Tractor vs skid steer

[barbender]

That comes with trade offs too, Mike- I wonder about the longevity of the CTL machines. Will any of them still be functioning at the hours that your dozer has?

[chevytaHOE5674]

Very true lots of 1950s vintage dozers around with more hours than imaginable, doubt you will see a SS or CTL with 20k+ hours in 50+ years time.


As for the guy breaking concrete up he is using what he has. Sure a hammer on the CTL or MiniX would break it up must faster but unless your busting concrete all day long to make that attachment pencil out you use the bought and paid for grapple bucket.

Its easy to spend somebody else's money telling them how they should do something. When your the guy writing the check and making things actually make you money you often have to use what ya got even if it isn't ideal.

[mike_belben]

That comes with trade offs too, Mike- I wonder about the longevity of the CTL machines. Will any of them still be functioning at the hours that your dozer has?

I never ask a woman how old she is or a machine how many hours it has.  Are you gonna do what i ask today or give me grief is all i need to know. 
My dozer has a full reskin on the blade, top to bottom.  the blade pivots have no bushings at all.. Huge slop in there.  The blade frame has been snapped plum off and rewelded.  Its gotta be 10 to 20k hrs.  Looking at the driveway you cant tell a turd built this place. 
I got it for less than i could get now and have hardly spent anything on it.  Just keeps pushing. 

[Satamax]

As for the guy breaking concrete up he is using what he has. Sure a hammer on the CTL or MiniX would break it up must faster but unless your busting concrete all day long to make that attachment pencil out you use the bought and paid for grapple bucket.

Its easy to spend somebody else's money telling them how they should do something. When your the guy writing the check and making things actually make you money you often have to use what ya got even if it isn't ideal.

Yep sure, i totally agree. Mind you, when i see him loading the tipper, i feel uncomfortable. Check his other videos, and tell me what you think.  What i've seen him doing lately, "lifting" a roof. Without any clue of what he's doing. Center of gravity? Bracing? What's that? Or nicking soil from people, and mixing it with rocks. It is not even to salvage it. Here, if the customer hasn't asked specifically to remove the soil, and get rid of it. You leave it on the property. In a pile. 
 

[PoginyHill]

I've watched many of Camarata videos. He has an excavator hammer. I think he was simply doing that with the CTL to show his audience his recent purchase. I think recently his "business" is as much YouTube income as anything else. Part work - part entertainment. He is a very unique guy. He has used a chainsaw to cut a hole in his dash for a radio.

[DDW_OR]

my list of equipment to buy, in order

4x4 tractor with loader, 30 HP or larger
Excavator with dozer blade and thumb, 10,000 pound or larger

Tractor attachments:
trailer hitch
skidder winch
grader blade or box scraper. I have never used a box scraper but have thought of getting a Hydraulic one

Excavator attachments
Frost ripper tooth, great for removing stumps.
Grapple with Rotater
post hole auger
Jackhammer, for boulders and pounding in t-posts

[Hogdaddy]

I've used a large SS now for years to load hardwood logs. .works great, you can park the truck right next to the logs, doesn't take much room. I have grouser steel tracks for wet weather, probably could load logs in a pond with them on..  without the tracks, nearly worthless, in a wet spot. (thinking about getting a knucleboom) I Skid with a 548E skidder. 

I wouldn't even attempt to skid logs with SS, unless it was just a tree every now and then. SS definently have their place, but rough or wet ground isn't the place for them. 

[Ventryjr]

I agree with the few above. There is a large difference between 35hp skidsteers and 95hp CTL. 

[pclausen]

I use a John Deere 5085M for skidding and loading logs.