F
Frans
Guest
These came out a while ago, and to me they seem like a blend of the Boxers and the Gehls.
Has anyone seen one of these?
They are articulated
Has anyone seen one of these?
They are articulated
SkwerI
Treehouser
The dealer pictures absolutely suck but I found this picture on some irrigation guy's website.
Looks like it might be too low to lift stuff very high, depending on how the bucket/ grapple was engineered.
Looks like it might be too low to lift stuff very high, depending on how the bucket/ grapple was engineered.
sawinredneck
Treehouser
It does articulate, you change out the "front end" of the unit to create what you want lots of options, then add diferent attachments to add to them. Lots of neato toys, but looks a bit of a pain to change them out, and the bucket/tool handler was only rated at 400#'s, it does have a lift height of 96"s, thats pretty cool!
Neat idea, but I'd be scared to price it!
Neat idea, but I'd be scared to price it!
F
Frans
Guest
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
I agree skwerl, the dealer pix sucked big time which is why I didn't include a link.
As for the 400# lifting height, I think that is a non-issue personally. Can you lift 400# logs all day? I cant.
My main impression of the mini skids is that
only a few can pass through the garden gates. when they can they seem underpowered.
only the Gehl is excellent on turf. I guess this is because it articulates?
tracked is better in some respects, but wheeled units are faster and smoother over hard surfaces
The zahn has extra wheels you can bolt up for better side hill stability
An ideal mini for my business would be excellent on turf, be able to pass through a normal garden gate be able to lift a round into the back of my f350 chip truck and also be able to have several different attachments which would help to keep the unit busy subbing out for say landscapers in slow times
As for the 400# lifting height, I think that is a non-issue personally. Can you lift 400# logs all day? I cant.
My main impression of the mini skids is that
only a few can pass through the garden gates. when they can they seem underpowered.
only the Gehl is excellent on turf. I guess this is because it articulates?
tracked is better in some respects, but wheeled units are faster and smoother over hard surfaces
The zahn has extra wheels you can bolt up for better side hill stability
An ideal mini for my business would be excellent on turf, be able to pass through a normal garden gate be able to lift a round into the back of my f350 chip truck and also be able to have several different attachments which would help to keep the unit busy subbing out for say landscapers in slow times
thattreeguy
TreeHouser
way too small for up here,
F
Frans
Guest
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
For my business which are working backyard trees in very tight areas, a mini seems like it would work.
I know that Greg Good uses a Swinger but in his area they really dont have fences around every yard so he can get into most of the areas.
Even for my bigger removal jobs, I still usually have to cut stuff up to get it out of the yards.
When I have a simple cut and drop job with plenty of room then I call my buddy who comes out with bigger iron to deal with it.
I know that Greg Good uses a Swinger but in his area they really dont have fences around every yard so he can get into most of the areas.
Even for my bigger removal jobs, I still usually have to cut stuff up to get it out of the yards.
When I have a simple cut and drop job with plenty of room then I call my buddy who comes out with bigger iron to deal with it.
F
Frans
Guest
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
Thattreeguy, in your avatar, the tree your in is a typical example of what I cut down.
Those trunk sections have to be hauled out of a yard and into the truck. Moving that kind of wood is killer on my body
Those trunk sections have to be hauled out of a yard and into the truck. Moving that kind of wood is killer on my body
sawinredneck
Treehouser
Frans, anything can tear up a yard, a little practice with a skid and you don't tear up the yard. Learn to turn in an arc rather than making the turn now. Use both sides to gently create the turn radius, it can be learned rather quickly.
If it's muddy or realy wet, it doesn't matter what you use.
I like tracks, they don't tear up the ground as much as other make it out. Again, knowing how to gently turn the machine and all you do is tear the grass up a little.
No, I cannot lift 400#'s, that is why I bought my mini! I just thought it looke like a bigger machine and generally the articulates lift more. That is all I was saying.
It seems like a neat idea in a compact machine. I just think it will becost prohibitive when you price out attachments.
If it's muddy or realy wet, it doesn't matter what you use.
I like tracks, they don't tear up the ground as much as other make it out. Again, knowing how to gently turn the machine and all you do is tear the grass up a little.
No, I cannot lift 400#'s, that is why I bought my mini! I just thought it looke like a bigger machine and generally the articulates lift more. That is all I was saying.
It seems like a neat idea in a compact machine. I just think it will becost prohibitive when you price out attachments.
SkwerI
Treehouser
Most people tend to think in wrong terms when trying to determine 'cost prohibitive'. If the sum total of your analysis is 'how much money is in my pocket right now' then you'll lose out every time. A more meaningful definition is 'how much money can this machine make me in the next 5 years?'
Most people would consider a bucket truck 'cost prohibitive', yet every single treeguy that owns one knows that it makes him far more money than it costs to own and operate.
Most people would consider a bucket truck 'cost prohibitive', yet every single treeguy that owns one knows that it makes him far more money than it costs to own and operate.
sotc
Dormant hero!!
i think ditch witch uses the universal plate
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
I worked quite a few high end lawns this year with my wheeled 950 ramrod(that's 950pds of lift), 43"s wide and you can get a narrow tire/rim set-up to make it 36"s but obviously you lose some stability. If you are working a backyard set-up on high end grass, set your route and slap down a piece of plywood where you want to turn. Zero damage, no problem at all. Frans I'm talking high end multi-million dollar lakeshore homes and stuff, never a complaint.
The worst I worked last year was new sod that was completely soaked from a forked up irrigation system. No problem at all with the grass.
The worst I worked last year was new sod that was completely soaked from a forked up irrigation system. No problem at all with the grass.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
If it is rated for 400pds of lift and you throw a bmg on there, you'll be lifting nothing. Also as far as lift ratings go think, twice as many trips with half the capacity. That's time and wear and tear on the lawn. Also often I can stage the brush in piles and lift them clear off the ground so there's no dragging on the lawn at all.
F
Frans
Guest
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #13
Great points from everyone, thanks.
Skwerl, this talk about having a machine to do heavy work is great. I have found that alot of people respect a machine more than they do a highly skilled worker!
You can be a complete dummbass, but if you have a stump grinder or a mini or a bucket truck, those normally tight wad homeowners will shell out a bit more coin.
Funny attitude that.
I tell this story because recently a guy hired me at 800 bucks a day (6 hour day) to grind out all these meaningless little stumps on his property. But when he had me bring in a climber, he only wanted to pay 200 per day! He said 'its just labor'. These are fir trees that he wanted major deadwood removed from. Most of them had to be climbed up 60+ feet just to get to the first branches...:roll:
Anyhow, I have been sniffing around those minis for a long time. Thinking if work ever got slow, I could sub out to another tree company, using the branch manager. Or even rent the machine out to a landscape company.
Skwerl, this talk about having a machine to do heavy work is great. I have found that alot of people respect a machine more than they do a highly skilled worker!
You can be a complete dummbass, but if you have a stump grinder or a mini or a bucket truck, those normally tight wad homeowners will shell out a bit more coin.
Funny attitude that.
I tell this story because recently a guy hired me at 800 bucks a day (6 hour day) to grind out all these meaningless little stumps on his property. But when he had me bring in a climber, he only wanted to pay 200 per day! He said 'its just labor'. These are fir trees that he wanted major deadwood removed from. Most of them had to be climbed up 60+ feet just to get to the first branches...:roll:
Anyhow, I have been sniffing around those minis for a long time. Thinking if work ever got slow, I could sub out to another tree company, using the branch manager. Or even rent the machine out to a landscape company.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
The ditch goat thing doesn't impress me.
If I could have any mini on the market, it'd be a Boxer 427 on foam tires.
If I could have any mini on the market, it'd be a Boxer 427 on foam tires.
No_Bivy
Treehouser
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 6,459
or tracks......I use mat to preserve the "grass"....But it will go anywhere most times
arborworks1
Treehouser
I'm leaning towards a 732 boxer to compliment the tracked 532 boxer I own now. Plywood is a tracked loader or grinders best friend.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
I don't need tracks.
The 732 costs about twice what the 427 costs although it will lift the same load about twice as high and move a little less than twice as face.
I could put your 532 and the 427 on the back of my 1ton flatbed. The 732 would have to turn on my bed to fit due to its length.
The 732 is a fine machine, but if Dave was giving me a machine of my choice, I'd take a 427 with foam filled tires.
The 732 costs about twice what the 427 costs although it will lift the same load about twice as high and move a little less than twice as face.
I could put your 532 and the 427 on the back of my 1ton flatbed. The 732 would have to turn on my bed to fit due to its length.
The 732 is a fine machine, but if Dave was giving me a machine of my choice, I'd take a 427 with foam filled tires.
arborworks1
Treehouser
Well I'll see you capacity, On my isuzu the carlton track grinder and the 532 boxer fit side by side and I could tow the 732 boxer on my 6x12 trailer!
The speed is what I'm after.
The speed is what I'm after.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
I aint saying what you need, I'm saying what I want 
Flopped 6 trees today, around 60-65" DBH combined (WAG), skinned the brush, loaded the trunks, and piled the brush. Took 30 minutes with my lowley Thomas. The trunks got dumped at my firewood dude's house 2 miles from the job. The job was 10 miles from the house, about 80 minutes portal to portal, grinding the stumps Monday.
Flopped 6 trees today, around 60-65" DBH combined (WAG), skinned the brush, loaded the trunks, and piled the brush. Took 30 minutes with my lowley Thomas. The trunks got dumped at my firewood dude's house 2 miles from the job. The job was 10 miles from the house, about 80 minutes portal to portal, grinding the stumps Monday.
arborworks1
Treehouser
Where are you getting those mats from, John?
No_Bivy
Treehouser
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 6,459
SVE outta charlotte....I have 10 of the standard mats with tread on both sides, and ten with tread on one/smooth on the other. They hold up very well.........
http://www.mudtraks.com/
http://www.mudtraks.com/
K
Koa Man
Guest
The Gehl Advantage does not tear up grass, even on a very wet lawn. I wish it would fit through a 36" gate....no, actually I wish a standard size gate was 48".
Those black rubber mats like Alturnas will burn grass when left on it for several hours. I don't know if the white ones will do the same. I do know plywood will not burn the grass under it even if left there for 2 days. I am speaking from experience. $169 will get me 10 sheets of 1/2 inch CDX plywood, which is plenty good for a mini loader and my spiderlift. For now, I am sticking to plywood.
Those black rubber mats like Alturnas will burn grass when left on it for several hours. I don't know if the white ones will do the same. I do know plywood will not burn the grass under it even if left there for 2 days. I am speaking from experience. $169 will get me 10 sheets of 1/2 inch CDX plywood, which is plenty good for a mini loader and my spiderlift. For now, I am sticking to plywood.
No_Bivy
Treehouser
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2006
- Messages
- 6,459
to each there own.......light green mats wont burn grass. I have totally abused these mats, way better then plywood. It's the price folks can't get passed. They don't soak up water, splinter etc...
My biggest problem with plywood is that it doesnt bend. Once it cracks your done with it.....sorry for the derail Frans
My biggest problem with plywood is that it doesnt bend. Once it cracks your done with it.....sorry for the derail Frans
lumberjack
Young man on the go
Black mats burn grass because they soak up heat from the sun.
Similar threads
