yes it helps when digging down but is worse for pulling out off the hole. Any advice.

When your right you are right top shelf

Does continuing to operate the controls when it has hit its max damage the machine? Like when the stick is fully extended and you accidentally continue to hold the control

If you're 6'4" and you dont want somebody getting in and changing controls or the radio station, park it as far off center as possible.

When ditching you have to be side on. Is that tippy

I remember when I was digging up a pipe and there was a Big rock with a mini excavator and when I tell you I almost messed in my pants because when I went to dump the rock out of the bucket the mini excavator track went up into the air

I always heard you should not dig over the drive motors. What do you say?

I dig pools for a living and i have to have the blade in the front to balance on the ramp

If you’re clearing trees or messy stuff like that it is safe to have idlers in the front. If something falls on the travel sticks the machine will travel backwards releasing the leavers.

my mini-ex cab is about the same width as the tracks...so when the bucket is square with tracks, there is NO step. i have to turn it slightly to be able to step.

Should I be scared to reposition?

On Sunday working

i like the blade in the front for digging hard or frozen ground.

Finally somebody that knows how to operate a excavator there are so many bozos out there that don't even have a clue listen to what this guy says he is really good most of these guys are putting the blade in front this guy knows how to operate an excavator you have to put the blade behind just like he says this guy is a real all the other guys are wannabe excavator operators good job

so do u have a school, or apprenticeship i can join? seriously

Like most people are saying here about the blade, I don't believe there's one correct way for orientation, I feel like it's part of operator preference as well. I don't tend to do much digging, but tend to drag things along with the mini. In these cases the machine can mostly barely handle the weight so having the blade in the back for that extra bit of weight is nice. When just lifting stuff up i'll definitely have it in the front, simply to not fall over forward

Yay

please make an advanced video!!

The popular yukon gold miner television series mister cam johnson had his dozer driver come to close range to the edge and it slid sideway's and rolled over repeatedly and i've seen that happen to full size excavator machine's as well and perhap's that would be a good future "what not to do'' topic to cover and the mini size version's as well of dozer's and excavator machine's and may be good safety information provided for those wanting to go work for those popular yukon gold miner television gold miner opperation's owner's.

I you have to deep blade at the back push it down you win half a meter

He got so scared when he had the tires out fully extended

Popin wheelies in *BOSS* mode only

Is there a big difference between operating a mini excavator and one of the larger ones?

Is this author still answering questions?

When trenching I am still trying to learn how to keep the depth even. I seem to end up with a roller coaster trench bottom. Any suggestions?

Interesting training videos..I Luke watching them .. yet the guy seems to be a book trained operator.. or office operator/ trainer .. Reason I say that is all mini excavator with a blade the problem u have alot time is large clogs dirt ..rocks ..tree roots .. grass clogs ..always seem to appear from nowhere ..sitting right on top of the blade HYD RAM ...and as per his point ..I see alot mini excavator drivers they all ..always stop the cab on a angle ..WELL hello mate welcome to the real world . As the operator has regularly kick off the Hyd ram these clogs other will break Ur Hyd fittings ..or start a small leak that over 8 has will 1/2 empty Ur Hydraulic tank .. or worst still scatch Ur ram and damage a seal ... Hence why all mini excavator operator get off this way to easy clean any thing from behind the blade

Like how he first took the stick and boom not full out so it had a chance too pick up the blade and after he took the stick and boom all the way out so i baciscly was impossible too pick up the front

Make sure your level.

so right :l

I have a ex200hitachi no blade

totally disagree when digging i would always have the blade in front where i could it takes the strain of the under carriage easy to pick up stones that are close as well and its more stable so i dont agree with what hes saying at all and i am very experienced when your on a slant your pulling to stuff to you you got to have the blade down

What not to do get in one with no proper training 😂

Ever worked in pipeline?

You’re never supposed to dig over your drives so typically blade goes in front

You videos are very informative, but one little thing that I dont care for in your more advanced videos is the couple minutes in the beginning you always state what the video is not. I dont see then need to explain in depth what the video isnt, just a short and sweet statement saying check out the other vido (X) to see how to operate, inspect etc...

Pick the tracks up when turning

as a miner i've seen a vast difference between operating from construction. we dig down to bedrock, raise the bucket six inches to a foot, and remove overburden. then dig out the ore to be loaded in the truck. construction operators are all about digging the hole quickly.

when paying prevailing wage of 54 dollars a hour i better not see a operator wasting time trenching by your method. also if you are just off square when parking you have a full track to step on

What about the golden rule of never dog over your drives. Dont make videos with statements of certainty because you are on some posts and you are right on others.

Your full of it common sense smooth i operate in steep wet areas not flat ground could show you a thing or 2

I always stretch out the arm when parking

He didnt put his seatbelt back on lol

stopping the machine and saying keep it square? crap some diggers dont have the tracks wider than the cab!!! so its the opposite stop the machine off centre so then you can steep onto the track my gods i should have his job !!!

I have been an equipment operator instructor for 20 years. None of the manufacturers i have ever worked with recommended digging over the rear of the machine. Bad advice given here

Pfft all these so called “experts” in the comment sections. As an operator of this machinery for 2 hours I can tell you straight up they’re wrong with the blade position. it gives more stability when it’s at the back. that’s what my trainer said anyway.

Typically

Hey brother don't listen to these nitwits they all have something to prove

As an equipment operator Instructor for Texas A&M University for 12 years, I have never encouraged digging while facing rearward. The machine is designed to operate while oriented in the forward position. Proper digging techniques will alleviate any tendency of the machine to become unstable. My 2 cents.

To be honest who even digs with the arm fully extended it’s just stupid

The blade behind you is bullshit look at 3:17 as he lifts the boom it picks the back of the machine up and that's in soft ground you will find it a lot harder to dig like that rarther than the other way and you will protect the drives don't know why that just dosent apply for a smaller machine

Can you roted video pleas

Oh Jesus look at em! What a fucking PRO! oh my God just beautiful! When did common sense start becoming less common?