Oh crap . Maybe another wabbit hole to dig .

[Papa Charlie]

I have a 580C, really nice digging machine. Nice to be able to punch a 10' x 10' x 10' hole in about 10 minutes, then make stuff disappear. Or bury a 250-gallon plastic chemical tank next to the shop with 20' of drain for a <$300 septic system. If you pick it up, make sure you don't get a trailer or you're going to start getting calls like, "Hey buddy, can you help me out?". Ask me how I know. . .

Bruce

I had a buddy that went though that. Eventually, he started a little side business doing work. He added some additional equipment and that led to him leaving his regular job and now he does it full time. Works for about 8 months a year and then takes the winter off.

 

[rabler]

I had a buddy that went though that. Eventually, he started a little side business doing work. He added some additional equipment and that led to him leaving his regular job and now he does it full time. Works for about 8 months a year and then takes the winter off.

Yeah, you just need to be careful about the DOT. Not sure how much that Case weighs. As soon as it becomes something for hire, any trailer over 10,000lbs gross weight is CDL territory. I have a 21K gooseneck and a 14000lb excavator. I can haul them around for my own personal use or for "farm use", but if someone is paying me I'd be nailed on a DOT check. At least that's the excuse I use when friends ask

 

[Eddyde]

Just imagine the look on your neighbors face when he tries to show off his new Kubota and you roll out in that piece of gear!

 

[BGHansen]

Yeah, you just need to be careful about the DOT. Not sure how much that Case weighs. As soon as it becomes something for hire, any trailer over 10,000lbs gross weight is CDL territory. I have a 21K gooseneck and a 14000lb excavator. I can haul them around for my own personal use or for "farm use", but if someone is paying me I'd be nailed on a DOT check. At least that's the excuse I use when friends ask

The manual on my 580C says it weighs 14,000 lbs. Mine has a 24" backhoe bucket, full ROPS cab, no extend-a-hoe.

 

[Papa Charlie]

Yeah, you just need to be careful about the DOT. Not sure how much that Case weighs. As soon as it becomes something for hire, any trailer over 10,000lbs gross weight is CDL territory. I have a 21K gooseneck and a 14000lb excavator. I can haul them around for my own personal use or for "farm use", but if someone is paying me I'd be nailed on a DOT check. At least that's the excuse I use when friends ask

My friend actually started with a Ford Tractor with a loader on it and box blade for the 3 point. He used his pickup and trailer to go from job to job cleaning up driveways and the ditches along side them. Any rock he had delivered by the quarries. Eventually he moved up to a Case 580, which also led to his buying a larger equipment trailer and his own dump truck. Now he has a nice Kubota escalator and a Cat dozer. Not sure of the size of the dozer.

You are right though, as he grew the legal compliance list grew as well. I can tell you this, going from a gentlemen rancher with an IT job to doing earth work, he is a much happier individual.

I am glad for him. One of those type of people that will do anything for someone.

 

[Norseman C.B.]

I sold my 680CK last year , kinda miss it but it was just too much machine for me to
justify keeping it.

 

[Papa Charlie]

I sold my 680CK last year , kinda miss it but it was just too much machine for me to
justify keeping it.

In looking to our future retirement home on acreage, I am torn between a Case backhoe and a tractor with loader that I can connect a brush hog to the 3pt hitch.

Had a friend that converted his case to quick change bucket and uses a brush cutter that would normally fit on a skid steer, but he admits it isn't the easiest to operate and the Case is a little big for the application of working around the property.

 

[rabler]

In looking to our future retirement home on acreage, I am torn between a Case backhoe and a tractor with loader that I can connect a brush hog to the 3pt hitch.

Had a friend that converted his case to quick change bucket and uses a brush cutter that would normally fit on a skid steer, but he admits it isn't the easiest to operate and the Case is a little big for the application of working around the property.

About 40 acres. I ended up with the tractor w/ loader plus an excavator. Fairly good FWD size tractor (85HP). I can hook a 8 ft brush hog, manure spreader, or a tiller, a 3pt hitch to move the gooseneck trailers, fertilizer spreader, drag blade, ..... Bought a smaller backhoe (45hp) to go with it, didn't like it, traded that for the excavator. Obviously more $$ and maintenance time for two machines.

 

[Papa Charlie]

About 40 acres. I ended up with the tractor w/ loader plus an excavator. Fairly good FWD size tractor (85HP). I can hook a 8 ft brush hog, manure spreader, or a tiller, a 3pt hitch to move the gooseneck trailers, fertilizer spreader, drag blade, ..... Bought a smaller backhoe (45hp) to go with it, didn't like it, traded that for the excavator. Obviously more $$ and maintenance time for two machines.

Would love to have an excavator and a tractor, but I am looking at about 5 acres in comparison. More would be nice, but more than 10 will not be in the cards. Most of the land will be in trees not fields/pasture. Expecting, hoping for a long gravel (private) driveway. So maintenance will be on road and the acreage.

Won't be able to afford $25k for an excavator. But maybe will find a project that fits. Who knows. Many years ago, I was a heavy equipment mechanic before I moved into the office.

 

[rabler]

Would love to have an excavator and a tractor, but I am looking at about 5 acres in comparison. More would be nice, but more than 10 will not be in the cards. Most of the land will be in trees not fields/pasture. Expecting, hoping for a long gravel (private) driveway. So maintenance will be on road and the acreage.

Won't be able to afford $25k for an excavator. But maybe will find a project that fits. Who knows. Many years ago, I was a heavy equipment mechanic before I moved into the office.

There are small loader-tractors that have a 3 pt hitch plus a frame to mount a backhoe. That's how the one I traded out was set up. Compromise solution, but if you only need to dig occasionally, it does the job. Or buy the regular backhoe plus a zero-turn mower?