What material handling equipment should I buy?

[NebClimber]

I do a lot of residential removals. I've built a two-wheel dolly(similar to the one you can buy in the sherrill catalog ) to remove large diameter wood and the trunk from the site. The trunk gets cut usually into 3 or 4 pieces, placed on the cart, and wheeled over to a car trailer. Then we tip the dolly over backward onto the trailer and shove the wood up the dolly and on to the trailer.

This method works, but is obviously labor intensive.

I want to upgrade, but to what?

Skid loader and put debris on trailer?

Skid loader and put debris on dump truck?

Clam truck using dolly to wheel wood close enough to load?

20" chipper and old method for the trunk?

Old method using a dump trailer?

Dingo-type compact ride-behind loader with trailer?

Something else completely?

Please help.

Steven

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm partial to a Prentice loader mounted on a chip truck, myself.

 

[tophopper]

I have a dingo compact loader and it is great! Not only is it great for moving and loading logs, but for forwarding brush and even feeding the chipper. It is a compact loader so it does have its limitations, but is far more practical than much larger equipment because it will fit into areas that the larger equipment cant.
I only have a chip truck (F700) and chipper, a one ton truck would be perfect for hauling logs and pulling the loader. Right now I have to load my chip truck from the rear, so it can get tricky trying to fit alot of logs in there. plus the hassle of having to unhook the chipper to load logs kinda sucks, but it sure does beat the way we used to load logs
This is also the least expensive piece of equipment of those which you listed.
If your set on a prentice clam truck, why not have a dingo or such for forwarding?

 

[Ax-man]

How about a 1 ton dump with a corner mounted crane with an electric winch, or a 2 ton dump with one of those fold up cranes that mount behind the cab.

Skid steer loaders are really nice to have, I'm considering one myself. I used to have a backhoe, but hitching and unhitching trailors , finding a spot to unload equipment, binding the machine down on the trailor, gets real old quick and time consuming. For small jobs it really isn't worth the effort, for the larger jobs it is, especially if your going to be on a site more than one day.

A Prentice is the ultimate of course but they are expensive to maintain, license and insure. If your moving a lot of big, long wood they are the nuts, but for loading small chunks it can be a pain, unloading them is also a pain unless you have the dump feature.

You just have to work with what you can afford and get the most use out of.

 

[Toddppm]

Something like this would be nice
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=26261&item=3839579822&rd=1

 

[MasterBlaster]

Yea, that would be very nice!

 

[Nickrosis]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
I'm partial to a Prentice loader mounted on a chip truck, myself.

How would that work? Wouldn't you want an open box on the back...without a top?

 

[Ax-man]

I was thinking the same thing. I think Butch has his trucks mixed up.

Larry

 

[MasterBlaster]

Many of the chip trucks using a loader have half-tops, that can be removed for loading. Sure, it could be a dedicated open topped dump bed, but it can also have a half top for the chipping.

You ain't seen em before, young 'un?

 

[Dadatwins]

Have to say it depends on what type of disposal access is available. Someone that has a hard time with wood and brush disposal, but easy chip dumping should buy the biggest chipper they can buy. If you can dump mixed loads of brush and wood than the prentice is the way to go. Of course you cannot get the prentice into every yard so the skidder with grapple comes in handy to carry the material out. Really depends on the type of disposal access and type of work your company does. You might do residential work now, but a prentice might open a market up to do municipal street work and a skidder might get you into lot clearing. Good luck

 

[Nickrosis]

And don't forget about working with other companies. We definitely under-utilize possibilities. Our neighbor has a log-loading trailer, and we have loaders and dump trucks. But we don't really share. I think it would be a good idea. But I'm still the kid!

I read ya now, Butch!

 

[Sep]

Nick, that is a great point. Why is that most of us tree companies feel like we need to own everything. It is great to have relationships with other companies so that every one doesn't need to own every piece of equipment.

-Sep

 

[a_lopa]

most people cant think outside the square with outsourcing,i make sure ive got plenty of back up.excavators,log trucks, loaders,chipper guys,stump removers.there all paying off there equipment and are more than happy to get the work.my stump sub is doing my big stumps/groups of that competitive that its barely worth me doing my own(ihave a 1625)he has 200k off grinders,and the excavator i use the log grab alone is worth 30k why would i put my nuts on the line.back to original question i think the dingo is what you need

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
Many of the chip trucks using a loader have half-tops, that can be removed for loading. Sure, it could be a dedicated open topped dump bed, but it can also have a half top for the chipping.

You ain't seen em before, young 'un?

that type of truck is very commen overhere in fact stephenbullman has one ..it must be great to have a nice handy prentice type loader..saves all that ringing up

 

[Yellowdog]

I do a lot of clean up for tree companies. I am a land clearing company, mostly, but sub out for clean up. We operate a BC2000 with loader grapple and a couple of skid steers. We are thinking about getting a new Bobcat ToolCat. It is allwheel steer, 4 wheel drive, and has 1500lb. capacity and takes a lot of attachments including a stump grinder. The new turbo high flow ToolCat could possibly be the ultimate backyard tool. I am considering selling one of my big Bobcats to get one. As far as chipping, you won't be sorry if you can chip big logs. It makes diposal problems less labor intensive.

 

[Koa Man]

Originally posted by Yellowdog
As far as chipping, you won't be sorry if you can chip big logs. It makes diposal problems less labor intensive.

I strongly agree. Since I got my Woodsman 18X, my disposal fees have dropped from around $450 a month to less than a $100. Disposal for green waste is $40 a ton, chipped material is $10 a ton here. I have a place that will take all the chipped material I have for free. Unfortunately, no one buys chips here. Too many tree companies and the local green waste recycler gives them away. We chip everything up to about 30 inch dia. by cutting it in half.

 

[LladnekLD]

Brash - log loader

look at a smart little pivot loader from avant-tecno in Finland,

Not only will it power alot of attachments but has telescopic loader arm and will not tear up your customers yard like a skid steer.
These neat units are heading for USA market and are working well in Europe for the last 10 years.

www.avanttecno.com

 

[Lumberjack]

I have a friend that works for the big orange, who runs their knuckleboom. He has free reign to use it after hours and on the weekends. He has at least a 45 yard box, if not bigger. He charges 75 dollars a load, and it works out well for the both of us (when I can get ahold of him grrr) as he has free dumping at the dump.


However, as to buying your own equipment, the only problem with working with someone else is they are (historically) unreliable, and not to mention, aint havin more junk always cool?

Next summer I am considering buying another trailer like i have now (really heavy duty) and adding the loader in the front of it, and some sides (probably the dump version of my trailer). That way I can load my own junk, have much better reliability and hey, I might could use it to make more money cleanin up for others (pickin off the curb of course).

 

[a_lopa]

arnt avant italian?

 

[Scars2prove-it]

Originally posted by Sep
Nick, that is a great point. Why is that most of us tree companies feel like we need to own everything. It is great to have relationships with other companies so that every one doesn't need to own every piece of equipment.

-Sep

Good Point! Sometimes I have another company bring out a roll off container to load wood into. Sometimes he puts a skid steer in the container and drops it off in one shot. I have my own skid steer now but I will still have him bring containers occassionally. It saves me time when I am busy and saves my trucks when I have big wood that I can just drop in the container.