I need to decided what size loader will be needed on a 1 acre pond dig. Soil is pretty good sandy loam but some of it is more of a clay loam. Soil will be brought out by our CAT 225 hoe and spoiled for the loader. Loader will haul as much as 1000ft in some places and 300-400ft in others. there are no real obstructions between dig site and drop site. Over all volume is 25,000cuyds of compacted soil.
I need to figure out the optimal loader size and estimate time and fuel for this. So far, it really looks like the bigger loader will win because that is less laps, less travel time, and less overall time at a cost of fuel. However, as you guys well know, getting a 988 to a jobsite is not always that easy. They are BIG. We are probably looking at a CAT machine and will likely rent on this job since we rarely have a call for a loader that big.
We have considered dump trucks but the problem is unless there are several running, They will hold up the productivity of the hoe and we still would need better placement that a loader can offer.
Here is where we are right now:
Hoe - 1.2yd bucket, 3 buckets pulled/spoiled per min, 150 hrs plus shaping time.
Loader - 10yd bucket, 4min cycle time, 150yds/hr, 200hrs total.
This is all assuming a 10yd bucket which is HUGE for a smaller machine. Probably closer to 6yds. I guess the major factor here is that travel time.
I need to figure out the optimal loader size and estimate time and fuel for this. So far, it really looks like the bigger loader will win because that is less laps, less travel time, and less overall time at a cost of fuel. However, as you guys well know, getting a 988 to a jobsite is not always that easy. They are BIG. We are probably looking at a CAT machine and will likely rent on this job since we rarely have a call for a loader that big.
We have considered dump trucks but the problem is unless there are several running, They will hold up the productivity of the hoe and we still would need better placement that a loader can offer.
Here is where we are right now:
Hoe - 1.2yd bucket, 3 buckets pulled/spoiled per min, 150 hrs plus shaping time.
Loader - 10yd bucket, 4min cycle time, 150yds/hr, 200hrs total.
This is all assuming a 10yd bucket which is HUGE for a smaller machine. Probably closer to 6yds. I guess the major factor here is that travel time.
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