Chinese Mini Excavator Part 1

Merchandise: digitsupplyco.com/
TikTok: dig_it_starnes_

[@stevenwescott1422]

I have a 2019 Deere 60G. If you had hit the Deere like that the sledgehammer would have come out the other side.

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

im a huge fan of the 60G and I buy all my compact equipment through Deere... but you're absolutely correct. that goes for any brand

[@phillmccracken4219]

That said, I would put a 5k hour Deere up against any china made machine new.

[@James-jh7xf]

It's all sand and it's struggling

[@James-jh7xf]

He can't even come close to a full bucket. Why? Not enough power. It's a piece of sh....t

[@James-jh7xf]

A John Deere would help

[@mightywhitey946]

"Today, we're going to be testing a Chinese mini excavator. Let me get my sledgehammer..." This is my kind of channel for sure! That hydraulic tank looks like an am/fm radio from a 1981 Yugo.

[@tomlee3250]

I laughed about the teeth. I bought a brand new DR stump grinder and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't cut the stump until my neighbor came over. When he started the machine I could see the teeth were installed backward. LOL

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Honestly, way-better built than I expected. Incredible they can build that for $3500.

[@2006beriberi]

Of course they can ; they paid workers a bowl of rice and a Pepsi, if they don’t make two a day they sell their kidneys.

[@2006beriberi]

@@beifanghuangye1984 haha 😂 you have only one kidney because you mom sold the other one so your brother can escape communist China 🇨🇳 ;what’s your position in the CCP ? You have to be one them

[@user-xe1gd7yt8z]

@@2006beriberi 从你的答复可以看出，你是一个没有护照，从来没有走出村庄，买不起机票的穷人，可怜呀。😓😓😓😓

[@yiquny]

@@2006beriberi not funny. Your hatred will burn yourself.

[@allowedme]

2006beriberi Instead of admitting that you have been overcharging and ripped off by the like of apple phone and Nike shoes, you decided to hated on whatever Chinese due to your build in bias and hatred.

[@RADIOACTIVEMASCULINITY]

“Choke it again she’s got daddy issues”….. I knew I liked you from the start of the video 😂

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

yessir!

[@AlBeebe]

you did this uncut, fully zoomed out, kept the flow of the video going.... flawless execution on this video.

[@Bread996]

What are you talking about, there’s a half dozen cuts.

[@AlBeebe]

@@Bread996 brush those under the rug

[@1212ImAnubis]

I have 1 excavator of this type, just arrived 1 week ago. Shipped from China, Alibaba. I bought it for a project in the middle of a densely populated city. Prices never lie bro. But yes, I saved a lot of my money to pay workers about 75% and I got 3x more profit than before owning this mini excavator. Edit, this kind of excavator cost me USD. 10.000 😅

[@dougmiller7643]

I bought one similar, but by a different company. Got the Kubota instead, ordered several attachments, paid rite under 9k for it. Considering the cost and machine received, money well spent. First job, #600 pound swing post dig out, cost is already coming down. Handled the concrete lump very well. Give credit where credit is due.

[@trinifirst6702]

Kubota sounds Japanese not Chinese. May I ask where exactly your bought it?

[@robertlipperd7352]

Kubota engine from Japan @@trinifirst6702

[@squidmysterm]

Its almost at a price where buying one and upgrading what you need is way cheaper than buying a new one from here.

[@Johnnyreengo]

Almost

[@martintaylor984]

Yep for sure go price used Deere or cat or kubota minis

[@martintaylor984]

Buy one of these find a little Kubota 3cylinder diesel out of a light plant or something and a few more thing this would be pretty good I think

[@godfatherstabba]

I have a similar Chinese excavator. I welded a mini thumb on it, welded a rear basket for a boulder. Without the boulder it tilted forward when digging and grabbed a root. The boulder took care of that. I use it for everything. Dug 800' of trench 36" deep in pretty rocky soil. I struggled with a few small boulders as the bucket was too small to cradle it out of the trench. Still running like a champ 2 years later.

[@thepitpatrol]

I think they sure have their place.

[@irakozak1]

I found dropping the blade helps the forward tipping when digging

[@tracy419]

Just curious how it's going another year down the road? These things sure look fun.

[@seldoon_nemar]

They sell conversion kits to put the old style neck and breather on those cans. it's like $20 for a 3pk and it even comes with the drill bit for the breather and extra gaskets lmao

[@Zachry86]

I really like the fact that you could replace the whole engine so easily. That its not super integrated into the machine. Like you say you could probably keep it running with generic off the self parts. For me on my tiny homestead this would be awsome. But I would love a closed cabin both for personal comfort but also for protecting the machine. I live in cold wet Norway. But none of these tiny units come with it so its not really a fault.

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

I've operated small to mid-size front-end loaders for various private parties in my part of the state. And let me tell you, even in the hot sun I was having fun!

[@dereksmith1803]

For $8k, I'm actually quite impressed. If you upgraded the valves on it so you had more finesse, and added a thumb, I think that would be a great homeowner machine. Don't think your going to build an excavator company off of it, but maybe a small septic business or perfect for a weekend warrior.

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

I could comb somebody's hair with a 100,000 pound unit. so it is very jerky. limiting throttle helps but I wanted to show full throttle running. like you said, for a little personal machine you could modify on a budget and still have a great machine for the price

[@trinifirst6702]

What mods do you suggest? When you say upgrade valves, - which valves?

[@boatrvme8478]

@@trinifirst6702 the bucket an boom functions. Valves are on valve bank.

[@dereksmith1803]

@@trinifirst6702 If you're asking what brand or model valve, I have no idea what to tell you. If it were my machine, I would do two things. I would price valves from a better quality machine (Kubota, Deere, Volvo etc) and I would find a company in my area that handles hydraulics (Force America here in KC) and I would take the valves from that machine off and take to them to see if they had a better set that would be smoother and less jerky. Then I'd go with whatever of those 2 options was cheaper.

[@user-xe1gd7yt8z]

在中国这个机器是娱乐和训练用的。最大的用途是清除地板的瓷砖。

[@BigFarles]

Very cool. Can’t wait to see all the mini attachments you can add.

[@benjaminbrown1179]

I'd buy it and run it for shallow French drains and gutters for damn sure!.... even digging footings in backyards or tighter spaces. Great video!

[@chadintoshV2]

Dude im so happy this video is performing so well. This is a super fun series and it was a joy to watch the whole process unfold. Keep up the great work and get yourself some good audio recording equipment.

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

I appreciate it man!

[@djdew78]

for under 10k well worth it if you only do small jobs this is perfect beats useing a shovel all day

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Small landscapers would love the thing. Heck, buy two and when something breaks, you've already got parts.

[@kdegraa]

My dad was a house builder. A little excavator like this would have been great to dig footings for foundations. He and I used to dig them with picks & shovels. Hard work. I’d consider getting a machine like this for my farm, especially if the hydraulic flow can power an auger. Though I’d want a diesel powered machine along with a roll bar ROPS.

[@darploin5071]

When he says it's a third cheaper it probably is a little more cheaper have you seen the price of a Caterpillar excavator I'm talking about the smallest one that you can get through a standard household doorway they want $25,000 for that he probably paid seven for that one

[@aggeloszaxos5346]

eise trompas 💵💵💵

[@thesmallenginekid]

I would go for a used slightly larger machine. In my opinion the smallest excavator you should get is a 7000lb. Like a cat 303. Small enough to haul without CDL in CT. But big enough to actually do work.

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

I would have loved to. but not knowing what to expect I went cheap and small

[@darploin5071]

Lawn mower starting cord is not too expensive I would just extend the length of the cord and put an eye bolt somewhere on that metal frame on top and have this handle just rest on that so you don't bust your knuckles on the frame when you're trying to manually start it

[@kdegraa]

Unless the engine can reliably start on battery I’d not consider pull starting it.

[@chrisc1859]

I own a Newman Pro 10 and use it for my business to dig trenches to install utilities I have about 200 hours on my machine it operates like a chap

[@justinmoate3143]

As an operator I find a weird sense of jealousy every time the hammer lands 😂 🤷‍♂️ how many times have we wanted to take a BFH to the problem?!

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

there has been days I hit the frame of my D6 with a hammer just because it relieves stress and doesn't even scratch it lol

[@hamptonequipment5853]

NO PLASTIC- NO DRAMA!!!!

[@bobvincent4841]

Awesome. They definitely was tryna dig from China. Lol

[@krispy1k]

Buddy I just found this channel and subbed. I am a homeowner and have a kubota tractor with backhoe and 3 pt attachments and I (literally) just came inside from doing some ditch maintenance. I haven't even watched the vid yet but will definitely be checking out the clothing. Now on to watch the rest of the vid. Lol

[@austinpotter150]

Man!! I can’t wait for more content on this thing I may be interested in buying one of these things

[@martinedelius]

I have a NM-E08 that's been in light use for roughly two years and the biggest problem is the wear. The steel plate they used (in my machine at least) is really low quality and everything has a huge amount of play after only about 50 hours of use. I've been meaning to post a review of it but haven't got my thumb out yet. Hopefully your machine is better built and lasts for a while, these small machines are extremely handy for certain jobs, and I still use mine, although it's become much more frustrating due to the state of the machine.

[@helenshen4050]

Hello Martin, I am Helen from Shandong Nuoman. Thanks for choosing our mini excavator . The model you bought is our old design . Two years passed , we have upgraded all the details . Now for the mini excavator , we use 10mm thickness steel plate. And the quality of the mini excavator is much better than before . You could contact with me to know more about the new design.

[@rogerdominguez15]

Nice little unit.. definitely would be great for DIYer ..or farmstead

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

I have a Nuoman 1 tonne (NM-E10Pro). Had it about 4 months and it is going great. Good tip on the teeth, mine are exactly the same but I am not a digger guy so would never have known. Who did you deal with at Nuoman - I just bought a remote lawnmower from them too. So far everything is working fine.

[@onetimer648]

I’m looking at buying a excavator. What fees am I looking at for port fees and all that? I have a price from china to here but after that I’m in the dark

[@HomesteadingUncontained]

@@onetimer648 I paid around $1000 for all the port fees. Remember you will pay tax, mine was 20% so another €1000. Then I collected it myself which cost around €170 in diesel and tolls. So add on a couple of grand extra to the purchase price.

[@Knightmare919]

Better than a damn shovel.

[@dionpeek4339]

Thanks for investing in this machine and giving a demonstration I’ve been needing a small machine and this information is helpful I will continue to observe before I invest this program has been pretty cool

[@coolhand_steve3706]

Great, so now if this thing pans out, then sales are going to skyrocket and drive up the price lol..... looking foward to part 2 my man

[@jp34604]

Definitely beats a shovel!!!

[@darploin5071]

And the thing about that if the engine blows up it's basically a 420 CC and you can pick one up at harbor freight and it should bolt right in there just make sure the pulley that runs the hydraulics that is not on a tapered shaft but it should be a one inch shaft with a keyway in it

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

yep you could swap it in about an hour

[@cecilturtle5769]

I have the same machine two years now, for initial start , put the throttle lever all the way forward when you choke. Choke lever on right middle side of engine. It will then start right away . Return the choke lever back to normal once started. The machine will then start without the choke for the rest of the day use. The Brigg & Stratton choke lever on this model could have been better designed to control from above near the throttle lever top panel. Other then that , It is a very good reliable machine.

[@ATF.California]

I bought one for my 11 year old son makes amazing dirt roads to drive his go kart on them lol

[@timfagan816]

I'm guessing that space under the side "where you could put the batter, or a took box, if your a homesteader" clearly looks like where the hydraulic ram would sit, to offset the boom. Side to side. Also if you did put your grease gun there, and it got warm that would be ideal for greasing on cold days!

[@GICK117]

Thanks for this video. I have seen these on various tractor sales sites. I was thinking no way in hell they would work. But thanks to you, I just might need to buy one. OR, just get a back hoe attachment for out utility tractor. I subscribed to see the outcome.

[@quazorgemash]

A buddy had the backhoe attachment, it's cumbersome. You gotta have room for not just the attachment but now the tractor. And the tractor isn't nimble like an excavator

[@CaptainKleeman]

That side panel is thicker than the hoods on the CAT304 1000%

[@phillmccracken4219]

Side panel doesn't handle any stress. There are other reviews on similar machines that say they get loose after about 50 hours because of low quality steel.

[@Gregdary64]

Love your Channel. Great info for a potential weekend warrior with property in NC that needs some work. Thanks for the video!

[@TinyHouseHomestead]

HARBOR FRIEGHT makes replacement engines for it! 😁🤪👍✌️🤣

[@williamdavis922]

I think that bucket is a little too wide for that little machine, a 12 inch bucker would make it dig much more efficiently, thanks for the video, the teeth was funny!!

[@dirtgrainsteel]

I was looking at a 17G Deere but no more than I would use it they are pretty damn expensive! Lol

[@pompeyroad]

Some guys do a clean cut out on the back for a section/door bolt it back on with a little hinge to check the oil. You can add fans and even a hydraulic oil cooler to make it more durable. Put zerk fittings in it and for the turntable fitting run some extension hose out to a fitting you can get to easy... Red High Compression Grease before you operate each and every time, check that engine oil and Hydraulic Oil every time you operate just as you would a High Dollar machine..

[@pompeyroad]

I also would use the regular gas if you can get it, non ethanol. Don't store it long term with the corn juice gas. Put some stable in it at the end of the season for long time storage. A plug extension for a float charger in cold area's.

[@kenbiggs7976]

They work well in cold weather. Once it gets over 85 degrees it won't even scratch the ground if there's roots over an inch thick. Good machine for a homeowner with very light use, a garden machine for moving clean dirt easily. It does not stand up to the daily use of a drainage company. It's a good Harbor Freight machine.

[@DutchVanDerLindo]

Salty fat american

[@andyeverett1957]

Your ground looks really hard. If you had a digging bucket that was half as wide would that make it twice as strong in terms of digging hard packed dirt? I guess you can't safely raise the hydraulic pressure some to get more force? Be interesting to know what the hydraulic pressure relief is set at. Thanks for sharing.

[@jonniessink1]

A smaller bucket would help since you can put more pressure in a smaller area. But as in the video the ground is hard and turning around the bucket teeth would help alot, then It .might not even need a smaller bucket. As for the hydraulic pressure. In the video it has plenty of power, the machine needs more weight to stay planted so it can actually use its power.

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

it has more than enough pressure. that ground is hard as a rock when its dry. you'd be hard pressed to hit a nail in with a hammer in 2 swings when its dry like this

[@nitramfox2511]

If the tracks were 1 or 2 foot longer it wouldn’t bounce so much. Great video I’m impressed 👍

[@Will-tm5bj]

That cost less than buying a backhoe on a tractor

[@kurtw356]

I take a sledge hammer to every new thing I buy. Great review LOL

[@maddog45auto66]

Looks like an ideal little machine for a homeowner

[@dirtgrainsteel]

You could throw a Harbor Freight Predator motor in it or a little Chinese diesel in it

[@Altair885]

Great little machines despite what some folks like to say. Had these around for years and they keep working just like any other digger would. Sure it ain't a CAT but then it's not built for that market, if you expect to get all the same features and service for a fraction of the price then you're a fool! Also worth a mention, the parts for these machines are dirt cheap, and most things are standardized which helps a lot.

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

I bet you could rebuild or replace every major component for about 3k off amazon if it happens to totally shit out if you use it that much

[@budatx09]

I am so glad I’ve discovered your channel. You have another subscriber out of me. Thank you for your videos. I don’t suppose you can do an in dept review of a skid steer if the same manufacturer as this? Or another one from China? Thank you in advance for your effort and time.

[@darploin5071]

Also a Honda GX should fit too and anywhere the 420cc to the 460 CC range

[@janramonmartin]

i think the gx twin would be too big, i think 240cc is the biggest gx that would fit

[@henrymichaelwilson8107]

Hello there. I used to generate my own electric. I had Honda 1.1kva generaters. Constant running they last 3 years. Chinese copy 3 1/2 years.

[@user-ew2gg3so9z]

They are nice machines for about half the cost. I purchased one about a month ago from Denny. I had mine shipped down to TX. It works perfect the work I do.

[@ronsbeerreviewstools4361]

Good test video. I would add some steel weight to the front of it, as you dig , it lifted you and front end up, cheers !

[@JP-cb8bz]

"it ain't got no gas in it" lol

[@orion3267]

That is so cool. I need one of those.

[@darploin5071]

So they basically dropped in a predator 420 cc engine for the excavator I thought it would come with the 10 horsepower diesel

[@offgridliving4128]

Better then a shovel but I’m sure glad I imported a IHI 25gx from Japan.

[@interstellarv0id]

It's all fun and games to kick it with hammer until this little excavator fights you back

[@as48507]

2:46 speechless! lol.. good stuff.. first time viewer, subbed with the bell.. look forward to more..

[@anthonynapier4668]

It done pretty good a lite machine in hard dirt with teeth upside down,, good video man 👍 👍

[@phatboizbackyardkustomz9006]

I think it would be better with a Chineium Honda clone engine way quieter than a Briggs, she's still better than a shovel.

[@Dj.337]

Now all u need is a mini dump truck to go with the dozer and excavator 😂

[@PaytonDoesGamingOfficial]

Man love what you had in mind for the shirts please reread the words 😂😂

[@madman671000]

I have a Tecumseh motor on one of my lawnmowers that has 900+ hours on it, doesnt use oil or anything, that motor should last a long time

[@phillmccracken4219]

Eh, US madde over China, my money is on your Tecumseh.

[@wayneblanchard4347]

Hahahaa...yeah that makes sense. It's where they live! I enjoy your humor.

[@4acrehome168]

I bought two of these, waiting for them now.

[@trinifirst6702]

I'm about to buy the 1.5 ton NUOMAN...hope we're making a good decision ;-)

[@paule4696]

For about the same cost as a backhoe for my compact tractor this seems like a much better way to go.

[@phillmccracken4219]

The backhoe would be less maintenance. I had one on a NH tc26 was a digging machine in clay. This mini excavator is too light.

[@moorefab8192]

Man I want one along with a backhoe, dozer and dump truck the same size. Then if I won that 24k gooseneck I could put all 4 of them on there at the same time and tell everyone I have heavy equipment haha that’s a joke. Honestly though, if you had a construction business that just did a lot of lightweight jobs, that would be pretty handy.

[@craigjohnston556]

Need to put a drywall screw on the end of that top handle lol basically turns it into a shotgun beer haha

[@207taylor6]

Ahh, would make it about 2 inches down into the soil here in Maine

[@sullivanseeley8550]

Lettttts go can’t wait for these vids

[@NamesGolden]

Ez-pour spouts are great. They come with a air return also. Order a dozen.

[@chrishampton5915]

That's hilarious!! But anyway great review 👍 and thanks for the info. We have been trying to get an excavator for about a year and the cheapest one we have found was 10K used but it was a lot bigger and that's not what I need so thanks

[@christopherhampson265]

Good for taking the icing off cakes !!!!

[@darploin5071]

If it has a dipstick it's going to be on the oil fill cap

[@alanrobinson4318]

The real issue is reliability over the long haul. Do the local brands hold up as well, or better that the cheap one ? Also regular maintenance for all machines. Do the hinge points and hoses deteriorate faster or slower than the higher priced models ? Do repair costs, and their frequency, negate the original savings ??? Only time, and usage, will tell.

[@UCs6ktlulE5BEeb3vBBOu6DQ]

I bought a 3 in 1 tig welder from china. Its working like a charm. plasma cutting with this is pure joy. But I know one day it will need maintenance and that day gonna be the end of it because where will I find parts and someone to diagnose what circuit failed!? We pay more for american brands so we can have them fixed. Or so I believe..

[@tracy419]

It's been a year, have you had reason to be disappointed yet?

[@UCs6ktlulE5BEeb3vBBOu6DQ]

@@tracy419 Nope its still fully working.

[@tracy419]

@@UCs6ktlulE5BEeb3vBBOu6DQ very cool, I hope you get many more years out of it 👍

[@darploin5071]

If I'm not mistaken most likely because of the size of engine you're going to have a go-kart battery on it so it'll be rather small but it'll still be enough to turn over the engine

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

it has the same battery as the diesel model. much larger than I expected

[@burnedatbirth]

Wish I had this machine great video!

[@jasonmoore3755]

How do you go about getting started purchasing one of these? I see them on ebay but not sure if I can trust the seller. Any advice for making a purchase without getting scammed?

[@Johnnyreengo]

That thing is so jumpy it’s like watching stop motion animation

[@andyb9994]

I don't get the sledge hammer test, do you take a sledge to a mew Cat when you bring it home....might be OK for the homeowner or someone who has a project or 2 to do at home but it is what it is....a Chinese excavator...

[@jeremycanterohioprospecting]

It's got a Briggs & Stratton engine that's a pretty badass little excavator now I'm thinking about buying one lol that thing would be perfect for my property

[@nathantrost7773]

Enjoyed watching your video and your a funny guy 😃. This Chinese thing reminded me of a scam they had going on facebook trying to sell one of these things for like $200 . My friend told me he knew I guy that fell for it and payed the $200 then later he got a small toy in the mail. Anyways at $3200 that's hella cheap, I'm a mechanic and it looks easy to work on, I'd do it

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

its very easy to work on. it ended up being about 8500 with all shipping and fees. still less than half the cost of any comparable model. I sold it to a friend that is a plumber, has over 150 hours on it now with zero issues!

[@bwspacity]

Unreal very impressed with the speed and power

[@shawnchong5196]

Honest guy tries to trash a "China digger", hits with a sledgehammer, realizes it's not that bad for the price point. Reminds me of the 90s videos of Americans screwing around with cars (ford, gm), then getting a Toyota and adding turbo, car does not break..... 6 months later toyota cars appreciate as they get older. Thank you for your videos! I always wanted to buy an excavator, and now it's becoming a reality! Love the look of genuine shock during the sledgehammer durability test, as it's quite apparent that you were trash talking the crap outta it before you received it. It would be like what my Canadian friends (growing up) would do - talk shit. I've lived in china for a year. These things can't be too crappy because local market also purchases these and the farmers don't want to buy a lemon. Also, the locals all know a fair bit of mechanics stuff as they need to keep their equipment working too.

[@donbrashsux]

I’d buy one for sure

[@ct218clashofclans5]

Hello, how is the machine doing after 1 months, what broke and what parts did you change?

[@ryangilley5135]

I do general construction an machine like this is perfect

[@jalurio]

Mantap bos. Saya dari indonesia. Kalo di kasih alat berat nya buat kenang-kenangan juga mau😁😄

[@henrymichaelwilson8107]

You want a 3tonner minimum. You can still transport it behind a pickup.

[@s4ss.m8]

This thing is actually kinda sick haha

[@crazyfvck]

That's a neat little machine. If they could be purchased for the original $3500, I would probably pick one up for my yard. But $8k total is too much in my opinion.

[@dig_it_starnes5222]

compared to 20K or more for a machine the same size from a name brand id say its a good deal

[@crazyfvck]

@@dig_it_starnes5222 Perhaps. But I think it would be cheaper to just hire a few guys to dig with shovels ;)

[@SaltyNationalist]

LMAO... DIGGING FROM CHINA... DIGGING TO CHINA...🤣🤣 That little thing would be perfect for clearing my property up, starting with the driveway.. Seeing as it hasn't had a load of gravel since God knows when.. Along with the overgrowth of bushes n trees.. That little thing would be absolutely perfect..

[@adamp8523]

I was actually looking at buying one of these. I bought a bobcat T190 recently and have been deciding between getting a slightly larger one of these or backhoe attachment. I would be interested in seeing how this would compare to skid steer back hoe attachment.

[@theoneonlymonkeymanohyea6769]

I would look into a John deer 35g it will be a better option in my opinion we just bought one it works like a dream.

[@TF856]

An excavator is better for most jobs, way better than a backhoe attachment on a skid steer!!!

[@bobcat8439]

I'd get the bobcat back hoe anything the Chinese make turn to scrap metal

[@tomforeman4976]

The purpose of the long teeth is if you dig so the teeth are offset on last dig pass and it ripps way less tight soil.

[@andrewdenine1685]

Oh you having way too much fun lol seems like it's worth the coin