Mini skid-steers?

[treemandan]

I have been taking a lot of pics lately, mostly of my completely screwed up house but the yard is fine but like I said screw the expensive grapple. For crying out loud John Henry and Paul Bunyan would be turning over in their graves if they heard all us using all these machines. Here are some cheapies but tell me it ain't slick or don't work, Oh nevermind.

This toxic dump is what I meant about my house, car was totaled... I am gettin paid.

Here is the axle I threw together for logs I want to keep long and still have to get on through with it.

87 Chevy Celebrity front hub bearings and wheels. The car was owned by a lady who only drove it to church.

***** Nails, go ahead, I dare ya. Still luv ya but I dare ya. I said "threw together" and I say now... its still togther. I have had so many 16 and one half foot pople and oak trunks on that it would almost keep you busy splitting... it for a few days.


Uhh? a no- brainer?

 

[treemandan]

That axle was actually the rear bumper of my 87 Chevota. It still has the dam brackets on it so it should fit on one of those trucks still. I kept the tube steel when I junked the trunk. Now ask me how many oak logs you can put on a toyota pick-up with a small block in it.

 

[arbor pro]

$400?!?? Tell me that is a msiprint.

Nope. The bucket came with the machine. I bought the 'thumb' grapple new online for $400 and have used it for 2 years with almost no issues. I had my brother-in-law notch out the toothed sides of the bucket to better grip larger logs and it works almost too good - sometimes hard to get them to release out of the bucket when dumping into the truck. I'd love to try out a branch manager or other types of grapples but, with the grapple I already have, I just can't justify the $3k price tag.

What I'd really like to get for my machine is a 42" wide flat-sided bucket with a 36" flat bottom and a 36" grapple - basically, the same thing that you can get for a larger bobcat but made for a mini skid. I've yet to see exactly what I'm looking for but some are getting close...

 

[arborworks1]

You don't know what you are missing not having a bmg grapple. Imo, the bmg is what makes the mini worth having. So you have to switch the grapple for a bucket. Most times we can get everything swept up with the brush piles we are dragging with the mini. So maybe 3 -4 trash cans full. The bmg is only 2000 plus shipping.

 

[treemandan]

You don't know what you are missing not having a bmg grapple. Imo, the bmg is what makes the mini worth having. So you have to switch the grapple for a bucket. Most times we can get everything swept up with the brush piles we are dragging with the mini. So maybe 3 -4 trash cans full. The bmg is only 2000 plus shipping.

No doubt a grapple hand is better than a human hand. I would get it if I thought it would really pay off. ITS THE BOMB! I think you can lift more actuall wood weight with lighter fork and its pretty stable. A average oak log just might be over safe capacity. I am not preaching safe by no means, ( I'm like " who cares" anyway) I just want to move longer logs that out- rate the machine. I reefer to these things as " mexicans you just keep strapped to the trailer at night". Now come-on, that's dam funny I know it is cause I am dying.
Just used old rope to hogtie the stuff, pile it on and tie the infamous Treemandan ( By the way, name's is NOT Dan) Clove on the Ball right to E'l Dingolator OR I just push the DAM chipper right in with it. You should have seen how we took this hill. Actually I think its better at pulling than pushing any thoughts?

 

[treemandan]

If you tired to pick up a LOG with that one in red pic why I would think you would flip it into a chesseburger. Go ahead, stand on the back. Is nice though. With a data link you could program like an R2D2 unit. A remote would be nice, that's the thing. Just add a few hundred to the back platform and off you go.

 

[Arbortec01]

We rent the Ditch With SK650 from time to time and are planning on buying one next year. We've also used Deere and Case full size skids, the full size skids are amazing and can pick up a lot more weight per fork load, but we do a lot of residential work and can't get a full size into back yards, and you usually have to go so slow and easy so you don't tear up the lawn which can waste time.
The Ditch Witch 650 is a great unit, the only problem we had was counterbalancing it when we pick up really heavy pieces of wood; it would be hard to fit more than two guys on the platform. My partner and I have both had it happen where we pick up a heavy peice of wood, say maybe about 1000 pounds, carry it very low to the ground over to the truck and then when you lift it up to load it, it tips, and they tip really fast if you're not taking it easy. So you just have to take it easy with big stuff. But I was very skeptical of the power that a mini could have until I used one. I mean in all reality you could do any removal with a mini that you could do with a full size, you just might have to cut the logs a little smaller.
The only 'real' drawback I could see with a mini, other guys have already mentioned, they don't have anywhere near the reach that a full size has. But we want to use it with a dump trailer, so reach wouldn't be an issue.
They are a lot easier to haul around than a full size.
The other thing I like better is that when you are moving a full size skid around in a tight back yard its hard to back up because sight is so limited from the cab of a skid. This problem disappears altogether with a mini.
We were thinking of getting a bigger dump trailer and using the dump trailer to move both the wood and the mini skid at the same time, saving a trip or the need for a second trailer. We probably couldn't do that with a full size skid (if it could even fit in a dump trailer it'd take up too much space), does any use this sort of set up?

 

[SLlandscape]

This grapple type is better then

Hey, what brand and model of chipper is that? And how much did you pay?

 

[squad143]

This grapple type is better then

Hey, what brand and model of chipper is that? And how much did you pay?

That is a Bandit 65XL. I bougt it used (40hrs) last year (July 07) for $8,000 from a place near Chicago.
It has a 25hp gas Kohler Command engine. Fantastic little chipper.

 

[squad143]

We were thinking of getting a bigger dump trailer and using the dump trailer to move both the wood and the mini skid at the same time, saving a trip or the need for a second trailer. We probably couldn't do that with a full size skid (if it could even fit in a dump trailer it'd take up too much space), does any use this sort of set up?

I am currently using a tri-axle 7ton float. (See picture)

I have been looking into getting one of those dump trailers (see next picture) that has a 4' platform on the front (in front of the dump portion). I figure that I could load my chipper into the dump box and the mini-skid on the platform, drive to the job, unload the chipper and at the end of the job, tow the chipper behind the dump trailer.

The issue I'm looking at is that, with a load of chips + the skid-steer and the chipper, I'm very close (if not over) exceeding my vehicle's towing capacity.

It is either that or buy a proper dump truck (Just have to convince the wife on that one). This is the route that I most likely will go with.

 

[SLlandscape]

That is a Bandit 65XL. I bougt it used (40hrs) last year (July 07) for $8,000 from a place near Chicago.
It has a 25hp gas Kohler Command engine. Fantastic little chipper.

That's about what size I'm looking for. I don't have a chip box on my pickup or trailer but I know several people with dump trucks and loaders and etc. I can use. I'm assuming its maximum is around 6"-8". correct?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

That is a Bandit 65XL. I bougt it used (40hrs) last year (July 07) for $8,000 from a place near Chicago.
It has a 25hp gas Kohler Command engine. Fantastic little chipper.

They are great for brush, but spend half the time in the air when on the road, and suffer for it. I think they are more for institutional use the production.

You sure can squeak them into tight areas though! One crew I ran had one for the "crabapple" work, or small tree/srub crews. I can still picture applesauce running out of all the cracks of the discharge chute in the fall when apples were large.

 

[Wismer]

I am currently using a tri-axle 7ton float. (See picture)

I have been looking into getting one of those dump trailers (see next picture) that has a 4' platform on the front (in front of the dump portion). I figure that I could load my chipper into the dump box and the mini-skid on the platform, drive to the job, unload the chipper and at the end of the job, tow the chipper behind the dump trailer.

You can't tow two trailers at the same time in ontario

 

[squad143]

That's about what size I'm looking for. I don't have a chip box on my pickup or trailer but I know several people with dump trucks and loaders and etc. I can use. I'm assuming its maximum is around 6"-8". correct?

They say that they are a 6" chipper and yes they will take a limb that size, but will take forever to chip a hardwood that size. Keep material under 2" and it will chip all day long. Especially soft woods. It does not care for dead branches that are really hard, then you need to stay near the controls as the feedwheel occasionally jambs.

As with any business you want machines that will be productive for you and suit your needs. If you are looking for a chipper that will chip large pieces of wood, then this is not what you are looking for. Rarely do I have to remove wood from my jobs (customers want to keep the wood for firewood) so for the most part I'm chipping limbs and smaller branches.

This is a part-time (that seems like full time) business for me. For the most part I work in "cottage country" doing removals at vacation properties. I chip into the woods and the small chips that come out are hardly noticeable in the bush. The small size make it great for backing it down tight, twisty and steep driveways to get the chipper close to the work. This is my second year with the bandit and I've been very pleased with it for the type/use that I need it for.

The chipper weighs in at approx. 2,000 lbs. and before I bought my truck, I would pull it with my wife's Buick Rendevous.

BTW, my mini-skid moves it around no problem, but I would'nt want to try it on a very steep pitch or I would probably be in for a scary ride.

 

[squad143]

You can't tow two trailers at the same time in ontario

You can if you are commerical rated. Take a look at the transports with the pup trailers.

 

[HolmenTree]

I got a Vermeer S400TX in the cards for next season.Really like the looks of the 2000 lb. little mini. Always had excellent service with Vermeer. I will have a Vermeer 36"wide horizontal brush grapple on it and have a homemade aluminum box insert to fit inside the grapple to haul stump mulch.The insert can be carried in the pickup truck when not needed. Now I would like to carry the mini mounted sideways on a ledge at the back of my trailer.My trailer is 6'-6" wide and the roughly 8 ft long machine with grapple would have about 9" overhang on each side, not a legal problem here in Manitoba.
The S400TX would make my tree service as complete as I would want it ,at a nice managable size especially in todays tough economic times.

 

[treevet]

Lets hurt it... so we know how much it can take.
CONS
Don't try driving over small stumps. You will be stuck and go around in circles for about an hour and a half. Actually that might be good if you don't want to fork over the money to take the family to the CIRCUS.

If you go over a hump with a good load or to fast you get catapulted off the platform. Man what a rush!

It really won't "push" a whole lot of piled up stuff... at all, so don't try.

I think if you can save the money and just strap and drag branches ( a forte' of this machine) a grapple is just dead weight. You are not going to be able to lift it very high with one. I will post pics of the logs I moved. You have to take your time and you are more limited with the bullwork BUT the footprints it leaves SAVES big. I toss plywood down in turning zones and whatknot of course but mainly its just blow and go for clean up. I "stand" lawns and grass back up after we had flattened it. You can drive it over landscape beds and such with thin strips of plywood and not hurt a thing.I am making myself a little randy just talking about it. Those things are just so cute I can't help it

I am with you treemandan except for the randy. Die over my dingo (and bobcat mt50)

This is how it gets loaded.

 

[treevet]

Heres my 525 tx (diesel) "Dinger". Not sure how to post multiple picts. and I have one more after this. I think the uses for this are way under rated and the cost is drastically over rated. Paid about 24k for this and grapple and bucket.

Tilt trailer makes for easy on and off but I may go to loading on pick up or the following picture as I have the same chipper.

 

[treevet]

Borrowed this from a post of Dave's at BMG.

 

[squad143]

Here's some pics of a removal we did last week with the mini.

Moving brush

Moving logs

Long slow drive from tree to loading site, so we decided to get creative and shorten our trips by half. Enabled us to pick up larger pieces as well. I'll have to remember this one.