Skid steer (bobcat)
I have a Caterpillar 226B3 skid steer. It is a medium size machine, and is good for moving spoil, removing grass, light excavation, spreading fill, gravel, sand etc. It has the following attachments:
- Multi-purpose 4-in-1 bucket – great for digging, dozing, clamping, back dragging, grading and leveling in construction, landscaping, and demolition applications
- Rotary hoe – great for homogenising soil and preparing ground for seed planting. Also useful for mixing stabilising agents through gravel/roadbase when building driveways and roads
- Pallet forks – useful for lifting and carrying loads of up to 700 kgs
Excavator
I also have a Caterpillar 301.5 one point five tone excavator with the following attachments and features.
- 300mm bucket – ideal for trenching for single line power and plumbing projects
- 450mm buckets – for larger trenches like ag drains and trenches to carry multiple services, also general excavation
- 1000mm mud buckets – useful for moving bulk material and for grading
- Hydraulic thumb – great for grabbing and lifting things and loading on the truck
- Swing boom to allow me to work very close to fences, buildings, and obstructions
Truck
My truck is a Daihatsu Delta with a tip tray. It can haul up to two ton loads. It’s small size means it can get closer to the work site and do less damage to the ground – especially when used with ground mats.
Road grader
My 4.5 tonne Allis-Chalmers road grader is ideal for preparing, shaping, and finishing roadways and driveways. It is much faster and more accurate than trying to do this sort of job with a skid steer or excavator and will create a better looking and more durable end result.
Roller
When working on driveway projects and paths the key to a good finish that last is compaction. To achieve that I have a Dynapac CC10 2.4 tonne twin smooth drum vibrating roller. When laying down crushed rock and road base its weight and vibration compact the material and force the particles to interlock, creating a more solid and robust body of material that will better resist wear and erosion.
Laser level
Trenches excavated for drainage plumbing need to have consistent fall. I use a laser level to ensure the fall on your project is correct and pipes will flow properly.
The laser level also lets me grade terraces, foundations, swales etc and ensure they are flat and level or evenly sloped.