2007 ASV pricing?

[QwikDraw]

Pruning is an exercise in mental toughness....the most repetitive boredom ever. 54 trees to go at about 1 - 2 hours each.

I got the list price for the Magnum from that friend who is a dealer now. A little over $27,700.00, he wasn't sure what his cost was but closer to 20k.

Debt...I just sold my Volvo excavator, an EC25 and now I'm jumping right back in to it...I have a lot of people asking why? I could have a little cash in the bank but then where am I. I still have to make a living and I am looking for a new direction where I have a lot less labor (than the hardscapes)and more machine time.

I just got the Gyrotrak DVD in the mail, that GT 25 is one mean machine. I'll have to start saving now.

Ted

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Ted

That price doesn't sound to bad. I think the prices in general are going up due to the demand for these heads. It's becoming a popular business.

I have a better idea of blade life on my timberax. Business has picked up and after sharpening them today its looking about 100 hours for a set maybe a little more if I'm careful, but its hard to be slow or picky with the customer watching your every move. Oh well. I'll be going to my machine shop to see what he can do before I order from the dealer.

Like you said since you sold your excavator you need a tractor to make money with, right???

I have personally driven a GT-25 and it's the baddest machine i have ever seen and especially driven. You can't even hear the head spinning, you can't hear it bog down you have to learn to feel it. Pressurized cab with excellent A/C. But at 300k that tractor would have a hard time paying for itself in everyday world. I'd love to land a contract that called for one. Then you spend half that much on a comparable tractor and put the other half in the bank. Now where talking. Even the small GT-13 I was told was 200k. Just to rich for my budget.

Talk later Robbie

 

[QwikDraw]

Hey Robbie,

Did you get that PM I sent you? or the flyer?

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Ted, Yes I got both. The flyer came yesterday. Good job. I would just caution who you send them to as not to waste good money. We sent a flyer to every landscape company in our county and didn't get on call. You know your market better just stretching your advertising dollar.

On the flyer,that wouldn't happen to be your barn in the background would it??? The link is pretty neat. I didn't even know such groups existed. Thanks again.

Where are you at on the ASV???

Did you read Mark's report on his demo's. He did an excellent job of accounting his impressions.

Robbie

 

[QwikDraw]

Actually the flyer picture with the barn is of a job I did last year but it was with saw and chipper. Then I popped the stumps with my Volvo excavator. It would have been perfect for a mulch head as he didn't want to plant it just keep it cleared.

Yes, Marks observations are helpful. There is still a small part of me that wants that SR80 but I know the right move is the RC100. I am still waiting on seeing a used RC100 with the Timber AX, it would save me a lot of money. The only trouble with the used machine is finding financing outside of a dealership...nightmare. I actually had a thought of a Bobcat, mainly because of the low finance rate and the new forestry package but am thinking diffrently after reading some recent posts. I am behind schedule on the orchard because of poor weather last week. I need to finish that before I buy anything, really I'm not in a hurry until I have more clearing type work lined up.

Ted

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Ted. Good point about financing. Used at a higher rate or new at a lower rate. Probably close to the same payment. When I was shopping I only looked at new for warranty, dealer support and service, and finance. Plus banks are not qiute up to speed on tractors, used equipment, and attachments. I tried my bank first and they didn't qiute work out. They handle the business banking great just not the equipment part of it.

I bet you be glad on two fronts when you finish pruning. One you'll be done PRUNING and two you'll need something to grind up the stuff you cut.

The reason i thought it was your place is I could see an excavator by the barn and I knew you had one.

In a year or so you can go back and clean up the lot again you pictured.

Talk soon. Robbie

 

[burnetma]

Ted,

Mabie Brothers also had two Timber Axes on the property. I did not discuss them while I was there, but I saw them on my way out. The funny thing is that I had talked myself into a carbide tipped machine because I was afraid of all of the rocks in my area. Robbie had mentioned that he just tried to be careful with his Timber Ax not to hit rocks. Well the first thing I did with the Fecon is mulch a 5" tree next to a downed larger tree. As I started to grind the stump of the smaller tree, I heard the cutter sing a different tune. I ended up grinding more than an inch of the top of a shale outcrop that was between the two stumps. I got out and looked at the cutter to see if there was any damage and there was none, but Paul said that I would have bought a whole section of blades if it were a Timber Axe. Lesson learned: I am not careful enough for that kind of machine.

Mark

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Mark

I hear you poking fun at me!!!! Just kidding.

There lyes the advantage of a carbide toothed head. Down here my head will usually throw rocks when hit rather than grind them. You can also tell when you hit rock by the white dust emitting from the head.

No matter how well you check an area you will hit a rock or two. Just the nature of the business. Just have to watch for dust as to minimize damage.

What is shoal rock? Describe it for me. I think I have an idea.

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Hey Mark and Ted just a quicky.

When purchasing your machines do your best to get everthing on now. I priced a forestry door today for I am having issues. OH MY!!! They think very highly of those units. I'll have to rethink that purchase and/or another route.

 

[burnetma]

Robbie,

I am not poking fun at you. Quite the opposite. I am THE Proverbial Bull in a China Shop. I can break a anvil given the right opportunity.

Shale is a type of stone that is actually made up of layers of deposits of organic material and contains some oil (cutter lubrication). It is very brittle and breaks off in layers and small pieces. An outcrop is an area where the stone has been pushed up out of the ground and is like an iceburg with the majority still hidden under the surface. If I hit an outcrop of conglomerate, which is more often found in Eastern NY, NH, CT, the cutter would not have fared very well.

Yes, I will be getting my RC equiped with all of the forestry bells and whistles. The dealer has advised me that buying piece meal is a good way to spend a whole lot of money. I got the quote from Mabie's today, but I have to wait until tomorrow to clarify a few items. Came in about where I expected...