Matthew Storrs
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Everything posted by Matthew Storrs
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Out of interest, how often are you hiring? And more importantly how many jobs do you struggle with because your trying to save hiring a machine, ie if the machine was available to you any day you wanted as owning one is, how many days a week/month would you have it on site. The saying cheapest man on the job couldn't be truer. I have my digger (3 tonner) out with me most days now.
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The thing about minis is they hold their value like no ones buisness- particularly the 1.5ton category. Buy one, use it for 3 or 4 years, and I reckon you'll save a lot over hiring if you hire regularly. I know hiring them if reletively cheap, but I just get fed up with the hassle of it.
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Takeuchi, Kubota and Hitachi are all good machines but I think your unlikely to get one for 4k. Jcb minis are incredibly gutless. To be honest, you won't go far wrong with any of the big names. I haven't seen many 1.5tonners for 4k that look like they have many days left in them but keep looking, I'm sure something will come up. Peljob (now Volvo) can be seen around for good money, haven't heard there's much wrong with them either, but never had a go on one. Hours- under 3500 would be preferable but I'd go on the condition of it personally, how sloppy it all is. For the record, iv had two Takeuchis myself and really love them- they do hold their value though (which is bad for you!)
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I remember reading about some experiment they carried out in Sweden. Doctors and lawyers had higher cases of skin cancer than forestry workers and fishermen. They reckon that if your skin is rarely exposed to the sun the repercussions from sun burn are often more serious. I put it down to doctors and lawyers being able to afford sunny trips to the Maldives whilst fishermen and forest workers stay at home in the mist!
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If your digging in strainers you'll be wanting a foot at the base of the strainer (at the bottom of the hole). A 4x2 foot long piece of wood nailed to a recess slot cut into the strainer post. It stops the post twisting or pulling out of the ground when you try and pull up the wires. I used to do all my fencing by hand and there is definiatly an art to setting strainers and struts in firm and being able to pull up the netting tight with out anything moving. Good luck!
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mog/tractor owners- what MPG are you getting?
Matthew Storrs replied to Matthew Storrs's topic in Large equipment
That sound pretty good. I think mogs must be better than tractors in general as the gearing is higher- a bit like having an overdrive. -
mog/tractor owners- what MPG are you getting?
Matthew Storrs replied to Matthew Storrs's topic in Large equipment
Probably best not to find out then:biggrin: -
mog/tractor owners- what MPG are you getting?
Matthew Storrs replied to Matthew Storrs's topic in Large equipment
Ha, exactly, to be honest I always reckoned I got about 12 but was shocked when I actually worked it out. Its only 30(well about 35) kph gearbox, do 40/50 kph tractors get MPH on the roads do you know? -
Huge amount of variables I know, but would be interested what MPG you get from say a u1200 with a chipper on the back for example. Also wondering what people are getting from their tractors doing road work. Worked out mine today- 7MPG:w00t: that's towing 4 tons on the road- fairly long 4 mile uphill hauls in some parts.
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It really is shocking how much fuel a tractor uses doing roadwork, I put 54 liters in, did a 21 mile journey, spent about 6 hours post knocking (very low fuel consumption activity) then did the 21 miles home, 54 liters gone. Probably looking at about 8 MPG!
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Also maintaining tractors to a good condition isn't cheap, just had the clutch done in mine, 2 grand and I,m booking it in to have the brakes fully overhauled which will cost just over a grand. Its worth it for me as I use it for the mainstay of my business, but just for the odd trip every now and again it wouldn't even begin to make sense. Why not do your trailer test, which will allow your l200 to be used more efficiently and just hire a tractor or lorry when the need arises.
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Haha, I like that bit, I remember buying my first tractor, I thought it was great, but after about 5 journeys the novelty of no heating- buzzing ears after a journey and being thrown out of your seat after every bump soon wore off! My new one is marginally more sophisticated but it can be tedious if you have a long journey to do.The trick is just to allow time and enjoy the views on your journey- absolutely no point trying to rush it, if this is the case its the wrong vehicle for you:biggrin:
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You need £254 pounds to apply for it, an advert in the local paper 21 days prior to your application stating where your operating from and under what circumstances and finally you need to prove you have the financial standing to maintain your vehicle to a legal roadworthy condition. Not too much of a big deal, but you also need to run on white diesel. The last bit is probably the bit which will effect your pocket the most! But as you say 5 trips in a tractor is cheaper than 15 in your iveco!
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If you want to be a legal beagle you need a restricted operators licence to drive a tractor on the road as a contractor, I know because I phoned up VOSA 2 weeks ago and asked them. I have a 95hp tractor which I use to tow my 3 ton digger(and attachments, it only does 20mph but I'm quite happy doing that speed- its funny how you seem to get to the job pretty quickly anyway!
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Well done, its rewarding seeing it all done- even though it might seem a bit of a drag half way through planting! I do like the weed proof membrane you've used- I'm sure that will save a lot of maintenance in the next few years and really give the trees a good start. Going back to the woodland i've just finished planting tomorrow to put a stock fence around it!
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Clever idea:thumbup1: I use a similar idea when I'm fencing- drag a chain behind the trator and post driver to get the same distance between posts.
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Assuming your talking about domestic fencing, I tend to just work out how long it will take me and give the customer a set price- materials and labour, personally think giving a price per meter is irrelevant on small garden fences. Agricultural fencing however which forms 80-90% of my work is usually done per meter. If I'm asked to do 3000meters of fencing for example breaking it down to the meter makes it easier to price accurately.
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Ha, no none of the numbers matched, loads of plants and not enough tubes or guards, I think some of the plants were sort of add ons- ie just little suckers that were a bit small but they put them in the bag anyway. The worst to plant were the oaks because there roots were so deep- ended up digging 1foot pits for the oaks whereas the cherries/birch and hawthorn hardly needed much more than a 1 inch diameter hole!
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I think £1.20 would be for just one guard- I notice the price drops considerably the more you buy.
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Yes spiral guards would be too small, I meant these really SHELTERGUARD | Shrub Shelter tubes | Tree Shelters for Shrubs | Tree Guards | Features It is my understanding that Scots pine don't do too well in the 1.2m standard tree guards- too restrictive and not enough air circulation, so I was told by the nursery. I can definiatly see they would be quite restrictive as the tree grows.
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The Scots pine the woodland trust supplied us were tiny 20cm. Also did you get shrub guards for them, I didn't put the standard tubes on them- ithe local nursery I use agreed shrub guards are far more suitable.
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Can't beat a bit of drinking on the job! I remember a few summers ago- nice hot sunny weather and we were putting up a stock fence far out of public eye on the moors. Out came the fosters, we were camping on the job too . Happy days!
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I'm sure folk will help out if your in need, they are a good bunch on here, but you will probably get a lot further if you use a little social etiquette from the start! That's constructive critism by the way:thumbup1:
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Honestly, iv'e read a few of your threads and I've never come across anything like it. Need, want take take take, but very little patience and courtesy in reply.
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I planted mine in groups of species as opposed to an oak here a beech there. Usually groups of between 8-25 trees which I tried to make merge in as naturally as possible. The reasoning being that the group can grow up together at the same speed as opposed to slower growing species being shaded out by neighbouring quick growers.
