How to turn a Mini Excavator into Equipment Generating Streams of Profit?

Mini excavators are widely popular due to their efficient digging abilities. However, very few people know how to make the most of these machines. When you pair a mini excavator with the right attachments and a coupler system, mini excavators can be used for a wide range of activities (apart from excavation) which can generate higher streams of profit. 

But before we proceed, you need to understand the difference between mini excavators and standard excavators. There are certain benefits to using mini excavators that make them more suitable for certain types of tasks. Mini or compact excavators, apart from being lighter and smaller, offer reduced track marks and top ground damage. They are much more comfortable and more convenient to operate in a crowded area. They can also be transferred easily from one site to another. One might also expect mini excavators to have a longer life than a standard excavator.

If you want to know about the untapped potential of these machines, take a quick look at these six jobs below that go beyond just digging.

1. Breaking

Mini excavators can be used for demolition purposes. These machines can carry out small-scale demolition work (like breaking up concrete sideways, trails, swimming pools, etc.) in a day. All you need to do is combine this equipment with a breaker.

After such demolition work has been performed, the operator can then attach a bucket and clamp with the mini excavator to load the resulting debris onto a truck or roll-off container for further processing. 

2. Clearing

Another way to generate some extra revenue using your compact excavator is to clear out areas which have been selected for new development. When paired with a tooth bucket and clamp or with a three tined grapple, you can use your compact excavator to grab, pull, and drag rooted undergrowth from the ground.

Besides, with the combination of a compact excavator and clamp, you would be able to move tremendous obstacles from the way like logs of trees which have fallen, stumps, boulders, etc. And when a flail mower is attached with the equipment, you can quickly clear out thick bush and saplings which are up to 4 inches in diameter. 

If you want to reach areas which are difficult for a standard excavator, you may attach an extendable arm to a compact excavator. This provides 2 feet of extra reach and is especially helpful for digging or handling debris. 

3. Compacting

If you want to turn your compact or mini excavator into a machine that has dual uses and that offers an increased return on investment, then you must attach a plate compactor to it. This can be used to compress the soil after digging with a bucket. Thus, it eliminates the need for doing it manually. 

Plate compactors have several benefits. Apart from being more powerful than hand compactors, they are more effective in sloped areas which are hard to reach. All in all, the job can be done in less time involving lesser costs. 

4. Lifting

Mini excavators become very useful for loading and unloading trucks carrying heavy materials. Compact excavators paired with a grapple offer a precise grasp which operators can utilize not only to move but also sort items.

Besides, a backhoe loader can be easily replaced by the combination of a compact excavator with a grapple on horizontal drilling activities for the components to be lifted and held for borehole entry as well. 

5. Site Prep

Another way of generating revenue using a mini excavator is to prepare a site for paving or planting purposes before it's too soon to dig in. To sever ground frost and hardened terrain, you would need a ripper. However, if you are looking to haul in the aggregate base material, then a standard bucket is enough. 

If you wish to make your compact excavator more versatile, you may attach a bucket along with swing accessories to it. This will significantly add to its range of motion. The bucket is moved to either side by wrist-like motions. This enhances productivity as it eliminates the need to move the entire machine by just tilting the bucket itself. This technique is effectively utilized to cut slopes, shape contours, create swales, etc. 

6. Grading

A mini excavator, along with its backfill blade, can be turned into a rough or finish grader. It can also be used as a backfilling and levelling equipment. To perform quick backfilling and grading without forming heaps of dirt, the angle blade is very crucial. Your efforts can also be greatly complimented by a grading bucket which can cut, fill, and grade. Combine such buckets with tilt swing accessories to gain a wide range of motion that could create swales and shape contours with ease. 

While mini excavators are traditionally popular for digging activities, the compact size, versatile range of attachments and proven performance have added whole new ways of generating streams of revenue using mini excavators. 

Curious to know how to use a Mini Excavator? Learn more from our blog page, Equipment Zone.