Buying a mini-digger - DIY madness or good idea?

[kingandy2nd]

Every time I hire a mini digger for a weekend it ends up costing around £250 once the delivery, vat etc is added in. If I have one for the week it’s circa £550.

This year I’ve got a number of projects planned which involve digging:

- Remove 400mm soil for 6 x 4 m deck
- Remove 300mm soil for 3x3m patio
- Install 1m3 soakaway and 6m of piping
- Install utilities in 9m trench to new garage
- Dig footing for new 6x6m detached garage
- Remove 300mm soil in 6x5m areas for new driveway
- Dig out old conifer tree stumps x 3
- Remove old garden wall footing 30m and trench for new wall foundation


While some of the above could be done at the same time, I reckon there’s a good 3 weeks of hire or 6-7weekends of work.

My man maths is telling me that if a half decent used 1.5t digger is around £5k, that it might be worth investing in one. I could have it for the year and do my projects at my own pace, and then potentially sell the digger on if I don’t find use for it afterward.

Obviously with a used machine you’re taking the risk with breakdowns, etc.

Am I being crazy in thinking about buying one??

 

[Mottie]

It’s certainly worth considering. It would have been more worth it if you had bought one at the beginning of your build though.

 

[Burnerman]

Truly amazing machines, but if you are looking at ex hire - naturally enough - look around for maintenance clues.......these things are loaded with grease nipples and it's vital they have been used regularly.
This particularly applies to the ones that control the cab swivel as repairs here are frighteningly expensive.
Problems I've dealt with in the past have been leaky hydraulics, worn pins and tracks, damaged cabs and once the main hydraulic pump beneath the floor pan.
The dual speed pedal can seize up if the cab isn't cleaned out from time to time.
They all seem to be built to a formula, and Takeuchi have great build quality for example.
The diesel engines are often Kubota or Lombardini units and are reliable but look out for coolant leaks and the oil level of course!
Good luck with the hunt - I'm sure you could hire yours out no trouble.
John

 

[kingandy2nd]

It’s certainly worth considering. It would have been more worth it if you had bought one at the beginning of your build though.

Yes, definitely…but I was poor then. Now I’ve got some money in the bank that doing nothing other than getting eaten away by inflation

 

[kingandy2nd]

Truly amazing machines, but if you are looking at ex hire - naturally enough - look around for maintenance clues.......these things are loaded with grease nipples and it's vital they have been used regularly.
This particularly applies to the ones that control the cab swivel as repairs here are frighteningly expensive.
Problems I've dealt with in the past have been leaky hydraulics, worn pins and tracks, damaged cabs and once the main hydraulic pump beneath the floor pan.
The dual speed pedal can seize up if the cab isn't cleaned out from time to time.
They all seem to be built to a formula, and Takeuchi have great build quality for example.
The diesel engines are often Kubota or Lombardini units and are reliable but look out for coolant leaks and the oil level of course!
Good luck with the hunt - I'm sure you could hire yours out no trouble.
John

Good tips, thanks for those. I’ve used kubota in the past which have always seemed to be good/easy to use.

 

[conny]

Not sure what the 'ignition' key is like on a digger, but everytime we hire a scissor lift the key is always the same. Doesn't matter what company we use, they all seem to have the same flat-faced simple key. It may be worth fitting a secondary key switch which uses a proper key.
Insurance will also want to know how/where you will secure it when not in use.

 

[thomp1983]

Having somewhere to securely store it would be my main concern, they don't take much having away.

 

[kingandy2nd]

Not sure what the 'ignition' key is like on a digger, but everytime we hire a scissor lift the key is always the same. Doesn't matter what company we use, they all seem to have the same flat-faced simple key. It may be worth fitting a secondary key switch which uses a proper key.
Insurance will also want to know how/where you will secure it when not in use.

Having somewhere to securely store it would be my main concern, they don't take much having away.

Thanks guys. I'd be able to store it in my back garden, which isn't particular secure...but the diggers wouldn't be visible to the causal thief. Once my new garage is built there would be a side where I could also store out of my sight so it wouldn't spoil the garden

 

[noseall]

Every time I hire a mini digger for a weekend it ends up costing around £250 once the delivery, vat etc is added in. If I have one for the week it’s circa £550.

This year I’ve got a number of projects planned which involve digging:

- Remove 400mm soil for 6 x 4 m deck
- Remove 300mm soil for 3x3m patio
- Install 1m3 soakaway and 6m of piping
- Install utilities in 9m trench to new garage
- Dig footing for new 6x6m detached garage
- Remove 300mm soil in 6x5m areas for new driveway
- Dig out old conifer tree stumps x 3
- Remove old garden wall footing 30m and trench for new wall foundation


While some of the above could be done at the same time, I reckon there’s a good 3 weeks of hire or 6-7weekends of work.

My man maths is telling me that if a half decent used 1.5t digger is around £5k, that it might be worth investing in one. I could have it for the year and do my projects at my own pace, and then potentially sell the digger on if I don’t find use for it afterward.

Obviously with a used machine you’re taking the risk with breakdowns, etc.

Am I being crazy in thinking about buying one??

Not a bad idea as long as storage is not an issue and they throw a few different digger buckets in along with decent nick pins ( not bent). Check that the boom pulls straight. I hired a 3 tonner once that wanted to dig a crooked sided trench.

 

[Old Salt]

My digger man used to make sure all the attachments were well chained down, padlocked and secure before leaving it overnight. His had a transponder key so may be worth looking into.

 

[martygturner]

We have used a JPC chinese mini jcb rip off for many projects, we split the cost with another self builder, was £4500 brand new and as they have reversed engineered it from jcb all the parts fit..well sort of with a sledge. Towed weight is 1.2 tonnes and was easily tugged by a passat.

We sold our share at the end to another local self builder found on one of the self build forums...got 2k back for 50% after 3 years overall we spent about £350 on repairs in 300 hours use, mostly on service parts, pins and seals just how much ptfe tape can you use. Our deal was if it breaks a small part ie pins you fix it, if its something bigger like the hydraulic pump we fix it. Tracks looked as good as the day, controls all jogged along, engine was fine but you need to change the fuel filter often but they are cheap...the tank is just mild steel so if you leave it for a while unfilled it rusts.Easy enough to sort out off swill with rust killer leave to dry but a right pain when you you need it then and there...keep tank full.

I would ask a few questions about running costs per 100 hours on some of the forums and price up a few main parts, pump, motors and a piston, service items etc , buckets don't bother about, you can make anything fit with an angle grinder and a welder and they can be picked up fairly cheap, we got a 2m wide bucket for sifting a drive for £50...its a diy world. Digger servicing from a man with a van is expensive as is call out hydraulics..

As for selling on a second hand one well the market is fairly small...just have a look at how many diggers are on some of the sites that have sat there for a while, 5k is a lot to have sat on the drive...

 

[kingandy2nd]

We have used a JPC chinese mini jcb rip off for many projects, we split the cost with another self builder, was £4500 brand new and as they have reversed engineered it from jcb all the parts fit..well sort of with a sledge. Towed weight is 1.2 tonnes and was easily tugged by a passat.

We sold our share at the end to another local self builder found on one of the self build forums...got 2k back for 50% after 3 years overall we spent about £350 on repairs in 300 hours use, mostly on service parts, pins and seals just how much ptfe tape can you use. Our deal was if it breaks a small part ie pins you fix it, if its something bigger like the hydraulic pump we fix it. Tracks looked as good as the day, controls all jogged along, engine was fine but you need to change the fuel filter often but they are cheap...the tank is just mild steel so if you leave it for a while unfilled it rusts.Easy enough to sort out off swill with rust killer leave to dry but a right pain when you you need it then and there...keep tank full.

I would ask a few questions about running costs per 100 hours on some of the forums and price up a few main parts, pump, motors and a piston, service items etc , buckets don't bother about, you can make anything fit with an angle grinder and a welder and they can be picked up fairly cheap, we got a 2m wide bucket for sifting a drive for £50...its a diy world. Digger servicing from a man with a van is expensive as is call out hydraulics..

As for selling on a second hand one well the market is fairly small...just have a look at how many diggers are on some of the sites that have sat there for a while, 5k is a lot to have sat on the drive...

Thanks for this. Do you have any suggestions for which form to look at this for and which sites are good for buying? I've just been looking at eBay so far.

I have looked at the cheaper 'copy' ones, so good to hear you've had a decent experience with one. For example I saw this one https://www.wspoweronline.com/products/mini-digger-xn12-6-swing-boom-extension which has a Kubota engine..

 

[Koolpc]

Found one for you:

 

[martygturner]

try https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/ for a start...lots of the smaller ones have closed over the covid meltdown, but there is a mine of information, networking is the key.

 

[cdbe]

I always fancied a Powerfab 125, the one with the driven wheels and its own road trailer, although they are rare and getting a bit long in the tooth now, but apparently very capable and all run from a honda breaker engine with DIY maintenance. Think Tom from the Good Life and you'll get the idea.