Skid steer or mini excavator

Climotocross

Climotocross

Location
Newland
Trying to choose between the two? I live in the mtns of NC so hardly any flat land for a mini skid so I’d like to rule that out. I think the mini ex is going to be the choice for us for reaching off banks and pushing trees and even more so loading logs. What is everyone else’s input?
 
6 out of 10 people could careless about their lawn around here, some don’t have any grass period. Idk if the articulating would do us any good in the winter with snow/mud on hilly terrain?
 
Climotocross said:
6 out of 10 people could careless about their lawn around here, some don’t have any grass period. Idk if the articulating would do us any good in the winter with snow/mud on hilly terrain?
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Hilly terrain, not good for articulating loaders at all. Maybe look into a a300 or equivalent? If you can get the truck to the wood almost all the time I’d say mini ex with a rotating grapple.
 
Even bad terrain, I think a mini skid with bmg is going to be more versatile. Faster, more maneuverable, easier to transport, feeding chippers etc. Mini ex has its place no doubt but I would think a mini skid/articulating loader has to come before the mini ex in regards to residential tree work
 
I could see a mini ex on a soild crane crew, feeding the machine at the curb. Can’t really beat the reach and swing and push, but for travel can’t beat a mini skid
 
Everyone has their own preferences and I have always been much more of an excavator fan than skid steer fan for our application.. I think we are the only company in our area that runs a mini excavator..everyone here has a skid steer or track loader.... we have both.. bobcat T870 (very stable and strong machine) But the machine that goes to pretty much every job is our bobcat e35i with a log grapple and hydraulic thumb... also use 36” CM log tongs occasionally.. mini skid steer is pretty much useless for most of the trees in our area and how we operate.. We run a 40ton grove all terrain crane and the excavator has no problem keeping up.. travel speed is definitely slower but it’s so easy to get in and out of and the visibility is fantastic and safe.. . we very rarely have long runs.. different strokes for different folks.. we have a couple thousand hours on ours and don’t ever regret it.. Rent or demo each for a few jobs and see what works for you and your area..
 
JD Hoft said:
Everyone has their own preferences and I have always been much more of an excavator fan than skid steer fan for our application.. I think we are the only company in our area that runs a mini excavator..everyone here has a skid steer or track loader.... we have both.. bobcat T870 (very stable and strong machine) But the machine that goes to pretty much every job is our bobcat e35i with a log grapple and hydraulic thumb... also use 36” CM log tongs occasionally.. mini skid steer is pretty much useless for most of the trees in our area and how we operate.. We run a 40ton grove all terrain crane and the excavator has no problem keeping up.. travel speed is definitely slower but it’s so easy to get in and out of and the visibility is fantastic and safe.. . we very rarely have long runs.. different strokes for different folks.. we have a couple thousand hours on ours and don’t ever regret it.. Rent or demo each for a few jobs and see what works for you and your area..
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Cool post. Pretty different from what most guys are doing...

@Gerasimek uses a grapple chipper with his treemek, which is kind of an extremely low travel machine and makes me think of your excavator. Would you care to comment on how your excavator might compare to Glenn's setup? Advantages, disadvantages?
 
excavator is a great sorter - feeder of chippers, reaching over banks marvelous, with a rigid rotator throw up rock walls, hands down ex wins over mini skid for sure. Here comes the butt, for forwarding a mini skid/wheel loader kicks ass on the Ex.
JD though has the ultimate forwarder, his crane -- NO turf damage
 
tnttree said:
excavator is a great sorter - feeder of chippers, reaching over banks marvelous, with a rigid rotator throw up rock walls, hands down ex wins over mini skid for sure. Here comes the butt, for forwarding a mini skid/wheel loader kicks ass on the Ex.
JD though has the ultimate forwarder, his crane -- NO turf damage
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Ok...if we are talking mostly residential work then forwarding material is the main issue right?? So that means that mini skid/wheel loader wins hands down
 
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