LGP Eddie

Go for it on the Takeuchi TB016, spend enough money to get a good one and it will repay you very well I'm certain. This is the 1.5 tonner I pretty much recommend to everyone, as it really is bombproof, plus in reality punches well into 2 tonner territory. Buy well and if it's not for you they are extremely sought after so you will be pretty assured of most if not all your money back. I'm actually operating one for a few days at present doing the drainage for a house, and the example I'm using the guy has owned for approx 4 years now. It gets absolutely no love apart from when I have it, and it simply shrugs all the punishment off and gets on with it. Yes it could do with a few pins and bushes here and there now, plus a general tidy up, but in reality it wouldn't be an expensive job to get it really tidy again. Well worth searching out a good TB016, and as the saying goes 'it'll be the cheapest man on the job!' Eddie.

Tommy you have similar taste to me if the 7840 is referring to a certain tractor and you own an 814, but please please don't go down the JCB mini route, unless it's for some specific reason like incredibly cheap or come from a fantastic home. There is so much better out there that can give you almost assured trouble service and a set in stone residual value. Tell us a bit more about what your intended applications are, what attachments you have on your future wish list and what you have to move the machine around with. Plenty of contacts to find you something nice to fit your needs. Eddie.

Kubota is the rolls royce of mini's in my opinion especially for Owner Operators, but for this type of work, the simplicity and ease/low cost of repairs to the Takeuchi can sway it in their favour. The fit/finish and reliability of the Kubota is hard to beat. The Takeuchi TB016 is just about bombproof and will punch well above it's weight, I'm out on one for the next couple of days and it never fails to impress. Not much mention of Komatsu on here, but their Mid size mini's are seriously good. Eddie.

I'd speak to Farma for a grab and Rotator going on the prices banded about here. PM me if you want any help with it. Takeuchi are great bits of kit, but JCB mini's will bring a row of the Stihl/Husky magnitude with the right guys present! If your 814 is a Grey Cab, it's one of my all time favourite machines:thumbup: This Takeuchi popped up on a local dealers Facebook page, and being a canopy version (which I prefer on small machines) is something like 2.4 tonne? Could be a handy bit of kit for someone? https://m.facebook.com/newhadenplant?v=timeline&filter=1&ref=bookmark Mini's make great splitter powerpacks and carriers. Eddie.

Thanks I never even gave that a thought, and I bet they would all be readily available off the shelf too.

Well due to weight and width constraints for the intended application it's purely down to the Tajfun and Igland now? The Uniforest and Krpan are absolutely worthy of consideration, and both look really well put together bits of kit, with a little more weight in them than the others. At this point I'm still awaiting the quote on the Igland as I missed the call back, but Kilworth came in pretty keen on a full spec Tajfun unit, with a big plus that I can have either one or two powered upper pulleys added to the unit. I'm not certain Igland offer this option, but just one powered upper pulley would be nice. Eddie.

I'd spotted this myself, and I think you could probably earn decent enough money selling tickets for a blast in it! I wonder if anyone dare have a guess at what the MOD actually paid for each one? It would have been serious money I expect. The downside must surely be where would you get parts for such a beast? Eddie.

Just how things have stacked up I'm looking at adding a Double Drum winch for a few projects, and apart from price, has anyone any experiences to add that may help me split them? It'll be between the Igland 6002, Tajfun 2x55 or Uniforest 2x65 models, and I'll want the full Radio remote setup to go with whichever I choose. I'm swayed towards the Igland purely on the fact that they've more than proven themselves, but Tajfun do some great kit and Kilworth are pretty handy for me, lastly the Uniforest does look some bit of kit and plenty seem to rate them for the price? Thanks. Eddie.

Could do someone a real good turn? These are a totally bombproof machine, and she'll have a decent old reach with a grab on that extender. Steel tracks and the weight are the negatives, but not for many on here who will welcome the steels, and already have the kit to move it. It really would be hard to find another? Kubota KX101 Mini excavators < 7t (Mini diggers), Year of manufacture: 2000 - Mascus UK Eddie.

Those Hyundai are some bits of kit Stephen! They were converted by John Craig at Jcc Engcon who did all the mods to my Kubota, but the sheer scale of the Hyundai mods are something else! I'm not exactly certain but they were widened to fit something like 1600mm wide pads, plus around 4 metres extra of track length on the ground! As for myself, absolute yes to looking at a Menzi, but it'll have to be this one when it finally comes out! The prospect of something like this for myself is of real interest, but as with all kit, the real challenge will be trying to get a return on something like this. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Baa_zifNiIw]Der neue Menzi Master M510&M515 - YouTube[/ame] Eddie.

CAT really seems to be serving you well Stephen. The Wheeled version of the Menzi is certainly not for my applications, it wouldn't get anywhere near a lot of the places I have to go. Eddie.

Just a few images of this weeks task. Basically we have the incredible Menzi Muck Walking Excavator with us to do the areas of Rhodie clearance the Long Reach Excavator and Mulcher was unable to reach on our previous visit. With this being a very sensitive site and for obvious safety reasons the Menzi is utilising it's safety winch, which is in turn anchored to a 25 tonne zero tailswing Excavator fitted with rubber block track pads that is sitting on the access road. The system is working really well, and the winch really helps the Menzi to travel over the site with minimum impact, as it simply drives instead of pushing/pulling itself along. The performance of the Menzi on the Mulcher has to be seen to be believed! It simply never slows down no matter what, and the production rate is far higher than you would believe possible from this size of carrier. As you can see it's an absolutely horrid crop of Rhodie, and I'd hate to even think how long it would take to deal with by hand! Not a bad spot to be working either! Hopefully I'll get some decent video. Eddie.

That's just the porn I'm looking for! I couldn't agree more in the need for spot on kit and the simple fact you'll only get out what you put in so to speak? The number of arguments I've had with idiots who think you can put topsoil in a Concrete Crusher and get Type 1 stone out the other side is untrue, and it's pretty much the same with chippers? But all things being equal, brand new machines with perfect feedstock etc etc, which make would bang out the best product most consistently I wonder? Eddie.

Yes absolutely, 4.5 tonne is a nightmare weight, as it's well out of a 7.5 tonner capability, and then you may as well make one around 6 tonne with a 90+hp engine that could run things like Mulchers? Eddie.

I was just wondering what is available out there in the form of Tracked chippers that can produce an actual screened Biomass Chip straight at the coal face so to speak? I believe a few Heizo's have made it onto Tracks and the Jenz do the Tiger range? Is anyone running anything like this, or actually hired one in? The main thing people now talk about is chip quality, and everyone claims their chipper to have the best? The Bandit 18svc was putting out some lovely looking chip at the APF, what's the perceived best chipper out there, as quite a few knock the Heizo on this, but their popularity with users would indicate otherwise? Eddie.

This could really open up a few avenues for some? Eddie.

It all depends on what the Client actually wants? I do an awful lot of Rhodie, and trust me no two jobs are the same in terms of what solutions they want for the site? My Farmi 260 HFC with the steel infeed in conveyor was bought especially with Rhodie in mind, as it greatly aids the feeding process, and we find it a very easy material to chip. Larger projects have seen a fantastic Roofmount Valtra and big Jenz setup with large infeed conveyor come in, that can eat serious amounts of Rhodie, but you need to pile up a vast amount before making the call to get him in. You're all thinking what about the roots? Well, pulled out and stacked to air dry there is virtually any regrowth, plus the piles can easily be treated, or on other projects Clients actually wish to have the Rhodie return on their terms and manage it. The Zago Ecogreen Shredder is the Rhodie king if you can get one in, but finding one is no easy task, and the operator is the key to them. I'd just say get the biggest in you can, and if you can get some form of feed conveyor it really does help. Mulching is a different solution altogether, and I'd credit you with knowing if that was an option you'd have already gone with it. Eddie.

Could do someone thinking along these lines? Renault Kangoo 1.9 DCi 4x4 Van 63136 Miles | eBay Eddie.

Yes it was Chartley Moss, and whilst no different in a lot of ways, the simple fact it is fully understood what is under that crust, and it's approx 30 metres of water! I've been on plenty of Moorland/Wetland sites but nothing comes close to this for waves! There has been some good advice on here, and I fully agree, reach for the brash wherever possible, Bog Mats on the really high trafficked points, lighter LGP kit if possible and make certain you have your recovery plan well worked out in advance. Operators who aren't too proud to say I'm down a bit can you give me a a hand a minute, instead of I'm completely bogged and it's a day lost. With regard to the site in the video, we were not allowed to leave any timber/brash on site, or have it push into the ground at all. We actually used the decent brash and then placed Bog Mats over it to travel on. It was an interesting but extremely sensitive site, and we used a combination of many methods mentioned here to get the job done. We rolled the dice a bit and just as suggested here previously waited for the longer days and little better weather. There is a video of the Tracked Dumper running off the site, this section is over a band of gravel, so pretty good going, but you will see the main run is Bog Matted like a railway track, as Tracked Dumpers will run easily on mats this way, and some of the well used Brash Mat, that was completely removed leaving an undisturbed site. This area of the site had seen about 20 days use at this point, and one all removed there was absolutely minimal impact. Nothing special at all, but some don't get to work in these places and the odd pic/video livens up the thread a bit. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpS_cZtx01M]KUBOTA TRACKED DUMPER FORWARDING FROM PEAT BOG - YouTube[/ame] Eddie.

This is taken on that actual site I bet, we cleared a fair chunk of it and it was as scary as it gets! We used a combination of bog mats and brash mat, plus LGP kit to get everything off safely. No joke if you were operating the kit hard, you could see the cutters and trees going up and down like they were in a wave machine! [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2QtWUyZCgw]MOORLANDS SPECIALIST EXCAVATIONS WOBBLY BOG!! - YouTube[/ame] Eddie.

Has anyone looked into simply putting a Hydraulic Motor onto the PTO for front use and power it through the spools. Motors are available to fit straight onto the shaft, and I believe a couple of the Concrete Pan Mixer companies offer pretty powerful ones to allow the mixers to be used on telehandlers and loaders? It may be a way to get the power and control in one go? Eddie.

I pondered exactly the same question, and kept coming back to one of them Skoda Yeti's? I think they could be converted into what would be a brilliant comfortable/economical/reliable van for the commute that would be pretty capable enough to access the average tracks on sites. I'm certain there's room to throw enough tools/oils/spares etc for a shift. They are more common now so I assume a bit more affordable used, and they certainly get great reviews. 4 winter tyres on and they would certainly be ideal for the winter months? Such a lack of small 4wd Vans or Pickups now? Bring back the old Subaru Pickup, what a tool, I loved mine and it won me plenty of bets on sites as to where it would go! Eddie.

I've got a 300TDi 130 that we keep talking about making into a site runabout by putting some of the 31x15.5x15 floatation tyres on, but they're pretty small in diameter. My eyes nearly popped out when I saw this at Whithams! A bit of searching about and they're available used, plus making up some wider 16" rims not impossible? Would need a bit of arch trimming! 1 x Michelin XML 325/85 R16 Tyre, Complete with 8 Stud Aluminium Rim, #70189 - MOD Sales, Military Vehicles & Used Ex MOD Land Rovers for Sale Eddie.

Just out of interest for those talking about Remoulds, I never ran my 300TDi 90 on anything else? The tyres I used were Kingpin Tracker 2 in a really handy 245/70x16 size that suited the 90 well. This vehicle was my daily drive, including a lot of commuting 120 miles each way Oxfordshire for quite a long spell. I actually ended up putting 3 sets on in total with approx 35k miles from each set, without any issues whatsoever. Really surprisingly good off road, and great in the snow too. If I were running a SWB Series Landrover these would be perfect? 245/70R16 107P Kingpin Technic Tracker Tyres order online from Tyres Direct Eddie.

I've just taken my standard Continental Cross Contact AT off the Defender at 64K and still legal, plus never rotated with the spare which was unused. I've put Bf Muds on and they have transformed it off road obviously, with hardly anything noticeable on it. I may just back off a bit more on the odd wet corner as yet, but they've certainly given me no scares, plus I've just sat down from a 270 mile journey back from Cornwall, and they seem perfect at Defender motorway speeds. I'd say for me, if I were to get another Defender on standard Continental AT's, I'd just get another set of rims and put Bf Muds on come October and drop them off in spring. I'd think between the two sets it would be covering pretty much all seasons and should work out pretty cost effective over the lifetime? Copper ST Maxx or STT were my second choice, but the local place come up close to mail order price on the Bf's so I went that way. Eddie.