Which to choose? Mini Skid Steer

SarasotaTree said:
So I was able to demo the ctx100 and I'll say that I was impressed. For its size, I was able to pick up some heavy pieces of wood, large brush piles and etc. A real time saver and it literally picked up everything I was able to throw at it. Keep in mind, I Demo'd the machine on a 40" ear tree. This was easily a 2 to 2.5 day job if we weren't able to use machinery. We put 8 hours in today and have about 2 more hours of work tomorrow. I do have one concern however....

I work in an area where a majority of our work is in nicely landscaped properties with nice lawns. The tracks on the machine seem to dig into grass. There were a few sections in the back yard that I'm going to have to fix. Granted I did warn them but I'm still going to fix it. If i were to buy a machine like this I'd need to know that I'm not going to have to bring 200-300ft in track mats with me on every job.

I was told by the Vermeer rep about turf tracks. Was wondering if anyone had any expirence with these types of tracks?
Click to expand...

Never turn abruptly without a turnpad. If it is wet, decrease the ground pressure.

I would look at a wheeled articulated loader if I was in your shoes.
 
Hello. My name is Dave. Saw your forum on mini skid steers. I have a landscape business and a portable sawmill. Wood-Mizer LT28. I just purchased a Ditch Witch 752. Supposed to take delivery today. I bought it for landscaping and for picking up and moving my logs for milling. I am not sawing supper size logs. My mill can handle a 28 inch log. Whats your thoughts on using the 752 for loading my mill and moving logs up to 10 foot long?
 
C
Dave Fletcher said:
Hello. My name is Dave. Saw your forum on mini skid steers. I have a landscape business and a portable sawmill. Wood-Mizer LT28. I just purchased a Ditch Witch 752. Supposed to take delivery today. I bought it for landscaping and for picking up and moving my logs for milling. I am not sawing supper size logs. My mill can handle a 28 inch log. Whats your thoughts on using the 752 for loading my mill and moving logs up to 10 foot long?
Click to expand...

Compare the wet weight of the logs to the tip weight of the mini.

Which attachment? Forks? Grapple? Grapple has limited diameter capability. Forks look useful for moving slabs. Forks are cheap.

Demo the unit at your worksite.
 
Dave Fletcher said:
Hello. My name is Dave. Saw your forum on mini skid steers. I have a landscape business and a portable sawmill. Wood-Mizer LT28. I just purchased a Ditch Witch 752. Supposed to take delivery today. I bought it for landscaping and for picking up and moving my logs for milling. I am not sawing supper size logs. My mill can handle a 28 inch log. Whats your thoughts on using the 752 for loading my mill and moving logs up to 10 foot long?
Click to expand...
Welcome to the Buzz i also bought a SK 752 i pick it up tommorow what did you pay for it?
 
Hello all I have been following along and I was hoping to get some opinions or advice.

I am a very small tree cutting trimming operation. Most of what I do is milling I either pick up logs from other tree companies or pick them up from their clients houses. I am looking for a Mini that can get a variety of things done. Moving logs, moving rounds, bucket dirt work, dozer dirt work, maybe roto-tilling, trenching, maybe stump grinding, and maybe a mower attachment. I was originally going to get a full size skid steer but it was cost prohibitive.

Now that i have decided to go with the MINI. Things I am looking for Maximum lifting weight, lift height over 85" this is pretty high for a Mini Skid Steer (height of the sides on my 6 wheel dump truck), dual hydraulics so I can run a rotating grapple or a 6 way dozer blade, and if I am getting a mini I want to be able to fit through a 36" gate or doorway. Mild considerations are motor power and speed forward and reverse.

I live in Sacramento, CA area the "City of Trees" I have every major brand dealer in town and within 30 mins of my house.


Boxer
950- HD
PROS Lifting capacity of 957lbs, Dual auxiliary hydraulics
CONS wider than 36"
http://www.boxerequipment.com/equipment/boxer-950hd-compact-utility-loader/

700-HDX
PROS has dual hydraulics but lower flow, retracts from 43 down to 34 inches
CONS lifts 693lbs
http://www.boxerequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Boxer_700HDX_Specs.pdf


Toro

DINGO TX 1000 NARROW TRACK
PROS 33.7" wide, lifts 1000lbs, auxilary hydraulic pump flow is 15gpm
CONS 81" lift height, only one aux hydraulic line
https://cdn2.toro.com/en/-/media/Im...ers/Dingos/490-9226_Dingo_Brochure_FINAL.ashx


Ditch Witch

SK1050
PROS lifts 1062 lbs, Dual Flow Aux Hydraulics
CONS 83" lift height, lower flow aux hydraulics, 42" wide
https://www.ditchwitch.com/sites/default/files/SK1050 Brochure_0.pdf

SK1550 (THE BEAST)
PROS lifts 1558 lbs (Highest I could find), Dual Flow Aux Hydraulics, 94.5" lift height (highest I could find), Large 44 HP motor
CONS 46" wide, lower flow aux hydraulics compared to other brands and given motor size (13gpm and 3gpm)
https://www.ditchwitch.com/sites/default/files/CMWC-7965-01-SK1550-SalesSheet_v3.pdf


Bobcat

MT-85
PROS looks beefy well known brand, 35.6" width
CONS 850 lbs lift capacity (lowest of the larger mini skid steers), 25hp motor, 80.9" lift height, only one hydraulic auxiliary output, reverse speed half of forward speed, CAN NOT curl and lift bucket at same time.
http://www.kubota.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/Datablade/Datablad_d902_32.pdf


Vermeer
PROS 1035lb lift capacity, 88" lift height, 36" width, dual auxiliary hydraulics (15.5 and 8.1gpm), 40 hp motor
CONS Newer not yet fully proven or tested
https://www.vermeer.com/documents/1/2030/CTX100_Spec_Sheet_1016.pdf
 
Tweakes182 said:
Hello all I have been following along and I was hoping to get some opinions or advice.

I am a very small tree cutting trimming operation. Most of what I do is milling I either pick up logs from other tree companies or pick them up from their clients houses. I am looking for a Mini that can get a variety of things done. Moving logs, moving rounds, bucket dirt work, dozer dirt work, maybe roto-tilling, trenching, maybe stump grinding, and maybe a mower attachment. I was originally going to get a full size skid steer but it was cost prohibitive.

Now that i have decided to go with the MINI. Things I am looking for Maximum lifting weight, lift height over 85" this is pretty high for a Mini Skid Steer (height of the sides on my 6 wheel dump truck), dual hydraulics so I can run a rotating grapple or a 6 way dozer blade, and if I am getting a mini I want to be able to fit through a 36" gate or doorway. Mild considerations are motor power and speed forward and reverse.

I live in Sacramento, CA area the "City of Trees" I have every major brand dealer in town and within 30 mins of my house.


Boxer
950- HD
PROS Lifting capacity of 957lbs, Dual auxiliary hydraulics
CONS wider than 36"
http://www.boxerequipment.com/equipment/boxer-950hd-compact-utility-loader/

700-HDX
PROS has dual hydraulics but lower flow, retracts from 43 down to 34 inches
CONS lifts 693lbs
http://www.boxerequipment.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Boxer_700HDX_Specs.pdf


Toro

DINGO TX 1000 NARROW TRACK
PROS 33.7" wide, lifts 1000lbs, auxilary hydraulic pump flow is 15gpm
CONS 81" lift height, only one aux hydraulic line
https://cdn2.toro.com/en/-/media/Im...ers/Dingos/490-9226_Dingo_Brochure_FINAL.ashx


Ditch Witch

SK1050
PROS lifts 1062 lbs, Dual Flow Aux Hydraulics
CONS 83" lift height, lower flow aux hydraulics, 42" wide
https://www.ditchwitch.com/sites/default/files/SK1050 Brochure_0.pdf

SK1550 (THE BEAST)
PROS lifts 1558 lbs (Highest I could find), Dual Flow Aux Hydraulics, 94.5" lift height (highest I could find), Large 44 HP motor
CONS 46" wide, lower flow aux hydraulics compared to other brands and given motor size (13gpm and 3gpm)
https://www.ditchwitch.com/sites/default/files/CMWC-7965-01-SK1550-SalesSheet_v3.pdf


Bobcat

MT-85
PROS looks beefy well known brand, 35.6" width
CONS 850 lbs lift capacity (lowest of the larger mini skid steers), 25hp motor, 80.9" lift height, only one hydraulic auxiliary output, reverse speed half of forward speed, CAN NOT curl and lift bucket at same time.
http://www.kubota.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/Datablade/Datablad_d902_32.pdf


Vermeer
PROS 1035lb lift capacity, 88" lift height, 36" width, dual auxiliary hydraulics (15.5 and 8.1gpm), 40 hp motor
CONS Newer not yet fully proven or tested
https://www.vermeer.com/documents/1/2030/CTX100_Spec_Sheet_1016.pdf
Click to expand...
I bought a SK752 3 months ago. I am very happy with it and couldn't say enough great things about Ditch Witch's amazing customer service and support. The main reason why I went with DW because of who the company is and the people that work there. It all started when I was researching and visiting the different company's. When I took the tour of the DW facility, I could just tell that they were a big company, but still had that "mom-n-pop" feel to them. I could just sense that put their customers 1st above everything and will take care of them no matter what. All the machines you mentioned will do the job you need it to, but at the end of the day, when the machine becomes older, and starts to break and need parts and service etc, the #1 thing that maters is, how good does the company support their customers and stand behind the product. Dealer support should be our first priority when we are looking to invest in a large piece of equipment. With all that said, I would first ask you what you budget is. How much do you have to spend on the machine? I'd say to get the highest HP, largest lifting cap. and lifting height your budget will allow. Also keep in mind when you are budgeting for a machine, all the attachments you mentioned will equal, or exceed, the cost of the machine its-self.
 
I second the ditch witch great well built machine and controls are easy and well located. I looked at the others and in my opinion Ditch witch excels good luck with what ever you get they are a game changer for sure.
 
I would consider this a medium size log for what i have been cutting lately. I know that no Mini will lift out right or load the larger logs. But i think this is a respectable size that i would need it to be able to manipulate.

I do also like the controls on the Ditch Witch machines i have looked at them in rental yards, but my calls and emails to them regarding price quotes have gone unanswered. I think if i did go with a Ditch Witch it would be the SK850 issue is still the lift height it wont dump over the sides of my dump truck.

As of now i am looking at the Vermeer CTX100. I would like to get out the door with a couple of attachments for $50,000
 

Attachments

  • 17862294_1438429329553626_3263471569450756634_n.webp
    17862294_1438429329553626_3263471569450756634_n.webp
    117.3 KB · Views: 64
Tweakes182 said:
I would consider this a medium size log for what i have been cutting lately. I know that no Mini will lift out right or load the larger logs. But i think this is a respectable size that i would need it to be able to manipulate.

I do also like the controls on the Ditch Witch machines i have looked at them in rental yards, but my calls and emails to them regarding price quotes have gone unanswered. I think if i did go with a Ditch Witch it would be the SK850 issue is still the lift height it wont dump over the sides of my dump truck.

As of now i am looking at the Vermeer CTX100. I would like to get out the door with a couple of attachments for $50,000
Click to expand...
CTX100 is a beast and fits all your requirements. How much do they cost?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom