New Employee arrived today

[YellowDogSVC]

My new, nearly 5 ton employee arrived today. Bobcat 335, with A/C, rubber tracks, thumb, 18 and 24" buckets, and angle blade. With the 103 degree heat, no rain, and no clouds, the A/C felt oh so good!

I had a chance to smash some appliances, stack a few rocks, and move it from the barn to the house. Will spend more time in it this weekend but I want to get the windows tinted quickly. It's been hot in S. Texas!

Anyway, here are a couple of quick picks.

[Gravel Rat]

Junior would bust a nut looking at that machine and drooling :laugh:

[stuvecorp]

Congratulations, YellowDog.Thumbs Up

[Dirtman2007]

Nice looking machine! Congrats.

Now go wear the paint off the bucket!

[YellowDogSVC]

I will probably be using this machine mostly for tree work but I am probably going to start doing more landscaping. Hopefully it will give me a break from the skid steer.

[bobcat_ron]

Your new employee will have a big ego problem right from day 1 and it will need Bobcat's grease or the bushings wear prematurely.
Good luck with it.

[WillieWonka1850]

Junior would bust a nut looking at that machine and drooling :laugh:

Just Junior? I'd give our 430 and my appendix for that thing! :dancing: :drinkup: :cool2: :)

[Gravel Rat]

Sorry guys I'am not a Bobcat lover I would rather have a Kubota or Hitachi or a Komatsu over the Bobcat.

If that machine is like any other Bobcat excavator I have used its no d*mn good if you have to work on slopes with it unless you like the feeling of rolling over :laugh:

If that was a Hitachi now your talking.

[WillieWonka1850]

Sorry guys I'am not a Bobcat lover I would rather have a Kubota or Hitachi or a Komatsu over the Bobcat.

If that machine is like any other Bobcat excavator I have used its no d*mn good if you have to work on slopes with it unless you like the feeling of rolling over :laugh:

If that was a Hitachi now your talking.
Same here. But the 335 is the only exception for me.

I love that Deere 60D at the JD dealer.

[KSgrassmaster]

Very Nice!!!!!!!!

[ksss]

Looks like you checked every box on the option sheet.:clapping:


You will soon wonder how you got along without one.

[Total Earthworks]

I have a Bobcat 331 and find it a great machine. Sure a Komatsu or Takeuchi would be nice, but I find that the Bobcat has heaps of power, has quite good stability and is a great worker.

Sure my tastes are a little different from some on here, as I run a Komatsu Skid Steer which some are not keen on, but I like my gear, it is reliable, productive and comfortable all of which I find important.

In short I would have no hesitation in buying another bobcat excavator, Komatsu SS or Bobcat SS. However for the right price I would happily go to Komatsu, Takeuchi, Hitachi , yanmar or Kubota for an excavator or Komatsu, Takeuchi, Bobcat or New Holland for a CTL or SS

[YellowDogSVC]

Looks like you checked every box on the option sheet.:clapping:


You will soon wonder how you got along without one.

i left out the radio. :) I didn't know it was pre-wired and has built in speakers!

[Junior M]

i left out the radio. :) I didn't know it was pre-wired and has built in speakers!
How could you do that? :cry:

And thats nice! Where do you live again? If it comes up missing, I know nothing about it. :laugh:

I had the chance to play with a new 335 set up similar to that one at the bobcat dealership a week ago and I really wasnt all that happy about there angle set up, it was really awkard to use. I didnt like how you couldnt keep control of the blade and angle at the sametime. How do you like it?

[WillieWonka1850]

How could you do that? :cry:

And thats nice! Where do you live again? If it comes up missing, I know nothing about it. :laugh:

Let me rephrase that,
If it comes up missing, nor Junior or Me know nothing.

Also if one day theres a 430ZHS with 2195 hours on it sitting were your 335 was, I know nothing about that!
It was not mine!! :laugh: :laugh:

[BIGBEN2004]

Good to see their is enough work to see new paint. Around here work is very slow and scary and I live 55 miles from D.C. Normally work keeps moving around our nations capital but it has hit a wall this month. Hopefully things pick up soon. That is a nice employee to have one that doesn't complain about the heat and long hours.........

[DUSTYCEDAR]

get some mud on it :)

[YellowDogSVC]

things have definitely slowed down here. I have use for the machine on my ranch, too. I am not sure if I made the right decision in this economy but I am being optimistic. I am fairly confident I will continue to have work, though. If I can stop listening to the news, then I will be even more confident.

[BIGBEN2004]

things have definitely slowed down here. I have use for the machine on my ranch, too. I am not sure if I made the right decision in this economy but I am being optimistic. I am fairly confident I will continue to have work, though. If I can stop listening to the news, then I will be even more confident.

I couldn't agree more. I listen to the news and then don't even want to get out of bed. The only way things will get better is for people to do what you are doing, take a chance and keep things moving by buying stuff.

[cddva]

Congratulations on the new addition YellowDog! Does it have a quick coupler for the bucket? I'm not familiar with Bobcat's quick coupler system but I did notice the X change decal on the stick. Any plans to buy a brush mower for it? As others said, that's a nice looking machine and a good size. Should be able to do some serious work with it. Good luck!

[lifetree]

Very nice, congratulations on your new employee !!

[YellowDogSVC]

Congratulations on the new addition YellowDog! Does it have a quick coupler for the bucket? I'm not familiar with Bobcat's quick coupler system but I did notice the X change decal on the stick. Any plans to buy a brush mower for it? As others said, that's a nice looking machine and a good size. Should be able to do some serious work with it. Good luck!

probably won't get too many attachments right now. I'm the only one who uses the equipment and I have a lot of Bobcat attachments and toolcat attachments too. I will eventually get something for it..not sure what but a mower is on the list.

It has the X change system. Haven't used it yet..

[Dieselnut]

Looks good. Wish you luck with the machine.

[Gravel Rat]

I think you will get lots of use out of the machine. Its much easier to bail brush or move logs with a excavator. I think I would invest in some cab gaurding so you don't do some cab mods hitting a tree or a big branch landing on the roof :laugh:

[ARP]

Nice machine. I'm drooling already!

[93turbo]

Looks good thats what I wanted but I settled for what I could afford LOL. but now all said and done I think the 335 would have been to big for what I need it for

[WillieWonka1850]

Nice machine. I'm drooling already!
With you man!

[SellingIron]

Nice X335 Yellowdog. We haven't seen any issues with that model at our dealership. Its strong and can lift some good weight. The older X320,X322,337,341 models have had bugs in the past and given excavators a bad wrap forsure. Hopefully this newline of excavators thats out, will turn bobcat in a new direction. They do have some aggressive trade in programs right now so we will see.. Thanks for buying American made products...:usflag:

[YellowDogSVC]

Nice X335 Yellowdog. We haven't seen any issues with that model at our dealership. Its strong and can lift some good weight. The older X320,X322,337,341 models have had bugs in the past and given excavators a bad wrap forsure. Hopefully this newline of excavators thats out, will turn bobcat in a new direction. They do have some aggressive trade in programs right now so we will see.. Thanks for buying American made products...:usflag:

bobcat has been extraordinarily good to me. At least the local dealer has even though I have had my share of problems over the years. I had an issue last week that the dealer hadn't resolved (waiting on bobcat technical for info). I wrote to Bobcat on Friday and my dealer had a service truck and a fix from Bobcat at my shop on Monday morning. That's good service and they were glad to help. I can't get service like that any place else and it keeps me going back. I now have an s330, Toocat B turbo, and the mini ex. Other dealers could have had my business but I didn't get the support like I do from Bobcat and I admit I like the products. I'm sure no machine is the "best" but good service and a solid product go hand in hand.

[Gravel Rat]

I think you will find that a mini excavator will be the most usefull piece of equipment you have owned bobcat or any other brand.

For working in the brush I don't know how long the rubber bands will last. You may need to mount steel tracks on her.

You may also want to beef up the belly pans under the machine. I know with the bobcat machines I have used the belly pans are pretty thin especially the one that protects the oil pan.

I couldn't find a website that has the forestry type fire extinguishers but you should have one mounted on the machine.

[Gravel Rat]

Okay I found it. Anybody that works in the woods or wooded areas has one of these mounted to the machine so its easy to grab.

www.wildlandwarehouse.com/wwcatalog/_8220_Rigid_8221_Backpack_T_P6420C574.cfm

[ff1221]

Nice machine, but really, it almost looks to comfortable to really call it work, i'm not so sure it's an employee and really just a new playmate.:laugh:

[mrsops]

Nice machine yellow good luck with it. The bobcat 335 is one of the nicest mini excavators in there line up. My 334 hasnt had a problem yet great machine

[Scag48]

I'm not a fan of Bobcat minis but I will say the 335 is probably the best mini in their lineup. Seems to be the best spec'd and most capable, especially for it's overall size. Good luck with it!

[YellowDogSVC]

I had a chance to try out the 335 today on a small demo job. Someone else took the house down and I am only responsible for breaking up, loading up, and hauling away the rock, concrete, and a few pieces of iron and wood. So far, I really like the machine. the limo dark tint was awesome in the 102 degree sun today. I am impressed with the push force, too. Thought it would be wimpy but it did a good job.

[Gravel Rat]

Where is the thumb control is it on the floor or on the right hand joystick.

Myself I really don't like the foot control for the thumb because I'am used to having it on the joystick.

When your digging and sorting and picking out the rocks you get used to chucking the rocks with the thumb and bucket.

[YellowDogSVC]

thumb control is on right joystick. I can move the machine with my feet on the pedals and operate the controls for the bucket, slew, and arm. Once I get the hang of it, I will be chunking rocks. I was impressed with the breakout power for a 40 hp machine. My *ss needs to get used to the new seat and then all will be okay! :)

[bobcat_ron]

Must be nice having such a dark tint, no sun glasses are needed.

[Gravel Rat]

I think once you get used to the excavator you will want to spend the most time in it.

[stuvecorp]

Looks like Darth Vaders mini x.:) Glad it's working out for you.

[SpecOne]

Hey Yellowdog, did you get any rain this evening?

Don't know how much we got here but I'm thinkin' it's about 1.5" to 2".

[YellowDogSVC]

Hey Yellowdog, did you get any rain this evening?

Don't know how much we got here but I'm thinkin' it's about 1.5" to 2".

no rain this week. dry as a bone.

[YellowDogSVC]

finished the demo with the excavator and Bobcat 330. Hauled off all debris. Recycled all metal and will grind all the wood from the house. Someone else took the house down to remove all usable wood. I was charged with digging up footers, retaining wall, plumbing, and a couple of concrete patios and disposing of all debris. I only collected about 7 contractor bags of wire, insulation, and paper so it was a fairly clean site. The small pile of rocks is left for the owner to make repairs on the rock buildings in the background.

Part of the job was to ensure that the oaks were protected as well as most of the roots. I had to be gentle. While not a big job, it took me three days to dig and haul off everything using a 12 yd tandem and 3 or 4 10 yard dump trailers. Yeah, I know it doesn't look like that much in the pictures but the footers went down deep!

[stuvecorp]

Looks like nothing was ever there.

[YellowDogSVC]

Looks like nothing was ever there.

I tried to make it look like that. I wanted to add a load of topsoil to make it picture perfect but the pit was wet and it was really outside of my budget for what I bid. Since the grasses will eventually grow up, if it ever rains, the lot will look great and should sell quickly in that area.

[Gravel Rat]

It looked like the previous owner of the property liked stone. Stone house and stone walls.

Job looks good as said it looks like there was nothing there.

You did the job cleaner with the excavator then you could with a skid steer.

The bucket and thumb makes quick work of grabbing the rubble.

[YellowDogSVC]

I only used the excavator to knock everything down and get it ready to load the dump truck with skid. I don't have the excavator skills, yet, to load the truck plus my 24" bucket is still on order. I did use the angle blade, though, to push debris into manageable piles.

I have figured out that the Mini-ex-skidsteer combo is truly the swiss army knife on a job site.

[Gravel Rat]

Yes having both will work good. The skid steer could be carting material to or away from the excavator.

Once you get used to running the excavator you will get used to doing quite abit of work with it.

[YellowDogSVC]

The only thing GR, is that I mostly work alone so I have to hop in and out of the machines. Luckily, I have another machine at the shop where I can load and unload attachments. Though it's just me, it helps me be really productive without having to move a machine home to change attachment plus the addition of the mini ex will make the system really work well. I am going to find an operator that is capable...eventually but right now I like not having the headache of an employee but I use another company occasionally to help me with labor.

[Junior M]

Everything looks great Yellow.. :waving:

[YellowDogSVC]

Yeah, I know. I've been busy but worse than that it's been so dang hot that I don't want to do anything after I get home from the other jobs I have had booked. I did have a chance this evening to get out and dig up some landscape boulders. I am amazed at what this little excavator can do. I wish it had a little more breakout power but if I don't grit my teeth, it will pull these boulders out of the ground. The lift with the thumb is excellent. I'll try and get some more pics of the boulders this week. Only took an hour to get about 30 nice landscape boulders pulled out of the ground. Most weighed about 250-500 lbs. That's an 18" bucket with thumb. And no, it's not winter in Texas. It's that dry! (look at the grasses)