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Bobcat has a big following for a reason. My sons swear the Takeuchi's are solid but I haven't gotten in one. They got a few in their rental fleet. Most guys opt for what they're familiar with but after runnin they say people have good feedback. But that lack of name recognition means you can...

Stihl all the way. Similar size and price, get you a MS271 Farm Boss—that’s my kind of saw. Little heavier but also a bit more power. Nothing on our ranch has slowed it down. If we’re talkin about heavy-duty, there’s only one saw I’d pick—the Stihl MS362 C-M. It’s a professional-grade beast...

Anytime I need to renew my OSHA it always makes me think of crazy stories and near misses. I've seen a few... from an I-beam dangling off a crane and swinging like a pendulum to a trench collapse where a guy luckily only got 3/4 buried. One company had two morons try to race forklifts only for...

At the end of the day, what's most important depends on your job. But if you ask me, I'd say go for a truck that's tough as nails, easy to maintain, and won't leave ya high and dry when the goin' gets tough. Remember, in this business, time is money, and a broken-down truck is just a big ol'...

Haven't heard of a web scraper in the field... this some tech thing that doesn't apply here or have I been out the game too long?

Technically yes, but in practice, not really. If you buy it new you should get a title. But unlike cars/trucks, there's no requirement to register it with the state (at least no states I've done business in). In my experience buying and selling them over the years, if you have a signed bill of...

I'm a big fan. Prevent unauthorized use of equipment, either theft or unqualified employees. Also great for a rental company to not have to worry about losing/replacing keys and security on a site that's not yours. Very convenient. If you're running a big fleet and telematics you can get pretty...

Good question. One obvious but commonly overlooked way is to look for decals or control photos that call out auxiliary functions. Otherwise you want to look for hydraulic couplers, extra lines, or pumps. Standard will be two couplers at the front of the arms, high flow will have four. Along...

Only good thing about a grey market machine is going to be the price IMO. If you're running a business I'd avoid them. They may not meet US safety regulations which could leave you open to probablems if something goes wrong. Same for emission compliance. They might also have different specs...

My usual walk through process... Safety Switches: First thing's first, check if the safety interlocks are engaged. These lifts have sensors that prevent driving when the platform is raised too high. Lower the platform completely and try again. Enable Switch: There's usually a foot switch or a...

Feels like this should be under the skid steer discussions instead of skiploaders but what the heck... Wheeled Skid Pros: More maneuverable in tight spaces, faster on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt, lower initial cost and cheaper to maintain. Sorry benvr, but in my experience wheeled...

2014 is an odd year to single out - any reason specifically? I'd focus on either hours or budget. Budget will dictate what you can/can't get and generally correlates better to usage than year.

Yeah, a little more detail here would be helpful. Primary use, average trip, tight spots or open areas, lifting capacity needed, storage needed, towing capability?

Might be able to beat out a Tesla truck but otherwise looks like it belongs in a coloring book.

Most of the time someone says "hot take" it's followed by total garbage. But I might actually have to agree with Magic Mike on this - only because you put the "unless you're doing heavy work all the time" caveat in there. If you're working your machine daily (running a busy business or...

If you like em and have the budget, stick with CAT. Can't go wrong there. Second choice I'd say Deere. But those would be my top two, in order. Komatsu's decent, but in my book, they're playin' catch-up to Cat and Deere. Terex used to make good scrapers, but they sold that part of their...

Yes, you can deduct the full value of qualifying equipment you buy and put into service this year, even if you keep it for years to come. It's not a loophole - it's an intentional incentive created by the government to encourage businesses to invest in equipment. Unlike most government...

First off, forget about those Chinese brands like Chery. You'll be pulling your hair out tryin to find parts when somethin breaks. And trust me, it will break. Downtime is a killer in business, even more of a pain in the a## on a personal project you're trying to get done. Now, about that John...

Agreed. Downtime is a killer. Kubota is where we disagree. I had the best luck running CAT 305E2. They tackled everything reasonable we through at em over the years. More expensive out the gate but the cheapest thing ain’t always the best deal. When the hours start racking up, that...

I"m retired, but if I had to choose just one for my company right now, I’d pick the mini excavator. Here’s why: Most jobs these days, especially in suburban or urban settings, need a machine that can fit into tighter spaces and get the job done with precision. You can always pair it with a skid...