DONT,..be afraid to use it. The swing has a bypass.

 The machine is longer than wide, so lifting over the side is less than over each end. When swing'n something over the side that you lifted from over the ends, keep it close to the ground.

 If you lifted something from the side and wish to swing it over the end, watch the tracks. Again, the machine is longer than wide so hitting a track can happen when swinging from the side to the end.

 DONT,..believe anyone that says an excavator can not get stuck.

 DO,..make sure the horn works, and if working around people, use it often. (the power of a hydraulic excavator should be taken seriously. It can kill in less than a second)

 If you turn the bucket around, of course the curl controls will be backward. Take some time to get used to this before attempting to work with it that way.

 An excavator makes a most awesome forklift for farm use.

 When I go to use my excavator in a frozen morning, I will swing over each side, lift the track and spin it a few times to clear it before moving on.

 When entering the cab on a frosty morning, take your time as the tracks can be slipperier than anything you've ever encountered before.

 I wish I had as nice a machine as you have. Take care of it, and it will work for you for many years.