Monster Showed Up Today

[Eagleview]

Congrats CB for having the batteries big enough to take on that sort of debt . I'd love that machine but would not find work for it in OZ . I have enough trouble when people ring me asking my hourly slashing rate , when i tell them $110ph the phone goes silent , then they tell me they can get it done for $66ph . I have a brand new TL100A 4X4 New Holland tractor with an 8' mower/mulcher that walks through stuff up to 2" leaving scrub like lawn and it has an 84" grapple rake that i pile thier junk into piles instead of mowing around . My oposition has a $3000 45hp tractor with a 5' slasher , no blade/rake , no rego , no insurance and leaves the place looking like crap , but it's the $ph they are looking for . I'd have no chance at getting a job with words like $300ph which you have too get to make payments , repairs , insurance , fuel , money to carry us through wet/quiet times and seeing as were not doing it for fun , some sort of proffit , if you can't get that sort of money your better off putting a paper hat on and working at the drive through at McDonalds .

 

[Eagleview]

What i wanted to say but my fingers did not convey is that it will be hard to convince people that your mulching machine is so much better than the chap with the TL150 that has quoted mulching @ $150 per hour . And that your machine can do 3 times the work and take on bigger bush , as the $150 is lodged in their brains . They just think mulching is mulching as my customers think slashing is slashing . The large utillity companies will as you say be where you will find your market .

 

[cbturf]

The Supertrak is having some issues!!! Yesterday the Bullhog destroyed a belt and I put a new one on this morning and after 7 hours the same belt blew up again. The Engine is also way down on power. I jumped back in the FTX-140 and it will run circles around the Supertrak. It is so much more manuverable and even seems to cut better. It will run through the small material just as fast as the 300 but it will move back and over to get lined up with the next cut twice as fast. Needless to say if the 300 does not get better I will not be spending $350k when the small machine is faster less than half of the cost and only burns 50 gallons per day. Since the supertrak is down until probably Tuesday I will be on the 140 all day tomorrow. I will let you all know how it does on a full day scale compared to the 300.

 

[Cat_Driver]

then they tell me they can get it done for $66ph

Unless you are super busy all the time at 110ph, quote the 66ph, and work at 1/2 speed, and you would be at 122ph.

Tell them you clear x amount of acres per hr. ( equal the 66ph competition ) OR tell them at 110ph, you will get twice the acres cleared.

I would flat out say " the going rate is x amount an acres at 66ph, or x amount an acres at 110ph." SInce it seems they already know what the going rate ( the br is set by the low baller ) is before they call you any way, you would be one step ahead of them saying " I can get it done for xx ph"

Granted this formula doesn't work if you have to turn down 110ph business, but if it's a choice between 66ph, and 0.00 ph.

Anyway just my thoughts.

 

[Tracker]

Hate to say it but I apprecaite you testing those new Fecon cutter knives. I have been wanting to test them but you answered my question - I'll stick with the carbides.

Regards - Ron

Ok a full day of running and I have an update. The GOOD is the huge power runs through this small pinyon and juniper trees like warm butter. Yes JB once I get good on it it will probably run 3 acres per hour. Gets a little better fuel economy than I was expecting only about 90 gallons today but I cut it 2 hours short. The BAD I hate the dozer controls (they are backwards when you are in reverse). I spent most of the day trying to get the front end to turn the right direction when I was backing up. The knives are toast! That is why I had to stop early so now I get to replace 48 broken knives with carbides tomorrow. The UGLY, the guy running the grinder.

D.O. how bout you mooch me that RTV 1100 to haul fuel up the hill.
JB and Maka the numbers are skewed a little The job that I was in heavy rock and billygoat steep on the first job.
QD it runs really smooth with the 30 in track pads and the air suspension seat. Of course everything is relative don't forget I came out of a very small tractor compared to this one, it may be as rough as can be I just don't know it because of the beating I took in the little machine on the last job .
Jfox the cat cab is SWEET for the first time since I started mulching I got to listen to a certian right wing conservative commentator today.
RV I will only work by the acre with my big machine...Uncle Sam made me a cobat live saver for when by buddies got shot, he taught me nothing about what to do upon spontaneous cardiac arrest when you give a customer the hourly charge for a 300hp mulcher.

 

[Eagleview]

Unless you are super busy all the time at 110ph, quote the 66ph, and work at 1/2 speed, and you would be at 122ph.

Tell them you clear x amount of acres per hr. ( equal the 66ph competition ) OR tell them at 110ph, you will get twice the acres cleared.

I would flat out say " the going rate is x amount an acres at 66ph, or x amount an acres at 110ph." SInce it seems they already know what the going rate ( the br is set by the low baller ) is before they call you any way, you would be one step ahead of them saying " I can get it done for xx ph"

Granted this formula doesn't work if you have to turn down 110ph business, but if it's a choice between 66ph, and 0.00 ph.

Anyway just my thoughts.

Thanks for your reply . I have thought of a simillar scheme , what i may need to do is to buy a 6' slasher and run at the lower rate . If i mow grass/woody weeds and 2" regrowth with the flail mower at 5 kph i do about 2 acres per hour as it has an 8' cut . If i was to run at half speed i'd only be doing 2.5kph and it would look like i was slacking it . It's funny , i buy all brand new gear and do a fast top class job and they opt for the cheapie . It may take some more time to get known , the Real Estate Agents i contract for say i put $50,000 value on every rough block they sell . As you mulchers would know , a buyer will pay top dollar for a block that is selectively cleared and looking like parkland but wont get out of the car if it's just scrub they can't see past . Fuel has just hit $1.57per litre , if it get much dearer i'll be trying on one of those paper hats .