DTS
Participating member
- Location
- Orange County,NY
7k is a lot more I'd cut a log shorter and go with the sk800 the dimensions are the same so your not getting any where the other can't.
Which to choose? Mini Skid Steer
- Thread starter Philtreeman#1
- Start date
-
- Tags
- bobcat boxer mini skid steer toro
I researched and demoed mini's for many years and finally decided to purchase my first one in late 2012. I decided on going with the largest Ditch Witch mini at the time, the SK600.
Before I purchased it, I got news that the SK755 was about to be released. I waited patiently (against the wishes of my local dealer) until they took delivery of their first shipment of SK755's in January of 2013. I paid $23,802 and it came with a bucket. I put a Branch Manager 53" mini grapple on it and that machine revolutionized the efficiency of our ground crew! We could not work without one today! I loved the SK755 but wished it had a bit more lift capacity.
When the SK850 came out just 2 years later in 2015, I traded in my SK755 with a little over 600 hours on it for the new SK850 and I took a "bath" on the trade in. I paid $32,361 for the SK850 with a 44" light material bucket for moving mulch (minus my trade in allowance of of $14,000). I wanted the little bit of extra lift but felt a bit robbed by what they gave me for my low hour machine that was in excellent condition.
When the SK1050 was introduced last year in 2016, I found out that it had the same exact physical specs as my machine but had more lifting capacity because of a weight kit that they added to it. Maybe for California they changed the emissions but for us on the East coast, I think it's the same engine and emissions on both the 850 and 1050. I then found out that for around $1,200 (parts and labor), I could have the same weight kit added to my SK850 at my local Ditch Witch dealer. I had the weight kit added and I basically have the 1050 without the 1050 decal.
Just an idea but if you can get a killer deal on the 850 and add the weight kit maybe you could save some bucks over buying the 1050??
The reason I keep getting more capacity when available is because it's a big deal to me to get the longest logs possible carried out of yards so that my K-boom log truck can be efficient (will carry up to 22' logs) when hauling to the local log mills. My local log mills don't want short logs (say in the 8'-12' range), most like a minimum of 14.5' on the short side but prefer 18'-22' lengths if they can get them.
I'd like to get the new SK1550 for the extra capacity (longer logs) and lift height when loading but the over all size of the machine and its weight go up considerably as does the price! For now, I'm going to be happy with my "1050." Just a little SK trivia: the model numbers on the Ditch Witch mini's stand for roughly 1/3 of the tipping weight in pounds. The 1050 has a tipping weight of roughly 3,035 lbs. I'm not sure if an operator weight of 150 lbs is factored in or not. My Branch Manager mini grapple weighs 200 lbs.
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flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
You are correct the 850 and 1050 are the same machine as per the dealer. Only difference is the exhaust moved and the weights added underneath (350#). The price jump comes from the tier 4 diesel mainly. If you dig around you can actually find the 850 plus which were 850s that dealers had and did just what you did and put a "plus" sticker on it.
I was considering adding the weights to the 800 as you did to get a little more out of it, but I still ain't got the machine yet. I'm in the same boat as you, can't get much done without the mini skid. If the dealer can't tell me my 800 will be here by the end of the week I'm gonna have to tell him to get a 1050 prepped. And I'll have it tomorrow!
SK trivia: I did read somewhere the weight rating accounts for an operator, I just can't remember what that operator is supposed to weigh. But I remember if fell short of it!
Fivepoints
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- East of Huntsville, AL
We have an SK650 with 2350 hrs on it. Overall it has been a pretty good machine when its running. We unfortunately lost a motor a little over a year ago. The water pump dumped all the coolant out of the machine when it's bearings failed. We never noticed the coolant loss or it running excessively hot. The first real indication was it started smoking when the rings got hot enough to collapse. We have had the machine since 1800 hours. We've had to replace the ignition switch, radiator($1200 Ouch!), and a track front roller in those hours. If it died tomorrow, I'd be shopping for another one. I won't do tree work without one now.
One thing that I didn't notice being mentioned is they are great for light rigging. We regularly use ours with a couple of blocks to provide lift for limbs that are over things we don't want to hit. You can stand up a pretty large limb with them. I've taken 40-45 ft whole pine trees that were leaning over fences, etc with this. It won't completely pick them up whole but it will pull the top up to another tree in a different direction. I'm really surprised at how much pull force these things will put out. We were snatching smaller heavenwood trees out of a dense brush area without even cutting them this week. I would wade into the brush and tie a rope as high as I could reach by hand without climbing. They were small with most around 6" DBH but I was still impressed as we weren't having to use a saw at all to take them down. Being pretty brittle and with the force from the skid, they would snap off right above the ground. It worked out really well because once they broke we were dragging them out of the area still on rope until we could grab them with the grapple.
If money didn't matter, I'd look really hard at buying an SK1550 for the lift capacity. I'm constantly right on the edge of the tipping capacity(1800 lbs) of our machine when I'm moving logs. We use it to stuff logs into the chip box or dump truck from the back so we try to cut them around 10 ft long. With bigger stuff, we use two mini's on one log to load into the truck. It works pretty well. My buddy has an MT55 that we do this with. I think we can load around a 3000 lb log this way. The SK1550 should be able to load that size log on it's own.
One thing that I didn't notice being mentioned is they are great for light rigging. We regularly use ours with a couple of blocks to provide lift for limbs that are over things we don't want to hit. You can stand up a pretty large limb with them. I've taken 40-45 ft whole pine trees that were leaning over fences, etc with this. It won't completely pick them up whole but it will pull the top up to another tree in a different direction. I'm really surprised at how much pull force these things will put out. We were snatching smaller heavenwood trees out of a dense brush area without even cutting them this week. I would wade into the brush and tie a rope as high as I could reach by hand without climbing. They were small with most around 6" DBH but I was still impressed as we weren't having to use a saw at all to take them down. Being pretty brittle and with the force from the skid, they would snap off right above the ground. It worked out really well because once they broke we were dragging them out of the area still on rope until we could grab them with the grapple.
If money didn't matter, I'd look really hard at buying an SK1550 for the lift capacity. I'm constantly right on the edge of the tipping capacity(1800 lbs) of our machine when I'm moving logs. We use it to stuff logs into the chip box or dump truck from the back so we try to cut them around 10 ft long. With bigger stuff, we use two mini's on one log to load into the truck. It works pretty well. My buddy has an MT55 that we do this with. I think we can load around a 3000 lb log this way. The SK1550 should be able to load that size log on it's own.
Merle Nelson
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- SF Bay Area, CA
Welcome to Treebuzz Fivepoints, great post. If I was new to the idea of having a mini skid for tree work your post is descriptive enough that I would be primed up and ready to pursue the idea.
AmericanArborist
Participating member
- Location
- Omaha, NE
put some bobcat tracks on my vermeer today. I like the tread pattern a lot. I used the same tread on my vermeer 600tx. These are now available in the orange non skid track so I thought I'd give them a go. They are supposed to last a bit longer.
climbhightree
Branched out member
- Location
- Lebanon, Pa USA
You get them from bobcat or another retailer?put some bobcat tracks on my vermeer today. I like the tread pattern a lot. I used the same tread on my vermeer 600tx. These are now available in the orange non skid track so I thought I'd give them a go. They are supposed to last a bit longer.
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AmericanArborist
Participating member
- Location
- Omaha, NE
Bobcat retailer
flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
Well I havent updated my situation since my purchase. We went with the sk1050, mainly because that's what was available (and a couple key features not available on the smaller machine) but boy is this thing a beast. It's speed, power, capacity and overall smoothness are great. I have already started to notice huge differences in how jobs progress. Less cutting, faster turn arounds and no more bouncing when turning. I'm able to load 12' logs in the dump trailer, stack logs by the street for the log truck and feed tops/wood/trees into the chipper with little effort.
I was a little disappointed at the run around I got getting the machine, but was happy that if I needed a loader the salesman would drop his demo off for us to use. I was also a little frustrated when he dropped the machine off, he showed me the basics of the computer but that's it. I had a tech out replacing the hydro cap and he showed me the maintenance tracking, regent cycling, how to bypass it temporarily if in a bind and a couple other quirks of the machines... all features I had no idea were even there. My guess is the sales guy didn't even know about them.
Over all I've been super happy with it so far (52 hrs), but we will see as time goes on. Hopefully things continue to go well.
I was a little disappointed at the run around I got getting the machine, but was happy that if I needed a loader the salesman would drop his demo off for us to use. I was also a little frustrated when he dropped the machine off, he showed me the basics of the computer but that's it. I had a tech out replacing the hydro cap and he showed me the maintenance tracking, regent cycling, how to bypass it temporarily if in a bind and a couple other quirks of the machines... all features I had no idea were even there. My guess is the sales guy didn't even know about them.
Over all I've been super happy with it so far (52 hrs), but we will see as time goes on. Hopefully things continue to go well.
- Location
- Napa Valley
Very cool! How much for the set?put some bobcat tracks on my vermeer today. I like the tread pattern a lot. I used the same tread on my vermeer 600tx. These are now available in the orange non skid track so I thought I'd give them a go. They are supposed to last a bit longer.
AmericanArborist
Participating member
- Location
- Omaha, NE
Around $800
- Location
- Napa Valley
Thank you! I'll contact Bobcat.
- Location
- Reading Pa
Curious how are you liking the sk1050 so far? I recently demoed an sk800 and was impressed. I just sold my Vermeer 650 with 350hrs, it was nothing but problems right our of the box. Hydro pump issues twice right after I purchased it new and then 300+ hrs later Had more issues, I done with Vermeer. I’m thinking of making the drop and going with the 1050, I like the idea of being able to load full length logs to take to the mill. Have you had any issues with your machine so far?
flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
I have only had minor issues that sound very typical of this machine. The hydraulic cap seaps oil, been fixed twice. The fuel gauge seaps fuel, going to have them out for the second time soon and the parking brake didn’t work from day one... but they have that fixed now. The machine is an absolute beast, and it’s seldom we leave home without it. On the rare occasion we do a neighbor comes out wanting a tree down and w wind up going back to get it!
One if the key features the 1050 has over the 800 is othe operators consol/computer. The auto throttle is great for feeding the chipper with just the skid steer operator. Also there is a menu that tracks maintenance. It doesn’t remind you but it’s very easy to scroll through and see when it’s due for filters, or oil.
I certainly do not have any regrets in buying the machine.
What kind of price did you get out the door with on the 1050 after taxes/fees?
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flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
Just north of 33. But that was not financed through DW so it was basically a cash sale to them and of course our state had to get their 6%. Well worth every penny and then some. We had it out working with the crane today... crane picks it, lays it down and the machine does the rest while the climber was getting another.
Nice! The 1550 is awesome but I've always thought that it would be a little hard to justify because the 1050 probably has power to spare for most applications.
If you don't mind my asking what financial institution did you find that had better rates than DW dealer financing?
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flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
Don’t mind at all. I have a business line of credit that is used for mid range purchases such as this. The interest rate is really quite good. But the best part of it is if I have a cash flow poor month I can pay just the interest and hold cash in the checking account for more pressing bills that may come up.
I will say DW offered 0% for 60 but the price went up by 1600 and I wouldn’t have the flexibility if needed.
