Welcome back to Tamara’s Automotive Blog. Many car buffs like me also have a love for heavy machinery and engineering in general. From tractors to trains and airplanes to elevators, there’s just something awesome about heavy machinery. Today, we’ll be exploring the lesser-known machinery needed for many drainage services. In case you didn’t know, drainage is a service popular in rainy parts of the world where homeowners get storm drain systems installed on their property to protect the foundation of their home against subterranean water erosion. It prevents pooling on lawns and protects against basement flooding.
I had the pleasure of speaking with a renowned Victoria drainage specialist, and he told me all about the machinery involved in digging trenches for drain pipes and excavating around a home’s foundation for basement waterproofing. I learned that the most popular machine for installing drain pipes is the 6 ton mini excavator. And apparently it’s fun to use and highly effective. I’ll cover the reasons why this piece of equipment is praised by drain experts. But first, the expert I spoke to provided this photo of the 6 ton mini excavator at work, so you can see what it looks like.
As you can see, the 6 ton mini excavator is not that large. It’s nimble enough to get into backyards through garden paths. It’s also thin enough to fit through many fence gates. Because of it’s small size, it’s also perfect for digging the trenches for drain pipes. Drainage trenches don’t need to be that wide, and that’s why the digging claw of this mini excavator is perfect for the job, as it’s about the same width as the desired width for the trench.
Mini excavators are also rather affordable for small local companies, and so they can invest in owning one instead of renting one whenever it’s needed for a job. You can get a brand new 6 ton mini excavator for a low as $4,000 to $5,000 CAD.
Some drainage companies still prefer to rent a mini excavator, because they’re not needed for every job. However, they are needed for most jobs, especially when it comes to installing a new drain system, so it’s beneficial to own one, as a drainage company might earn back their investment after the first few jobs completed with the machine.
Since the excavator rolls on tracks rather than wheels, it’s also great for climbing up dirt mounds and unleveled ground, so that it can still dig trenches even in the forest and on sloping terrain, and can roll over trenches like a tank. Try to think of it as the schooner of excavators, for schooners were boats nimble enough to navigate around ice sheets in the 1800s. That’s the mini excavator! – nimble enough to navigate around undeveloped land and developed land alike, whatever the obstacles may be.
Just because it’s called “mini” and can fit in a car garage doesn’t mean it’s weak, either. The 6 ton mini excavator is capable of lifting heavy boulders, fallen trees and it can even tow a small car. It’s small, but it’s still considered a piece of heavy machinery for a good reason.
Thanks for diving into this exploration with me. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like my article about the best trucks for tree service companies. Until next time, drive safe!
Tamara