rjimmer Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Insurance might only be valid if the operator has an appropriate CPCS ticket. Before the cold winter of 62-63, many water service pipes were only a few inches deep. I hire a 7-8 tonne slew for 3-4 weeks each summer. It doesn't take long to get the hang of it, but I am working in a field and around lakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Like most have said not rocket science to dig a hole in middle of a field but a massive difference to when u see a decent operator in 1. But they can be dangerous esp the smaller ones. The bigger they are the far more stable they are I had a very lucky escape from 1, i thought i had a fair bit of experience with them, but manged to roll a 1.5T machine, 11st and only time i've driven a machine so small. I fell out door (no seat belt on) looked up to see it coming down on top of me, it must off caught the skip of the dumper and it slowed it down enough, i somehow (still don't know how to this day) managed to stick my head body in throu the door and out front window. Ended up climbing out throu the front window and had some serious bruising on my back/sides from the arm rest on far side. But could off been a lot worse It was about 10 at nite on my own althou in my garden in town, but doubt i would off been found till next day if i was trapped and couldn't shout for help. Wasn't even doing anything that dodgy, with the smaller diggers u sometimes struggle to load dumpers unless u build a wee platform, i was just prepping the platform for next day and platform wasn't level enough/gave way, would only be 2ft high but enough to coup the digger with me pushing the jib as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Like most have said not rocket science to dig a hole in middle of a field but a massive difference to when u see a decent operator in 1. But they can be dangerous esp the smaller ones. The bigger they are the far more stable they are I had a very lucky escape from 1, i thought i had a fair bit of experience with them, but manged to roll a 1.5T machine, 11st and only time i've driven a machine so small. I fell out door (no seat belt on) looked up to see it coming down on top of me, it must off caught the skip of the dumper and it slowed it down enough, i somehow (still don't know how to this day) managed to stick my head body in throu the door and out front window. Ended up climbing out throu the front window and had some serious bruising on my back/sides from the arm rest on far side. But could off been a lot worse It was about 10 at nite on my own althou in my garden in town, but doubt i would off been found till next day if i was trapped and couldn't shout for help. Wasn't even doing anything that dodgy, with the smaller diggers u sometimes struggle to load dumpers unless u build a wee platform, i was just prepping the platform for next day and platform wasn't level enough/gave way, would only be 2ft high but enough to coup the digger with me pushing the jib as well. Like most have said not rocket science to dig a hole in middle of a field but a massive difference to when u see a decent operator in 1. But they can be dangerous esp the smaller ones. The bigger they are the far more stable they are I had a very lucky escape from 1, i thought i had a fair bit of experience with them, but manged to roll a 1.5T machine, 11st and only time i've driven a machine so small. I fell out door (no seat belt on) looked up to see it coming down on top of me, it must off caught the skip of the dumper and it slowed it down enough, i somehow (still don't know how to this day) managed to stick my head body in throu the door and out front window. Ended up climbing out throu the front window and had some serious bruising on my back/sides from the arm rest on far side. But could off been a lot worse It was about 10 at nite on my own althou in my garden in town, but doubt i would off been found till next day if i was trapped and couldn't shout for help. Wasn't even doing anything that dodgy, with the smaller diggers u sometimes struggle to load dumpers unless u build a wee platform, i was just prepping the platform for next day and platform wasn't level enough/gave way, would only be 2ft high but enough to coup the digger with me pushing the jib as well. Lucky boy then ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 Aye fairly lucky. These things happen thou, i'm fairly getting throu my 9 lives now thou. Was back in it the next day as well and managed to bodge it back on to its tracks that nite too. I was just doing a job similar to yours digging out parking at back of my house, flat ground wot could possibly go wrong I had already done most of the dodgyier work no probs. It can happen really easily, with me prob over confident for my ability (even thou quite a bit of expereince), complncency and tired had been a long day almost stopped but thought i'd do an extra 5 mins prep for next day. But mainly just not used to how unstable those small diggers can be. Know quite a few boys/ticketed drivers who have rolled them too, it can happen fairly easily I've been in far more dodgy positions before and since in diggers but always 3T or over and just so much more forgiving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 I've not rolled one to date but I've seen videos where the op tries to leave the cab fall side with fatal results. I was asked to lift a ton bag over a famous footballers supercar while he watched. Machine was just about up to it and he was watching. His reason for not moving it " I never drive it any more and if the bag drops I can send the video to my mates " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 I got one last year to dig out a hedge. I was great fun and after few days I really got the hang of it. Or so I thought. Then a guy I know hopped in. He works on sites a drives a big beast for a living. He moved a levelled 30 tons of stones that I had been playing about with for hours in no time. Lessons?!?!? Doing it yourself may be fun, but it can also be a false economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 I've just hired a 3-tonne digger for a week, to dig out some drainage ditches and a trench for some electric gates. Made a Hell of a mess but fortunately my mate is a landscape gardener and can sort out the spoil far quicker than I can - he's a real master. Got him to dig the trench and although we damaged a pipe it wasn't anything too important (just a plastic drain and it's only dented). It's currently cost me about £650 but that includes 4-tonnes of 20mm gravel and a tonne of ballast. Driving a digger isn't too hard but for precision work it takes a lot of skill and an experienced operator would have done a lot more than me in a lot less time, I expect, but I had fun and was getting better by the end of the 4th day. Changing buckets used to take me ages but I can do it quite quickly now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted April 28, 2016 Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 My lad would sort it out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2016 My lad would sort it out for you.Haha minter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbietherimmer Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 id say you've done the right thing getting some one in mate. Scotchlad you had a very very lucky escape and you say your experienced? doesn't sound like that to me with all due respect "prepping a 2ft platform to load a dumper with a mini machine"!! You must be off your rocker mate. Glad you lived to see another day but next time you need to use one hire a man with it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted April 30, 2016 Report Share Posted April 30, 2016 (edited) Not a mini digger, but if you are into excavators have a look at this boy. ditchman you maybe interested in this. Edited April 30, 2016 by la bala Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted May 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2016 Impressive that ! Took some skill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmcg Posted May 1, 2016 Report Share Posted May 1, 2016 Now that is something you don't see every day, a machine man wearing his seatbelt! 360's are great to have a go in, been lucky enough to have a shot in a few, including a 74t, great fun. bigmcg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted May 1, 2016 Report Share Posted May 1, 2016 Now that is something you don't see every day, a machine man wearing his seatbelt! 360's are great to have a go in, been lucky enough to have a shot in a few, including a 74t, great fun. bigmcg Think the seat belt was keeping the nappy in place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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