Opinions on backhoes.........

[jmattox1]

Asked the same question when purchased mine a year ago.

Land is 2.12 acres on a stairstep that need lots of work.

My wife asked when we purchased a year ago do we have X amount $'s of work to justify purchasing against renting.... Hmmmm let me see.

In the barn when needed- have 2 hours of light left... knock out a small project or get started at your convienance

Need to put in a retaining wall into a hill- Grader Box, FEL won't work BH will

Need to bury downspout tiles

Put in a perimeter drain at footing

Remove alot of smaller trees and stumps

Make flower beds on a hill for wife

Yeah, I think it is worth the extra costs.

Down side
Was extra expense at purchase and short reach. I have a JD4210 with a #47BH- will dig 7' but only a 6' swing.

Is a little slow to other BH's but it works for me.

Best thing I can say is know your projects and sum it up--Do not forget to test drive before purchasing to know equipments limitations.

 

[WCarlson]

I went with a JD 4200 instead of the 4100 I was considering specifically because it was BH capable. After a little more than two years of use, I wouldn't be without it. Not only do I use it for digging of stumps and the normal digging chores, I use it as a crane. Last week I replaced twelve railway ties that hold up my driveway, after 40 years they had rotted out. I was able to do the job in three days including picking up the ties 30 miles away from home. I used the hoe with a chain and hooks at the bucket pivot to unload ties from the trailer, used the BH to jerk the ties and transport them to their resting place. Then I placed a screw eye at the balance point of each new tie and used the BH as a crane to exactly position and lower each new tie. Could the job have been done without a hoe? Certainly, but only with an order of magnitude less convenience and not with only one person working. My advice: If you can afford it, do it. You won't regret it.

Bill

 

[RobS]

Hi Gregg, I've not owned my backhoe long enough to speak from experience but so far I'm thrilled. Here's the list I created to justify it...

Drywells for downspouts
Drywell for washer
Windowells
Culvert walls
Patio construction
Camper retaining wall
Minibarn footings
Barn clearing
Barn footings
Misc. Landscaping
Transplanting

Of course I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that half of the justification is the toy value. But hey, it's cheaper and will get me in less trouble than a lot of the toys other guys are picking up these days.

This is also something that should last my lifetime or more, will provide countless hours of entertainment as well as increasing my productivity around the homestead. I'd say go for it, but don't try to convince anyone you're justifying it purely on the financials /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CTyler]

Hi...

I have been debating on what to do regarding the four down spouts on my 50x64 shop.

Can you tell me how you did your dry wells for the down spouts?

I assume you dig a hole or trench, install a perf pipe(?), fill it with clean rock and cover it with material. How deep, big etc...? Hows it working out? What do you have now and what would you change if anything?

Thanks
Chris

 

[RobS]

<font color="blue"> Can you tell me how you did your dry wells for the down spouts?
</font>

Hi Chris, I haven't done this yet but probably will in another week or two. I'm going way overboard but I plan on putting in Infiltrator sections to deal with the water. Last fall I ran all the downspouts underground with 4" corrugated pipe. Right now each end terminates above ground. My theory is I spent the time and effort to take the water underground so I want to keep it there.

I had originally planned to dig a hole and fill it with gravel. Trouble is, the gravel eats up the storage capacity. The infiltrator sections remain hollow so they can store the water as it is percing into the soil.

I'm sure it's overkill, but I'm OK with that. The sections are only $26 each so the cost isn't too bad. I'll still have an overflow pipe to handle the bigger rains but most of the time I should never see it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Oh yeah, I do plan on photographing my project so stay tuned /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif