The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: ballingall on October 23, 2010, 09:42:14 pm
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Hi,
I need a very small area of ground levelled, the problem is the access is very tight to get in. Does anyone know someone who has a mini or micro digger that might be able to do the job? Central Scotland area. Or any other suggestions as to how I can level and flatten it? I could dig it (though it would take a while), but I can't flatten it down very well myself.
Beth
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I'm sure most tool hire centres rent out "Bobcats" (mini-diggers) nowadays. Give your nearest one a call and they may be able to help.
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I was told yesterday they are about £200 a day, but you need someone who knows how to work them as they have so many different levers. I have often thought about putting water over to my garage so the kennels are easier cleaned but was quoted a price of £2000. If I knew someone who could work one of these things I'd do it. Both my sons have turned down a request! ::)
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I know this one - mini digger is a wee machine with a bucket - good for digging drainage tracks and the like - bob cat (best fun possible) will skoop up a ton of earth, gravel, hard core and deposit where you want, once you've played with it for a day it's possible to skoop and depoist (and then the advanced back drag) and get areas roughtly flat - doesn't stop the nettles or thistles growing up though - best fun I've have with hired machinery - and it spins on a very small area and duck love the results - and now looking can't find the pics of the ducks by the botcat at I dug!! but it was here
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If you decided to dig it Beth, you could level it with a 'whacker plate'. It's a bit like a big vibrating industrial floor cleaner and cheaper to hire than a digger ;) but not as much fun ! ;D
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If there's anyone local to me (South Wales) that needs any ground works doing, i've got mini diggers from micro's to 7.5 tonne machines, and dumpers to go with them. Ground work is my job
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I wish you were a lot nearer here Digit! I could hire one, but then as you all say, I have to drive it myself, and it will probably take me 3 days to learn how to use it, and get it done. Whereas it's such a small area, that if someone experienced was doing it, it would probably take them 2 hours!
Beth
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All the machines come with a driver, and thats normally me. I use to do self drive, but the state the machines use to come back in to the yard with the inexperienced people driving them , it wasn't worth the hassle, and like you say, where it would take you three days to do the job, i could probably do it in a couple of hour and be alot cheaper.
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All the machines come with a driver, and thats normally me. I use to do self drive, but the state the machines use to come back in to the yard with the inexperienced people driving them , it wasn't worth the hassle, and like you say, where it would take you three days to do the job, i could probably do it in a couple of hour and be alot cheaper.
Perhaps you have a contact in Central Scotland who could help Beth?
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Both our local branch of Jewson and a separate hire shop rent out small diggers for about £75/day for you to use (no driver supplied). I hired one to make some architectural changes in my back garden and it worked fine. It can turn in its own length so small spaces are not a problem.
I have a small tractor with a transporter box on the back and I have also used that to level small areas of ground provided it is free of large stones (small ones are OK). The three point hitch and box don't seem to mind if the box is used as a bulldozer (tractor in reverse). This works well for moving the top 2-3 inches but is not so good at digging holes. The box will pick up dirt on a 10-15 fo0t run and this can then be dumped where required. There is a blade under the front of the box which can then be used as a spreader to level the soil. The tractor is very manoeuvrable so small spaces aren't a big problem.