Show us your Arb Diggers please.

[monkeybusiness]

1 hour ago, rookery said:

Hi anyone got a flail for sale to suit 1.7ton hitachi

Exac-1 had one at Hillhead that looked decent and didn’t require crazy flow. 

[difflock]

Perhaps, at 60, I have turned into my father, in that diggers seem to be very expensive 2nd hand,

driven, as I understand, by our weak Stirling and the resultant strong export trade.

So is there a sweet spot age wise for UK buyers, i.e. are fresher diggers relatively better value on our local market?

The rub is I can only justify a limited spend, based on guessing 100-200 hrs, and probably nearer 100 hrs than 200 hours each year, but spread out in very small bites depending on the(very fickle) weather and intermittent tasks, so probably better suited to my own machine.

but then 100 hrs, even at £30.00 =£3000.00/year over 10 years, hmmm

So how much an hour for service and maintenance costs should I allow.

For say a 10-13 tonne steel track machine.

Marcus

 

 

[Baldbloke]

Had this old (1995 I think) Yanmar for about 8 years. Most reliable piece of kit I’ve owned in spite of being ex hire. Probably still worth what I originally paid for it.

[LGP Eddie]

Just a couple of things I supplied last week. One of the new Intermercato T-Cut 25, which is a new improved model giving the ability to cut either side of the blade and a true 250mm capacity, rather than just a larger blade fitted to a smaller unit.

This Bobcat is at the lowest end of its weight range, and being long arm I specced the guy loose pins, in case the quick hitch needed to come off.

However it’s worked out brilliant, he’s absolutely delighted with it and no handling issues at all.

His plan is to take an extra head bracket or two for  6 and 8 tonners, then Hire it out locally.

 

The second is the Intermercato TG12-UG7 fitted to a Volvo Ec18. First I’ve supplied of these and the guy is absolutely delighted with it.

It was a tight deadline as he’d a Project for it, so a bare 6 way valve was dispatched with it and he’s simply fitted it himself with a foot operated switch to get up and running asap.

He plans a neater install, with properly guarded valve and neater pipework when time allows or the valve could actually go on the machine if he wished.

A couple of good setups and Yes the Bobcat owner has fabricated a Screen Guard now as recommended.

 

Eddie.

Edited September 11, 2018 by LGP Eddie

[monkeybusiness]

How does that T-Cut 25 compare to the TMK Eddie? For both cutting and holding onto what it’s cut? 

[LGP Eddie]

5 hours ago, monkeybusiness said:

How does that T-Cut 25 compare to the TMK Eddie? For both cutting and holding onto what it’s cut? 

Not tried it myself and the guy hasn’t come up for air with it yet, he’s having a real old sort out around the place with it.

The build is typical Intermercato like a tank, huge ram, so should be no issues.

He’s had Willow down well up to around 16” with a few cuts and 10” Hawthorn no problem.

This would be a good unit under a Tiltrotator, where the ability to rotate around the tree whilst cutting, helps go way over rated capacity.

The exposed blade makes this manoeuvre better with an Intermercato than a TMK.

The hold is always very strong on Intermercato, but you’ll never replicate something like a Westtech with it’s height and extra grip in this class or price range.

Not an expensive Shear and a good upgrade from the previous model.

 

 

Eddie.

[monkeybusiness]

Doesn’t look as heavy as a TMK either, but obviously that might not be the case! Do the blades ever bend on this style of shear in your experience? 

[LGP Eddie]

15 minutes ago, monkeybusiness said:

Doesn’t look as heavy as a TMK either, but obviously that might not be the case! Do the blades ever bend on this style of shear in your experience? 

It’ll be a lump, there’s no plastic in it!?

No way you could bend the 200 type blade, I make no excuses for the abuse I gave mine with an 8 tonner and yes I blew all the bolts off a few times.

Cutting Willow up to about 20”!?

This type is different, but again I’d doubt it, bolts would almost certainly go first.

 

I rate the TMK and would sell them if I could alongside too. There’s little in them, just the Intermercato is as simple as they come, literally just keep the blade bolts tight and that’s it. 

 

 

Eddie.

[LGP Eddie]

On 10/09/2018 at 11:18, difflock said:

Perhaps, at 60, I have turned into my father, in that diggers seem to be very expensive 2nd hand,

driven, as I understand, by our weak Stirling and the resultant strong export trade.

So is there a sweet spot age wise for UK buyers, i.e. are fresher diggers relatively better value on our local market?

The rub is I can only justify a limited spend, based on guessing 100-200 hrs, and probably nearer 100 hrs than 200 hours each year, but spread out in very small bites depending on the(very fickle) weather and intermittent tasks, so probably better suited to my own machine.

but then 100 hrs, even at £30.00 =£3000.00/year over 10 years, hmmm

So how much an hour for service and maintenance costs should I allow.

For say a 10-13 tonne steel track machine.

Marcus

 

 

But at £450 a week tops for a brand new latest 13 tonne machine that’s fully backed up on site and reasonable transportation costs, then is it worth owning?

If you can get your work into week blocks, then almost no notice is required to hire and attachments are easily sourced too, because these latest machines are piped for them.

 

Eddie.

[difflock]

Eddie, on reflection, despite my earlier determination to buy a steel tracked 10-13 tonner, it probably makes more sense for me to hire this machine for a week at a time, as per your hire comment, since sheaugh cleaning and maintenance works to the roddens(Moss access tracks) are easily quantifiable discrete chunks of work.

And with the other small holding(where a pond needs cleaning of a lifetime of dumping of household waste by the previous occupants, etc etc, etc etc) site clearance for a future log cabin etc etc,

being 6 miles away, no worries about moving the bigger digger.

So I shall focus on purchasing a (hopefully cheaper) nominal 6 tonne rubber tracked machine for "footering" about the house, yard and garden, including firewood duties.

Also presumably easier to sell on such a smaller rubber tracked machine, if needs be.

Thanks,

Marcus