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Best Tractor Implement vs Worst Implement Investment

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crunch
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 271 Niagara County, NY
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2014-07-03          190620

It goes without saying that the loader and backhoe are the most used attachments in my arsenal.

After acquiring the basic set of 3pt attachments and doing work for hire I have had the best return on investment for my post hole digger. The worst return on investment is for my rototiller.

I really expected to get some work for the reverse tine rototiller this spring. So far I have made back $100 on my $1600 rototiller investment. I think I need to spend more time on advertising next year.


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2014-07-03          190622

Hi Crunch,

Interesting that you are using your tractor for a business!

I had thought of that at one time, but my pickup was a bit too small for a trailer so I never bought one, and have since sold the Toyota and given up on towing it anywhere. Plus most of the places around here are too hilly for me on average to have any fearless joy operating on them.

But back to your question.

Best
Snowblower
Mid mount mower

Worst
Weight Box ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2014-07-03          190623

Just thinking here, what is your expected customer with the tiller? Is the home gardener? If she/he does not hire you how are they tilling their ground? If they are doing so with a homeowner tiller from a box store they are being beat to death I think. You might can figure out how little it cost to hire you to save them hours of torture. Then use their tiller only for cultivation. You may do the math and use that for reason to hire you for the tough tilling.

You also may find work for the professional landscaper on putting in large flower beds. Some of these people here have their own machines but many rent them on needed basis. ....

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crunch
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 271 Niagara County, NY
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2014-07-04          190629

Hello Dennis, yes I set up an LLC and get an occasional job. Tax writeoffs are good. I should have done this years ago. Most interesting job was last year when I drove my tractor into a city basement and dug the floor down 3 feet for some masons. Very tight working conditions!

I overlooked the weight box as the worst attachment. The dealer threw that in for free and I have never used it. It will make good weight for a trip to the metal recycle place.

KT, I guess should have done the research before I bought the tiller :). One of the reasons I bought it was to be able to say I can supply rototilling to round out my services. But I guess there are not that many people who need new gardens that are 1/4 acre to 2 acres in size. Larger fields belong to farmers who plow their fields.

I do have a friend who who works with estate gardens. But they are always established gardens. One other use for the tiller would be to smooth out and replant lawns. Hmmm, food for thought.
....

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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2014-07-04          190633

Crunch I had considered buying a 3ph core aerator to hire out as it can be used as for overseeding as well.

They are a bit pricey though, and homeowners do not really understand the benefits that well and need to be educated. Other issue is that the core aerator can and will cut dog invisible fences and irrigation lines, so you need a contract that does not hold you liable up front. That will probably turn off most customers....:( ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2014-07-15          190705


The size is a limiting factor for the tiller but there is another use for them and that is food plots for the hunters! They can do it no till but for the best results a quick till opens it up a bit more.

I know around here many till thee gardens but a good hand tiller fits many applications better then a larger tractor.

Finding business is always challenging and not just a job for part of the year. The best laid plans can meet in failure without the right marketing and advertising you may miss the market place. ....

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yocsr1
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 182 Terre Haute, Indiana
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2015-02-26          192204

Around here 3pt tillers are used mostly for landscaping. I just bought a 6ft tiller with no gardening in mind it will be all landscaping. Advertising for a small to medium is a challenge these days. Bucks to bang doesn't seem work like it use to. We own and operate a printer cartridge remanufacturing company for 20 years. I'm also a journeyman pressman and print the newspaper at night. ADVERTISING IN NEWSPAPER USE TO WORK - now days the money out verse return isn't there. I typed in classified for my area and found 10 free classified sites locally and use these. Word of mouth has always been the best, although I will do free printer repair and hand them business cards and say send me business. ....

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candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
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2015-02-26          192205

Of all the implements I own, the one I use the most often is the 3-point landscaping rake.

The owner of the local motel has a pea-gravel parking lot. She's fussy about her carpets and doesn't like tar and heavy oils being tracked into her motel rooms, so she went with pea gravel.

The parking lot at the motel requires frequent maintenance. The landscaping rake does a fantastic job of it. I turn the rake around and drag it backwards, with the tines facing rearward. This allows the gravel to free-flow through the tines without carrying any gravel along with me.

Winter parking lot clearing results in gravel being moved over into the grassy lawn areas. This is a real pain for the people who do the mowing. Here again the rake performs well. Simply angle the rake to make it act more like a blade, and watch the gravel move from the grass back to the parking lot. It takes a few passes, but it works great and the mowing company loves me.

By far the best thing about the rake is when trimming hedges. Simply drop your hedge trimmings on the ground next to the hedges, then drag the rake to gather them all up. It takes just minutes to clean up after trimming nearly a 1/2 mile of hedges at the local cemetery.

The rake works great for removing tree bark and wood chips left over from processing firewood. It works extremely well for gravel driveway maintenance, as well as lawn dethatching, gathering fallen leaves, twig removal after a heavy wind, etc.

I recently started cleaning up bank parking lots, and other business places after a long winter of winds blowing in debris up against fences, or being piled up by the snow removal crews. Not only does it clean this stuff in a hurry, it also makes the grass grow back greener and thicker than ever before.

I make far more money with my tiller than I do any other implement, but the rake gets used the most. It is my favorite implement and I continue to find new projects for it.

Joel ....

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