Next Step in Equipment Acquisition

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teacherman

Aging out of the insanity...
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Good afternoon!

I have been active in the tree business for three months now, and I have partnered with a man half my age with far more experience than I, with his own tree service. We've been busier than a pair of one-armed jugglers, and it seems a dump trailer and chipper are warranted, far sooner than I'd expected.

I want to keep my side of it limited to one truck, a 2016 Silverado 2500, 13K tow capacity.
A number of options to consider, and I'm trying to decide between a bumper pull dump trailer for me, as my partner is thinking about a dedicated chipper truck on the one hand, or a combo chipper/trailer to go behind my truck. I'm told the Bandit rig is a god intermediate step, but has limitations. Big decision this one, and I don't want to go off half-baked and impulsive, not with this kind of investment.

I'd be grateful to hear(actually read) your thoughts!
 
When I worked out west I never saw anything but a chipper and a chip truck. Occasionally they'd call in a knuckle boom truck to move logs.

In WI, I see most companies running knuckle booms as their primary way of moving brush.

Personally if I was gonna do it I think I'd go with a dump trailer and a mini skid steer. I like having a piece of equipment on the job and I'd rather have the mini drag brush than do it myself. Plus, I don't particularly like listening to or working on chippers. And they're expensive. Obviously it's gonna depend on having a place to unload brush, but going chipper free would be cool. I don't know if a 3/4 ton could handle a full dump trailer and a mini in the bed, but if you could set it up that way you'd be able to save a trip on jobs that finish up with a full trailer.
 
B4 we go making any decisions what is your budget?

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Well, I have a few options there. I could come up with 10K to put into equipment now, and I do have a partner with two trucks, so we could have a dump trailer for logs and a eventually a chipper combo for brush, if needed, once we get bigger and busier. I don't much care for the noice and dust of a chipper, nor do I have any interest in dealing with a stump grinder. We did one of those recently, and to me that is an exercise in beating yourself up for not much money. Hauling brush is a pain as well, and a lot of trips to the dump site. On the other hand, I'm thinking a 10K capacity dump trailer could offload brush and junk logs all at once, and if it's good firewood or cooking wood, it could hold logs and the other two trailers could handle the brush. This is my retirement hobby/dream, and I have no interest in getting really big for the long term, rather to be active and productive for the next several years. I'm in better shape than I've been for years, and I get to make my living running chainsaws and climbing trees. My current trailer cold handle a skid steer easily enough, I suppose, which I've thought about as well.
 
10k budget you are kinda limited on quality of dedicated chip truck/chipper. The combo trailers are hard to find and normally expensive..
If you are staying small a big dump trailer may be good for you. However loading brush does get old especially as you get older.... I'd get something similar to what's pictured and maybe even add a 2x12 or two on top of those sides. brush isn't heavy so you are looking for volume. Down the road you could always get a chipper and chip into the dump trailer then load logs on top the chips and presto.
a4764861a2c2f23c9566be2023553e29.jpg


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Well, I have a few options there. I could come up with 10K to put into equipment now, and I do have a partner with two trucks, so we could have a dump trailer for logs and a eventually a chipper combo for brush, if needed, once we get bigger and busier. I don't much care for the noice and dust of a chipper, nor do I have any interest in dealing with a stump grinder. We did one of those recently, and to me that is an exercise in beating yourself up for not much money. Hauling brush is a pain as well, and a lot of trips to the dump site. On the other hand, I'm thinking a 10K capacity dump trailer could offload brush and junk logs all at once, and if it's good firewood or cooking wood, it could hold logs and the other two trailers could handle the brush. This is my retirement hobby/dream, and I have no interest in getting really big for the long term, rather to be active and productive for the next several years. I'm in better shape than I've been for years, and I get to make my living running chainsaws and climbing trees. My current trailer cold handle a skid steer easily enough, I suppose, which I've thought about as well.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/153124177273

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/192617087256

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/292648467793
 
So here is what I ended up with. 7300 for the drop axle one. Should be unfazed by anything I'd put in it, so when it's time for me to retire, I'll be able to get back a good bit of what I have in it. The trailer guy said I'd have no trouble pulling it around, and I believe him. I think the sidewalls are a bit taller than the one in the picture, not as much brush capacity as the one shown in an earlier post, but there is provision for adding a little wall height on it. Plan is for it to haul and unload logs.

about 4k lb empty, and it has a step on the side, and a 10K jack. I do like the compound action of the scissors style hydraulic ram setup.

 
Nice dump trailer! Keep your eye on Craigslist. I've seen some pretty sweet little mini skid steers for 5-7k. Obviously a newer one will be a lot more. I saw a nice little Thomas wheeled unit for $5k with a grapple already on it. Obviously when you can fit them on the job site a full sized skid is much better, but it's amazing what the little guys can do too, and they fit through gates into back yards.
 
I knew this thread would pop back up!

This one!!

http://************/forum/threads/1997-int-dump-truck-2005-woodsman-18x.38626/
 
Good afternoon!

I have been active in the tree business for three months now, and I have partnered with a man half my age with far more experience than I, with his own tree service. We've been busier than a pair of one-armed jugglers, and it seems a dump trailer and chipper are warranted, far sooner than I'd expected.

I want to keep my side of it limited to one truck, a 2016 Silverado 2500, 13K tow capacity.
A number of options to consider, and I'm trying to decide between a bumper pull dump trailer for me, as my partner is thinking about a dedicated chipper truck on the one hand, or a combo chipper/trailer to go behind my truck. I'm told the Bandit rig is a god intermediate step, but has limitations. Big decision this one, and I don't want to go off half-baked and impulsive, not with this kind of investment.

I'd be grateful to hear(actually read) your thoughts!

PM sent.
 
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