Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LwngYaanjE (8 min)

Mike from Rippa USA Sales talks through bucket angle on a mini excavator and why it matters for digging power, trenching and backfilling. About half of his customers are new to excavators, so this is a basic skill worth learning early.

IN THIS VIDEO

- Excavator digging power

- Hydraulic coupler effects

- Trenching and backfilling

- Optimizing bucket angles

HYDRAULIC COUPLER AND CURL POWER

A hydraulic coupler moves the bucket pivot farther out from the boom, so you can lose roughly 15 to 25 percent of your curl power. If you are digging in serious dirt and need that strength, consider taking the coupler off and mounting the bucket directly to the stick.

TRENCHING AND BACKFILLING

- Dig in a straight line.

- To backfill, set the bucket flat, then scoop the dirt back into the trench sideways, swinging the boom side to side. Extend the stick and boom a bit as you go to bring the bucket closer.

- You can get a pretty good grade just by scooping dirt laterally.

KEEPING A CONSISTENT DEPTH

Mike digs his electrical trenches to a consistent 3 feet for the whole run (check your local code, which may only require less). To hold that depth as you pull the stick in, you curl the bucket at the same time, so the bottom of the trench stays level.

BUCKET ANGLE AND SOIL CONDITIONS

The angle of the bucket can help or hinder you depending on the ground. Rock, clay or wet soil may call for a different angle, so experiment and see what digs best.

Questions? Call Rippa USA Sales at 817-382-3201 or visit RippaUSASales.com. We deliver nationwide with flat rate shipping, and you get 50% off attachments when you buy a machine from us.