Author Archives: Kevin

Graders and excavators are must for your construction project

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In a construction project, grading is meant to be the process in which a base is created for the construction. The machine or equipment that is used for this purpose is termed as a grader. There are different names for graders that are very commonly used for this purpose such as a road grader, a maintainer, a blade or it can also be a motor grader. The typical or traditional model of a grader has three axles, one engine and a cab that is positioned on the rear end of the axles. Other than the grader, the other very important machine or construction equipment that is most frequently used is the excavator. It is a heavy construction machine that has a stick, a boom and a cab with the controlling engine. The task of excavation by an excavating machine is however accomplished by steel ropes and winches. In case the excavators are hydraulic excavators, the functions are performed by the hydraulic fluid.

Use of graders:

The most common and wide spread usage of graders are on the roads. For maintaining the gravel roads as well as the dirt roads, the heavy construction equipment named graders are used. The function that is performed by these is to create a base or flat and wide surface area for the roads to place the asphalts on the base. Another important role that the graders can perform is the building of soil foundation for the large constructions or buildings. In countries where on the sides of the highways, a cross section or construction like a ‘V’ shape is made, it is done by the graders. The graders can also cut ditches very efficiently.  Other than these construction jobs, the graders can also remove trees, after construction or post demolition debris, or it can also remove rocks. In a single statement, if you want to comprise all the functions of a grader, then it must be said that a grader creates the surface or base of any construction or other heavy load works so that the later equipment can perform their duties.

Use of excavators:

The basic usage of an excavator is at the digging sites or trenching sites. The long stick, boom and cab that are the main parts of an excavator, very efficiently performs the task of trenching or excavating. Not only digging a trench, the excavators are used for the archaeological excavation sites also where digging and removing the unimportant large amount of debris can be performed only by an excavator. The excavators also perform their task in the process called the “earth moving”. These excavators can be of two types, either a tracked excavator or a wheeled excavator. Both type of excavator can perform with equal efficiency. However, the tracked excavators are more preferred than the wheeled ones as they have the better floatation or it can be simply said that the tracked excavators can move easily on any platform, whereas the wheeled ones have this limitation. Otherwise, they are very versatile.

Caterpillar 385 Excavator or John Deere 850 Excavator

Success in the construction industry depends on the type of control you have on your business. You may have the best men to work for you but it is more important to have a control on your men so that they deliver their best for you. The same attitude goes with your machines. You would want to have machines which have better control and meets all your requirements. You would definitely want to go for equipment which give you what your business wants and also keep a check on its operating expenses like maintenance. Well, in order to get such type of machines, there are very few heavy equipment manufacturing companies on whom you can rely on. Out of the few, the most trusted brand are Caterpillar and John Deere. The machines manufactured by these companies are considered to be the best in comparison to all others manufacturing companies and therefore are the most recommended brands in the history of heavy equipment.

We would be talking in length about the features of Caterpillar 385 excavator and John Deere 850 excavators and understand how beneficial they are to the construction companies.

Caterpillar 385 excavator:- Let us first start with the engine of this model. This machine in fitted with diesel engine with ACERT technology. It has a capacity of 18.1 litre 6 cylinder and possess a horsepower of 513. It is also installed with MEUI and overhead camshaft. The ACERT technology boosts up the power of the engine making it more efficient and augmenting its performance via advanced electronic control.

With the help of this new technology, it has successfully managed to reduce the consumption of fuel which saves a lot in a time when fuel prices are just not ready to fall down. The machine is also installed with a cooling system that helps in cooling off the equipment quickly. This becomes handy when the equipment is required to work in a temperature more than 40 degree Celsius. It has the electronic control system that plays a significant role in controlling the fan speed which is primarily based on 2 factors, coolant temperature and hydraulic oil temperature.

The engineers have also fitted a heavy lift mode in the equipment which allows it to augment its lifting capability while lifting heavy items. It is thus endowed with a lot of options which are extremely user friendly and have thus made its mark in the construction domain.

John Deere 850 excavators:-  John Deere is a brand that is known for its supreme quality and high worth deliverable. The engine of John Deere 850 excavator has a power of 532 hp, slightly more than Caterpillar 385 and its power is measured at 1800 rpm. It has more or less the same feature as available in Caterpillar 385 with very minute differences which makes it a bit unique. The fuel capacity of John Deere is 296 gallons and its engine oil capacity is 13.9 gallon.

If given an option on which one to select, it would depend on what kind of project one would be in and if one has multiple projects and need more than 1 excavator, it would be worth trying both at different locations. It can be said with certainty that the user will not find any major difference in the performances of both the machines.

Buy The Most Reliable Hydraulic Excavators From Kobelco Construction Equipment

Let’s start this with an assumption where we assume 2 companies selling dish cleaners. The company “A” manufactures and sells only dish cleaners but the company “B” apart from manufacturing and selling dish cleaners, they also have their hands into other household goods. This means that the company “B” is not able to give its 100% to the core product whereas the company “A” invests all its time and energy in researching what the customer wants and what innovative measures they can take to make the product more user friendly and thereby only manufactures dish cleaners. Using this example, from which company would you like to buy your dish cleaner? I suppose, it would be certainly company “A” that you would buy the stuff from.

Similarly, this is what we would do when it comes to buying heavy equipment and when it comes to buying hydraulic excavators, you may not want to rely on any brand other than Kobelco. Kobelco is one of the few companies which exclusively produce hydraulic excavators and hence their end product is finer and superior than the ones produced by other branded heavy equipment manufacturing companies that manufactures all kinds of construction equipment.

They are into production of full range hydraulic excavators that ranges between 3000 lb to 180,000 lb. They also produce excavators used for specific purposes like landscape or that works in a construction site, or the ones used in road building. Kobelco is widely known as a perfectionist in producing excavators which also helps them to sell their stuff with a premium. You may find their excavators to be slightly expensive than the equipment of other companies. They are installed with advanced mechanisms like system that can reduce noise and dust, advanced hydraulic circuitry that helps to reduce loss of pressure and also minimize the consumption of fuel making the equipment fuel efficient.

You can buy an excavator directly from Kobelco sales office either by visiting them in person or through a dealer. Precisely, buying it either way doesn’t make any difference as the buyer would get all the benefits like after sales service, warranty of the equipment and things that are related to the stuff after you done buying them. So if you’ve an authorized dealer closer to your place, then it makes more sense to place the order through the dealer rather than hunting for their shop.

If we talk about their after sales service, you may find it better than brands who claim to be the best in the industry. In case you see a problem in the equipment, you only need to register a complaint by calling them on their customer service number. They will register your complaint and within few hours, you’ll have an engineer at your place to fix it up.

Kobelco has its presence in many countries as it wants to spread it wings and reach out to as many customers as it can. It no longer is a domestic heavy equipment manufacturing company but has turned into a might player in the construction equipment segment.

SU Blades vs. 6-way blades on a Dozer

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Bulldozer or dozer is specifically a crawler or continuous tracked tractor which is essentially used for pushing a huge quantity of either soil, rubble or sand or any other heavy or bulky material from the construction site. The machine has multipurpose utility and can be used at various sites as for military bases, mines or in heavy industry or in farms or at quarries. The multifaceted dozer has rear ripper in the shape of claw that can rip through materials and thus makes it easy for carrying or shifting from one place to another.

What are SU Blades?

Basically, dozer blades on the front are of different types and according to their shape and purpose, they have been classified.

  1. S-Blade—This is the straight blade that is short without any lateral curve. These do not have any side wings and are essentially used for fine grading.
  2. U-Blade—This is the universal blade with curved and tall design. Unlike S-blade, it has large side wings which are used for carrying heavy or loads of materials.
  3. S-U Blade—As the name suggests it is an amalgamation of the two but is shorter and does not have as fine curve as U-Blade. Comparatively, the side wings are also shorter.

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What are the 6-way blades?

The 6-way blades are a bigger track dozer and are used for lifting and doing much bulkier work. Ways signify that blades can be moved in various directions like it can go left, right, upward, downward, tilt and curve. The ways define the movement of the blade. For intricate and finer work, one can choose to dozer with better efficiency. 6 ways basically defines the size of the dozer and the capacity. If someone has loads of work to do, then one can opt for bigger frame and much efficient machine. It is the cylinder and the horse power which actually measures the efficiency and weight of the machine.

SU Blades vs. 6-way blades on a Dozer

The 6 way blades can either have S type or U type or S-U type blades. The blades make dozer sharper and give it a better edge to crawl through the terrain and clear the way whereas 6 way blades increase the functioning capability of a dozer. The increased number of blades gives better mobility.

This is the main difference between the two. Various companies make dozer which is either light or heavy and depending on the work, one can make a smart choice. To know more about a dozer, it is best to make a comparative analysis of the different model that can give a vivid idea on the bulldozer and be cost efficient.

 

 

Some of the biggest problems running a Heavy Equipment Rental Business

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Heavy equipment are not so easy to get especially for people who are budding entrepreneurs and do not have much experience in the construction segment. Unlike the big players who can afford to buy variety of equipments as and when they are needed, small construction companies have to struggle to even get a used one on rent. For the ones who have a project in hand but no equipment, situations become a lot harsher to such individuals. Knowing the fact that how expensive heavy equipment can be and how hard it may hit their finances, it become almost impossible for them to buy a brand new one. They have the option to buy a used machine but what after the ongoing project gets over. In case, they run out of projects, the one they have bought will stay idle. Therefore, it makes more sense to take it on rent.

There are people who understand the needs of such upcoming construction companies and have started their own business where they act as a middleman and try to meet the requirement of both the giver as well as the taker. However, many see this business in deep trouble as they are not getting customers directly walking in their offices and opting for other modes to take care of their business requirements.

The web provides it all:-  With the advent of internet, there are many things that took a change in their way of working. Internet was undoubtedly helpful to many but at the same time, it also became the reason for some to lose their business. People who were in the business of providing heavy equipment on rent are finding it hard to get customers as the customer manages to directly get in touch with the giver and makes a headway. This is in turn giving a hard time to people involved in these businesses and many had to shut their offices.

Now, we also have a smart bunch of people who have used the internet to develop their business. They simply put in an Ad stating people who are in need of heavy equipment on rent can contact them. They design a flashy website which incites customers to call them up or visit them and they in turn meet up with their needs.

Big fish swallows small fish:-  We all know the rule of the jungle. The smartest and the fittest survive. Same is applicable in this business. There are some guys who are in this business for the last many years and have strong contacts with their clients (with both the giver and the taker). These guys ensure that they swallow the business of any new entrant in their arena. When they see a new chap making an entry, they begin giving gifts and freebies at their cost which motivates the customer to stay with them. This makes business impossible for the new entrant and he eventually has to shut his business.

Snowy Weather – What Precaution One Must Take To Safeguard Their Equipment

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If you think that it is just the dust that causes problems in heavy equipment, then you perhaps need to tune your thinking a bit. No doubt that dust plays a major role in deteriorating the quality of the machine but there are other forces in existence that also has a part to play in making the condition of your equipment go worse. Have you ever contemplated how difficult a snowy weather can turn out on heavy equipment? Well, it can be very fatal and may result to ultimate crack down of the machine. Winter is a big threat to heavy equipment and especially when it gets real chill, it becomes worse for them. Many construction companies are compelled to shut their work for those few months as they simply can’t get their machine working. The machine gets so cold that it takes long for it to start up and get going.

We witnessed that winters in this part of the globe has become chiller and the snow covers more than 1 to 2 feet of the road which means it becomes so hard for humans to walk on it. There it requires the help of heavy equipment to take the snow off the road. However, these equipment also have their limitations and can perform under a limited level of snow on the road. Though there some big machines which are used to clear snow that has covered 3 feet of the road. However, in order to do that, they also have to use more power to get the job done. More power means more pressure on the engine which reduces the life of the machine. Other than that, not doing regular servicing can further cause damage to the equipment.

Let us now talk about what needs to be done to safeguard the machine from a hostile snowy weather.

Try to keep the machine covered when not in use:-  You might not want to expose the machine to the outside weather when it is not in use. Try to keep it covered or in your garage or in a place which can accommodate all the heavy equipment you have from the outside weather. When the machine is at work, try not to keep it on the site as we tend to do during normal seasons. It is worth taking the extra effort to haul it back home.

Take off the snow that sneaks its way inside the machine:-  When the equipment is at ease, it is recommended to pick the snow blocks out from its bottom. Simultaneously, when you are done for the day and bringing the stuff back home, you try and take off the huge/small blocks of snow that gets stuck to its bottom.

Service it regularly:-  Servicing the machine in such a weather is very crucial. You just can’t wait for the season to get over so that you can do the servicing thing at your ease. If you have a team who takes care of the servicing part, you can get the problem sorted in no time or else you get hold of someone who can get things fixed for you.

What One Needs To Do To Become An Authorized Dealer Of Heavy Equipment

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Construction business is considered to be one of the most profits making business of the century and businesses that are associated with this industry has also made good deal of money. Businesses like heavy equipment manufacturing companies are just multiplying their profits year after year and the entire credit goes to this profitable industry. However, not every person can own company that manufactures heavy equipment. Therefore a person who wants to make it big by selling heavy equipment would have to seek some other avenues by which they can make decent income from this business. One such option that one can opt for is to become a dealer of heavy equipment and sell the machines to the companies earning some commissions. Well, for people who think that earning commissions would get them nothing, they would be surprised to know that earning commissions by being a dealer means you are dealing with a good chunk of money. We all know that heavy equipment are highly expensive and if at all they get 2% as commission, they make good money out of the transaction. Alternatively, the dealer is not only going to sell heavy equipments but will sell other equipment which are not necessarily heavy equipments but are of much needed commodity in a construction site.

Therefore, it’s just not that you have to depend on your sales of heavy equipments. You can sell something that is cheaper but equally needed and can make money out of it. There are few credentials that one has to meet to become an authorized dealer of heavy equipment.

Having knowledge of this business;-  A heavy equipment manufacturing company is not going to give the dealership to any person as long as they are sure that the person knows which equipment is needed for what purpose. The person should also have knowledge about the business or have some kind of experience which will prove his credential to the company. Also, if the person has prior experience in selling heavy equipment to construction companies may be given some preference. In many cases, people working in top positions preferably with selling equipment in some equipment manufacturing company takes up the dealership. The companies on the other hand do not shy away to give them the job as they are sure that these men know what they are dealing with. In this fashion, they set up their shop and become the dealer of the company they were working with.

Having good contacts with construction companies:-  A person is given the dealership if he has good contacts with construction companies. His contacts will make the work look simpler as he can easily reach people in the company and check if they have any requirement for heavy equipment. A person without any contacts may have a hard time to even get in touch with the concerned official. It is because of this, that many dealers take multiple dealerships and try to sell equipments of the company that matches the requirement of the buyer

Don’t Go For Any Track Loader – Be Brand Conscious Go For Caterpillar

When you buy things that can either make your career or break it, it is recommended that you buy the best stuff. Similarly when it comes to buying heavy equipment for your construction project, don’t just trust any company. Select the best out of the lot and buy the one that is user friendly and will last longer than others. Undoubtedly there are several brands available in the market and it may often confuse us to determine the one that we should go for. That is indeed a tricky moment and only an expert advice may come handy to get you off the dilemma. Experts who have been in this industry for years trust Caterpillar products over other heavy equipment manufacturing companies. The reasons can be many including excellent reviews from the consumers, intrinsic market research and analysis done by its engineers and the reliability of the machines along with high end performance.

We would be covering why one should be buying a Caterpillar track loader, the features of the machine and intrinsic values that makes it different and unique from the rest in the crowd.

Before you buy a track loader, it is critical to understand its requirement in your business. There are various models of caterpillar loaders available and one need to realize what model is he looking for which largely depends on the use of it and the kind of project he has with him. We would be discussing about Caterpillar 953 track loader which has a net power of 110 horsepower.  It has an operating weight of 31080 lb and has a fuel capacity of 50.7 gallon. Research has disclosed that mostly all Caterpillar Track loaders consume less fuel which makes them more reliable and cost effective. Consumers want machines that they can rely on and also something that does not burn their pocket by just paying for the fuel. This machine has a maximum speed of 6.4 mile per hour which is steady if not very fast. Overall, it is an ideal machine to meet everybody’s needs.

Caterpillar track loaders can be best bought directly from the company itself. You only have to get in touch with them over the phone or visit their office and select the model you want to buy. You may as well disclose your situation to them so that you leave them to analyze what they have to suggest you.  If you feel that they have something good to suggest and you should go by what they say, then you better go for it or else you stick to your plan and buy what you feel is the best for you. Buying the track loader directly from the manufacturing company may get you some discounts which you otherwise may not get it elsewhere.

More to this, you can get service guarantee and warranty from the company that ensures to replace any part of the machine that goes faulty within the guarantee period. By and large, it will be a deal that will keep you happy for long.

 

How to operate an excavator?

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One of the most useful vehicles for construction site is excavator. It is the strongest vehicle that can perform any difficult task. This type of vehicle is made in a different way so that it can move on muddy or rocky places. It also can carry huge loads that a usual or normal vehicle cannot take. In any difficult condition it can move smoothly as it has the perfect frame that helps it to move easily. By taking the help of an oscillating hitch you can separate it from the cab. This is very important as it helps the body and the cab to run separately. This system actually helps it to work comfortably.

If you want to know the process of using this vehicle then you have to know the details of its different parts. There are some steps that will definitely help you to operate this system.

Steps:

You have to select a machine at first. Excavator comes in a number of sizes. There is super compact size which weighs 4000 pounds. If you want to have a bigger sized excavator then also you will get it in a standard size. Now you have to consider the project that you are going to do with this machine. If you are going to dig a small project like DIY irrigation or you have limited space for work then you definitely should choose the small excavator for your work purpose. However you can go with the 3 and 3.5 ton machine such as Bobcat 336 for large projects.

You have to check the ranges of the machine before buying it. You can talk to any rental business service provider and ask their opinion. All the large equipment requires a proper maintenance. If you cannot maintain your machine at a regular basis it will stop working. Then you have to pay some extra fees to repair it.

Now you have to check the manual in order to know and be familiar with its parts as well as controls. There are different types of manufacturer that produce this machine and each of them is slightly different than others. So you should check the manual carefully and apply it in a way so that your machine can give you its best performance.

You should check the controls, operator’s restraint system and gauges. On the right side you will find the ignition key and remember you have to be careful about the engine temperature, oil pressure and fuel of the machine during operating it.

Hold the joysticks very carefully and move it for using the machine.

Through these steps you will be able to operate an excavator. Though it is not difficult to rum an excavator but still you should learn all the process of moving it or operating it.

If Engine Is the Heart Then Operator Is The Brain Of The Heavy Equipment

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We all understand the importance than an engine has on heavy equipment. If the construction equipment is installed with a state of the art engine, that itself lengthens the life of the machine. Servicing the machine at regular intervals and keeping it well maintained are always required but what matters most is that engine of the machine should not be affected by any external bodies and utmost care needs to be taken to keep it running at all times. Moreover, if anything goes wrong with the engine, it takes a lot of time and money to get that repaired. A business which is at its full flow may not want a situation like this and every care would be taken to ensure that things goes smoothly without any hindrances from any corner.

Measures to be taken to ensure the health of the engine is good

Keep the engine lubricated:-  The engine is a formation of several other parts which when on work at a tremendous speed. This leads to friction and therefore there are particles that get collected in that portion. Not servicing the machine regularly will lead in spreading the particles in different parts of the engine causing it to block the usual free movement. On the other hand, if the equipment is not well lubricated, that will lead to more friction that will take a toll on the machine. Therefore, it is crucial to clean the several parts of the machine and also take special notice to check if the machine is lubricated at all times.

It is important that you have a good mechanic working for you and is available whenever you need him. Cleaning the engine is a complicated job and it is certainly not the thing which can be done from a newbie. It needs knowledge of a professional who has worked on such machines many times in the past.

That was all about the engine. Let us now discuss about the brain of the machine which is the operator. An operator is the one who has the steering of the machine. He is the one who first comes to know what machine needs. He gets to know if there is anything that has gone faulty and if it needs to be replaced.

Recruit competent operator:-  Operators with good years of experience are the ones you should be looking for. Undoubtedly, they would be expensive but would be worth every penny you pay them. An operator with skills can get the work done in lesser time than the one who has less experience.

If you run a big construction company, you should have a team of skilled operators and can recruit a set of newbie who can get trained under their seniors. This is probably is the way how you can shape a newcomer into an experienced and proficient operator. There are few who are born with inbuilt talent; rest all needs guidance of experts who can mould them to become better employees. In this way, you can replace the old operators with the new guns as and when they retire.