How to Operate an Excavator - Advanced // Heavy Equipment Operator 

While teaching, when an expert says he's not an expert, you know it's going to be a great lesson.

I like how you don't claim to "know it all" and are open to feedback. Afterall often its the person who taught you THEIR way of of doing things, apart from the basics. As you get more experience most operators tend to develop their own ideas. A great tutorial.

I’m a newer operator, been running tractors and backhoes with the bucket attachment for a while but really just started running excavators. Been just goin through all your vids whenever I have free time, awesome stuff, really opened my eyes to some new capabilities and techniques to use to be safer and more efficient! Just workin on getting more seat time!

I've had the pleasure of re-routing my expertise from Forklifts to Excavators after 23 years in that line of work. At 42 years of age i'm 12 weeeks into a 32 week course to get my license for Excavators and Loaders and i'm loving every second of it. This vid (and a few others on your channel) gave a me a few good hints to improve my handeling of the bucket and the machine in general. Good job, and a warm shout-out from Sweden!! PS. I shall give my teachers a hint of these instructional vids to use in our, and the aftercoming, classes.

One thing to add for trenching, is to make sure you call any/all underground utility companies. So they can mark the ground before you start digging. The national number is 811.

When digging trenches, just before you lift the bucket out of the trench I like to move it back (away from you) just slightly. That way the material falls into the bucket, rather then pile up between the machine and the trench. This I find beneficial for two main reasons, first of all it just looks more neat. Especially if you're digging on a grass surface, as you won't get a bunch of material stuck in the grass when you're refilling the trench. Reason the second is visibility - the less material you have blocking your line of sight the better! This I find to be especially true of you're digging where you suspect there might be something in the ground, like pipes or cables.

A handy little tip for doing the “jump turn” or “crab walk” as I like to call it and a few aussies call it, is to slew 45 degrees to the desired turning direction and do exactly as you had instructed, having already slewed 45 degrees beforehand will eliminate the rocking motion when you come close to the 90 degree range of turn. That will further save the terrain you’re on, increase stability as well as save the brain rattle! Good video 👌

You forgot one thing where is ur seat belt????? Lol

Usually it doesnt matter wich side your drive motors are on when going up or down hills. Normally i use my boom to either push or pull me up. But the books say you should have them in front. Btw love y'alls videos. Even us more experienced operators need a refresher. But its like you said earlier any experience you can get is going to benefit you.

It’s amazing you learn something new every day. The weight of the final drives has never crossed my mind. So that’s awesome. A few things I would like to add. UFPO !! Know what’s in the ground you’re digging. Hitting an electrical can kill you a gas line can kill you. It’s no joke You mentioned frost in the video. Where abouts are you located ? I would love to see something on. A cold start and hydraulic warm up I can’t tell you how many guys I’ve seen just turn the key and go with out cycling the hydraulics and letting that fluid get to temperature It will save the pump long term. You could do an entire video on. Pre run inspection maintenance and warm up. Checking oil coolant and Hydraulic oil. Greasing the bucket. The remote fittings For the. Boom and the often overlooked turntable. Also track tension ( yours look a little tight in my opinion). But how are they tightened. How tight is too tight. When are they too loose. The only way to become a real operator a good operator is by experience If your machine is down you’re not getting that seat time.

It would make a good video to show new operators how to set up, manage and run a cut while loading trucks.

I love your videos. I have to say that you are a great host and teacher. It's cool to see how other operators do things. I'm always learning something new that I carry with me out in the field. The comment section of your videos is also a treasure trove of knowledge and useful information.

This instructor is good, i can understand his teachings perfectly.

I’ve always been interested in heavy equipment. I will come to the extreme sandbox sometime in my life. I just love excavators! These are great informative videos!!

Ha! I live way down south now and _"forgot"_ about frost lines. I now remember my dad (back in Pennsylvania) pulling chunks of frozen material out of the ground with all the shaking and popping going on. Funny how seeing you working with a frost line brought that back. :)

Great lesson, demonstrations and various ways of utilizing the machine.

In the UK we are taught to dig to required depth, (being wary of pipes and cables) at the beginning of the trench and compact the sides of the trench to stop the sides from caving in, the flat of the bucket either side of the trench is used to compact the sides by drawing the bucket towards the machine. Before moving to extend the length of the trench and repeat. And on coming off a slope we don't fully extend so not to put strain on the boom linkages, the hydraulics take the strain. Nice educational videos. They are rare.

Doing a operator class in high school. So excited to do it. I have some experience but that’s for the extra tips. Keep up the good content and tips!👌

Love the videos so far. Keep in mind to make note of how you park your machine at the end of the day with the boom and stick is determined by the manufacturer in checking the hydraulic oil in the machines first thing. Caterpillar typically needs to be parked the way you park for correct fluid in site tube and komatsu is stick out bucket uncurled and boom down with everything set on the ground. John Deere is different with bucket curled under. I know I always check the equipment for proper placement before I park at the end of the day.

when your pushing yourself across the trench, track first then just push off slightly to not pick the machine up and cause that sort of cave in it at the edge of the trench

Incredible video yet again my friend! - for any people out there that want to learn or are new to equipment operation, I would very highly recommend that you spend a lot of time practicing your multi-functioning. It does take practice, but there are times where you are working in extremely sensitive areas (grass you don’t want to harm, or maybe even asphalt) and you don’t want to drag the bucket, or your tracks across. It’s HUGE. to have the skill and confidence to be able to walk the bucket and arm along with you as you climb down a grade, or be able to lift the tracks to turn, and be able to control the stick and bucket as you scrub around on the heels of your tracks. These methods are essential to reducing ground disturbance, and are skills that are a dead giveaway to experience to a potential employer.

I used to see people doing this but I didn't know how to do it 'jump turn' thanks Randy am getting it now.

From experience of watching excavators whether its on RU-vid or around yor area some of the parts of an excavator can be useful or helpful for a lot of things including the pointers the were made in this video

Drive motors at the back as it keeps the track tight at the bottom it does say this in the manual plus helps with track wear ! also with experience in the past the machine seems to have more pushing power that way

Am newly excavator operator, I really love this machine❤❤❤❤😊

Thank you for all your videos. They have definitely helped me alot.

This is my childhood dream that still lives hidden in me. I wish one day to be able to try one of these amazing machines

Another instructive video! Thank you for sharing.

Great video, what you call a jump turn is what I teach my students as well. We call them a(skew) turn or a ( bucket assisted turn).

Your lesson is very important brother!!

This school has helped me alot keep it up we are realy enjoying and it has enhaced me to be an operator today. Thank you very much we are together following from Zambia.

I love it, 101 and 102 basic tutorial. Greetings from the Philippines. Mabuhay!

I highly appretiate your way of teaching how to operate that heavy equipment.It's my work machine.from Burundi.

Thanks for this video this video helping me in my job thanks very much

wow! that was very enlightening i have never seen someone jump a ditch in one !!!!

Great stuff once again...thank you.

very well explained and demonstrated, Thank you sir. From Kenya

Great vid as usual. You did mention the drive sprockets forward or back for hills. I myself and most mechanics want those drive sprockets at the back, especially when climbing. All about protecting that UC! Very hard on everything going up hill with sprockets up front.

It helps me a lot Thank you sir

Great video and very helpful. Now I’m waiting for 301.

your a great teacher! watching from Canada

Thank you. I’m about to dig a 1200ft trench through rocky terrain. This will help

Thank you for sharing your experiece

Pro tip.... NEVER do the 10 second teacher thing (the way i was taught) which is ,, This stick does this, This stick does this, The pedals are this and don't damage the glass,,,, Good luck and adios'' Most of my learning has come from watching the excavators move/work when i was parked next to them as a trucker and maybe 100-150 hrs over 18 years of having to load my truck my self and the occasional day of digging.

Thanks for teaching 👍

I commented on your dozer vid as well. First off, I forgot to mention that your vids are really good and professional!! Keep that up! I really cannot stand "wanna be" movie stars throw up senseless vids and have not a clue. Just a couple things for ya! 1. Trenching. It should be taught early that "level" needs to be in the mind before the excavator starts to dig. If the tracks ain't level, the boom will not dig normal to the ground. Sometimes this is simply prepping a "pad" area with the bucket before walking on it. Sometimes just asking a dozer operator to make a couple passes is much faster. 2. This point is similar to my other post, and again, I love your vids and training, but as a mechanic, owner, and operator, my mentality immediately goes "protecting the equipment". I would gear some training towards complete understanding of the mechanicals and what not to do to them. This came to the top for me because ANY rookie kid should first me taught, "this excavator cost $500k+, so unless you can write that check, it is treated like the daddy that feeds you.....with respect". I see plenty of hotrod "knowitalls" that just want to claim they can load a truck in 13sec. They will tear the pee out of the equipment and would not have a job on my job site. 3. Again going back to older equipment. Not all have the same protections as your newer equipment and brain cells need applied when accel/decel the swing with a load, etc. Walking the tracks over rocks/holes when you don't have to. General slamming and banging. That boom system alone can weight 20K, and with the house, 40K. It takes serious power to move that. I say this because I see these small excavators getting thrown around like a rag doll and if you did that with my 345, you would get and earful from me. I want to see smooth and consistent, not "mr. hotrod" that breaks everything he touches then says, "the equipment just can't handle me".....

YOU ARE AN EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO SOME ONE LIKE ME WHO HAS NO EXPERIENCE... THX. IM LEARNING. EX CDL NO MORE OVERSUPERVISED....

Thanks for the tips...

It's really beautiful exhibition for me I really love it❤

Thank you very much Sir!

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

I like your explanation congratulations

love the addition about the 2 foot away from the edge, since this is an OSHA reg, it is a must. As well as protection in a trench, the standards say 5 feet or more unless the competent person decides that they would like one at less of a depth due to the cave in danger. That reminds me, OSHA requires a competent person on site.... that would be good to mention:) Excavation is dangerous, the US had 39 fatalities reported last year.

Am from Cameroon 🇨🇲 am learning how to operate excavator. I like ur videos

Amazing…I hope to operate one of those one day

Have to say this is a great idea i was lucky as a kid to be able to jump into diggers and telehandlers as family had a farm up the road with a scrapyard beside it i was never taught on any machine except the crane every operator will do things differently but in a place like this you can learn the fundamentals one of the best plant operators i have ever seen was a 12 year old lad called John Paul his dad had a few machines and done work with us that lad now owns his own plant hire business teach them young

Excited to watch this video, please continue uploading the new latest excavator operations. Justine mushivi from Zambia

this is cool..I just got my ticket for a 360..2 days since I started..an hour a day...and 2nd day was even better...I love it.

He is a Very good instructor

I like your demonstration ❤❤

when there is frost you should turn to the side lift machine and roll tracks,because if the trac is frozen to the ground you could break the drive

So great lesson ever

Excellent 201 on how to use an excavator for trench works

Cheers for content all way from Brisbane Australia

Just bought a small 12k lb machine, been practicing with it and ylur vids are helpful, the kick turns and going up and down slopes were great info in particular for me, I have some steep hills on my property, thanks. Some vids on making trails and roads that go up, down and traversing hills , pioneering in would be great thanks.

Thank you very much!

For jump turns I start with the bucket about 30 degrees in the direction of turn to give me more rotation before having to reposition. Then I make a second turn if needed to make the needed full turn. This keeps both tracks from ever fully touching the ground during the turn.

great stuff thank you king

When I'm making a jump turn (I just call it a bucket turn), I'll start with the bucket at 45 degrees in the direction I want to be facing. e.g. if I want to turn 90 degrees to the right, I will start with my bucket 45 degrees to the right, and end up with it 45 degrees to my left. That way my machine won't end up "falling" onto its right track halfway through the turn. Also, depending on the surface, I won't lift the front of the machine up much at all. If it's a pretty smooth, hard surface, I'll lift the tracks up so they're just skimming the ground as I make the turn. If it's muckier, I'll lift the front of the machine higher as needed

Very good video, thank you and more please.

Great Job , thanks !!!!

lol becuase of these videos i got gigs that made me look like a professional lol thank you

very nice thanks clearing out your tracks good job

I just love all theas kinda videos thank u

Superb teaching; superb channel! Well done!

These videos are badass 💪💪💪🔥🔥🔥🔥

Totally correct with respect to the Idler. Tractor is designed to be worked from that end and it is best to train your body where it will adapt to responding to motion as the Idler being forward and sprocket being reverse. Also, if material ever was to enter the cab of machine such as brush or an object that landed on the steering handles, the object would place the steering handles in a reverse position forcing the machine to track away from the object instead of into the object.

Thank You!!!!

Thanks man

Cool video!! At 13:20, the trench very nearly gave away when you were pushing down the boom on the other side lol. Liked and subbed :)

Excellent videos you produce

This is great teacher,I really want to be an excavator operator

There are a few key points to practice while performing trenching or ditching activities. I have found that if you model the machine in the form of a protractor, the results will be efficient. Picture a protractor as an excavator. The center of the protractor is your ditch line at 0 degrees where the boom is attached to the tractor. Utilize the tracks as a framing square. Depending on the type of soil or objective will determine whether to perform excavations activities outside the tracks, middle of the tracks or inside the tracks. For example, take a protractor and place a dot at 30 degrees on one side of 0 degrees. Then place a dot at 30 degrees on the opposite side. Then move back to the opposite side and move in to 15 degrees and place a dot. Apply the same method on the other side at 15 degrees. Move the protractor down the imaginary 0 degree line a minimum distance say half the width of the protractor and perform the same steps again. You can perform this an infinite amount of times. When finished, connect the dots on each side of 0 degrees and it will form a V-ditch. Same principle is performed with an excavator. Visualize the inside of the tracks as the outer most portion in which not to protrude. Take the tooth on the outside of the bucket and imagine yourself as placing a dot with that outside tooth by placing it in the ground a certain distance from the track and curl the bucket to load it while pulling the stick towards you at the same time. Perform the same operation to the other side. Then move back to the opposite side and move the bucket in 1 tooth mark. By doing this, you are changing angles and utilizing the tooth on the bucket and the inside of the tracks as a guide and ruler. Perform the same operation to the other side. A moment will be reached when you realize the desired depth has not been reached. At this moment, place the tractor in turtle mode and back up while focusing on the back up alarm. Once the alarm goes off for the 3rd time, stop. Take the outside tooth and go back to where you left off at from the previous set-up and move over 1 tooth and perform the previous steps over again. You will find that you will always finish your previous set-up after you back up and initiate another set-up. The desired depth is always achieved at this moment also. The backup alarm is just an instrument i use for measuring distance over time. Hope this is helpful to someone.

Thanks 🎉 !!

Amazing sir great. 👍

This vedio tutorial of excavator is the best

It's is informative, I have learn a lot, keep up the good work.

Enjoyed your 201 training. As far as traveling up a slope in my view it's best to put the sprockets to the rear. If you look at the track mechanics only the track on the ground is in tension (less pin to bushing internal wear). also if you look closely, the bushing does not slide into the sprocket under tension. The small wt difference of the motors on the cg is not much compared to the way of the bucket stick and boom. If the front of the roller frames is longer than the rear, then you could get better traction with the sprockets uphill first, but usually I like to try not to tension the top side of the tracks due to increased sprocket to external bushing wear.

That "steep hill" lol! 😁 I love it! You should do a tutorial to show how to hookup a winch tractor or 2.....or 3......or 4.....or 5..😮 Come to the pipelines in West, by God Virginia, that's where you can get on a "kinda steep hill" 😉

my name is lindsay goins and i am thinking about becoming a excavator operator and i have learn a lot from your vedio.things i didn.t know and i like the way you explain everything in full detail .thank you and yes you have a new student ME i will be watching all the video so i cab be a good excavator operator once again thank you

My life time dream drive this amazing machine

Brilliant

Good explanation

it's very cool.. i like the job

You are superb thanks

Great video. Keep up the good work.

Thank you💖🥀

If your gonna do the jump turn, you should put the idlers in the back since your putting a lot of force on the sprocket

clean

That is a very interesting training. Please keep it up. And i have a question about the chain, when do we loosen or tighten it?