What did you do with your Chinese baby digger today?

[2manyrocks]

IMO, it's nutty that the Chinese don't include filtration systems from the factory.

I stuck one of these magnetic cup holders on my tractor. Amazon.com

 

[drawthree]

I went and looked at his new vids.

$425 is a lot of cheddar for the return filtration system and the hyd oil cooler and fan. I guess folks will pay a bunch not to have to figure out what adapters to buy and what length of hose is needed.

One of those 2 minis deleted the ballast, but I suspect the house is a little longer to compensate. I do like the cupholder. I can't find one like that to buy and put in my old mini.

I just added filtration to the return line on my Typhon and the parts cost was about $50 total. I haven't looked into a hydraulic oil cooler yet - I figure I'll wait until it warms up next summer to see if I actually need one or not.

 

[MattB4]

I just added filtration to the return line on my Typhon and the parts cost was about $50 total. ...

Could you list the parts you used and where you got them from? A picture of it installed would be nice also.

 

[drawthree]

Could you list the parts you used and where you got them from? A picture of it installed would be nice also.

I posted a new thread about it already:

Adding Hydraulic Filter on Typhon

I got a chance today to get a hydraulic filter and temperature sensor plumbed into the return line on my Typhon mini-x today. I thought I'd share a couple pictures and part numbers of what I used in case anyone else has a similar machine and needs to add a filter. I needed two fittings to go...

www.tractorbynet.com

I dont think I included where I bought the parts from though -- I'll add that there.

 

[CaverDave]

Gentlemen & Ladies(?)... have been following this (and other related threads) for some time now. After considering other options (most at 5-10X the cost), we're strongly considering a micro-Chineseum-X for a couple of real world needs on our 88 acres in south central VA:

• Maintenance of approx. 3/4 mile of ditches/right of ways/cross drains along gravel road (<yearly)
• Maintenance of "several miles" of old logging roads/trails about the property... brush clearing, light grading.. mainly keeping them open for SxS access like @oldrustysteel
• The main use would be "expanding" our garden space near the barn... not expanding the garden per see, but opening up around the perimeter for longer/more sunlight AND gaining about 3/4 acre space for various implements, trucks/trailers, & compost storage, which involves...
  • Cutting hundreds of trees, anything under 4" goes straight into the WoodMaxx chipper (behind ancient tractor) and everything larger (5"-15"), rather than me bucking them to firewood lengths, loading in truck, hauling 100', & stacking out of that area = touching it 4-5 times... I envision cutting to longer lengths, carrying with mini-X to stack area 100' away, THEN bucking to firewood lengths, and stacking (touching it ONCE)
  • Digging up the resulting stumps... I'm under no delusions this would be "quick". The big question is WILL it dig the stump perimeters well enough to remove the stumps (aided by ancient tractor/4x4 dually pulling)?
  • Final "grading" after the above, just smoothing everything out after the fact

My gut says they will do all of this, albeit much more slowly (compared to larger equipment). We're nearing "retirement age" and see this as a way to get a little more done without sacrificing our bodies (like when our 20's).

Also, saw a micro-x on YT vid... it appears to be more like the H12/QH12 style, vs. the whole butt-end tilting forward like the L12, BUT has side mounted joysticks and combo foot/hand drive controls. Seems this would be WAY more comfortable, sitting fully back in the seat, than hunching forward to center pedestal mounted controls?

 

[2manyrocks]

I don't own one and haven't used one. My thoughts are that the slow travel speed would make it time consuming to move hundreds of trees one tree trunk at a time 100' away. I've done that kind of work by digging up small trees with a Terramite followed by moving them with a grapple on my L2501, but I can grab several smaller tree trunks and my ground speed is faster than a miniX.

For that kind of larger volume work, I'd suggest you consider hiring a forestry mulcher to grind them up for you. They can grind up a huge amount of small trees very quickly leaving behind an area that you can mow and not having any holes left by digging up stumps.

So far as stump digging goes, might want to follow this poster who just built a root ripper for his minix. Chinese built 1-ton plus excavators.

Having one of these could nonetheless be useful for working particular spots and digging drainage lines. But stump digging is hard on a smaller machine.

I don't mean to talk out of both sides of my mouth here. I'm just trying to explain that one of these machines could be very handy for small projects, but you'd save time, money, and wear on your machine to hire a mulcher in many cases to deal with hundreds of small trees, IMO.

 

[dfkrug]

Also, saw a micro-x on YT vid...

Looks identical to the Diggit EM15, including no hour meter, and no ballast. It is the longer mini that has 41 track links (instead of 37), and the blade and rear are extended. House clears the blade.

Note how he got around the hour meter killer switch by installing an inductive hour meter.

 

[MattB4]

Gentlemen & Ladies(?)... have been following this (and other related threads) for some time now. After considering other options (most at 5-10X the cost), we're strongly considering a micro-Chineseum-X for a couple of real world needs on our 88 acres in south central VA:

• ...

For what you are considering I would go for a bit larger than the the 1-Ton. Yes it costs more but I think you would find a model like the Typhon 2.5 (2500kg) to be a better match to the jobs you mention.

 

[oldrustysteel]

Gentlemen & Ladies(?)... have been following this (and other related threads) for some time now. After considering other options (most at 5-10X the cost), we're strongly considering a micro-Chineseum-X for a couple of real world needs on our 88 acres in south central VA:

• Maintenance of approx. 3/4 mile of ditches/right of ways/cross drains along gravel road (<yearly)
• Maintenance of "several miles" of old logging roads/trails about the property... brush clearing, light grading.. mainly keeping them open for SxS access like @oldrustysteel
• The main use would be "expanding" our garden space near the barn... not expanding the garden per see, but opening up around the perimeter for longer/more sunlight AND gaining about 3/4 acre space for various implements, trucks/trailers, & compost storage, which involves...
  • Cutting hundreds of trees, anything under 4" goes straight into the WoodMaxx chipper (behind ancient tractor) and everything larger (5"-15"), rather than me bucking them to firewood lengths, loading in truck, hauling 100', & stacking out of that area = touching it 4-5 times... I envision cutting to longer lengths, carrying with mini-X to stack area 100' away, THEN bucking to firewood lengths, and stacking (touching it ONCE)
  • Digging up the resulting stumps... I'm under no delusions this would be "quick". The big question is WILL it dig the stump perimeters well enough to remove the stumps (aided by ancient tractor/4x4 dually pulling)?
  • Final "grading" after the above, just smoothing everything out after the fact

My gut says they will do all of this, albeit much more slowly (compared to larger equipment). We're nearing "retirement age" and see this as a way to get a little more done without sacrificing our bodies (like when our 20's).

Also, saw a micro-x on YT vid... it appears to be more like the H12/QH12 style, vs. the whole butt-end tilting forward like the L12, BUT has side mounted joysticks and combo foot/hand drive controls. Seems this would be WAY more comfortable, sitting fully back in the seat, than hunching forward to center pedestal mounted controls?

The 1-ton machines do more than what most people expect. If you have plenty of time and patience,
you will be able to do maybe 85% of what you want to accomplish. If you are handy, and get satisfaction from maintaining, repairing, improving things yourself, you may enjoy adding a baby digger to your toolbox. Following these threads with an open mind and gleaning the good tips and tricks found within, is one of the most important tools you can have when you own one of these machines. There may be times when you wish you had a bigger, nicer machine, but when you remember how little you paid for the little guy, it evens things out. For me and lots of other people, its probably the best tool I have. Especially as an older man. We have everything paid off, and don't want any payments. I would not spend $25,000 at my age and be happy about it.. There are several projects on our property that a $50,000 machine won't do. I think thats always the case, bigger is better till you write the check.

 

[oldrustysteel]

I happened to watch a new video by the Garage Connection guy today comparing his two units (H12 v FF12), and he now has a video about a hydraulic filter kit he is selling for $400 plus $25 shipping. I have no idea if the kit will fit the L12.

The L12 has the cooler and fan installed at factory. no filtration.