7/07/2010 Qld excavator workers like their new rigs Photo caption 2: Wally says the 4.5t, 46hp JCB 8045ZTS mini excavator has picked up stumps that it shouldn’t have been able to pick up. UPGRADING to a new JCB excavator and mini excavator has been a big hit with the workers of Queensland contracting firm, Giumelli Excavations. Principal Wally Giumelli, based in Mackay, has been in the sugar and earthmoving industries all his life and has been running Giumelli Excavations for more than three years. Handling various earthmoving and demolition tasks, Giumelli Excavations now uses a 22-tonne JCB JS220 excavator and 8045ZTS mini excavator after previously working with a 30t Daewoo machine and CAT dozer and scraper. “I was going to buy another Daewoo, but then decided on the JCB. Everyone knows about the JCB backhoes, but then I looked at the excavators and decided to give them a go,’’ Wally said. “I’m happy with my JCBs – and my workers are extremely happy with them. The blokes that have driven the machines reckon they are fantastic. “Going from Daewoo to the JCB, I couldn’t get the worker out of the bloody thing. The Daewoo was as rough as guts – like riding a bucking bull.’’ Larger cabs on the JCB excavators feature new levels of comfort and a ‘Cushion Control’ feature reduces shock to operators as well as to the dipper and boom during excavator operations. This is in addition to standard ram end damping. The JS220 is fitted with a 176-horsepower Isuzu turbo-charged engine designed for power, reliability, durability and high fuel efficiency. It features the unique Plexus filter system for cleaner oil, which extends the interval for oil and filter changes. Maximum dipper tear-out is 14,610kgf, while maximum bucket tear-out is 15,800kgf. “We do a lot of demolition work using a 25t four-in-one bucket with it and it handles everything easily,’’ Wally said. “There is plenty of hydraulic capacity too. We knock a house down probably every two weeks and do quarry work and it handles these tasks really well.’’ The JS220’s multi-function hydraulic system allows simultaneous, smooth control of all excavator functions. It offers increased hydraulic flow and pressure for greater power and speed, and it is regenerative, resulting in faster cycle times and reduced fuel consumption. JCB’s proven Advanced Management System (AMS) controls all of the excavator’s major functions, providing extra power or precision when needed, depending on the job. The AMS has four operating modes of Auto, Economy, Precision or Lifting and is designed to provide better fuel efficiency and minimise operating costs. After becoming familiar with the workings of the 4.5t, 46hp JCB 8045ZTS mini excavator, Wally said it too was a good performer. The compact machine’s Perkins engine delivers exceptional power for its size and its big cab makes it comfortable to operate. Its power is transferred into good digging and tracking performance through a load-sensed hydraulic system. The flow-on-demand system controls flow and pressure, providing the hydraulic oil to a service only when it is needed. This means the engine is never overworked, saving fuel, and is always running efficiently. It also means the engine will not stall. “We made a grab bucket for the mini for rocks and stumps – it has picked up stumps that we didn’t expect that it could pick up,’’ Wally said. The JCB mini excavator also features zero tailswing, which is an excellent feature when manoeuvring in tight spaces or when surrounded by other machines. Both excavators are serviced by JCB Construction Equipment Australia’s Mackay branch and Wally said he had encountered no problems with the machines. For further information on the JCB tracked excavator range, contact your nearest JCB Construction Equipment Australia branch or phone 1300 JCB CEA.