picture of new 008 excavator

digggs · Jan 12, 2006

Attatched is a picture of the Kubota 008 excavator I bought recently.

Digggs

SkyPup · Jan 12, 2006

Boy that thing is wicked, how do you like it so far?

jim_wilson · Jan 12, 2006

Those little 008 excavators are really cool. How do you like it so far? If you don't mind me asking - how much did it cost? After having my BX23 for a while I have realized that I would probably get more work done if I had a separate excavator and tractor instead of the BX23 TLB combo. The excavator is nice because you can get into areas it is really hard to position the tractor backhoe in.

Botabill · Jan 15, 2006

I bought a BX 1800 then after 3 years of having great fun and productive work with the little beast I realized I could get a whole lot more done around the farm with a back hoe. The FEL couldn't dig the way I wanted to dig. If I'd bought a BX with a back hoe, right up front, it would have cost and extra $7000. Now I would have to trade in because the 1800 can't easily be set up with a back hoe. I tried a BX23 backhoe and really had trouble digging in the hard packed lot beside the dealers so looked at a larger tracter (B7800). Well the 7800 was going to cost me $30,000 with FEL BH & MMM. I looked at the KX41 excavator and it was the same price. Since I already had a good tractor with the MMM & FEL it made sense to get the excavator, which I did. The KX41 digs like a hot knife going through butter. My 13 year old son dug an 7 foot hole about 12 feet across in about an hour after first getting on it. Since getting the excavator I've talked to backhoe and excavator owners & found out that for serioius digging nothing touches an excavator. Backhoe equiped tractors are convenient but lack the breakout force, stability and manouverability of an excavator. If I'd bought a tractor with hoe 3 years ago I'd still be happy but given my circumstances, having two machines now makes sense. I just got lucky you could say LOL! A genltleman I know who excavates for a living with a Kubota tractor backhoe has hired me to dig 150 feet around the foundation of a home he is water proofing. He's going to make money on me because he quoted doing it with his backhoe which would have taken much longer not to mention making more mess than doing it with the excavator.

sflranchok · Jan 15, 2006

That is really encouraging about the KX41. I have been debating what's the right thing to do, from a mini-excavator standpoint. I have about 4,000 feet of 3 1/2 feet deep water line work, plus all the other useful things that can be done on a 225 acre ranch. I thot about going with the 41, but uncertain if it could handle the large rocks on our place. So I ordered the KX71, hoping that it can handle the work. From your note, it looks like the KX41 might have been able to do the work. Did you consider the 71?

I get mine in about 10 days and then I will really know, but now I kinda feel like a kid waiting for Christmas, just itching to get it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

jim_wilson · Jan 15, 2006

Every now and then I search thru Ebay to see what is available for excavators. I recently saw an almost new KX41-3 go for about $18,000 which seemed like a good price to me. If I had known when I went to buy the BX23 what I know now I might have tried to get a K008 and BX2230 instead. That would have made a good combo for me. After 1.5 years and about 400 hours with the BX23 I am getting close to being done with all the major excavation that I need to do so buying an excavator now would not make sense. If I was to get another property however that needed this kind of work I would definitely think about it. I think those K008's are cool because they are so small - their capabilities are not much more than the hoe on the BX23 however if you go strictly by the specs.

Botabill · Jan 15, 2006

you're going to love that KX71. I would have bought the 71 if it would have fit in my garage. There are advantages to the 41 in terms of getting into tight spots but the 71 is twice the power with out doubling the price by a long shot. The 008 would be a great machine also depending on your use. Bill

sflranchok · Jan 15, 2006

Thanks for the encouragement! On the acreage, tight spaces are not an issue. I am so ready to get to work.

Toolguy · Jan 15, 2006

I've rented mini-excavators for the weekend 3 times in the 15 years I have lived on my 3.5 acre property. The first two were Bobcats and the last one just this fall was a Kubota BX123. IMHO there is nothing better for clearing stumps and brush. With the dozer blade on the mini-excavators, what you can't push out you just back up a little and dig it out. The attached picture is of the most recent rental. I had some 12 to 18 inch red pine stumps to dig out and a broken drain tile to dig up. Nothing better for those jobs as far as I'm concerned.

JimMorrissey · Jan 17, 2006

I find my L39 is a nice compromise. No doubt the excavators are fantastic machines, but if I can only have one, my TLB does an amazing job. I can dig pretty much any stump and move and transport the remains with ease. It's more of a utility machine. I like the fact that I can snowblow with it and brush hog. It's very useful/mobile/comfortable and covers most of my bases in one machine.