Matthew Storrs

Roll on summer- I love it once Christmas is out the way and small signs of impending spring gradually start to appear.

Actually it looks like a L200 and a Disco 4 have mated.

Could be worse I guess. I wonder if they’ll do it as a pickup too.

Googling the yanmar ym1610 comes up with a machine weight of 679kg. Not sure how that would ever handle a ton hanging over the front! My tractor is 3500kg and yes it will lift a ton on the flat without counterweights- but would be very sketchy travelling over undulating ground etc and have had it trying to buck over the front axle particularly if I turn the steering hard and change the pivot point. It needs counterweight for sure. I really can’t see any tractor weighing less than this being sure footed enough with a ton on the loader unless it has near on equivalent on the back from my experience. Handlers and dedicated loaders are much better geared up for front weight what with engine being at the rear and nice heavy counterweight as standard.

Yes it’s good- but that Oak has to be far older than 200 surely??

Let’s face it the real fatties just go through drivethru anyway.

Like to see the old saws still working- or trying to. Like Carlos I have a 254xp- my first saw. Just can’t seem to it to idle without cutting out.

Would a tractor with a rear forklift be any good? Can handle weight better on the rear but perhaps the cricked neck would end up doing your head in! Seen this old girl with a forklift on the back and got me https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAME-LEOPARD/112690498428?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49587%26meid%3D85c261988fd441d09880a9e9e6d32c1b%26pid%3D100890%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D8%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D302561227494&_trksid=p2056116.c100890.m2460://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAME-LEOPARD/112690498428?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49587%26meid%3D85c261988fd441d09880a9e9e6d32c1b%26pid%3D100890%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D8%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D302561227494&_trksid=p2056116.c100890.m2460

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/SAME-DORADO-66-4WD-LOADER-TRACTOR-2004-WITH-TRIMA-310-LOADER-ON-GRASS-TYRES/302561227494?hash=item46720df2e6:g:yrcAAOSwTf9ZSiRZ

To add I think any tractor under 3 ton is going to need some ballast on the back to safely handle a ton

Hi Beau, my Same which you know, would be good with a ton on the front but still needs weight on the back ideally to be the boss of it. It’s only 8ft high so would get into your sheds and is also big enough to be doing useful stuff elsewhere- timber trailer, good hydraulics etc... would have thought it’d suit your yard well- if you want you can have a go with it in your yard see if it suits.

Hi, I would normally be interested but unfortunately wouldn’t be able to fit it in. Try James Hilton, he does a tidy job http://www.jhfencing.co.uk/ based near Yelverton so not far.

Is Land worth a punt? I’m sure it depends on the quality of land and location but surely would increase in value regardless and some income to be made from renting out etc.. got to be better than having money sat in the bank

Good thread - this is something I’m starting to think about more often. I’m 30 in January so reckon it’s best to start early- whatever I’d invest I’d want it to still be valid for my family should anything happen to me and being a basic sort of person (!) I’d prefer to invest in something tangible rather than something floating around in cyberspace at the mercy of the ‘system’! As you say Beau, keeping your fingers in many pies is got to be the safest bet. Buy to let has got to be a consideration can’t see bricks and mortar ever going down in the long term- but letting out property can be a pain in the backside, as some of my family have found out what with a tenants and worse still ‘tenants rights’ small invests in the right machinery can even be a good sideline if you know what your looking for. building a buisness that can run itself after your retired is another way or sell it I think some people do it but requires a lot of initial time and work and hard in line of work where you are essentially the buisness. will follow this thread with interest.

Yes, nothings really that important that it can’t wait until after the Christmas period. I’m taking a week off and back to work on New Year’s Day- reckon I’m more of less booked up untill end of March and have a job booked for all of May. Work is really piling up at the mo so can’t complain.

You should have been up by the Warren house inn this morning Beau. Road was getting hidden and council transit unable to get up the hill- offered them a pull but they turned round and went to get the gritter- I got down to Bovey and the sun was shining and not a flake in sight.

Keep it and keep the £600 in the bank- you never know you may never need to spend it!

No definitely won’t get rich but a reasonable income can be achieved- generally it’s easy work for your body compared to thrashing yourself out as man and chipper. Also a digger will do 5000 hours with barely a spanner to it with good maintenance , they hold their value very well so whilst achievable day rates may seem relatively low- it does work out in the long run. I keep my digger busy 4- 5 days a week for the most part but funnily enough it doesn’t often have a bucket on it.

There is also the mini digger idea- forget having just a standard machine and bucket though- equip it with tree related gear- rotating grab, rake, tree shear etc. £40k will get you a nice 2.5tonner with all the attachments. My buisness would cease to exist without mine!

Nice! But mainly I’m just impressed you haven’t managed to bend those front roof rack supports yet on low branches!

Definitely- and also not that many tree surgeons can justify a loader as it’s not a tool for every job, the scope for attachments will also lend yourself to all sorts of applications- post hole borer mower etc- you could pretty much run a buisness of the back of one of these machines with operated hire thrown in as and when- you will likely earn more money doing your own jobs than hiring yourself out for the day where the hirer will understandably want their monies worth.

All I will say is don’t waste £25k on a van. It will depreciate very quickly and it’s not really the van that’s earning you the money- you can buy a decent tipper/truck or whatever to carry you, tools and machine around. £6-8k will get you something nice and tidy and put the money saved towards the machine- or leave in the bank to cover any eventualities that may crop up. For what it’s worth any fool can jump in and spend lots of money- you would be better off spending a big of time getting to know your market by working in it and developing contacts etc and see where it leads you knowing that you have the capital waiting when the time is right.

I should also add- whenever I have bought something brand new and kept it a decent amount of time I seem to do quite well from it- my method is to do plenty research prior to purchase and buy the best you can afford- it usually pays off in the long run, flimsy kit is just a no no for the full time contractor.

Different ways of looking at it- all with different pluses and minuses. This applies to any machinery not just chippers- but this is my own thoughts- a machine will almost certainly do the largest percentage of depreciation in its first 3 years- but also these 3 years SHOULD be trouble free so that has to be offset against potential repairs and downtime from running an older machine. Personally if finances allow My preferred method is to buy a machine brand new look after it and keep it for more like 6-10 years and it will be these later years once it’s paid for itself when the machine really starts to actually earn you money- if you just chop and change every 3 years I’d be surprised if you really ever make much money off the actual machine other than just covering depreciation. And in any case a warranty isn’t a sure fire method that things will be hassle free- downtime is still downtime and that often costs more than the actual repair bill. just my thoughts.

That’s my feeling on hiring too- I know someone who hires a chipper for his tree buisness- a couple of days a month- I said why not buy one and he said no point for just a few days a month- but yet is happy to brash down on a trailer to save hiring- if he had his own chipper he’d save untold time as it’s always there no matter how small the job. Out of interest to all you MO owners how many hours do you tend to put on the machine in a year?