Rented a mini excavator for a weekend —

[Ryan Calloway]

Just finished a two-day rental for a backyard project. Drainage trenches, stump removal, and rough grading.

Things I wish someone had told me:

Before you start:
— Walk the entire work area and mark any underground lines
— Check track tension before you dig — rental machines are often loose
— Adjust the seat and get comfortable before you try anything precise
— Practice the boom swing in an open area before working near structures

During operation:
— Curl the bucket before you swing — not after
— Short controlled movements beat big aggressive ones every time
— Watch your swing radius constantly — it’s wider than you think
— The thumb clip seems complicated for 10 minutes then becomes natural

Things that took me too long to figure out:
— You can use the dozer blade as a stabilizer when digging
— Feathering the controls gives you way more precision than full inputs
— Working downhill is much easier than fighting uphill on soft ground

What I’d do differently:
— Rent the thumb clip attachment even if you think you don’t need it
— Start with the smallest job first to get comfortable
— Budget 30% more time than you think for the first day

Would I buy instead of rent next time? Honestly yes — after this weekend I understand why owner-operators don’t look back.

[Author]

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