Best Mini Skid Steer for tree work

[arbor pro]

I will let you all know about the s800tx as I should take delivery of mine in the first or second week of January. Sticker price was 27,5 but I outfitted mine with a branch manager grapple, scoop, and rake attachments and will come out to 34 and change out the door. Spendy yes but the power and compactness is what I was looking for plus the hi/lo hydro is a major plus for me as I am heading into other venues aside from just tree work. I want to eek out every potential $ that machine has to offer and then some.

I'll expect a full review... congrats!

 

[flushcut]

Thank you! I will let you know how she works. I have used a dingo, prentice110s mt52, and a s600 (just in the Vermeer yard) with wheels so I have a few likes and dislikes to compare it to.

 

[arbor pro]

Thank you! I will let you know how she works. I have used a dingo, prentice110s mt52, and a s600 (just in the Vermeer yard) with wheels so I have a few likes and dislikes to compare it to.

Gotta get you on a sk650 too. Far as I'm concerned, that's the top dog to beat right now and I'd really be interested to know how the two stack up against each other.

You're in WI, I'm in SD - maybe we need to meet half way in MN and host our own contractor field days with mini skids - but not like the vague reviews these industry magazines write up for fear of losing dealer advertising (no offense TCI and others but they are pretty vague) - we'll tell it like it is - the good and the bad as a contractor sees it. Who's game?

AP

 

[flushcut]

They are vague indeed. That sounds like a good idea we will have to stay in touch and work something out as far as scheduling is concerned.

 

[sawinredneck]

I love my little Thomas for what it is, two levers, forward and reverse for drive that can be run with one hand, a joystick for the bucket allowing you to do multiple moves at one time and two more forward and backward controls for the aux. points. Simple.
I wish it was a bit heavier, it just sucks trying to dig in this hard KS clay, I've built a tooth bar but am going to have to build a scarifier for it to break up the ground.
I wish it would lift higher, this is the machines main drawback, it will just barely clear the sides of an average dump trailer but wont go high enough to clear the sides of my '04 F150.
Sure, it would be nice if it could lift more, but I have to remember how small it really is and what it's for.
TNTtree put it best, the Thomas 25G is the Chevy of mini skids, it's not the best at everything, it's good at everything, it's easy to find parts for and once you learn the tricks, it's fairly easy to work on.
For what it is, what I paid for it and what it's done for me, I can't complain at all! If I had the money and the work I certainly wouldn't think twice about buying a bigger Boxer with the Thomas style controls, but for my limited use with it, it's mainly used to replace my broken back now, it's the cats ass!

 

[treeman75]

I will let you all know about the s800tx as I should take delivery of mine in the first or second week of January. Sticker price was 27,5 but I outfitted mine with a branch manager grapple, scoop, and rake attachments and will come out to 34 and change out the door. Spendy yes but the power and compactness is what I was looking for plus the hi/lo hydro is a major plus for me as I am heading into other venues aside from just tree work. I want to eek out every potential $ that machine has to offer and then some.

You are going to love the set up! I have a s600tx with a BMG and love it, I would sleep with the damn thing if I could. This past season was the first season, we havent draged brush or hand loaded logs all year. It shows up on time and never complains. You will be so much more productive and your guys wont get so wore out.

 

[treeman75]

Gotta get you on a sk650 too. Far as I'm concerned, that's the top dog to beat right now and I'd really be interested to know how the two stack up against each other.

You're in WI, I'm in SD - maybe we need to meet half way in MN and host our own contractor field days with mini skids - but not like the vague reviews these industry magazines write up for fear of losing dealer advertising (no offense TCI and others but they are pretty vague) - we'll tell it like it is - the good and the bad as a contractor sees it. Who's game?

AP

I would be up for that and I think ole yeller would like to go on a road trip too! Im about 4 hours from the cities. Let me know.

 

[murphy4trees]

I will let you all know about the s800tx as I should take delivery of mine in the first or second week of January. Sticker price was 27,5 but I outfitted mine with a branch manager grapple, scoop, and rake attachments and will come out to 34 and change out the door. Spendy yes but the power and compactness is what I was looking for plus the hi/lo hydro is a major plus for me as I am heading into other venues aside from just tree work. I want to eek out every potential $ that machine has to offer and then some.

That's good.. the poitential $$$ that is... "How much will it make?" is a better qquestion than "how much does it cost?" That machine is a money maker..

 

[treeman75]

That's good.. the poitential $$$ that is... "How much will it make?" is a better qquestion than "how much does it cost?" That machine is a money maker..

You will be able to do jobs that the others cant do with out killing their guys or taking two days. I have got jobs that the HO says they cant get no one out to look at it they just drive by. You make more money on those. I have almost doubled my income this year with my mini.

 

[Grace Tree]

Since we're talking minis, the cover from a Honda Goldwing fits over a Bobcat MT with a BM grapple.
Phil

 

[arbor pro]

seems like a good time to make another plug on my 2008 SK650 - reduced to $14,000 for machine with bucket and, for $15k, I'll include choice of rake grapple, trencher, or power broom. Auger with 3 bits also available but for $500 more ($15,500). Shipping to east coast costs about $800-1000 - within the midwest about half that.

AP

 

[arbor pro]

Since we're talking minis, the cover from a Honda Goldwing fits over a Bobcat MT with a BM grapple.
Phil

:msp_smile: I use the cover from a ninja zx7 I owned many years ago on my vermeer sc252. fits perfectly!

 

[Kottonwood]

I will let you all know about the s800tx as I should take delivery of mine in the first or second week of January. Sticker price was 27,5 but I outfitted mine with a branch manager grapple, scoop, and rake attachments and will come out to 34 and change out the door. Spendy yes but the power and compactness is what I was looking for plus the hi/lo hydro is a major plus for me as I am heading into other venues aside from just tree work. I want to eek out every potential $ that machine has to offer and then some.

Damn, Congrats on that purchase!

I have been really looking into the s800tx, looks like the full package. Did you get the high flow hydraulics on it? I really want to try a stumper attachment with the high flow hydraulics, could save alot of money on buying a stumper if that works out.

 

[arbor pro]

Damn, Congrats on that purchase!

I have been really looking into the s800tx, looks like the full package. Did you get the high flow hydraulics on it? I really want to try a stumper attachment with the high flow hydraulics, could save alot of money on buying a stumper if that works out.

Keith - did I tell you about the Stump Slayer attachment I have for sale? Would work well on your sk500. 30hp kohler runs the cutter wheel and the mini skid controls the side swing and other movements.

 

[flushcut]

That's good.. the poitential $$$ that is... "How much will it make?" is a better qquestion than "how much does it cost?" That machine is a money maker..

Honestly I should have it turning a profit in the first year. The savings in labor cost and time on the job alone will have paid for more than half of it. I can load that and my 252 in my dump trailer and pound out the jobs in a two or three hours (depending on the job) leaving it like it never happened.

 

[flushcut]

Damn, Congrats on that purchase!

I have been really looking into the s800tx, looks like the full package. Did you get the high flow hydraulics on it? I really want to try a stumper attachment with the high flow hydraulics, could save alot of money on buying a stumper if that works out.

I did get it pimped. The hi/lo hydros were a must for me as I have already put out the feelers for trenching, snow blowing, planting with a auger, and sweeping. I have looked at those stumper attachments and I have to say they look like a very impressive unit at a great price. I wish I had went that way but I think I would go the other way and get a bigger stumper with the way I am set up now.

 

[arbor pro]

Are you considering and towable or self-propelled grinder? Just curious because I just bought a 50hp vermeer tracked unit and that thing is a lot bigger in reality than it looked in pictures and I dont' know if I'm going to keep it. I like the idea of having a bigger grinder but I think it's too big for most of what I do and I should have gotten a 35-40hp machine. I will be selling it and/or my vermeer 252 so, if you're interested, let me know. Price will be right.

AP

 

[Kottonwood]

I did get it pimped. The hi/lo hydros were a must for me as I have already put out the feelers for trenching, snow blowing, planting with a auger, and sweeping. I have looked at those stumper attachments and I have to say they look like a very impressive unit at a great price. I wish I had went that way but I think I would go the other way and get a bigger stumper with the way I am set up now.

Yeah, that it is the debate I am having with myself right now. I need to upgrade my mini soon and I also need a large grinder. I am trying to decide to spend the extra dough on the s800tx. If it also performed decently as a medium/large stumper it would be a no brainer.

If you get a chance to try one out let me know how it goes. Anyone else using that setup?

Is this your first mini? If so you are gonna love it, I blow through jobs that used to take three days. The most fun part is trying to figure out how to get everything to the jobsite and then leave with the wood too. We have gone through a few different truck mods to try to fit it all.... ended up just buying a flatbed to pull the dump and carry the loader. The BMG grapple is badass, though I suggest keeping a spare hydro line in the truck, we have busted the lines by pinching them when it swings around. Also if you get a good deal on some forks they are nice to have too. We bring both out on every job, I load the logs with the grapple and the cookies with the forks, works out nice. The forks come in handy for lots of other things too. For big stump cuts, no wedges needed, just jam those forks in and lift.

 

[Kottonwood]

Honestly I should have it turning a profit in the first year. The savings in labor cost and time on the job alone will have paid for more than half of it. I can load that and my 252 in my dump trailer and pound out the jobs in a two or three hours (depending on the job) leaving it like it never happened.

Yeah, I figure the mini can do the work of two-three groundies, but it takes one to operate it.... doesn't take long to pay that off. Especially with the grapple. I just picked up a morbark 2400 about a month ago and we feed big piles of brush with the grapple.... talk about treegasm, nothing like watching a thousand pounds of brush disappear. Only thing better is feeding it with a crane.

 

[flushcut]

Are you considering and towable or self-propelled grinder? Just curious because I just bought a 50hp vermeer tracked unit and that thing is a lot bigger in reality than it looked in pictures and I dont' know if I'm going to keep it. I like the idea of having a bigger grinder but I think it's too big for most of what I do and I should have gotten a 35-40hp machine. I will be selling it and/or my vermeer 252 so, if you're interested, let me know. Price will be right.

AP

It would be a self propelled but that is a was off from know I want to pay myself back for the mini before I lay out any more dough.

Yeah, that it is the debate I am having with myself right now. I need to upgrade my mini soon and I also need a large grinder. I am trying to decide to spend the extra dough on the s800tx. If it also performed decently as a medium/large stumper it would be a no brainer.

If you get a chance to try one out let me know how it goes. Anyone else using that setup?

Is this your first mini? If so you are gonna love it, I blow through jobs that used to take three days. The most fun part is trying to figure out how to get everything to the jobsite and then leave with the wood too. We have gone through a few different truck mods to try to fit it all.... ended up just buying a flatbed to pull the dump and carry the loader. The BMG grapple is badass, though I suggest keeping a spare hydro line in the truck, we have busted the lines by pinching them when it swings around. Also if you get a good deal on some forks they are nice to have too. We bring both out on every job, I load the logs with the grapple and the cookies with the forks, works out nice. The forks come in handy for lots of other things too. For big stump cuts, no wedges needed, just jam those forks in and lift.

It is my first mini and yes I can't wait. You could always get the better mini pay it off and rent a bigger grinder until your cash flow is better, but if I happen to run one I will pass it along. That is not a bad idea about keeping a spare line and the forks.