Property line trail/ track

NS Gearhead · Apr 9, 2015

I went though the trail and it looks like I'll have to take down 2 trees at least and maybe a couple more to fit... I'll also be renting the jackhammer for another weekend before the skidsteer just to make sure it won't have a hard time traveling the trail.

Man, I am STOKED!

fordmantpw · Apr 9, 2015

NS Gearhead said:
Well I've been saving for almost a year, and I've finally booked this for a week at the end of jun/ start of july!

Mine just won't have the tooth bar, and I believe it's got an 84" bucket, but I'll have to check.

So, some numbers to throw out there; 10km/hr max speed, 21 cubic foot bucket, .5km gravel pile to house, .5km trail length. So the average trip will be .75km, or 1.5km round trip. 9min or roughly 6 trips per hour... let's round down to 5. 5 trips per hour times 40 hours (other work to do that should take a day)= 200 trips X 21 cubic feet= 4200 cubic feet or 155.5 yards or around 10 tandem loads.

I'll be smoothing trail as I go, so should be able to travel at a good speed, although maybe not full speed, and I'll be compacting as I go too. I asked if they had a bigger bucket, but they don't. What are your thoughts of me getting some 6X1/4" flat bar and tacking that around the bucket so it holds more/ trip? Then just grind off before bringing back?

I'm not sure how much that is going to cost you for a week, but I would think you would be money (and definitely time) ahead by finding someone with a dump truck (doesn't have to be tandem for that distance) that you can hire for a day to do the hauling, then just move it around with the skid steer once hauled to the location. I would think you could save at least 2, if not 3, days.

NS Gearhead · Apr 9, 2015

fordmantpw said:
I'm not sure how much that is going to cost you for a week, but I would think you would be money (and definitely time) ahead by finding someone with a dump truck (doesn't have to be tandem for that distance) that you can hire for a day to do the hauling, then just move it around with the skid steer once hauled to the location. I would think you could save at least 2, if not 3, days.

This is going on trails, not roads. Check it out;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5vXM5vo1s0

The rental is going to cost me aprox. $1,500. Rental, tax, insurance, drop off and pick up. Not sure how much fuel it will burn, but that's extra. After 4 days you get it for free by the week... as in renting it for 4 days= $1,500... 50 hours run time. I don't think we have offroad dumpers around here small enough... but even if we did, renting two machines surely wouldn't be any cheaper.

fordmantpw · Apr 9, 2015

NS Gearhead said:
This is going on trails, not roads. Check it out;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5vXM5vo1s0

The rental is going to cost me aprox. $1,500. Rental, tax, insurance, drop off and pick up. Not sure how much fuel it will burn, but that's extra. After 4 days you get it for free by the week... as in renting it for 4 days= $1,500... 50 hours run time. I don't think we have offroad dumpers around here small enough... but even if we did, renting two machines surely wouldn't be any cheaper.

I was thinking dump half at each end of the trail, then use the skid steer to haul it the rest of the way to the middle of the trail. I would think you could get those 10 loads hauled for $500 (it costs me $60/load to have it hauled 10 miles each way), figure two days rental of the skid steer at $750 for a total of $1250 and saves you 2-3 days of time. That doesn't include the fuel savings.

At any rate, it should be fun and it will sure beat the heck out of using a shovel!

NS Gearhead · Apr 9, 2015

Ok, I see what you mean. The gravel pile is not reachable by dump truck.

NS Gearhead · Apr 10, 2015

NS Gearhead said:
I asked if they had a bigger bucket, but they don't. What are your thoughts of me getting some 6X1/4" flat bar and tacking that around the bucket so it holds more/ trip? Then just grind off before bringing back?

Anyone? Heck, I may just ask if they have a problem with me doing this.. or I could make something that slides on and locks into place...or uses a couple existing bolt holes. Of course this would require more material and fab time.

Larro Darro · Apr 10, 2015

NS Gearhead said:
Anyone? Heck, I may just ask if they have a problem with me doing this.. or I could make something that slides on and locks into place...or uses a couple existing bolt holes. Of course this would require more material and fab time.

I would doubt they would be happy about you welding and cutting on their equipment. But it won't hurt to ask.

Larro

fordmantpw · Apr 10, 2015

NS Gearhead said:
Ok, I see what you mean. The gravel pile is not reachable by dump truck.

Well then, that throws my idea out the window.

rd_macgregor · Apr 10, 2015

I doubt a rental place would be enthusiastic about you welding on their equipment. You might ask around and see if anybody has a bigger bucket that you could borrow. I presume it attaches with standard skid-steer QA.