New route for mulchers

[Robbie Hegwood]

Well I was just surfing the equipment trader online and I have foubd some interesting stuff.
I saw a brand new Pt-100 with there head listed for 93K. Well for that money lets explore what else can be had. There are hydro-ax style feller bunchers with and without saw heads for 25-35k. Not junk either. Buy one of those and for a rough price of 55k for a head (several brands for that) you could be mulching with 200 h.p. for less than a brand new PT-100 or Cat with mulcher.
Then you could sell the saw head and cover transportation of the larger tractor for a while. An articulated tractor will not tear the ground up bad and 200h.p. would cut just about anything in it's way.
Food for thought!!

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

its crazy what equipment values have fallen to....i watched an iron planet auction last week or so sell a fecon ftx 90 for 37k....2006 with 800 hours...
i hear u robbie.....

 

[Heavyduty]

People who are looking for mulchers usually know about the engine problems in some of the fecon's. I'd be pissed to spend 100K for a new piece and have fecon try to bs me on the engine warrenty. I don't own a fecon but I've heard of at least 5 people having problems with the engine. Maybe this is why they don't hold any resell value.

 

[QwikDraw]

I've been looking at those. My logger buddies want me to buy an old dinosaur and let them rebuild it...

Great for big acre jobs but not so good for the "backyard" jobs.

 

[mako]

robbie, you have got to remember that most of the people that are reading this site do not have the means to move the large equipment. most of these people have one or two small machines. the average weekend forestry mower does not do bid jobs where you need to get the job done fast to make money, they do by the hour jobs. Trying to get property owners to understand that the upcharge of the larger machines produce more production per hour is almost impossible. they see the small machine at 150ph and the large hi production machine at 250ph and you tell them that the larger hp machine can produce 3x the amount in one hour than the lower 100hp machine they still go for the lower hp because of the lower price. the smaller machine makes more money by the hour because it is there for more hours.

 

[redneckford]

robbie, you have got to remember that most of the people that are reading this site do not have the means to move the large equipment. most of these people have one or two small machines. the average weekend forestry mower does not do bid jobs where you need to get the job done fast to make money, they do by the hour jobs. Trying to get property owners to understand that the upcharge of the larger machines produce more production per hour is almost impossible. they see the small machine at 150ph and the large hi production machine at 250ph and you tell them that the larger hp machine can produce 3x the amount in one hour than the lower 100hp machine they still go for the lower hp because of the lower price. the smaller machine makes more money by the hour because it is there for more hours.

Just use a Brown Tree Cutter and get alot of seat time---away from the house and the phone????

 

[QwikDraw]

I have only done a few by the hour jobs this year, mostly as a sub-contractor. I do much better by the acre and then the faster you get it done...

I do enough large tract jobs to justify a bigger machine and moving a machine for a 2-3 week job does not effect the bottom line to much.

I would say 30% of my jobs would be better with a big machine. So a new machine would not be justified

 

[Timark80]

Mulching small acreage/ranchettes is where the $ is at.
Get in and get out in one day or so.
And maybe get repeat business with multiple tract land owners.
It only takes 2 years before the underbrush is 2-3" dia. in FL.

 

[yellowdogsvc]

I'm with Timmark and I also think having the ability to do other services keeps you diversified. I can't tell you how many times efficient grapple work has paid the bills when mulching has dried up when the burn bans are lifted.

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

I aggree about the back yards. Here the backyard jobs are null and void. But for that a would use a 50-60h.p. machine with our low flow. It can be pulled with 9999k bumper pull trailer. The whole thing would cost 50-60k.
Here the bigger machines are winning. They take the little jobs and blow them out bidding by the job. You can't compete against a 200 h.p. machine with a 100 h.p.
But knowing what your area will support and what equipment you need is key. Plus as we have discussed before no one combination will do.
Like Quick said there are pros and cons. Just something for us to bounce around.

 

[cbturf]

I believe that large commercial clearing jobs are the way to go. Commercial jobs are going for $3-4K/acre with stump grubbing and a tub grinder. If you can get on a couple 30 or 40 acre jobs with a big machine you can pay it off. I have found that if your jobs are only 10 miles or less apart and you have rubber tires, a midnight move is the best option. Slap a rotating beacon on top and a chase truck and off you go.

As far as working on backyard jobs I really enjoy the security of knowing that I have a surplus of work for the next six months.

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

Back Yards are all i have been able to do...Im just the wee little weekender for now-formula and diaper money!!!! someday ill be able to hang on the porch with the BIG DOGS...someday....

 

[cbturf]

Soctt,

Everyone I know started small. Bill Gates started out in a basement (or somewhere similar). I am not knocking the small job model, my point here is if you are making back yard work your business model than you can definately be sucessful and make some money. I just prefer to go and sit on a job where I do not need to move every day. You have to take the good with the bad, I am working away from my family and have to fly home all of the time. If I were working locally I would be in my own bed every night.

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

cb I understand..I know u gotta take the good with the bad and pay ur dues...i have a 5 year plan..haha ..keeps getting longer..once these kids are bigger and my wife(shes HOT too)wont freak out if im gone more..And by then the technology will be better im sure and new equipment will be a must...

Just wanted to chime in with the DOGS....later