Backhoe loaders and other stuff

[Valmy]

This can't be happening. 

What? That one of us bought something expensive?

[Monoriu]

This can't be happening. 

What? That one of us bought something expensive?

Most languishites are rich, so buying something expensive is to be expected.  But a backhoe loader is from outer space.  I never would have imagined that someone would buy that.  Never. 

[viper37]

Then it's time to start digging. Anyone here have any experience with these kind of machines?

not as an operator, now as a mechanic, sorry.  I've seen them all my youth, but nowadays the preference is to mini-excavators instead.

[viper37]

This can't be happening. 

What? That one of us bought something expensive?

Most languishites are rich, so buying something expensive is to be expected.  But a backhoe loader is from outer space.  I never would have imagined that someone would buy that.  Never. 

they're not much use in HK, Manhattan or dowtown Toronto, I'll admit that.  But outside the cities, there is a vast world to be explored...

[Threviel]

It wasn't very expensive, the equivalent of $8.000 or so. I expect to spend another 2k or so before I can use it.

[Threviel]

We have a very small farm, 12 or so acres, 5 of them forest. there's a stream separating one field from the others where we live. There's an old cattle road by the stream that has been kept somewhat open. There's also two bridges, one rotten of wood that is currently used to go over on foot and lighter vehicles and an old small stone bridge that can't be accessed easily since everything around it is overgrown. The road cannot be accessed from our side before the harvest since you have to go over the field. We usually go around on he proper road.

In the lower lying parts around the stream there's also old barbed wire and lots of junk, it was used as a sort of junkyard in the 90'ies. There are also dams and stuff used for growing fish for the local fishing club.

I want to clean all of this up, it's very beautiful by the stream and I want to access it and use it, build a new bridge perhaps, lengthen the cattle road so that it reaches our other roads. I want to lengthen the read to the stone bridge and remove the dams. Perhaps drain some of the low lying lands.

Just above our house is the forest, we have a stone wall towards it. I want to clean up 10 or so meters above this, flatten it out and make it accessible, perhaps plant fruit trees and make a small orchard there. I also want to build a root cellar.

[Josquius]

#lifegoals

[HisMajestyBOB]

That sounds beautiful. Very idyllic. Chateau d'Threviel.

[Threviel]

Well, more like cottage Threviel, the house is not very stately.

Also, everything is overgrown and full of crap, so not very idyllic yet. Hope to make it so.

[crazy canuck]

Hey Threviel, there is a lot that can go wrong.

Make sure you know what you are doing before you start working with it - especially the work you are planning to use it for.   Not the sort of thing you really want to learn on the job without someone knowledgeable showing you the ropes (and hazards).

[Threviel]

Well, I don't really have anyone close to teach me backhoe loader specifics, but I have married into a farmer family, so lots of tractor experience.

The plan is to take it very easy, I will probably spend the autumn servicing and getting to know the machine.

[The Larch]

Is it really worth it to buy the equipment, rather than hiring somebody directly to do the job?

[crazy canuck]

Well, maybe find someone if you can.  My grandfather and father operated them.  My grandfather built up a pretty good land clearing business on the side to help out other farmers.  My dad also did land clearing around here from time to time.  I operated one for a summer.  My dad didn't let me near anything that might be dangerous, which he defined as anything with a fair degree of slope or near trees, large rocks or streams.  Your land seems to be mostly in what my dad would have defined as the danger zone.

[merithyn]

We have a very small farm, 12 or so acres, 5 of them forest. there's a stream separating one field from the others where we live. There's an old cattle road by the stream that has been kept somewhat open. There's also two bridges, one rotten of wood that is currently used to go over on foot and lighter vehicles and an old small stone bridge that can't be accessed easily since everything around it is overgrown. The road cannot be accessed from our side before the harvest since you have to go over the field. We usually go around on he proper road.

In the lower lying parts around the stream there's also old barbed wire and lots of junk, it was used as a sort of junkyard in the 90'ies. There are also dams and stuff used for growing fish for the local fishing club.

I want to clean all of this up, it's very beautiful by the stream and I want to access it and use it, build a new bridge perhaps, lengthen the cattle road so that it reaches our other roads. I want to lengthen the read to the stone bridge and remove the dams. Perhaps drain some of the low lying lands.

Just above our house is the forest, we have a stone wall towards it. I want to clean up 10 or so meters above this, flatten it out and make it accessible, perhaps plant fruit trees and make a small orchard there. I also want to build a root cellar.

That sounds positively delightful.

[Threviel]

100k Swedish buys perhaps 20 days of payed services. After that it's a loss.

But it's also a toy, it'll be fun and when I'm done I have a good machine for lots of other uses.