doobin

3-5k would buy you a decent ranger. You don’t need a poncemobile. howevr, decent winter tyres on a normal front wheel drive van like a berlingo might surprise you.

Unimog. I wouldn't like to get pulled over with that rig loaded like that. It doesn't have to move fast to be a danger, just for an old worn strap to let go whilst passing a mother and pram in town! That grab wouldn't hold it, the pressure would all have bled off within half a mile.

But he asked for a first vehicle... For all we know (and all we will ever know untill he replies), a trailer is totally out of the question for him due to storage issues. It's certainly out of budget if he doesn't already have a tow vehicle, and I think we can assume that to be the case. Nirvana is when you have beavertail, flat, plant and tipper trailers, and a tipper truck, pickup truck, panel van and a small van for quoting 🤣

Better to look a bit shabby (just avoid pikey transits with stripes!) yet be efficient than struggle to unload brash from a panel van IMHO. OP- Anything you can get on finance for around 8k is likely to be 5k real value in this current market. Personally I find the sweet spot to be around 3-4k and be prepared to do some spannering, but that's just me. I only do that with vehicles, as I have a lot of spare capacity- all my machinery is pretty new. If you buy for 3k, and it last two years, they are generally worth £1k for export/breakers. But so long as you have a good look underneath to avoid a rotbox, they can be kept on the road. Avoid anything on an SN plate- more than likely used for gritting in Scotland, then sent down south because the Scots aren't dumb enough to keep them around. Make use of the government's online MOT history check to look for previous rot before travelling a way to view one. What do you currently have?

Got to have somewhere to keep it, and keep it safe. Big drawback for many. Plus they are daft money currently, and less physical capacity if you’re not going to be carrying heavy stuff.

I presume this is to be a second vehicle? If so, I vote for tipper, if you need to remove waste or transport materials. Get a micro on the back easily also. otherwise a pickup is a good all rounder. No easy answer, that’s why I have one of each.

For snedding out something like an MS241 is light and nimble. I've always ran that size saw and an MS462 size. Works for me. The MS462 does rev up very quickly, if you don't mind the weight it's not a bad snedding saw at all. Let's be honest thouhg, a domestic fell isn't production forestry. I'd sooner run a smaller saw to sned out so that I can just hold the saw comfortably by the front handle in one hand and pass the end of the branch to a groundy with the other hand.

I have seen the light, oh Loader Lama!

Did it today no bother. Tilt the tipper a smidge to reduce the breakover angle like you would for a ride on. I put it up forwards with the bucket low, and without standing on the back. That put the balance right where it wanted to be and no drama 👍🏻 I use 10ft alloy ramps.

I was trying to be careful and not skid steer unless it was turning where the pile used to be. Barely left a mark in a straight line. A couple of wheelsping divots but they raked over.

Great post Mick. What I like about any kind of machine work is that it doesn't wear your body out. And the more machines you have, the more extras you can tack onto your price for very little physical effort.

I can't see it making more than £350 plus VAT a day with an operator on a subcontract basis. I'd be happy to put it out for that (although not with me at the helm). It's basically a micro digger in size and investment but rarer. Let's be honest, you can pick up beaten up examples for £6k (Opico etc). Same with micro diggers. The only thing that keeps the price better than a micro digger is the rarity, and even then you need a client who appreciates the difference between this and a digger. On pricework, it'll save me a blokes wages every day I use it. That's why I bought it. Behind the hedge in the first pic is a tennis court with a narrow gate and a wall on top of which those yews are planted. I moved that soil in half an hour- scooped up, through the gateway (only just, with the wide bucket and tyres!) and tipped it over the wall to cover the rootballs. There was probably two tons there. Remove the mini loader and that's either a ballache with two blokes, a shovel and barrows, or a ballache of overkill taking a micro digger and high tip dumper to the job. There's loads of little jobs like that. Next job at that site is some welding work, this will carry the generator and welder/gear through the garden with minimal mess and no hassle. On top of that it fits into the back of the tipper truck and leaves 600-800kgs payload depending upon the vehicle.

‘Training wheels’ affixed, and out on her first job.

Old school phone. Burner phone. Drug dealer phone.

462 can have heated grips.

Scuse me mush, can I have a ten bag? 🤣

The MS462 is only a couple of hundred grams lighter, and will happily run a 28", I often run a 36". It was choking itself in softwood with the 36" the other day, I do have a Bark Box fitted too. If you were looking for a 'do it almost all' bigger arb saw, it might be worth spending the extra. I really like mine. It's very well balanced indeed with a 20" light bar.

Would have probably flown under the radar had op just done that 🤣

Had I been there I might have told him not to be so stupid.

Meh. Sent them down the road, slabs would be easy with chainsaw mill and anything else just too much faff for the return without a proper mill. He’s got some balls taking that rig on the road loaded like that I can tell ya! 🙈

What would they be worth, 12’ long? How thick should I do then? Logs are 3’ diameter tapering very slowly. Im thinking good excuse for a 3’ low pro setup.

How many other people get to mess around with machinery and massive trees each day and get paid good money for it? We really do have great jobs.

I've only ever run 3/8p and 3/8. Most 'light but pokey' mid range saws - MS241/261, CS501SX etc have sprocket and bar mount options for either. I'd only switch down- up woudl sap way too much power, whereas down you will notice a small increase with like for like chain angles. I do like 3/8p for general work- it's fast enough, very forgiving of less than perfect sharpening and cheap to buy. Stihl do a full chisel variant too should you want it.

Hate to piss on your chips but they will warp like you wouldn't believe!

Good post- but real men take the guards off 🤣 Always, always pay the extra for the anti vibe.