This excavator handbook is an 'easy-to-read' with fairly good and representative pictures, diagrams and supporting information. It's written for the newer operator with a presumption of some knowledge of the equipment and techniques and helps to push them along toward a higher level of competence. It's not a bad refresher for the 'old hands' either as it hits on a few techniques that are more recent in development. It has some good safety information, too.
On the negative, most really experienced operators are going to bypass some of the step-by-step processes - like pipe laying - as described in this book. There are faster, more efficient ways to do some things after you've practiced with the first hundred or so. I found some of the process-descriptions a little hard to understand - like slope cutting and benching - but haven't thought about how to describe it more clearly to make it more understandable.
I'm glad I got it and will open it again every once in a while just to browse, then maybe once in a while to double-check a process.
