Mini skid steers

[oldirty]

I recently purchased a Thomas 25g with a branch manager grapple. It works awesome. A real time saver. I don't load my chipper with it though (Bandit 65xl) as the mini skid hauls too much brush for a small chipper. Great for moving logs as well. (May have to have a couple of guys standing on the rear for counter balance though).

The only problem I have right now is having to travel to the job twice, once for the mini skid and once for the chipper. Looking at different options right now. I don't use the mini skid at every job, but on those I do, man, what a work saver.

Bought it used for $5500 with a bucket and the grapple. 500 hours.

use the mini to pull the chipper up onto a trailer that your chip truck can haul to the job in one trip. your bandit is a 6 inch right? not too much weight to pull around i would think.

 

[arbor pro]

Maybe a set of forks to clamp to the bucket and an extension for the upper arm you allready have? I still can believe that grapple set up was so inexpensive; 500?

Just google 'thumb grapple'. You'll find one for around $370 plus S&H. They work great on a 36" bucket. You just mount it to the top.

 

[arbor pro]

I recently purchased a Thomas 25g with a branch manager grapple. It works awesome. A real time saver. I don't load my chipper with it though (Bandit 65xl) as the mini skid hauls too much brush for a small chipper. Great for moving logs as well. (May have to have a couple of guys standing on the rear for counter balance though).

The only problem I have right now is having to travel to the job twice, once for the mini skid and once for the chipper. Looking at different options right now. I don't use the mini skid at every job, but on those I do, man, what a work saver.

Bought it used for $5500 with a bucket and the grapple. 500 hours.

To solve the problem of hauling a chipper while bringing your mini skid along, try a chip box setup where your mini loads right behind the cab of the truck and the box behind the mini. I have a 12' dump bed on my f350. I hinged the front 3' of my truck sides inward so I can load my mini behind the cab and still have 9' of dump bed. If I want the full 12' of dump bed, I just swing the sides back and pin them in place. A piece of flat iron welded on end serves to hold my loading ramps in place when loading from either side of the truck bed. The bed dips to the side a bit when loading the 2500# machine but, it doesn't ever lift the opposite side off the rail.

It's a great setup for eliminating extra trips to/from the jobsite.

 

[oldirty]

sounds like a solid set up to me arborpro.

 

[squad143]

I've been using a 4x4 dodge 2500 (Diesel) to haul all my stuff. It has a cap on it (Keeps everything dry). Most of my work is in cottage country and I can chip into the woods. Lately I'm getting more and more work in the city and have been borrowing a buddy's trailer (Not a dump) to do those jobs. (Where everything must be removed).

So, I have been looking a getting a dump trailer with room on the front (similar to arborpro's suggestion for the mini skid, but once again I need another vehicle to get the chipper there. This has made me look at purchasing a Chipper truck. I'm thinking of a cabover (mainly for fuel mileage) as opposed to a north American vehicle. I can't afford new so I'm looking at used ones. I've been scoping out some Isuzu's, GMC 5500's (a 4x4 Mitsubishi would be nice, but I hear their capacity is limited). It must have lots of storage for gear and saws and I like arborpro's idea about the hinging sides.

The mini skid does move the chipper (2,000 lbs.) around, but I have to get a better setup (I've been using the trailer chains) and figure that if I get a mount plate with receiver I'll have more control.

-Sorry if I hijacked the thread.

Hey Arborpro, do you have a pic of your setup?

 

[arbor pro]

Hey Arborpro, do you have a pic of your setup?

I've been meaning to get some pics but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll try to post some as soon as I get a chance.

 

[arbor pro]

The mini skid does move the chipper (2,000 lbs.) around, but I have to get a better setup (I've been using the trailer chains) and figure that if I get a mount plate with receiver I'll have more control.

QUOTE]

I thought about getting a reciever plate for my mini but didn't want to carry around an extra attachment. i just torched a 1" hole in my bucket and screw in a 2" ball whenever I need to move something. I keep a ball with each piece of equipment that I may need to move since the mini really doesn't have any place to store one. It's probably not as ideal as a seperate receiver attachment but, my operation is all about efficiency and eliminating anything that isn't absolutely necessary. The receiver hitch isn't absolutely necessary if you can screw in a ball to an existing attachment (bucket, forks, whatever).