What Every Foreman Should Know Before Hiring an Excavator Company

Excavators are most commonly used for earthmoving and digging projects. When used at their full capacity, they can greatly increase the efficiency of a project by speeding up the process.  

If you’re starting a demolition, dredging, or mining project, chances are that you’ll need an excavator to get the job done.

While on the quest for these machines, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Different sizes and attachments can accomplish different things

Excavators are made up of a stick, bucket, and boom that connect to a cab and sit atop a 360° rotating house. Underneath the house will either be wheels or tracks.

Wheels are most commonly used in urban areas that require road and pavement travel, and tracks are used for pretty much every other project. 

Ultimately, whether you need an excavator with wheels or tracks will depend on the requirements of your project as well as your geographic location. This, along with the size and attachments you’ll need, will be important to decipher before starting your search for an excavation contractor.

Excavators can weigh up to 180,000 pounds and come with a variety of attachments (e.g., rakes, drills, augers, or rippers) to take on specific jobs. The right size is important–never try to make the same piece fit for different jobs. If you’re not sure which excavator will be best for your project, ask a professional excavator company.

There is more than one type of excavator

There are two overarching categories of excavators: hydraulic and cable. The difference between the two stems from the parts and how they move.

Cable excavators are essentially the grandfathers of hydraulic excavators. They are only used in the mining industry these days, because they’re rather outdated and rely on a series of cables and steel wires to move the main parts.

Hydraulic excavators use levers to control the movement of hydraulic fluid, shifting the cylinders that operate the excavator’s bucket and boom. These excavators are most commonly used in conjunction with loaders and bulldozers to transport minerals.

Amphibious excavators are a special type of hydraulic excavator that are tailor-made for wetlands and swampy areas.

At Stan’s Airboat & Marsh Excavator Service, our amphibious hydraulic excavators are the perfect fit for any wetland project. Their buoyancy and lightweight features allow for safe and careful work in our delicate Louisiana ecosystems. We also offer tillers, bush hogs, grinders, saw blade attachments, and more to help you get the job done more efficiently. Contact us today to request a quote!