Treetom15

I’m a complete new-comer to arb diggers, but with some helpful advice from @doobin and others local to me I’ve finally got myself a little machine. It’s a little Sany sy18 1.8/2t machine, with a grab and rotator. I’ve been absolutely blown away by the capacity for such a small machine, and the more comfortable i get the more I'm impressed! The versatility with the smaller size has been really useful too. Pics from a couple of recent jobs with plenty more to come! 

Cheers all. I think it was just lucky timing, a chap I spoke to down south said his machine was 22+ vat for the same setup, so I’m hoping it’ll turn out well. Definitely a start towards getting fat sitting in a cab all day😂

4 hours ago, doobin said:

What kind of money was that? It looks like it’s already more than earning its keep 

 

That’s an impressive sized stem to be lifting with a sub 2t machine 👍🏻

I worked out it was roughly between 350 & 450kg, I was very impressed, especially to lift to the side and track. 
 

I paid £14700 plus vat for the digger, it was a 2024 machine brand new, 5 years full warranty! More than my cheapskate self wanted to spend but I couldn’t pass up the chance with that cover. Grab and rotator was about 4k inc vat, worth every penny for the better quality parts and Hywels help!

@doobin here you go! Picked up the little arb digger last Thursday, and so far it’s been brilliant! Much more capable than I feared, looking forward to putting it to some proper use soon. Hywel did a great job with the grab and even sorted me a plant trailer!

@doobin; a huge thank you for all your help and advise! I’ve sourced a new 2024 Sany SY18c at a seemingly very reasonable price, and Hywel is going to fit a grab/rotator for me, all being well we’ll be up and running in a week or two! Looking forward to less back ache🤘

20 hours ago, doobin said:

Both the Doosan and Bobcat are on starship mileage at those hours. 3500 and 4000 hours are a lot for a machine that size. 
 

deffo a five gallon refurb on that bobcat too. 
 

id go with a 500 hour sany for the same money for sure. Will be a newer machine too. 

That’s my thoughts exactly-looks like a lot of paint! Think it may be a long dipper too but that’s just another thing. 
 

Im leaning towards the Sany, the low hours and age make it pretty appealing. Are they too good to be true? Power/flow rates seem good according to their website but have you used one @doobin? 

What would be your preference between the E20 in my previous reply, the Doosan In the same post of a 2022 sany with 500 hours? I like the bobcat but I’m concerned it’s just had a lick of paint and is hiding some horrors. It has joystick controls though….

Would all Doosan have the controls on the feet? I’ve seen a couple of sany sy18 for similar price, which seem to have a regular dipper as standard-would they have joystick controls for the grab and rotator?

@doobin

This is the Doosan 

DOOSAN DX19 , full cab mini digger excavator. PRICE : £10500+VAT=£12600 | eBay UK

WWW.EBAY.CO.UK

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DOOSAN DX19 MINI DIGGER. COLLECT FROM YORK AREA.

This E20 on Facebook apparently has a regular dipper, but to me it looks like it may have been “tarted up” and new paint doesn’t mean referb!

@doobin is it as simple as long or regular? Or long, regular, short? I’ve found a doonsan dx19 & bobcat e20 with regular dippers….allegedly 

Thanks mate, I know I’m aiming for something that won’t do the same as a 2.7t machine, but I’m hoping it will be a stepping stone so long as it’s useful to begin with! I was after a mini skid steer originally so I’m hoping this will be more efficient.
 

I’ve asked Hywel to see what he can find, he’s a hell of a nice guy! Very helpful so I’m sure he will come up with something but I thought it never hurts to get opinions from people who run them themselves. 
 

Are there any machines out there that DONT come with a long dipper commonly?  I’ve seen a couple of Doosan DX19’s that look good for the money, sany seemed about the same bracket. 

Thanks mate, that was basically what I was after! 
 

I can’t afford new, and don’t want the overhead of finance with a machine that may not come out every day. I’m looking at 2nd hand e19’s that come in around 10/12k, but obviously I need to make sure they have a short/regular dipper.

Towing a 3.5t rig would be a lot of extra load for my vehicles as we’re doing up to 2 hours each way some days, so the lighter weight would be a big bonus. 
 

It’s basically a bit of a demo for me-if the machine is a godsend and I quickly realise I need bigger, then so be it. If not, I haven’t spent £25k plus to try it out. 
 

I know the e19 would never match up to an e27, but as a stand alone machine how do you find it @doobin? 

Again, another rambling……

On from the skid steer idea, after chatting to a few people my way who run both I’ve decided a digger makes more sense for the workload/type, plus they are similar money and more versatile! 
 

I’ve got my heart set on a 1.8/2t machine, that will go on my 2700 plant trailer (weighs 600kg) and has vari tracks for access. I know 2.7t machines will move more but the lower weight/versatility is more important to me currently (plus they are cheaper)

Does anyone out there run the smaller bobcat e19 or e20 as an arb digger, or a machine if a similar size-if so how do you find them? I did try trawling the arb digger thread but ran out of concentrate……..

1 hour ago, Mark Bolam said:

Klou supplied it with bollard and capstan mate.

That Microbull hydraulic capstan does look handy.

You can achieve the same effect by backing up the machine though, although not always ideal.

That’s a beaut! Do their grabs fit on other machines or just the WQ’s?

1 hour ago, Haironyourchest said:

Ali claims to be selling mini skids, mini diggers, mini loaders and mini telehandlers for under a grand, free delivery. This can't be real, right? 

It almost makes you want to try one, how bad can they be for that much?!😂

19 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

I’ve only got a bucket as well as the grab Tom.

My Klou grab has a ball hitch and lowering bollard on it, which are both really handy.

That’s exactly what I’d like, the idea of a bollard is ideal-did you fabricate that yourself? @AHPP I can’t believe they’re no longer stocked either, a chap near me has one and loves it

14 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

The thing is Tom I decided I wanted a machine that I could use on as many jobs as possible.

We can whistle up Telehandlers etc.

on the big farm jobs, and the amount they can shift is unreal.

My WQ is a dwarf in comparison, but it’s the best choice for me.

You can’t get a Telehandler through a 3’ gate!

Remember the grab adds about 85kg.

 

Ball hitch on mine means it can take the chipper places that were a no-go before.

 

Basically I’d say go for the biggest machine that will fit your business model.

 

You’re welcome to come down and have a play whenever you want.

 

That’s pretty much exactly what I’m looking for. The small size is more important than the raw lifting capacity, as I haven’t got a timber trailer to take stuff away so I’ll always be limited by trucks & trailers! 
 

What other attachments do you run on yours mate? That’s impressive what it’ll lift with the grab! If I’m down your way I will certainly take you up on that!

After looking at the options I think I’m most suited to something along the lines of a Worky Quad/Sherpa/MicroBull-simply because it will go in the back of the tipper, and the lower weight/cheaper cost is a big bonus!

@Mark Bolam I seem to have it that you own a WQ? Pros/cons? I know there’s a TON of threads on the mini loaders, what’s the general consensus? I’d like something I can potentially run a few attachments on, maybe a topper/mulched in the future-is that feasible with these small units?

And lastly….anyone selling a decent 2nd hand one?😂

7 hours ago, Stihl123 said:

watch out for Avants

i have a 2017 Avant 520

1700 hrs when i brought it, i paid just over £8k plus VAT

no attachments 

 

and no, it wasn't stolen 

That is basically exactly what I’m after-if I could spend 10k plus vat (ish) I’d much prefer to take a gamble on an old machine 

4 hours ago, Mark Bolam said:

Compact Loaders UK, Frank Alviti @Dave Alviti and Will at Stag Machinery at Dereham are probably all worth a phone call.

I’ve tried frank, just waiting on a reply👍 I’ll look into the others cheers! 
 

I completely see why they rarely come up second hand. Clearly a buy right buy once job

Who would any of you guys recommend speaking to regarding a good second hand machine? They’re not massively common on eBay etc, and I’d rather buy second hand from a reputable source if possible 

6 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Ah, so clear felling under and around lines as opposed to ‘siding up’?

Exactly, a bit better than the usual powerline horrors if that’s possible😂

16 hours ago, dumper said:

Look at Cormidi can’t fault mine just fits in transit 

That looks the business! It’s ok weight wise in the tipper then?

23 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I don’t own a skidsteer but apart from Vermeer, I’ve heard good things about  Ditch Witch. 
 

Can I ask what is resilience utility?

It’s felling on utility networks (powerlines) to make them “resilient” to storms/trees falling and causing damage, just a larger volume of timber to move!

@Mick Dempsey @Joe Newton any anyone else who uses one/has experience of these machines: 

Which brand/type would you recommend? It’s for a large amount of resilience utility work, so would be for moving/stacking timber and moving brash. 
Key requirements would be sub 1t weight, capacity to run a grab (and maybe a mulcher in future), ideally go up ramps into my 4x4 tipper to save on additional trailer. 
 

Id be looking 2nd hand, I know you can get good finance deals but I’d rather buy good quality used, outright.