So, how many of you boys (and girls) push or dig dirt for a living? How long have you been doing so? What machines do you run? What's your favorite?

For me, I have been running equipment since I was a kid. I have run all sizes of excavators, loaders, backhoes and bulldozers. Right now I own two Deere mini-excavators (50D & 17D). There small, but they are fun to run!

 

I dont move dirt or push dirt, Im a Crane operator (heavy equpiment to a point is guess), Favorite type is Liebherr Cranes. I have operated 5ton to 500ton cranes, Mostly run 60ton to 165tons.

 

Been at it 17 years so far, but doesn't look like it'll be much longer. New home construction is just about non-existent and folks are low balling at every opportunity. Right now I have a 130 excavator, FL7B Fiat loader and a New Holland LS175 Skidsteer.

 

Looks like there'll be some roads to rebuild soon though. Most of the big Co's around here are gearing up for it.
I work for a trucking company, they're starting to take some of our help. The rest are grumbling about road construction..

 

jd 325, case 850 dozer it18 cat loader been doing it for 10yrs now started doing it on ranches. last ranch had a d8 with pony motor and cable blade want to talk about how to have to learn old school

 

I ran one of those a bit in the very early 70's.

 

We were using our 1950 D6 yesterday to push straw and leaves into piles for composting. Pony motor needs a carb rebuild right now so we pull start it.

Used to have a D7 with the same pony motor as the D8 that we used to build our house in 1996.

Don't do it for a living, but we have equipment on our farm to do various things.

IH 3514 and a JD 410 backhoe. Pony motor start D4 and 2 D6's.

 

I belonged to the Operating Engineers for many years ending in 1972.
Helped build the California Aqueduct and several interstate and federal highways.
Have run everything but my weapon of choice was a D-8.
Still own a D-7 rope start pony cable rig.
I like farming better....

 

35 years ,I run everything, first time in my life out of work. I cant buy a job in Kalifornia!

 

I've got a mercedes 416 with rear mounted Schaeff excavator. Cumbersome, but good for the city when a backhoe, truck, and trailer would take up too much room. Had it for 3 years and it's paid for itself several times over.

 

thats pretty cool looking must be handy in real tight spots

 

Work is getting hard to find for our equip too. We got a komastu wb 150 bobcat t190 dresser td e7 deere 160lc couple macks. Were doin stone work on a **** all hand work, remodling a bathroom and paint inside of a house, and have a roof job soon as the weather breaks, to keep us busy till someone wants some dirt moved. You have to do something to pay the bills right.

 

The company my dad worked for bought a new D7 in '57 and he operated it over 10 years . I rode on it a lot . He died in '70 and I moved to Arkansas to work highway construction . I operated a new D7F . Dad would have loved it . Key start , powershift next to the armrest , steering clutches were much easier to use .
I also ran Cat 627B , Cat 613 and Terex TS 18 scrapers . In the winter I ran 35 ton Euc end dumps in a quarry .

 

we run a jd750 and a cat d6r and 320c excavator at the farm....

 

been doing ir for 5-6 years now pretty buch ran everything D4's to D11's, Scrapers, Quad Tracs, John Deere's, Challengers, Spend most of my time on a 627F!