doobin

That's worrying. What Yanmar are you comparing it to? For the money you'd think it would be the mutts nuts- the E27 is one of the more expensive machines on the market. How much did you pay? Edit- I've just checked the specs, and on paper the Bobcat E27 has more bucket force, substantially more dipperstick force for the same max reach, more dump height and slightly faster tracking. The only place it gives ground to the Yanmar is a slightly slower slew, but if that translates to slew torque then the above makes it sounds like it would make a better arb digger for handling timber and loading fires.

Can't see that it's a dedicated aux pump? Spec says your normal two variable pumps plus gear pump- same as all other machines these days. Bloody heavy too, and Kubotas are a magnet for pikeys. Still, I might call for a price for the high spec model with two lines.

What do people think is the best 2.x class machine for arb work currently? I want the ones with the larger engines, loads of aux flow and a proper counterweight. Bobcat E27? Yanmar SV26? Planning on fitting it with 2 lines and an Intermecato Tigergrip 16SR4 with rotator.

Wait for the first sign of dead tips and submit it to them as ash diesback, citing the vast swathes that are being felled roadside for that reason. Insert other media

You could make up a clamp on bracket, using dome and cup washers (which are expensive!) to allow for the fact that the two edges of the boom aren't parallel. Lot more work compared to welding though, and a risk of denting the boom material) Welding is much quicker and easier, and doesn't devalue an old machine like that in any way. Easy enough to cut off, grind flat and paint if you wanted to remove it.

^ Well he's making that look hard. Might do better if he put his blade down too.

Well I joined the club today with purchase of an 'LTS' brand 15HP machine. All these Chinese jobbies are much the same, so I went for the lowest price I could find after viewing a YouTube video for the same thing in diffent colours. At a cheeky offer of £1120 inc VAT it seemed a bargain. I was about to buy the trailed Jansen type from an Italian company, but I found this cheaper and wasn't all that keen on a wide axle and tow bar that wasn't road rated. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PETROL-GARDEN-CHIPPER-SHREDDER-ELECTRIC-START-NEW-15-HP-2-year-warranty/312567431128?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Should be fine for landscaper type use. It didn't want to feed some old dry ash (bounced around in the hopper), but some bushy holly flew through- very impressed. Will be great for small hedge removals etc.

My micro goes down to 710 mm, but my 1.7t only to 990 IIRC. I really want a 2.7t too.

In the nicest possible way, you're being daft. Here ya go: Five years finance, five years extended warranty. Monthly payments of £233. High residuals mean that after a couple of years should you want out it shouldn't cost you anything. One digger driver job at £260-£280 a day covers the finance, so it's only got to go out once a month. Once you've got it the work will come to you. Do it mate. Bobcat of London seem OK to deal with. Thre's no money in self drive unless you have a fleet.

If you're at the stage where you're leaving guys on site, I'd be looking to get a cheap tipper truck. My 2003 LDV was £2300 with 20,000 miles on it- yes, it looks pikey but the micro digger it transports is brand new... you couldn't get a decent trailer for less than that, and it's much more versatile than a trailer.

First consideration is, would you have enough flow rate?

I used to think that. Then, as the OP is thinking, I bought one to soak up some tax. Since then it's been out twice a month at least. I've realised how many digger and driver jobs I've been turning away as access is tight. I've also realised how handy it is, you can stick it on the back of the tipper truck and run a couple of loads of muck away on a small driveway digout for example. I hated it the first month I had it- so slow and small compared to a 1.7t. Then I came to appreciate it on a tight access job, or a simple digger and driver hire where you're not pressured for time (trenching out into barrows for example). Now I really like it. Also, no reason you can't have a ripper or grapple on a micro- see my pic above! I think you need a 1.2t micro, 1.7t and a 2.7t. A 2.7t would be overkill for a lot of jobs we do, and they are a pain to drag about compared to a 1.7t. They are also around 40% more purchase price for 10% more day rate, so from the perspective of offering digger and driver hire, this is a massive consideration. For arb work though, 2.7t all the way. Having taken on another member of staff I'm going down the building/landscaping route, so the micro will be used a lot more, but a 2.7t is definately on the wish list. You can't really loose with any towable digger bought new on finance to be fair. Far cheaper than labour.

Definately gotta be servo levers, so good choice there. A micro on sticks can make a decent operator look shit. I really like my Bobcat E10, and the residuals are suppost to be bulletproof. You're looking at £13-14K+VAT. Second hand onces with 1000 hours seemed to be around 11k, so new was a no brainer. When comparing this new generation of 1.2t micros, be aware that there are a few promising (on paper) more power for the same weight. Kato's one, for example, and I think also the Yanmar. However, they are not true 'micros', and don't shrink down as much. Kato push theirs more as a machine that can be legally transported on a 3.5t wagon rather than a micro. Matt- on paper, the Tak has more slightly power than the Bobcat. I'd say it's all pretty subjective, and you should buy a micro because you need to get in tight spaces and it's easier than a shovel! Yes, they're painfully slow and lacking in reach compared to a 1.7t, but you can't have it both ways I guess.

Ah, the good ol 5 gallon refurb....

This looks good value- better construction to my eyes than the RSL one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-2-Ton-Mini-Digger-HD-Grapple-3yr-warranty-Inc-Vat-JCB-CAT-Takeuchi-Case/113259392828?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D57923%26meid%3D30770e518ded49a69fbc90f949b522ca%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D181046126928%26itm%3D113259392828&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 Nice big pins and bushes along with grease nipples.

I mounted my grapple from my 1.7 to my 1.2t (via the quick hitch) and it's perfectly functional. Lifted three oak sleepers with it. I've yet to use it on a narrow access job but it's ready. Thumbs are just so pig awkward compared to a proper grapple. What make is your 1.2t? That Kelfri looks value for money. Not the best grapple design but still way better (and cheaper!!) than a thumb. But I think the stars would have to align for it to fit your particular machine with no modifications. I gave £450 for this grapple seven years ago. Everyone told me to spend more, I'd only bend it etc. It's made me tens of thousands and I've only bent it slightly once- easily fixed. I think if you go for a Digbits one or similar you won't be disappointed. So much better than a thumb. If you're buying it for woodland clearance it's a no brainer compared to a thumb.

10cm is nothing. Don't waste the customer's time messing about with a Tirfor on hundreds of stems- get a bloke in with a digger and grapple not a bucket and have done with it.

Make sure you take them off your labourer first.

Looks like cement bound asbestos. Non-notifiable in the UK, which means that you don't need to notify HSE before you take it down and stack it for collection by a hazardous waste company- once you've done your joke of a day's training (my digger driver fell asleep in the middle of it ?) Not sure what the situation is in France. I'd just crack on, and if you're worried wear a respirator or wet the sheets. It's pretty safe as it's bound with cement- only danger is if you raise a dust, by grinding for example.

They don't weigh much, and you can remove the crane from the base when you're not needing it to get mroe payload. I'd be surprised if they weigh more than 80kg- have one here which I never got round to fitting. Depending upon what you're lifting you may get away with no support leg, however you'll want to be compentant at fitting it and strengthening the body if required. They won't like being bolted through a sheet of ply on an ally body for example.

Maybe, just maybe, we should stop importing third world trash and undesireables, and stop subsidising our own undesireables to breed. Then, we wouldn't need to concrete over the countryside to house them all. Just a thought.

I want to agree with the Coopers reccomendation, but my sidewalls are starting to show small cracks after only two years.

That's cause we've got ten fingers....

Yes, they're decent. Take a lot longer to charge too- definately extra capacity in them. They are noticeably bigger and heavier though. The genuine Makita battery chargers keep trying to restart the charging cycle on them, or gives up with an error. The voltage usually shows it as charged however. I've just unpacked a new Chinky twin battery charger, so will see if that makes a better job of them- they're on charge as i write this after some heavy fab work this afternoon.

Sounds like they didn't want the hassle of you returning them. I don't think you'd be disappointed if you bought them. Even if they only work out at 5ah rather than 6, it's still half price.