Mulching rates

[yellowdogsvc]

We have guys running for $75.00 an hour.... That's right, not a miss print... How they survive is beyond me.

That's just insane.. recent article on cost of ownership means they are working for free and have started the death spiral towards going out of business. There are guys who think it's okay to take anything as long as they get paid... Running in the red for too long means failure. There is no way around it. Money in versus money out.

 

[redprospector]

We have guys running for $75.00 an hour.... That's right, not a miss print... How they survive is beyond me.

I don't see how they can survive for long at that rate.
On my fecon, the "tools" will last about 500 hours if I'm real careful. That's a little over $6 an hour cost.
Rubber tracks, a necessary evil. On my Bobcat I'd be doing really good to get 1000 hours from a pair in the rocks I run in. So I figure 750 hours and hope for the best. Aftermarket tracks are a little better than $2500 for mine, so figure another $3.50 an hour (a lot more if you are running ASV/Terex tracks).
I'm burning about $80 in fuel a day right now. But fuel prices change so fast it's hard to figure, but right now it's about $10 bucks an hour.
Maintenance and repair, you better stick back another $10 an hour. So we're at $29.50 an hour just to turn the key on, and we haven't even thought about.......
Then there's insurance. I use a figure of $2.50 an hour
Replacement cost for the machine. I use a figure of $25 an hour.
Replacement cost for the head. I use $16 an hour.
We're at $73 an hour just to own this rig now.
I kinda like to figure a couple of bucks an hour to stick in my pocket so I can buy beans, and keep the lights on.
I know there are some things I left out, but this is the basics.

Andy

 

[Carykong]

there is plenty of work out there if ya do it for free

 

[ALittleDirtWontHurt]

$200-225/hr here

 

[PLMLLC]

I am looking at getting into a mulcher to broaden my service offerings. I have broken down most of the costs. The thing I am curious about is rubber tracks vs steel tracks. I drove a 2013 CAT 299D XHP today with steel tracks 400hrs. The CAT sales guy was telling me its the only way to go with mulching. "the tracks are constantly going to come off!" The XHP with steel tracks and head new is going to be in the neighborhood of 140k. I liked it but wasn't sold on it. I actually liked the Bobcat 770 I drove the other day better. What is everyones experience steel vs. rubber? Its a whole lot of rubber tracks to go to the steel ones and I just don't see the rubber ones blowing off all the time. Is the XHP worth the extra 20-25k?

 

[redprospector]

I am looking at getting into a mulcher to broaden my service offerings. I have broken down most of the costs. The thing I am curious about is rubber tracks vs steel tracks. I drove a 2013 CAT 299D XHP today with steel tracks 400hrs. The CAT sales guy was telling me its the only way to go with mulching. "the tracks are constantly going to come off!" The XHP with steel tracks and head new is going to be in the neighborhood of 140k. I liked it but wasn't sold on it. I actually liked the Bobcat 770 I drove the other day better. What is everyones experience steel vs. rubber? Its a whole lot of rubber tracks to go to the steel ones and I just don't see the rubber ones blowing off all the time. Is the XHP worth the extra 20-25k?

There are pro's & con's to rubber and steel tracks. In my opinion, if you're going to use the machine as a dedicated carrier for a mulching head, then you should look at something that is designed as a dedicated carrier (maybe a Fecon FTX 100 or something bigger). If you're going to be using the machine for multiple tasks then a CTL may be your best choice.
I have a Fecon FTX 90 that is my "go to" machine for mulching. I've got single grouser track shoes on it for traction. I have a Bobcat T320 with rubber tracks for a back up mulcher, and anything else I need to do with it.

 

[Marek]

I am looking at getting into a mulcher to broaden my service offerings. I have broken down most of the costs. The thing I am curious about is rubber tracks vs steel tracks. I drove a 2013 CAT 299D XHP today with steel tracks 400hrs. The CAT sales guy was telling me its the only way to go with mulching. "the tracks are constantly going to come off!" The XHP with steel tracks and head new is going to be in the neighborhood of 140k. I liked it but wasn't sold on it. I actually liked the Bobcat 770 I drove the other day better. What is everyones experience steel vs. rubber? Its a whole lot of rubber tracks to go to the steel ones and I just don't see the rubber ones blowing off all the time. Is the XHP worth the extra 20-25k?

We have several hundred hrs on a 299d with rubber tracks mulching. Once you put on the triple flange idlers and the tracks spacer then there are zero troubles to date. For us steel wasn't an option, we are often running down a paved trail or paved road to gain access to parts of the row that we do. The 299 d has been a great machine to date. I personally like the versatility of a ctl but we also focus on smaller jobs. If we did all larger clearing jobs then I would look at a dedicated machine

 

[PLMLLC]

Thank you. I am not ready to step into a fully dedicated mulching machine. As Marek said I like the versatility of a CTL. I have a project that should come close to paying for a CTL that will require the use of some other attachments so I don't want to get locked in a dedicated machine. If the business takes off then I would look a dedicated one. With the steel tracks I would agree with Marek as well. It seems there are some measures that can be taken to help prevent thrown tracks and it also limits the versatility of a CTL. If it was dedicated to mulching I would be good with it but its not. Marek.... Is the 299D worth the extra money? CAT and Bobcat dealers seem to both be good and in the same town. 30 minutes away. Is the product actually worth the extra money? Haven't heard complaints about the 770 and it actually felt more comfortable than the 299 with better sight lines. Thanks

 

[redprospector]

Thank you. I am not ready to step into a fully dedicated mulching machine. As Marek said I like the versatility of a CTL. I have a project that should come close to paying for a CTL that will require the use of some other attachments so I don't want to get locked in a dedicated machine. If the business takes off then I would look a dedicated one. With the steel tracks I would agree with Marek as well. It seems there are some measures that can be taken to help prevent thrown tracks and it also limits the versatility of a CTL. If it was dedicated to mulching I would be good with it but its not. Marek.... Is the 299D worth the extra money? CAT and Bobcat dealers seem to both be good and in the same town. 30 minutes away. Is the product actually worth the extra money? Haven't heard complaints about the 770 and it actually felt more comfortable than the 299 with better sight lines. Thanks

If It were me, and I was going to use it for multiple tasks, I'd go with rubber tracks.
As far as if the 299D is worth the extra money. Well, I think that's a personal decision.
I will say that if the 770 felt more comfortable, you might want to really consider that because hopefully you'll be spending a lot of hours sitting in whatever you choose.
My best advice is choose the brand that has a GOOD servicing dealer. You can have the best, most expensive, state of the art machine known to mankind. But if your dealer sucks....so does your machine.

 

[PLMLLC]

That is part of the debate.... the service from the CAT dealer will be awesome no doubt about it. The Bobcat dealer has 2 locations that are equal distance from me. The small one seems decent. I am going to check out the main location next week to see what its like. I am just not sure if the service difference is worth the $20k. I did like the Bobcat better. It was brand new. The CAT I drove at the local dealer was a 2013 repo. Full forestry kit with steel tracks and 400 hrs. They wanted $97k plus the mulching head. I am good friends with a family that owns an out of state CAT dealer and they were $126 for the 2014 299D XHP with mulching head, forestry kit, HD bucket and rubber tracks. $20k difference. Unless the main Bobcat dealership sucks I think I am going with the 770 and staying with the rubber tracks.

 

[WestshoreConstruction]

The 299 isn't in the same class as the 770. A 870 is the same. Test the 870 before you commit to a 770. Same frame as far as I know but more power

 

[PLMLLC]

I understand its not the same and I have considered it. When it comes down to specs I think the 770 is suited better for what I want. The 870 is considerably wider than the 770 and the mulching head itself. Not good for being in the trees. Also the 870 has 7 more hp and weighs 2000 lbs more with only .5 gpm gain. The power to weight ratio is essentially the same as well as the gpm. Hence I will go with the 770. I just don't hink I can get myself to throw down the extra on the CAT. No other dealerships close by so those are my options

 

[yellowdogsvc]

I don't think you will be disappointed with the 770. If you get the mulching head from Bobcat, you have to get their forestry kit which adds $$ to the package but in your location, with bigger trees, you might want the extra roof protection.

The 770 is definitely a refined machine. Lift the cab and look at the guts. Well designed. CAT had a major redesign in 2008 and then again in 2012 from C to D series and changed a lot. Bobcat's basic design with the cooling system hasn't changed in 14 years aside from the addition of the hydraulic fan back in the K series and now tilt-up radiators. Bobcat still pulls air in the same way and that works and is easy to keep the radiators clean.
The Bobcat cab seals up pretty good (not perfect) and the air ride seat option is worth it but I thought the CAT seat was more comfortable (I put 200 hours on the CAT air ride). The Bobcat controls are easy, comfortable and the machine logistics are easy to read and keep track of. Visibility is okay.. They all have a big rear end now to accommodate the EPA crap.

 

[PLMLLC]

I will get the head from Bobcat. The forestry kit is all included in the pricing and a definite thing to have. 2 little kids at home and the more I can do to protect myself the better. I felt like the visibility in the bobcat was better. The CAT had an aftermarket back up cam but it was hard to tell how close I was things. The CAT guy called me yesterday and it is a great machine I am sure but its 20k more. Thats a lot of money to make up.

 

[Marek]

If its a 770 with a forestry package you are looking for call Robbie Smith at Metro bobcat , I heard he had one coming in. The bobcat head is a fecon design that uses teeth that were originally only available from bobcat dealers . That may have changed. I priced out the 770 and the Cats , the Bobcat was 77k which included the almost 8k forestry package. Our machine and the bobcat were only a couple k apart and when we signed Cat had 0 percent vs 1.9 at Bobcat

 

[yellowdogsvc]

One thing to consider, on all the modern machines, is the big azz end. I probably have 12,000 hours in Bobcats and the visibility just gets worse and worse. CAT was bad, too, so it's not brand specific and probably why CAT offers a camera. Get the mirror if you get the bobcat. Not the best but it gives me an idea of what's behind me. I used to rarely back into things, now it's more common, and luckily Bobcat made a good bumper out of their frame instead of using the door as the rear bumper. Cat has always had a good bumper. Hopefully the D series continued that.

 

[kevindalley]

I have used a tree sheer attachment on my bobcat to cut down the cedar on about 90 acres of our property. Now it's time to get rid of the cedar. Since i'll be mulching trees already on the ground, any estimates on how long this will take? The coverage was pretty thick, so there are lots of trees...

thanks

 

[treemuncher]

I have used a tree sheer attachment on my bobcat to cut down the cedar on about 90 acres of our property. Now it's time to get rid of the cedar. Since i'll be mulching trees already on the ground, any estimates on how long this will take? The coverage was pretty thick, so there are lots of trees...

thanks

Assuming that you are dealing with 4"+ sized stems: About the same amount of time, or more, as if they were standing. You have not gotten rid of any wood yet or changed any volume to be mulched. You can't reach up and start cracking the main stem like you could have while it was standing in order to speed up the mulching on larger trees.

You can save yourself time and money by pushing them into piles and throwing a match at them or push them off into a ditch. Use the mulcher to get the stumps down to grade so that you can maintain with a bush hog.