Mini skid steers

doobin

doobin

Well-known member
Anyone running one? I'm doing a deal on one of these currently. What a labour saver for small jobs!

Screenshot 2021-12-07 at 14.51.08.png
 
GazCro

GazCro

Well-known member
I'm gonna be brutally honest if its to hire out for others to use and you think there's a market for it then you know if the figures stack up. If its for you're own use i don't see how you can't already cover the work it can do with the variety of machinery you have provided you can use it.
 
doobin

doobin

Well-known member
I'm gonna be brutally honest if its to hire out for others to use and you think there's a market for it then you know if the figures stack up. If its for you're own use i don't see how you can't already cover the work it can do with the variety of machinery you have provided you can use it.
I'm not looking to hire, and to be fair, the one I demoed was at a hire yard and he said there'd been no real call for it. As you know, the Brit standard is three buckets and a dumper.

A year ago I'd have thought the same as you. Having bought the Multione and put 150 hours on it in three months, I've totally changed my mind. I could cover the Multione's work with a three tonner and dumper- but it's so much easier grabbing the stone from the stockpile, carrying it through and levelling it out with a loader. This is just for smaller jobs.


This hedge reduction (it was twice the height you see) was £500 plus VAT. Instead of dragging bundles to the truck and chipper, I took a small chipper into the garden and used the high tip. Ten trips dragging brash became one trip with a dumper dull of chip. Two of us had it knocked out by 11AM, and the only mess was around the hedge itself.

With a bulk bag on the pallet forks to chip into, that'll become twenty trips saved, and less turf damage. With a man cage, it'll be a 2m high access platform that can fit into any back garden. The grapple bucket will pick up lumps of timber weighing 200kg and load them onto the truck.With a clamp, it can pick up concrete fence posts from the truck, carry them into the garden safely and lower them into the hole it's just made with an auger.

It's a no brainer for me. It only weighs 550kgs. It can go on the back of a truck and be used for something on almost every domestic job we do, even just as a self loading wheelbarrow. Work smarter, not harder! How much labour will it save? If I don't like it, I sack it off and get most of the momney I've paid back. Try doing that with an employee! :ROFLMAO:
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GazCro

GazCro

Well-known member
I'm not looking to hire, and to be fair, the one I demoed was at a hire yard and he said there'd been no real call for it. As you know, the Brit standard is three buckets and a dumper.

A year ago I'd have thought the same as you. Having bought the Multione and put 150 hours on it in three months, I've totally changed my mind. I could cover the Multione's work with a three tonner and dumper- but it's so much easier grabbing the stone from the stockpile, carrying it through and levelling it out with a loader. This is just for smaller jobs.


This hedge reduction (it was twice the height you see) was £500 plus VAT. Instead of dragging bundles to the truck and chipper, I took a small chipper into the garden and used the high tip. Ten trips dragging brash became one trip with a dumper dull of chip. Two of us had it knocked out by 11AM, and the only mess was around the hedge itself.

With a bulk bag on the pallet forks to chip into, that'll become twenty trips saved, and less turf damage. With a man cage, it'll be a 2m high access platform that can fit into any back garden. The grapple bucket will pick up lumps of timber weighing 200kg and load them onto the truck.With a clamp, it can pick up concrete fence posts from the truck, carry them into the garden safely and lower them into the hole it's just made with an auger.

It's a no brainer for me. It only weighs 550kgs. It can go on the back of a truck and be used for something on almost every domestic job we do, even just as a self loading wheelbarrow. Work smarter, not harder! How much labour will it save? If I don't like it, I sack it off and get most of the momney I've paid back. Try doing that with an employee! :ROFLMAO: View attachment 30277
Looks like a lot of money to me (makes micro diggers look cheap) and I'd doubt the lifting capacity in the real world. Anything skid steer will make a mess if its not straight lines. I know you bang on about day rates you can charge compared to other areas but there comes a point where it starts to look as if you're getting it too easy. In reality will it be fast enough to really save labour?
 
Lancs Lad

Lancs Lad

Well-known member
And if you
I'm not looking to hire, and to be fair, the one I demoed was at a hire yard and he said there'd been no real call for it. As you know, the Brit standard is three buckets and a dumper.

A year ago I'd have thought the same as you. Having bought the Multione and put 150 hours on it in three months, I've totally changed my mind. I could cover the Multione's work with a three tonner and dumper- but it's so much easier grabbing the stone from the stockpile, carrying it through and levelling it out with a loader. This is just for smaller jobs.


This hedge reduction (it was twice the height you see) was £500 plus VAT. Instead of dragging bundles to the truck and chipper, I took a small chipper into the garden and used the high tip. Ten trips dragging brash became one trip with a dumper dull of chip. Two of us had it knocked out by 11AM, and the only mess was around the hedge itself.

With a bulk bag on the pallet forks to chip into, that'll become twenty trips saved, and less turf damage. With a man cage, it'll be a 2m high access platform that can fit into any back garden. The grapple bucket will pick up lumps of timber weighing 200kg and load them onto the truck.With a clamp, it can pick up concrete fence posts from the truck, carry them into the garden safely and lower them into the hole it's just made with an auger.

It's a no brainer for me. It only weighs 550kgs. It can go on the back of a truck and be used for something on almost every domestic job we do, even just as a self loading wheelbarrow. Work smarter, not harder! How much labour will it save? If I don't like it, I sack it off and get most of the momney I've paid back. Try doing that with an employee! :ROFLMAO: View attachment 30277
If you don't like it you will probably be able to sell it for more than you paid for it.😳 In this bonkers world atm
 
R

Russell

Well-known member
have you seen the worky quad?
I cant remember the prices but it looked quite good. Obviously a toy compaired to everything else but i sure as hell cant lift 200kg.
 
S

Smiffy

Well-known member
I've never used one but what strikes me about that is the fixed rear step hung out the back as opposed to some makes which looks like a massive ground anchor
Also seeing as you like attachments has it got highflow and do they do the tracks that fit over the tyres for it Incase you ever need them.

Probably reflected in the price but these look better put together

 
doobin

doobin

Well-known member
have you seen the worky quad?
I cant remember the prices but it looked quite good. Obviously a toy compaired to everything else but i sure as hell cant lift 200kg.
Demoed both the WorkyQuad and the Sherpa. The WorkyQuad was at it's tipping point with a 60kg bucket and 9x20kg bags of cement, whereas the Sherpa with the same was much more stable and easier to control overall. The yellow one apparently has better wheel motors than the red one, and I was really impressed with how well it pushed into a pile of crush offroad on skinny tyres.

I've never used one but what strikes me about that is the fixed rear step hung out the back as opposed to some makes which looks like a massive ground anchor
Also seeing as you like attachments has it got highflow and do they do the tracks that fit over the tyres for it Incase you ever need them.

Probably reflected in the price but these look better put together

I got a price for the Giant 252D and it looks a great bit of kit- the only diesel skid that goes down to 760mm. However, I am only looking for something to save labour here. Only attachments will be a grab. So small and petrol it was.

The band tracks are a Kanga innovation. Plenty of secondhand Kanga Kids around fairly cheap- but apparently they don't lift as much and more importantly, they only lift to a metre rather than two. So no use at all for loading trucks etc.

Looks like a lot of money to me (makes micro diggers look cheap) and I'd doubt the lifting capacity in the real world. Anything skid steer will make a mess if its not straight lines. I know you bang on about day rates you can charge compared to other areas but there comes a point where it starts to look as if you're getting it too easy. In reality will it be fast enough to really save labour?
I'm realistic about lifting capacity, and not looking for massive lifts either, I have a proper loader for that. With a mini skid i reckon it's all about repetetive careful cycles with minimal damage (it's coming with turf tyres too). If you turn the revs down and go careful you can be delicate- despite the name, you don't have to skid to turn. It'll save me money on quoted jobs easily- I'm sure it'll be fast enough to save labour- it's way quicker than plodding behind a tracked dumper, it doesn't get tired, and I like the way you just step off the back of it. Besides, labour is only getting more expensive.

Just like the tilty and GPS boys- machines replacing labour is the way forward for me. I'll be able to do a panel fence with concrete posts on my tod, without breaking a sweat. And a thousand other things.

Buying the multione has really opened my eyes. I'd loose a digger before the loader now!
 
6

6feetdown

Well-known member
Demoed both the WorkyQuad and the Sherpa. The WorkyQuad was at it's tipping point with a 60kg bucket and 9x20kg bags of cement, whereas the Sherpa with the same was much more stable and easier to control overall. The yellow one apparently has better wheel motors than the red one, and I was really impressed with how well it pushed into a pile of crush offroad on skinny tyres.


I got a price for the Giant 252D and it looks a great bit of kit- the only diesel skid that goes down to 760mm. However, I am only looking for something to save labour here. Only attachments will be a grab. So small and petrol it was.

The band tracks are a Kanga innovation. Plenty of secondhand Kanga Kids around fairly cheap- but apparently they don't lift as much and more importantly, they only lift to a metre rather than two. So no use at all for loading trucks etc.


I'm realistic about lifting capacity, and not looking for massive lifts either, I have a proper loader for that. With a mini skid i reckon it's all about repetetive careful cycles with minimal damage (it's coming with turf tyres too). If you turn the revs down and go careful you can be delicate- despite the name, you don't have to skid to turn. It'll save me money on quoted jobs easily- I'm sure it'll be fast enough to save labour- it's way quicker than plodding behind a tracked dumper, it doesn't get tired, and I like the way you just step off the back of it. Besides, labour is only getting more expensive.

Just like the tilty and GPS boys- machines replacing labour is the way forward for me. I'll be able to do a panel fence with concrete posts on my tod, without breaking a sweat. And a thousand other things.

Buying the multione has really opened my eyes. I'd loose a digger before the loader now!
Looking forward to getting the avant for similar reasons
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
have you seen the worky quad?
I cant remember the prices but it looked quite good. Obviously a toy compaired to everything else but i sure as hell cant lift 200kg.
didn't Ross @Regy53 do, or look at doing, the Giant stuff ?? :unsure:
 
Grahams

Grahams

Don't complain - suggest what's better
Just like the tilty and GPS boys- machines replacing labour is the way forward for me. I'll be able to do a panel fence with concrete posts on my tod, without breaking a sweat. And a thousand other things.

Buying the multione has really opened my eyes. I'd loose a digger before the loader now!
100% agree, the less you have to rely on labour the happier you will be.
If it is anything like a good as the multi one sized loaders it will pay for itself in no time and save you sweat and hassle. The only issue I see is the skid steer bit tearing the ground, but if you have turf tyres and are driving it yourself that probably won’t be a huge issue.
I’ll be interested to see updates.
 
M

Monkeybusiness

Well-known member
I love the way you think and invest in gear @doobin - you work very smart and I take my hat off to you.
That machine just looks like it will tear any garden to pieces though, particularly if doing repetitive work.
I hope I’m wrong - I have no doubt you’ve done your research and given it plenty of thought.
£11K for that suggests to me you have had a good year and are looking for ways to reduce your tax bill (can’t argue with that logic!)…
 
doobin

doobin

Well-known member
I love the way you think and invest in gear @doobin - you work very smart and I take my hat off to you.
That machine just looks like it will tear any garden to pieces though, particularly if doing repetitive work.
I hope I’m wrong - I have no doubt you’ve done your research and given it plenty of thought.
£11K for that suggests to me you have had a good year and are looking for ways to reduce your tax bill (can’t argue with that logic!)…
Actually I put everything i buy on five years finance. I work on each machine doing a days work a month to pay its finance bill. This purchase is because I’ve been amazed at how the multione has been useful for everything, I’m loosing a labourer, and because I believe we are about to enter a period of rampant inflation. So lock in the current machinery prices at five years low interest. 2.3% flat rate- inflation must be 5%

I do have a massive capital pool to use to offset tax liability though.
 
Bri963

Bri963

Well-known member
I’ve used this type of machine a few times. Like any skid steer, they only tear the ground up if you drive them like you stole them. Besides, you can do the same as with a mini ex, and put a board down where you need to turn. The only surprise for me is the price, at one time the old Opico Skidsters and Dingos were cheap as chips. I’m impressed how Doob thinks outside the box with his machines, certainly sets me thinking about different ways to do jobs. Nowadays, most people don’t ask what type of machine is best for a job, just what size of excavator should they use?
 
doobin

doobin

Well-known member
I’ve used this type of machine a few times. Like any skid steer, they only tear the ground up if you drive them like you stole them. Besides, you can do the same as with a mini ex, and put a board down where you need to turn. The only surprise for me is the price, at one time the old Opico Skidsters and Dingos were cheap as chips. I’m impressed how Doob thinks outside the box with his machines, certainly sets me thinking about different ways to do jobs. Nowadays, most people don’t ask what type of machine is best for a job, just what size of excavator should they use?
The opico loaders can be had secondhand for around 6k, but only go down to 800mm wide. Often no third service either.
 
V8Druid

V8Druid

do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
didn't Avant used to do a stand on ?
 
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