How often do you actually use your backhoe? (BX and B size)

[California]

I use mine enough to be glad I bought it.

Absolutely the correct response!

Some say the BH is a bad ROI... I don't care. I smile every time I use it... and stuff gets done.

Although I'm a bit concerned by no pics.....

Here's a pic I haven't posted before. I made the washing machine's drainfield far longer - cutting roots every inch of the way down a line of shrubs. This would have been a nightmare hacking every root with a hatchet. Easy peasy on the backhoe. Big smile!

 

[ovrszd]

And you have an excellent Canopy!!!!

 

[Diggin It]

There is no way I could have dug out all those threes and shrubs that I have in the last few days without one. I might have been able to do it 30 years ago, but it would have taken me a week or more instead of a few hours.

 

[California]

To be honest I should note that a DitchWitch (digger like a jumbo chainsaw) is more productive than a backhoe for a narrow pipe trench. We got an incredible amount of work done within a half-day rental when I trenched to replace all the underground water mains. I had estimated that to be a full day rental.

(The corridor between barn and fence was too narrow to use the backhoe that time).

 

[dragoneggs]

To be honest I should note that a DitchWitch (digger like a jumbo chainsaw) is more productive than a backhoe for a narrow pipe trench. We got an incredible amount of work done within a half-day rental when I trenched to replace all the underground water mains. I had estimated that to be a full day rental.

(The corridor between barn and fence was too narrow to use the backhoe that time).

I will admit that I had to rent one to run a waterline to the lower garden where I couldn't access certain area with my BH. They are sure handy as well and fast.

 

[electrycmonk]

Here's a pic I haven't posted before. I made the washing machine's drainfield far longer - cutting roots every inch of the way down a line of shrubs. This would have been a nightmare hacking every root with a hatchet. Easy peasy on the backhoe. Big smile!

View attachment 644597

And you had natural umbrella cool shade the entire trench of the way! Can't beat that with a stick, erm, root!

 

[electrycmonk]

I jumped back n forth between a BH and trencher before I finally found this BH....

Sadly the one huge reason I never got the trencher was how much **** the guys who installed our fence had with all this rock just inches below the surface.....

My previous posts have plenty of those rocks front and center that really were right together supper tight..... My tetrising skills are fantastic but, mother nature takes this cake every stinkin' time I cut into the dirt.

 

[Diggin It]

And you had natural umbrella cool shade the entire trench of the way! Can't beat that with a stick, erm, root!

I get that close under a tree, I get loaded with Ticks, Chiggers and who knows what else in the way of creepy crawlers.

 

[California]

I get that close under a tree, I get loaded with Ticks, Chiggers and who knows what else in the way of creepy crawlers.

Wow where are you?

There's nothing hostile here. (NorCal).

 

[John White]

I started out with a little NH 1900 series with a little woods backhoe, back in 2000 during the housing boom. I put a ad in the paper, drainage ditches dug, holes for planting. I was nearing retirement age due to health issues as a mechanic. First thing you know I had more than I could do. Bought a little Mitsubishi dozer. Then really got busy. Called it my Tinker Toy excavating. Playing with the toys I didn't have when a kid. Larger excavating companies would call me to do jobs that was not profitable for them or couldn't get eqpt in. I closed my garage and did this full time for about 8 years till the bust. Then bought a JCB 212 to do larger jobs. Had wore the NH and Woods out. Sold both of them for more than I paid for them. Then bought another NH 1720 and another little Woods BH to use around the house. Used it when we built our new house, putting in water lines, elec. lines sewer lines, holes for trees. Got everything done and the BH just sort of set back inside the garage. I sold the NH. and bought a little Kubota B3030 as I was getting to the age where I wanted AC and heat in winter grading snow. Found out the woods would not fit on the Kubota, and so it just sat. I could always haul the JCB if needed from my shop 10 mi away but just the hassle of getting my big trailer out (it was a catchall for all the junk in the shop) I neglected alot of little jobs I needed to do. I wasn"t about to spend $6000. for a dedicated frame mount BH for the Kubota. So a month ago I ran on to a Bobcat ct335 LH BH that had some issues with it. (fuel injection pump and other issues) I am working through them. So If I like it I have several chores for it and will sell the little B3030 and probably the JCB too as I am not able to do excavating much any more and people wont quit asking me or want to borrow it. A BH is like the 45 I keep tucked under my pillow. I never use it but how much would it be worth if I needed it?