Thinking about the future....

[SawyerTed]

I posted in another thread on the little Chinese mini-ex my son bought.  It has a gas powered Briggs & Stratton 23 hp.  

It's not a smooth machine, not exceptionally strong but beats a shovel.  It's slow walking it from place to place.   

For trenching, footings and ditches it's okay.   It's not an ideal machine for excavating anything much bigger.  It will lift 700 pounds or so.   

For my money a small tractor backhoe loader would be more useful.   

[KenMac]

I'm not sure where they draw the line between mini and midi, but I do know that my Takeuchi TB260 is a very capable and strong machine. Many guys make a living with smaller ones.

[jpassardi]

To be fair, your 12K # Takeuchi is in a different class than the small gas powered minis.

[KenMac]

Yes sir it is. Actually 14k, but most people still call it a mini. That was the point I was trying to make. The babies are more like micro or something in my mind.

[DDW_OR]

My 2 cents

my equipment, past and present.

Mahindra 5520 4x4 with FEL
Bucket and pallet forks
3-point attachments
3 way 9 ft grader blade, trails road and ditch clearing
Farmi 501, 11,000 pound PTO winch
wood splitter

Mahindra 22 Max
Bucket and pallet forks
3-point attachments
Rototiller
yard rake

Bobcat 331, 8,000 pound excavator
Hydraulic Thumb
12, 18, 48 buckets
Frost ripper tooth - tree stumps
Auger with 2 bits
Flail mower, wish i had YellowHammers instead
Turbosaw head - do not get

Bobcat E80, 18,000 pound excavator
Hydraulic Thumb
18, 36, 48 buckets
Frost ripper tooth - tree stumps
Rotating Grapple
Arbro 400 stroke harvester Head, used for 3 hours, liked it

Timberking 2000 direct action Hydraulics

Multitek 1610EZ Firewood Processor, LOVE IT

[DDW_OR]

now my suggestion

get an Excavator larger than you think you need but small enough for you to tow behind your truck.
Hydraulic thumb is a MUST

Rotating Grapple is a MUST

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=124930.msg2041659#msg2041659