Blairgowrie Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I am now the part owner of a 1994 Hitachi EX400. My logging buddy bought it at a Ritchie Auction yesterday. He has a float and a shop with a full time mechanic so it will go there first to be fully checked out then it will be delivered here. I will use it for some serious pond digging and peat moss removal. I have always wanted an excavator but have been afraid of big repair bills. This arrangement is perfect for me. The price was $20,000 so with taxes my share is $10,500. This is not the actual machine but is a pic of a 1989 EX400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribunus Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I will use it for some serious pond digging and peat moss removal. In Blairgowrie's world Lake Erie is a serious pond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyKnight Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 BG, You gonna operate it yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T_O_A_D Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I'm happy for you. But I hope you realize you can have a $20,000 repair on a machine that size, overnight. Simple things like the Hydraulics can cost up to $5,000 easily, not to mention the final drives, Engine, or even simple track pad replacement. It looks like your area is fairly soft, so I'm thinking the wear and tear will be minimal compared to my area. Solid Rock, I took these pics a couple years ago when I worked for that crooked Construction Company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snacko Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I've got a Hitachi Ultravision big screen tv. A Dog could bury some big bones with that thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensenPark Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Oh man BG...you just never stop. You should make the cab your Pit set up for flying... it's metal...enclosed...has levers and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleTap Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 If I ever need to get rid of a body, I know exactly who to call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairgowrie Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 BG, You gonna operate it yourself? That's the plan John. It might take me a while to get the hang of operating it properly but by the end of the first day I should be able to move some dirt. It didn't take me long to learn how to operate a backhoe. I'll need some instruction at first and have to be careful not to get into trouble. This is one very powerful excavator and I could do some real damage if I am not careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattler Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I'll need some instruction at first and have to be careful not to get into trouble. This is one very powerful excavator and I could do some real damage if I am not careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jediteo Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 That big crater in Arizona was BG's sandbox as a child. Nice looking machine you have there. Proves that at heart, a man is 8 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensenPark Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 That big crater in Arizona was BG's sandbox as a child. Nice looking machine you have there. Proves that at heart, a man is 8 years old. Any in his brain as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sged Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 How many more ponds does a man want? I think this is a cover up, BG found an old paper on his addic, describing the bureal of some treasure on his land somewhere.... Giving the fact that his land is as big as Belgium, he will be digging for another 100 years...that's where the "partners" come in....remember the pics of the so called "loggers" that came by? A very smart move of BG I must say..."Ey m8tie, dig a hole here, I got some good dirt for you in return".... I'm just waiting for the invitation BG is gonna send to all the DD's for a so called "workvacation" to his estate....he's just working up the sceem and how to make us dig holes for him without us knowing the real reason. Gratz on the new buy BG, and good luck with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold_Gambler Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 No half measures for you, Jim, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribunus Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Jim, From the pictures that you've shared, I thought that your property was heavily forested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonar Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 How many more ponds does a man want? More than he already has Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairgowrie Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Jim, From the pictures that you've shared, I thought that your property was heavily forested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairgowrie Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 It is a humungeous machine at 91,000 lbs. We really wanted something around the 50,000 lb mark but they were all selling for twice as much. On the plus side it will be able to dig fast with a huge bucket and has a long reach. Because I will be digging it myself, I will make sure the pond is nice and deep. I am so looking forward to it showing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribunus Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 It is an interesting property Tribunus. Some of it runs along a ridge with huge gravel deposits. The ridge drops off to a swamp and that's where the peat moss is. The springs come out at the base of the ridge and because it is gravel, the water is pur and crystal clear. Wow, that's a lot of different Eco Systems for one piece of land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairgowrie Posted June 30, 2009 Author Share Posted June 30, 2009 I went to see my new toy today. Holy jeez it is massive! The bucket is 60" wide. The boom is 23', the stick is 12'. Add another 4' for the bucket and the reach is therefore 39'. My partner is busy checking it out. It has a bad leak in the hydraulic pump but the new parts will be in this week and he hopes to be able to deliver it by the end of the week. He wants to repaint it but will wait for the winter when things are quiet. The meter shows only 9,000 hours which is not much on these big machines. [attachment=1] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairgowrie Posted June 30, 2009 Author Share Posted June 30, 2009 I went to see my new toy today. Holy jeez it is massive! The bucket is 60" wide. The boom is 23', the stick is 12'. Add another 4' for the bucket and the reach is therefore 39'. My partner is busy checking it out. It has a bad leak in the hydraulic pump but the new parts will be in this week and he hopes to be able to deliver it by the end of the week. He wants to repaint it but will wait for the winter when things are quiet. The meter shows only 9,000 hours which is not much on these big machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensenPark Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 You are too much Jim. To think the others laughed when I was telling stories about how huge your property was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JensenPark Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 You are too much Jim. To think the others laughed when I was telling stories about how huge your property was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold_Gambler Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Knowing Jim, in 5 years he'll resell it during the next construction boom for three times as much as he paid for it! PS That thing is HUGE! Your wife really gives it a sense of scale that was missing from the previous image you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold_Gambler Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Knowing Jim, in 5 years he'll resell it during the next construction boom for three times as much as he paid for it! PS That thing is HUGE! Your wife really gives it a sense of scale that was missing from the previous image you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blairgowrie Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 Knowing Jim, in 5 years he'll resell it during the next construction boom for three times as much as he paid for it! PS That thing is HUGE! Your wife really gives it a sense of scale that was missing from the previous image you posted. Funny you should mention that Angus. My partner figures if we painted it up, it would fetch double the price we paid for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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