2007 ASV pricing?

[QwikDraw]

Robbie,

The Magnum and Fecon both list a 72 inch cut on the biggest heads. The Loftness only lists 63 inch as the biggest.

And I thought the quoted list price of the Magnum seemed high...I do have a friend that is opening a Takeuchi dealership and he will be a Bradco dealer, my best price would come from him if he is up and running by the time I make the purchase.

When I demo the units my buddy is going to be taping for a website I have in the making, so I can post them or a link to them...

Ted

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Ted,

I asked the loftness rep about that when I was demoing the New Holland TV-145 with a carbide cutter extreme and he said a 73" wide carbide would require more H.P. than even the RC-100 put out therefore thats why they didn't make it. That what he said know whether or not that's absolutly true I don't know. I aslo ran a 63" carbide cutter on my tractor and didn't really notice the width but you wouln't want to go any narrower. If I ever buy a second tractor it will have a carbide cutter to be versital.

If you can hold out for your buddy place to open that would be ideal. Money saved is money in the bank. You might can even let him demo one for a couple months and then buy that one.

Video is the greatest tool you have especially for a web site. You planning a site now is a good move. I am very proud of our site. You can talk about the tractor all day but watching it run is priceless. Our web site is Trinity Mulching - Atlanta Georgia Mulching Company if it gives you any ideas. One thing to put on your must shoot video is punching through a wall of brush of some sort, the bigger the better. It looks very dramatic on video.

If we keep on you'll have customers before you can even get the tractor, which is a good thing.

I have enjoyed talking with you about these tractors. Where else could I unload this much info about one tractor and a few heads?????

Robbie

 

[av8or]

Robbie,

New guy and reading your post with great interest as I'm about ready to pull the trigger. I was really focused on the RC-100 and gyrotrac then saw your post. So, that head really pulled the engine down? I've talked to several operators and they really liked the gyrotrac head on RC-100 for one and Supertrak for another. Does the TimberAx cut trees off even with the ground? I've heard the gyrotrac can go below surface. Understanding anytime you put the cutters in the dirt you are going to dull them. Will the TimberAx go below the surface if you wanted to?

Gibson

 

[av8or]

Robbie, forgot. What are the details on how to get tax exempt for this type of equipment?

Thanks

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey av8or, welcome to the club.

I was really dissapointed when I ran the gyro head, I was expecting great things. It could take down a 12" tree on an ASV. It had a terrible vibration problem the salesman said it must have a bad bearing. The guy said it was not his personal demo head but one from another guy. As far as the recovery time I believe it was setup to run on a gyro machine which run 5000+psi vs. ASV 3300. That would explain the recovery time. All that aside you still have the price $34,000. I can buy two timberax's for that. It's a very capable head on a gyro machine,just not for me. But please demo one for yourself and see what you get. If I were going to spend that kind of money I would go with a much larger tractor for gas lines and R.O.W. jobs. Same thoughts on the Supertrak tractors. I'm sure there great and alot of guys around here use them. For my money I like other routes. I have several issues I would like addressed with a second tractor purchase. Also know the teeth life on gyro heads are as stated 50-70 hours at normal use!!! Straight from the salesman.

Now on to your next question. No a timberax will not go below grade. If you hit a dirt pile it will sling the dirt but they are not designed to engage dirt as carbides are. Now also remember all heads have skid plates on them and that is actually what determines the heighth of the teeth from the ground. My head will cut materail from flush to about 1" above the ground usually. I tried setting the head on the lowest setting with poor results. Blades went dull in an hour, hurts productivity. The customer wouldn't notice but I do. Not going below grade and using blades instead of teeth are the two biggest differences between the two. It's aslo a question of your soil conditions. Where are you located and what's the soil like?

Here it's labeled agricultural. I think forestry qualifies for the exemption also. Your tractor place should familiar with it.

Robbie

 

[Diesel24]

Here is the low down on the balance of the Magnum mulcher.

Magnum has a pattened double sided hammer. Per side, the carbides see avg 300-500 hour life. You shouldn't wait 300 to 500 hours to flip the teeth to the un-used side. The teeth should be flipped at around 150 hours even though they are not worn slap out. This will allow the teeth to wear evenly and will keep you in balance. The teeth are easy to flip (impact wrench).
Statistics show that out of Magnums double sided hammer ($90 each total of 45 hammers) you can get 300-500 hours per side... Nearly 1000 hours out of each $90 hammer. Also, the newest Magnum heads have the Rexroth motor with the fastest recovery time of under 2.5 seconds

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

That tooth life your talking about sound great. I read on here a member running a magnum stated it had a good recovery time. If the new ones are faster there on to something big. I too have been seeing the Rexroth motor label more and more as I keep tabs on mulching heads. Can't get rid of the Timberax beast but for the next head!!! Good Info. Thanks

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Got to thinking and running the numbers.

A set if teeth for the magnum, 4050.00 a set for between 800-1000 hrs.

A loftness carbide cutter, 2700.00 a set for between 300-500 hrs. Have heard reports of much more. But close enough for this post.

Not saving a whole bunch, maybe not having to purchase as often but stiill close to the same money.

Me on the other hand 1000.00 a set for 100 hrs. I chose my battle just comparing. They used to be 500.00 a set before loftness changed the metal they are made of. Should get more hrs out of new set, we'll see. Still running the out style.

 

[QwikDraw]

Update.

I got approved for the loan (I figured I would). I called my buddy at Bobcat to talk about a Fecon Bull Hog demo and now he wants to have lunch, we talked a little about the T300 but he even said the RC was the way to go with the 100 horses. I should be able to demo the Fecon as soon as I have the machine. I am waiting until I have more of the pruning done at the orchard I am working at before I make the purchase. A couple weeks or less, about 60(out of 110) trees to go, then to the clearing at same location. I also went to the lawyers and started the process of becoming a LLC.

Ted

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Ted

Congradulations, Soon to be knee deep in debt with the rest of us.. Just kidding!!!
Good plan on the fecon demo. You'll have to give a full report. I had a bobcat in my yard demoing from a friend when i made the choice to go with the ASV. Best business move I made.

Are you tired of pruning yet? Robbie

 

[QwikDraw]

Pruning is an exercise in mental toughness....the most repetitive boredom ever. 54 trees to go at about 1 - 2 hours each.

I got the list price for the Magnum from that friend who is a dealer now. A little over $27,700.00, he wasn't sure what his cost was but closer to 20k.

Debt...I just sold my Volvo excavator, an EC25 and now I'm jumping right back in to it...I have a lot of people asking why? I could have a little cash in the bank but then where am I. I still have to make a living and I am looking for a new direction where I have a lot less labor (than the hardscapes)and more machine time.

I just got the Gyrotrak DVD in the mail, that GT 25 is one mean machine. I'll have to start saving now.

Ted

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Ted

That price doesn't sound to bad. I think the prices in general are going up due to the demand for these heads. It's becoming a popular business.

I have a better idea of blade life on my timberax. Business has picked up and after sharpening them today its looking about 100 hours for a set maybe a little more if I'm careful, but its hard to be slow or picky with the customer watching your every move. Oh well. I'll be going to my machine shop to see what he can do before I order from the dealer.

Like you said since you sold your excavator you need a tractor to make money with, right???

I have personally driven a GT-25 and it's the baddest machine i have ever seen and especially driven. You can't even hear the head spinning, you can't hear it bog down you have to learn to feel it. Pressurized cab with excellent A/C. But at 300k that tractor would have a hard time paying for itself in everyday world. I'd love to land a contract that called for one. Then you spend half that much on a comparable tractor and put the other half in the bank. Now where talking. Even the small GT-13 I was told was 200k. Just to rich for my budget.

Talk later Robbie

 

[QwikDraw]

Hey Robbie,

Did you get that PM I sent you? or the flyer?

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Ted, Yes I got both. The flyer came yesterday. Good job. I would just caution who you send them to as not to waste good money. We sent a flyer to every landscape company in our county and didn't get on call. You know your market better just stretching your advertising dollar.

On the flyer,that wouldn't happen to be your barn in the background would it??? The link is pretty neat. I didn't even know such groups existed. Thanks again.

Where are you at on the ASV???

Did you read Mark's report on his demo's. He did an excellent job of accounting his impressions.

Robbie

 

[QwikDraw]

Actually the flyer picture with the barn is of a job I did last year but it was with saw and chipper. Then I popped the stumps with my Volvo excavator. It would have been perfect for a mulch head as he didn't want to plant it just keep it cleared.

Yes, Marks observations are helpful. There is still a small part of me that wants that SR80 but I know the right move is the RC100. I am still waiting on seeing a used RC100 with the Timber AX, it would save me a lot of money. The only trouble with the used machine is finding financing outside of a dealership...nightmare. I actually had a thought of a Bobcat, mainly because of the low finance rate and the new forestry package but am thinking diffrently after reading some recent posts. I am behind schedule on the orchard because of poor weather last week. I need to finish that before I buy anything, really I'm not in a hurry until I have more clearing type work lined up.

Ted

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Ted. Good point about financing. Used at a higher rate or new at a lower rate. Probably close to the same payment. When I was shopping I only looked at new for warranty, dealer support and service, and finance. Plus banks are not qiute up to speed on tractors, used equipment, and attachments. I tried my bank first and they didn't qiute work out. They handle the business banking great just not the equipment part of it.

I bet you be glad on two fronts when you finish pruning. One you'll be done PRUNING and two you'll need something to grind up the stuff you cut.

The reason i thought it was your place is I could see an excavator by the barn and I knew you had one.

In a year or so you can go back and clean up the lot again you pictured.

Talk soon. Robbie

 

[burnetma]

Ted,

Mabie Brothers also had two Timber Axes on the property. I did not discuss them while I was there, but I saw them on my way out. The funny thing is that I had talked myself into a carbide tipped machine because I was afraid of all of the rocks in my area. Robbie had mentioned that he just tried to be careful with his Timber Ax not to hit rocks. Well the first thing I did with the Fecon is mulch a 5" tree next to a downed larger tree. As I started to grind the stump of the smaller tree, I heard the cutter sing a different tune. I ended up grinding more than an inch of the top of a shale outcrop that was between the two stumps. I got out and looked at the cutter to see if there was any damage and there was none, but Paul said that I would have bought a whole section of blades if it were a Timber Axe. Lesson learned: I am not careful enough for that kind of machine.

Mark

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Mark

I hear you poking fun at me!!!! Just kidding.

There lyes the advantage of a carbide toothed head. Down here my head will usually throw rocks when hit rather than grind them. You can also tell when you hit rock by the white dust emitting from the head.

No matter how well you check an area you will hit a rock or two. Just the nature of the business. Just have to watch for dust as to minimize damage.

What is shoal rock? Describe it for me. I think I have an idea.

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Mark and Ted just a quicky.

When purchasing your machines do your best to get everthing on now. I priced a forestry door today for I am having issues. OH MY!!! They think very highly of those units. I'll have to rethink that purchase and/or another route.

 

[burnetma]

Robbie,

I am not poking fun at you. Quite the opposite. I am THE Proverbial Bull in a China Shop. I can break a anvil given the right opportunity.

Shale is a type of stone that is actually made up of layers of deposits of organic material and contains some oil (cutter lubrication). It is very brittle and breaks off in layers and small pieces. An outcrop is an area where the stone has been pushed up out of the ground and is like an iceburg with the majority still hidden under the surface. If I hit an outcrop of conglomerate, which is more often found in Eastern NY, NH, CT, the cutter would not have fared very well.

Yes, I will be getting my RC equiped with all of the forestry bells and whistles. The dealer has advised me that buying piece meal is a good way to spend a whole lot of money. I got the quote from Mabie's today, but I have to wait until tomorrow to clarify a few items. Came in about where I expected...