Excavator For Stone Banks

[DD123]

Hi
I’m new to plant machinery but need an excavator for stone walls/earth banks digging out, lifting and helping place granite.
I rented a Takeuchi 216, though it got the job done, I found it was a little light, so aiming at a 2.5T machine.
Also working in tight spaces around stone the back got scratched out, therefore thinking something with zero swing would be better…
Also deliberating a thumb grab attachment to help lift and place stones, but any other suggestions would be welcomed.
Greatly appreciate any advice

 

[doobin]

Hi
I’m new to plant machinery but need an excavator for stone walls/earth banks digging out, lifting and helping place granite.
I rented a Takeuchi 216, though it got the job done, I found it was a little light, so aiming at a 2.5T machine.
Also working in tight spaces around stone the back got scratched out, therefore thinking something with zero swing would be better…
Also deliberating a thumb grab attachment to help lift and place stones, but any other suggestions would be welcomed.
Greatly appreciate any advice

This is a question for @Storrsy - he is the master on here of stone walls and earth banks.

2.5t is a nice all rounder size- plenty of power yet still towable (if that matters to you?)

You will lift a lot more than a 1.7t machine, but you'd also lift a lot more with a conventional tailswing 2.5t than a zero tail. Digger choices are all about compromise unfortunately.

 

[Storrsy]

Hi
I’m new to plant machinery but need an excavator for stone walls/earth banks digging out, lifting and helping place granite.
I rented a Takeuchi 216, though it got the job done, I found it was a little light, so aiming at a 2.5T machine.
Also working in tight spaces around stone the back got scratched out, therefore thinking something with zero swing would be better…
Also deliberating a thumb grab attachment to help lift and place stones, but any other suggestions would be welcomed.
Greatly appreciate any advice

Assume you are on Dartmoor?
Simple answer is you won't have one machine that will suit every job
I have 1.8t 3t and 8t and they all have their place In walling work. If I only had to have one it would be a 2.5-2.8t towable. The granite round here is generally too big for a 1.8t but surprising what a 2.8t can roll around if it can't lift it.
As for attachment. Again depends on job- if it's digging out for and placing large base stones then I prefer the thumb because it works well in conjunction with a bucket for digging and backfilling and you can wrestle some seriously big rocks a out with a thumb. A proper Grab is better once you get up to the upper courses and you require more finesse and articulation. With a grab you can sit in one spot and articulate it to pick out from the stone pile whereas a thumb works best at 2/3rds reach.
Personally I'd start off with a 2.5t and thumb with the controls for it on the joystick- it's a cheap handy setup. You can always add a grab at layer date too- best of both worlds. When I'm on big walling jobs I'll often have a digger with a thumb and riddle bucket and smaller digger with the grab on too and both get used equally. If you work on your own the smaller machine with grab is much easier getting in and out frequently etc.
Forget zero tail. No good for handling big lumps of granite- you'll mostly be working over the side of the tracks.

 

[DD123]

Hi Storrsy, thanks for taking the time to respond, you’ve clarified a lot from my original questions which helps massively.
Yes, I’m up on Dartmoor, just working on my smallholding building up the original boundaries, over 500m to do.
Noted on the Zero-tail swing.
I’ll look out for a 2.5-2.8T, I was wondering if there was a make/model you prefer in that range given your experience?
Also any particular thumb and grab you’ve found to work well?

 

[JD450A]

Hi Storrsy, thanks for taking the time to respond, you’ve clarified a lot from my original questions which helps massively.
Yes, I’m up on Dartmoor, just working on my smallholding building up the original boundaries, over 500m to do.
Noted on the Zero-tail swing.
I’ll look out for a 2.5-2.8T, I was wondering if there was a make/model you prefer in that range given your experience?
Also any particular thumb and grab you’ve found to work well?

To be honest just pay @Storrsy to build them

 

[Storrsy]

Hi Storrsy, thanks for taking the time to respond, you’ve clarified a lot from my original questions which helps massively.
Yes, I’m up on Dartmoor, just working on my smallholding building up the original boundaries, over 500m to do.
Noted on the Zero-tail swing.
I’ll look out for a 2.5-2.8T, I was wondering if there was a make/model you prefer in that range given your experience?
Also any particular thumb and grab you’ve found to work well?

Is that 500 meter repair? Or full restoration?

 

[doobin]

To be honest just pay @Storrsy to build them

He could do worse than to pay Matt for a few days just to learn the easy way to do things.

 

[doobin]

Hi Storrsy, thanks for taking the time to respond, you’ve clarified a lot from my original questions which helps massively.
Yes, I’m up on Dartmoor, just working on my smallholding building up the original boundaries, over 500m to do.
Noted on the Zero-tail swing.
I’ll look out for a 2.5-2.8T, I was wondering if there was a make/model you prefer in that range given your experience?
Also any particular thumb and grab you’ve found to work well?

If it's staying on a smallholding you will get better value for money secondhand buying a 3.5t zero tail than a 2.7t conventional tail.

 

[Storrsy]

What sort of budget are you thinking? Will help as to what you can buy with it- assume you'll keep the machine once this block of walling is completed?

 

[Stroppymonkey]

What sort of budget are you thinking? Will help as to what you can buy with it- assume you'll keep the machine once this block of walling is completed?

Surely a 8 tonner with a kinshoffer grab is what he needs @Storrsy !?

 

[Monkeybusiness]

I know nothing about stone bank building, but I do have a bit of experience using diggers with grabs.
Unless you absolutely need it then avoid zero tailswing, it has too much of a negative effect on stability.
If you do want something legally towable then have a look at the Bobcat E27 (not the Z) - they have a bit of an ‘arse’ but nothing too extreme (much less rear overhang then a Kubota KX27 for example). They also come from the factory with brackets for a thumb already built in to the dipper if that’s the route you think you’ll take.
If you are ultimately looking to put a rotating grab on whatever you buy then get something with 2 sets of double acting hydraulics (even better if they are joystick operated). There are work-arounds for machines not set up that way as standard but it can be expensive and can also lead to a not-very-ergonomic system.
Unless you are going to trailer the machine about then looking for something larger than a 2.7 will definitely return you better value for money and leave you with an altogether more capable base unit.

 

[Storrsy]

@DD123 to give you a idea of a recent job I did purely with a Takeuchi TB228 with non rotating grab. This digger had no thumb and was a bit frustrating when riddling out the existing bank prior to rebuilding but the one with it lifting a stone is about the max this grab will do.
A grab is much nicer to use when rebuilding against an existing hedge bank as you can work it in tight against the banking whereas thumb and bucket the bulk of the bucket fouls against the earth bank. It's all done able with a thumb but positioning of the digger is more critical where's the grab requires less repositioning.
If you do go the grab route get one with plates so you can grab soil for backfilling otherwise you'll forever be shovelling or changing back to the bucket.

 

[blade 582]

The wall looks good,

 

[V8Druid]

The wall looks good,

GOOD!!? ..... I'd categorise that as bloody awesome

 

[diggerjones]

With the cornish wall. How big would you let the trees grow, do they become a problem with the roots.
Awesome job

 

[Storrsy]

GOOD!!? ..... I'd categorise that as bloody awesome

Haha thanks. But it really is just stacking stone on stone- the caveman were doing it!

 

[Storrsy]

With the cornish wall. How big would you let the trees grow, do they become a problem with the roots.
Awesome job

These trees in the pics shouldn't have been left like that IMO. It's a managed boundary so they should either be laid on top of the bank if young enough or coppiced and allow the regrowth to to come back. Better for stock proofing, better for birds and wildlife and certainly better for longevity of the stone work.