Welcome!!!

[leoncgrant]

Thought y'all might find this interesting!! Some time ago bought 2 poclain excavators, a 300 and 120. Wasn't familiar with MM threads, Had a boom hose blow and proceeded to find a replacement, after going to every hose dealer and equipment dealer in the area, 5hs of driving around and no one had MM fittings, I had a brain storm!! Bought straight SAE fittings and cut the MM threads off the hose coupling and heliarced them to a female SAE coupler!! Problem solved, now no more chaseing MM couplings or fittings!! Probably not of a lot of use today but someone that had the opposite in an older machine and couldn't find SAE couplings it would work the opposite way too!!

 

[firebird380hp]

I'm from Savannah,Ga. I have been a operator since 72 I have been a fiinsh grader man since 74 but have ran pretty much whatever was needed.I'm a operating foreman for a company in Bluffton,Sc. Somtime I wish had had stayed in school....but then I think about how much I love my work.I got married at 16 and still with the woman and really wouldn't change anything in my life.The work has sure changed for sure the first grader I ran had a gas and deisel engine...lol not the one I'm on has the topcon (mmgps) system.

 

[leoncgrant]

Welcome, my first grader was 1948 Cat12, mechanical controls and had a gas pony motor, a really nice machine !! Even graded inside large commercial blds to 1/2inch for concrete prep. Been on all types of heavy equipment fo over 50yrs, still own excavators and support equipment !! Scrapped the old girl about 8yrs ago !!

 

[firebird380hp]

the one I started on was 8t 12 I think a 1956 model.....you cant beat cat for durability!

 

[leoncgrant]

Parts too, bought a brand new oil cooler for the 46 in 85, not bad !! They waited 40yrs to sell that cooler !!

 

[PNECAT]

Hi
Im new to the forum, been reading some good info for a while and thought i would join to chat. Im in the elevators union and i am starting up my own side excavating buissnes, as i have a single axle ford L9000 12 Ton Tag 25ft trailer and a caterpillar D3B. Looking forward to this forum thanks chris

 

[leoncgrant]

Lot's of good guys and useful info !!

 

[arduece]

hi new to the forum, been reading it a while but just joined yesterday. not a operator by trade but have been off and on equipment years. primary trade is industial construction and secondary is mechanic. i own a 96 JD 310D backhoe, f700 dumptruck,kubota farm tractor, and recently purchased a 78 komatsu d65e. i use this stuff for my own personal use on my land.

 

[Gooseidi]

Greetings HEF. Man, where to start? I'm an IBEW electrician of 18 years who has had an affection for machinary since I was a toddler. I can remember sitting on the little John Deere compact tractors at the local fair when I was a kid and always wanting a machine of my own. I've operated dozers, track loaders, back hoes, excavators, wheel loaders, and such over the years but never had anything of my own.

A few years ago I went through a divorce and went from making a hundred grand a year to barely being able to keep my truck insurance and cell phone bills up to date. I started a tree removal business and came across the first piece of iron that I can call mine, an early 60's Trojan 114 tractor shovel. Researching this machine brought me to this site and I am loving it so far. I have yet to get the loader running, maybe by the end of the week. She has a Detroit in her and ran 2 years ago so I'm hopeful.
I pretty much have a bad habit of revolving my hobbies around work related things like welding, machinary, diesel trucks and so on. I do have a CR 250, nothing too work related there.

I love how the world disappears and the task at hand is all thats important when operating a machine and can't wait to find that peacefulness when operating the old Trojan I found. I have an '87 C-70 dump and am looking for a 12 ton trailer to complete my rig.

 

[leoncgrant]

Souns like a page out of my book only I started at 10 running a big JD hand clutch tractor for a family friend farmer!! Onward from there! If you're a welder a ton and 1/2 chassis makes a heck of a trailer !! I've made several !! Take the front axel from 2 alike trucks and use the axels in tandum and put duals on both, Probably wind up with a 16 ton, box frame as needed and the front of the chassis can be wishboned and fitted with a pintal hook, the front axels have to be welded so the can't turn but not a problem if there aligned. The axels can be cut and lengthend to whatever you want, I use them with out cutting and welding just keeps the trailer a little high. You can buy a surge brake setup and use the brakes on the axels, and a light kit and you're in business. Probably take 2 to3 weeks part time to build, depending on ability and dedication !! Those trailers sell for upwards of $6,000.00 so it's not a bad deal to just build it.

 

[Gooseidi]

Thanks for the welcome Leon. I built a 6 ton tag about 16 or so years ago by now. The frame rails are 4x6x1/4" wall box tubing. Everybody has told me that its a 10 ton trailer with 6 ton axles over the years. I was thinking of sourcing the 10 lug disc braked Dana 80's out of the late 80's-90's F-superduty Fords and putting them under my old trailer. I would have to put an hour glass shape in the frame to allow the duallys to fit properly but I'm sure its possible to do. I have also heard that there is an electric over hydraulic brake system being used now days and this would adapt very well to the Superduty axles I would suppose.

 

[leoncgrant]

Sounds like you're on the right track!!

 

[dooby]

Hello- This is my first time on this forum. I am a logger from N.W. Montana. i am looking for a line machine in the order of an eco logger,yoder, or excavatore conv. The set-up i need has to be off road mobile,1200'min. 5/8" skyline, 1000' 1/2 mainline capacity . and a silvey tree jack[single unit] any help would be great and thanks for a neat site. i will post a sim. post outside of this welcome spot. thanks again!:usa::drinkup:canada

 

[Upstate]

Hello, I enjoy heavy equipment of all makes, models and years.

 

[jbshocks]

just came looking for some help maintaining some hobby equipment

 

[tina77]

Hello, my name is Tina and I'm from Austria. My family owns a small farm and we are into forestry machinery as well.

 

[AKSNOW]

Hello,new to the forum and not too computer savvy!I live in Valdez,Ak and have operated all types of empty and am NCCO certified.I am a member of local 302 and an owner / operator also.

 

[AKSNOW]

Sorry!All types of equipment...see I told you so!

 

[jms]

jms new member been following the forum for a while now.

Long story short, this all started when my dad purchased 220 ac to go along with the 120ac we already had. This purchase has led us to weigh our options as to whether or not to purchase a used loader or contract it out. There is a lot of cedar, honey locust, cotton wood and a few oaks. A couple of fence lines and at least 3 crossings to build.

It's been a loooong time since i ran a loader i was in my teens, so this would be like a new learning
experiance, however i have two son in laws that are a lot younger than me and are excited that we are
considering buying a track loader.

We have narrowed it down to two types Cat 955L/K or International/Dresser 175.

thanks for taking the time to read, this short story.

 

[slowhand47]

slowhand47

Never worked Construction just beat or shoveled some sand, rock and dirt, non-professionally. A Micro excavator is in my future, then I'll retire any-all pick-maddox, shovels, post hole digger or tanker bar I have owned, borrowed, or otherwise aquired. When "IT" arrives - I have already named her my "Dirt Devil".

I have rented machines to make a rock parking lot and toy shed, dug out tree roots-bushes, simple tasks. My plan is personal-family & friends work unless ... the offer is too good?? Ma & PA will get a wheel chair path around their house-trailer, with landscaping needing minimum weed-eating. Also a driveway to a carport w/wheel chair ramp. For me a bomb shelter; enlarge the toy shed.

My thanks to the Admin. people who keep up and run forum sites like this; I will find many helpful bits of information by just reading. Sharing is the best part of Freedom is it not?