Show us your Arb Diggers please.

[the village idiot]

16 minutes ago, Matthew Storrs said:

5 ton would do all that comfortably whilst still not being too big. Don’t think I’d want to go any bigger really. Even a 3 ton would be fine but may struggle a bit with larger timber (2ft plus dia). Somewhere in between the 2 if you can find one.

Steel or rubber tracks?

 

Are there any brands particularly noted for good auxiliary oil flow?

[Conor Wright]

As Matthew says, something around the 5 ton mark, capability to handle heavy logs but tidy enough to not damage surrounding trees and cause unnecessary compaction. A 3 ton will do a lot on level ground but slopes will challenge it, as will uneven ground.

Tb145 is a good machine, but I'm biased towards takeuchi. 

Whatever you get, if you're in forestry the whole time do seriously consider marguard or some sort of guarding over the glass. 

[Conor Wright]

1 hour ago, the village idiot said:

Steel or rubber tracks?

 

Are there any brands particularly noted for good auxiliary oil flow?

I think newer kubota and wacker neusons have good flow. Lgp Eddie is your man for such questions! He has the experience.

If you're never going to use it on roads or paved areas I'd say steel.. 

If you're going for an older machine check it has two way flow for a grab, not just single flow and return for a breaker.

[LGP Eddie]

Can’t say I didn’t give you a heads up.

 

Dealer snapped it up, now on Mascus.

 

https://www.mascus.co.uk/construction/used-mini-diggers-excavators-7/kubota-u-48-4/0ish0dxd.html

 

 

Eddie.

[BunyipBen]

Looking at a EUROCOMACH ES57ZT to fit a rotating log grab and potentially look at setting up with fixed tooth flail mulcher. Any experience with these machines?

[monkeybusiness]

2 hours ago, LGP Eddie said:

Can’t say I didn’t give you a heads up.

 

Dealer snapped it up, now on Mascus.

 

https://www.mascus.co.uk/construction/used-mini-diggers-excavators-7/kubota-u-48-4/0ish0dxd.html

 

 

Eddie.

Would be the perfect machine for you TVI - still good value IMO. 

[Matthew Storrs]

7 hours ago, the village idiot said:

Steel or rubber tracks?

 

Are there any brands particularly noted for good auxiliary oil flow?

Steel grip better in slime- rubber on a greasy bank isn’t so great. However finding a sub 5 tonner on steels will limit your option as not many around. TBH I have rubber tracks- always on granite/peat and very little I have a problem with. Probably kinder to roots too!

[Matthew Storrs]

6 hours ago, Conor Wright said:

As Matthew says, something around the 5 ton mark, capability to handle heavy logs but tidy enough to not damage surrounding trees and cause unnecessary compaction. A 3 ton will do a lot on level ground but slopes will challenge it, as will uneven ground.

Tb145 is a good machine, but I'm biased towards takeuchi. 

Whatever you get, if you're in forestry the whole time do seriously consider marguard or some sort of guarding over the glass. 

Chap near me runs a TB145. I mean honestly I’ve never seen a machine in such a state- no windows- the steel on the blade has been ripped off. Gets thrashed- amazingly it has something like 12000 hrs on it- it’s like a cockroach!

[LGP Eddie]

I always say Kubota Kx161-3, brilliant in its day and a few days before Christmas on one confirmed they’re just as current and capable now.

 

Steel tracks if you can drop on one.

 

It’s a lot to do with what budget you have to spend, and what’s about at the time.

 

 

Eddie.

[Tom D]

Got our wee machine plumbed and wired up last week. I think she’ll be handy.