Yuuuppppp. Once I moved out to boonieville and had a couple of friends being bad influences with "you should totally buy it" and "if only you had X" I started thinking about things like this.
I'm already all about Craigslist and online auctions so off I went. First I got an old Bobact skidsteer. Like a 1974 model....but got a great deal, not only had a new bucket but forks to boot, and it works just fine.
Then after a buddy brought over his mini excavator to let me dig new water lines, I'm on a well with a tank up above house. I was sold on that and started looking at auctions. Finally bid low on one and no one bid higher....boom.
Then I scored a smaller track loader, maybe a little bigger than the bulldozer you guys were using. Got it on Craigsilst and have it at a buddies shop where I'm finishing up putting new sprockets on it.
Best things ever getting these. The skidsteer has definitely paid for itself as I have moved a lot of dirt and concrete with it and use the forks a lot. Even found an auger attachment at one of the auctions, but haven't rocked that out yet. My neighbor is currently using my mini ex to dig his new septic, I've got some bushes and trees I'm gonna move right after. The loader has a mission coming up digging up my side yard to put in better fill and compact it after I put in a new retaining wall (I live up on a hill and the rain last year caused it to start blowing out the crappy wall that was there). Also cleaning up our wash below so it will flow better when the rain comes and flattening out a pad above.
All of them will get used, I'll use them enough to totally pay for them if I were renting and they retain their value very well, so when I'm ready to move I'll probably get what I paid at least.
Can't beat free use or making a little money but really it is about EXACTLY what you said @pap-pepper, having the right tool to get the job done. Especially when the jobs are bigger or difficult without them....makes it more likely to happen in a timely fashion.
Totally! @Bluerthangreen got an auger for his skidsteer a while back. I pitched in because it was going to be such a useful tool. From fence posts to planting trees, it'll come in handy.
Too true. I got it to put in some pieces of telephone poles so I can mount gates or at least put up chains across my driveways.
If it wasn't about money.....a bigger skidsteer with multiple attachments would do pretty much everything. However....I'm all about the "deal."
I'm always looking for a deal and for what I paid on all my equipment and attachments.....I'm still less than what a bigger tracked skidsteer would cost, and that includes an equipment trailer I got to haul the two smaller ones.