Do you keep your equipment in show room condition?

[Steve Blackdog]

When I got my digger, I promised myself to keep it in perfect condition - not just mechanically, but free from dents and scratches.

One year on, and it doesn’t look new anymore. No big dents, but quite a few scratches from moving huge piles of rock. And all that squeezed out grease - not pretty!

 

[doobin]

No. That’s reserved for tarts who make more from social media than they do from digging as far as I’m concerned.

Let your work speak for you, not your squeegee.

 

[Smiffy]

No. That’s reserved for tarts who make more from social media than they do from digging as far as I’m concerned.

Let your work speak for you, not your squeegee. View attachment 71572

I used to work for a farmer and every winter all machines ran through the workshop. Steam cleaned, re greased, polished, paint touched up. Absolutely any problems rectified down to torn seats cracked mirrors and split joystick gators. This was on top of normal service routines.
The machines in return where a joy to drive, better respected than the majority of farm machines I've seen and seemed significantly more reliable.

 

[doobin]

I used to work for a farmer and every winter all machines ran through the workshop. Steam cleaned, re greased, polished, paint touched up. Absolutely any problems rectified down to torn seats cracked mirrors and split joystick gators. This was on top of normal service routines.
The machines in return where a joy to drive, better respected than the majority of farm machines I've seen and seemed significantly more reliable.

Got nothing to do with the fresh paint though has it? More to do with actually being serviced when they are supposed to be, which I do.

I’ve tried doing like your farmer did and it didn’t make me any more money. Paint in particular is a nightmare to do properly without it looking worse once you’ve finished.

Now I just waxoyl any rust- the next owner can play with paint if they want.

 

[Diggerdavey]

I used to work for a farmer and every winter all machines ran through the workshop. Steam cleaned, re greased, polished, paint touched up. Absolutely any problems rectified down to torn seats cracked mirrors and split joystick gators. This was on top of normal service routines.
The machines in return where a joy to drive, better respected than the majority of farm machines I've seen and seemed significantly more reliable.

Sounds perfect. Machines to do a day of work but looked after with pride. Not show ponies but respected tools.

 

[Furniss]

Was ocd for years here and only couple of counterweight scratches on the 6t after my 2 years with it, but you can drive yourself mad trying to keep everything immaculate which is unrealistic in the enviroment and with the amount of kit we have, more recently I've found a half way house and allowed myself a bit more slack without letting kit look rough.

 

[Smiffy]

Got nothing to do with the fresh paint though has it? More to do with actually being serviced when they are supposed to be, which I do.

I’ve tried doing like your farmer did and it didn’t make me any more money. Paint in particular is a nightmare to do properly without it looking worse once you’ve finished.

Now I just waxoyl any rust- the next owner can play with paint if they want.

Yes and no.
The keeping on to of the little things like switches, gators and the like will aid reliability of electrical systems. Leaking hydraulic connectors being replaced help aswell
But the biggest thing is with employees they definitely take more care of a well looked after machine, that alone extends the service life of a machine significantly

 

[Storrsy]

I try my best. And none of my machines have any dents in them the odd scratch here and there- ultimately though if your getting stuck into a job accidents happen. Servicing and changing oils like travel motors is worth keeping on top of as is greasing or fixing any little problems that could lead to bigger issues. Id find it too stressful having to worry about every little bit of damage tbh- they're machines at the end of the day not showpieces

 

[DaveDCB]

I started out as a boom scratcher / destroy everything kinda op when I was 17.. but then quickly realised that comes with extra wear and tear to machines which I have to pay for! So quickly lay off and kept everything nice, I don’t take my boots off in the cab or anything daft like that but am certainly not a boom/counterweight scratcher anymore..nor do I put the hours on machines like I used to , I’d swap one every 2 years now I make them last 10+!

 

[DaveDCB]

Machine 8 years old in this photo.. don’t really fancy replacing it anytime soon either!! (And no that trailer wasn’t going on-road before anyone asks!!!)

 

[Furniss]

Machine 8 years old in this photo.. don’t really fancy replacing it anytime soon either!! (And no that trailer wasn’t going on-road before anyone asks!!!)

 

[Furniss]

I don't believe there is a Jake out there with that much paint on at 8yrs old that's photoshopped.

 

[doobin]

I don't believe there is a Jake out there with that much paint on at 8yrs old that's photoshopped.

To be fair my 86c is in similar nick at ten years old, but that's only because it was barely used!

 

[Furniss]

One advantage of whittling it down to one machine does it all (almost) is you don't have to keep on top of keeping 3 or more looking respectable 2017 4300hrs
The dumper on the other hand
Todays bordel.

 

[V8Druid]

To be fair my 86c is in similar nick at ten years old, but that's only because it was barely used!

@DaveDCB keeps his in his lounge .... only comes out for the odd photoshoot ... got an old dog that does the work

 

[JoeS]

Machine 8 years old in this photo.. don’t really fancy replacing it anytime soon either!! (And no that trailer wasn’t going on-road before anyone asks!!!)View attachment 71574

slightly off topic sorry... how do you get on with the trailer? what size does it claim to be? always liked the looks of them

 

[hiluxman]

I try to not bump or scratch them and I'll touch up if needed.

If I've got a tin of black paint open and a machine is close by I'll put a coat on the track frame/blade/buckets. It costs me little time and I do like to see them clean and bright, and customers always comment how clean they are, which is always nice to know they notice.

My 8025 was an ex hire machine and I do keep meaning to tidy it up but 2.5years later it's still on the list, but it's not high on the list as it's still doing the same, it's just me who'd rather it look better.

 

[JD450A]

Polish doesn't earn.

Around 10k hrs.... I paid 12k she's still worth 12k.

It's about earning not posing.

 

[DaveDCB]

slightly off topic sorry... how do you get on with the trailer? what size does it claim to be? always liked the looks of them

Off topic is what we do!!

It’s built like a tank! You won’t break a broughan that’s for sure!
My only gripe is I probably should have gone for floatation tyres on it, it’s on supersingles and finds the soft spots like you wouldn’t believe!
But that said on floatations you’d probably push your luck even more and get further in a mess! And they don’t tow as nicely on the road.. so who knows what the best option is on that one!!

It’s a 14ton so in theory as big as your legit allowed onroad, yet to put it over weight bridge but I think it’s more of a 17ton ‘ ‘nicely’ heaped capacity. Off-road in dumper spec like above and you can easily get 20ton+ on it and it doesn’t care and wants more!!

 

[JD450A]

And they don’t tow as nicely on the road.. so who knows what the best option is on that one!!

It’s a 14ton so in theory as big as your legit allowed onroad,

You never go on the road though