Buying Advice 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get?

   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #21  
Thanks. I tend to suspect ethanol gas is more problematic in small engine carbs that aren’t adjustable, but it is just my own suspicion.
 
   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #23  
Backhoes are nice but are limited when compared to a excavator. Much slower. Reach is limited. Limited ability to throw spoils and so on. Really the only good thing about a backhoes is the FEL capability. In the construction world they have become obsolete. Great all around machine but they dont do any one thing great.

As some who operates machinery (farm and construction) Id suggest a 308 to a 315 sized excavator with a blade. tree removal will be much easier and trail development would be a breeze.
Another thing a backhoe has over an excavator is it can be roaded. I would road my NH or case 580 Super M up to 20 miles.
Try that with an excavator.

Also a backhoe can do snow work, if you live in cold climates.
Try that with an excavator.

Also a backhoe is an excellent “rescue” piece. I have gotten a farm tractor stuck twice in 20 years and the only thing that could get me out is a backhoe. It was driven, over the road, into the field, and pulled my stuck ag tractor out using the dipperstick and a strong chain.

An excavator would have to be loaded, chained down, driven to site, unchained, pull out tractor (tearing up field with steel tracks), reloaded, chained down, driven home, unchained & unloaded.
 
   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #24  
Another thing a backhoe has over an excavator is it can be roaded. I would road my NH or case 580 Super M up to 20 miles.
Try that with an excavator.

Also a backhoe can do snow work, if you live in cold climates.
Try that with an excavator.

Also a backhoe is an excellent “rescue” piece. I have gotten a farm tractor stuck twice in 20 years and the only thing that could get me out is a backhoe. It was driven, over the road, into the field, and pulled my stuck ag tractor out using the dipperstick and a strong chain.

An excavator would have to be loaded, chained down, driven to site, unchained, pull out tractor (tearing up field with steel tracks), reloaded, chained down, driven home, unchained & unloaded.
Actually tracks have less weight on soil than a backhoe. So the backhoe would be causing more damage to the soil. Its why more farmers are starting to use track machines. Less compaction.

The OP is wanting something for his 30 acres was my understanding. I dont believe he was looking to move it from one place to another.

As for the snow work. True an excavator isn't going to offer anything. but i dont see people using a backhoe either for snow removal other than parking lots. Can a guy get by on a backhoe for his property. Sure but tractors offer more versatility in this area.

Fact is backhoes are obsolete. The hydraulics are very slow. He will be very limited in tree removal with a backhoe. An excavator will work circles around a backhoe all day every day. IF it stays on property. With out a doubt the excavator is a much better option than a backhoe.

Personally i dont think what you have highlighted makes a great case for purchasing a backhoe over an excavator. Too many positives owning an excavator over a backhoe that you can't deny.
 
   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #25  
Actually tracks have less weight on soil than a backhoe. So the backhoe would be causing more damage to the soil. Its why more farmers are starting to use track machines. Less compaction.

The OP is wanting something for his 30 acres was my understanding. I dont believe he was looking to move it from one place to another.

As for the snow work. True an excavator isn't going to offer anything. but i dont see people using a backhoe either for snow removal other than parking lots. Can a guy get by on a backhoe for his property. Sure but tractors offer more versatility in this area.

Fact is backhoes are obsolete. The hydraulics are very slow. He will be very limited in tree removal with a backhoe. An excavator will work circles around a backhoe all day every day. IF it stays on property. With out a doubt the excavator is a much better option than a backhoe.

Personally i dont think what you have highlighted makes a great case for purchasing a backhoe over an excavator. Too many positives owning an excavator over a backhoe that you can't deny.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I’d rather have an excavator, too.

But when you said they are really limited compared to an excavator, I would argue the excavator is actually more limited more than the backhoe. Excavator will dig much stronger & faster, but backhoe can do things an excavator simply cannot do. It is also more versatile.

Another thing a backhoe can do that an excavator can’t do is work on pavement or blacktop areas without damaging them (if it has steel tracks). An excavator cannot do that.

If the OP plans to work across his driveway, he is limited to a rubber tracks excavator.
 
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   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #26  
As some who owns both a TLB and an excavator, a small ag tractor and 2 UTV, dump trailer, flatbed, etc. AL well used, I appreciate the utility and capabilities each machine offers.
About the only thing I can contribute is that I agree with 99% of the argument made in this post, and offer these considerations:
After your homestead is established, what equipment as a bare minimum will be needed to operate your place? Get that machine now and don't skimp. Don't get a TLB, if it is something you would not keep.
TLB is not the best for construction, but if long term projects are in the future, having a swiss army knife is indispensable.
What makes sense to buy to do the construction that you can resell after construction development, and holds its value best?
I think the best for land development & constructionis a 5-12 ton excavator and a track steer. If bought new the stuff we have on the farm would be 3/4 million. We could never afford this, so we are lucky to have running useable old equipment. I don't envy trying to build in the current economy.
 
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   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #27  
I have a buddy who bought a full size Buchus Erie excavator for $5000. It needed hoses and had 8000 hrs on it. He wanted to build barns and create fields on his property.
He bought it with the idea he was going to sell it after he completed his jobs. That was 20 yrs ago.
It now has 12,000 hrs on it
 
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   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #28  
I'm sure your correct for the construction world. An excavator has a huge advantage over a backhoe for digging and tree removal. But it's probably the very worse machine for moving material. If you buy an excavator, you have to buy a loader or a dump truck, or some combination of machines to carry material.

What makes a backhoe the best all around machine for a farm is it's ability to dig, remove trees, haul materials and travel over the ground at a reasonable speed. Tires are always faster and easier to travel on then tracks. But for me, the reason I like the backhoe the best is that I rarely have to get off of the seat. For big trees, I have to use a chainsaw to cut it down, but for smaller trees, I just pluck them out of the ground, turn the seat around, pick them up, and carry them to the burn pile. Nothing is faster or easier. If I need dirt to fill in the hole from the stump, I can dig it with my hoe, haul it with my front bucket, spread it out, compact it by driving over the fresh dirt, add more dirt and spread it with the bucket until it's impossible to ever know that a tree had been there.
Have L4701 with BH92 R4 tires use machine around house and property.Track machine will tear ground up rubber or metal verses R4s on tractor being careful not in 4wd cutting wheels hard gunning throttle obviously.Have 20 acres in western NC ran full size BH for years on cranberrry farm in southern NJ Ford 555 and lastly JD 410G ext hoe as well as JD 160GLC excavator I’ve been very pleased with L4701 pound for pound BH 92 is built as good as any back hoe arm Ive ran now not as fast as full size BH but for one fill line and one return line with hydraulics I’m impressed with years on bigger machines.I totally agree tires are faster and cheaper than tracks I have cleared and burned up trees and stumps probably around 500 mainly Leland cypreess with chain saw,BH,and forks.Now I did rent an Bob Cat Ex85 excavator with thumb when I burnt my first large pile didn’t want to get tractor close to fire,last couple piles kept smaller used tractor.
IMG_0846.jpeg
 
   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #29  
Actually tracks have less weight on soil than a backhoe. So the backhoe would be causing more damage to the soil. Its why more farmers are starting to use track machines. Less compaction.

The OP is wanting something for his 30 acres was my understanding. I dont believe he was looking to move it from one place to another.

As for the snow work. True an excavator isn't going to offer anything. but i dont see people using a backhoe either for snow removal other than parking lots. Can a guy get by on a backhoe for his property. Sure but tractors offer more versatility in this area.

Fact is backhoes are obsolete. The hydraulics are very slow. He will be very limited in tree removal with a backhoe. An excavator will work circles around a backhoe all day every day. IF it stays on property. With out a doubt the excavator is a much better option than a backhoe.

Personally i dont think what you have highlighted makes a great case for purchasing a backhoe over an excavator. Too many positives owning an excavator over a backhoe that you can't deny.
TLBs sink really deep on soft ground. I would never drive one anywhere near where an Ag tractor got stuck.
Hope that a long chain was used.
 
   / 30 acres and plans to build a new house - Equipment to get? #30  
Have L4701 with BH92 R4 tires use machine around house and property.Track machine will tear ground up rubber or metal verses R4s on tractor being careful not in 4wd cutting wheels hard gunning throttle obviously.Have 20 acres in western NC ran full size BH for years on cranberrry farm in southern NJ Ford 555 and lastly JD 410G ext hoe as well as JD 160GLC excavator I’ve been very pleased with L4701 pound for pound BH 92 is built as good as any back hoe arm Ive ran now not as fast as full size BH but for one fill line and one return line with hydraulics I’m impressed with years on bigger machines.I totally agree tires are faster and cheaper than tracks I have cleared and burned up trees and stumps probably around 500 mainly Leland cypreess with chain saw,BH,and forks.Now I did rent an Bob Cat Ex85 excavator with thumb when I burnt my first large pile didn’t want to get tractor close to fire,last couple piles kept smaller used tractor.View attachment 2513243
BH are good if you don't have anything else. I have ran both BH and excavators and hands down the excavator out works them. IS there cons like moving from one site to another or tearing the yard up. Sure but if its getting moved then that doesn't matter. Tearing up the yard can be minimal if you try on an excavator. The points for using a BH over an a track ho are minimal and some just aren't worth mentioning. Price is probably a big concern for most homeowners. You can get BHs cheaper than a track ho for sure.
 

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