hey everyone, i am 23 years old and have been driving excavators for about 7 years now. operating is a passion of mine and iam always looking to improve. i have mostly operated under 10 ton tracked machines and never really been on anything bigger but i have just gone onto a new site now and have to drive a 20 ton komatsu, everything is going fine but i want to know if there is any tips apart from looking in my mirrors to judge how far my counterweight is away from other objects around site. hope to hear from you all soon.
First of all, nobody around here drives anything unless it is a truck. If it is a machine it is operated. You are not a machine driver, that is unless you are on a machine with GPS, computerized everything, air conditioning and stero and refuse to get on a unit without all of the previously listed. If you want to improve yourself you better learn how to operate everything there is. That makes you a more valuable commodity to the man that signs your check at the end of every week. As far as watching the mirrors to check your tail swing you better be watching everything there is.
First i agree with Greg u don't drive u operate... Second the term operate was taught to me to be always thinking over ur next move before u get there so u dont put ur self in a corner without another move to make... third is to answer your question on making sure u dont smack the counterweight is to pull ur bucket in to the tracks at track height where u can swing... swing around and if ur bucket is gonna hit then most likely the counterweight will also...
Guys don't be too rough on Kieron. If you will notice, he is from New Zealand - different areas of the world use different terms for the same thing. Now if I heard a potential American operator say "I have driven excavators for 5 years", I would just tell him politely to hit the road.
Always a diplomat,,,, lol.
usually the scraping sound means its hitting something the more you use the machine ,the better you will know your distance's if you are unsure get out and check
Really, why you fellas being so rough on Kieron. Yeah, myself, I wouldn't use the term "driver", but I do consider he is from NZ and have know clue what terms they use there. Besides, I give Kieron kudos for having enough concern about his rig that he would bother asking other professionals the best way to protect the body and panels of his machine. Heck, being a mechanic myself, I see way plenty of excavators here in the states that are obviously operated by "operators" and the rigs might as well have a big target painted on the counterweight and both rear door panels because I've seen more than enough of them beat up as bad as a typical 90 cfm air compressor.
I'd have to agree with Willie59 on this one, he's only asking for some guidance and advice, first off he's admitted he's new to the business and is only looking for ways to improve himself, now that said I'd have to give him a two thumbs up for even asking, second I'd think maybe some of you might feel a little ashamed for treating anyone like you just did, remember you were the new guy too once long ago and unless you came from heaven you learned as you went along, knowledge and wisdom is gained and learned not born into you, they say you get it from living and learning and time. To help answer some of your questions, first off situational awareness is key on any machine no matter how big or how small, you need to know what's going on around you at all times and everything your machine is doing or will do or anybody thats around you now or will shortly be around you. As for the tailswing question, start slow and work from there, every machine has a different swing pattern and you need to learn what it is, if your not sure measure it and make sure your not any closer than that to anything at first. If your concerned about hitting anything your a step ahead of most out there, if you don't believe me look at used excavators and see just how beat up they are, apparently nobody was too concerned when they smashed all the side shields to beyond destruction, scraped the counterweight paint off and mashed the cab doors and sheet metal to death like is common on most used machines when they get traded in. Next get rid of distractions, say for example cell phones unless the boss gives you orders to carry one, leave it in your pocket and shut off or in your vehicle, same goes for the radio, texting and all the other bs toys everyone thinks they need to carry and have with them or life will end, your paid to do a job, do it, its that simple and pay attention to the job your doing, along with everything else around you. Learn your machines capabilities, study the reach and lift capabilities and don't try to go beyond those ever, if your not sure ask someone who does know or is supposed to know, if they are not going to answer any questions, seek a new employer, he's either an idiot or a moron for not answering questions from an employee no matter how stupid they may seem, safety is always the key to success. Practice and patience are what keeps you alive and those around you and despite what some might think everyone learns by doing, watching, and by being told how, nobody is born with knowledge, experience, expertise, wisdom, and the ability to operate anything, some have a natural talent to learn faster than others, some never do learn and some are better than others after they do learn how, but everyone learns in some form or other. And last, despite what some think there is no stupid question, if you have one ask it, if not here then somewhere else, a boss, coworker, foreman, whoever it may be but get an answer to your question somehow, even if its not what you wanted to hear keep asking until your questions answered in a form you understand and comprehend and if it brings up the next question to help answer the first ask that as well. I've seen too many too afraid to ask questions and someone ends up getting hurt because their pride, ignorance, arrogance, or whatever kept them from asking in the first place. With that only a fool thinks he knows it all, everyone else learns every day of their life, some things good others bad but learning never stops. If you have other questions ask those as well, if I didn't answer your question ask it again or what part I didn't answer for you. Best of luck Oh yea welcome to the forum and don't get scared off by incorrect grammar or phrasing from a different country some apparently have never been too far from home themselves.
LOL Willie, yeah there is no shortage of joystick jockeys around..:cool2 That's a good one Randy. Kieron Welcome to the Forums!:drinkup
Kieron welcome to the forums there is a lot of good reading here and some real great people who like to help you learn. It is a continual learning period, learn something each and everyday and that way you will always be improving. It doesn't matter what the job is just do the best you can and try to be better each and everyday. Good luck!
some great comments there fellas, o and by the way i have only lived in nz for 10 weeks the rest of my life i have lived in the uk and people who operate excavators are called (machine drivers) where i am from! thanks again for the great comments.
That is a good ,quick check while you are working. Be aware though that as you swinging and are watching the bucket that if you are working in a cut , against a bank or rocks that your bucket cylinder rods can easily hit something and be damaged. So watch them also. Another way to learn your machine is to bring the bucket in as far as possible with only the teeth and nothing else, lightly touching the ground, now swing around drawing a circle or arc around the excavator. If you only done an arc and not a full circle swing the tail over the arc, park the machine and get out or if you can climb on the machine and have a good look to see if the tail of the excavator is within the circle or where it is in relation to the circle. If its all in the circle, step it out from the front and sides of the tracks, scratch your head and kick a bit of dirt around and remember . . Then go do some work. As I was writing this I realised that this might not work on all machines with different boom and stick lengths and bucket sizes, but give it a go.
There is some really good reading in old threads pages back. both here in excavators and compact excavators. Watching and knowing where the counterweight is. Is just 1 part of operating. At 7 years, I figure you should have it down pat, pretty good. If you feel you need to be better, and have NOT been around real operators. Watch some youtube videos. And practice what their doing.
hey kieron who are you operating, or "driving" for ? now I wonder if you can "drive" a machine better than some of the drama queens can "operate" one
yes your right, ive picked up alot of tips from old posts. ive been told iam a good operater and i always get hired but iam constantly looking for tips because the one thing i like about my job is no matter how long you have been operating i think that you are always finding out new things and tricks, either operating or maintaining your machine.
iam currently working for fulton hogan through national personell on the north western hwy, there extending the bridge so bin quite busy for the last 6 weeks. where do you work? and what do you drive/operate ha ha.
I am working for Smith & Davies at Victory Church doing floor prep
o rite, i see quite a few of there trucks go past the bridge through the day. is it a big firm?
medium size I suppose. Quite an old firm about 85 years I think
here's their website http://www.smithanddavies.co.nz/
Kieran It's good to see young guy's who are keen coming into the industry . If you have done 7 years " operating " excavators under 10 ton , you will be fine . You would have learnt alot operating them , maybe more than if you had started on bigger machines . Here in NZ they are mainly called diggers and the "operator" is a digger driver , even the good ones !!! Haddy
Well said. And you are amoung the Best of the Best when your on this forum. The folk on here have helped me SOOO ! Much ! and I can't thank them enough. From wrench turning to pics. of places I'll never see or jobs I could only dream of being on And monster machines I lust for seat time in. Pointers or Tips/Secrets of the trade as you have asked for... It's All right here. And may I add a belated welcome as well. And best of luck. Happy digging.
hey haddy, your right about starting off on the under 10 ton excavators, iam so used to operating the jerky shakey little machines that when i got on that 20 ton komatsu it was like heaven lol. so much easier and more comfortable.
just had a look at the website and the firm looks smart. is it a good firm to work for?
Question people of NZ what do they call a backhoe operator, the rubber tired backhoe with the bucket on front if an excavator operator is a digger driver? Just curious not that its a big deal and how about some other names for dozer, wheel loader, skid steers, haul trucks and a lot more, what is the wording there for those types of machines and the ones that operate them?
Randy , interesting question . I worked on the Wheat harvest about 10 years ago in your fine country and somethings are very similiar somthings not so . Ordering breakfast was interesting the first few times , you have so many ways to cook eggs !! Millars Genuine Draft was easy to order and went down very well !!! . Generally we don't have tipping here but works well if you ask me , no service , no money . Backhoe's are reasonably rare here , just don't seem to be many around , why ? , don't know . I quess they are backhoe operators . Dozer is a bulldozer but could be a tractor depending on who you are talking to as wheel tractors are tractors too . Loaders are loaders , skid steer are normally called bobcat even if it is a brand name and it does annoy me , haul trucks are haul trucks . Generally operators are drivers and they don't anal if they get called a driver . If I think of anything else I will post it . Haddy
Thanks for the information, what years did you run the wheat harvest and in what states did you run in Haddy? Did you operate combines, grain carts or drive the trucks? I can about imagine what a difference there was in terms used by the crews, I too did it back in the 80"s and even then they did things in their own world I'm from here and a hard time to sometimes understand the lingo or slang that was used, a spanner took me almost two months to figure out, some of the places we ate at none of us ever figured out what some of the things were on the menu's. And I gotta ask did you eat at any Dairy Queens?
Back in 2000 . We were based in North Dakota , working for Altendorf's , Jan Altendorf was running the harvest and was good to work for . I got down as far as Edin in OK , across to just out of Denver , and alot of other places in between . They employed 30 NZer's and we had a great time . I spent alot of time transporting combines , tractors , and grain carts around . Did alot of truck work , a little grain cart work , only a day on a combine . We ate at all sorts of places , I have no idea if any where Dairy Queens but I do remember the name . We were working with amercian's so there quite a few on the harvest and if you were not laughing about something by the end of breakfast it was a very sad day !!!!
keep bucket quit,clang and bang is sure sign you dont know what your doing,old machine or not.sometimes it happens but keep it to a minnimum and dont swing the boom to move stuff ,hard on bushings ,and KEEP IT GREASED!! Keep the cab clean and tobbacco free.good luck and stay confident in what your doing and you will do fine