Groundi vs. mini skid steer

Depends on how much business you do. Enough business that you'll use it pretty regular definately mini skid. Those things are AWESOME. I want one bad but right now I can't justify commiting to the payments right now.
 
Mini wins hands down. Consider that you wil pay a groundie 20-25k per year. Mini is paid for in the first year and it will be in great shape for another 5 years with good maintenance. Not to mention savings in chainsaw gas.
 
From the people that I have talked to, the mini is the way to go. You will still need someone to operate it so you will still need the groundi. You'll just be more productive.
 
It seems to me that you should figure your breakeven point, how much money is needed per month to cover fixed and variable expenses, and if the additional expense of new equipment allows you to be profitable then that addition is a good investment. In the slow months the groundi isn't working, but the equipment payment is still there.
 
Mini's show up on time, don't complain, don't need a bathroom at the worst possible time, they don't need workmans comp. But, mini's cant run ropes, send stuff up to a climber, watch for people entering the work zone.... Lay out what you really need something or someone to do.
 
Get the mini... and you'll be so much more productive, you'll do better work faster and watch the biz get going.. mihgt need another climber and 2 groundies to keep up...

And I think you're better off getting a large skid steer... at least 6000 lbs... more productive than a mini.. gotta be able to tow it though.. that'll take a full sized pick up..
 
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Mini's show up on time, don't complain, don't need a bathroom at the worst possible time, they don't need workmans comp. But, mini's cant run ropes, send stuff up to a climber, watch for people entering the work zone.... Lay out what you really need something or someone to do.

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My thoughts as well. If you properly train a good groundie he/she can be very profitable for you. And someday might be more than a groundie. Once a Mini always a Mini, no changing that!!
 
I worked one day for a guy who had one (mini). I was totally amazed by how awesome it was. With the grapple, it can drag almost all the brush and put it in the chipper. I also recently worked with a guy who had a medium to smallish excavator with grapple. It not only moved the brush, it handled all the wood too.
 
Its a 50/50 split for the most part, another guy can do lots of other things that just drag brush, however a loader makes the day easier and more effieient.

my thoughts overall:
Buy a well maintained mini skid and hire a groundie. Skids are amazing, you can have one skilled groundie on a reasonably sized removal to stack wood, drag with loader, and chip in the same time it would take 2 groundies to hand drag. The skid will speed up you production time for sure when moving wood.

Best of all no more wheelbarrows, log dolleys, ball carts or back problems!
 
I so badly want a mini skid steer that I fear my obsession will slant what will truely be more efficent.


(psssst. Get the mini skid steer, god there awesome)

I've done my best to convince my boss to get one but to no avail.
 
ooh ya, get other attachments, we have grapple arm with lowering bollard on it for small rigging jobs, forks, bucket, 3 foot auger for planting, and a 5 foot wide broom you can attach with the grapple which is great for moving snow under a tree like a plow but without digging into ground horrible bad. It also helps out with cleanup when you are a good operator.


A general warning for tracked mini skids: turn slow and wide, avoid skidding on ice on a hillside cause they do tip, and watch out for that turf!!!
 
Funny topic. Here I just sold my Boxer because I wasn't using it much with how often I use a crane...

And the within the last 2 weeks I could have used it on 3 jobs.
smirk.gif


My groundsman and I could throw down a lot of work with just the mini skid steer.

Mini skid steers take smaller crews and make them more competitive to larger companies still humping logs.
 
If you have a good groundy all ready you will make him much happier and productive with a mini. I can't tell you mini less brush and log humpers out there, that it is financialy stupid to to pay wages for forwarding. A full time groundy ~ 25 K a year, well maintained entry level new mini financed will run you maybe 3~4K a year.
Its a no brainer, can't keep it busy full time? I know guys who have got 10 years on there mini.
Do the math ~16K financed, 5 years service $3200 a year.

Check out these happy boys at the end of a big tree day, the mini is a big part of high moral - put a price on that
 

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If you have a good groundy all ready you will make him much happier and productive with a mini. I can't tell you mini less brush and log humpers that it is financialy stupid to to pay wages for forwarding. full time groundy ~ 25 K a year, well maintained entry level new mini financed will run you maybe 3~4K a year.
Its a no brainer, can't keep it busy full time? I know guys who have got 10 years on there mini.
Do the math ~16K financed, 5 years service $3200 a year.

Check out these happy boys at the end of a big tree day, the mini is a big part of high moral - put a price on that

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You're such a capitalist.
 
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