Using my 52" rake and dozer blade with my mini excavator to build a trail access from above

This video is deceptive in that it looks like a rather simple and tedious process however, it is actually a very risky and high-focus endeavor.
When digging in a road or trail down form a higher elevation, you are having to compact the descending surface ahead of you as you build it.
This poses a very real risk of tipping your machine over if you aren't careful!
You will see that I am frequently using my boom and stick of the excavator as a counterbalance to help avoid just such a fate. While this kind of work is not for beginners, I like that an excavator allows you to do these kind of things. I will also point out that I always wear my seatbelt when operating an excavator and it isn't just for the obvious safety reasons. I find that cinching my seatbelt up tight keeps me in better contact with what my machine is doing (similar to when auto racing). By being one with how my machine is moving, it helps keep me out of a lot of trouble as I can feel the shifts in the weight of the machine better and it allows me to be smoother at the controls. I am always impressed by how much material I can move when using my rake and claw together in a project.

[@hillbillyfranks]

Good job enjoy the video to see another one Stay safe my friend

[@MiniXGoneWild]

Thanks, I appreciate it. The next phase of the project is mild in comparison, but essential for bringing in materials for another exciting piece of the project.

[@portnuefflyer]

I used my U 25 Kubota mini to put in 1/4 mile of bike trail on my mountain property thru the trees. I am a crane operator but had never run an excavator before, so was careful as some the slopesare steeper than shown here.

[@MiniXGoneWild]

Fun! I lived in the Green Mountain State of Vermont for 24 years building a number of walking/biking/x-country skiing trails. On a couple of occasions, we had to use anchor cables to help secure equipment working on steep terrain. Very nerve-racking as you end up placing a lot of trust in those anchors, cables, and the setters of that protective gear.

[@WaynesAdventure]

Awesome

[@MiniXGoneWild]

Thank you, we have three more sections of this project that I will be posting videos on: a simple regrade to cross over a water discharge; building a culvert crossing for a dry creek; and creating a trail entrance that hugs the embankment as it descends. We will bring in a lot of hard fill to build that portion (a rip rap base with mix of #1 & #2 stone followed by #57 stone).

[@SiboBushings]

Good video 😊

[@MiniXGoneWild]

Thank you, we have three more sections of this project that I will be posting videos on: a simple regrade to cross over a water discharge; building a culvert crossing for a dry creek; and creating a trail entrance that hugs the embankment as it descends. We will bring in a lot of hard fill to build that portion (a rip rap base with mix of #1 & #2 stone followed by #57 stone).

[@budowaslask]

Masz fajny osprzęt do tej maszyny 😊👍

[@MiniXGoneWild]

Dziękuję (Thank you - Google Translate English to Polish)

[@williamharriss6975]

What is the Make and Model of the Rake? I really like how you make it work.

[@MiniXGoneWild]

I had the rake made for me by a local fabrication shop called Gambier Welding and Fabrication (in Gambier, Ohio). For a lot of my attachments,(including the rake), I prefab my ideas out of wood and then tweak the design at the fabricator from their input.

[@MiniXGoneWild]

I designed it and had Gambier Welding and Fabrication build it.