[AT] Backhoe use question?

[carl gogol]

Ivan, George, Larry and others-
Ahhh - an excavator!  I have had excavator envy ever since we had the pond 
dug a couple of years ago, a Cat 320C dug about 1100 yards of clay for us in 
a day.  The spill was all literally tossed 180 degrees to the downslope and 
a D3 used for grading needed mercy to keep from being buried in the process. 
The equipment's owner came over after they left for the day and couldn't 
believe that the job was done.  It may have helped that the operators were 
father and son, with the father probably trying to make a point (I'm the 
still the stud here?) in the excavator.  He would breakaway from digging the 
pit from time to time and backup so he could toss the spill an additional 2 
boom lengths to relieve the dozer's job.  We got my money's worth on that 
day.
My needs for a backhoe are to ditch when it is dry and not have to hope 
someone will show up when it is dry.  I'm thinking that the swing limitation 
is not crippling for immediate needs.  Will continue to look for a domestic 
hoe in good shape for a few more months, but if dry weather comes this 
summer I might buy an Asian import - or maybe rent a real excavator. 
Renting a real excavator might be a good way to go anyway, but it just seems 
like a good tool to have around the farm.

Carl Gogol - Manlius, NY
Tasty grazing in the Oran valley of Central NY
AC D14, 914H
JD 5320 MFWD
Kubota F-2400, B7300HST
Simplicity 7116H, 3112H
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ivan Cousins" <ivancou at alltel.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 8:58 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] Backhoe use question?


> Carl, I have one .Its ok out in the open but when youre digging stumps it
> means a lot of extra work pushing dirt out of the way as you move around 
> the
> stump . Getting up against a house foundation , yes you can drive right up
> next to it but again youre not getting the dirt far enough away and end up
> stopping to move it out of the way .
> My hoe is for my own use ,not for hire , so I put up with it because of 
> the
> cost .    Ivan