LeeGray

Harvest looks like it’ll be rubbish this year so could have reasonable value as bedding if you’ve got farmers nearby

Hi James, thanks for this. Spoke to Andy today, very professional and helpful. Hopefully get something sorted shortly. Lee

Got a call from Andy today, very helpful and apologetic for not getting back to me. Easy to deal with, quote is in £4k dearer than same spec yanmar but a years less warranty which Andy said is built in same factory in France. I really wanted to stick with yanmar as my current one hasn’t let me down ever but the dealer support doesn’t sound good and at least we have a Kobelco dealer local. The thing is I’ve never even seen one in the flesh, let alone used one. I’m assuming pumps, track motors are same or better than yanmar and parts will be similar cost but would appreciate any feedback from someone running a little Kobelco

I read as average about £750 week? So £20/hr approx

Leasing definitely the cheapest way to own a vehicle like this, as your only paying interest on the (massive) depreciation, never liked the idea of borrowing for depreciation myself though so buy older stuff or ex demo etc where possible. Think the tax man may get suspicious if you’ve got a £30000-£40000 vehicle on the books but declared less turnover than vat threshold

Still nothing from steelwrist today so thought bugger it I’ll just get the off the shelf and move on, rang dealer to organise picking up sv26 this week he says can’t do it Aand Y no longer importers for yanmar and don’t know who is going to get it. If you like the machine ring Molson about Kobelco SK26 it’s the same near enough. Had a look and yep looks good, ring Molson yeah,yeah someone from sales will call you straight back. Nothing. Is it me?thought buying new would save me time, must have put 40 hours in already..that’s over a grand of time spent and no happy customer to pay the bill!

https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/market-data/subcontractors-pay-trends/ makes for interesting reading for earning comparisons

I looked at what they went for second hand and decided to just sell old for £250 and then buy another new one for £350 but they’re a bit dearer now. tilty set up looks like £8k so more like £10 if I add factory pipes although I’m waiting for prices from steelwrist for two pipe and control system. I’ll look into tilt hitch today though, if I could get hydraulic hitch, extra aftermarket line and tilt for £4k I’d probably just go for that for ease and use my grab the same way Ive done for years on the offset and hammer... Feet going like a Irish dancer!

Looks great, thanks for posting. How much was the hitch if you don’t mind me asking? I priced up a hydraulic hitch as had two semi hitches both had quite a bit of play after 1000hrs and was thinking the hydraulic would stay tight forever and £1000 fitted seams alright but the I could put the cash towards a full tilt/rotate set up instead. Looking at all the different options has got me paralysed for choice, half the time thinking I’ll just go standard off the shelf and it’ll be grand, I could pick up machine straight away and be working with it this week but other half thinking well if I’m getting new might as well go for four pipes and Engcon or steelwrist it’ll be a huge step forward and make my work quicker/easier/more interesting and profitable but there’s a shitload of options in between and the dealers aren’t exactly helpfull when they would prefer to just sell the stock they have on the books or in the yard and get the easy money.

got any photos matthew, would love to see it set up. Did you get the diverter done or you using the hammer lines only for the tilt? Is it hydraulic hitch too?

Did you get the Kubota delivered yet Bob? How’d they get the extra lines? Been quoted 2 grand to get 2 extra (aftermarket) lines from supplying dealer on new yanmar but short delivery as machines in stock or 3k to get factory fit but could be 6 months lead and price of basic machine a bit higher as not a keen deal as on stock. I’ll keep the machine for a long time so not worried about resale but don’t want to regret if control isn’t good and I can’t go back and order factory. I’d value any input!

Its the same here, I could do a hell of a lot more with someone good with me and make a good living for the employee too but instead turn plenty work down. Its not worth the hassle/dissapointment/time wasted to even advertise anymore so make do with current 57 year old who will work hard as good ethic but is blind/deaf/not interested in learning and shall we say not exactly customer friendly and the kids when they can be arsed to get £8/hr cash in hand off me. 18 year old prefers to do a shift at the local hotel for £6/hr and not get dirty and 16 year old would rather be on his xbox when its 30 degrees outside and make do with no money! Hope they get good jobs after uni or they'll come unstuck. Think where possible better kit and plenty of it to minimise labour where possible is where i'm heading but diverse workload so it's possible. Full time one job only crew would be hard to manage and i don't fancy that at all.

When I got my woodland I get nowhere near as much waste compared to Alaskan. Great bit of kit for occasional use and would recommend one

How long did it take to remove? Got the clutch to do on mine next week and think it’ll be easier to take the engine out rather than drop gearbox. Plenty of access but with no post lift it would be a trolley jack job and shed floor isn’t the smoothest!

Sit some 200mm box section shoes into concrete or bolt to floor then notch the posts into these so they are above standing water height.

Sorry for the hassle you’ve had Neil but just wanted to put the other side of eBay/transfers etc up. I recently bought a Schaffer for £8k. Spoke to the guy, did a bit of looking online, rang him on a different number he had advertised etc. Sent money and trusted him and it worked out all good, trusted haulier arranged on a forum too that he didn’t just run off with my new loader! A bit of balance just so we don’t think everyone is a total shite, although it’s probably the best position to start from. Will definitely use bobs idea of street view in future to get a better picture.

Good to hear, have had a b25v for about 10 years and to be honest have hung on hoping an immaculate 1000 hr one would turn up and i'd just replace like for like as it's been a cracking machine with just rollers, tracks and services for that time but after looking at prices a new one is viable at £23-26 depending on spec. Just hope its as good a machine as the last.

As above NFU do all our insurance, including wood shop and band mill in open pole barn. Just set your agreed value at realistic costs, don’t skimp on cover to save £20/year. And take some photos of your kit even if it’s in a heap in the corner to show what you have. Big kit is probably easier and cheaper to replace than millions of good drill bits, hand tools, vices, clamps etc

What put you off the yanmar and which model Matthew? Just working out deals on a sv26. Similar situation to you possibly. Lots of stock ones but wait or aftermarket for four pipes and plus £2-3k for extra pipes.

quick look on google shows 4" blocks at 14kg so might have been over egging it!

The Schaffer arrived this afternoon, love the compact footprint, great visibility and manoeuvrability however it won't lift about 100 4' blocks which I assumed would be about a ton. Lifts 2 straw bales easily so I'm guessing it's happy between 600-800kg. Will have to fill an ibc to get a better test before it goes out anywhere.

Cheers Dan, most times it’s water off a ducks back but when it all comes together at the same time when everyone wants everything done now it’s like a kick in the nads.

Thinking about calling it a day myself..this week had 60t stone tipped on a job then get a call in the evening from customer to say wrong colour despite agreeing beforehand, another customer i've been chasing for £5k says he's sent to someone else who had an email address similar to mine and asked him to send to another account, air suspension knacked on the rover towing dumpers and rollers about the place, had a speeding fine come through for the van this morning and turns out it was me driving at the time (fair cop) and to top it all off red diesel delivery didn't come this afternoon so went to the garage in the car, filled all the jerry cans i could muster on the way back went to pass a lorry with someone else behind me got to 60 then lost all power and all the dash lights on the jag lit up. Nearly had someone slam into the back of me on the wrong side of the road with 150l of red in the boot! Thinking of going shelf stacking for a bit

Great stuff, I’ll look forward to following the thread. May the weather be with you ?

Who’d you get the rear xmember from Bob? Is it a good fit? About to do the same to our old landy. Was thinking galv rechassis but far too much money!