We are a newly started construction firm and as expected, our job often requires us to dig pits and move heavy debris around. We concern ourselves mainly with small houses and sites rather than huge ones. So far, we have been renting the equipment rather than owning them, but now, we feel that having our own set of tools is much better. And that is what brings me here. Instead of merely using the internet to find the right stuff, I would like to ask from the experts and much more experienced people. The first item on our list is an auger torque earth. I am looking for the best one and something which is suited to our purpose. What do you guys think? I need suggestions! Thank you for reading, folks. Have a good day. ~
Welcome! You will get plenty of opinions here.
Welcome to the Forums NBach!:drinkup What size excavator are you considering and what size auger do you need? Do you need the auger for foundation type work or for lighter duty items such as fences and bollards?
Well, at the moment, we are more focused on moving lighter duty items! Things like fences, wooden items and etc. And thanks for the reply, mate!
But wait, I guess by capacity you mean the amount of earth I need to move about. I would estimate around 6-7 tonnes. Also, if it ain't much trouble,I needed a feedback on auger torque company. Thanks!
Yeah, looks like you are in need of a 3-5 ton machine. There are a lot of manufacturers in this size range and all are very competitive production and quality wise. What brand dealerships do you have nearby? Just as important as the machine is the service and parts availability after the sale. I'm partial to Cat because of my relationship with the dealer, they take care of me. However I'm not sold on the new Cat mini's. Rented a new 303.5E with cab and HVAC. Wasn't that impressed although it did have enough power to drag itself in very muddy conditions. Rented a 305.5E and really liked that machine but it's $80K new, I can't justify that much investment in relation to the return it would bring - I don't use mini's that much. Used a Deere 35D last week on a commercial project. The machine was rented by the electricians but we made a deal for use of the machine. Even though it was a rental with 1K hours on it the little excavator impressed me. It was quick and powerful and the controls were smooth. I was impressed at how tight it was with the hours and being a rental. I believe the Deere is made by Hitachi. Had a Bobcat 334D for 13 years and it was a damn good machine. Never really had any issues with it. Good sized machine but a little weak compared to the newer models however it did everything we needed it to do. I had a bracket custom made to use the skid steer auger on it to drill fence posts - it was by far the best way to drill fence post holes. Even in newly sodded back yards we could use the mini to drill the holes, if it was wet just lay down some plywood and track over it. From one position we could drill several holes much less ground disturbance that using a mini and a hell of lot better than manually digging them. As far as augers go I don't know what brands are available in Sweden but here are a few. Pengo, one of the best - http://www.pengoattachments.com I've had good luck with Bobcat augers but I don't know who makes the drive for them. McMillen and Lowe are other brands.
The larger Deeres are made by Hitachi, but the 17 up to the 60 are made by sunward I believe, not sure about the G series
Welcome NBach! How are you going to move your machine? If you're using 3.5 ton trucks, I would suggest a 2.5 ton mini excavator. (2.7 tons is about the maximum that you can put on a trailer and stay under the 7 ton weight limit for a (BE licence). 6-7 tons of earth can be moved with a 1.5 ton excavator, as well. It just becomes a question of how deep you need to dig, how far you have to move the earth, how fast you need to get it done and how accessible your job sites are. I can't advise you on the hydraulic augers that are for sale. When I needed one, I just made my own.