Welcome to www.oilyhands.co.uk
Also known as www.diggers-dumpers-plant.co.uk and www.flamingskoda.com
Towable digger, excavator and backhoe website. Features Fleming Micron, Powerfab, Mantis, Benford, Roughneck, Gopher, Smalley, Tow-hoe, Standard Muscleman, Termite, Mitchell Cotts, Mini Gigant, Baromix, Euromach, Bronco, JPB, Digger 50, homemade and other small diggers. Links to current manufacturers such as Groupe-FCM and suppliers of plans for the Ground Hawg Homebuilt Backhoe and CDP Excavator. Includes other plant and mechanical information, Digger Bucket Page, Plant Photo Gallery, Dumper Restoration Project and useful links for Digger Spares and Repairs. Extra information and pictures to add to the site always appreciated. Also includes a section dedicated to preserving information about Johnson Machinery Limited.
- Home
- Site Overview
- Contact the webmaster
- Latest additions
- Plant Discussion Group
- Plant photo gallery
- Fleming Micron digger restoration
- Powerfab digger page
- Roughneck diggers
- Gopher micro excavator
- Smalley diggers
- Benford ME130 and Mantis digger
- Tow-Hoe and Standard Muscleman
- Mitchell Cotts digger
- Termite Micro Excavator
- Baromix Major
- Mini Gigant
- Euromach Jolly and Bronco Micro Excavator
- Topi Motorshovel
- Robinson Rouse CR840
- JPB2 Mini Excavator
- Digger 50
- Faucheux K240
- Benny Skorpio
- Nemag K10
- Dig-It
- Kendig
- FCM Diggers and Backhoes
- Homemade backhoes and new towable diggers
- List of known towable diggers
- Digger buckets
- Digger spares and repairs
- Towable digger V. Mini Digger?
- Frequently asked questions
- Fleming Micron engine change
- Dumper Restoration
- Dumper Restoration p. 2
- Johnson Machinery Section
- Steelfab
- Ditch clearing
- Belle Minimix 130 repair
- Older projects
Topi Motorshovel
The Topi Motorshovel was built in Finland in the 1980's. Every towable digger manufacturer had their own unique selling point and the Topi claimed to be the smallest car towable machine that could slew through 360 degrees.
It weighed about 550kg and could be towed behind any car. The Topi had better reach than a lot of its competitors and could dig down to a maximum depth of 8 feet 3 inches. The brochure also states that the machine has a hoist capacity of 660 pounds at 5 feet. Certainly in the picture above it is picking up a pretty heavy looking stone.
The Topi doesn't have a hydraulically operated rear stabiliser. This avoided the need for an expensive rotary coupling. All of the hydraulics are mounted on the upper part of the digger with a simple slew post welded to the base part and presumably some sort of slew ring with teeth. Controls are via two levers with no need for a further lever as there is no stabiliser.
You can view a PDF of the sales brochure by clicking here
Bill's Topi Motorshovel (added 18/02/13)
Bill's machine was bought at an auction in Fla way back. He bought it around 1988 and has had it since. He says, "it is incredible and I am just changing the Honda motor now. It's made me $$$ and saved my back many times. It will go anywhere. I can go across a lawn without making any marks and tow it behind a VW Rabbit". Bill would really like to get another Topi if anyone knows of one for sale. He is located in Massachusetts.
Can you help improve this page? Do you know anything else about the Topi Motorshovel or have any pictures, brochures or user manuals? If so please contact the webmaster.
Thanks to Wayne and Bill for the pictures and information for this page.
More towable digger information
- Contact other Topi Motorshovel owners and share information through the Digger Discussion Group
- Digger spares and repairs
- Powerfab towable diggers
- Roughneck digger
- Other types of towable digger
- List of known towable diggers from the 1980's and 1990's
- Towable digger v. Mini digger with tracks? Advantages & Disadvantages