Case 590 TLB- Any good around a ranch/farm?

[Jchonline]

It's a 4WD model. I think Series 2. With cab and working A/C.

I need to dig about 1,000' of trench that I know of. I have a grapple for the Massey but a 4-1 bucket might offer some added utility. It has a manual thumb.

It will be awesome for that trench. Think of how much that would cost you in time or $$ otherwise. No comparison to the tiny BH on your tractor.

 

[plowhog]

This 1000' trench...how deep and wide is it?

I'm going to run hi volt power, lo volt power, and water. By code I need to be 2 feet down and a foot wide-- separating the hi volt conduit (on one side of the trench) from the other conduits. Running power and water in the same trench is not ideal, but neither is digging two trenches.

I also have a walk behind Ditch Witch that does a pretty good job. In good soil it easily outperforms any backhoe, but only digs a 6" wide trench.

I always find uses for equipment at my property. Sometimes more than others .....

Sounds like it comes down to whether this Case 590 is a truly good deal or not.

 

[plowhog]

No comparison to the tiny BH on your tractor.

Agreed. The only other backhoe I have is on my MF GC1710 SCUT. It's a great machine that does great work-- but rocks the size of a football or basketball, embedded in hardpan, slow things down very quickly ....

 

[Jchonline]

Agreed. The only other backhoe I have is on my MF GC1710 SCUT. It's a great machine that does great work-- but rocks the size of a football or basketball, embedded in hardpan, slow things down very quickly ....

The reach will also be massive. With a small SCUT BH you have to move the machine every 3 feet or so of digging. With a full size it will be every 15-20 feet. Big difference in time.

 

[shooterdon]

I'm going to run hi volt power, lo volt power, and water. By code I need to be 2 feet down and a foot wide-- separating the hi volt conduit (on one side of the trench) from the other conduits. Running power and water in the same trench is not ideal, but neither is digging two trenches.

I also have a walk behind Ditch Witch that does a pretty good job. In good soil it easily outperforms any backhoe, but only digs a 6" wide trench.

I always find uses for equipment at my property. Sometimes more than others .....

Sounds like it comes down to whether this Case 590 is a truly good deal or not.

My reason for asking the question.....I saw you have a Ditch Witch and they are amazing machines. Deepest trench I have done was 2 ft. and it worked well. We had a few roots to go through and still managed about 200 ft per hour. But I realize soil conditions make a big difference.

Case TBL's are going for around $15-35k so it seems like a hefty investment if the Ditch Witch can get the job done. Even with digging two trenches, your project will be done in 10 hours.

Getting a "good deal" only matters if you intend to flip it. Otherwise ,you have money tied up into something with limited use. You seem in good shape equipment wise, so only you can determine the usefulness of a new addition.

 

[fried1765]

My reason for asking the question.....I saw you have a Ditch Witch and they are amazing machines. Deepest trench I have done was 2 ft. and it worked well. We had a few roots to go through and still managed about 200 ft per hour. But I realize soil conditions make a big difference.

Case TBL's are going for around $15-35k so it seems like a hefty investment if the Ditch Witch can get the job done. Even with digging two trenches, your project will be done in 10 hours.

Getting a "good deal" only matters if you intend to flip it. Otherwise ,you have money tied up into something with limited use. You seem in good shape equipment wise, so only you can determine the usefulness of a new addition.

Having owned a mid size construction BH for 35 years, and not doing anything but my own play/work, I can assure the OP that he will find many additional uses for that Case 590 in the coming years.
I had a Ford 3400 for 33 years, and now a Kubota L48 for 2 years.
Owning a BH, means it is instantly there whenever you need it!
I have used my BH rather infrequently, but when I do/did,...nothing else will/would do the job!

 

[finn1]

I would buy it, complete your project and then, maybe in another six months or a year, re-evaluate the situation. Old construction equipment is great if you have a semi-regular use for it, but it deteriorates just sitting there without use. Things like hoses, tires, seals, and wiring.

Then, eventually it goes up for sale as “ran widen parked” .

You don’t want that.

 

[fried1765]

I would buy it, complete your project and then, maybe in another six months or a year, re-evaluate the situation. Old construction equipment is great if you have a semi-regular use for it, but it deteriorates just sitting there without use. Things like hoses, tires, seals, and wiring.

Then, eventually it goes up for sale as “ran widen parked” .

You don’t want that.

If the OP has inside storage that Case 590 will last forever!
My Ford 3400 TLB sat outside for the first 16 years of it's life, and I sold it at 49 years old.
Repaced one hose.