Top 5 Underutilized Mini Excavator Jobs Your Machine Can Handle

What Jobs Can You Do With a Mini excavator?

Our customers usually rent mini excavators for their digging abilities, so they are sometimes pleasantly surprised when we ask them if they need a breaking hammer or grapple with their rental. With the right attachments, mini excavators can be utilized for a wide range of tasks around the job-site. Here are five mini excavator jobs your machine is capable of:

1 – Demolition with a Mini Excavator

Mini Excavators are well suited for a wide range of demolition projects. Attachments like buckets, grapples, and clamps (thumbs), allow you to tear down even the most stubborn structures. Concrete breaking hammers are perfect for demolishing pools, stone paths, roads, driveways, retaining walls, and foundations. Watch the video below to see a Takeuchi mini excavator in action demolishing an old barn.

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2 – Clearing Vegetation and Debris with a Mini Excavator

Mini excavators are an effective tool for clearing debris and vegetation. To start clearing out dead trees, roots, small rocks, branches, shrubs, debris, stray brush, strap on a hydraulic thumb, mid-sized tooth bucket, or grapple. The excavator’s tracks distribute its weight evenly, allowing you to glide over delicate landscaping without sinking.

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3 – Grading / Compaction

Grading and compacting can take hours and require various specialized equipment like walk-behind compactors and skid steer loaders. However, with the proper attachments, you can get the job done with your mini excavator.

First, use a ripper attachment to loosen the hard-packed ground. Then, use your grading or trenching bucket to grade your work area and tamp it down. Your grading bucket will also allow your excavator to be used for back-filling and leveling.  Read this excavator bucket guide if you need help selecting the proper bucket for your application.

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4 – Set Posts and Plant Trees

Another useful attachment for your excavator is an auger. With this nifty tool, you can set posts and plant trees in minutes. The auger’s spinning action can be modified to drill perfect holes for tree planting or set specialized rods for setting posts deep underground.

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5 – Blazing Trails

Your excavator can blaze a perfectly tailored hiking or off-roading trail. You will need a rake attachment, trenching, and grading bucket to employ some of the functions mentioned earlier, like clearing vegetation and debris or grading and compaction. Then, use your excavator bucket to remove stumps, pull roots, and place barriers or trail markings with your thumb and auger.

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For information or advice on these excavator applications, such as digging for pools and septic tanks, or to purchase additional attachments for your excavator, visit us online at DuranteRentals.com or call 1-800-DURANTE today.