Rent mini excavators from TRULAND at Wauseon, OH and Angola, IN. Compact digging for utilities, tile, footings, landscaping and tight-access work.
Measure three things. Your required dig depth, the reach you need from where the machine can sit, and the narrowest gate or gap it has to pass through to get to the work. Access usually eliminates machines before capacity does, so measure rather than estimate. Also factor in what you are digging, since clay, rock and frozen ground slow a small machine considerably. Call us with those numbers and we will match a machine.
Digging in places a full size machine cannot reach or should not go. Water and utility lines. Septic and drainage work. Field tile repairs. Footings for decks, sheds, additions and small buildings. Trenching for electric to an outbuilding. Digging out stumps and root balls. Landscaping, pond edges and grading work in yards.
The reason people choose one is access. A mini excavator fits through gates, works between buildings, and does far less damage to a lawn than a larger machine while still digging real depth. Many have a blade for backfilling and leveling, which saves a second machine on small jobs.
Three measurements decide it. How deep you need to dig, how far you need to reach from where the machine can physically sit, and the narrowest point it has to pass through to get there.
Measure the gate, the gap between buildings, and any turns in the path. This is the number that most often eliminates a machine, and it is worth measuring rather than estimating. Some machines have retractable tracks to get through narrow openings and then widen for stability once they are in.
Dig depth is a specification, and it is not the same as bucket reach. If you need eight feet, confirm the machine reaches eight feet on ground that may not be level. Also account for what you are digging in, since heavy clay, rock and frozen ground all slow a small machine down considerably.
Think about the spoil too. Excavated material takes up more volume than the hole it came from, and you need somewhere to put it within reach of the machine.
Bucket width should suit the job. A narrow trenching bucket moves less material and digs a cleaner trench for a pipe. A wider bucket is faster for bulk digging and grading. Ask about thumbs for handling rock, brush and debris, and about augers if you are setting posts.
Rubber tracks are much easier on lawns and driveways than steel, but no tracked machine is free on soft ground. Working a wet yard leaves ruts regardless. If the ground is soft and the finish matters, wait for it to dry or plan on ground protection and repair.
Call 811 before you dig, every time, and wait the required period. Then account for private lines that public locates do not mark, which includes septic laterals, field tile, irrigation, invisible fence and old service lines. Hand dig near marks, since they are approximate.
Keep people out of the swing radius. The counterweight swings into a space people do not expect, and being pinned between the machine and a wall or a trench edge is a common serious injury. Nobody should be in the trench while the machine is working.
Trench walls collapse without warning and a collapse buries a person in seconds. Any excavation deep enough to enter requires proper sloping, benching or shoring, and that is a serious and regulated subject. Do not get into an unprotected trench.
Work with the blade down for stability when digging, keep the machine level, and stay well away from overhead lines.
Farms doing tile and drainage work, plumbers and electricians running lines, landscapers, builders digging footings, septic installers, and property owners taking on a utility, drainage or foundation project.
Available at Wauseon, 419-335-7368, and Angola, 260-665-5820.
Measure three things. Your required dig depth, the reach you need from where the machine can sit, and the narrowest gate or gap it has to pass through to get to the work. Access usually eliminates machines before capacity does, so measure rather than estimate. Also factor in what you are digging, since clay, rock and frozen ground slow a small machine considerably. Call us with those numbers and we will match a machine.
Rubber tracks are much gentler than steel or wheels, but no machine is free on soft ground. Working a wet yard leaves ruts regardless of what you are running. If the finish matters, wait until the ground dries, plan on ground protection mats, or budget for repair afterward. Also keep in mind that spoil piles kill grass quickly, so plan where excavated material goes before you start digging.
Yes, on every digging job, including on your own property. It is free and required, and you have to wait the marking period before breaking ground. Marks are approximate, so hand dig near them. Public locates do not cover private lines, so separately account for septic laterals, field tile, irrigation, invisible fence and old service lines from previous owners. Those are the lines people hit most often.
It varies by machine, and the published dig depth is a specification you should check against your actual requirement rather than assume. Dig depth is also not the same as reach, and level ground affects what you get in practice. If you need a specific depth for a footing, a line or a septic run, tell us the number when you call so we put you on a machine that reaches it. Wauseon 419-335-7368, Angola 260-665-5820.
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