While Dig Different focuses on the nontraditional forms of excavation, we’re not blind to the fact that many contractors still need to use traditional equipment like backhoes, excavators, front-loaders and skid-steers.
Right now in our area of northern Wisconsin, there is a large project where many overhead power lines are being moved underground. We’ve seen several hydroexcavators, directional drills and trenchers in the area from many contractors.
However, one thing I’ve noticed is that along with every directional drill or hydroexcavator, a backhoe or excavator is close by providing support. These are still important pieces of equipment that assist with lifting and make it easier to haul material.
IN THE INVENTORY
Both contractors profiled this month have nontraditional excavation equipment like vacuum excavators and directional drills, but both also have excavators and skid-steers.
A mini-excavator used by Michigan-based Dig-It Excavating is equipped with a hydraulic progressive link “thumb” attachment that can pick things up more securely and easily than a bucket can. Owner Dervin Witmer says having the mini-excavator has helped on plenty of jobs: “It’s large enough to handle repair work and septic installations and small enough that we can get in and out of small job sites without tearing up a lot of property to get there.”
For Ohio’s Panetta Excavating, business started by offering traditional excavation, but then the company seized an opportunity to expand into directional drilling. Many of the company’s jobs today still use the excavators for site preparation and remediation work.
The company has two Komatsu excavators, a Caterpillar backhoe, bulldozers, skid-steers and a mini-excavator. Because of the various soil conditions the company can come across, all the equipment comes in handy.
“If the area is too flat, we would stay away from directional drilling because we need a little grade in order to move the fluids,” says owner John Panetta. “So then we would use our excavators, backhoe and other equipment.”
KEEPING UP WITH MAINTENANCE
Having that support equipment probably means you have more machine maintenance, but it’s important work that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Our Machine Shop feature in this issue sticks with the traditional excavation equipment theme and talks about performance maintenance on tracked excavators. The feature touches on everything from maintaining bucket teeth to taking job site conditions into account when devising maintenance programs.
You can find an additional piece on excavator maintenance online at digdifferent.com/featured.
YOUR SUPPORT EQUIPMENT
What is your go-to traditional excavation equipment and how do you use it on a job site? Email me at editor@digdifferent.com or call me at 800/257-7222 to share your story. I look forward to hearing from our readers.
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