SkwerI
Treehouser
Figured I'd make a thread instead of scattering the pics through various other threads. After years of working as a subcontractor and refusing to hire employees I finally had a change of heart. I've built up a fairly decent customer base and it's getting harder and harder to meet their needs via sharing the jobs with other crews or trying to load everything in my dump trailer. I also had a guy just about fall in my lap and he's turning out to be an awesome employee. I really enjoy working with him and he really enjoys working with me. We are both the same type of assholes so we just get along great.
About a month ago a thread on this forum led me to searching my local Craigslist where I found an old Brush Bandit 95 for sale for only $5500. I ended up buying it 2 days before Irma hit for $5000.
Then I started looking for chip trucks since I couldn't very easily pull it with my pickup and chip into my dump trailer. The following week I found a 1997 F Super Duty with 12' dump for $9000. I saved the page and a couple weeks later it was still listed. Took 3 tries to finally get hold of the guy and made arrangements to drive to Melbourne to look at it. I liked the truck and after some negotiations we agreed on $8000 but I couldn't pick it up until Oct. 1 because he needed to use it.
I finally got the truck picked up last Monday. Had to take it to the dump on the way home to get rid of his last load of crap. Except for a flat tire from a torn valve stem it worked perfectly. Finally got to use the combo on a job yesterday and today and it's going to be a nice setup. Lots of adjustments and mods to come in order to fit the tool to the task. On Monday I'm dropping it off to have a cap made for the bed. It will be latched down with truck hood latches and will have a lifting ring so I can remove it with either bucket truck. I purchased 2 under bed toolboxes from Tractor Supply and will have brackets made to mount them. I'm also replacing the sand dump tailgate with two side hinge gates made of square tubing and expanded steel so we can see what's in the bed. The tarp roller will be transferred to my dump trailer.
The chipper works great but really likes gasoline. Surprisingly thirsty for such a small motor. Seems to take about 1.5-2 gallons per hour and Ron is good about shutting it down when not chipping. I am adding a couple pieces of irrigation flex tubing to the flag holders on the fenders in order to assist in backing. We refer to them as 'pedestrian whackers'.
I also picked up a hitch extension from Harbor Freight last night which makes backing a bit easier as well.
About a month ago a thread on this forum led me to searching my local Craigslist where I found an old Brush Bandit 95 for sale for only $5500. I ended up buying it 2 days before Irma hit for $5000.
Then I started looking for chip trucks since I couldn't very easily pull it with my pickup and chip into my dump trailer. The following week I found a 1997 F Super Duty with 12' dump for $9000. I saved the page and a couple weeks later it was still listed. Took 3 tries to finally get hold of the guy and made arrangements to drive to Melbourne to look at it. I liked the truck and after some negotiations we agreed on $8000 but I couldn't pick it up until Oct. 1 because he needed to use it.
I finally got the truck picked up last Monday. Had to take it to the dump on the way home to get rid of his last load of crap. Except for a flat tire from a torn valve stem it worked perfectly. Finally got to use the combo on a job yesterday and today and it's going to be a nice setup. Lots of adjustments and mods to come in order to fit the tool to the task. On Monday I'm dropping it off to have a cap made for the bed. It will be latched down with truck hood latches and will have a lifting ring so I can remove it with either bucket truck. I purchased 2 under bed toolboxes from Tractor Supply and will have brackets made to mount them. I'm also replacing the sand dump tailgate with two side hinge gates made of square tubing and expanded steel so we can see what's in the bed. The tarp roller will be transferred to my dump trailer.
The chipper works great but really likes gasoline. Surprisingly thirsty for such a small motor. Seems to take about 1.5-2 gallons per hour and Ron is good about shutting it down when not chipping. I am adding a couple pieces of irrigation flex tubing to the flag holders on the fenders in order to assist in backing. We refer to them as 'pedestrian whackers'.
I also picked up a hitch extension from Harbor Freight last night which makes backing a bit easier as well.
