GP, a well prepared presentation with good information. Looks like it'll be a lot easier for the box blade to dress up your trails, and lots of dead stuff to make chips. I'm sure the Mrs. will be happy with what you've accomplished!
Old school mentality is dig over the rollers of the tracks not the drive sprockets. Great information and series. Once a person gets their sea legs it is much safer to travel using the foot pedals , as if you hit a soft spot your hands are already ready to boom down and stabilize the machine. If you need to use your hands to drive I would recommend bringing the boom arm and stick to a 90 degree angle or the bucket closer to the machine and hover about a foot over the ground with the flat bottom of the bucket, as a kick stand or catch Well said GP know your own skill and confidence levels and respect the tool; machine it does only what it's told to do, by the operator.
Good video, when digging with an excavator you should always dig with the front idlers facing forward if possible, the same thing goes when you are travelling. The front idlers are designed to take the shock of a rock, stump or uneven ground, the drive sprockets aren`t.
Excellent series! Just what I was looking for. I want to cut trails for my side by side. I want to clean up old logging roads and cut some new trails. I have a diverse landscape with dense bush areas and some hilly areas. But like you, never operated an excavator. I plan to rent one for a week and go slow and given your experience, might not try the hilly ones in the first go round. I'll probably also stay away from wet areas. I figure better safe than sorry. Thanks for the tips.
Gord, great series, thanks for putting it together. I'm glad you said it: "Next time I think I will leave the rocks there and fill around them..." I have cut trails here in CA US and it shouldn't take an excavator to do the work. If something like a rock is in the way, just reroute the trail to get around it. Cutting down the trees and branches is fine, but having and undulating trail is what makes a trail nice. You do you it the way you want so if that is most important then excavator time. Happy trails.
Oh GP, you should have watched a few of those South American excavator operators on YT and slammed her hand in the door before operation. That's how you run an excavator. 🙄😂😂
Great advice Gord thanks for sharing your experience with renting good things to know glad you got the trails done hope your family enjoys walking on them I am sure they will nothing like walking in the forest take care have a wonderful week
Morning Tom. My youngest walked through this weekend and is very happy. Loves being able to enjoy the rest of the property a little more. Thanks - all the best!
Great job Gord, really a great video for anyone looking to rent a smaller excavator. Packed with great questions and answers and great safety tips. You did a great job my friend, and we enjoyed every minute of watching all your videos on the trail making. Stay safe and keep up the good work and videos !Fred. 🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👋👋
Happy New Year Gord all the best to you and yours. I binge watched your series on the rental excavator last night. Thank you, a lot of good points to learn and watch for. We have a remote property that is about a days drive from a rental outfit so I’m seriously considering buying a towable backhoe that is considerably cheaper than the one you rented so it can sit unused at the property but still be handy at a moments notice for things like digging a new outhouse hole. The one I’m most interested in is the Udig made in Teeswater Ont. My guestion is, seeing as I’m in North West BC and you are in Ontario, have you ever heard of or seen one of these backhoes and if you have what are your thoughts. This might be an idea for another series on a more affordable alternative. Thanks and keep the great Canadian content coming.
Blade goes infront when you are pulling out big buckets of dirt... it keeps it from tipping forward. The blade goes behind when you are digging through really hard shale, or hard pan, it being behind you will help to keep the machine from lifting up as the hinge point is further back if that makes sense.
Wonderful, the 1 big thing that I took away is the you knew when to say no. The ground was to steep and you left it. I feel to many times that people think they can do anything and get into trouble. I tip my hat to you GP for knowing when to say stop .Keep up the great videos and have an outstanding week. Peace
Hey good morning and thanks Curt! Yes, I wanted to get the trails down there and I imagine someone with more experience could have done it. But hey,. I got most of the others finished. Thanks again - I appreciate the comments - great to hear from you!
@@GPOutdoors I have had to learn the word no. People have asked me to do different things and most of the time it is no problem and then sometimes I just have to say no, even to my wife.
Great summary and very helpful pointers Gordon. What a terrific series...well done. And only GP would include a courtesy "heads-up" for the neighbors. Well done my friend. 👍🇨🇦🇺🇸😎
Wonderful series of videos Gord! Thank you for posting them. I bit the bullet and purchased a U35-4 new from Kubota. Of course, they are 6 months behind in delivery so won't get it till the Spring of 2022. We have 80 acres here in Northeastern Pennsylvania and about 2 miles of old logging trails that need to be smoothed for hiking. My question is, Kubota also has a 2-foot excavating rake that is great for uprooting trees and removing stumps. Did you consider that unit for the trail making opposed to the bucket? I purchased the 2 foot bucket and the rake but am curious to hear your thoughts. As always, thank you for all your posts. Al
Hey congratulations Al! That is awesome - I think you will love working the machine. The rake wasn't an available option for the rental so I can't say - sorry about that. But boy, I think you will be pretty excited once you have it. Congrats again!
Hello Al! Question for you! What made you choose the U35-4 instead of the KX033-4? I am currently looking to get one, exactly for the same reason you are saying. We have 88 acres with many logging trails, that need some maintenance. Thanks!
Hey Joe! Great question. For me , it was available to rent but I was looking at them last year and also was leaning to the 033-4. I can't remember why now - but perhaps Al can add some context.
@@FromSteelToWood Hi Joe! That is a great question. Where we live, like Gord, we seem to have more rocks than soil. I have a B2601 with a backhoe that I bought to clear the trails, but just no comparison to an excavator. The models are pretty close but the U35 has a bit more break out force and is heavier, both of which my Kubota dealer said would be preferred over the KX033. We actually started with a U27 in mind, but quickly decided it would not meet our needs. Sorry not to be more of a help and good luck with your purchase. My dealer told me March 22 for delivery. Is that what you are hearing?
@@GPOutdoors Thanks Gord! Your videos convinced me of the utility of this type of machine, and since I will be retiring next year, will have time to 'play'. On a side note, check out the MS500i. I have a MS 462 and 661 but the 500i is king! You would love it!
Great thing about GP, ....he researches the stuff first which saves time for everyone else!!!! Still think his day job is in research and development!!
Did you consider using a small bulldozer instead of an excavator? You wouldn't have been able to pick up logs and move them, but it would allow you to just shove them. And you might have had an easier time smoothing out the trails.
Good day GP! Very impresive the distance that you clear comprared to a tractor! The land at our place is like ours! A lot of rock, I know what you are talking about! The pressure washer seems very nice for the cleaning. Have a good week! Cheers!
As always good entertainment from you GP. Yes I took your advise about running my tractor half throttle while I was learning how to use my back hoe. That helped so much to control the machine it made it fun to learn how to use the machine. Cheers see you on our next adventure.
I don't think I caught all the videos yet. But one thing I noticed on one of the videos was you got out and ran the chain saw for a while. When I have rented equipment in the past I always try to get all the hand work done before hand and try to maximize the time I have on the equipment. This can't always be done, but worth a shot. Might be able to save a day on rental.
I agree any beginner should not run full power right off the bat, if for no other reason than to avoid smacking into something, but most excavators if run at half power won't flow enough fluid to run two functions at once so it actually ends up being harder to operate smoothly. After a couple days of operating you should be able to run both sticks and the thumb all at once to the point of being able to pick up rocks and throw them like it's your own hand. Which reminds me, don't even bother renting a machine without a thumb. The very first rock you hit that's too big to fit in the bucket will be a comedy of errors of you chasing the thing around like a penny on the floor while wearing mittens.
Hey there GP!!! You had a productive week with the excavator!!! Good idea to do this eh!!! I have seen operators on excavators who could scratch your back with the buckets. There ae some pretty good operators out there. But I bet, for running it the first time, it would be a bit daunting and scary too. Thanks for sharing your experience and recommendations. Take care!!!
LOL! I wish I could get someone to scratch my back, Grampie! But yes, super slow start as you get to practice how it works and a little bit better over the week. But for sure, it is one of those things that I think, takes years to master. Cheers my friend!
Excellent summary, GP, I really enjoyed it. The big question is, did you finish your trails? Or is there another rental in your (and our) future? Cheers!
Morning Michael! Got as. much done as I could. just honestly did not feel confident to go down those steeper slopes and found a little more water than expected in one area so I think that is it for the ex. Now, need to do some finishing work with the tractor. Hope you and yours are keeping well and safe!
Great video GP! Curious, if you are going to put down a base for the path. I have started clearing some paths in my woods and was thinking about what to use as a walking base. Possibly just boxblade it and pack it down, but would love to hear if you had thought about it. Cheers!
Good morning Mike! I used wood chips on the first 270 feet (over time) and it works well for me here but with this much trail now, I think I will just try to smooth it down a bit where needed with the box blade and leave it natural. Perhaps over time I will drop chips when I have them but otherwise won't be putting down any material. Good luck with yours!
Lots of good points to consider GP. I got it good though, all I have to do is call my son for serious operating. LOL. Oh yeah, the blade IS supposed to be considered as an outrigger primarily for the front. But its cool to run it in the rear as necessary. This whole series was a good informative one. Ya done good my friend ! I can't believe you have that many trails in there.
Morning and thanks T! Learned alot and had some fun along the way! (except for the wasp nest..LOL) Great to have your son handy for sure. Hope you are keeping well my friend! Thanks for saying hi!
I'm not an excavator expert by any means. Could you try and dig out the boulder, then dig the hole a little deeper, put the boulder back in, and then cover it up? You would need less fill. Also, I was wondering since there is such a bug problem up there, why don't you have a screened-in porch?
Hey good morning Mark. Interesting question about the rock. Generally, I would think no - cause there is often more rock below and around here. LOL. The porch - great question. I don't use it much in June and July but I do during the rest of the year including the winter sometimes. I have thought about screening it in at some point...another item on the to do list. Cheers!
OK Gord great video. And I wholeheartedly agree with what you are saying. There is no doubt that you need a backhoe! I'm sure Mrs GP will have many adventures out on the trails that you have created and once you get that hoe you can continue. I'm sure others will agree. And of course, I am glad to offer you a place to practice if you run out of trail space. HA HA HA! Best regards.
LOL! Good evening Dan! You bet - Mrs. GP and the gals are pretty happy now, even though I still have some final touches to finish. Whew- just keeping my head above water...:)))
Nice video...Very informative information..Kubota is a great machine
Thanks for sharing all that information. I am looking to get one if possible for next year. That is useful information.
Loved my Tonka toys. Only thing better is my tractor
I enjoyed excavator week. You have a gift and explain things well. Thanks.
Thanks Gary!
GP, a well prepared presentation with good information. Looks like it'll be a lot easier for the box blade to dress up your trails, and lots of dead stuff to make chips. I'm sure the Mrs. will be happy with what you've accomplished!
Thanks, Cheers!
Great information and insight GP. Appreciate you sharing! Cheers!
Cheers Doug!
very well done
just rented d4k2 dozer
removed 50 stumps in 2 days.
Nice!
I bet you hated to see it leave. Good video and information friend.
Old school mentality is dig over the rollers of the tracks not the drive sprockets. Great information and series. Once a person gets their sea legs it is much safer to travel using the foot pedals , as if you hit a soft spot your hands are already ready to boom down and stabilize the machine. If you need to use your hands to drive I would recommend bringing the boom arm and stick to a 90 degree angle or the bucket closer to the machine and hover about a foot over the ground with the flat bottom of the bucket, as a kick stand or catch Well said GP know your own skill and confidence levels and respect the tool; machine it does only what it's told to do, by the operator.
Morning and thanks Mandel! Some great advice for folks there. Have a great week!
GP! Very great explanation! I have my E55 Bobcat coming soon and you laid out some good tips!
Morning Jay! Can't wait to see you in action. LOL! Have fun!
Excellent clip gp. Well done. They say ,if you stop learning you die. Not sure who they are though!
LOL! Hey C2. My Gramma always told me that you never stop learning. :))
love the video great advise
Great presentation GP. Best of luck finishing the trails.
Good video, when digging with an excavator you should always dig with the front idlers facing forward if possible, the same thing goes when you are travelling. The front idlers are designed to take the shock of a rock, stump or uneven ground, the drive sprockets aren`t.
Excellent series! Just what I was looking for. I want to cut trails for my side by side. I want to clean up old logging roads and cut some new trails. I have a diverse landscape with dense bush areas and some hilly areas. But like you, never operated an excavator. I plan to rent one for a week and go slow and given your experience, might not try the hilly ones in the first go round. I'll probably also stay away from wet areas. I figure better safe than sorry. Thanks for the tips.
you totally rock, hehehe.
LOL! Cheers Jim!
Gord, great series, thanks for putting it together. I'm glad you said it: "Next time I think I will leave the rocks there and fill around them..." I have cut trails here in CA US and it shouldn't take an excavator to do the work. If something like a rock is in the way, just reroute the trail to get around it. Cutting down the trees and branches is fine, but having and undulating trail is what makes a trail nice. You do you it the way you want so if that is most important then excavator time. Happy trails.
Oh GP, you should have watched a few of those South American excavator operators on YT and slammed her hand in the door before operation. That's how you run an excavator. 🙄😂😂
Great advice Gord thanks for sharing your experience with renting good things to know glad you got the trails done hope your family enjoys walking on them I am sure they will nothing like walking in the forest take care have a wonderful week
Morning Tom. My youngest walked through this weekend and is very happy. Loves being able to enjoy the rest of the property a little more. Thanks - all the best!
I think the final drives are the back end so having the blade it the front makes it easier on the final drives
Hi Gord! Thanks for all the great tips on excavator rental and operation! You brought up a lot of great points to ponder. Thanks for sharing!
Morning Martin! Happy if it was helpful!
thanks for another typical excellent GP review
Cheers Yves!
Great job Gord, really a great video for anyone looking to rent a smaller excavator. Packed with great questions and answers and great safety tips. You did a great job my friend, and we enjoyed every minute of watching all your videos on the trail making. Stay safe and keep up the good work and videos !Fred. 🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👋👋
Thanks kindly Fred! Had a good tim and learned a lot. Now, just need to finish them off over time. Have a great week!
Thank you so much for the learnings you shared with all of us.
Cheers Herb!
Looks like you had fun Gord, I would dig other holes just too fill them back in, what will you do with the rocks.
I rented one once. The blade is for stability. I always kept it planted in the ground as I dug.
Happy New Year Gord all the best to you and yours. I binge watched your series on the rental excavator last night. Thank you, a lot of good points to learn and watch for. We have a remote property that is about a days drive from a rental outfit so I’m seriously considering buying a towable backhoe that is considerably cheaper than the one you rented so it can sit unused at the property but still be handy at a moments notice for things like digging a new outhouse hole. The one I’m most interested in is the Udig made in Teeswater Ont. My guestion is, seeing as I’m in North West BC and you are in Ontario, have you ever heard of or seen one of these backhoes and if you have what are your thoughts. This might be an idea for another series on a more affordable alternative. Thanks and keep the great Canadian content coming.
Thanks for the summary Gord. Really appreciate your attention to detail. Cheers,
Cheers Simon!
Blade goes infront when you are pulling out big buckets of dirt... it keeps it from tipping forward. The blade goes behind when you are digging through really hard shale, or hard pan, it being behind you will help to keep the machine from lifting up as the hinge point is further back if that makes sense.
Thanks Peter! It does - great advice for folks. Thanks again!
Wonderful, the 1 big thing that I took away is the you knew when to say no. The ground was to steep and you left it. I feel to many times that people think they can do anything and get into trouble. I tip my hat to you GP for knowing when to say stop .Keep up the great videos and have an outstanding week. Peace
Hey good morning and thanks Curt! Yes, I wanted to get the trails down there and I imagine someone with more experience could have done it. But hey,. I got most of the others finished. Thanks again - I appreciate the comments - great to hear from you!
@@GPOutdoors I have had to learn the word no. People have asked me to do different things and most of the time it is no problem and then sometimes I just have to say no, even to my wife.
Great summary and very helpful pointers Gordon. What a terrific series...well done. And only GP would include a courtesy "heads-up" for the neighbors. Well done my friend. 👍🇨🇦🇺🇸😎
Morning and thanks Chris! Happy you enjoyed it - lots of fun. :)) All the best!
Wonderful series of videos Gord! Thank you for posting them. I bit the bullet and purchased a U35-4 new from Kubota. Of course, they are 6 months behind in delivery so won't get it till the Spring of 2022. We have 80 acres here in Northeastern Pennsylvania and about 2 miles of old logging trails that need to be smoothed for hiking. My question is, Kubota also has a 2-foot excavating rake that is great for uprooting trees and removing stumps. Did you consider that unit for the trail making opposed to the bucket? I purchased the 2 foot bucket and the rake but am curious to hear your thoughts. As always, thank you for all your posts. Al
Hey congratulations Al! That is awesome - I think you will love working the machine. The rake wasn't an available option for the rental so I can't say - sorry about that. But boy, I think you will be pretty excited once you have it. Congrats again!
Hello Al! Question for you! What made you choose the U35-4 instead of the KX033-4? I am currently looking to get one, exactly for the same reason you are saying. We have 88 acres with many logging trails, that need some maintenance. Thanks!
Hey Joe! Great question. For me , it was available to rent but I was looking at them last year and also was leaning to the 033-4. I can't remember why now - but perhaps Al can add some context.
@@FromSteelToWood Hi Joe! That is a great question. Where we live, like Gord, we seem to have more rocks than soil. I have a B2601 with a backhoe that I bought to clear the trails, but just no comparison to an excavator. The models are pretty close but the U35 has a bit more break out force and is heavier, both of which my Kubota dealer said would be preferred over the KX033. We actually started with a U27 in mind, but quickly decided it would not meet our needs. Sorry not to be more of a help and good luck with your purchase. My dealer told me March 22 for delivery. Is that what you are hearing?
@@GPOutdoors Thanks Gord! Your videos convinced me of the utility of this type of machine, and since I will be retiring next year, will have time to 'play'. On a side note, check out the MS500i. I have a MS 462 and 661 but the 500i is king! You would love it!
Enjoyed the excavator series. The big question is though: Has the boss given her final approval yet?! :) Thanks GP.
Morning DA! Ummm...nope...LOL.
Thorough synopsis just as I expect from your videos.
Cheers 45!
Great thing about GP, ....he researches the stuff first which saves time for everyone else!!!!
Still think his day job is in research and development!!
Great video, and we will be renting an excavator later this month. Hopefully, it will work out for us as it did for you!
The excavator has given years of new trails to enjoy. It also allows the family to enjoy hiking through the forest through the seasons.
Very happy I took the extra step Bay! Pushed me forward. :)
Did you consider using a small bulldozer instead of an excavator? You wouldn't have been able to pick up logs and move them, but it would allow you to just shove them. And you might have had an easier time smoothing out the trails.
Morning - that's a great question - I didn't actually. I perhaps should have looked into it. Perhaps for the future. Thanks!
Good day GP!
Very impresive the distance that you clear comprared to a tractor!
The land at our place is like ours! A lot of rock, I know what you are talking about!
The pressure washer seems very nice for the cleaning.
Have a good week!
Cheers!
Morning Adrien! Yes I was pretty happy with the progress. Still have some work to do to smooth them better in a few areas. Thanks and all the best!
As always good entertainment from you GP. Yes I took your advise about running my tractor half throttle while I was learning how to use my back hoe. That helped so much to control the machine it made it fun to learn how to use the machine. Cheers see you on our next adventure.
That's great to hear - thanks Sam! You too!
I don't think I caught all the videos yet. But one thing I noticed on one of the videos was you got out and ran the chain saw for a while. When I have rented equipment in the past I always try to get all the hand work done before hand and try to maximize the time I have on the equipment. This can't always be done, but worth a shot. Might be able to save a day on rental.
That's a great point Mack! Good info for folks, and I agree - Thanks for posting!
I agree any beginner should not run full power right off the bat, if for no other reason than to avoid smacking into something, but most excavators if run at half power won't flow enough fluid to run two functions at once so it actually ends up being harder to operate smoothly. After a couple days of operating you should be able to run both sticks and the thumb all at once to the point of being able to pick up rocks and throw them like it's your own hand. Which reminds me, don't even bother renting a machine without a thumb. The very first rock you hit that's too big to fit in the bucket will be a comedy of errors of you chasing the thing around like a penny on the floor while wearing mittens.
Thanks CE! Some great points. :)
Hello GP , That was a great series ................ SOOOOOOOO , what do you think about a backhoe for the tractor now ???
Bubba! LOL! Morning - not for me - I think the rental is the way to go every few years when I have lots to do. :)) Great to hear from you!
Hey there GP!!! You had a productive week with the excavator!!! Good idea to do this eh!!! I have seen operators on excavators who could scratch your back with the buckets. There ae some pretty good operators out there. But I bet, for running it the first time, it would be a bit daunting and scary too. Thanks for sharing your experience and recommendations. Take care!!!
LOL! I wish I could get someone to scratch my back, Grampie! But yes, super slow start as you get to practice how it works and a little bit better over the week. But for sure, it is one of those things that I think, takes years to master. Cheers my friend!
Excellent summary, GP, I really enjoyed it. The big question is, did you finish your trails? Or is there another rental in your (and our) future? Cheers!
Morning Michael! Got as. much done as I could. just honestly did not feel confident to go down those steeper slopes and found a little more water than expected in one area so I think that is it for the ex. Now, need to do some finishing work with the tractor. Hope you and yours are keeping well and safe!
Great video GP! Curious, if you are going to put down a base for the path. I have started clearing some paths in my woods and was thinking about what to use as a walking base. Possibly just boxblade it and pack it down, but would love to hear if you had thought about it. Cheers!
Good morning Mike! I used wood chips on the first 270 feet (over time) and it works well for me here but with this much trail now, I think I will just try to smooth it down a bit where needed with the box blade and leave it natural. Perhaps over time I will drop chips when I have them but otherwise won't be putting down any material. Good luck with yours!
Lots of good points to consider GP. I got it good though, all I have to do is call my son for serious operating. LOL. Oh yeah, the blade IS supposed to be considered as an outrigger primarily for the front. But its cool to run it in the rear as necessary. This whole series was a good informative one. Ya done good my friend ! I can't believe you have that many trails in there.
Morning and thanks T! Learned alot and had some fun along the way! (except for the wasp nest..LOL) Great to have your son handy for sure. Hope you are keeping well my friend! Thanks for saying hi!
@@GPOutdoors life IS good GP, thank you and all the best to you and yours as well.
I'm not an excavator expert by any means. Could you try and dig out the boulder, then dig the hole a little deeper, put the boulder back in, and then cover it up? You would need less fill. Also, I was wondering since there is such a bug problem up there, why don't you have a screened-in porch?
Hey good morning Mark. Interesting question about the rock. Generally, I would think no - cause there is often more rock below and around here. LOL. The porch - great question. I don't use it much in June and July but I do during the rest of the year including the winter sometimes. I have thought about screening it in at some point...another item on the to do list. Cheers!
OK Gord great video. And I wholeheartedly agree with what you are saying. There is no doubt that you need a backhoe! I'm sure Mrs GP will have many adventures out on the trails that you have created and once you get that hoe you can continue. I'm sure others will agree. And of course, I am glad to offer you a place to practice if you run out of trail space. HA HA HA!
Best regards.
LOL! Good evening Dan! You bet - Mrs. GP and the gals are pretty happy now, even though I still have some final touches to finish. Whew- just keeping my head above water...:)))
Cheers! I love watching you share your challenges and experience.
Thanks Troy! I am happy if it has been helpful. Cheers!
GP again you had too much. You have upset a lot of wives. Be safe my man.