machine change

I started with a TLB, 580SE, since I purchased a mini ex, the backhoe pretty much sits around looking bored.

You are talking a larger machine than I use, but for the most part the same concept......depending on what type work you do.

Try one out see how you like it, I'm sure the dealer will let you have one for a day or so.

Thanks for the reply, I would love to get by with something smaller but when it comes to digging basements the tlb wasn't really enough so I thought I better stay similay in size not less- does this make sense or will the full swing make that big of a difference?

I think you will wonder why you didnt do it sooner.... I have 3 excavators in different sizes (12K,35K,55K) and have never felt the need to go the TLB route.... Seems like an awful lot of them are sitting around collecting dust.

Others have told me the same. I'm convinced about the digging capabilities. The main points than concern me are not having the loader end of it and not having as much mobility. I have a Bobcat ctl but it takes a long time to load a large truck with that. My reason for not going larger yet is because I was thinking it would be wise to have the dozer blade on front- might save having to bring in the bobcat now & then..... agreed?

While its nice to have the dozer blade on the smaller hoe you will probably miss the loader when it comes to backfill time. I usually try to keep my mini hoe and CTL together for this reason. Much faster and able to do a better job with the CTL but it does require having a 2nd machine on hand.

Agreed. I usually have the ctl on the job when digging anyway just because I can do a nicer backfill & clean-up with it. When I will miss the loader most is when I want to load a truck in the pit.