Renting BH Any Tips?

[JohninCT]

I rented from a place called United Rentals their web site indicates that they are pretty much nationwide. Check out their web site to see if they have a location near you. They are not like the typical rental yards around my area which mostly carry just small tractors, skid steers, and excavators. These guys seem to cater more toward construction contractors and have all the big machines. The price I got for rental on the JD 160 was $650 per day or $1995 per week. They also have monthly rates too, but I didn't get that price. BUT after you add the cost of transport to/from your site, insurance, tax, etc the total was about $2700 for the week. This is 7 days calandar time with no limit on machine hours If you figure this out based on a 8 hrs work per day it works out to about $50 per hr. You, of course have to pay the fuel cost which right now is pretty expensive - and these are very thirsty machines! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif Most of the guys in my area charge by the hour PLUS transportation charge so you gotta make sure you compare apples and apples. In the end, I did what I wanted when I wanted to do it and how I wanted to do it. Plus, the fun factor of using a machine like this yourself to do a project should not be overlooked /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Another possible option might be one of those skid steer mounted grinder machines like was posted in Trail Clearing Thread

John

 

[JohninCT]

I rented from a place called United Rentals their web site indicates that they are pretty much nationwide. Check out their web site to see if they have a location near you. They are not like the typical rental yards around my area which mostly carry just small tractors, skid steers, and excavators. These guys seem to cater more toward construction contractors and have all the big machines. The price I got for rental on the JD 160 was $650 per day or $1995 per week. They also have monthly rates too, but I didn't get that price. BUT after you add the cost of transport to/from your site, insurance, tax, etc the total was about $2700 for the week. This is 7 days calandar time with no limit on machine hours If you figure this out based on a 8 hrs work per day it works out to about $50 per hr. You, of course have to pay the fuel cost which right now is pretty expensive - and these are very thirsty machines! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif Most of the guys in my area charge by the hour PLUS transportation charge so you gotta make sure you compare apples and apples. In the end, I did what I wanted when I wanted to do it and how I wanted to do it. Plus, the fun factor of using a machine like this yourself to do a project should not be overlooked /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Another possible option might be one of those skid steer mounted grinder machines like was posted in Trail Clearing Thread

John

 

[JoshJ]

Just my 2 cents:

From the above post: renting= $50/hr + fuel

Hiring out: $65/hr (plus transportation maybe)


I dont know if you have ever run an excavator before (I havent touched one) but I'm willing to bet that the guy you know will cover more ground for $65 and hour than you will at $50. When all is said and done, it will probably cost you MORE to rent a machine than to hire it out.

But maybe if you get on his good side he'll let you have a go at the controls for a few mins /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Also, not to be a wise guy, but if all you are doing is pulling the stumps out, how can someone NOT do what you have in mind?

 

[JoshJ]

Just my 2 cents:

From the above post: renting= $50/hr + fuel

Hiring out: $65/hr (plus transportation maybe)


I dont know if you have ever run an excavator before (I havent touched one) but I'm willing to bet that the guy you know will cover more ground for $65 and hour than you will at $50. When all is said and done, it will probably cost you MORE to rent a machine than to hire it out.

But maybe if you get on his good side he'll let you have a go at the controls for a few mins /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Also, not to be a wise guy, but if all you are doing is pulling the stumps out, how can someone NOT do what you have in mind?

 

[brandon07]

Josh, the reason is I had the loggers leave oaks and holleys and I know what trees I want where, I don't want to have to many because they get in the way of plowing/shooting, and I want to clean up along my road and around the gate, plus who wouldn't want to run an excavator for a week+?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif He doesn't charge a transport fee but again I know what I want done. No I haven't ever ran a excavator, I am only 16, but I went ahead and rented a 120C last friday and had it delivered that afternoon for $1650 plus 250 dollars to deliver. I checked around and just about everyone has an hour limit so you can't just run the piss out of the machine. My local Deere dealer only had one and it happened to be a 120 which is what I wanted. There limit is 45 hours, in the morning I am calling to see what it will be when I go over. I have already gotten about 2/3 of my field cleared in 16 hours and I figure I can get it just about done tomorrow. After im done with that im going to dig some kind of a water hole for the doves and then doing some clean up along my road and around the front gate like I said before, and then my neighbor wants me to dig a small pond. Got any tips on that lol? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
BTW I will have some pictures before to long if anyone wants to see them, it isn't pretty but once I move the stumps out of the way a friend is coming over with a dozer and a root rake it level/clean things up a bit. Its gonne be alot of work, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I will try and keep you guys updated if you want /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[brandon07]

Josh, the reason is I had the loggers leave oaks and holleys and I know what trees I want where, I don't want to have to many because they get in the way of plowing/shooting, and I want to clean up along my road and around the gate, plus who wouldn't want to run an excavator for a week+?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif He doesn't charge a transport fee but again I know what I want done. No I haven't ever ran a excavator, I am only 16, but I went ahead and rented a 120C last friday and had it delivered that afternoon for $1650 plus 250 dollars to deliver. I checked around and just about everyone has an hour limit so you can't just run the piss out of the machine. My local Deere dealer only had one and it happened to be a 120 which is what I wanted. There limit is 45 hours, in the morning I am calling to see what it will be when I go over. I have already gotten about 2/3 of my field cleared in 16 hours and I figure I can get it just about done tomorrow. After im done with that im going to dig some kind of a water hole for the doves and then doing some clean up along my road and around the front gate like I said before, and then my neighbor wants me to dig a small pond. Got any tips on that lol? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
BTW I will have some pictures before to long if anyone wants to see them, it isn't pretty but once I move the stumps out of the way a friend is coming over with a dozer and a root rake it level/clean things up a bit. Its gonne be alot of work, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I will try and keep you guys updated if you want /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[brandon07]

Oh yeah, John these things do use some fuel I put $65 dollars in it yesterday and $75 today. And Josh I don't think he could have ran it faster than I am /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[brandon07]

Oh yeah, John these things do use some fuel I put $65 dollars in it yesterday and $75 today. And Josh I don't think he could have ran it faster than I am /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Marlowe]

Comparing a backhoe to an excavator for removing stumps; I had the opportunity recently to do just that.

A buddy of mine loaned me a John Deere backhoe for a weekend to remove stumps. My stumps were mostly pine in the 6" to 12" size range. The JD did a fine job and was easy to learn to operate. It was strong a very stable with the legs extended. The next weekend another buddy loaned me an excavator with an arm and bucket the same size as the one on the John Deere backhoe. This machine was on tracks and had a blade to drop to stabilize the unit while digging. I used this machine primarily for digging foundation ditches, but I did have quite a few more stumps to remove and gave it a go. It was far less stable than the tractor and didn't have the sheer guts to pull the stumps out the backhoe did.

Picking up a big stump and transporting it with the tractor was tricky but possible. Forget it with the excavator; too tipsy with anything but small stuff. This was a compact excavator from Caterpillar, but not by any means a mini. It was over a 7000lb machine. The controls were a pleasure with the joy sticks and the machine was comfortable to operate, a bit more so than the John Deere.

In short, both machines could remove stumps, and both could dig ditches, but for stumps I'd take the backhoe any day, or maybe a bigger excavator. The backhoe would have made a mess of the intricate ditch network I needed to dig for my foundation. Both machines have their place in our world.

Have fun and be safe.

Tom

 

[Marlowe]

Comparing a backhoe to an excavator for removing stumps; I had the opportunity recently to do just that.

A buddy of mine loaned me a John Deere backhoe for a weekend to remove stumps. My stumps were mostly pine in the 6" to 12" size range. The JD did a fine job and was easy to learn to operate. It was strong a very stable with the legs extended. The next weekend another buddy loaned me an excavator with an arm and bucket the same size as the one on the John Deere backhoe. This machine was on tracks and had a blade to drop to stabilize the unit while digging. I used this machine primarily for digging foundation ditches, but I did have quite a few more stumps to remove and gave it a go. It was far less stable than the tractor and didn't have the sheer guts to pull the stumps out the backhoe did.

Picking up a big stump and transporting it with the tractor was tricky but possible. Forget it with the excavator; too tipsy with anything but small stuff. This was a compact excavator from Caterpillar, but not by any means a mini. It was over a 7000lb machine. The controls were a pleasure with the joy sticks and the machine was comfortable to operate, a bit more so than the John Deere.

In short, both machines could remove stumps, and both could dig ditches, but for stumps I'd take the backhoe any day, or maybe a bigger excavator. The backhoe would have made a mess of the intricate ditch network I needed to dig for my foundation. Both machines have their place in our world.

Have fun and be safe.

Tom

 

[EddieWalker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Picking up a big stump and transporting it with the tractor was tricky but possible. Forget it with the excavator; too tipsy with anything but small stuff. This was a compact excavator from Caterpillar, but not by any means a mini. It was over a 7000lb machine. The controls were a pleasure with the joy sticks and the machine was comfortable to operate, a bit more so than the John Deere. )</font>

Your not comparing equal machines here at all.

A 7,000 trackhoe is a toy compared to even a mid sized one. My backhoe weighs 14,000 pounds and like I said earlier, it's fine for taking out stumps, but it will take awhile.

A decent sized trackhoe will do allot better, allot faster. A big one in the 40,000 pound ranch should just pluck them out one after another.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Picking up a big stump and transporting it with the tractor was tricky but possible. Forget it with the excavator; too tipsy with anything but small stuff. This was a compact excavator from Caterpillar, but not by any means a mini. It was over a 7000lb machine. The controls were a pleasure with the joy sticks and the machine was comfortable to operate, a bit more so than the John Deere. )</font>

Your not comparing equal machines here at all.

A 7,000 trackhoe is a toy compared to even a mid sized one. My backhoe weighs 14,000 pounds and like I said earlier, it's fine for taking out stumps, but it will take awhile.

A decent sized trackhoe will do allot better, allot faster. A big one in the 40,000 pound ranch should just pluck them out one after another.

Eddie

 

[Marlowe]

Eddie, I couldn't agree more that they weren't equal. The purpose of my post was to point out the differences and strengths of each machine as I perceived them. I might have been doing some assuming, but I didn't get the impression the young man would be renting a 40,000 lb machine. Most rentals in my area for the weekend warrior are of the compact size, even the backhoes. What I did find worth commenting on though was the fact that both machines I used shared the same size hoe, but the backhoe was so much better suited in this comparison for stump removal, and the trackhoe so much better for digging that foundation.

I hope that clears it up a bit.

Thanks Eddie.

Tom

 

[Marlowe]

Eddie, I couldn't agree more that they weren't equal. The purpose of my post was to point out the differences and strengths of each machine as I perceived them. I might have been doing some assuming, but I didn't get the impression the young man would be renting a 40,000 lb machine. Most rentals in my area for the weekend warrior are of the compact size, even the backhoes. What I did find worth commenting on though was the fact that both machines I used shared the same size hoe, but the backhoe was so much better suited in this comparison for stump removal, and the trackhoe so much better for digging that foundation.

I hope that clears it up a bit.

Thanks Eddie.

Tom

 

[EddieWalker]

Tom,

My experiences are fairly limited as well and I've only ran a few different pieces of equpment other than what I own. I've never ran a trackhoe, so it's just theory on what they do and well they work.

I had no idea about the rental backhoes not beign full sized machines. Didn't even think about it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

The rental yards around here have the full sized ones and some medium sized trackhoes, but those are delivered on lowboys. I've seen them, just haven't used one.

The dealers also rent equipment and when I was pricing dozers, found them to be cheaper than the rental companies.

In this thread, if he can find a large trackhoe, he might have a chance to clear allot of his stumps. A small to medium machine might not be strong enough to take them out in one pull. If he's digging around the stump to get it out, he's gonna spend allot of time on each stump. With allot of land to clear it will be cheaper to just buy a machine than rent one and sell it when he's done.

Stumps are **** and I don't envy him and his goal of cleaing five acres of them. I spent a few months with my dads help doing this last fall for my lake site, and we were running a large dozer and my backhoe everyday. We only had a few dozen stumps take out, but hundreds, if not a thousand trees. And it's allot easier and faster to take out a stump with the tree still attached to it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Tom,

My experiences are fairly limited as well and I've only ran a few different pieces of equpment other than what I own. I've never ran a trackhoe, so it's just theory on what they do and well they work.

I had no idea about the rental backhoes not beign full sized machines. Didn't even think about it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

The rental yards around here have the full sized ones and some medium sized trackhoes, but those are delivered on lowboys. I've seen them, just haven't used one.

The dealers also rent equipment and when I was pricing dozers, found them to be cheaper than the rental companies.

In this thread, if he can find a large trackhoe, he might have a chance to clear allot of his stumps. A small to medium machine might not be strong enough to take them out in one pull. If he's digging around the stump to get it out, he's gonna spend allot of time on each stump. With allot of land to clear it will be cheaper to just buy a machine than rent one and sell it when he's done.

Stumps are **** and I don't envy him and his goal of cleaing five acres of them. I spent a few months with my dads help doing this last fall for my lake site, and we were running a large dozer and my backhoe everyday. We only had a few dozen stumps take out, but hundreds, if not a thousand trees. And it's allot easier and faster to take out a stump with the tree still attached to it. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

 

[brandon07]

The machine I have right now is about 27,000 lb's and it pulls them out pretty easy, there have been maybe 20 out of over a thousand that I had to dig on each side and then give it another go but there hasn't been any that I couldn't get out. I ended up digging about 3 acres and averaged about 300 in a 6-7 hour day but that includes my help taking the flag out of the ground before I popped it up. I have two days and around 10 hours left on the machine. I have gotten everything I wanted done including a small pond for the birds, I might end up pulling more stumps but I'm not sure. Anyways thanks for the help guys.

 

[brandon07]

The machine I have right now is about 27,000 lb's and it pulls them out pretty easy, there have been maybe 20 out of over a thousand that I had to dig on each side and then give it another go but there hasn't been any that I couldn't get out. I ended up digging about 3 acres and averaged about 300 in a 6-7 hour day but that includes my help taking the flag out of the ground before I popped it up. I have two days and around 10 hours left on the machine. I have gotten everything I wanted done including a small pond for the birds, I might end up pulling more stumps but I'm not sure. Anyways thanks for the help guys.

 

[JohninCT]

Hey Brandon

Good to hear you got your intended work done and had some fun doing it. If you've got any pics please post em as I'm sure that there are others beside me that would enjoy seeing them.

John

 

[JohninCT]

Hey Brandon

Good to hear you got your intended work done and had some fun doing it. If you've got any pics please post em as I'm sure that there are others beside me that would enjoy seeing them.

John