Given a choice, Which would you choose...

rfwoodvt

rfwoodvt

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Hi!

Looking at including materials handling machinery in this year's budget. I have narrowed it down to 4 types of equipment.

Each type must be able to fit into the majority of our yards, but I'd not be worried about getting them into a chainlink fenced in yard so with the tractor and articulated they would be the smaller ones, 5' or less on the width.

So, given your choice, which of the 3 would you go with and more importantly, why?

<ul type="square"> [*]Skidsteer [*]Compact Tractor with front loader (like kubota) [*]Articulated loader like a swinger [*]Mini Skidsteer like the Dingo [/list]

And if you could choose only 1 implement, what would you choose and again, why?
 
What are you planning on using it for? Most of the smaller equipment have a low lifting capacity. We have a small kubota tractor that we use for plowing sidewalks and landscape projects. It's a good tractor but it can't carry much more than a wheelbarrow load of dirt or rock. It would never be much good hauling logs. Skidsteers are great for many things but they will tear up some turf and the smaller models are under powered for most of what I do. The mini skidsteers I like better than the small model regular skidsteers. They are great for getting in tight spaces and have just about as many attachments as the regular skidsteers.

I use a bucket the most and then forks and plow attachments.

Figure out what kind of weight you want to lift and it should help you narrow it down.
 
There's a company that makes a small articulated loader that looks fine. It's a bit bigger than the mini-skids but not as big as a Swinger type. That would be my first choice I think. The second choice would be a mini-skid, probably a tracked machine.
 
An articulated loader like the Swinger gives you lots of lifting capacity for bigger logs than the minis and with a half decent operator it won't tear up lawns like the skid steers. In my area a tracked machine would be a complete disaster for residential work. Great for raw dirt construction sites but completely unsuited for residential lawns.

For the attachment I'd get a grapple, of course.
 
Articulating loader with a grapple and turf tires. Swingers are heavy ( 8-9000 lbs) I would go with a smaller one like the gehl al20 or multione.
 
I've had a couple summers running our dingo with a grapple on it and its great. Worth 3 guys, just stage the brush with all the butts together, grab with 3 feet or so sticking out and feed into the 1800. Works great. As far as brands go if I was looking at new, maybe check the vermeer mini they have now.
 
If you are doing residential treework where access is an issue, mini for sure, add Branch manager grapple. Definitly worth three guys. More open , flat ground go with a bigger machine.
 
I know someone with a "boxer" and a Branch manager grapple with bollard. I've seen what it can move and its pretty impressive. The Boxer has tracks not wheels. I would venture a guess that it would be Ideal for packing wood and brush out of backyards and through small gates. Also it can be transported without someone who possesses a CDL. And the the ability to see 360 degrees avoids bumps and dings.
Maybe one day I'll get to try it out. This testimony is not admissable in court.
 
Its good to hear all of you mention the same stuff I have beeen considering. Each has its own good points.

I've seen abunch of different grapples, of course the bypass as well as the root-rake and bucket grapples.

Our main purpose is to get stuff from point "a" to point "b" and take the stuff we cannot chip and drop it in the dumpbody pickup truck.

I can see most any grapple doing that but am leaning towards the rootrake type.

Any thoughts?
 
I agree with the root rake type attachment..especially for the first attachment. When and if you buy a mini-skid, check the attachment plate. Some manufacturers (like Bobcat) have their own plate, which means that you might have some restrictions on which types of attachments are available. Most have universal plates, which means that you can search elsewhere for attachments. We have a Boxer 526 (made by CPI). It has the greatest lifting capacity of any mini-skid, and still fits through a 36" gate (articulating tracks). We've been very happy with it.

PS Go to a home and Garden show and buy a demo, you can usuasally get them for a couple grand less.
 
We prefer a bucket-grapple over a rootrake-grappel. With a bucket grapple you can rake the small stuff into it and drive those twigs off the property. This is much faster and easier then hauling by hand.
 
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