I am currently working on a project that is going to require a hoe, and I was wondering if a 320 size or similar machine would be big enough for rock? I am building a road and dont have enough room for a very big machine but I have come across some pretty tough rock, I can still bust some of it loose with my 6R rippers and I was told that a 320 wouldnt be big enough. What are your thoughts? I have no experience with excavators at all. thanks
320 our biggest hoe is a 320. we havent had to rent anything bigger yet,,,but we dont do large highway projects either if the rock is loose ,a narrow heavy duty bucket is pretty effective, but if your talking large cuts and long trenches you may want to call a blaster. onece you hit solid rock,,,,nothing will dig through it.
d6peg , what part of Texas are you in ? Here in central Texas where I am at , Rock is a good ways down under....
The rock is coming off in flakes as of now and I am getting it with my dozer but I thought a hoe would speed up the process a little. I thought about getting a small bucket for it. Wingnut, I am in north Tx., and I am already to the rock
d6peg , I hope I didnt offend you , I am just blown away at the different depths of rock .... just starting out in the bussiness and wanting to learn ....
can you get a hoe-ram attachment? they work real nice
If you are renting the 320 ask for it with a rock bucket. If you have your own hoe you can rent just the bucket - just call Holt. We've cut rock with an excavator as small as a CAT 308. Just finished in Frisco with a JD160. If you're getting into blue rock you'll slow down to a crawl but you can still cut it with the 320.
Thanks for the help guys. I think it will be big enough also. Wingnut, you did not offend me at all. I should of been a little more clear on where I am working (canyons). If your just starting out I am more willing to help you in any way that I can. Most all of my experience is with dozers though.
I am a little confused by this post? Up here in the northeast, you can break the rock OFF THE TOP (THE SOFTEST) with hydraulic hammer, then below that, you are anfo or those new splitters work well. We wouldn't even consider removing rock with ANY hoe/bucket. The rock nearest the top is softer because it has had a few million more years to oxidize and break down, but granite that is beyond 5,6,7 feet deep......hahahahahah forget it with a hoe-ram. Unless you are working for a green GC or owner who is wet behind the ears, and you want to put on a show.
Here, when you hit rock it's all limestone. Once you get the soft layers off it gets tough to do much more. I had a basement where I had gone as far as I could with a ripper on the 150. The customer really wanted deeper so we got a 400 in. He got about a foot deeper and he was done.
Most of our rock is sandstone and breaks up fairly easily. I will have to have a hoe to slope some of the sides of this road anyway and was hoping to use the hoe to speed things up for the dozer.