Caterpillar 312 CL

[jakebrake86]

I had to trade off the old 215. It was just too slow and too far gone to keep up. Maybe this little rig will pick up the slack.

[rsb502]

Should be faster, don't know how much you can load with it, I think the smallest hoe I ever got loaded with was a 320 CAT. I know the compact hoes are nice in tight areas and easy to transport so it definitely has its place.

[slpwlker]

Next he will be getting another truck a driver and let the nightmares begin. then looking for a 325 or 330 a lowboy. then we will see a D8 or 6 and he will be road running anything on tires to the next job. J/k But I hope he does expand

[rsb502]

If hes willing to put up with employees hes a better man than I.

[jakebrake86]

It's definitely quicker! I believe it's swinging a 5/8 or 3/4 yard bucket, where the 215 was toting a yard, but it's stupid fast compared to the old dinosaur I was using. As for size, it's 8'6'' wide and weighs 28,500 lbs. It fits on my old Miller tilt top perfectly, and I don't have to have a separate truck and trailer to tote it around. As far as expanding goes, I hope the next big investment will be a shop so I don't have to work on this stuff under shade trees anymore. I want to stick with the one man operation setup, but a lot of people tell me it's impossible. I guess we'll see.

[bulldog man]

Looks good Jake . We had a 215 when I growing up & until I was about 18 yrs old then a E120B Cat & a 312BL Cat . & my pop always liked the smaller excavators cause he not only cleared right aways & land for subdivisions & retail centers but also worked on house lots in subdivisions & the smaller machine could get in tighter spots where his buddies w/ the PC 300 Komatsu , 225B Cat & 690D John Deere couldn't . I Remember him subbing for them on certain jobs due to he always had the smaller excavator & smaller dozer though he always had a 70 to 80 hp dozer he kept a D6D LGP W/ Winch for many years from the time I was 5yrs old for build lakes, ponds & land clearing . He could get in the tighter spots w/ the smaller machines where they couldn't go . & they paid him well for it.

When he sold that D6D to his buddy IN 1999 I asked his buddy to let me operate it when we working together On a job & I did . that's how well I liked the D6D Over the 550G Case TD7G Dresser & D3B LGP He had through the years . I always liked the bigger dozer for some reason . I guess it was the sound of the 3306 Cat in a hard push or in a hard pull in soft ground w/ a log behind it . Plus I was operating that Dozer more than the others

I Know the feeling about working on equipment under the shade trees in the yard . After pop quit farming we went down to 2 acres just around the house & we didn't have a shop after he quit farming for about 2 yrs .

I was glad when we got the 40'x40'x25' shop ya it was smaller than the 50'x100'x25' shop he had when he was farming w/ his business partner in the farming operation but I was glad to get off the cold wet ground in the winter & out of the gravel, mud & dirt & thought I was in heaven especially when it was raining & had to work on the trucks or equipment .

My Pop had a small crew about 5 of us total (including me & I after I graduated in 1994). He too was a small sub contractor for some of large G.C. In Memphis & sub contracted fer a couple of buddies of his who had 15 & 20 employees & when we all worked together it was like 1 big family & those guys (who are still alive are) still like older brothers, 2nd dads & uncles to me . Man I miss those days BETTER TIMES & GOOD TIMES For me .

[GreenGiant2]

you can do it without others, I am a one man band and do all my own work and wrenching. keep the money in your pocket and you can pick the jobs you want. just find some one to help when needed.

gg2

[bulldog man]

GG : Im out of likes but I agree w/ your post . That's the way pop was for years till he had to have help he was a 1 man crew all in his self after dad passed in 77 until about 1980 or 1981 when he bought more equipment & started hiring a few guys to help him . @ 1st he would get someone to help him every once in awhile then he got to the point where it a necessity .

He would tell me sometimes he wished it was just the 2 of us on the jobs as he liked working by himself due to trying to keep a low overhead .