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| Kubota KX080-3 Excavator |
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| Swinging Boom |
Kubota has been building small equipment for quite a few years. I first heard of them for producing mini farm tractors with all the classic features of larger tractors but small enough to fit in a garden. Gradually over the years they have made larger and larger tractors and now offer them up to 139 HP.
Kubota has followed a similar strategy in the construction equipment market, starting with mini-excavators and then progressively making larger models. While 'mini-excavators' traditionally are classed as those under 10,000 lbs, beginning in 2007 Kubota began producing a 'midi' excavator that weighs in at over 18,000 lbs, which you see here.
It has all the features that you would expect of a full sized excavator. It comes with a full ROPS/FOPS cab, that is fully enclosed with a heater and air conditioner standard. It is powered by a Kubota 70 hp diesel engine. Full specs are here.
The articulated boom is one of the standard features on this machine as shown in the 2nd photo. This allows for digging against obstructions or otherwise work in restricted areas. For loggers it's something because you can set a culvert without leaving the road which may be significant in steep ground.