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QUESTION:The mini ones are more or less like Tonka toys
for big boys; two of our neighbours have hired them, and the hire
company delivers them. Training seems to take a few minutes after the
thing is run off the trailer . The biggest risk would be digging up
cables, supply pipes etc; and you need a bit of room to manouevre, but
neither had any problems. Both neighbours managed to dig out foundations
for buildings, a pipeline ditch, and one did a pond. (they both have
lots of space).On each occasion, every chap in the neighbourhood just
happened to drop in during the hire, and they all had a lovely time. In
fact, if any woman wanted the perfect birthday pres for a chap, a day's
mini digger hire is probably it.
ANSWER: My two-penn'orth (?):
I received training in mini-digger operation when a warden - as others have
said, found it easy and fun to get started but takes a long time to get
really proficient (I never did, bu others who used it more frequently are
now excellent). Hiring a machine with operator will usually work out about
the same cost 'cos they are so much faster, so I'd only do it if I wanted to
spread work out over time or just for the experience.
re watching the arm - I seem to recall a fatal accident involving
conservation volunteers untrained in use of digger hitting someone with
bucket, so endorse comment already made about care there
should you be tempted by a skid-steer loader (e.g. Bobcat - very easy to
operate and will do most of what you're after - also will shift larger
volumes of soil more quickly) be very careful when moving with bucket
raised - I watched one hit a 15cm kerb and rock onto back wheels for count
of three before coming down the right way up...could have been nasty.
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