doobin

So-so. Not that impressed with the build quality for the money. I only bought as it was two thirds grant funded. But backup seems good. It's just that after 80+ units being produced I'd have hoped for less of a 'man in a shed' build. From new both the steereing rams were hitting on the cutouts in the frame for them. I noticed just driving it across the yard from the trailer when I brought it back. How do you not notice that when you're building and testing the 84th model??? I had to die grind out well over 20mm both sides! See pics- both holes were round when I started! The crane is not nice to use- it has 3/8 bulkhead fittings but only 1/4" hoses. Not sure if it comes from the crane factory like that or if Pekka fits them himself, but they should be 3/8 hoses. I''ll need to change them. Opening and closing the grab is torturously slow. It doesn't flow share at all on the spool block so pretty pointless paying extra for the joysticks. I reckon i'd be faster with levers. I can probably improve it with some fettling but I shouldn't have to be doing it. It may improve with use, but it's a lot of 'deliberate' movement required to change to slewing from lifting up the dipper, which is really not what you want, and whilst one joystick is doing something there's nothing really on the other. You can work around it, but it would be easier to work around it with levers if you have to! The optional lights fitted are rubbish for the money. The switch gear is utterly hopeless- just a row of generic Chinese round switches, all black with no labelling. You've no idea if you're turning on (or off!) the lights, the torque convertor or the brakes. Should have been a rocker bank with different icons, they're all easily available. Ridiculous. I am impressed with it's offroad ability. It will get places you'd struggle to with a tractor and trailer, even with wheel drive on the trailer. The joystic control is nice and works well. The torque box is a clever idea for more power, less speed when you need control. But it still has still a few clunks as you drive it, and I know that it something fails it will be a part that was built in a shed rather than the crane, engine or hydraulic pump. I'd be very, very disappointed if I'd financed £35k on that rather than an Alpine tractor or Arb digger with cab for the same money. Basically the iooperating experience could be so much improved- but then I guess it would be £50k and that's utterly ridiculous. Digger manufacturers hve economy of scale, and it really shows in terms of what you get for the money. Essentially it's OK as it was partly grant funded and it's handy to have around for the works we do. I've got fifty hours on it now. But I'd hate to be trying to make a living from it, paying back finance, and having to go out and drive it daily. Sorry @IronMike, @slack ma girdle!

Both @monkeybusiness and I bought Bobcat E27's four years ago, mainly on account of the extra services that he mentioned. Just tick a box on the order form. £600 option from factory for extra pipes/divertor plus another £600 option to have rollers on both joystics rather than a pedal- this is essential for arb work. Actually, thinking back, I'm pretty sure I bought it for the above reasons and then happened to mention on here the five years free finance (which they offered at the time). And well, you know, monkey see monkey do! 🤷‍♂️ But seriously, it's been a great machine bar a few niggles. As an Arb digger, I don't reckon you'd get better in that weight class. I'm constantly amazed what it will lift and shift. It was easily my best purchase ever, and I say that as someone with a lot of mechanisation. Take note of the important distinction between the Bobcat E27, and the more common E27z. The z is zero turn, whereas the 27 is 'reduced tailswing'. It's brilliant. It looks like a zero but is just so planted. Minimal tailswing. UK standard spec when I bought was with an extra counterweight- check that this is still the case. The other big difference, and it's an important one, is that it runs a larger engine than the E27z. Interestingly, the E27z and much of the Bobcat mini range have switched to Yanmar engines from Kubota, but the E27 is still Kubota. This extra power is what you need to be looking for in an Arb digger- it drags whole trees about easily, pushes hard on the tracks and fills the rams quicker so you get stuff done quicker. Don't neglect this in favour of the cheaper E27z would be my advice. I'm pleased to see @Conor Wright's opinion on the lack of wear in a 3000 hour Bobcat he looked at. I've been very impressed how little mine has worn given it's life doing 90% Arb work (and the other 10% seemingly breaker and riddle bucket work...), although I'm very diligent with the grease. Black moly grease for pins and bushes, lithium for the slew ring. When I bought, the Kubota KX30-High Spec was exactly the same money, but the Bobcat had the five years free finance so that's why I went for Bobcat. Honestly, I'm glad I did. Yes, the paintwork could be better (although my 27 isn't nearly as bad as my E19). I often hear that the KX30 isn't nice to grade with, but to be honest the Bobcat isn't the greatest either even after a mod from the dealers. But 90% of my work is lifting and shifting, and I would think long and hard and get plenty of demo or hire time in a different machine before changing. As regards grabs- the only brand I would consider would be Intermecato. I'd usually recommend Approved Hydraulics, but having bought four Intermecato grabs and a couple of rotators from them and asking for 'best price;' for another £4k worth of clamshell and rotator, I was disappointed they just offered me RRP. It wasn't a cheeky request in light of what I' ve spent with them already and a looming recession. So I'd go to Attachment Soloutions Ltd- nice guy and a better price. Join the PlantTalk forum for digger advice and he gives a small forum discount. With the headstock for the grab, make sure you get one made that has the pins at an angle- around 35° IIRC. This is to allow you to reach out and grab things in front of you- standing saplings prior to cutting, etc. Very important. My final advice would be advice I wish I'd been given. Start off with a Scandinavian hitch standard- probably S40. Don't be swayed by the dealers 'free Whites brand buckets and quick hitch'. There's still a cost to them to provide to this set (maybe £1200), so pay a little extra for S40 standard. This will give you a much better quality hitch that won't wear, lower build height and just plug and play for a tiltrotator in the future. I'd also spec it to be hydraulic- all my diggers have hydraulic hitches and it's brilliant. But having just bought a secondhand tiltrotator, it's cost me another £2.5k per digger to change the existing buckets and hitches to S standard. So pay an extra £1k when buying your digger and futureproof yourself. I'd highly recommend Steelwrist for an S40 quick hitch- I was blown away by the quality of one I've just fitted to my E19. So light and neat, and expander pins as standard to allow for any wear in the hitch eyes.

X2. Also makes it easy to add a basic tiltrotator. I specced twin aux even with my 1.9t and I’m glad I did.

All done. Two bags of firewood. Took around four hours but was waiting on Harry dealing with the scabs so did some office stuff whilst he cleared the decks. got a fair bit of offcuts left over too. I’d be surprised if the job owes me £50 in timber and petrol, so very happy with £650. thanks for your help guys. Really liking this sawmill.

Well there’s definitely worse places to be on a piss wet afternoon.

People down south are too posh to pay for ‘waste product’. Firewood is form rather than function here 🙄 I used to put them through processor but I reckon it’s easier to me to deal with them as they come. Branch logger set for short cuts does sound great though.

I produce far more than I can burn, but I can’t bring myself to not bag them up, they’re so easy to do. Got myself a little bag holder at the end now.

It’s ok, I know he’s been let down and wants them by the end of the week 😉 Ten of these at 3.6m should be doable in an afternoon from the size sawlogs I have. So at £70 that would be £700, or around £600 after timber costs. Sounds good to me.

The beams are currently sawlogs, so I’m not wed to them! Just wanted an idea on realistic pricings. It’s an odd order because they’ve asked for 38m worth of it. Usually beams are individual sizes as you know.

6" x 5" beams, either 3.6 or 4.8m. Douglas or larch. 10 of. i have both in my yard, what should I be charging per m for that section timber?

Saw looks OK-ish- it's pretty small diameter timber. Ram is slow compared to a PTO model, that'll be the bottleneck. But an utter bargain at that money!

Did you import directly then? how do you find 14hp, sounds a bit underpowered? What kind of money?

That’s impressive, which model?

Yes, I find a hydro top link is invaluable on almost every implement. Just look at the finish on these contours- you just set it to float and it follows beautifully.

No, still need to do that! Plus the neighbour wants a load doing also.

Midhurst here. 07765 776454 Not sure what you mean by ‘decent’, it’s 16” capacity.

Interesting. The regs are deffo worth reading through. I think I was confusing the small trailer exemption for licensing pre-boris trailer giveaway. Most on here will run under the 100km from base, tools and equipment for use by driver in course of his work exemption. Edit- sadly I don’t think this hypothetical baker would be exempt. Especially as driving the van to make his deliveries would be his main/only job for the day. Luckily bread is light!

No tacho required.

Tacho would only apply if over 3.5t gross weight vehicle, or if over 4250kg with trailer and not covered under an exemption. For example, the village baker's 3.5t delivery van doesn't need a tacho. And it's 'hire or reward'....

No, but my missus does…

Not a brand I’m familiar with. What will you be running it behind? Most flail collectors will do a decent job on light grass and relatively heavy brambles. Its thick scrub or thick rank grass that will test them.

Found a couple of pics. Not the biggest timber but you get the idea.

My missus is happy cause I’ve used a few scraps to ‘poshen up’ our kitchen cabinets! With the grapple you wouldn’t have the weight of the winch, so much work well? Mine on a 38hp AC is a good fit. Riko.

Looks a monster alpine, what is it? I use a skidding grapple behind my alpine, it's handy to be able to transfer a lot of the log's weight to the back wheels. If it's milling lengths, they will be short enough that you only drag 'just the tip' (ooeer missus!) along the ground. Works for me. I've got some beech I left spalting to mill later today that I extracted like this. I've not used a logging arch but I'd imagine it take a bit of a while to rig it all up? Probably ace for longer extraction routes or timebr lengths though.

If I had a ticket for everything I do and every machine I own and operate, I’d probably have to do a month worth of refresher courses per year!