Good miniskid for $5-7k?

[emr]

I have been keeping an eye open for a miniskid in the price range of $5 to $7K. Does this seem to be realistic for a decent one or will it most likely be crap? I would actually prefer gas over diesel and I want the smallest one I can find.

My price range is solely based on what I think it would be worth to my company. I dont think that we would use it that often so I dont want to spend a ton of money on one. If it does end up going out a lot more than planned, I will trade it in or sell it in a year or two and get a bigger or better one.

Because this would be a "nice to have" purchase, I wont travel too far so I am limiting my search area to WI (Minneapolis would be fine too )

Am I up my yahoo for thinking I can find a decent mini for that price?

 

[treeman75]

I think you might need to spend a little more to get something decent. If you get one make sure you get a BMG. I havent draged brush or moved wood hardly at all the last four years. I will never be without one again!

 

[rangerdanger]

It'll be tough, but you might be able to find a decent one. I got Carl's old one for $3500 with the bmg, bucket, land leveler, and an old rake. But we had to put about a grand into fixing it up so everything ran good, which not a big deal. That was a Thomas 25, gas engine, with a ton of hours on it.

I've seen some nice vermeers going for $8-10k I think.

 

[emr]

The problem with Vermeers is that they seem to be bigger and heavier than I want and most seem to have diesel. I figured all I would find in that price range would be a Dingo, which would be fine since we rent a gas Dingo every so often and it works perfectly for us. We have rented Vermeer before and it was nicer, but too much for what we need.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Do you have a grapple, yet?

It might be the first purchase and continue renting, for now. You might get a better impression of what size mini you want after using it with a grapple.

 

[emr]

Wouldn't that be like putting the cart before the horse?

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[SouthSoundTree]

If you are going to buy the specialty grapple ( I can't rent one) anyway, and already know from your rental experience that you want a mini, without putting it to its real treework potential, and EVERYBODY says that they won't do work without one after having one, seems like $2k to use with the rental machine will be quickly earned back, no?

I"m thinking of going that route. A grapple could help to earn the money for the mini.

 

[emr]

Fair enough, but I am not sure that I will buy a mini any time soon.

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[SouthSoundTree]

me, either, but I'd like to be able to take advantage of the mini more fully than a bucket or dragging with a choker.

Are you only using a loader bucket, or does it have a clamshell, at least? Are you having to manually help to get big rounds into the bucket?

 

[emr]

Bucket only.... You get the rest.

We rent a full sized skid steer when we need to move bigger wood. Forks have worked so far.

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[treeman75]

With a mini you need a grapple Like the BMG to see its full potential. It does seem funny to buy a grapple before a mini but I can see his point and you could always sell it.

 

[treeman75]

This is why I love my mini. Two pieces of plywood and probably less turf damage than draging and using a log cart. That was a medium size silver maple and woulda been a pain getting it out up that incline. I did it for twenty years but not any more.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Exactly, you could sell it.

You can have a grapple in a couple days, whereas you might look for months or a year or more for a cheap mini. Being that you are looking for as small as possible, you're more likely to find one cheaper. Any price you pay will be cheaper than a back, or arm, or wrist.

I know you have the limited access jobs as your forte. Me, too. Though I do get a lot that would accommodate a full sized skid steer.

I'm thinking of measuring at each bid to see what my real narrow-ness is like.

Which vermeer do you have TM75? Width?

 

[treeman75]

vermeer s600tx I think its 34-35" it will go through a 36" gate.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I am considering the 600/650.

 

[lumberjack]

I agree that buying a BMG before a mini (assuming you can rent locally) can be a wise move. With the exception of Bobcat, "all" mini's use the same plate. The BMG won't be any cheaper in the future, but more importantly it will allow you to better utilize the machine you're renting.

From my own business standpoint, if you don't have a loader, it's nearly impossible you can't afford a mini if you're doing tree work full time. Using it two days a month should save enough labor cost to pay for the machine. I have a tractor, ex, ctl, AL140 (Scott's), and hopefully in the next year a AL 540 and I almost still could use a mini enough to justify one.

 

[treeman75]

Before i bought mine i was a lttle nervous about it. I talked with dave fromBMA and he told me how much i would use it. After i bought it i loved it so much i would sleep with it if i could. I spent four months shopping and bought a 2003 vermeer for 7500 from my local vermeer dealer.

 

[Husabud]

I have a Boxer 427 Brute. $10,000 with attachments and trailer. I traded the trencher for a BMG, THANKS Dave, and would totally suggest you get the BMG before a mini if you cannot afford both right now. You will not regret the purchase of a mini! I never thought mine would go to every job. It has and I will not do this work without one again.

 

[treesmith]

Even after buying the Gehl Al140, I still use the minis occasionally, mainly for jobs where I only need one to load wood that's too big to load by hand, but I can load roughly 4000# on the trailer, and still hop the mini back on and get it all to the house on one load. The Gehl is a load by itself...

 

[sawinredneck]

My wife and I really argued about my purchasing one, she finally caved in. To this day she and I agree that it will be the last tool we ever sell! Granted I don't use it near as much as I used to, but the times I do use it justify owning it!

 

[squisher]

You would have to be only pruning or doing tiny removals to not justify having one. As soon as the wood gets heavy a mini is worth its weight in gold.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Damn straight.

 

[flushcut]

If not a mini how about a Arbor Trolly? I like the under hand method of throwing in a monkey wrench kind of like throwing horseshoes.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Even if I quit tree work tomorrow, the mini would be hard pressed to ever be sold off. Every small farm or ranch should have one.
I can't tell you what a pleasure it is to go to the feed store, order the feed, ask for it to be placed on a pallet, take it all home and unload it with our own little fork lift. Not to mention how fast it will turn a compost pile, move wood chips or sand, horse manure... Trees I have to take down on the property.. Fold up an old metal shed for scrap metal...... Holding the 100# plus AC unit in the window for you while you install it... Pressure tank... Palletised merchandise. Fire wood... Go get the mail......
How the hell did I do all this stuff with out it???

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Go get the mail