Air Spade

squisher

THE CALM ONE!!!!
Joined
Sep 25, 2006
Messages
23,897
Location
Vernon, B.C.
Anyone here have one. And if so do you use it much? I can possibly pick one up for cheap up here, but I've never really had a use for one.

I'm looking at a airspade series 2000.
 
I nearl bought one last year but I really think a good deal on an air compressor is more important than and deal on a spade. It would be a nusance to have to rent an air comp anytime you sold the service and market value on those is high. I have seen some deals on them at auctions
 
I would love to have one. I try and sell air spade work in hopes that I can than buy one. Either people have a hard time justifying the cost for the work or I am just not doing a good enough job of selling the work. If you can make money with it than buy it.
 
Compressors.
Sure, you can expose utilities, clear around foundations for french drains. Anything you can think of. Trench through root zones or utilities for irrigation, expose things so you can grind a stump with a gas line underneath it that you may have passed on before.
 
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  • #11
Cool. Greg I'm sure that's one of the dudes I saw speak at last years PNWISA.

Willie those are the sorts of things I was wondering about.

FJR, I'm not so sure about that one.
 
They dont look like much fun to use from what I have seen of them. Awesome results though.
 
We paid for our air spade with one job Squish...a school board job where I radial trenched 24 trees. GREAT tool...but not so hot if the sod ain't moved. I'd say pick it up. Since we bought it, however, the jobs we sell for it are few and far between...but I'm sure you'd see the opportunities much better than my employers have. The nice thing is that if you can justify the purchase of the large compressor, you could have a fella driving around winterizing irrigation systems in the fall and cleaning them out in the spring, golden nugget...which keeps a guy working.

It opens up possibilities especially if you want to get into bare root transplants. With the big nurseries you have nearby (Grindrod, Enderby...right?), it might be a nifty way to open up a niche market for bare rooted trees.

My advice, do it. It's a great tool for which a mind like yours would find many uses.
 
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  • #16
It's an auction, so it might spike near the end. But otherwise it's looking like it may go very cheap.
 
air knife is a little better.....but if it goes cheap get it. I use mine like 3-4 times a year. Cost 90 to rent a compressor. ususally have lots of extra time
 
We have a crew that does nothing but air spade work from the time the ground unfreezes and refreezes. 5 days a week. 8 months per year. We do so much spade work we purchased 2 Bobcat tow behind compressors. Check out the latest article in Arbor Age.
 
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  • #20
Lol, I dunno if I could handle that much working with it. I need the chips flying to keep my days moving.
 
We have a crew that does nothing but air spade work from the time the ground unfreezes and refreezes. 5 days a week. 8 months per year. We do so much spade work we purchased 2 Bobcat tow behind compressors. Check out the latest article in Arbor Age.

Wow, can you let us in on what all they are selling? Marketing?
 
Any more of you have input? Mine should be here this week. What are you amending with? Whats a forestry screen?
 
The visor on yer helmet! My advice to you is that its a tool which is only as good as your sales ability. It will only make you money if it is something that you want to invest time and energy into.

The most effective use for sales I have found is both compaction alleviation by way of radial trenching (and backfilling with organics ie. compost) and uncovering SGR's.

I bet you'll do well with it Willie. Its a nice change of pace which yields real results. But, your sales skill will be put to the test!
 
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