Refuelling large excavator?

[spandit]

anyone can drive a digger-that dont make them a digger driver and there is big difference

 

Won't ever know which one I am until I try!

 

I'll be hiring one through the landscaper next door & he's seen me operate the smaller digger.

 

I know some of you think I'm just some bloke who thinks he's the world's best digger driver after 2 days but I'm pretty realistic in what I think I can achieve & doing a lot of planning work before the bucket will hit the mud!

 

Sorry if I've rubbed some up the wrong way - the Internet isn't always the best medium to communicate on but thank you to all the genuinely useful advice

[cornish wood burner]

Planning has to be time well spent, especially if you can talk it through with your neighbour.

Hope it goes well

[spandit]

His work yard is next door but we're on pretty good terms. Might not even happen this year but it needs to in order to control a lot of the water that is otherwise flowing down where we don't want it

[dumper]

Try to get a digger with laser level attached water is unforgiving with mistakes

[s o c]

am fairly handy with digger and have owned diggers and can hire at really good rates. but can earn more per hour doing tree work than what expert owner operator will charge me so i just hire good digging contractor and keep cutting trees

[Stock]

With the greatest respect they don't hand out any degrees in machine operating for the simple fact you're learning every day until your very last shift.

And you would have a PhD Ed

 

I can do a perfectly good job on a chainsaw with no tickets, my best wellies and boilersuit, and I've never even slept with a chainsaw operator.

 

Like I say it's your money, but a little respect either way for another man's profession isn't too much to ask.

 

 

Eddie.

 

Well said Edd

 

Eddies right, I've put in my fair share of seat time in various excavators and it really gets my goat when someone says " I can 'drive' the digger" then proceeds to murder some poor bit of land very clumsily. If you've no experience at all at professional excavation you'll waste a lot of time and achieve a poor finish as, or have to re grade the lot when done, a good operator will see the level and grade as he digs to the finished level. And managing vast amounts of spoil effectively levels and so on. However if you don't care about cost and just want to play in a big machine fair enough, but don't kid yourself that it's simple, anyone can do it, but doing it well and efficiently is different.

I'd also say go as big as you can within reason with the machine as bulk digging lakes is boring.

 

The bigger the mess you make and you will the more it will cost to get it put right, rule of thumb for rework is normally 10 times the original cost.

 

 

am fairly handy with digger and have owned diggers and can hire at really good rates. but can earn more per hour doing tree work than what expert owner operator will charge me so i just hire good digging contractor and keep cutting trees

 

That is the whole thing in a nutshell.

[LGP Eddie]

Well I can tell you I've had a fair bit of banter thrown at me after a few laughs about the Digger Degree in the cabin, but fair play I nearly spat my brew out when I noticed the new certificate posted up this morning!

 

Obviously Greg's handiwork and Shaun is another Operator friend of mine.

 

You can't beat a bit of banter to keep the days shorter.

 

 

Eddie.

[spandit]

Let me know when you get your PhD (post hole digger)...

[APW]

Like the ticket Eddie I could do with that😄

Andy

[mendiplogs]

I really wasn't knocking it was just the Degree jibe that got me, and this type of written Forum can be bad for things getting misinterpreted.

I'm all for you getting on and learning especially with someone to guide you, and I'm a firm believer you only learn in the seat.

 

Greg and myself discussed this today, and he works with me nearly every day, so is well used to being around machines, plus is occasionally called upon where required for dumper loading etc.

He's fully trained on a machine, and pretty handy on a Mini Digger, plus he can be trusted to load/unload my own machine if required.

However he admitted the gulf between the smaller kit and large is absolutely daunting even to him.

He's been on the 25 tonne Long Reach's etc when I've hired them in, and literally bailed out!

 

I was merely suggesting that it may be cost effective to get someone in on a price for the bulk dig and utilise a Mini for the fancy stuff that will follow after, and it may be a decent saving in the longer term?

 

Just one point, be very clear with whoever you hire from just who is insuring the machine?

Short Term Hired Plant Insurance can be had online from JCB Insurance who are excellent, and well worth the peace of mind if the insuring falls to you as it should.

 

 

Eddie.

Hi Eddie I no chaps around my way 25toners use 205lt drums as there worry about people nicking large drums thanks Jon