here are a few fotos. i cannot resize all of my other blackberry pictures. sorry about the quality.
Looks good, next time can we get some that aren't just grey?
If you have Office on your computer look for Picture Manager. It's pretty easy to use.
i thought the speed of work was stirring up a dust cloud.... or it's foggy... or TAKE YOUR THUMB OFF THE LENS
Holy &*&^*&$% i've gone blind!!!!!!
boy, i goofed this one up good. i cannot post from the office or my laptop. so, next thing is to get things figured out before you guy's call "wolf" on me.
ok, here we go
ok, not great but better
more Link-Belt,Bobcat and I nice Rainbow ok,more to come
more Link-Belt,Bobcat and a nice Rainbow ok,more to come View attachment 70534 View attachment 70535 View attachment 70536 View attachment 70537 View attachment 70538
Ahh, don't pay no mind to ScottAR and 95zIV Colorado Digger, they just as ruthless at chatroom. :tong Nice pics. I recognize that terrain and the aspen trees.
ok, boys, there ya go. more to come once i smarten up a bit
Nice looking pics. I love the Link-Belts. Looks like a 210LX and a 210X2.
yeah, i don't run the x2 all that much as my top hand has it. it is better that way. i am on the phone all day anyway. the 210lx is what i run, that the dozer, roller, some water truck, skidsteer, not too much mini as they both have full time operaters. the 225 is up on a 12,000 sq foot house, so it may be up in aspen the rest of the winter. i do like the link belts hoes though. the thing about the x2 is it is quiet and comfy. alot smoother than the lx. but it seems the lx has a stonger swing motor. i dont know.as everyone has seen i am not the quikest in I.T.skills.
Nice Equipment
You must not have traded your 225 for that 210X2?
no the 225 is digging a large foundation. there is something about that hoe, it is a beast! it weighs 54,500 with the thumb. i don't care to move it too much but no bigge. i bought another dump truck at auction. it does not have a hitch yet, but it will be alot better. it has a cummins red top 444, 13 speed, hendrickson. also a rock box with a high lift.
more fotos
I'm cured!!!! Great pics!!!
Awesome pics Colorado Digger, I always enjoy your pics. Are the snowy pics from this year? We've had a couple storms already, nothing huge though. Do you move the 210's on the 25 ton tag?
yeah Nedly, it has been snowing on and off since late oct. up high there is 4-5 feet already. the 210's go on the tag as does the 225 which is a bit heavy.
more fotos anyway, we have been loading all of the work pics to the hard drive in the office, because my laptop always fills up. i went to the office yesterday to get the real good fotos and the internet was down. so the blackberry fotos will have to do. for new. now that i figured out to resize everything it will be easier. these are mostly off of a large ranch we are doing. it had 2800lf of dry utilities. about 4500lf of road 20' wide subgrade and prep. 1200 lf of stream course and water features. and all the other stuff. the 48" squash, 500 trees to plant. topsoil, boulders, berms. snowing again and we have concrete at 2 pm. see ya
I'm getting cold just looking at that last photo!!
How many guys d you have workng? Are you on the road a lot?
more fotos nedly- i have 10 guys in the field. a mechanic and a controller. my office is about 5 miles from home. it is attached to my shop and yard, all of which are about 5 plus acres. we stock base, millings, gravel, topsoil. my 7 am. work till 5 pm most days. some days till 4 some till 6.30 pm. i burn arounf 4 tanks a week in my duramax which is terrible for mileage. race injecters and a large pipe. i would think somewhere in the 400-600 miles a week range. plus hauling material. we make most everything except gravel. oohhh p.s the t6 is my truck i picked it up at auction for cheap. brand new motor.
NICE! Looks like you are plenty busy!
more fotos, even a Cat Here are a few more pics. working on the side of Snowmass Ski area with a Cat:beatsme. It belongs to the G.C.. nice little machine 262 i think. the rest are irrigation trenching. and the 225 and the tracked up s300 are close to Buttermilk ski area.
Awesome pics CD keep them coming! Will you work all winter?
winter work yes nedly, i plan on it, we are starting a fresh dig and demo next week so i am happy! i have a lot of other stuff coming up, looking at alot. so, for me at least it seems the worst is over. trying to keep the overhead low. the diesel prices are starting to scare me a bit. it may go up through january is what i am hearing. it is 3.49 at the pump. i thing i pay around 3.05 for dyed. but we are also using winter fuel now so it is more.. a few more. the mill working in front of the job. some various stuff, and a look at a wheeled excavator in the alsace region of france. no, the machine does not come with my personal operater:drinkup i plan on visiting the liebherr factory on my next visit in late dec, jan. so, that will be neat
sorry, this is my prefered operater.
So you are hauling millings and stockpiling them? That stuff is great. Looks like you are getting some snow there, early storms always cause a few wrecks. Is the last pic of your personal operator your wife?
more fotos. my operater yes that would be my signifigant other. she could give a s..t about excavation or tractors.she is more interested in her hair, nails, jewelry etc. of which i don't really care about. it is nice to have a lady that takes care of herself though! These are a mix. mostly of early summer work, as i have gotten all the wok fotos in the office opened and resized. lot's f demo and water line work.
more pics
Nice, in the first one off the 225, is he hopping down over a concrete wall?
more fotos here are a few more fotos.
Man that 210 must look ginormous on the tag trailer!
210 0n the tag here is the 210 on the tag. not that big of a deal.
more fotos ok. more pics on sunday. got the trailer stuck with the dozer on it. so i need to deal with that in the a.m. hope you guys enjoy.
It doesnt look bad at all actually. I would have thought it would dwarf the truck!
sunday dozer work
last of the sunday dozer work. mama only let let me work till 2 pm. i was also burning some slash but it had too much dirt in it, so i gave up on that. the boys will deal with that in the a.m.
Any pics of it stuck on the trailer?
NAH, SORRY NEDLY, i went up to get the truck with the high lift tailgate for all my brush and when i was there i loade the dozer and got the other truck all reeady to go for forst thing. then i pulled everything out of the yard at the job cuase i did not want to deal with the gates today. i tried to put the truck and trailer off to the side and it was pitch black, snowing very hard and i backed it right into a mud hole. went up this morning when it was frozen and she came right out. minus a few lights plus a yard of mud on the back of the trailer. they are calling for 3-4 feet above 8000' on s.w. slopes over the next 2 days.
What elevation are you at there? We are supposed to get that storm thursday here. We are only 1000 feet in town though!
i live at 6700' and work mostly in the 7-8500' foot range. have gone up to 10,500 before.
Sounds like you are going to be dealing with some snow!
some 225 msr pics this is another dig we are on. it was cold this morning. about 14 f . the 225 has 6500 hours and is running like a top. very strong! our standard powerstroke 7.3. and the 210 x2
a few more pics
What year is the 225? You definetly keep things in nice shape.
nedly, the 225 is a 2005. i bought it brand new for $145,000.00. the 210 is a 2009 and it had 1000 hours on it. the guy that had it before me was rough on it but the price was right and i have a great dealer. it is tough to keep the iron well maintained but it is our livelyhood si it is important. i believe in taking care of the tractors so we get them paid off and they still have a long life to work. i have a bobcat 435 with around 6000 hours on it and it still runs well. did a swing brake this year, welded the boom a number of times. once the stuff is paid for it is bread and butter.
How many hours will you run a machine before you trade it, What is your deciding factor to trade? When you work all winter I assume you charge a different rate, how do you figure what to charge. Production goes out the window in the winter time! Awesome pics!
Nedly_ good morning, hope you had a nice thanksgiving. 1- i do not trade machines in- i run em till they are worn out. my philoshphy is to take good care of the tractors and even if they have 10-12000 hrs you can always use them for light duty and backups. trade in values are so poor espescially on Link- Belts it is hardly worth it. 2-winter rates- haha- those went away after the 07-08 winter. i basically just try to get the job, hold on to it and wala. my profit margin goes down but thaat is ok. if i can keep all the guys working and make my mortage and payments i am fine. i try to have all of my vendors paid in full by the end of the year that way i don't have anyone sweatin me. these clients are so tight at the moment usually just bringing up the thought of a change order get you in trouble. I got a new bucjet for one of the 210's . it is awesome, a 36" esco severe duty. also picked up a nice little service truck- and 2001 f650 with a powerstoke in it. service body, large 300 gallon fuel tank. oil evac. compresser and a bunch of other goodies. going to pick it up later. thanks for replying to my pics and post. as long as someone is interested i will keep at it. see ya!
oh, by the way . the skid steer with the grouser track has loaded out 2500 yards in the last three weeks. we cannot fit the loader in there. there is no time restraint so it is a great job just keep movin dirt. they move around 250 yards a day sometimes 300.
Yeah I'm interested, I like the pics of the rugged terrain and tough going, it's like what we do, only more extreme! Interesting info on the equipment, I knew a guy that ran his excavators till they needed an u/c then traded them. Saved enough each year to buy what he wanted next and pay cash, he had no debt whatsoever. I would like to have a track skid, it would be ultra handy for us but with just 3 guys it's tough to have everything!
yeah, i have gotten past most of my notes. all my small stuff i pay cash and save for the big stuff. i will be down to 1 payment after december so i am exited about that. will you stay busy all winter?. it looks like you have a good niche and the market does not appear to be flooded with lot's of excavation companies. i stress out about this too much but we are really busy when alot of other guys are basically shut down. thank god i have such good help! p.s the ctl's are awesome but i plow snow and prefer the conventional style. the grouser tracks are huge, i welded ice cleats on one set and it works very well side hilling and getting arounf in adverse condtions. i also have a case 850h, so between the dozer and large skid steer i am covered. if you need one machine maybe a ctl is the way to go. maybe the loegering tracks is another option. i just don't see it in this market forking out 70 grand for a ctl. i can buy 210's all day for that. skiddies for around 20-25. i am looking to add another mini and skid for next year but think i will wait. i had some great jobs this year and made some money. but i want to hold on to it and see what the market does. i think the cat, bobcat or deere are all good choices for ctl's i love deere excavators, loaders and dozer but am not a fan of thieer skiddies. i am a bobcat guys and am a bit concerned about the new M series, so i am waiting for feedback in my other thread. no one reaaly responded.
We have a bit of work yet to do, nothing really huge, after we tie it all up we basically just wait for snow. We have 40 +/- plow accounts, to go through all of them with 2 trucks in an average storms takes 6-8 hrs. Once they start to get choked up then we take the loader out and do push backs. It's a good way to get through the winter. We do equipment maintenance and what not when it's not snowing. I had a 317 Deere skiddy with tracks, but a little larger with high flow would be better. The good thing with tires is they can be chained up for snow removal and high flow with a blower is a very effective machine. I definetly wouldnt buy a new one, there are a ton of them out there right now at a good price. I'm looking forward to spring, hopefully we are a bit busier than we were this year. As far as competition goes, we have a couple companies that we mainly compete with, one guy is much bigger, and one smaller. The bigger outfit has started using us when they are working in town, so we haul them material, do small digging with the mini etc. The other is a side jobber who works for the state, they are almost impossible to beat as they have nearly no overhead and run junk. We all stay pretty busy though so it's all good. Another thing is the homeowners that have bought there own machines, seems like everyone has a tractor of some sort. Thats OK though, because they usually call us to bring them some gravel, pull them out of the mud or finish something they got over their head in! Such is life I guess, we are making a decent living so thats all that matters!
Liking the pics CD. Have you considered a 135 as part of your line up? Would it be a good fit between the 20 tonners and the minis?
He had one a got rid of it LOL, I was thinking the same thing, the 135's are a sweet machine!
I am defiantly interested in seeing some Link-Belt action. Nice to see some pics from other parts of the country.
Nice pictures so I'm guessing you do everything Demo, grading, ETC?
the 135 yeah I had a 135, it was sweet. you could load trucks quickly. move it easy. it had good reach for sewer and water. really good for a backfiller. but I was in a bind. so i got of it. only owed 34k on it with 2300 hrs. anyway,, so is life. i got over it. most guys up here love the 314 and use em daily. ended up having a great year and the larger hoes have paid for themselves so far. dozerboy- yes. everything- demo, residential, commercial. large jobs and small. this year we have been on quite a few big ones. thank god. starting a new dig hopefully this week. and are getting ready to plant 200 12-20' spruce trees. got a new bucket for my 210 lx so i am excited to mount it. it is a esco 36" severe duty. the machine currently has a 54" 7 tooth SEC on it. i would like to put a coupler on that machine and eventually get a grapple for it as well. my 225 and 210x2 both have thumbs on them. which we love. but there is something to be said for not having the weight out there. the 54" on that machine is awesome for cleanup and loading. 7 passes on a tandem. i gonna say it loads in less than 2 minutes with that bucket. thanks guys
All of this Link Belt action is making me want to try one!
pics from the office hardrive let me see what i can come up with for todays dose of the link-belts. here is the 135 in action in Aspen, co. we also have the 225 doing demo.
more pics a few more while i am at it. here is the large job i have been on since may. things are going very well.
I remember the 135 now. So, your working on a subdivision then? Looks like a really nice valley and high up too.
Whats a decent used 135 LB go for? Looks like a nice rig.
more pics it was cold out there today. i don't remember what it got down to but it was brutal!
cold, cold , cold and a few more,
We've had the weirdest weather this fall, it was in the teens and snowing last week, right now its almost 50, wind blowing 30MPH and raining like an SOB. It's been like that for about a month, a week of cold, a week of warm. It's hard to get used to!
yeah, it was about 8 below yesterday. now it is 26 with snow coming in. gotta keep movin though. big push from thanksgiving to christmas. 2 weeks for new years and back at it. i might slow down somwe in late feb, march. but doubt it the way things are going. man the guys are really puttin the hurtin to the iron it has been a rough week .. already. i will gone for a month in dec/jan. hope to get a tour of the Liebherr factory in Colmar, France.
Enjoying your pics CD. You live in my favorite part of our country. If I keep looking at this thread, I'll get motivated enough to sched a lil vacation over there in Feb-March. Its also nice to read a thread hearing about work instead of woes. We need more of these! thanks for sharing... keep em coming.
today's action here are a few from today. it snowed most of the day. around 25 f. here. we are taking delivery of about 200 colorado spruce 6' to 20' so we are healing them in. we will start planting next week. we have some stuff to do, like dig a borrow pit, out of dry dirt. yesterday with the temps at 10 below i could penetrate in some places with a 36" hd bucket. today it was no problem. we took a bunch of split rail fence down so we can get on to the berms and plant all these trees. no irrigation or hydroseed this year. we allso are trying to finish a good sized dig up by the ski hill and the skid steer operater broke his windshield yesterday and also almost got fired by adding all water to his radiator. if the machine had not plugged in i woulld have a cracked block. they can only move about 240 yds a day, so i went up there and told em to put in in overdrive. i dont care what it takes. no other machine will load the material across the hole. it all stay on site, and the developer is doing it a.. backwards. but i don't really care. have another dig to start on monday, so that will keep another digging crew busy.
a few more
two more
Great pics Colorado! I probably could have been more productive reading some regs over the last half hour but I think reading through your thread was more enjoyable Keep the great pics coming!
thanks, yeah i try to take at least 10 pics a day form my BB, then one on our guys take 20-40 depending on what we are doing, all the job pics go to the office hard drive, then everything is in one place. i have had such a great year, i got alot more seriious about my business this time last year. i found that praying alot tends to help! we are good, made a few purchases this year, paid off quite a few notes and are rolling right in to december, it has been tough with the weather so crappy. we get to the job at 6.20 am eveyone gors their own way, operaters start u their gear, check oil and coolent. supers meet inmy office, we get out of our jammies and into serious coveralls, the laborer tend to get the utility cars going. get their tools ready. most operaters asre working by 6.50 or so' 7.15 lastest, and we all go get after in we dont have radio becuase the power is ouyt in our trailer, called the neighbor electricican and it has been 2 weeks, can;t believe it.... if he has a major problrm like a frozrn water line he will need help and i wikk be right there, some times i donnot get people
Man it's rough working when it's that cold! Pics are great keep em comin' Did you get that SEC bucket all back together?
yeah, it's cold! yeah the bucket has new teeth and i welded up the cracks up by the rabbit ears are to mount the pins. if you close in the pics you can see where it has been welded. i needed new teeth cat wanted $75.00 each. plus pins and bushings. all in all it was gonna be over $500.00. i got the stuff down in grand junction for half. we are starting a new dig monday so now i am watching the weather ,, don't wanna be slippin and slindin' hauling a 210.. nono..nahah. not't gonna do it. that is the part i dislike the most. hauling a large excavator up or down frozen blacktop the power is still out at out job trailer, the electrician did not wanna answer his phone, after about 5 calls he finally picked up. should be there today. i hope remembers this when his water line freezes.. he is my next door for crist sakes. that's it boys and girls.. time to get 'er moving. need to dig a borrow pit on a job for dry dirt, the bossman said no. so we will just run out or dirt and when his berms are not done....i will say"i told you so" sign right here please.
That bucket doesnt look too bad. We didnt get anything done yesterday due to the weather on wednesday. All we did yesterday is run around checking our roads and clean up trees. today we have to do some chipping! Good old fall/ winter weather!
some more link-belt action well it is friday. had a tough go at it yesterday. got my tandem up a steep hill with alot of snow and ice. broke a rear single, no backup. all in all it took about 3 hours to get one load. we are planting about 200 large colorado spruce. average 15 per day. so about 3 weeks. moving a 210 to atart another job this weekend. cheers, i hope everyone has a great weekend.
a few more
fotos from FRIDAY we are hauling off this hill and the snowplow guy has not done his job so we spent most of the day cleaning it up. tough haul, tough conditions. no chains! i would rather sand.
a few more, the planting crew. planting with a 210 and a bedding box for compost ,, i love it. have a good day eveyone
Awesome pics! that hill looks very sketchy, especially if it's a warmer day. What is that concrete structure you are traveling through? It has a lot of jogs on the right hand side! What can you register a tandem for out there?
more suffering yeah, that is the first section of foundation. they are building this house azz backwards, but whatever.. work is work. they were gonna lose the permit so we have been digging it one section at a time. this last go rouand has been intense. hooray for high- lift tailgates
a few more fotos from saturday. here we go. almost done with this dig. hopefully another two weeks.
the t6 i just bought cost around $145.00 or so
thats cheap! What GVW can you register it for? What happened with the T6 in that pic? WOOPS!
ahhh, driver "me" spending too much time fighting with wife on blackberry. gvw 54,000. yeah but i noly paid 9k for that truck ned
I hear you on the wifey thing. Mine texts me about 20 times a day, usually wants to know what time I'll be home. I tell her its tough to text back most of the time. I think if had to do it all over with the dump truck I might stay away from the overweight permit. Just register it for 54K and haul 14-15 ton, let the big tri-axle guys do the heavy hauling. that way you stay away from the 2290 tax, can cross posted bridges and dont get so much crap from DOT.
no else ever replies except you, Nedly.
this weeks fotos we are working about 11 hours a day! i cannot believe how busy we are . thank god.:notworthy. any how it has been brutal but we are getting through it. i have some great guys that just don't quit.:thumbsup
1 more of the loader this loader i bought brand new in 99 and it sure works, always starts. is small enough we can plow snow with it. just big enough to work a decent sized dirt job, we have been at one forever. move about 3500 yards by now, only some export 40 loads.
I'll be the exception to the rule... Great pics!!! Really like the looks of the link belts...
Great thread, you have some nice iron, CD! Glad to hear you are staying busy, keep up the good work!
3000+ views of this thread, obviously someone likes it. ' I have enjoyed seeing your job site pics and the commentary, keep it up.:drinkup
I have been watching this thread since the beginning and love the pictures! My family and I have been going skiing at Snowmass since we were kids and believe it or not the condo might be next door to some of your pictures. I live in Fort Collins now at Colorado State doing Construction Management and hope to have a company like yours one day. Keep up the great pics!
Is that a wa180? My former employer had one and it ran like a champ till the day I left. It looked just like yours.
Your "great guys" might have gotten wind of the job market these days.Glad things are going well,I check all of your new posts as well.Thanks for sharing.Ron G
I have been following this thread Colorado, so keep the pics coming. It is interesting to see other contractors around the world working and coming from a warm climate, I would find it very hard to work in the cold conditions that you and a lot of others over there work in. There are a quite a few members here similar to me I think, they do a lot of reading, but are a bit slack when it comes to replying. I am not surprised that you are happy with the Komatsu loader, we have three 380's and can not fault them. We purchased them secondhand from an outside source and I don't think the Komatsu dealer even knows who we are, because we hardly ever contact them.
It looks like you have found some nice gravel on site! how much longer do you think this job will take? Lookin' good!
Wish I was smart enough to comment, or ask some questions... just readin, watchin, and learnin here. I appreciate you sharing.
I've been following this thread every day. The equipment pics are great, as well as the backdrop. Keep them coming please!
latest update from the colorado high country. ok, thanks for all of the positive messages! i like to post my stuff as well as look at everybody else's stuff. i think this is a great forum and there is a ton to be learned from other member's, whether a digger, mechanic, office guy or whatever else. the thing is we all share a common bond. i love my job and feel blessed to have the opportunity to serve my clients in the best possible manner. d5- thanks for the positive notes cm1995- ditto wcoltharp- the condos in snowmass, yeah, i am glad to be out of there, on the side of the ski hill, black dirt with shale and mixed rock. i have been at this for 15 years now and things are finally staring to come together. life is tough and comes with peaks and valleys. a lot of hard work, dedication and the willingness to learn and listen has helped me a great deal. my father told me a couple of weeks ago. " the guy who is always talking doesn't learn much " , i don't know if i use these tools right but whatever. the komatsu 180- we talked about that today- she is a runner, on the second set of rubber, never done anything major. no b.s always runs. it has a jrb coupler and the only thing that goes wrong with it are losing the set pin in the ram every once in awhile. the hoses drag a bit so you have to be carefull. she has about 7000 hrs now. we chained her up yesterday. it is a damn good good machine and i would like to buy a wa250 next. great machine, no doubt about it. ron g- my guys get it done, everybody knows the deal at the moment, but i have had these guy's for 10-12 years and to me they are not replaceable. we spend so much time together we are like family. keeping the iron kept up and clean is a huge deal to me. i do not stand for dirty windows, trash in the cabs, dirty air filters, broken stuff that does not get reported. i just don't know what i would do without my current staff. they dig holes very well and very efficiently. to be this is a science and art and there is alway's room to impove. rnr- thanks i feel the same.it is different, you are dealing with a/c not heat. dust not snow and rain. probably alot of wind. winter takes the profit margin doen. we used to get paid for winter condtions. such as snow removal, sanding, heating and such. now it is a bit different. some clients understand and other's say "deal with it. i want to work so i deal with it.. nedley- thanks- you give me words of encouragement and i appreciate it. always post something so i like to take the time to post. i can relax i deal with this, take my mind off things a little bit
more fotos! here are some more, hope you guy's enjoy! :usa
last round. we are above buttermilk ski hill so i stopped to fill my water jug and took a few shots of the cat's. then we ouloaded some bloack at the shop at the end of the day:usa the one foto is the attachement the use to cut the superpipe for the x games. they are making a ton of snow and pushing it out
last, last round the last ones.. until later. see ya everbody:usa
Is that your munchkin taped to the KW dash? I have a pic of my lil' girl in my truck too!
Great pics makes me miss working in the winter up north but not the added challenges.
yeah nedley, she is basically mine, she doesn't much look like me though! she came with my woman. man, what a day.! my truck has a nasty air leak, finally at the end of the day my pins quit opening .... so i have a liitle left of a load in my box. we picked out what we could. hauling concrete block with my t8. then hauling screened rock, ice slicer, bedding..mud.. more mud.. rock and some berm dirt. the winter is finally coming dozerboy. it is amazing here and i am glad to have the work.
today's action well here are a few more:usa i have been way to busy and we are also building a new shop.
and a few more after this i am done. gotta get some rest.:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead ointhead
Kinda hard to tell what is goin on. Looks like your building some material bins, getting loaded at a pit, and then loading out a stockpile. Close?
more action yeah, we material bins, so i loaded out dome bedding sand, then some ice slicer. the on the same job the 210 stocked and sorted his pile so we could out about 35 loads, but my truck broke. then we are at the pit loading block to haul to shop for the foundation for the new shop. did a load every night aftere work. drop the truck off in the morning and they call when it is ready. they even had it warm last night. then we are starting another job where the x2 is parked. in and oout of my pit and the gravel pit all day oh, and my women having a cold one
I like the material bin idea, how big did you build them? I've always wanted to do that, I should the precast plant sells them for 60 bucks a piece. What are you starting where the X2 is?
material bins ... etc the bins we use type 4 wal four or "jersery barrier" they work well if space is limited and you have different products. 3/4" sreened rock is a premium so i do not like to burn a bunch up when need. that is why we almost always use a bedding box as well. we probably have a hundred of em. the concete block from the ready mix plant is cheap and works well for walls, temp. stuff.:usa
210 x2 the x2 is doing a house demo, new footer for house and a bunch of site work
working on saturday again in between the main shop, the satellite shop and a couple jobs today. my t6 went to all hell on friday so i am off for parts first thing. what a day. plowing in the morning, there was a fuel sale at the local co-op so we filled everything up and had a free lunch. setting block at the shop. moving topsoil. loading gravel for a concrete contracter buddy of mine. hauling concrete slab to the shop. ahhhh, finally sunday.:usa:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead ointhead
here are the fotos lot's of different stuff going on
just a few more thos will be it for tonight.
Whos 240 is that? How do you like plowing with the one ton is it pretty manueverable? thats the way I would like to have my next truck, seems so much handier than a pick-up.
the one ton is bad azz for plowing. studded snows. the truck is very heavy and has a 8.5 western on it. i will be putting wings on it this december. it hooks up great, turns decent and is just a darn good truck. i have to say that i love the 7.3 powerstroke. we also have a chevy 1 ton with a 8.5 fisher on it and a western sanding boz with a service body. it has a 454 in it and is also a great plow truck. the ford sits up so much higher and is a bit nicer inside, heat works better, radio works better, reverse lights and such. but whatever they are both good trucks. the 240 is a buddy's, it was snowing and i didn't want to move a 210 so he lent it to me for a while. it took longer to get it running than we workrd it but whatever. my operater said it was a bit slower than a 210 but very strong.
Do you plow residential or commercial or both? How many accounts do you have?
plowing morrning, we just plow commercial. 2 large commercial complexes.4" snow = about 6 hrs skiddie time and 4 hours plow time. 8" snow and it is an all day affair with 2 operaters. we aquired some really accounts last year and this year we showed up to plow for the first storm and another guy was already there. i finally got the manager on the phone and asked why he had not called me back . ia called him in august, september, october and novemeber. his excuse was b.s.:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead :.....but whatever ointhead ointhead:
what a day another hell of a day. the sunset was unbelievable. it makes me realize why i live here. these are a head gate that we are working on, then another job, trying to load up
a few more :usaok these are the last of them:usa
ok, that's it and the last of them,
Nice sunset pics, is that on the big development job or somewhere else? How did you make out on the deal with the concrete problem at the pond?
no, nedley , that is another dig we going up above the buttermilk ski area. and to not be mistaken the concrete on the pond? i think we grouted on of the spillways in and it turned out real nice. :usa
the lastest and greatest here is my case 850h with it's winter . outfit on. then we are digging a borrow pit. it has been snowing alot and everything is getting a little harder. dry dirt is always a plus in the winter.:usa:usa
maybe a few more more borrow pit. i have gotten a couple days behind. these are from saturday, but i had to switch out my chip. still working on the end of last week. regards.CD
the winter outfit is a cool idea, does it work pretty well?
yeah nedley yes , it works very well. saturday it was about 20 f with a slight wind and it cooked me out of the cab. i started in carhartt artic coveralls, and by 10.30 had to switch to my carhartt gortex pants. put it this way. i had just re snow sealed my boots and there was wax everywhere. well not after saturday. i did have to elevate the donkey d..k so i could at least see the corners of my blade.... it is a trim dozer after all. l.o.l.:usa:usa
Enjoy your trip to Europe, CD. We'll miss the pics while you're gone. Steve
Thats pretty ingenious.
Nice pictures CD, I'm surprised by all the equipment and employees you have enough time to still get out and work. Nice equipment I like the LB's and bobcats, the Case on the other hand?? Just kiddin keep the pics rollin, looks good!
CD, Thanks for taking time to share all the pictures and telling what is happening. Working with dry dirt is pretty much a lost thing around here. We had lot more snow than normal then right after Christmas a big thaw, with rain. Thought I could do one more job with the backhoe, got half done when the rains hit. Spent more time getting unstuck than digging. Had a heck of a time getting out and back to the road. Then got back to the shop and washed the hoe and put away for now. Usually have to move or load snow a few times during the winter. Do a lot of snow plowing useing my skidsteer most of the time, with a 10' Viring blade. Most of the jobs are close and I can move 2-3 times as much as a truck in tight conditions. We have way to many customers if we get a lot of snow, 2-4" takes us 12-16 hours 4-8" well over 24 hours. The other guy has an 8' Western with wings, the wings make a big difference. I have them on my Western plow on my pickup, I use it for the customers out in the country and try to keep the nursing home front drive clean at night while still snowing, just in case they have an abulance call. Hope your trip is a good one, sounds like you sure deserve a break. Looking forward to more pictures.
report: in colorado it has not snowed since before x mas and get it done.. we keep digging, demolition and lot's of other work. including planting about 200 10-18' colorado spruce. borrow pit.?? always dig at least 6', but prefered is 10'+. that is how we get dry dirt. still we have to work. and . fotos of france and italy. they do it different
So are you home or still in France? We need pics bud, we are jonesing for pics!
fotos i have not had my bb working for the past 2 weeks. lets see what i have. sorry i am tired. i will work on it:usa:usa:usa:usa
vacation fotos as promised let's see what i have here fellas. the system is alot different here . the trucks are different. well about everything... except dirt is still dirt even in france.:usa:usa:usa:usa:
grumpy french excavators the one company with the orange trucks would not even let me in their yard to take pics. liebherr would not give me a tour. big deal, it is not like i cannot see the stuff at con-agg:usa:usa:usa:usa
here are a few more since i have been slacking
Great pics as always... I take it most machines are painted in company colors? What's the little red digger?
the french work technic yeah , all machines are painted as well as work vehicles. lot's of large cuation tape and flashers, beacons on everything. i don't see how thewy get anything done with the hours they work. .but not my business.:usa:usa:usa united states of america is the best country in the world. no politico promo here. all i can say is they do thong very different
more fotos here are some more fotos so you guy's can get an idea of what is like here:usa:usa:usa
and a few more these are all a mix. i cannot get close enought to any civil work or mass ex. they are very private and act like an excavator is a top secret b1bomber. but whatever. it has been -12f back home and in the 30-40 here. although last noght my g.p.s. took a s...t on me and i ended up in about 5" snow on 5%-7% grades. very hilly middle of nowhere . snowremoval is a complete different deal over here:usa:usa
Cool pics! Love that unimog, I've always wanted one of those. Do you speak French? I would have no clue as to how to communicate LOL.
no i do not speak french. but i get by with italian, spanish and english. i have more pics. these guys are terrible they will not let me on the job to snap anything. i start snooping around and they are all over me. i have the liebherr factory pics coming. just holding out a bit becuase no one ever replies:usa:usa:usa:usa
more french fotos a few more everythinh is on wheels here . i have never seen so many damned wheeled excavators. i don't know how they run em rocking and rolling around all day. i prefer a wide and long 210 with a comfy seat. a/c, heat and bluetooth radio or satelite:usa:usa:usa
lot's of machines have the twist a wrist. i may get one for a mini or better yet a 210. these guys grab bedding then tilt the bucket and lay it down perfectly. seems like one of the better technics i have seen here.
There are some interesting videos on YT showing the wrist-o-twist buckets, very handy looking attachment. I think one on a mini would be as handy as a shirt pocket. They definitely have a different way of doing things in Europe. Another European piece of kit I would like to have would be a hook lift with articulating crane and associated grabs, forks ect. That would be the most useful truck in your fleet. So did you end up getting a factory tour or have to suffice with pictures from outside the gate?
yeah. the little six wheelers are handy. they use them with clam shells to load and unload. it is pretty cool. the crane and pieces on it will take time to get better fotos. the twist a wrist and quik coupler is also a great idea. i think i will start with that. liebherr would not let me in. with a business card, passport. pictures of what i do. the french are a very closed society.
Neat pics I guessing didn't just go there to look at there Iron what else did you do? Lol
I like the Tak and the hiabs keep posting.... Maybe the french are scared you'll conquer them?....like everyone else has....
Anyone see the French Military Rifle on eBay? It's never been shot and only dropped once! Thanks for all the pictures. The tilt bucket would be very handy indeed!
yeah, it is a different way of life indeed. i am in the lorraine at the moment and the people and accomodations are very nice. and yes i came on vacation for a month for a tour of the civul jobsites. lol. no i have been with my petite amor "girlfriend" so we have been traveling alot. been down to tuscany, italy for a week. switterland- lugano and surrounding areas. and my home base is colmar, alsace. so my petite amor has a appartment there that you know you pays for. we travel on the weekends since school holiday is over. i will head out on tour shortly.
When do you head back to the grind? are you looking forward to being back to work or not really?
work i need to get home to run the business. my a/p and a/r are jacked up. due to office staff accountablity. :Banghead i have a great car a little turbo diesel. i love to see eveything and check stuff out. churches , monuments and such. i am not exited about sitting in a dozer the rest of feb. but i do need to work. this vacation has been very expensive. plus my lady is high maintenence. ointhead fotos
More great pictures and stories to go with them. To bad you couldn't get into the plant, they may have been giving away samples. Oh that was yesterday, right. Been cold and snowy here in the midwest, the last cold really cut back on any digging around here. Waiting for the gas company to get their meters out so I can demo a couple houses. Wanted to have an excavator by now but the ones I have looked at had low hours but had not been taken care of at all. Pretty amazing to me, just some grease would of taken care of many of the problems. Keep sharing I am sure enjoying.
work. yeah, i am over it right now. just got back from the casino. if you do not have an id they do not let you in. i don't really gamble by my chick forgot her passport so i slid 10e into a dumb machine, hit the button maybe 10 times and pulled out 55e. she got all pissed and jealous so i gave her the take and we split. if mama is happy life is good. then i found a compost factory and all the farmers are hauling in and out with big 4x4 tractors and special dump boxes with spreader's on the back. watched that for a bit since the chef was not there . came back to the motel had a sauna, a jacuzzi and maybe a >>>>>
the fotos so here are some new pics from friday and sat. hope you guy's enjoy:usa:usa:usa
fotos more pics. the long reach was alone so it was easy to shoot. then i caught the foreman who was doing some blacktop. i started shooting his van and truck and he ran me off. then i went around the roundabout and up the hill. same company and they were ok, they ran me off but i got some pics.l.:usa:usa:usa:usa
more fotos well i am almost done loading. had a great day on vacation:usa:usa:usa:usa the compost and wood yard pics are coming. but i have something else to work on
more fotos baby won't fall asleep so i cannot tend to mama more fotos
last round i will be almost caught up after this. resting up for a big night of fun out on the town:scool:scool:scool:usa:usa:usa
What is the monument/viewing platform in the last two pics?
monument i think it is a ww1 viewing platform, spotting post.
today's fotos here is some of my tour today. my old lady does not like it very much. i am always looking for tractors and associated b.s.. but hey vacation :usa:usa:usa
last round this was pretty cool. it looked liked they put a ton of lime in it. seems the farmers haul their pigsh.. and tree scraps and all other organics in there. then they screen it out. i did not see any thing super fine. they are hauling it back out to their fields for compost. the spreader on the tractor is neat but i did not see the hydro system . it must be a walking floor or ejector but i don't know.:usa:usa:usa
loading out here is the roll out bucket and the volvol90? not sure
More great pics it must be the culture there about taking pics. Its not very often you see guys from there post pics of equipment about a handful of demo shots is all I can really think of. My wife gets mad when I take pics of equipment while on vacation. Once she was giving me a hard time in front of her parents so now they take pics of equipment on there vacation and send them to me to mess with her.
Neat, I enjoying history. Thanks, CM Now that's funny!
Those fliegl's are ejection trailers. The spreader augers on the back are removable and the trailers can be setup to haul grain, silage, compost, just about anything.
farm tractors and trailers heavy 1 - what is that set up worth. the tractor has to be 150.000 us and the trailer another 40-50? i have no idea.:usa:usa:usa
If that is a fendt 930 like i think it is, it is closer to 250K USD. They are really proud of their tractors. At 250hp it is a steal at a dollar a hp. They do have the best CVT ever put in a tractor and probably the most complex computer to go with it. Just look how much trouble the guys from Top Gear had.:lmao As for the trailers, i'd say your in the ballpark, but i wouldn't know for sure.
Nice pictures Colorado, thanks for sharing! It must be a little stressful being away from your business. Do you go over to Europe every year or is this your first time?
leaving france, no tears shed. no , i travel every couple months. my woman likes france at the moment so that is fine. it is damn expensive here. i has been fun. lot's of nice trips and hanging out with her 7 year olod duaghter makes me happy.:usa:usa:usa
fotos well cannot load , see ya fellas:usa:usa
Thanks for sharing the vacation photos, fun to see how different areas of the world operate.
ok i am back. traveled 30 hours on tues. started with a 4 hour train ride from colmar to zurich. then a 9 hour flight to d,c, then a 4 hour flight to denver, then after waiting an hour for my bag , i hopped an airport shuttle and one of my top guys was waiting for me. back to sleep in the plush heated leather seat . then he woke me up and said we were in gypsum, still another 40 mins from my house. so i whitrl knuckled it and made it home around mid nite. back at work 4 am on wed,. i am sure cooked, but it is the end of the month so i have a ton of catchup to do.
Get your camera tuned up, we are all waiting patiently for some pics!
more pics i loaded more last nite but did a dip..sh.. manuever and forgot to mark done. later tonight buddy.:usa:usa
as promised ok last round of france pics and some good ol u.s.a pics. here is a obama 08 bumper sticker on a car in france---- go figure??? ointhead. then a really nice in germany. they were pretty cool. showed me the truck , let me check it out. totally different... but still:usa:usa:usa
more pics i don't know if i can load everything tonight but i will try:usa:usa:usa
sorry i am having trouble. loading does not seem as easy as before:Banghead:usa:usa:usa ointhead
ok, a few more i will jump around a bit. i got way behind. a nice scania 6 wheeler. a picture of the statue of liberty. and the train and train station:usa:usa:usa
lat round ok.. last of the train stuff and some local stuff and i am done for the evening
Awesome! so was it good to be back to work?
work .. i do love my job. it is so beautiful here. we are blessed to have a ton of work. we are also building a new shop. i will start some winter truck moving material between jobs in another week. we just bid 2 large residential foundations. i am heading in to review the bids shortly. the truth is bud, i do love my job. love to work. vacation was fun, but i spent way too much money. france is so darned expensive. just stupid expensive. i had, had enough. plus that was a long trip. i don't like the paperwork so much but understand it is in my job description. so i head in early when i am sharp and knock it out. few more pics. ps. having the x games going on is a plus. trouble is i have caught or brought with me from europe a nasty sore throat. headache, cold.
a few more here are a couple more. a wheeled excavator. and some conduit, nice bedding huh:usa:usa
Thanks for putting up the pics CD. Someday I will make it over to Europe. I would like to check out some of the WWII monuments and related things.
work no worries. i have the time. i am always interested to see how others do it. so i figure the same about everybody on the forums. not to many people respond but no worries.:usa:usa:usa. may as well get the battle of the best battery fired up. interstate rules!. my plow vehicles. the service truck. and old and faithfull 2 and a 1/4:stirthepot
Great pictures as always CD! Have you had the time to catch any of the X-games? I was going to make the 6 hour drive today, but couldn't get the motivation.
x games i am just as happy watching the x games on the 44". it is an awesome event and to see it live is unbelievable. they are so talented and go so big. the t.v. just does not put it in perspective. back a few pages are the fotos of buttermilk and the cat's. we have been working about 5 mins from the venue for almost a year. so you could say i get my fair share. i have a nasty cold, and have been working 12-14 hours a day so i am taking the after noon off. this morning my brain said go to work. but when i got there my body said no way.:usa
That a new style Colorado snow removal tool, about to plow snow? Could it, be a new wing you are working on developing? Man he is catching some air with that jump, great shot. Thanks
That's some serious air! Any pics of the new shop?
it is in the background behind the service truck. has a visquine front door for now. i will get on it monday bud.
Do you have any snow out there? Doesnt look it...?
snow?? i don't know nedley. i was gone for so long. i came back and it feels like march. l.o.l. i think the guys have 13 hours this year. 2 plow trucks and the s300.
It snowed/ currently snowing here in Fort Collins, and we are supposed to be getting some colder weather coming through tonight. I'm surprised your plowing hours are that low, unless you do minimal plowing, because I thought you had been getting some good consistent snow up there in the high country. I'm meeting my family in Snowmass for a little boarding time in a couple of weeks and can't wait. Are you still working in the Buttermilk/Snowmass area?
where we are working wc- we are done in the upper roaring fork valley this year. we are working in old snowmass, basalt and carbondale. nedley- sorry bud no new fotos of the shop. tues i promise. it eas just so darn windy and cold today. i only snapped a few
I'm going to do that drain pipe heater thing on my tractor. I just ordered a golf cart cab to go over the rops so a little heat will make it nicer!
I'm surprised you are cutting up those beams, they would bring good money around here!
firewood! you see all the steel and nails and texas t nails? we just did that demo and i had my demo guy pick all the wood out. we have so many large beams at the shop already.. microlams. long, old rough sewn oak. i jsut as much use it to keep the shop warm! but bou have i been going through chains. i think i switched out 4 times today. there is also alot of dryed dirt and mud. after it is split it sure looks sweet.:usa:usa:usa
I hear you on using the wood for heat. We burnt all of the old deck off the trailer and heated our shop for about a week while we did the trailer project. We've burnt a lot of wood in there this winter!
digging in the cold 10-20 below out and windy as hell
Looks like you are on the better side of the mountains, this time a little warmer, any way. We are getting blasted right now, lots of snow and 40 mph winds with gusts to 50mph. Will start plowing in the morning around 5, unless the wind dies down then will start at 3. Supposed be a 12" - 16" by tomorrow afternoon, but going to be hard to tell with all the wind. Hope people stay home tomorrow, sure makes the plowing easier. We have had a lot of snow this winter and everyone has run into the daytime. I like it when it stops about midnight and can plow without all the worries of traffic.
more pics :usahere are some pics from today. it only got down to about 10 but it felt like-15 with the darn wind. i sacked up and pushed back in the dozer, cut wood in the morning. had a load of firewood to drop off. about a 40 min. round trip but the truck was toasty and i made it a 1.5 hour trip. l.o.l. trying to keep the guy's out of the cold but they are tough. our mechanic seems to suffer the most outside all the time until we are done with the shop.:usa:usa:usa
It was -21 actual temp at 8:00 this morning. Tractor needed a boost at noon to get started even plugged in. I couldn't be in that dozer long without a face mask. I do well in the cold, but with a good wind my face in burning in 5 minutes and numb in 10. If i could grow some respectable facial hair it would help, but that won't happen til i'm 30. I feel for your mechanic. I changed a block heater in an unheated barn last year. One thing i neglected to consider was that, unlike normal water, the coolant in an engine can get considerably colder than 32 degrees. I should have worn gloves...
Com'on CD, haven't you read the HEF addiction thread in TGIF? We all need to know what is going on in and around Carbondale!
update well cm1995 i just typed out a long reply and lost it before posting my pics. the economy is basically at a stand still here. we are lucky to have work and new work coming in. there are a few excavators working at the moment but not like it used to be. at the hey day there were probabaly 40 excavators in this small valley. basically i try to perfom quality job at the best price. we try top stay very well organized and tend to our clients hand and foot. we provide alot of added services, like landscaping, fencing, irrigation. power sweeping. we rent office trailers to our clients for reduced rates. whatever i can do to keep my clients and keep them happy. :usa:usa:usa regards. cd
the darned cold snap :usayeah, we are all shell shocked from last week. we took friday off after the cold snap. our wrench has been fighting the crud all winter so i gave him friday- tues off. hpoing he can rest up. keeping all the iron running in the winter is a hell of a job and he sure handles it well. we have been using aloy of (911) diesel additive and it helps. couple of the tractors need a snort to get moving in the morning. the poor 850h ran for about 3 hours thurs and still would not move. finally put a heater under it. regards. CD :usa:usa:usa
demo let's see if i have some demo fotos. can't take watching db and his demo. i know this is childs play but thought i post em:usa:usa
a few more pics here are a few pics, i went over to denver yesterday. i have never seen the i70 in worse condition. normally it is a 2.5 hour trip. for the turn it took 8 hours out to the airport and back to carbondale. eastbound was shut in glenwood canyon. got home and plowed for about an hour. slept for a little bit and went back to work around 3am :usa:usa:usa
Awesome snow pics bud I love the plow on the loader!
more pics here are a few more. plus a 210. it is getting cold again.:usa:usa:usa
whoops here they are.:usa:usa:usa
Love the pics, Digger. Not gonna make it out there this winter, so its nice to see some of the weather. I just looked at a map to see where Carbondale is... yall are waaay out there, huh? Vail is as far west as I've been on I70. I do love some CO action!! (as least seeing and visiting it... looks kinda chilly to work in)
here a few shot form yesterday. it was bluebird. moving a mini up yo another job. my favorite 210. the pump and a mini in the background. the big mountain is sopris, in my backyard. regards to all! CD :usa:usa:usa
Looking good Colorado. Glad to see your busy. What brand/set-up do you have for your loader plow? How do the tire chains ride on the loader? I have never ran a loader with chains. Almost all of our loaders have snow tires.
Nice pics, that's some impressive scenery! Our loader chains are similar and they ride ok, but i never go over 10 mph on the road. Way betterthan ladder chains though!
With scenery like that it almost makes the cold worth while. I think I'll stick with incredibly flat and 70* for next week though.
hey guys-thanks. nedley- hope vacation is awesome! egs-those are pewag chains on a michelen L5 rock tire. DB-more pics for you bud. hope you are being safe with the demo project. stay on your toes bud.
fotos here are a few to get the weekend going. regards. downtown denver- lot's of blades the colorado highcountry. :usa:usa:usa
That one pictue looks alot like the view in Parachute Valley. I lived there for a couple of yrs during the oil shale hey day. Still have some good friends in Rifle and Silt.
ddigger- our shop is between glenwood and carbondale. when you look south it is very similiar geologically. they are back on the oil shale again. we'll see. crude dropping to 85$ a barrel is good news. regards, CD :usa:usa
lastest report we are back at it, after a couple of weeks at the shop. we got a ton done so i am happy. we are backfilling one dig and doing utilities, h20 cisterns,tanks and septic. we are going back to a few other jobs and will be starting 2 more here in april. so things are looking good for 2011. here are fotos of moving a bedding box and dropping it off. then a another delivery regards. cd:usa:usa
more pics and the last few regards, cd :usa:usa:usa
Colorado didn't you see the Keep Out sign?
Colorado Digger you said "they are back on the oil shale again." Maybe you have some information I don't but I believe Shell is cutting back on it's operations in Piceance basin. Have not heard of any other companies investing as much as Shell has and they are cutting back.
Keep Out!! :usawe have keep out, no trespass signs on every job. i put one up before a company sign. i can't stand dealers tracking me down trying to sell me stuff. i also do not like people checking out our jobs. if we do not know you, do not come on the jobsite. no visitors allowed. the thieves come around looking for scrap or asking for work. so i prefer to keep on the down low:cool2 regards. cd :usa:usa
coalrulz- exxon is going big guns on the shale. i do not follow it that much as it is a different market. but i do have alot of friends that work in the patch. i prefer the type of digging we do.
?? :confused :isn't that a trench box ?? link-belt=:beatsme:beatsme link-belt=:notworthy:notworthy link-belt=:thumbsup:thumbsup
Colorado Digger, I know Exxon is big in the natural gas but was not aware of them investing heavily back in the oil shale, anyway thanks for all the great pics you post.
Good for you guys CD! Glad to hear '11 is shaping up!:drinkup Damn, I guess that kills the road trip to Carbondale...
cm- you are always welcome. i tried to pm you but th mailbox was full. f.y.i. regards. cd:usa:usa vacation till tues. i will see what i can scrounge up :woohoo:woohoo
Can I come too?
We are thinking about going to the Denver Stock show next winter and checking out your outfit CD, but if you that way maybe not.
stock show?? EGS -forget the darn stock show,:Cowboy really make your wife happy and come visit me and run my 210x2 for a week. for free of course, all visitors are required to work or drink beer for a minimum of a 50 hour work week:drinkup :usa:usa:usa :waving:waving:beerchug: regards, cd
Can we work and drink beer? (after work of course) If so I'll be right out!
new report nothing new to report but a gentle sea breeze. i am on the sea of cortez watching the perfectly blue ocean and the palm trees shuttering in the wind. regards, cd :usa:usa
Vacation again?
ok, i am going to be seeing colorado for the first time in mid march driving to con expo with turbo. looks beautiful.
Don't forget about seeing Wisconsin on Tuesday.
some beach action sorry to tease you guys. but i cant resist. if anyone is thinking about a vacation i would highly recommend this area. i am in hermosillo, sonora. mx. the city is safe and clean. the service is unbelievable and the people are some of the nicest i have ever met.
We would C D but are all over to your jobsite partying. Good for you enjoy work will be there when you return and then you can be back working long days, of a boss.
some beach action regards.. cd :usa:usa :stirthepot:
some con expo action everybody passing through the rockies is invited to swing in for a tour. i will leave for vegas on thurs, morning am. regards, cd :usa:usa :tong:tong:tong
Nedly, if you are using the trailer it will put you back in the HVUT (combined weight, not just the truck). I ran without paying HVUT for a few years. Bakc then I only had a backhoe which I pulled on a 10 ton trailer. If the dump truck was empty I could still haul the backhoe with all of my buckets and such. The combination weighed in at 53,000#. Once I got my triaxle trailer and my excavator I though that I should start paying the HVUT. In your avitar it looks as though you have an excavator (Kobelco ED 150?) on the trailer. That combination will put you over 54k# for sure. I was getting ready to register for ConExpo yeterday. I decided, at the last minute, that I did not really want to go. My route wouldn't take me through your neck of the woods anyway. I just stumbled upon this thread today. It has taken me a while to get through it. I certainly have enjoyed seeing all your photos. It certainly reminds me of our neck of the woods, and has me thinking of uploading a few of mine as well. I certainly don't take the amount of pictures that you do (I always seem to be too busy) but I have a few. Most seem to be of finished products. I have started to make a habit of taking more. IMO it is good to document things. So far I have not had any issues (the need for photos for legal reasons) but I have always tried to stay ahead of the curve. Am I correct in thinking that the Link Belts (and Cases) are re-badged Sumitomos? The fact that you were so hard up, to get into the Liebehrer factory, made me wonder if they were made by them. What make of plow do you have for your loader? I need to get one for my 544. I have had the machine for over year now and have not installed the coupler yet. I bought iy used and added a new model 416 coupler, and third valve, to the purchase. It still sits in boxes in the yard. We are getting caught up on our PM so it may happen soon. I am just wrapping up some major work on the RT. It has about 1400 hours on it now. We just changed all the oils in it, and rebuilt the center pivots. Changed some hoses and bad seals out while we had the bottom end opened up. Mine had water in one of the drive gear housings. Have you ever had that in yours? I have heard that it's a common problem. You may want to check it out before the water has a chance to wreak havoc (if you have that problem). If you take things apart, like you have to to change the exciter oil, I recommend putting hose guards on all the hoses down there. It's a major PIA but it will make the hoses last 2-3x what they will without them. You say that you have over 6,000 hours on one of your 435s. Thta's great. I hope mine will make it that far. I have started a thread regarding changing out the main drive belt. Maybe you have something to offer. Your tri axle trailer looks just like mine. Mine, a Towmaster t-50, looks like it has a longer deck though. Is yours an Interstate 50 tonner? My 315 only weighs in at 40,000# (39,900 actually...I weighed it when it was new) so it tows very well on my trailer. It still makes me wish for more HP in my truck though. No pictures of dirtbikes?!! I would think that you have some good trails nearby. Is it easy to get to the Taylor Park trails from your town? Or do you have to trailer through Aspen and put up with all the scowls (YOU BABY KILLER YOU!!) from the tree huggers? It's good to hear that you are still busy. I have been able to keep things moving but we still have had a lot of time to fix things and catch up on the high hour PM work. I just picked up another septic system on Friday but that's about it 'till spring. My business has been down the last two years. The good thing is that I only have payments on the loader. The lack of overhead has actually made things pretty profitable despite the relative lack of work. BTW, I have only plowed snow 2x this season. I have never had such a poor snow removal season.
response dgodgr- thanks for all of the comments. work has sucked for alot of companies. my worst year was 09. we have been doing well and have a ton to look at, it is just the work is going so damn cheap. con-expo. i will back it down a bit this time, i have taken it to the limit at this event so you could say i am done. i do like to see al the iron and assorted stuff. my bull plow?? i don't know, i will snap a few shots so you can see it up close. it is bad to the bone. mounted on the jrb coulpler. yes the l-b's are sumis. i love the isuzu motor and everything about them. yes the rt is a major p.i.t.a. i will look your response over a bit better and give a more detailed response later. yes my trailer is a 50 t interstate with extra 1/2" welded on the bottom of the frame. i don't like tippy tops, so it has worked out well. riding? yes love it. we put in at express creek. it is about a 45 trip from my house. we ride all over taylor park. i enjoy everything over there. timberline, alpine. all ot it 29 turns. we usually eat lunch in almont. i ride a 200 xcw with a high output l.e.d. baja designs setup. yes snow removal sucks when it does not snow. i will get back on this reponse. just a hair tired from my trip back from sonora regards. cd. :usa:usa:usa
Yeah the GCVW with the trailer would put us over regardless of which combination we pull the 20 ton with. The single axle with a 10 ton would be just under. The machine in the avatar pic is a 70SR.
You might want to look into it a little more. If my understanding is correct the GCVWR does not matter. The GCVW does. If you are not going to be over 54,000# you should be OK. Regardless of the fact that the truck and trailer is rated to put you above 54K#. I think that you would be OK with the 70 on the trailer. Say the truck weighs 25K (that would be a heavy 10 wheeler) + the trailer weighs 8K (just guessing-my tri axle is 11,000# empty) + the 70 at roughly 16K = 49,000 pounds. If you want to haul the 110 than this would put you over the top. IMO the $550 is not the end of the world. Waht pisses me off, about the HVUT, is that I don't get renewal notices anymore. I don't think of it until my truck needs registration (and proof of HVUT payment to register) that I go pay it. HVUT is due in August and my registration is due in February. This leads to me getting dingged for late fees on the HVUT. I have asked the gal, at the local IRS office, why this is the case ( I used to get renewal notices). She does not know why, who to call, or how I can fix the problem. She can not even calculate the late fees. I have to wait for the bill to come in the mail.
Its so damn confusing the people who are supposed to enforce it cant even make sense of it! We had the same problem with the 2290, its not the $550 dollars that turns me off, its the BS that goes along with it!
Kind of reminds me of the Marx Brothers " Who is on First" . When the people that sell and the people that enforce it how the heck are we supposed to understand any of it.
Aspen snow dump pictures here are a few shots of the aspen snow dump and an old timco dozer (sp). i know the old timers had a thread going on thise old babies so i thought i would throw it in there. they are pushing it back with a snow cat and have a second one on standby. the snow dump is small this year. sometimes they fill up this area and end up using others parks and parking lot's. i think 07/08' was the biggest year to remember. regards, cd :usa:usa:usa
CD, that is a Emico dozer. Don't think i've ever seen one with a cab.
CD Did you go to the ConAgr show, if so how about some pictures, please.
con-agg the show is not for a few weeks. but i will be sure to take fotos:tong:tong
Wow another senior moment, knew it was the end of March, but guess I don't know what month it is, now. Thanks for straightening me out!
CD is that you? What a stud are those going to be the new Terrascape girls? A little ways back there was a pic by a chainsaw. I was thinking man thats a big saw, but now it looks like its operator might be vertical challenged.
easy boy--- DB hey bud, can't you see the girls have like 6" heels on?? where's the love? i would question that 145lbs if you are breaking seats in new holland wheel loaders:lmao:lmao just because you are jeolous don't lashout at me:falldownlaugh:falldownlaugh regards, cd :usa:usa
swapping out my hoes well, this is my third try. i don't know if it is me or the uploader. i decided to swap out my 210 x2 for my 225 msr. the job is so darn tight the guys needed the zero tail. my demo guy scratched up the counterweight on this job so i pulled the plug. he is gone for awhile and i figured i may as well run the x2 while it is available. the hoe came with the c/w pretty well scratched up, but is was cheap and i needed it. the 225 has major power and is super fun to run. smooth, fast.. the cab is a bit small. but overall i love that hoe. my 210lx is also a beast. faster pull back and swing motor. but that may be because the stick is dry. the 210x2 is a pure pleasure. so quiet and comfy. everything is tight and it is just a magnificent machine. so here they are.
So the 225 is a little tight, maybe you should of only had one of the Hooter Girls in the cab with you. Is the cab about the same size as the 135 you had?
I laughed when I saw the title "Swapping out my hoes" I wasnt expecting to see excavators! Great pics CD, is it spring time out there? What are your temps, the road looks like the frost is going out of it.
our temps and conditions right now it is about 15f. it will go up to the mid 40's. the frost is pushing out a bit but it is still gonna be another month. the work is stacking up and we are going back to 50 hour weeks. it is just beautiful here. every day this week has been perfect!! regards. cd oh the snow plow--it is heavy duty for sure. i think it was the front push blade on a grader at one time. i will try to figure out who made it.. but have some dump truck problems at the moment. :usa:usa
fotos from today-3-1-11 thank you for whoever helped me out, i appreciate it!! here are a few from today. the t6 grabbing some air at the pit from out service truck. a digging crew backfilling a interior pad with gravel. it is very muddy!! we are ramping up. i have a problem with my t800, it has a million miles and is time for an in frame. the low oil light comes on and she is full. she shut down yesterday hauling a 210 .. low speeds. smoking.. blue smoke. lot's of lost fuel. so it is time to get her in the shop. problem is the darned wrench has 2 trannies to do before the tandem. regards, cd :usa:usa
CD, great pictures as always. I was in your neck of the woods this past weekend. I met some of my family in Snowmass for a weekend ski trip. You aren't lying about how perfect and beautiful it is in that area right now. We stayed in Slope, which is in the "Top of Village" condo's (i think). I remember some time back you posting some pictures from a job that was right off the slope and was wondering which complex it was in. We usually stayed at Shaddowbrook (i think) which is closer to the base.
Nice pics CD, making me itch for dirt work. what did you do with the 210 on the trailer, does the T6 have a hitch?
That is a bummer having the truck go down. Never a good time for that to happen, of course would be when pulling the trailer, loaded. Hope you are back on the road soon.
the truck problem no the t6 does not have a hitch but it is plumbed. so the hotch costs about $1200. another $ to have a pro weld it on. then the t8 will take $5000 in parts or so. regards, cd i am out the door. the darned pit is only upen form 7 to 2:50. see ya
Are you road legal in Co. with the 225 on a triaxle tag? I could not pull that off here. I spent a good bit of time in a CASE 225. Unbelievable how stable it was. It had a thumb and coupler, oversized bucket full of material and it was rock solid over the side of the tracks. Cab is tighter but I never minded that. Sure are nice machines.
la gansa :usa:usaksss-the 225- yeah, it is tight but she go.es down the road ok. i hire a lowboy whenever it is down the interstate or a longer haul- maybe over 40 miles. the machine is awesome. we had some problemes with it running hot during demo, but got that dialed in. it has 6500 hours on it and is still super tight. the cab does not bother me, but for a big guy it would be tight. plus the seat does not go all the way back becuase of the subwoofer:tong. we call that hoe the goose because of the way the boom stretches up. the 210 lx is "la bestia" the beast. and the x2 is "la maltrata" the mistreated. or "la abusada" the abused. whoever had it before me just put a lickin on it, but it is mostly superficial. i am running in now and love it. so quiet, hardly know it is running. regards, cd :usa:usa
fotos-3-2-11 :usahere are a couple. it is a muddy mess. :usa regards. cd
3-2-11 the last few. the 210 x2, stocking topsoil, loaded some 1.5" base as well in the morning. everything has so much friggin frost in it seems like i had to pull the top 6' off the base pile to get anything close to dry:Banghead:Banghead whatever.. happy to be working.
Nice work CD! Glad to see you are busy. So how is the rest of the year shaping up for ya'?
2011 we are looking good. i have plenty through july. then we are looking at a couple large jobs. one of main clients is worried. i have found just working into this new economic system to be the key. alot less pay for everybody, including me. no companies parties. less paid vacation. it used to be 6 weeks or so. i think we will be ok. we are bidding 8 or 9 jobs at the moment. oh and by the way.. thanks!!:cool2:cool2 regards. cd
my lastest and greatest here are a few fotos of a dig in old snowmass, colorado.. all over ex and export and import. hauling pit run in and black dirt out?:tong:tong ohh and a little tree clearing regars, cd
Great pics! What's the snowmass job going to be? Home site?
the old snowmass job. the old snowmass job was a house that we demoed and now a new home. all backfilled inside and out with .75" screened rock. all the exterior is compacted pit run. the job is a real p.i.t.a. to back into. all these trees and construction fencing everywhere. anyways, very happy to have the work:tong
Man I cant wait for dirt work, 2 feet of snow here already this week and its snowing like an SOB again right now!
CD - What do you guys do with your brush out there? Haul it to a chipper or landfill it?
brush disposal we burn everything we can. wait for a snowy or rainy day call the local f.d. and good to go.:tong:tong
That's my preferred method of disposal when you can. There's just something about a nice fire..
Agreed
well, i have about 10 loads ready to go. i am just waiting for the right weather. we get alot of high winds in the spring so you have to be carefull. a few years ago a rancher was burning and "as the story goes" he left it smolder. the next day we had 50-60mph winds. so the thing lights up and goes whipping down the ditch. it burned 50 acres in 30 mins. so then these poor old fellers are fishing the roaring fork river in a drift boat and they are headed right for the firestorm. anyhow at the same time the fire is jumping the river they are floating through. so they hit the shore and make a run for it. ended up badly burned. the rancher ended up with a large court case we had another fire that some dip..sh...t concrete guys sparked with a demo saw. that one torched 1500 acres in a few hours. it was major. i cut a bunch of fireline for that fire. regards. cd
In CO the tridem is allowed to reach 62,000 GVW. My tri-axle trailer weighs in at 11,000# thus leaving a 51,000# payload.
hauling the 225 i have said the 225 is a large load to haul on the tridem. it does work but i would not move it long distances here are a few fotos from yesterday, installing some electric. it was a real p.i.t.a, digging through rock with no fines. to make it worse there was a gnarly side hill and a ditch crossing. we had to bed the conduit in as we worked. not to mention loading the material into tandem, tandem to bedding box, then the mini fished it out.
What's going on CD, we are jonesing for some pics! Of all of the hoes in your fleet what one would you say you couldn't be without?
morning nedley, yes i have been slacking. it has been such a muddy mess and all i have been doing is driving dump truck. i will load fotos later. i love the 210's, the x2 is a dream but the hoe that seems to get used the most is the 225. for tight jobs it is the perfect match.
Nice Thread and a fun read! Keep up the good work.
I hear you on the mud, we are heading in to mud season now. We are working our maple sugar operation right now no dirt work yet. I figured the 225 was your star, gotta love zts!
mud season and late winter operations here are some fotos from the last few days. we are demo'ing an asphalt road to an entrance to a bike path and rerouting the road. my other job is a black clay mud pit with ground water at 2'. it is on a creek and has another draw next to it. i could not even muster up the heart to snap the fotos b/c it is such a friggin mess. i am hoping it is in better shape tuesday to snap a few fotos for everybody. no con expo:Banghead my plan cuaght shutdown by you know who and i am too busy. regards.cd:usa
Glad to see the pics. You going to be busy for the rest of the year? Who scratched up the counter weight on the X2?
this year's work and the counterweight on the x2 the x2 came way scratched up when we got it last year. it was a rental and someone had been hard on it. we had to switch out the bucket pins as well. the price was right so no big deal. then my demo guy did a few jobs with it and after he put a few thousand hours on the 225 i think he forget he was in a regular hoe. so he added to the problem. don't get me wrong for 1800 hours the machine does not look great. but it runs very well at it is so smooth and quiet. not to mention the fuel savings. our work load is very good for spring and early summer of 2011. i actually don'tnow how we are going to get it all done. we have a few large jobs we are looking at for summer and fall. my buddies seem to be getting busier so that might be a sign regards, cd ps. any one coming through colorado on the way to con expo?
more pics so here are a few more. this job is picking up big time and we have a ton to do on it. planting a few hundred more trees, a huge irrigation system a few more ponds and stream courses. then more utilities and more road. then we are going back to a dig from last year that is just huge, more concrete, water line, septic, dry utilities, rock walls and all the associated site work.
YEAH! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Looking good did you ever get the T8 back on line?
my lastest report :usathe t8 is mostly hooked up to the triple. i have a few hoes to move around at the end of next week. ordered the hitch for the t6 so as soon as it is done we will do the motor work on the t8. it does not make very good power at the moment. i can't wait to be able and move my hoes with the t6 with the 444 red top...can't wait. other than that. we have a bunch of little stuff to do, then a demo.. a couple hundred trees to plant.. irrigation..big guns..uh. another dig and two starts in mid april. here are the mud fotos. regards, cd :usa:usa ps. thanks for the push nedley.. i was slacking
Glad things are rollin' for ya ol bud, we are starting to get some phone calls for dirt work, so it looks like we are going to have a good start at least! I CAN'T WAIT!
The ground looks a little tacky, but workable. Our ground is finally setting settled the roads are a mess with mud pumping through the blacktop. A good warm rain would cure a lot of this instead it is getting colder and damp. So wanting to get started but where I need work is in clay and it will be a while before that is ready. I hate mud had to deal with it many years on the farm feeding cattle, and being stuck really sucks. Keep the pictures and stories coming when you get time as they are very enjoyable.
a few fotos here 850h is opening up a job so we can get in and get back to work. we will be hauling snow off the job this coming week. then a 210 in my dirt yard loading sand for a leach field. then my x2 digging up a leaky pond penetration done by others. regards, cd:usa:usa
Is the snow at a much higher elevation? Quite a change from where you've been working!
the snow yeah. quite a change, drive 20 mins and there is 3-4' of snow. typical colorado
Like my area. 45 minutes from town, the ski hill has 9.5 foot snow base. Down in the valley I saw someone mowing their lawn. Spring is coming!
Where are the pics at CD? I want to see what'ch ya been up to?
I think he is probably saving up to make us jealous of the beautiful country where he gets paid to work.
I wish I could see some Link-Belt's in action!
ok guys, i know i have been slacking. i have fotos for you guy's and will load them tonight. i hve been going through last years numbers and financials trying to figure out how to squeek a few more percentage points out of my profit. the bottom line is analyzing overhead.. in this market no payments is the only way to go. i may end up slimming done by one hoe. insurance and comp is also a large cost as well as payroll tax, withholding and unemployment. the market will not bare any higher costs so we have to figure out where to make up for it. sometimes i wonder if working for someone else would be easier. i love my freedom and my job and my employees. i don't know what will happen. alot of guys are out of work and we have been working for cheap. is it worth it working for cheap and having to deal with all of these problems? i don't know... we are busy running almost everything we have but these costs are killing us. with commodoties going up and construction prices going down we are in for a long ride fellas. regards, cd:usa:usa
I hope when the weather turns warmer everything picks up for you and others, also. The house I finished tearing down made a lot of people happy, because it looked so bad and was along the highway. It looks like I may have gotten one ot two jobs tearing down other houses. Being a one man show most of the time makes it much easier to keep busy, right now I have over three months of work. Nice to be to the point I can pick and choose, some of the jobs.
the fotos!! so here are a few fotos. some demo action for DB and Dirty. we demoed an old cabin and i lost a 20 dollar bet to the roll off drivers. i thought it would fit in 2 40's but it took 3. we had 3 in the bid so no worries. a little burning action and some other stuff. regards. cd:usa:usa
Nice, so is it a bit more work to demo a log cabin or do they come apart ok?
Bet you made short work of that, with two machines. So the logs bulked up a little to much to get it into two cans. I have found it a little less messy by pulingl the window sash before I start. I hate trying to clean up a lot of little pieces of glass. It is getting tougher to burn much around here. I am going to try and burn the next house, hope no one complains. I have the hole dug already so the fire is out of sight most of the time. Sure could use the blue skies, been raining most of the day and more coming all next week, they are saying. Thanks for sharing I always enjoy your pictures.
Cool, never demoed a cabin before, did you have to cut the logs down or were you able to breakthem ip enough to go in thecans?
Hey CD, love the 225, hence the name :notworthy ...and all of the other link-belts you are running. Any new pictures? You havn't posted in a while, must be busy now that things have dried up. I love seeing what you are up to and following along with the photos. Keep em coming!
no link belt action hello everyone!!! yeah i am still alive. we have been real busy trying to finish a large job. the owner keeps adding more and more and we keep getting further behind. no houses or basements at the moment but i have plenty of work.. i have two new contracts for new work, nothing major. demo and sitework. both on condo associations. then we are waiting on a few houses. some of my buddies have gotten real busy up in aspen but i think the work is still going fairly cheap and all of us would like to get our prices up. regards, cd:usa:usa:usa
Come on Colorado take some time off from making money and get us some pics. :guns
ok..mostly bobcat action here are some fotos, probably not in order. we have been building a pump house and finish a 70 acre irrigation system. most of the digging is done on the upper portion of this job. we paved the road and have finished the overlot grading. now we have the sprinklers dialed in along the road. they are a hunter i 60 that shoots about 65 feet.we are pushing upwards of 160 gallons a minute. the rest of the ranch is on nelson 100 series big guns. i have another crew doing an interior demo at the mid mountain restaurant at aspen highlands. lot's of mini work at the moment which is fine. if i can hit my budgets for revenue using less fuel i am all over it. then we have two other jobs starting that are mostly demo and remodel. regards. cd:usa:usa ps. it may take me a little while to organize things better
C D once again you show us some awesome country with more jobs, that you are doing. Thanks for sharing, you do have a great spot to be working.
Thanks for posting CD, I was starting to worry about you!
more pics i have been way busy, also caught up in contract arguing. cannot believe what a pain in the a.. it is to do business these days. 5 years additional insured after we finish the job on a 16k contract. pleeese. some of my clients can be real tough. i have some retention out from last year as well. anyway, glad to be back posting some pics. i was hauling concrete all day off of a demo. another crew is hydroseeding and another crew doing some irrigation and finish overlot prep. regards, cd:usa:usa:usa
The bucket, on the 435 in the photo above, does not look like OEM. Did you modify the Bobcat bucket or is that another MFR?
buckets :usa:usayeah that is a bobcat bucket. i take them from the dealer directly to the welder. i prefer to beef them up when they are brand new. all of my buckets for the minis get hammered so i do what i can to increase their life. i use leftover cutting edge. they always seem to be heavy but i dont care, as long as they last there is an outfit from durango hauling up here. tried to tell hom to use his tarp on the cb but don't think he heard or maybe did not care. regards, cd:usa ps. that 435 has 6000 hours on it. working at 9000 feet. installed a swing brake last year... that's it for majors on that piece. i can't believe the troubles some have with equipment and the luck others have. we are good at taking care of them though
More great pictures of your work and the countryside, CD. Good to hear the work around there has picked up, some.
I'd be interested to know who it is. Maybe you could get the name. I'll call him and harrass, if I know him. I hope I'll get to 6k but I doubt it. I started getting the severe duty buckets as the standard duty are just not up to snuff. I generally like to error on the side of caution when it comes to GET. The Bobcat salesman said to get the lighter duty buckets because the zero tail would be too tippy with the severe duty buckets. I have the optional counter weight (inside the back door) and the machine does fine, even with a 36" severe duty bucket. It IS tippy but you just have to overcome that with good operating technique.
435 buckets and beefing up DGODGR-i agree the normal buckets from bobcat seem to be pretty wimpy. our 36" s all have cutting edges on them and have all been beefed up. you are right, it is basic operating procedure being able to sense the load and get it in the truck. the 24" s are pretty heavy and have all been fixed a few times. i am killing tires on my tandem coming down off the ski hill when i am not loaded. my truck is so stiff that it is impossible to come down the hill smooth, i guess i will start having to haul some sort of material down the hill even if i dump it at the bottom. we have to walk the 225 up there to dig 150 lf of sewer. if it was a short run i would dig it with the mini but being so rocky and 8-10' deep i will use the 225. i could use another mini at the moment but will not cough up 60k for an e50. i need one, but what the hell. they are so damn expensive. i know everyone loves them. a buddy told me the e50 will not lift a walk behind so he bought the cat305. i don't know if the coupler set up has changed on the cat. it was pretty funky, when you pulled the pin the thumb came loose as well. i would like to look at some other mini hoes this year but will not be buying. i do have a beat up 307 that is looking to go back into service. it is our yard b... at the moment. my big stuff has not really been working. regards, cd :usa:usa those guys in G.J are monster welding, epic ironworks
The E50 can't lift the trench roller?! My 435 can lift my RT. I even use it to load/unload the RT from the equipment trailer. It weighs 2,990#. I have to remove the bucket, attach the chain to the thumb torque tube, and only lift over the blade end of the machine but it does get it done. There is a guy, on this forum (TomG I think), who claims his E50 can lift 10,000# (even posted a picture of his lift chart when I called him on it). Something just doesn't compute here. I have a buddy who recently bought a 305. He paid about $10,000 less than I did for my 435. I bought the 435 back in '06 and I demoed a 305 too. Part of the reason I went with the Bobcat was because it was $10,000 cheaper than the Cat (based on the quotes I got at that time). When I heard what my buddy paid I couldn't believe it. There must be some huge mark up on equipment. My 435 in '06 (with 2 std duty buckets, fast track, thumb, hydraulic x-change, cab and A/C) was $54,000. The quote for the 305 (similarly equipped) was $64,000. The price of the 305 (again, similarly equipped), bought three months ago, was $43,000! That's $19,000 less than what I was quoted back in '06! ***!! The severe duty buckets are holding up well so you may want to look into them when you are shopping for buckets. They may be cheaper, in the long run, if you are not paying for modification/ repairs or having to deal with broken bucket down time. Any more Durango truck sightings? I'm still curious as to who it might be.
bobcat hoes i just lost my long winded reply so here is the summary. an e50 will not lift 10,000 pounds. don't care what chart you have. one time i hoisted 435 with my 225 into a deep foundation. did not roll or do any damage but thank god i had a long warranty on the hoe. they replaced the pump a year or so later. never knew if that's what did it or not:rolleyes the 435 will get the rt off my gooseneck but not my pickup. the s300 and 250 both can handle it.. does'nt really matter much beacuse the friggin rt is always broken anyway:Banghead i do like using a head shaker on the 435's. but the guys get lazy not wanting to takr it on and off. the hydraulic coupler might make that better, but it sounds like it breaks alot as well any way you slice it, it is excavation and it is colorado and everything is difficult. we break a ton of stuff, not from abuse just because it breaks. i would love another mini hoe but don't want to spend. the severe duty buckets may be worth looking at, we run 12" 24" and 36" and the packer. gave up on running the breaker because or broken booms. we just use it on the skiddies. i can't live without demo tires and the skid steers either and prefer to have a/c and tunes:tong. oh and my rock hound came apart 100% and i am wanting a harley rake now. seeing the fotos of tom g made me want one:notworthy. apart from other brands on minis?? i would like to try another cat,kubota,tak. i duunno i may need to see who will bring me a demo i am way busy at the moment, the guys are doing 65 hours a week but also know it won't last regards, cd:usa: oh yeah, and a little river surfing. not me but i thought others would enjoy
The charts on my E50 say it will lift 8,000lbs over the blade... I 'd give it 7,000lbs max. The biggest thing I have lifted is a 6,050lb granite pad with the machine and I think it could have lifted a little more. You will love a harley rake if you get one. We used to have a harley rake like you have pictured and there is no comparison. Harley rake is sooooo much faster and still does a great job. Thanks for sharing pictures. Keep up the great work!
happy 4th i hope everyone can relax this weekend and spend some time with thier families. i would love to have a harley rake, i wonder how much they are? we don't do a ton of finish prep, it is usually 3"- and we leave it for the landscapers. on this particular job we have done all of the infrastructure irrigation. all 3" brass valves and 2" scrubers. i don't think i will use 1" drip valves in this type of application. i would prefer 1.5" just for the fact of having more water. no prv either. it all depends though. right now i am happy to have this work. we do have another bit of infrastructure and road to put in, although i have a feeling it will be next year. we also just hydroseeded about 8 acres. i have to start 2 other small jobs with lot's of demo and finish another one. i am also starting to look for some new clients and new work as things don't seem to be picking up that quickly with new foundation digs regards, cd:usa:usa
a few fotos well, we are kind of in the mid summer groove. no major work happening. just lost a bid by 100k on 350k. i don't know how these other guy's are doing it. i don't have a huge overhead, don't overspend and go to work every day. when will it change, we work cheap but i don't want to go broke either. anyway, we are busy enough. here is my trusted 225, up at the mid mountain lodge at aspen highlands ski area. then the 435 is on the side hill of the snowmass ski area. and a nice sunset just for fun. regards, cd :usa:usa
I know exactly what you mean CD. Just bid a job to clean out a pond (approx 10K CY of muck), supplying and installing rip-rap and some grade work. Our portion was bid at $89K, the total job included our portion plus 30 acres of discing, seed and straw, about 250 rolls of hay mat for the slopes and other misc work. The total bid from our GC was right at $200K. Another GC bid the same job for the grand total of $62K...:spaz Material, labor and diesel were that much for the entire job not to mention rental on a long reach excavator is $10K a month. (They don't own one ) I can sit at home and not make money but I will be damned if I will pay to go to work.
some of the numbers are stupid right now. on this particular job i bid, we were in the middle. another guy was way high, another way low. i remember when we bid it in our office, i said if we don't get it for this price we don't want it. well.. life goes on. hopefully some of the other guys get out of the way. how do they do it, always owing on pipe and pit products, fuel, labor, ins,etc, etc. cm- what are you even bidding for?? i thought you were in CR. don't plan on making enough this year in the u.s.a to spend next year down there. did you ever buy a 315?
Those are my sentiments as well. Well I came back to the States for a while, believe it or not even paradise can get old. I am helping a friend out in the mean time, trying to put some equipment to work. Also it's darn near impossible to earn any money if you are a foreigner except buying and selling real estate which is in the dumps just like the US. Haven't bought a 315 yet. It would involve selling and/or trading some pieces in order to get one and with work as slow as it is, I am taking my time.
C D Not fair to tease with such pretty places to work and looks like it is cool, to boot. It was a hot miserable day again here, with high humidity. The water just kept dripping off my face, cutting brick for a new ATM machine installation. Glad to have them done, last week had to cut brick and concrete in a 4" X 6" room. Looked like Casper the Ghost when done, then brick the new ATM into the wall. Start another demo in a week or two, sure will be nice to get back in the excavator for a few days. Have to bid another house demo and digging a basement. One of the competion is selling his stuff, but still have to bid things pretty close to get the jobs around here. No use in bidding it and knowing there is no way to come out on top. Plenty of other work to do, but much easier on me pulling levers, and a whole lot more enjoyable, also.
Nice pictures C D. Steal a truck, steal a Bobcat and help yourself to an ATM!
Since you are still posting toot guess it wasn't you or they haven't caught up with you yet. Good luck either way! DFC I have been getting information and reading about your paradise in CR must not be quite as nice as they say, or you just had to do some slumming. It will make you appreciate it more this way when you return.
some fotos from today backfill of some 6" d.i.p. interior demo and some other stuff. this job is about 30 mins up a real steep summer road at a ski resort. the road was killing me in my tandem i finally did the downhill without the power divider locked and it was so much better. operaters running trucks...the same as what we say when truck drivers run iron::nono regards, cd:usa:usa:usa
Hey share some of those dark things in the sky, please. We are cooking and no rain. Though I have pond job to look at, that I wish was dry. Not sure I want to see my excavator buried trying to reach the middle of the pond. Did you have to track the 225 up the job site? When I was in Wyoming to get stuff up the mountain in a semi, they followed it with a crane. The crane swung the end of the trailer out and around the corners on the switch back road, to the top.
some more fotos here are a few fotos. one is from my yard, loading up on some bedding. the others are from up on the ski hill. it has been a wierd summer weather wise. not all that hot, although the last few days were close to 90f here. a good amount of rain. and a not so good amount of decent work. regards, cd :usa:usa
Looking good. Look at the upside it will get better someday, hopefully.
some fotos we have been fairly busy, working 50 hours a week. i wish it paid more. here is my 210 doing the same thing it always does...load trucks. this is in snowmass, co regards cd :usa:usa
Good to see your keeping busy. We have been really slow the last month, but this month is going to be busy I hear.
That's a pretty sweet looking cabin you wrecked there. How small did you have to crush it to fit into two 40 boxes? How old do you think that thing was? It looks like it was pretty well built with the way the logs connect together in the corner, no?
What kind of demo you got going on now, Dozerboy? What kind of demo you got going on now, Dozerboy? Any cool buildings coming down your way? What machine do they have you operating?
cabin demo that particular cabin was very stout. build out of d logs and lot's of large nails and chinking. i had 3 40's in the bid and was trying to save. in my experience cabin's and restaurants usually are the toughest. besides of course, anything industrial. in europe they are demo'ing a ton of old structures and they are all concrete, mortar, rock and brick. it is interesting to see how they do it. they don't use thumbs on anything but instead lot's of different attachments on the hoe.
Out of all my trips to Snowmass and Aspen, I haven't made the trip out of ski season. It's beautiful year round but I really need to get up there and experience it during the summer. Maybe I'll pass you up there sometime this Summer, in which I'll have to introduce myself and thank you for all the great pictures!
some fotos here we are cleaning up our pit after a 2 year long job. it has been very difficult, but i am happy to finish on a good note. we are reclaiming about 4 acres. we also have to do the dreaded 1' deep irrigation lines for 3 bucks a foot and hydroseed. we have another job to backfill and finish all of the sitework. it should take about 4 months. we just finished another on the ski hill and have 2 more small ones to finish up. i don't have anything big to start at the moment. i do have alot of sitework coming up on another job and am looking at some other stuff. regards, cd :usa:usa
the fotos sorry i am having trouble. i have a new blackberry and don't have it programmed correctly so my darned computer is backing everything up. i now have triples of all the same fotos. i need help.
I understand that frustration..:bash What kind of hydroseeder is that? I have a small jet agitated 300 gal, would like to upgrade to a mechanical 1000 gal or so. It seems that around my parts, there is some grassing work.
my hydroseeder let's see if i can fish through all my junk and find a foto. i have a bowie 1000 gallon or so with a wisconsin in it. we put a new pump in it a few years back. doesnt pull very well going down the interstate i must say. only because i have drug it around all hell with my dozer. the tongue finally folded going down a very steep hill loaded and we built a new tongue but it really has never been the same. thing about having a seeder ia it is always there when you need it. espescially on big jobs. i thing i paid $2500 for it and probably have put the same into it. shown in the foto above is my sweet water truck, about a 1980 model or so, maybe older. it has a separate motor for the massive cast iron worthington pump. i bought it for $1500 and have about $7500 in it....who knows ointhead. but it works .and beats a payment regards, cd :usa
C D, Nice to finish a long job like that, and hope another one comes along. So you got the water line trenching, as I remember there was quite a bit of it do. Hope it works out ok. Got to hear there is more out there that you might get. As always pretty darn nice back ground, after looking at a pond with a little water, lots of muck and way to many Cat Tails all week mighty nice to see. Oh I did get to spend yesterday afternoon digging between two grain storage bins, with electrical wires every where, in the ground. That and lots of old concrete from old buildings. Probably the slowest dig I have ever done. Lots of shovel time, too.
update :usai would love to have another job to get us through the next two years, given the economic forecast. i would do many things different on the next go around. for instance, i screened all of the material up front and we used it as needed. keeping track of how much material was used is difficult. i would only do this with an agreement and a per yard or ton price on finished product. also need to get paid for the disposal. also, they are trying to hold me to the prices i bid last year and that is why the per foot trenching became a problem. they also do not want to pay my hourly rare on my labor, but they do want me to supervise temp. workers from the office. it is amazing what happens when the construction market is in this type of rough shape and how owners and clients take advantage. i have read many valuable posts and have put my foot down on rock bottom pricing, we are really good at this type of work and do it for a fair price with no drama. regards, cd :usa
In this economic climate that is my philosophy as well. I don't have anything that has a monthly "love note" in the mail box. Times like these make the most of the "run what ya' brung" slogan, that is if you are lucky enough to win the bid... Times are tough, we just have to keep on plowing forward and do what we do.
I got to meet up with C D last week while in his area. Had a great time and got to see some of his work, also. The weather wasn't to great but the scenery was still there just a little damp. He took time to show me a few of his jobs, and we had lunch. Wish I had remembered my camera, on one job site there were more pieces of electrical conduit going through the excavated hole than you could believe. Just room enough to get the bucket on his mini next to the wall, then lots of good sized rocks to remove. Some very tough working conditions. Had great time and sure enjoyed meeting you C D, sure enjoyed seeing a little of the great work you have posted. Thanks!
Thanks! always a pleasure to have someone visit that is interested in our work. thanks for coming Dirty. this work is amazing, i have never had so many difficult jobs, but when the going gets tough the tough get going. thanks for taking the time to drive through the rain to see us in Aspen, Co!! regards, CD
Some Link Belt Action! ok, here are a few fotos of work we are doing. lot's of utilities and services. we are busy through around christmas then things look to taper off for awhile. there is snow up high and it is cooler in the valley's. i picked up some wood for a buddy today off of a heli logging operation and it was amazing. the guy's were very nice. the mechanics and pilot had changed out the moter on the bird last night and were just getting cranking again. they also had a massive grinder that the loader was feeding, the delimber was working as well. they had a bunch of other support equipment. very well organized effort.
C D Looks like it dried out once I got away from the area. Did they get all the electrical conduit out of the way on the motel job? Sure would of been nice if they would of had that done before you got there. Hope you were able to stay away from the fiber optics, looks like you have cut part of the driveway, so you can compact and backfill. Hope your weather stays nice for you.
more fotos here are some more fotos of our various projects. and the helicopter that has been flying out beetle kill.
some more fotos here are some more fotos. i had some mid summer problems organizing my fotos. my it guys was sending them into one big folder and i prefer to do it by the month. then everything copied and over cpoied and i ended up with doubles and triples. so i could never find anything i did on a daily basis. i am back on track now. work is tapering off, i thonk we are good till about x mas. after that it will be maintenance and plowing. i do have a month or two of stream course and water feature to do over the winter. so that should keep 2 or 3 guys busy 4 days a week. i have gotten good money on everything i have bid lately. i gave up playing the cash flow game. working cheap and cheaper. this market just went to complete s..t last year and the year before. guys got really desperate and gave it away. but why work if it puts you further in debt?? believe me when i was younger i made those mistakes. now it is not worth it. i only owe on 1 hoe and should have it paid off this year. i need to update my fleet pickups and dump trucks but what do you do?? fix and repair. i will not give it away and wear my stuff out for free. it just isn't worth it. Here is the Heli- logging operation they have been doing regards, cd
Street cut in downtown Aspen here are some shots of us setting a manhole and inlet box on main street in Aspen. everything went pretty well and we set the manhole around 2pm and the inlet box around 3 pm. all the grouting and such with the 15" r.c.p took some time. we finished around 8 pm.
a few more here are a few more as the project progressed.
and a few more here are the last ones with Ajax freshly snowed on in the background. regards, cd:usa:usa
Great pics CD, like always. Looks like you are getting some snow out there. The snow stayed south of us yesterday, they got 5-6" I guess. Were you working for the builder or the city? Do you have to get permits to dig up the main road?
Thanks for the pics CD. Is that a sewer or storm drain connection. Is backfilling with concrete a city requirement.
Great shots C D looks like the snow has moced down the mountian since I was there. Is that the job on the highway, you had talked about? Hope the job goes well for you as that was a busy road, and has to take for ever getting materials out and back into the area.
state highway work morning guys. yes there are special permits required and bonding requires when working on a project in the state highway. the politics and governmant b.s makes it close to impossible some times. you cannot leave anything open over night. so , for example we started this job at 8 am...city requirement. so then it is asphalt cut, load out.. blacktop and material. then backhaul class six 3/4" base. then we set the storm sewer manhole. 15" r.c.p. and get it all grouted in. then we are subject to the discretion of a city inspecter that may or may not be happy and said given day of work being performed . for example we cut the old pipe out and took a joint apart. then set the manhole and put the joint back together.it is basically push together pipe. then the new r.c.p has a different bell. so therre was discussion about that, we moved on, grout everything with non shrink. then the flow fill shows up and it comes as dry as possible with heat to get a fast setup. there was also discussion about the flow fill taking 24 hours to set it will be ready fisrst thing this morning.:tong. the flow fill gets poured 18" below bottom of blacktop. we used about 8 yards in this job . then it is clean up. reset the jersery wall and street plates. go get the t8 and trailer and demob. i had the 307 on this one plus a 435 and a s250. and my mini mini. and now we will go in use class 6 in 6-8' lifts and get it ready for the patch beacuse today is the last day for hot rock. all subject to about 20 people micro managing. regards, cd
C D, Hope things went well for you on this job. All the politics and paperwork must make for a lot of time spent keeping all involved happy.
Sounds like fun!
fotos from today here are the fotos from the today. we had to have the soils engineer come out and sign off on the flow fill. then 6" lifts. we were having trouble getting an asphalt crew lined up as the company we planned on using was too busy. we found a crew and knocked it out. then it was clean up and sweeping. we ran all the jersery wall across town with the skiddie and moved our stuff out. all in all a pretty good two days. regards, cd
and a few more here are a few more. it was a good day. we lwft around 4.30 pm
the last ones ok, that should be all
CO digger, post 362, pic 3, is that St Marys Church on corner of Main and Hunter St in far right of pic?
yes! yes sir. that is indeed st mary's church. i tried to get that in a shot for landmark value. the building we are working on used to be where the movie theater was. since been demoed and this monster is going in. regards, cd
Yeah, was trying to get my bearings. That would put you on the SW end of Main St. Cool pics.
we are across the street from the courthouse. on the upvalley side of main just before original curve. going upvalley through town towards indy pass.
Yep, figured you were only a block or two from Original Drive.
Nice to finished with that job I bet, and all the stuff that goes along with opening up a state road bed. Great pictures!
just for fun some action from today.....no the cat is not mine regards, cd
update been way busy fellas....so here is the update. more fotos of my different job. stupid hurts-safety first
more stupid hurts-safety first [SIZE =5][/SIZE] regards, cd enjoy ---happy early thanksgiving !!!!! :usa:usa:usa
Some more great pictures, looks like you have been busy. Some mighty pretty country, for the back drop.
Did you buy a new yanmar? Looks like a 70 or a 100 size ya?
the yanmar 100 Morning fellas. the yanmar is a 100. brand new it now has 41 hours on it. it is turboed and we do like it. it walks very slow but is smooth and powerfull. the inner cab setup is awesome and the visability could not be better. it is a dealer demo so i will run it for another 2 weeks and make the call i am pumped just signed 4 months of winter work building water features, ditch cleanout and rockwork. there is soome demo and other stuff involved. i may try to get down to hermosillo next week to see mama:tong:tong [ SIZE=5] Terrascape digs safety [/SIZE] regards, cd :usa:usa we have alot of spring work coming through which is very good news.
a few more i got a new fone. blackberry torch.. so i am still learning :usa:usa:usa regards, cd :tong:tong
C D if those pictures are with your phone I would say you have learned to work it pretty darn well. I thought you might be getting white by now. Glad to hear you have winter work. That one worker looks like he is wearing a heck of a fur coat, must be planning on a cold winter. Where did you take that picture?
update the fella in winter white is on call. hard worker, very selective.
more well...... that's all i have for tonight. [SIZE=4[COLOR="#FF0000"]]stupid hurts...safety pays[/COLOR][/SIZE] [COLOR="#[SIZE=5]FF0000"]terrascape digs safety[/COLOR][/SIZE] regards, cd :usa:usa
What kind of wood are those posts CD? Glad to hear you are busy.
overworked spruce on the posts. im locked in the frigginnn office on a friday. probly till 7 or 8 manana to grand junction sunday-grand junction to>>>>somewhere warm longer report to follow she is all over me here:Banghead:Banghead offfice:usa
Very nice. Glad to hear about the work load.
On location in .switzerland. Have. Fun working
Can't be need pictures for proof, heck you live in a little Switzerland, already. Hope you enjoy yourself.
on location well it sure is nicer here.
an update. just snooping around again. REGARDS, CD :usa:usa
It does look like you are not eating around home, and the trucks sure look different, too. Hope you are having a good time!
an update sorry, i have been gone for awhile. what a trip. i did get a visit at the liebherr factory. what a great bunch of guys. their fabrication is unbelievable. no fotos taken at location but it was 83 acres large and i was short on time and sick. more to follow regards. cd :usa
I love riding the trains in Europe. One time we drank the whole dining car's red wine selection from Naples to Florence....:dizzy There was this Italian lady on the train (imagine that ), that had the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. Me and my buddies just sat their and listened...couldn't understand a thing she was saying but it was an experience none the less.
That sub is making me drool CD.
more updates here are fotos from today. we are getting busy out here fellas. - 10 f this morning regards, cd :usa:usa
more action more fotos from today. regards, cd
C D you can keep that cold and white stuff right there. Glad to hear lots going on out there. I started a house clean up today. The fire department burned in on Sunday, a real old brick house. The owner was worried about someone getting hurt so moved the excavator there this afternoon and knocked it down. Started to haul it away to stabilize the river bank. Sure gets dark early this time of the year.
an update here are a few, the system is not working well. or is it me?? regards, cd :usa:usa
more updates here are a few more hope you guy's enjoy.. no one ever replies except dirty regards, cd :usa:usa
Still got the scuba gear on the Case.... Nice pics as usual.
C D, You keep sharing pictures or work and the great scenery, and I will keep telling you thanks. I really enjoy seeing what is happening out there.
I need to rig up something like that for the ride on compactor. It's the only thing we run with out a cab. Everyone who runs it complains except me. That's only because the complaints go up the chain of command and prove every ineffective when trying to go down.
....ahemmm....:cool2
I'm sure a lot of people look at, appreciate, and enjoy your pics CD. Sometimes it may seem redundant saying "nice pics" over and over. I still want a taste of that sub.
more pics thanks guys... here are some more. we are super busy. thank god. regards, cd :usa:usa:usa responses are nice :drinkup
So did you buy the yanmar? Good to hear you are busy!
the update nedley, i have to buy something this year for tax purposes. we are currently going back and forth on this deal with the 100. the guys love it, it is built very well. here are some fotos from the last few days.
Nice pics CD, been a few years since I've seen the valley going to Aspen.
an update thanks willie. it is pretty here indeed. but the friggin cold has gotten to me. i have been going in around 4.30 to get the iron fired up for the guys. so they can go right to work rather than dinkling with it for 2 hours. this morning with the heater on i laid down for a nap and when i woke up my cup of water had frozen. i was cold all darned day.
Aye, I hear ya bro. 'tis nice country indeed. But the cold is part of the Colorado Rockies. Guess that's why I'm partial to the Smoky Mtn area of E Tennessee, typically not nearly as cold.
I hear ya, man. It didn't quite hit 50 today, already down to 38 tonight. I almost went home to hibernate. Seriously, I always enjoy seeing your posts.
C D more great shots, of worka nd the area. You keep that cold, and white stuff out there. We saw some over the weekend, but warmed up and it is prety much gone. Be fine with me to not see any more this whole season.
It's been unseasonably mild here. In the 20's at night and high 30's/low 40's during the day. Harldly any frost in the ground. It's weird but we needed it to get caught up, so I'm not complaining!
mor epics a few more regards, cd
update not so cold today. it snowed a skiff last night. already burning a nice slash pile. won't matter next week i will be sunning my belly on the sea of cortez:cool2. we have a ton to do and will be taking a few weeks off to rest up. i will keep the updates coming.
Good stuff CD, enjoy your vacation!
how do you like the compactor on that bobcat 435? does it really hit decent?
head shakers the head shaker works great but don't count on the guys getting out and switching it after every lift. we tend to backfill with another hoe and dedicate it as a compacter. with that in mind you can backfill and compact slopes and banks and the 435 will go just about anywhere. if ot does not just push it around with a 210 or dozer ddigger-- thanks buddy..wishing you and you're family a merry christmas regards, cd :usa:usa:usa the first one is my burn this morning and then the bedding box in the tandem. then the church in colmar. then nimes france and the museum of buex arts. the burning is done today.. we are also doing a demo but i am gutting by hand first as there is a ton of salvage. nimes--france. by the spanish border
the latest well.... a few more.
Looks like you are having some pretty good conditions to work in. I figured you would be under a white blanket, by now.
an update here's from yesterday.. things are crazy round here at the moment.. regards, cd sorry ... frickin camera hasnt loaded the fotos yet.. gotta go get'er done
ok, here are the fotos. finally got a new fone. 4th one in about 4 months. these are the latest. regards, cd
Looks like not much snow yet for you to have to fight. We finally got to see the sun yesterday, been a while. Warmed up nice been a great fall, almost winter and then will see what happens. You are pretty hard on cameras, what you think they should work.
more fotos well, it is saturday. no work and the party later today regards, cd
Hope your head isn't hurting to bad, after the party.
Who's grader?
the blade that blade is brand new. maybe 400 hours. it belongs to a collegue i work with. the foto's won't load because something is wrong with the program. doing demo today. to much radio and cell fone talk. got a d log stuck between the teeth on my thumb, pulling back and swinging....on the radio.. look up and the son of a gun in gonna spear me. lost he original windshield on the 225. 7200 hours. almost killed myself. no more chatting when danger high conditions exist. anyways..anyone that has built a heavy duty louver for the front please pipe in with ideas, regards, cd
It's always humbling when something like that happens. I personally dont have any experience with window guards, but Sessler Wrecking is working in town and most all of their hoes have them. It looks like i would be a pain to do general excavation work with it on, but It's hard to say without sitting in it. Could you build a guard out of round stock that was removable? Do the link belts come with the mounting brackets? Would something like this work? http://www.advancedforest.com/Products/Forestry-Guard-Packages.aspx
window guards i think i will use angle iron for the frame and use flat stock at an angle. don't know yet but i will have something on there soon. none of the tools show up in the selection area. no chance i can load fotos, anyone know what is going on? thanks nedley!! regards, cd
That would sure help Nedly, and looks like it wouldn't block your view to bad. Would have to stick out far enough to be able to clean the windshield, and give you a little room in case something hit and bent it in. I knocked down an old brick house two weeks a go, when the gables fell a little of them landed pretty close to the excavator. The guard sure would of looked good then. There are times that a long reach would sure be nice to have. C D I bet you could have one fabricated, and use it only on those demo's. Some pretty good pictures on that site maybe a start.
Do you mean the HEF program? I just looked and the tools are there. Try hitting "go advanced" if they are not showing up. Chanting.......we want pics...we want pics...we want pics :tong
sorry :usa i am trying.. i have my 3rd fone in a month. the last one was not loaded right and all my settings are fubar, i will have to resize. regards, digger
Thats a cool pic I wouldn't use flat stock at a angle your not going to be able to see out of it worth a crap. We make a frame out of angle iron then use "drainage grating" for the shield. The best ones I've used had a frame with hinges so it will swing open to clean and use HD 'hog fence' for the shield. That provides plenty of protection yet is very easy to see out of. Expanded metal on top of that will add a lot of protection if you ever use a breaker and have a lot of small stuff flying that could break the window. You can see our in my pics, but if I remember I will get pics of a few of ours tomorrow. Glade to see your going to add a guard to your iron. There is no reason to not have them if your doing demo or land clearing. Even the best operators make mistakes that can cost more then just a window.
I am look forward to seeing how your shield is made, Dozerboy. I have thought about making one for my excavator, also. I have two houses to demo next year, had some brick fall way to close on the last demo job.
almost all of the excavators i run a have a guard made with flat bars at a angle, the bars are all at a different angle depending on where they are on the window, they are hard to see out of for the first few time you run them but after a bit you dont even know its there. here is a link to the company that build all of our guards http://www.jewellattachments.com/product_detail.aspx?ID=610
cab grill i like the louver, have looked at some mesh guards but want heavier duty. sorry cant' stay awake. merry x mas.. en route to sonora. mx regards, cd :usa:usa:usa:usa
Trainwreck, I have sat inside a few of those Jewel guarded machines. To say the least, they are some of the best looking pieces I have sat in. Their side guards and cab guards are certainly tough. The company that I worked for also had the thicker belly pans and side panels installed by Jewel. I think Jewel does great with their guarding, certainly better than the hydraulic system upgrades they do. When they add a circuit, they seem to use T's randomly and just cap them off.
absence sorry, about my absence... i am in mexico for the rest of the week. regards.. cd
Did you enjoy your trip what part of Mexico? happy new year.
the latest and greatest sorry fellas, i have been gone and before i left i had a major meltdown with verizon and my bb torches. i went through 4 in 3 weeks and finally gave up. now i am on a htc android- sense maybe. don't know how to work it but one of these day's i will figure it out. here are a few pics. sorry i will jhave to resize everythong .. what a pain regards cd
Why don't ya' try an I-Phone CD? I love mine.
I just got home with a new Motorola Electrify it sure is going to take a while to figure out all the stuff this will do. Got to haave a challenge once and a while. C D hope you enjoyed yur trip. Looks like you have the dozer's operator heater in place.
I've had the G'zOne commando got several months now, and I'm just getting the hang of it. I wish they made a ruggedized I phone. I have an iPod touch and they seem to be very similar.
Still liking the scuba Case... nice sunset!
let's see if i canload fotos sorry, i am about over it.. too tired. don't know how to work my phone, nor have the patience to deal with it. i do not what to format my fone to take small pics. and can't deal with changing pixel sizes at the moment. i will dig out of the archives for the time being.. regards, cd:usa:usa i am truly lame today. sorry:Banghead:Banghead:Banghead :bash:bash
I was at a RB auction in MT in 08 and watched a Link Belt 225 with 1200 hours with thumb and coupler go for 52K. Everytime I see your machine I am reminded of what a missed opportunity that was.
lb 225 you know the deAL KSSS. missing out or regrets at auction don't or shouldn't last long. it finally seems iron is going up. we have been way busy and it finally got cold regards, cd
has the yanmar become a purchase yet, or still a demo? It looks like here in your pics, no snow at all really. Weve been pretty cold, so the frost is getting down pretty good. Thursday we are supposed to warm up and rain. Its been some pretty weird weather this year!
I hear you Nedly, we are supposed to be in the 50's again today. Then cool off for a few days with a chance for snow. We quite often have a few warm days in January, but this has been going on pretty steady for a month and half. Been great to get work done, and have just about caught up with my outside work, till spring comes. Have a small foundation yet to dig, if the frost doesn't get to bad. Have tried to get them to do it, now supposed to be in the single digits on Thursday. It is real heavy clay soil so the frost will be a factor in that damp ground.
How's that Case working for you? We have an 850C and D, and were looking for a K. Did you get that new or stumble upon it in your travels?
case 850h i love that dozer. it does not have a ripper but it is very productive. always starts, doe not burn too much fuel. i wish i had a cab but for 500-700 hours a year i don't know if it is worth it.
Ours haven't gave us any trouble and we probably put 500-600 hours a year on each one. Our D has 5500 and the C has 7800 hours respectively. They are very fuel efficient machines.
more fotos
working on the fotos there you go
Amazing sky!
C D Where is your snow, I figured by now even the lower altitude's had a pretty good covering of snow. Glad you have some winter work, besides plowing snow.
What have you been having for temps? we are -15 here this morning, its supposed to be 40 and rain tomorrow. Is that your pit you are working in?
update sorry for never getting back to you Nedley. the temps have been between 0f and 12f in the morning and it gets up to 32-40f arounf 1.30 pm. we are having a horrid snow year. i think we have plowed maybe 5 times. digging is going well. nothing new to start. a guy did call and say that he was giving us a nice january start but now he is doing the demo of 5000 sq/ft of 6" concrete with rod my hand ointhead so, whatever. we are bidding a ton of work and have enough to keep us going through feb. and we should have a april dig to start. regards, cd
Like all the picks CD, really like the link belt/bobcat set-up both are very good brands.In your pics it seems like you do a little bit of everything witch I can relate to! Whatever pays the bills is my motto
What bucket is on the loader?
loader bucket the attachment on the loader is an allu shredder. it works very well. it will take about anything except concrete and steel.
Glad you have some work since the snow has made for very little work, this year. We have had only two snows to have to push, yesterday it was 60 degrees. What a crazy winter, so far. Great pictures, how you liking the Yammar by now?
Do you have enough demo going on that you bought that attachment or do you have a place to rent it nearby? Since you have it on your loader I assume you got it from Power Motive. What are the flow requirements? How many yards of debris can you shred per hour? How much more debris can you get in a dumpster or truck (as a percentage if that's easier)? Will it shred slash too? The hammers look fixed so am I correct in assuming that you can not adjust the output size of the material? Why are you loading it with the trackhoe instead of self-loading? I saw them at Con-Expo. At the display booth that I saw they were using them on excavators and they were crushing rock and concrete. I did not see the loader mount nor did I see them shredding deleterious material. Sorry for the barrage of questions but you have peaked my interest. Not much snow here either. I've plowed 3x so far. I can't complain too much though. That's already 1x more than all of last season. As far as dirt work goes we have been sitting on our hands since Christmas. Again, I can't complain too much. It's been sort of a working vacation. It's been very nice getting things taken care of that I have been putting off because of being busy working.
the grinder dgodgr- ok- the grinder came from a buddies yard. he was not using it and it had the same size coupler so we swiped it. it was a little much on the 180 but it worked very well never the less. i do not know gallons per minute... only that it worked. on the material, probably a 50-60% reduction. the only problem was that the cans were coming though at 16t. they tried to hit us with an overage on the weight and we are still fighting it out. i would not put concrete and such through it. it worked very well on all of the wood and other junk that came out of the demo. we are busy but not that busy. the snow is hurting us for sure, although it makes for great work conditions. regards, cd
Ha, got through the whole thread. You have a cool setup with the excavating and some finish stuff. Any way, thanks for sharing.
that grinder is pretty slick. I like those allu attachments but $$$$$$$$$$$$! What a weird winter all over. Last year was record braking snows, now we have less that a foot on the ground. We've had quite a variety of weather here. Great pics as usual CD, Keep em coming!
Any new pics or updates CD?
update hello, just finished our winter job and have been messin around at the shop. we will be going out on new jobs next week so hopefully i have some fotos to share. this winter has been miserable, no snowfall over 4" all year long. it is terrible. sorry about the fotos, i have a new phone and have been lazy to get it figured out. regards, cd
some fotos here are some fotos from various projects from last december and the yanmar is working on a ditch project we did over the winter
more fotos, mostly from last summer. one job is on the ski area and the other is a large ranch we are working on regards, cd
more fotos more fotos form the large ranch we have been working on. i am at the office so have access to all of the guy's fotos that are on the hard drive. regards,cd
here are fotos of a utility job in aspen,co. we demoed around thos primary box while it was live and shut down about 1/2 of aspen. then had to set a vault and sturgeon came in and wired everything. weekend affair, actually made some good money on that one regards,cd
last batch, i am gonna get yelled at for fartin off. hope ya'll enjoy! regards,cd
CD I like, but it sure looks funny not seeing any snow out there. Guess it helped you get some jobs done, at least a lot easier with a lack of snow. Got much lined up or that you are bidding on for this summer's work? Thanks a bunch for sharing all the pictures.
cabin fever we have been bidding quite a bit of work. we just came in 3rd on a library. lost it by 3k on 80k. other than that it has not been snowing enough to plow snow and the spring work is a bit slow to start up. i am going crazy with cabin fever...:Banghead:Banghead need to get out of town for awhile. regards, cd
Thats what I'm talkin' about, they don't need to be from this winter, we just need pics! March is always a rough month for cabin fever around here, its been a long dreary winter here, no snow to plow or play in, Getting lots of truck and equipment maintenance done though!
Link belt is the best
some fotos Here are some fotos of a recent septic system we installed. this house in 12k square feet and we have been on it for a few years. we are just starting another dig for a decent sized house in aspen and things are looking pretty good through november or so. Happy 4th regards, cd
more fotos here are a few more.
and a few more it has been so long since i posted anything....
Good to see you putting some pictures of your work on the site. Glad to hear you have work into the fall, already. Maybe things are turning around out there. I was putting a GPS on my motorcycle today and thought about you, and how nice it would be to use it out there in the mountains. To darn warm to enjoy going for a ride around here, been extremely dry. First rain in almost a month last week, only a little over an inch, but was sure welcome.
Are all these pics the same field? I've never seen a leach field and a concrete tank field (big round thing with holes in it) on the same site but it doesn't look like there's a lot of extra room. Or are there two systems here? Great pics!
Nice to see you back, and with a work load to boot.
Nice pics, looks good, glad to see things are going well!
Thanks for the interesting pics CD! Is hard blocking or something placed under the white horiziontal feed pipes to keep them level?
I was confused by that as well. I wonder if the round tank cound be for gray water only?
Morning guys, first off the round barrel sections are for a drywell, don't have anything to do with the septic field. the septic field is a big one, it is an advantex system whicj is basically a mini treatment plant. there are two tank a 2000 gallon and a 1000 gallon. the distribution line that runs into the infiltrators is padded with gravel underneath. just my cost on the parts for this system was over 25k, so you guys can imagine what we billed it out at. ddigger hope you are staying busy the heat has been killing us. nedly-why no posts, you can see i am getting off my a.. dirty-too hot to ride a bike out here at the moment, it seems like summer monsoon is coming. O&W and scott, thanks for the comments i will try to get more loaded thurs. regards, cd
We've been very busy this year. I am concerned that we will be comitted to too much if everything comes through. Hot and dry has been the name of the game since early spring. We have just started to get monsoons so that will probably help with the fires and pastures. Your septics are somewhat similar to the ones we put in. The local authority no longer likes the big storage tanks (chamber beds) anymore. They like to see Infiltrators in trenches, not beds. Advantex has been sending me letters (sales pitches) for a while now but they have not caught on much here. I can't imagine trying to seel the customer one of those when more traditional systems are expensive enough. That's for the engineers to decide anyway...above my pay grade. Out here they want mounded fields, or Eljens with pressurized dosing. I see that you have PD in your Infiltrators too. I have yet to install a system with PD in the Infiltrators. I think the whole hanging the pipe with zip-ties method seems a bit hokie. I recently priced a PD system (had 1500 gal tank, dosing vault, and a large field that employed Eljens) at $25k. That's pretty high compared to most systems in our area. Where did you get the dry well vault? I have a drain system, in a commercial construction defect repair job (in a subtaerranian garage), that I need one of those. Right now I am figuring to put a conventional sewer manhole in and use a plunge cut saw to do the perforations. I would much rather buy it pre-made than modified.
dgodgr- yeah the whole septic thing is hard to keep up with here, they seem to change every year with no regulations and such. when it is a gravity system we place the inlfiltraters in trenchs. the last one we did was an eljen with dosing. we tie the pipe off with #12 copper valve wire, after much debate we decided on this technique. concrete and drywells- copeland concrete, rifle co. valley precast, buena vista, co and i have another supplier out of denver that does pretty well. let me know if you need contact info
I hear you about being hot C D I think it is everywhere. If you get tired of those monsoons share a little with us. Not sure I have seen it this dry, with steady hot weather. May cool off to low 90's maybe even high 80's next week, with a chance for some rain. The corn is rolled up so tight you could sell the leaves for cigars if you could get them to burn. I have water out for the animals, just had a doe in for here drink. She is a little early today, about an hour earlier than normal. It will cool off and make a more enjoyable time to ride, the bike one of these days.
Glad you got off your &@! I have a ton of pics. I will try to get some up in the am.
more fotos here are a few more fotos of various work we have been doing around the valley
having an i.t. meltdown here at the moment. some fotos get saved to dropbox, others to windows live photo gallers and others to the pictures folder on my desktop here at the office.
Likely story, heck I save things and never ever find them. Once a while a year latter when looking for something else, I see it for a short time. Looks like you have the right size machine for that one job, beside the house. Much less room and it would be a shovel, and rake.
What brand plate compactors are you running on the 435? Do they work well? What about lift size for 3/4" ABC, sand/cobbles, and dirt? BTW, it looks like he may be ripping off that hose if moves the curk circuit the wrong way (it's stuck between the thumb teeth).
dgodgr- that is a bobcat brand head shaker. so easy and simple compared to the frigging rt-80 walk behind. for class 6 with proper moisture 6-8" lifts should get you 95%. in pit run 1'lifts are normal. the hoses are fine, i don't bug the guys about stuff like that, they have never broken them regards, cd
digging in the rocky mountains here are some fotos of the dig we are on. very rocky, then some powdery overburden. at about 14' we are hitting a moist granular material. regards,cd
Ahhh! So that's why they call them the rocky mountains.
we had a job like that last year, by the time we got all of the boulders out of the dig there wasn't even close to enough to backfill. Cool pics, keep em comin!
Very nice C D looks like quite a chunk of rock to work with. One thing around here we don't have any of, be a completely different world having them to deal with. I had a stump a week ago that tried me for a while. Had to fill the hole and work it to the top, then took the excavator and backhoe to get it on the trailer. We are so dry I never found any moisture, the clay was like concrete. I couldn't get it loose from all the roots, so gave the whole works a ride.
Here are the latest and greatest. This one is super rocky and we hope to have enough backfill on site after we run everything through the grizzly. it is turning out to be about 60% rock 8" plus.
what is on back of truck ??? on post 18
Looks like you are in a boulder field, with a lot of real big ones. That would be some very tough going glad it is you not me. Thanks for sharing the pictures, like seeing what you are doing. Ok Nedley you trun to share!
It's a gravel box. When you are bedding pipe, you dump your gravel in it and drag it along w/ the hoe. That way, you don't lose gravel. In the second pic in post 8, you can see the hoe dragging it along.
Nice pics CD....what's the project there?
I just did a house dig out similar to this. I did not have that large of boulders in it but we had more smaller cobbles than what I see in your pictures. Very tough digging (cobbles in hard clay) and a PITA because I did not have room to stock pile. We hauled about (10) 10 wheelers, stuffed to the gills, of rocks after processing through the grizzly. I under bid that one a little. Please post pics of the grizzly action. I'm curious to see if you are running a static, springed, or shaker unit. I'm also wondering about the gap between the bars. The one I used was about 6" but I felt as though it let too many bigger rocks through.
this is a house dig in aspen, co. it it a small house for around here 6000sq/ft. the digging is brutal, i had 1000 yards in my export allowance i have burned that just by hauling off oversized from the grizzly. we will have 15-20 loads of 3-5 footers as well. then maybe 10 rocks that need to be split. our grizzly is static, it is spaced at 8" which seems to work well for us. it is smaller b/c we built it for a skid steer to be able to move but is is very effective. i will have about 2000 yards in export on this one by the time it is done. regards, cd
Here are fotos of a job we have been on for about three years. these are not recent but as i am stuck in the office i figured i would upload a few more. regards, cd
Here are a few more from last year
I remember that last one from last year, when I was out there. What a stinking night mare, of conduit to work around.
How far do you have to travel to get rid of your export? Any material like that, that we can re-use at some point we most generally take one of our places and stockpile. I like the idea of having the grizzly on site. We have one up in our pit,it needs a little work but its a handy bugger for sorting material.
it all depends on the material Nedly. for example downtown apen has some of the best pit run i have ever seen. usually 8" minus. other areas of town and the valley tend to change. we are digging on the east end of aspen and hauling the export to the landfill. it is a 45 mins round trip. we have been hauling allof our junk rock over there at $86.00 a load, so you can imagine after a couple thousand yards it really starts to add up. screenables go in for $24.00 a load, but they usually catch on to us after 20 loads or so. now we are hauling about 30 mins away to another fella that needs 300-400 yards. finding dumpsites are well kept secrets in this valley and the further away from aspen you get the easier it is to find disposal areas. i usually have a large job where we process everything but not at the moment so it is time to be creative and pay the man at the county landfill regards, cd
Hey man, I got several customers with swamps to fill who'll take all the rock you'll bring me.
enjoy the pics! thanks!
Does the county process it and use it? Its a shame to have to pay to dump it, it looks like nice material.
Yes the county charges us $86.00 a load for every load of chrushable fill we we haul in, they then crush it and sell it back for $13.00 a ton
Sounds like a racket... Great pics none the less.
how do you feel on the new link belt 235x3?
RB- i have not seen the new 235. i am sure it is a beast though. i tend to like the iron without so much emission gadgetry and such. i am starting to look for another 225 or 210 lx.
building corrals who says you don't build corrals with a 225? rainbow picture is in carbondale colorado. the rest arer up in the high country outside aspen
Keeping busy this year cd? whats your outlook for the next few months?
work outlook we are booked pretty much into early january. then have some large house digs for march, april and may. things are looking great, just trying to keep my iron kept up. i will replace another mini this year. my 200 class machine's are in the 5000-7000 hour range so they should hold on a few more years.
Nice sharp photos CD. What kind of camera and resolution setting are you using?
That's a big ol' rock... Great pics as usual...
Good to hear you have lots of work CD, with jobs lined up for next year already. Sounds like things have picked up in your area. Great picture of the boulder, looks like a one rock load.
latest and greatest Old and worn. These fotos are from my HTC droid. I had it set and 8m but since I e mail my pictures so much i just switched back down to the smallest size, which matches our limits here on the forum. i like to take them big but always end up resizing anyway. Sorry, these are all mixed up. one is off the Sonoma coast at Goat rock. the others are of the lastest hole we just finished. these are the before shots of the Aspen dig and demo.
some more fotos more fotos.
and more fotos These smaller fotos are taken from my top hand's casio g-zone droid. he has them sized even smaller. but he sake a ton of fotos all day long. we always take alot of pictures of the cans when they are dropped off. in many cases the waste refusal company will try to send us banged up tubs and then blame it on.
here are some more
Good idea when you are dealing with a large national company. Did WM buy out a local hauler? The reason I ask is some of those 30's are set up for hook lifts and they are using a roll-off. Usually that's a sign of a buyout as they wouldn't order dual lift cans. Gotta love demo, if there was enough of it in my area that's all I would do.
I really enjoy demo jobs, I just finished one over the Labor Day weekend. Had the house down and gone in a day and half, then had to remove concrete and clean up and back fill. Had two others bidding the insurance job, I thought for a while I must of missed something that they saw. I have been using the same roll off people, she didn't charge me for the overage weight in boxes. So that helped, as I had them packed and filled up over. Same driver all the time and I help him tarp, and what ever else I can, so he lets a few things extra slip by. Made more on this one than any of the others I have torn down so far. They were happy as they were waiting for the final check, to be issued after I finished.
Here are a few fotos but i am getting rushed in my office so i can't post anymore for the time being.
I was measuring a driveway for stone ditches yesterday when I got the email that you had posted. I couldn't resist, I clicked on the link and was checking out your pic standing in her driveway with my 300' tape. I think she thought I was using the calculator LOL!!! Thats a big azz rock!
That is as big as they come in that size of rock, C D. What did you do with it after you got it unearthed?
We ended up calling the blaster and they drilled and cracked it.
here are the latest greatest from our current projects.
some fotos load and some don't. we are trying to get everyone all on the same page with their foto sizes
finally i got five fotos to load without problems
I know all the fotos are mixed, but at least it gives everybody and idea of what we are doing. One job is a remodel and the other is the last dig we finished. We also have a bobcat E55 on demo which we already broke the thumb cylinder on turns out the thumb extends way further on the E55 than on the 435. without the bucket the thumb extends super far and hit the bottom of the stick. so that cost us about $500.00 already.
Here is some of our work from early september
Here are a few more
These are from a massive addition and remodel we are doing in Basalt, Co.
Thanks for sharing C D, looks like you have been and are busy as ever. That is good to have some big jobs. In the last picture looks like the operator needs to have the window washing service stop by so he doesn't have to lean out of the cab to see. How are you liking the 55, other than a slight mishap?
The 435 is so messy because the concrete cutters were down in the wall cutting foundation wall. When the hoe pulled the chunks of wall down into the hole they ended up falling into a lake of concrete laced water. The guys seem to love the E55. I still have yet to run it.
Nice photos CD, you would have to feel good every day, working in scenery like that, especially this time of the year, we'll have to catch up on chat some time. RnR.
Thanks, RnR. Yes I love my life here in Colorado. I have worked hard since a young man and now it is coming around. It is a true blessing for what has happened with me. But I do pray everyday. Thank God for this life we have! With Respect,CD
C D wow some very nice pictures and jobs you have been on this year. I have heard some good things about the 55, hope the boys learn to share and let you run it a while. Yes you do have some of the most beautiful country to work in. Glad all the hard work is starting to let you reap the benefits.
Here are a few fotos of the job we are just starting. I am having trouble up loading again Why does it have to be so friggin difficult?
OK, that's it for the time being
CD once a gain thanks for sharing the pictures of your work and the awful scenery you have to work in. Did they guys let you operate the 55 yet? I feel for your pain of putting pictures on sites. I tried a few times and always had one or a dozen things wrong, so finally just gave up. Oh well who wants to look a corn field anyway, whe they can see some of God's country.
Here is an update. This Bobcat 55 is a beast. digging 5' trench with big rock up here. We are under power lines so we can't use a larger hoe. Hopefully this morning we will clear the power and get back to some digging with better access. This one has been pretty tough so far
Cool pics! Ive never run a bobcat hoe, but the kubota 121and is a little monster too. Looks like your leaves are about gone. Here too. 18* this morning. Brrrrr
Snowing and raining all friggin day. Lost our access road to haul bedding on. To darn muddy with alot of surface run off and a spring as well. Just getting in. Pics to follow Regards,CD
Looks quite the project there. Much larger than I expected. Great pics despite the weather.
Here are the last of what I can load right now. regards,CD
Great pictues of some very tough working conditions. You keep that white stuff way to early to even hear about it, hope we have some more good weather yet here. Thanks for taking time to share your jobs with us.
Those pictures make me want to go hunting, opening day cant be to far off.
Opening day was last weekend. There are hunters everywhere, with the largest elk herd in the United States located in this area there is no shortage. Bow and muzzleloader are already finished and quite a few nice animals were harvested here in this area. Plus we have so many damned bears as well. regards, cd
Here are a few pictures of the jon I am on outside Aspen, Co. It has been brutal, but I am very thankful to be busy. regards to all CD
Here are a few more.
Gotta love digging in the Rocky Mountains. If it's not the boulders, it's the ground water. That water reminds me of a job I did earlier this year. In my case the ground was river cobbles and it took a 3" pump just to keep up. It makes it real tough to see what you are doing, and often makes it difficult to keep the sides from caving in. Of course baby sitting the pumps is always a PITA too. I'm surprised to see that much water (refering to your pictures) this late in the year. Especially after such a dry year. Are you installing 6" conduit? What's it for? It looks as though you have (2) 55s in one picture. Did you pull the trigger on those, renting, or still demoing?
Yeah,Dgodgr. i knew there would be some water, but no that much. The first section was a nightmare digging under 14,400 volts. Then we had a fairly decent run to the forst vault and the inspector has to show up and act like an a... Everything is fine but he just wants to remind us that he is a pain in the.... Then we got into the swamp and the friggin water, i had a 3" and a 2"hp on it. you are right the trench ends up being like 8' wide at the top cuz it just keeps sluffing in. good thing is I have a good dewatering clause and a good rock clause. i did have to use alot of extra bedding just to keep moving. i don't even think i will be able to take the dozer through there this year. In the one picture there is a 55 and a 50. after 5 weeks the 55 went on rent for a month and the 50 is another demo anyways, never rode by 250xcw all year, soon as things slow down i am gonna get ready for next year. also looking for a 525 for baja. kinda givin up on sleds considering the last couple years regards. p.s. the project is 3 4" conduits to drop overhead power in, so we can fit a house in .
Darn, good thing you had all your ducks in a row for that job. Hope you protected yourself enough for those kind of working conditions. Will make you and your guys appreciate the better jobs coming up.
DIDN'T RIDE IT ALL YEAR!!!? That's a crime. I've ridden my 525 down there. The 525 is a great bike for Baja. Mine is an '06. The suspension was terrible until I had Jeff Slavens work on it. Now it is the best suspended motorcycle that I have ever owned (including the '12 300 XC that I bought last Nov.). IMO it works in the mountains, or the desert, equally well. Contact me if you get one. Jeff will soon be retiring from suspension service, and the best time for Baja is winter/early spring, so get cracking. I also have a 6.6 gallon tank, for a 525, that I might sell or lend. Are you looking to ride with Mr. Thuillier or others? There is a lot of single track down there but you must know the right people.
I also have the big tank, my last baja bike was a 525 with a big tank. something like 28 liters. so prolly the same. yes, mike is a good buddy of mine and I have been down to baja with him a number of times. all sorts of great single track to be had. regards,CD
Great pics as always CD. Also good to see some fellow KTM riders on here. I have been riding dirt (MX, hare scrambles, enduros) off and on since about 1965 and I have a 200xcw at the moment. I love the bike but it doesn't have enough grunt for steep rocky terrain like I'm riding now.
Yeah, i made a mistake earlier. I have a 200xcw as well. i dunno for as fat as i am it still get's me up some real steep,rocky terrain. mixed with uphill log crossing's and such. also, usaully at about 10-12,000'. Never got into racing, all my buddies are into it. My pard that owns the shop has a pretty fast rider on his team. here are a few more pics. I did have to go back in and do a little more clean up. usually we leave all the slash strewn about in a decorative fashion and then seed all of it, but my client didn't like my style and sent me back in for a more detailed cleanup. i made the arguement about the organics in the slash and all that other savvy b.s. but he didn't buy it. the inspector was ehining as well b/c he said the ground was too rough to put his wheel too. then he said he had to g.p.s as well:beatsme don't know why he hasn't figured out that his g.p.s will do his measuring for him. regards,CD
We don't have many inspectors, but it sounds like they may be from the same school. Years ago had one that could not setup a transit, let alone figure out if the number is getting larger it is going down hill. Hope you get out of the big rock area soon, looks like some pretty tough conditions.
here a few from this week. 3 different jobs
Have you ridden the S/T trail that goes from the Pacific side (starts on the beach) all the way across the peninsula to Bay of LA? I have abuddy who recently bought a used '09 200XCW. He really likes it. He said that he geared UP and got better torque. Yes I said geared up. He also employs a Rekluse clutch and loves it too.
never heard about gearing a 200 up? a buddy geared his xcw down. i just talked to my friend and he is out in chimney rock, while i pound paperwork and move track hoe's around like a fool. sorry no fotos. my dropbox is jacked up again.
Here are a few fotos from the week. Finally taking some time off and relaxing today. regards, Cd
I noticed that you are using a Multi-Quip jumping jack. I have one of those MT 65Hs too. How is it holding up for you? I have had to replace the engine once and I fear it may be roached again. I have always had a good experience with this brand, in the past, but I am hearing that the Honda engine is not the best for this application. These are equipped with the GX100 and I am hearing that this design does not provide enough oil up top. A good friend of mine says he is only getting ~200 hours on his. He has (2) MT 70s (the newer version) but they have the same engine.
I see that you guys already got some snow. Not down here. It is very dry. Everything we are digging is coming out like flower. I have never seen the use of the round manholes before (maybe those are just junction box bases or hand holds). Are those common up your way?
I am pretty sure that is an mt65, it has outworked every other jj I have bought. I would buy another one and I need to. Trying to keep the spending to a minimum going into winter. Yes, it has been way dry around here but this last system rolled in, helps keep the dust down. The round vaults are splice vaults for primary power. They have always been round. Have a good week! regards, CD
Here are a few more fotos!
C D some more great pictures of your work and the area. You can keep the white stuff there for a while longer. Not sure why you keep diging where all those big boulders are planted. That would make for some tough conditions to dig into.
He doesn't have a choice. The material in his area is a glacial till, anywhere you dig there's boulders. And they ain't easy to drill a hole in, I know that personally.
I like the round manhole base splice boxes. Around here they require rectangle splice boxes with galvanized metal gullwing doors on top. The 5" primary comes up from the bottom, using 45 degree sweeps. Our boxes are bulky and expensive, looks like that is an easier and cheaper solution.
Here is another round. Looking like the weather will be nice all week! Congrats, San Francisco!!! regards, Cd
willie, I know that just giving C D a tough time. I lived in Wyoming and there are a few of them there to. I will have to take a picture of the boulder the pipe line found a few years ago just a few miles from where I live in IL. It took two D -9's to push it out of the hole and out of the right of way for the pipeline.
Here a few fotos from yesterday. regards, cd
Hey Cool! You got one of those special buckets to dig around both sides of the pipe!
Here are a few fotos of last week's work. Lot's of rock, but the good news is that we are almsot done. Another 5-6 days trenching then a week of cleanup. Regards, Cd
Great pictures of some very tough digging conditions. Looks like would take a lot of bedding material to replace all those boulders. Thanks for taking time to share.
Love the pictures cd, is this a state job?
How many feet of trench is this CD? Looks like a long dig. Do you run a hoe yourself, or do you have to run around all day?
hey guys tell me this has any one seen a link belt excavator outside of North america?
No, but then, I have never been outside of North America. :canada
Yair....Hey Fellas, The job is for a private owner that is undergrounding overhead power lines so he can build hos monster house next year. It is is the state r.o.w. and I am permitted through CDOT with the help of the Power provider in that area. This job has been a tough one. It is about 2500' in length and we average about 80' a day. There is a 4" gas line, a phone cable and some fiber. I have been running hoe every day on this one as we are shorthanded. I like running that 210, it is smooth and real strong. it has a great swing motor as well. The seat is comfy and the heat and stero works, what else could a guy ask for. I believe Link-Belts are native to the north american region, although they are constructed somewhere else. i love my dealer and we get along well so that seals the deal. regards, CD
That's what it's all about in the end. Brands are brands, it's the relationship you have with your dealer that makes the difference. For me it's Cat, I have a good relationship with them that spans many years and they're there to help when I need it. 2500' is a good run, the homeowner must have some deep pockets.:cool2
The homeowner had deep pockets, you mean. Hope if you bid the job you came out on top C D, that would be a tough one. I hate digging around fiber, let alone a 4" gas just for more enjoyment. Sure enjoyable to see the working conditions that you have out there.
I couldn't agree more...Our Sumitomo SH210 (same thing) is an outstanding machine. Very strong and quick for it's size. I've noticed that the Track control is precise, responsive and also strong. Keep the great pics coming.
CD what's that skip used for in the 4th picture on post 582?
That is called a bedding box my friend. It is used to stock bedding and is pulled along by the hoe. This makes the whole process much more efficient as the hoe just picks the bedding from the bedding box. Commonly used in underground work. Regards, CD
Here are a few fotos from this past week. Since then the weather has turned and all the upcoming fotos will be white. We are about finished with this job, I am on the last vault set. After that it will be all clean up regards, Cd
mate you think the loader might have a bit too much weight on it??
I know we've been over this before, but can you position the 225 on the 25 ton trailer and get enough weight on the truck, or is it overweight?
Each state has different bridge gap laws, and some have seasonal restrictions. The weight of the trailer also factors in. I have a Towmaster T50 triaxle ( I think CD has an Interstate). In CO I can legally put 62,000# on the tridom. The T50 weighs 11,000#. That leaves 51k for payload. Towmaster says it's a 25t payload so that is more restrictive than the states rules. They also say that I can place as much as 25% of the load on the tongue. If we do the math (61k x 25%) as much as 15,250# can be placed on the tongue. That being said, I don't think you can add that to the payload. Even if you can do it within the bridge gap laws, the MFR has declared a GVWR of 61k# (at least for my unit). IMO the 225 has to weigh 50k#, or less. If the Linkbelt 225 = 22.5 MT you should be fine as that converts to 24.8 tons. If it is 25 MT than you are substantially over rated payload at 27.56 tons. Another thing to consider is the most MFRs come up with the model weight nomencalture with a base unit. If you have things like a long undercarriage, a long stick, or a thumb, this will add weight, above that stated for a particular unit. Case in point: I own a Cat 315 (15 metric tons or 33,068#) which actually weighs 39,900# (yes I scaled it) as equipped. I have covered a lot of things, without really answering your question (as clear as mud). Hopefully I have given you enough to figure out what you need to for your state. You will, however, need to know the exact weight of the excavator, trailer, trailer GVW, and bridge gap laws for you state.
Hey guys, I don't know the correct answer for the question. I know the last time we visited this topic, I said it was prolly on the heavy side. It is obvious that Dgodgr knows about this subject and i do not. The t800 weighs 22,800lbs, my interstate triple around 11,500 an d the hoe comes in at 54,500. The whole topic makes me fairly nervous as a matter of fact. Regards, CD
I don't believe it could be done in NY. They allow 57k# on a tridem, so with 11,500 of hoe that leaves 45,500 for payload. So 9K overweight. With enough tongue weight a 200 could probably be done. Although they are moving 225s on 35 ton lowboys with tandems so I'm not really sure how that works.
In CO we can legal a 200 on our tri-axles. The lowbeds have a much larger distance between the (2) sets of tandems so they can bare more weight per the bridge gap laws. When I see (=/>)25tn machines being moved here it is usually with a tri-axle lowbed trailer, and/or a tri-axle tractor (6-7 axles). Once your bigger than 30tn you will usually see (9) axles under the load. As I said before each state is different. In CA you will see up to 30tn on a tandem lowbed but the rear tandem will have (16) tires (if you've ever seen the term "16 tire expando" in the sales rags...that's what they are refering to). CA does not even recognize the tridom so I can only legal 34K# on it out there, and 36K# in NM (I was planning to haul the 315 out there a few years back). I could make weight if I loaded the 315 all the way forward (tracks touching the head rail). This put the 25% on the tongue, and kept the tridom at under 34K, but I was a bit scared that I would snap off the pintle eye along the way (never made the move that way...fortunately), but it would have been legal. That brings me to what you had writen about your state. If you can legal 57k# on the tridom, but the MFR says you have a GVWR of 61k# you can put some of that weight on the towing unit (the 25% tongue weight) because the states weight rule is less than the MFRs claimed GVWR. You'll have to do the math on that. When I looked at working back East I found that trucking got a lot more complicated because each county, and/or township, had it's own set of rules (what a nightmare!). I recommend that you post this question in the trucking forum as there are guys there that have a much better knowledge base than those of us who only haul to support an excavation business (plus it doesn't have much to do with "Linkbelt Action"-sorry to high-jack CD).
You certainly know your stuff DGODGR :thumbsup I agree on the hijack, sorry bout that CD.
I can only bridge 77K with a triaxle tag Trail King, hooked to 613 Mack with a drop axle. Given the weight of the MACK (demo body), I am within 2K of being overweight with a 160 sized machine. I wish I could hump a 200 sized machine.
linkbelt linkbelt 3400
hey CD any updates? Always enjoy viewing your posts.
Back to work It has been so long since I posted on my thread, i thought I would bring it back to life. Here are a few fotos of a project we are finishing up.This one has taken about 4 years on and off. Regards, CD
Cool pics as always CD. Good to see you're staying busy!
Yuk...snow! Maybe it's my eyes, but it that third pic...looks like somebody's whacked that porta john and got it kinda catty wompus. :tong Cool pics CD...even though they include snow.
Glad you took time to share a few pictures again, CD. Looks like it has been chilly in your neck of the woods, also. Hope the spring brings in some good jobs for ya. Hope to get out there again, this summer.
Here are a few more of this rock wall. We hauled probably 50 loads off of good granite only to replace it with this decorative rock from Southern Colorado. All in all,we will use about 200 tons of this stuff on this job. We are not digging any foundations at the moment but have plenty of work like this and alot of clean up from last years jobs. We will be finding out about some big bids here in the next couple weeks. Regards, CD
Some more nice looking work you are doing.
Thanks dirty, here are a few more fotos. This is a small pond we put about 3 days into. The operater has been with me almost 15 years
I didn'tet everything attached, Here are a few more. This is just with a track hoe, operater and supervisor. no other machines equipment used. The last one is a view from where we are doing the rock walls. I was sitting in the skid steer warming it up. The weather has been so crappy with all the freeze/melt cycles our areas drains are clogging up on our work that did not get finished last year.
CD Sure enjoyed the pictures of your work. Glad the white stuff is out there, it looks much better on the mountains than it would here.
Here are a few fotos from this week.
These crane guys are really good. Very fast and accurate. This is a little project in Basalt, Co we have been doing. Started off doing all the dirt and ended up doing the landscaping as well.
That is one way of moving things from one side of the place to another. Did you get snowed on again this week? We went from 84 to 44 degrees, just 100 miles away 10" of snow. What a crazy spring.
Love that bridge over the pond. Nice work. I would love a rock wall like that, but there ain't a rocks like that with in 300miles of me.
Thanks DB, I have been so busy have not had much time to follow the forums. the other problem is my old laptop took a dump on me about 5 weeks ago and I am on a whole new system. Windows 8 with Outlook 13 on a Dell Tablet and a Dell Insipiron with a 17" moniter. To say the least i am goinf through some major mid life problems re-adjusting to the technology. I have had a hell of a time transfering all my contacts out of Windows Live into Skype. Whatever... Life is good we are working like dogs and have more coming. I am so over this B.S. The only computer I can run is my antique in the office and they keep updating it. Now i can't even load pictures .
Ok, Here are a few more.
Glad to see you are busy CD, did you buy a track skiddy?
Some fresh action!! No, but I am close to ordering the BC t870. [ ATTACH]104725 [/ATTACH]
Demoing a komatsu? What ever happened with the yanmar?
The Yanmar went back quite awhile ago, The Komatsu 88 was just a 1 day rental. Pretty nice hoe though.
Where you not happy with the yanmar or just didnt have the workload for it?
It was a combination of the two. We were not all that busy and the machine was slow, it was an R.P. so I just gave it back.
Here we are doing P.M. My New Tractor
Great shots. Such an amazing background. Around here we all dream of heading out West and riding dirt bikes across Colorado. I'd love to sit in a machine in that environment. Like the new KW. I just bought a similar road tractor. That one looks to be about 240". Are you going to fix her up or just run it? Lot's of potential there.
We are working on her slowly. Lot's of small stuff, just did the rear drums and shoes and fixing little things. I would like to have her in service in a few months. I had found a nice end dump but it got sold out from under me. I have located a lowboy so things are coming around. We have been in a slight lull but things picked back up . We are on a big maintenance kick because things are starting to get real busy.
Sweet tractor, tell us a little more about it. Year specs etc. that red crew cab Chevy is pretty sharp too.
It's an 85 Kenworth w900 with a cat 425b in it. It has a 13 speed Hendriksen and is on bags. It is a very long truck and should be great for hauling lowboy and end dump. I am fixing it as we go, so I don't spend a ton of money on it. I hope to have it running in a few months. Regards, CD
You will be spoiled having a semi to move your equipment. Bet you wonder how you ever got by with out it, after you have had it a while.
Some Pike Fishing.
Here are a few pictures of a new driveway. The house dig will start next year.
Why such a deep undercut for a driveway?
Because we do it right out here CM. Minimum 2' cut and all pit run for roads and drives. 20 years no complaints.
Is pit run what we call crusher run?
Pit Run is structural fill. Usually a good amount of 8" minus cobble with lot's of sand. it is mostly what we dig up here but some area don't have it and we have to import.
2' of pit run (bank run or run of bank out here) keeps things from turning to soup when the frost goes out in the spring.
Here is some Landscaping we did.
Really like the pics... Completely different to my suroundings.
There is no reason to do that in my area unless the existing soil is poor - heavy/expansive clay or high organic content. Frost line? What's a frost line? Since our geology is quite different from out West, the closest thing to pit run in our area would be chert or in the southern parts of our States the sand/river gravel mix that is dug directly from the ground.
It's like the Mason Dixon Line, only a couple hundred miles further south. rofessor
Wouldn't that be a couple of hundred miles north?:tong
I dunno. You tell me. :beatsme
We haven't seen 6" of frost in my lifetime, somebody needs to re-draw that map.:cool2 Might get an inch if it gets down in the 20's at night for a few days but nothing to speak of. We only get snow maybe 1-2 times a winter but it's gone by the afternoon.
That map of the depth of frost is quite accurate I think. It was done one year after the ice age. He he
I chose that one because here, we dig footers down to 36" to protect for frost. Waterlines get 40"-48" of cover. And I agree, I've never seen frost that deep. The point is though, that you can get frost well SOUTH of the Mason Dixon Line. A couple hundred miles NORTH of that, it can be lots deeper. :cool2 See if you like this frost map any better. I have seen it pushing 18" here, but it was a really cold winter. And to get things back on topic, the second pic is of a Link Belt 135 zero tail swing excavator. It was a rental that we had on the job for a couple of months. Nice, because it was on rubber tracks, so it could walk all over the neighborhood without tearing up the streets. I didn't get much time on it, but I got enough to say I have a positive impression. (Only real complaint is that they only put steps on the side of the undercarriage at two of the corners. If you want to stop and climb down, you need to have the boom lined up with the tracks. Stop it with the boom swung to the side, and there's no step there. How much would it cost to put one at every corner??)
Digger, you might as well accept those maps probably came from the govt. and are thus useless. I live under one of the dots in the 6" line on the first one, and 50 miles south of the 5" line on the second. I have never in my life seen 1" of frost, 1/4 is unusual. On further thought I bet they made those maps so the global warming folks could claim that's the way it used to be? :beatsme
How's the tractor trailer coming along?
Basically had it ready to go, Had found a nice Ranco 36' end dump for it as well. The end dump got sold out from under me. Then we lost a recap in my t600 and it blew out two batteries in the battery box. So, we have started using her for parts. Hopefully, by winter I have her all set up. It's always something. Regards, CD
Here is a new job we just started. This is a debris flow structure. Regards, CD
Here are a few more fotos of my latest start. Regards, CD
New road? Glad to see you didn't get the bad storms in your area!
From yesterday. Regards, CD
Hey CD, What brand thumb is that on the zero tail swing? Thanks for always posting interesting jobs! Chris
That looks like one way to compact the new road bed. Looks like the start of another good looking job C D.
That is a CP bucket and thumb. Can't really complain, the machine has 7500 hours and everything is still holding up. We have done some welding on the bucket and busted a pin in the thumb so really no bid deal. Thanks Dirty Regards, CD
After 7500 hours, a few welds and one pin is pretty good! Thanks for the info. Chris
Great pics as usual.... What kinda trees are those?
Look like Aspen to me.
Yep, Aspen Scotty, same family as Cottonwood trees.
Fancy. None here in the lowlands that I know of.
Nope, they don't grow in our area Scott. But just like with cottonwood trees, springtime, fuzz flying everywhere in the air.
Hi CD, Just noticed your location is Carbondale, did you ever do any work on the construction of Aspen Glenn golf course? I was their for the summer/fall in 95 and 96. Was a couple of 627's in there, pretty sure they were owned by a local company. Stayed at a place called Buffalo Valley, think I have the name right........ between Carbondale and Glenwood Springs.
Hello LDK, Yes..We have done lot's of work in Aspen Glen. Since the economic downturn there has not been a whole lot of work out there. We mostly work about 35 miles up valley in Aspen. The Buffalo Valley has since closed and has been for sale for a few years. Here are a few pictures of a job we are on now, it is a debris flow structure. This a going to be a pain to backfill but we are happy to have the work. Regards, CD
Yair . . . Okay Colorado Digger . There's a thread on here about industry lingo . . . what the hell is "debris flow structure" a fancy name for? (he grins) Cheers.
Debris Flow Scrub- Here you go. This is similar to what we are doing, although smaller, same idea. This is a debris flow structure loading Loading Loading Regards, CD
Here are a few more picture of the current job we are on. Regards, CD
Looks like a pretty good sized job C D. Dang you have some pretty scenery to have to look at all day. I looked at a half picked corn field and one direction and the hole I am digging for a new basement. Tore the old farm house down the weekend before, most of the basement was concrete blocks those old man killers 5 holes and 24" long. Would hate to have had to set them all day, talk about a long day.
Those top two should be on Link Belt brochures and that bottom one...Wow!!
New Truck. It is a 2007 Volvo with d12 435hp. 18 speed and T-ride suspension. Air ride cab. It has a 16.5' Rock box with a high lift tailgate. Already setup with a hitch and plumbed for a pup. Only has 110,000 miles. Very happy to have found this truck. Bought it last Thursday, drove it home Friday and working Saturday. Regards, CD
Yair . . . Colorado Digger . Thanks for picture, sorry for delay in getting back and acknowledging. Please excuse my ignorance but what I see is a very nicely made concrete drainage flume, what actually is its purpose? Cheers.
Great looking new to you truck. Great addition to your business.
Nice addition, well done!
Very nice! Did you get rid of one of the kenworths ?
I am planning on getting rid of both. They are worn out and need too much help. My t600 needs a camshaft, and on a 444 it's not worth it. The t800 needs a inframe and a new box. So I have a good offer on a package deal to sell both, but I may pull the rock box of the 6 first.
How's the tractor trailer comin along?
Needs a few small things and then a end dump and lowboy.
CD, sharp looking dump truck.
Here are a few more shots. Loading out, processing base and the bottom of the dig for the debris flow. It had 5/10's of class six all the way down so it has been some work getting it right. I was happy they hit 99% on it yesterday. For Scrub.. This Debris flow structure is basically intersecting a natural drainage, down below there is going to be a house, so they are building this to divert any massive storm event. You can also look this up un Wikipedia-Debris flow. Regards, CD
Yair . . . Thanks for clarification Colorado Digger . . . man that must make for expensive housing. Cheers.
Looks good man. I miss doing real job like that just not the money. Now I just go out and a hole size, grade, and ETC doesn't matter. Just got to get all the contamination out. Heck I haven't ran a machine other them a 3" trash pump in over a month.... Boring.... I miss the smell of diesel and dirt in the morning.
Here are a few pictures. We are not working any more Saturday's this year. We have been doing 70 hours a week since September so everybody needs a break. Our job is moving along well and we have a few other smaller projects so things are going well. ]109760[/ATTACH] Regards, CD
Thanks for the update C D glad you have plenty of work. I thought I would see more white stuff on the ground there. It won't be long and you will have plenty, me thinks. Finally finished one job tore the house down and dug the basement. The concrete fellow never seems to get back to finish, I have all the dirt that I had to have the excavator there for to place, done. Moving to another job have a corn crib and a small shed to remove, then 50- 60 loads of concrete to remove,. Part of it will be used to stabilize the river bank, by a cabin has to be placed with the excavator.
Lookin good CD! Hows your weather been? Hows the new truck going?
Very jealous of your surroundings, looks like great scenery to enjoy while at work!
Progress Report The weather has been super cold. It has been between -10f and -20f. We have had quite a bit of snow as well, so we are staying plenty busy. Just trying to keep picking away at it. Our fuel supplier got a bad batch of #2. The new Volvo finally froze up yesterday. We ended up calling the fuel wagon and having him suck the bad fuel out and pump us with pure #1. Seems they are running 2% soy additive to meet a biodiesel mandate here in Colorado. The fuel is just the chitz, looks like a hi vis lime safety vest. All of our Dyed tractor fuel is 50% blended and we add our own additive to it and we really did not have any trouble with it. Regards,CD
Nice update... I thought you froze solid over there...
About the only good thing Bio diesel, is it keeps the injector pump repair man in business and busy. Bio if in something that is being used all the time isn't quite so bad, if you leave the machine sit a while, you better plan on pump work. To me it seems the government is pushing this to down our throat. Looks like the winter fight to keep things moving is in full swing, for you.
Here area few pictures of the job we have been working on. The weather has been warmer, so things are going well. I am on my out of Colorado for Xmas vacation. We have our company party tonight then driving all day Sunday and Monday. Merry Christmas to everyone and wishing all members a prosperous 2014!
Lookin good bud, do you have a ground heater?
The sticker on the side of it says Wagner Rents. You gotta want it pretty bad to fool with those things. They rent for about $500 a day and you still have to feed them diesel to boot. We haven't seen the frost get that bad yet and we just went through a spell with overnight temps ranging -15 to -20 degrees.
I've heard they're costly to run, but work very well. Too bad there isn't an effective solution. I've seen the heated blankets, they're electric and cost a lot. I was considering a couple of those for emergency deals. Easier to not dig in the winter!
The G.C pays for the ground heater, if they want it done.. we will do it! Merry Christmas! CD
Great thread, keep it coming. In post 663 is this a home made skeleton bucket on the skid steer?
That is a Yukon jack bucket. We use it for pulling out oversize when roughing in roads. We also use it for tramming concrete and asphalt c/d. It works well for stumps and such as well. Pretty tough bucket, it has stood up to 12 years or so of intermittent very hard use. These are of another civil/structural excavation. major pain in the rear. We had to keep all the utilities working until the very end, we were basically done by the time they moved the gas and electric. We also had to reroute a 8" sewer service as well. All with temps in the -20f to 0f range.
Here are a few pics of a "new" plow truck we got going. I bought the GMC for $600.00, it is a one tone with a 350 auto in it. It came as a cab and chassis. We had the flatbed, sander and plow at the yard attached to other stuff so we stripped everything, cleaned it up and mounted them on the GMC. I might have $2000.00 with the labor for the boy's. If it ever snowed it would pay it's way in a few storms. P.S Notice the demo saw blade being used for the sander wheel. Old school. Here are a few more of some messing around with the mini hoe.
Perfect plow truck! How's the tractor trailer coming?
Truck looks pretty darn good, CD. Won't take long to pay for it's self that is for sure. Anyone using Styrofoam forms around there? Would seem like a natural for the cold weather out there.
It snowed a little bit last night... no, Dirty most people pour concrete rather than use the foam blocks.
How do people afford snow removal out there? Ive already worked 110 hours on snow this year and we still have february left
Allright Fellas, it's Superbowl Time!!! Let's go Bronco's
Does anyone have a good source for this type of tire chain?
Are those pewags?
CD, try tirechainsrus.com they have all types.
http://tirechain.com/SkidSteer-Net.htm
CD This place makes all kinds of tire chains. http://tirechain.com/ Their website has a lot of different styles. Been a while but I know they used to have great prices.
We are still digging out from all the snow. Close to 6' over two weeks. In Aspen itself there is probably close to 4'. It has been tough and on this job we have hauled out about 15 loads at $75.00 a load. You can't even dump snow in Aspen without having to pay. Anyhow, just waiting on March. Regards, CD
Is that what you charge to haul it or is that what it cost to dump it?
We pay $75.00 per load to the local landfill that is already a ripoff. They are an hour closer on the turn then the other pits but they charge for it. Trucks are getting $80-90 an hour and a 2 speed large frame skidsteer is over $100.00 for snow removal. It is impossible to find trucks because everyone in busy moving snow. All the snow removal guy's are maxed out as well.
Try Ron at Rocky Mountain Supply. I would imagine that you know who he is. I think he's based out of Palisade. PM me for his contact information should you want it.
Digger- No the chains are not the "pewag" brand but are similar. They run about $650.00 for a pair. Dgodgr-Yes, I know Ron, buy all my teeth and edges from him. I have always used DM wire and rope or "delta" for chains and slings. It has been impossible to get what I want. I think I am just going to run "h" pattern and see how that does.
That's what I thought as $75 per load to haul it seemed way too low. Wow, $75 a load to dump a load of frozen water, wish I had a landfill in Aspen.
Not a bad day here in Colorado, actually unbelievable.
Hope no one charged you admission for that great view...
How much frost are you finding?
The frost is about 3' thick. It all depends, in areas that have not been impacted and have snow you will find very little, maybe 8" to 1'. Underneath a dirt road that we have been driving on all winter it will be thick. The temps. have come way up in the last 3 weeks so the frost is coming out of the ground quickly. 2 weeks ago I had 2 feet of snow in my yard and now it is gone. Regards, CD
Its really freaking cold here right now, everyone is ready for spring. Hopefully by the end of the month!
It was 64 here on Wednesday, and has been in the 50's most of the time. A small front came through and it cooled down a little bit, but nothing major. CD
:tong
The Midwest where I live has had lots of water and sewer lines frozen this winter. Many more than normal with frost at 42" or more in lots of places, the last I heard. Lots of cold weather and lots of snow with hardly any weather above freezing all winter long. I am not missing it at all since I am in Florida with the 70's and 80's weather.
Here is this debris flow structure we have been backfilling. it has been a real pain but the guys are doing a great job. the t650 is a loaner until I get the new t770. it is just being built to my spec's up in North Dakota.:usa Regards, CD
Looking good bud! Hows your weather? Looks like we are going to be seeing some warmer weather by the end of the week! You will love the track skid!
Good looking job as usual. What are the spec's on the T770? I am considering a new CTL purchase.
Thanks guys! The weather is typical rocky mountain spring.. one day 60 degrees and sunny and the next, blowing and snowing. We are having trouble on another job getting some footers to pass compaction. It is in clay and the weather isn't letting us do our thing. I think we are going to over ex. everything 2' and try pounding 2' of pit run back in. The t770 is coming fully loaded with joystick controls and high flow. I think it is the a91 package but would have to check with my dealer. I also have an e55 on the way. Hopefully, we will see it next Monday. I'll let you guys know how the fishing is down in Mexico, headed down the 27th through the 1st. It is mostly jigging for yellowtail at the moment but the pelagics are moving in. Regards, Cd p.s they sure are proud of the Bobcat Ctl's...I have bought a 210 for less.
Have fun fishing! Yellowtail is good eating. I hear ya' on that. The cost of new equipment is ridiculous.
"Have fun fishing! Yellowtail is good eating I hear ya' on that. The cost of new equipment is ridiculous." The cost of used is even worse. my dealer found a LB 135, no push blade, plain jane 5000 hours and he was asking for 50k out of it.
Great thread! I started going backwards from this page...got to page 36...then started at the beginning and got to page 15. My wife's like...what are you so interested in? Funny...I had a photo of some guys fueling off of a Ford flatbed on my computer, but didn't know where it came from. After reading your thread I remembered that the truck had a Terrascape logo on it. Headed for the sack. Looking forward to more posts!
Thanks for the comments, I have noticed quite a few of the photos off this thread get poached and end up on the net. I guess by posting pictures you have to accept that they will be public knowledge. regards, CD
You should be flattered about the pics beautiful country.
I know what you are saying!!! I've posted many pics and videos of our New Holland TV 145 bi directional tractor with the Pronovost Pxpl snowblower and like you, they are all over net now.... Could be worse though, for you it's construction equipment pics and us snow removal. Imaging other peoples problems from posting the wrong type of pictures! Thanks for posting, I enjoy following the thread.
Here are a few pictures of the debris flow we have been working on. All and all, we have over 4 months on t with a 3-4 man crew. I couldn't be any happier with my guys. they do a great job. This project is amazing, next is the raw water system and tank. Regards, CD
CD, How many hours on that 435 (the one in the picture) now? Mine, an '06, has about 3700. The reason I ask is that I have had to weld the boom 2x now. I have welded both sides where the boom is welded to the bracket that holds the dipper bushings, and one side got it's second weld today. I also had to weld the bottom of the boom where it is attached to the cast piece that holds the boom bushings (first time for that). It was cracked in the weld. I have seen many 435s that have had the booms break (at the end where the dipper is mounted) and the dealer has always claimed abuse and excessive "sweeping". I know that mine has not been put through the ringer. It has been operated in a way that nets good productivity without abuse. Have you had any similar issues?
Great looking finished product CD. We don't have anything dirt wise that looks like what you have to work with, I can imagine the larger cobbles are a PITA to work - keep a fill lift in front of you deep enough to hide the large rocks and cover with fines? What's the reason for the waterproofing on the concrete walls?
I've had to weld my 334 twice in the same place, weld breaks at the gusset on the boom where the stick bushings are attached.
Dgodgr_ Yes.. My #1 435 has 9000 hours still running strong. We have rebuilt the section of the boom where the stick attaches a number of times. I am going to say 3 or 4. The last time we brought on a professional and it has been holding up well. The amount of abuse the machine takes with a head shaker and hammer is substantial. My #2 435 has had a few problems, like the swing brake having to be rebuilt at 3500 hours and a clogged up fuel line that we never did figure out. All in all they have been good to me and I just took delivery of the e55 and am waiting on a t770. I can get to Bobcat of the Rockies in an hour and a half so it is a good arrangement parts and service wise. Not the mention my dealer is a very close friend. CM- The waterproofing on the walls?? All I can say, is that it is Aspen. Lot's of strange rules and regulations up here. On the backfill, we run it all through a grizzly to 6" minus, pays for itself in less clean up and easier to work with. Our problem is all the oversize...8" to 24". We use it wherever we can, for rip rap, channels and such, but we always end of sending a bunch to the landfill... for $160.00 a load. Sorry the fotos are not in order but I figure a bunch of dirt hands can figure it out. CD:usa:usa
As i have said before, I would like to own a landfill in your area. $160 bucks for a load of rocks, one could make some money.:cool2
Notice the Marlin, in close to the boat.. The water temps. were not quite warm enough for them to bite, we trolled around them forever with hoo's and they were not interested. The yellowtail bite was insane, we caught 18 in about 3 hours, all 20-30 lbs. Lot's of good eating. I came back refreshed and ready to work after that trip.
Some more great looking work CD, is some very beautiful country!
How are they getting all that concrete up there? Great pictures btw!
Great work! Is the concrete canal for storm water run-off? Never seen anything like it up here.
Around here people pay for rocks, so you could make a profitable job, into a real profitable job.
I took some glory shots for everybody yesterday. Regards,CD
That is just plain mean CD, but thanks for the pictures. Sure some beautiful country, even better to me when it isn't all covered in white stuff.
Here are a few fotos from today. This is a large job we started last August. Regards,CD
Lookin good! Is that the same debris flow structure? How long is it?
Hi Nedly, the debris flow is 500 lf or so. CD
Here are some more from today. This job has a few more years yet. Regards, CD
Here are a few fotos from today, things are going well. Regards, CD
Tidy site and beautiful scenery as always...
Thanks Scott.. We pride on having a clean and organized site. Basically, that is the most important thing.. anyone can go get the work, but to work at this level, to stay on board, requires a lot of housekeeping. Yes, this place where we work is incredible. That is the reason I like to put the fotos up and keep doing it! Godbless to all the other forum members, it is finally getting better. I question whether or not we should close these threads to only forum members or not.. Let me know guys. Regards..CD
More work...We are into it Sorry, they are mixed up, but you all can figure it out. On Edit.. Please run the jumper around the manhole and everything coming to grade Regards, CD
That boy and his 225, they don't get apart very often. When they do, he has a Bobcat 435. Both are worked.. over 7000 on both hoes. But he makes it work Just so ya'll can see what we do Regards, CD
Nice shots as always CD, makes me miss living there.
CD, I see green clean outs along the wall. Drains ??? Please forgive my ignorance / curiosity. Nice work btw ! We ride the Harley to SnowMass every now and then. A friend has a condo there. It's my favorite ride.
Hey CD, thought you might enjoy a little Link Belt love. This shiny new 210 was delivered to a road job going on locally here on Thursday. With no place to park near it, I took advantage of my wife riding shotgun today and had her grab some pics while I did a drive-by.
210 x3 = tier 4. they are great hoes. I would like to know what tier 4 design is working the best for the frigid climates.Thanks for posting, Our next one is probably going to be a 160 x3, then a 235 x3. Just waiting to see how the economy does. Regards, CD Anyway's I added a few fotos, For Scrub Puller....that is what a finished debris flow structure looks like. start to finish my man. Regards,..Again..CD
I don't know of any excavators using anything other than cooled EGR/DPF at the moment. Anything that is T4F will have SCR on top, but DEF use is low enough that most can go 250-500 hours without refill.
I wonder what happens with the urea (DEF fluid) at night when the machine is not running at 10 below zero as it will freeze.
There is a heater in the def tank that warms up the def on startup. Computer gives you 10 minutes for the def to melt. The urea content is low enough that it does not salt out on freeze.
We started three house all together yesterday. One is on it's own and the other two plus a bonus lot are in one large parcel. Here we are clearing the r.o.w., adding sleeves and prepping driveways. Just so you can see how crazy the weather is here, the tree moving was in the morning and the sewer tap in the afternoon. Regards. CD
A few more. Finally a jobsite with easy access and wide open. Regards, CD
After working in all the tight spots you have been working in you and your workers will be spoiled having all that room to work. More great work being done, liked the finished shots of the debris flow the rocks set it off nice.
Looks cold...it was 95* in TX the other day. Yaw summer is here.
Here are a few of a sewer service we are working on. Then a tree transplant. Regards, CD
Do you have to have a plumbers card to run sewer laterals? The reason I ask is in AL, the law states a licensed plumber can only run sewer and water from the ROW to the building. A utility contractor, licensed by the General Contractors Board can run mainline, laterals to the property line, pump stations, etc. Under my GC license I can do mainline sewer and water (which I don't) up to $50k worth of work. Yeah I know, doesn't make much sense. I don't have my masters card and I miss out on some lucrative work running sewer and water on projects.
Yair . . . Gotcha Colorado Digger , much obliged, interesting concept for a flatlander, who actually picks up the tab? . . . the land holders whose properties are protected I assume? Cheers.
CM- The answer to your question is NO. It is still the old west out here and there are quite a few of issues with companies getting involved in work they are not qualified to do. Even city and county is different about what they require, running sewer main in Aspen entails getting pre-certified with the bossman of the Sanitation district. Scrub- The landowner pays for any capitol improvements to their land out here, If they don't do what the county/city want they don't get any permits to build their mansions. Insomnia has hit me, 1.30 am in the morning and I am thinking who is running water line, how my water truck is going to get new rubber and a million other irrelevant things. I have been so tired, I hit the sack around 8 pm and wake up at midnight. Last night I made pan fried pork chops and pasta from 1-1.30. It doesn't happen much but what a bitch worrying about stupid stuff. Regards, CD
Good to see you are busy, hows the new dump working out?
Ironically enough, most of the plumbers I have worked around aren't qualified, don't understand or don't care about proper trench backfill and compaction in parking lots. On a Taco Bell I had the site work for, the plumber had 300' of 4" PVC mainline and dumpster drain to run. I dug the ditch for the mainline, grease trap and backfilled, all by the hour. We had to level the stone for the grease trap as they couldn't grasp the use of a rotary laser. Super told me the site sewer and water (PVC not copper) was a $20K contract.
CM, Here in Mo. in the Kansas City area and many outlying towns that is the rule - only a plumber w/master license can do the water tap, sewer services, gas etc. - a permit can not even be pulled to do the job without this being in place. This takes many competitors out of the running at the gate for me.
CD, Very clean, safe & organized jobsite.
How do you like the Bobcat 'E' series machines like the E55? Are they holding up better than the older generation machines? Some nice pictures with the mountains in the background.
Colorado Digger . Love seeing trench boxes , end plates etc. but everyone goes home to there familys at the end of the day ! And the safety green and hardhats ! We cant do it without employees and good ones are hard to find ! You show you care . we get thanked some times for providing a safe work place . keep the pics. coming !
Thanks, We try...sometimes it's not perfect. Not bragging but one workers comp claim in 18 years isn't that shabby. Here are a few more of some deep sewer work. We have two more of these to do so it's going to be fun. The E series are nice machines, I have a t870 ordered and am a bit worried based on other members reviews, we will see Regards, CD
Here are the last few including the E series bobcats. this material on the sewer service is the definition of PITRUN, for anyone that was wondering. Regards, CD
That looks like #57 around here, crushed limestone. I am assuming that is just a screened product? Looks good CD. Nice looking topsoil you're stripping, is their any layer of dirt between the topsoil and the "cobble" for lack of a better word? The material/dirt looks so strange to me as we have nothing like that in the ground in my area. Currently clearing and grubbing 2 acres for a muni water authority maintenance building. Nice brown topsoil, light brown silty-clay layer underneath 3-6" and then yellow/orange clay and then red sandstone - it's quite colorful. We have encountered grey sandstone at 5', very hard to dig.
CM- It all depends in the area where we are working. We dug some profile holes to get an idea of the material on the next two houses, It looks better. The oversize kills us 8"-2', We have a free dump spot down in Carbondale so it will help on these three. I don't have all that much energy to post pictures today, but here are a few. Regards, CD
This form today, no end plate.. I was pissed. Regards, We are all alive again.:usa CD
Here a few more fotos, So fortunate to live in such a beautiful place. Even 15' deep in the coffin! Regards, CD
New Toy, with a skinny figure.. Regards, CD
Very nice!
I do love red... verah Nice!
http://postindepent.com If that does not work.. go to Glenwood Post Independent. We had a Colorado State Trooper shot today, his pard killed the perp and he is going to be ok. Buenas Noches, CD
Will it be getting a thumb?
Very sorry to hear that. RIP
To be clear; the guy that got killed was a meth head awaiting a trial for attempted murder. Thank God we don't have to pay his incarceration. Anyhow, my new Bobcat t770 finally showed up and We will take delivery next week. I also took a brand new Kawasaki z70 wheel loader on an R/P but it is a dog and we're sending it back after the first week is done. I also finally got a Link Belt 160 x3. I can't tell you how much we like this tractor. Sips a half a tank in 10 hours of digging. Enjoy! I'm loving Colorado at the moment, CD
Beautiful country, enjoy!:thumbsup
whats wrong with the 70Z I demoed a 90Z-7 it had no pushing power as soon as the computer sensed wheel slip it would fall on its face and stall out had mech's out for 2 days and went to factory ran 92Z-7 it done the same thing they said thats the way it was programmed did not want to fix the problem try to tell me I needed a bigger machine
I dunno, But as soon as we have time it is going to the dealer. Real nice machine and well built but no sack. I am going to look at a Deere 544, Komatsu 320 and a Case 721/821. I would like to have a look at a Volvo as well but they may be a bit expensive. I am open to any and all ideas regarding 3-3.5 c/yd loaders.
I love the kawasaki loaders, but another very good brand is doosan. Their Dl300 is an awesome loader.
The Doosan 300 is a bit big for me. Maybe the 250, but We don't have a dealer around here. The LB x3 is awesome, and the plan is to put a coupler on it and then get a claw bucket or whatever they are called. Just moving along cautiously, we will see how this year goes. Happy Mother's Day!!! CD
Thanks Buddy, This is about the most important part of being in and staying in business. Safety First, everything need to be well marked and no TRASH. Regards, CD:usa
Do you have a Hyundai dealer CD? We have gotten three of their wheel loaders in the last couple years. 2 740-9 and one bigger one. The 740-9 are about the size your looking for. I feel a very good machine, havent had many issues with them at all. We have a 544j and Ill take the hyundais over it other than I prefer the twin stick setup vs the one stick for the hyundai. Comes with a heated seat too. We have an older John deere 62 loader, the hyundai will left just as much as that, they just dont have enough weight in the back to hold them down.
Clint, Thanks for this comment, I am looking at other solutions. CD
Glad to hear things are rocking out there CD! Can't wait to see more pics!
Nedly, Here you go. CD
And a few more Regards, CD
That white stuff sure makes things greasy in a hurry. Then if it freezes at night no matter how much cleaning you did the day before lots of things get stuck. Sure some pretty country, and looks like some very nice big jobs that you are working on. Thanks for sharing the pictures!
These are mixed, but you all can see what we are up too. We're working about 60 hrs in 5 days. All good. I worked a bit more but payroll is a bitch. Regards, CD
I wish we could open burn. Burn ban started May 1 through Oct 1. Even during burn season we required to get an air curtain, permit and inspection before burning, it's a biatch. Go one county over and you can burn year - round.
New Toys. We are busier than busy. Looks like it will slow down a bit towards June, then crazy for a long time. Regards, CD
Machine and mountain view envy all in one post...dang you!
Do you guys still own the 210x2?
We no longer own the 210x2
Here is the interior of the T770, I ran it pushing back class 6 base today and it pushed pretty darned hard. Not saying it's the best because I have no experience in CTL'S. The interior setup is incredible, all the good stuff, loaded with high flow. The coupler is different and a bit hard to see when unloading flatbeds with forks. ATTACH]118826[/ATTACH] Enjoy, CD.
I haven't really taken close-ups of the E55. here are a few on some loaders we have on demo. Neither one pushes very well. Regards, CD
In the size wheel loader you are looking at, it would be hard to beat a Volvo, in my opinion.
Cd, who has the best pricing between Deere & Kawasaki? I have learned my lesson on buying equipment without plentiful dealers and support, it has to be Komatsu, Cat, Deere, Bobcat for me. We even lost the Link Belt dealer in KC, Mo now and this is really turning out to be a major problem
I would like to try out a Link belt but we don't have one dealer in the whole State.
Nice pictures. Nice to see the new machines, doesn't get much better than that. All that hard work paying off.
I don't know, the Kawasaki in from my LB dealer. The other one is from the Deere dealer. Neither of the two was powerful and had no sack.
Here is some action from Saturday. Everyone is still beat from the last few months. We'll probably knock off around noon Thursday. Doesn't mean there is no work around the compound though. Regards, CD
Great pictures CD, and congratulations on the new iron. It's good to see a little optimism out there again.
Sorry, I have been way busy. Now, 4 day's off. Regards, CD In memory of all the fallen one's:usa
E Series Bobcat I can't really say. The new one's are amazing but so were the old one's. I love my s300's and 435's but am also excited to put some new blood into the herd, Regards, CD
Congrats on the new iron CD! Good to see work in your area is getting better. Starting to see work ramping up in my area too. Friday I got a call from a GC on a job I bid over a month ago. This project had a nice demo and a decent amount of site work. PM told me the owner decided to take the demo and his "low guy" didn't want the job without the demo and asked me what my price would be without demo but erosion control was still in their scope. The erosion control on this job was a bitch. My phone has been ringing off the hook as well as email. Currently booked out for 6 months. It was a good feeling to turn down the job, knowing I had more profitable projects lined up.
Whats new cd.
Good Morning , This is what's going on. Salute from Fisherman's Wharf in SF!!
All that new iron and I get the old dozer, which I love! Regards, CD
CD, how do you like the Case dozer. I've never had a chance to run(Case is not real strong in our area). Always wondered how they are. Chris
Nice pics once again...
Well your guys will respect that as much as anything. Had a boss one time that ran the old 955 and let us run the B models. I'll never forget that. Good shots. Looks like a great day in the dirt and especially because I don't see the usual rocks that I see in your pics.
Congrats on the new iron CD! will you put a thumb on the new 160? Did you decide on a loader yet? I have been running a cat 930K a little bit, its a nice machine but it doesn't seem to have great traction. just wondering what the others are like.
I am planning on putting a coupler on the 160 then getting the bucket with the clamp attached. That way we don't have to have the thumb all the time. Only thing they really work for is demo, clearing and grubbing and rock walls. Regards, CD
I was checking out the helac power grip bucket. http://www.helac.com/products-services/construction-attachments/powergrip/ it looks like it could be a handy attachment, kind of like a thumb, digging bucket and clean up bucket all in one. Also, if you are placing rocks, you can rotate it once you have a hold of it. I bet its expensive though!
http://www.rocklandmfg.com/modules/...mage.php?i=krypto-klaw_s_1_172_1.jpg&ac=67151 This is what I want to put on the 160.
i looked at those but i think when you curl the bucket it will hit the stick. take a look at tag manufacturing mantis bucket it doesn't have the cross bar to hit the stick
I actually plan on buying the TAG. It is about $6500.00 cheaper through my LB dealer. Thanks for thing of the details...much appreciated. Greetings from downtown SF CD
The price was right! Regards, CD
CD, what engine and running gear does your Volvo have in it? The Volvo trucks here have all Volvo engines, gearboxes and diffs. I wish they supplied a conventional cab truck here, but they phased the last of them out quite a few years ago and only have cab over trucks. There is nothing wrong with them, but a conventional cab truck is easier to get in and out of if you are doing a lot of short haul tipper work. RnR.
CD did you buy the fuel/lube truck as a site fueler or to keep at the shop?
Rocks, The Volvo is running a d12 motor making 435 hp. The running gear is all eaton fuller road ranger 18 speed, 4.33 ratio. The suspension is the Volvo T-ride. It really is a sweet setup. I have to do the EGR valves and that is going to cost $3700.00. But all in all it has been a wonderful truck. We put 4000 miles on it in May. CM- Yes I bought the lube truck for an on site fueler and luber. The job I have for it is huge and I am going to have quite a bit of equipment out there. It came out of a mine in Gillete, Wyoming and is in very good shape. This is a mix of various job's. We are planting some 25' Colorado Spruce for a good client of ours. The 225 is needing a new bucket as well, 8000 hours. The new gear is sweet, just trying to keep my head down and keep the quality up. Regards, CD
That's interesting CD. We run five Volvo trucks, three main ones and couple of older roughies, but they just keep on working. We recently bought what is called an FM 12, which also runs the d12 engine, rated at 420 hp, with Volvo gearbox and Volvo diffs. It has all air bag suspension, truck and trailer, with disc brakes on all axles. It is a beautiful truck to drive, not that I get to spend much time in it. RnR.
Sorry to take so long to get back to you Rocks. We love the Volvo, Although the dealer leaves a lot to be desired. We just had our EGR coolers done and it cost about $3700.00 US. The truck makes much better power and now he is pulling a Pup. He is running about 75k US Pounds up at 8500' and is doing fine. Here are some fotos of recent work.; I have been too busy to keep up with the forums. Regards, CD
CD, Great pics as always... looks like spring has sprung...
Glad you are so busy but don't forget to look up once and a while at the beautiful scenery that is everywhere around you.
Glad to hear you are busy CD! The volvo looks good with the floaters up front!
Not a bad place to be working!! Happy 4th!! Regards, CD
Happy 4th to you CD yes you and your worker sure have to suffer looking at the sights. I am taking off tomorrow to Vancouver Island BC, depending on how things go I might swing by not sure as of yet. Will sure give you a shout if I get close.
A breaker and fresh concrete is usually bad is there a story to share ?
No story on the concrete, the ranch changed hands and the new owner's had new plans. CD
This is what makes it all worth it. Regards, CD
Love the flag, beautiful scenery and Happy Independence Day CD!:drinkup
Before and After Regards, CD
Man I'm in the wrong area for scenery. It's fields, trees, or subdivisions here. What ski resort is behind you in the pictures in the middle of the page?
Here are a few from the last couple of weeks. Regards, CD:usa
What's the rock excavation going to be CD? I see the drill, did you blast? Just wondering as it's close to another structure.
The Ski Area Is AJAX- Aspen Mountain. Pretty place to work and live for sure.
CM- Just for the soil nail around the perimeter and on the shotcrete wall there is a large tie-back. They put in 2 semi loads of rod on that one and more grout and redi-mix than I care to discuss. It was a friggin mess. They drill vertical around the perimeter and pour a bond beam. Or vice -versa. From curb the cute was 17.75'. CD On Edit-He is done but the drill is broke:usa
Gotcha, I saw the tie back/ soil nail plates in the pick but the large chunk of rock in the pick had me wondering. Why the soil nailing and shot crete? Is the material unstable over time or is it for safety while constructing the basement walls?
CM- It's just such a big vertical cut. Plus, They have been drilling and splitting everything we can't load. The 210lx- no thumb seems to be the best at loading the big bones. They can load 5-6' footers but, on the ramp..swinging uphill isn't the best set-up. Some how, they load some big friigin rock and no accidents. I like all the concrete around your drainage structures and such. If the frost did not get behind everything we could do stuff like that. :drinkup Hora Si!
Thanks CD. What's frost?:beatsme:tong Good looking work, as usual. Glad you are staying busy, the construction market seems to be getting better around the country - let's hold our breath..
!0-4 CM :angel CD
Nice! Good price too. The wife and I are splurging tonight, filets with lobster tails... I love Costco.
on edit It's been a crazy few weeks. The first one is from a sale. All the other's are of the company's small fleet. Ya'll should be tell which one's are on the sale site and our company jobsite Again, Kind Regards to all the Texan's out there. Great trip. Regards, CD
Good thing we have some a small fleet so we can compete with the big boys. [ ATTACH]123565[ / ATTACH] Hope that works. Happy labor day!
C D with all that beautiful country and great looking equipment sure does tease a fellow. Glad to see you are doing so well, must have a lot of work still on the books, that is great.
CD, looks like some nice soil, no rock for a change. Is the 750 yours and how do you like it?
Landclearer, The 750 is on an R/P but I have not been all that impressed with it. It has 4000 hours and runs decent, not great. It pushes well, easy to see out of, rips decent. I don't think it would pull 3 shanks. The a/c system so far is a pain is the rear. I dunno, He is wanting $115k out of it and I have it on rent for 5k even a month, so I may just be done with it. I don't know what else to do. The Cat 6r and T are out of my budget. Maybe a Case 1650. I am still looking to buy some more iron including ride on 54" sheep's foot and smooth drum plus a loader. Just picking up the deals when they come available. I did just pick up a Nordberg CV100 screening plant, so I am waiting on that to show up from Houston. Regards, CD
I might be off base but I think you would be happy with a D61P-15. Might be a little lighter than the 750 but I have always but more than impressed with it.
Thanks for the info CD. I have never ran a 750. We have a 450 which we like and I have run a 650 which I really liked. Have you ever thought about a 6N. They are the same size as the 750. I like both the XL and LGP versions. I do think they would be a little higher in price than the 750.
Here are a few fotos.. all mixed up. Mostly from June through now Regards, CD
Hello, Can you fellas recommend 3.5 c/yd loader's and 20 ton dozer's with a P.A.T. I'm thinking about going a bit older back to 07 or so to find some iron that will work. Regards, CD
Komatsu D61-15. Either a P or E depends on if you want wide pads or not. They weigh around 42,000 lbs. As far as loaders go pretty hard to beat a Deere 644. Take your pick: E is a little older but good solid machine. G or H pretty much the same.
D6N XL, bought a new one in '06 put over 3K hours on her. Had to sell it during the depression. Great tractor, diff. steer, PAT blade, 3 shank ripper, cab with A/C. Loved that tractor and would like to have another one. No experience with wheel loaders.
I agree with CM. A 6N is a great machine. XLs are strong and ride good. I don't think you would want an LGP in your ground conditions. We. Sold our LGP when the economy turned as well. Got a 6k now and not the same.
Considering trading up the D5G we have and going to a 6K but really want a 6N. Problem is the new 6N's are very expensive - $250K + and I can't make those numbers work at the moment. I can see how a 6K doesn't hold a candle to a 6N.
This is from the last few days Regards, CD
Love the pics as always CD, How is the new 160 treating you? Is that grizzly new or the same one you always had?
Great pics.... looks warm there for a change.
The 160 is awesome, so easy to move around. The grizzly is new, I bought two of them at RB's for $3500.00 each. The first one ran about 4000 yards and is about dusted. .75 cents a yard isn't all that bad Regards, CD
Greta pics as always, what are you working on? Looks like someone did a lot of compacting with a Ramax Any luck on finding a dozer?
The one hole with the blonde dirt is another foundation in Aspen, We usually drop the trusted rt82 down in the whole to roll when we are done. The red dirt is a big ranch we are working on, but we hit 15' of topsoil and had to move the hole after it was about done. Nice change order. Most of the work is all up in the Aspen area. I could really use some help, but can't stand new guy's. Regards, CD
Nothing wrong with change orders, especially on a job like that. We could use some guys as well but it is hard to find good people. We do everything from a shovel to driving a truck. Most guys think they are an operator or truck driver and that is it so it hard to find guys that don't mind mixing in some labor.
We are the same way, I think we have one laborer amongst the other 9 of us.
Here are a few fotos from the last few weeks. Just digging and digging. Regards, CD
Love those big sky pics.... Digging looks pretty easy for a change...
I see you still have the 750, no luck on finding a different dozer?
No, The dozer is going back to the Dealer on Monday. It has been nothing but problems. After working hard for a few hours it gets hot. The A/C does not work and it is a nightmare. They found me a 6n but the job is going crappy and I only want to keep equipment the company owns out there. We hot bad soils and had to wait and they refused to pay stand-by time while I had the dozer on rent and it upset me. Regards, CD
Sorry the 750 was so bad. I hear you on not wanting to rent. It adds up real quick and can put decent job in the hole. I am with you, try to keep your machines on the job. We try not to rent very often unless it is a pan or an ADT.
How many hrs are on the 750? we have one with 10,000 hrs and its nothing but trouble. Spent all last summer fighting it overheating. This year the hydraulic oil is overheating. Another one with 5000 hrs, two turbos and a lot of other issues. The blade was starting to crack on all the welds after 2000 hrs. Both were bought brand new. They are good dozers up to 5000 or so hours but seems like after that, they start to break down a lot faster.
The 750j had 4900 hours on it and all I could see were problems. It always ran hot after 2 hours or so and would begin to overheat. I liked the setup but whoever had it before had not taken very good care of it. Anyway's, We have continued to stay busy even though some utility work was canceled until spring. I did not have a good feeling about the blacktop and the patch on a state highway so we backed off. Regards, CD
Here a few more from the fall season. It is supposed to turn into winter tonight and Monday. It has been very mild, so it is about time to star getting cold. Regards, CD
Beautiful as always.
It is a very pretty place to have to be working in, but he suffers through looking at it every day. Looks like a pretty big job in the last set of pictures.
Lookin good CD! Did you buy a new loader? I havent been around much, but I left the town job and went back to the family business so I am back cruising HEF a lot more now!
Is that a Kawasaki loader? How is it? Looks like a nice size job, what's that going to be?
Great pictures CD and thanks for sharing them. Do you have any winter pics?
Hi fellas, So the deal is, with the Kawasaki.. They sent me a 70 z7 brand new and it could not work at altitude. I want a loader that can drop the bucket when he is pushing up at the end of the ramp. Anyhow, that one is a 67z7 hydrostat tool carrier. About the size of a 930k. It is a sweet machine, not as much rear end, better push out and power. They have done a lot better on the high altitude models. Other than that, We are getting used to the Regen's on the new iron. I don't know how Cat or Deere does it, but we get "improper shut down" quite a bit. We have them programmed with auto-shut off. And it still does not always work. I really notice how our other iron smokes as compared to the new stuff. Last year, Aspen with the County and State Patrol did a smog check on the trucks running in our valley and it was ugly. We never got in trouble, but after that, I bought the Volvo and sold a T800. It has been a sweet ride since.. We are the Volvo with a pup and getting 23t per trip. Only minor maintenance issues and EGR coolers. The new Bobcat's.. E55 and the T770 have been easy. We had some problems with a leak on the back of the boom, where the hoses go from hoses to steel. After that, everything has been fine. Bobcat did come up and put a manuel reburn kit on the 770. I bought a Metso/Nordberg CV100 screening plant and we have been getting out monies worth. Regards, CD
Great read CD! I am impressed at you ability to work through winter with that much frost in the ground. I don't see frost buckets on the equipment? do you set up ground heaters quite a bit? I cracked my boom of the old JD 490D digging 8' of frost down to a 10' water & sewer main. That was a first and a last. Last week we ran into about 18" of frost laying sewer line under a driveway took us 3 hrs to dig 60' at about 3' deep That will be our last job for the winter. I went and looked at a steam ground thawing truck, but that looked like a maintenance nightmare with production dropping to zip. Think Ill just stay in the warm shop and read some more of you thread :thumbsup Keep up the good work!
We got a call to excavate footers for a building addition. It was in a parking lot so the frost was like 36". We hired a big Vermeer road saw (I guess that's what you call it) to cut it out. Then used the excavator to pull out the blocks of frozen dirt. It really worked well. Added cost but there was no other way we could do it.
Do you use a ripper? Also helps having a coupler. My experience 18" frost is nothing with a ripper. Hardest part is getting it to look presentable when finished.
CD, thanks for the explanation. Being at sea level never had a thought about trouble with altitude. We get the "improper turbo cooldown" message on the new Volvo. We need to get the dealer to come out and set the shutdown timer for ours.
Looking good out there CD. Love the last big job pics.
Howdy, I have not loaded anything lately because my dropbox has been full and I need to have the IT guy swing by the office and help me out. Turns out, all it was, was that the credit card dropbox had was expired so when it went to renew our subscription the payment was not accepted. Anyhow, our 160 was not doing the auto shut down because the idle w.as set to high and it would not let it turn the machine off. We figured out the the power is still on inside so it helps to turns the machine to the off position at the end of the day. Or whenever possible. I do like that hoe but the DPF and all the emissions sure is a drag. Here are a few fotos from when I left off. Regards, CD
Here are a few more pictures. We are staying plenty busy. May hire an operater or two after the new year. Regards, CD
That last pic looks like a cold and windy place to work. I also noticed your heater on the Case. They used to be real popular.
Here are a few more. Since this last batch, all the snow melted and the frost came out of the ground. We had a great weather week last week but it got a bit colder and snowed some. It has been much milder this year and the ski hills are starting to get a bit worried about this year, although bookings are up. I'm going down to the sale in Denver on Tuesday, so hopefully the roads are good. It's about 3.5 hours from here. Regards, CD
Good to hear things are going well CD! Did you buy a screen? We just got dug out from a 2' storm, I still havent finished cleaning up at the shop yet, LOL. Its always the last place!
Are you guys gonna put a thumb on the 160?
Nedly, Yes. I bought the screen at RB's in Houston. It's a Metso CV100, hauls with a 5th wheel. It's super handy and only had 1400 hours when I bought it. JGibson- Not sure on the thumb for the 160. Mostly wanting to put a coupler on it. Regards, CD
Are you still restoring the kenworth tractor?
Nedly-The w900 needs some cosmetics and minor mechanical work. All in all the motor and tranny are good. It's just the little stuff, like the cab and mirrors and lights. It has been snowing a little bit and now is colder than my ex's personality. Regards, CD P.S Happy New Year!
C D bet the ski places are happy, looks like the cold weather hit you, too. I am in Florida seeing my sister, good to have friends or family in a warm place this time of the year. Hope you and everyone else here has a good New Year!
Here is some water and sewer we are installing inside a historic barn on our jobsite. The G.C's promised to have it heated and all dethawed after winter break was over, when we returned Monday they had done a thing. Even the inside, which is bone dry had to be hammered.. the poor mini was not up to it. Regards, CD
That looks like a lot of fun I think I will keep the sand and you can keep the frozen ground!
Here are a few foto's of the backfill we are on. 10' interior and over 15-20' exterior. The LF is really helping. 3 ground heaters, 6 blanket brigade troops.. Working all winter here in Colorado...pfff rain, mud and sand? just kidding Kind regards, CD
Glad to see you guys are still able to work. Seems like a lot of work to thaw the ground out but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. What are you using the long reach for?
It's been a half year since we've seen some Link Belt action..... and man do those snow filled pictures look good right about now with the heat we're all working in. Anyway, hope all is well out there and hope you haven't forgot about us. I'm sure you're busy with work this time of year though.
Hello everyone, yes I have been way busy. And now, way burnt out. Just in the middle of a massive pool dig. 70 by 90 and 12' deep. Back filled with 3600 ton of 1.4" base, compacted to 98% then re excavated. I have doubled in size and am just getting for another round of digs. Bought a kobelco 350 -8 and a Volvo l90f. Everything is going good. Just a little to much this year. Thanks for checking in. I also treated myself to a 2015 ktm xc-f 350
Looking good CD! Glad you are busy. I've doubled employees and looking to buy some iron, work load is rolling in. What's the reason to swap from Link Belt to Kobelco? I'm looking for one of those Wacker trench rollers, have you had good service out of it?
I bought the Kobelco because I had a ton of mass ex this year and I found it as a "A" lot at the auction in DFW. It was snowing and the weather was horrid. The internet wouldn't hit it because it looked rough and lacked pictures. I scored, it's strong and smooth, has a geith quik coupler and a 3 yard bucket. We are 4 passing tandems with 16' boxes. Buy a bomag instead of a wacker. It is like night and day difference.
Wow great update!!!!!! Love all the new equipment and jobs. Very inspiring to hear and see. Love the KTM. I have a few lifelong friends that are just as fanatic about KTM's and off road riding but life sure get's in the way of it all. Currently riding a KTM 250SX set up for woods but have had the 500EXC, 505SX, a couple 300XC's and even a 950 Super Enduro. Off road riding is the only thing that truly pushes every thought out of your mind and forces you to live right there in the moment. I hope to ride till I'm 70. I know Pafarmer likes the KTM's too. Top of my bucket list is a dedicated trip to Colorado and just ride for a week. Hopefully soon.... Great shots and the pool dig is insane. Looking good and I know all that progress does not come easy at all. Congrats on the big moves.
Congrats on the new equipment. Glad to see you are busy. How do you like the Volvo? I ran our Cat and our Volvo today, what a difference. Keep the pics coming!
LC, We all love the Volvo. We tried a bunch in that size and the Volvo was hands down the best. We have had great luck with it. It is a 90f and is the last of the F model with no emissions. Other than that, needing a vacation. August should pass quickly. These are kinda of mixed up, but at least you can see what we are up too. CD
Here are a few more, A very deep drywell and the pool after we finished our part.
CD, Wow great looking bigger jobs, you have enough to carry you into the winter yet?
do y'all have to move the 350 on that big of a trailer or was that just what was available we can move one on 7 axle's 1 steer 3axle group 3axle trailer
Nah, The foto of the 350 was when it came in from Fort worth, he finally got pulled over 9 miles from Colorado in Oklahoma for a "courtesy stop " by the Okies DOT. 6 hours later and $900.00 later he was on the road. He came over Monarch Pass pulling at 10mph. 168,000 lbs. Out here the 350 is fine on a triple axle lowboy and 3 axle tractor. We should be fine for winter work there is a ton going on and I have alot going on. We will probably start 2 more before november, all 3000-5000 yard digs. Regards, CD
Glad you like the Volvo. I thought the same thing that the Volvo was best out if the machines we tried. Looks like real fun job with the mini loading the bucket in the bottom of the hole. I guess the fun ones pay the best sometimes goo to hear you guys are staying busy as well.
Here is a horse arena we are building. It is 130' by 230'. We are working on the subgrade, 1' Cl 2 then 6" R.A.P then the footing. We have a dual slope laser with auto control on the t770. It make it look easy. My LB 210 needs a track tensioner if you look close. The pool project is also coming along. Regards, CD
Is that a T770? I would not trade mine for anything. The best skidder I've ever ran. Kinda likes his fuel is my only gripe.
Wow. I obviously need to learn how to read. How many hours do you have on the 770? Any problems yet?
This is an Arena I have been building for the last few months... My guy's did the subgrade and the beam wall, other than that, I have done the rest. I also had some help with the hauling. My driver retired but came back after a month, guess he missed it. Nothing major on the t770, around 800 hours. We tend to keep ours in turtle most of the time. We are super busy, the snow has already fallen in the high country and all of last week was rain and snow.
Have you ran it much? I would guess a 299 would probably out-live our 770's, but I'll take the cab comfort and FLAWLESS pilot controls on a machine that is going to get at most 350 hrs per year. If it was my bread and butter, I would more than likely have a 299D.
hey hows things going out there? haven't seen anything in quite a while