Looking for a used dump trailer

Crimsonking said:
B is being modest. He’s a great, conscientious man who puts his heart and soul into the work of his hands. He also takes development seriously. I admire his commitment, personal flexibility, resolve, and steady execution. If you get the chance to hang out with this guy, take it. I miss him!
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Thanks for the kind words and helping me get in the saddle!
 
ATH said:
Don't forget to invest in education as well...whether that is Extension events, Department of Forestry, ISA, TCIA, etc.

That can be a tough check to write when you are pinching pennies to buy equipment, but never stop learning if you want to get better!
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Yes it is. I’m pinching those pennies so hard they are yelling! But gotta learn. I’m enjoying reading the posts on here and learning from ya’ll. And taking advantage of all the free education I can get. It’s not free but looking forward to the Expo this year.
 
@B_Strange Keep doing what you're doing, and do the best you can with what you have. There's nothing wrong with communicating to a [potential] customer that you love this business, but you are starting new and it's going to take time to build it. They are more interested in the quality of your work, the manner in which you run your job site, your price, and your attitude. Show up on every job clean shaven, in a good mood, and with the attitude that you're trying to do what's right by them, and your customer will respect you.

I have run the numbers in this business - extensive spreadsheets - and I know how much money I can make doing it this way or that way. I am retired from a previous career, and I could go pay cash for everything but a crane right now - if I wanted to - but I don't. I only want to work around 3 days per week and be able to serve certain types of customers who don't have butt loads of cash to get their trees done - which consequently describes the majority of my area. So right now the numbers say to go light on the equipment, and focus on small and mid jobs, with maybe the occasional larger job. If I bought all that equipment, I would HAVE to feed it to make it worth the purchase, and my crew HAS to get bigger and my work schedule has to get busier. Right now, my focus is to MAXIMIZE my profit potential with what I have, and I am not interested in turning this into a 5 day a week full operation. If I did, my prices would have to go up, and I would be just like all the other crews out there bitching about the non-legits taking my work. If/when my customer asks me why I don't have a chipper or a bucket, I always let them know I would be happy raise the bill by 20% and implement a $500 minimum. They get the point and actually respect what I'm doing. It nice for them to see someone come in, clean cut, do good work, and them actually be able to afford it. Now I will say this, I could use a min skid steer, but that's about 80% want and 20% need, so I am trying to find the right deal.

As far as playing the big penis contest with your competitors, just be man and say no. You'll have your day when their workers come approach you looking for weekend work.
 
Thanks! That is what I am doing I reckon. At this point I think @Joeybagodonuts had a good point of making the lateral move to a larger truck so that I can be more efficient later. That makes sense. If I had the cash I would get the larger truck and dump trailer at the same time. Since I don’t it makes sense to try and trade the old Tundra and Jeep Grand Cherokee my dad gave me in for a larger truck with no payments. I can rent the dump trailer or rent a chipper if I have to. Do good work, budget like a fiend, improve daily, and I think the jobs will come.
This thread has helped sharpen my thinking. Which is good. Don’t want to let pride get in my way. Well off to drag brush, clean my dad’s truck, and pick up my daughter’s truck.
 
Joeybagodonuts said:
...."legitimately operational"... ....
I think you know what I'm saying ATH. Yeah..? No..?
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Good term for clarification!

That is going to look different for different jobs. Good reminder in looking for that balance to think "can I do this...am I legitimately operational to do this?". I've quit even looking at removals...I can do them, but not efficiently. I am swamped with pruning work, so no need to step into something that we don't do best. B_Strange gave 2 good examples of that too!

I did want to offer that thought though because there are operations who seem to think their equipment (or their video camera - see YouTube) make them 'legit'. That wasn't a strong implication in anything you said, so don't take it that way...just don't want a guy to get out of the biz because he can't afford $150K of equipment at startup. Build on a solid foundation of quality and the rest will come! Sounds like we are on the same page, right?
 
Birdyman88 said:
You're always gonna want somethimg bigger. Just remember if you build up the sides, you have to lift everything over. My 6x12 lo pro with 2 ft sides are already 4 ft above ground. Brush is fine, but lifting logs can get tough. If I build walls up by 2 ft, I won't be able to get the logs over without a machine, and you don't want to put all that weight at the rear through the gate. Just something to think about.
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Removable/ folding sides are considerations.

2x for side walls might be Overkill.

Loading from the back with a machine is fine, I'm. Butts forward, mostly, keeping your tongue weight in the correct range.
 
B_Strange said:
Thanks! That is what I am doing I reckon. At this point I think @Joeybagodonuts had a good point of making the lateral move to a larger truck so that I can be more efficient later. That makes sense. If I had the cash I would get the larger truck and dump trailer at the same time. Since I don’t it makes sense to try and trade the old Tundra and Jeep Grand Cherokee my dad gave me in for a larger truck with no payments. I can rent the dump trailer or rent a chipper if I have to. Do good work, budget like a fiend, improve daily, and I think the jobs will come.
This thread has helped sharpen my thinking. Which is good. Don’t want to let pride get in my way. Well off to drag brush, clean my dad’s truck, and pick up my daughter’s truck.
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Just another plug for the flatbed when your unloading by hand. Brush comes off easily with a rope cinching it together and tied to an anchor, logs unload easily with a cant hook and can be rolled to the nearest edge vs having to unload towards the back each time. The beds are also built much stronger than the stamped sheet metal of a regular truck bed.
 
Jehinten said:
Just another plug for the flatbed when your unloading by hand. Brush comes off easily with a rope cinching it together and tied to an anchor, logs unload easily with a cant hook and can be rolled to the nearest edge vs having to unload towards the back each time. The beds are also built much stronger than the stamped sheet metal of a regular truck bed.
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Tempting, very tempting. You had me at “unloads easily”.
 
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Yes ATH.. we are..

On the topic of flatbeds.. if you buy the correct setup, they can also be dumping as well... I think they are just called dumping stake bodies.. I'm sure there's a more technical term for them but i can't recall it.
 
A flat bed works but is a poor cousin to the dump body or trailer. I started with a flat bed f250 and wouldn't recommend it for long term work. You can lease/finance the right dump trailer for very reasonable prices. $7900 trailer was around 150 a month on a 5 year lease. Peanuts compared to all that unloading time and energy at the end of the day.
6x10 with 2 5200 axles works decent with a 1/2 ton, ideal with my f350.
Something in that size area should be good short term and long term. Maybe 6x12 but I would not go bigger with the tundra.
Good luck!
 
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