Bill Davis added a new M-Series T630 compact track loader to his equipment fleet in 2010.
What I have learned about … OPERATING A PART-TIME BUSINESS
BILL DAVIS
Pennsylvania highway engineer and landscaper using Bobcat equipment
required equipment. I decided to purchase my first skid-steer loader because that type of machine is the most versatile tool you can have.”
When Davis switched to Bobcat, he decided he needed a larger loader, in this case, an S300. He still has it along with an MT52 mini track loader, a Bobcat utility vehicle, and an M-Series T630 compact track loader.
“I use the S300 primarily in the yard for handling mulch and other materials,” Davis says. “It’s ideal for the lifting capacity I need.”
“The S300 is a great machine,” he continues, “but the improvements Bobcat made with the M-Series loaders are amazing. The new T630 is like nothing I have ever operated before. A truly unbelievable loader.”
When Davis installs lawns he uses the compact track loader with the landscape rake attachment to prepare the soil.
“For a loader that size with 18-inch-wide tracks, the maneuverability is superb,” he notes. “Two of the most important things you need when operating a loader — visibility and comfort — are where the T630 really excels. The cab-forward design, with substantially larger windows, moves me closer to the work area. The visibility is phenomenal. The spacious cab is very comfortable. The loader performs like a small bulldozer.”
MT52 is a ‘lifesaver’
Davis originally purchased the MT52 a few years ago when he had to rip out concrete under a two-story deck and replace it with a two-level patio. The post spacing made it impossible to use a full-size loader.
“The MT52 was a lifesaver,” he says. “It would have cost me a fortune to do this job by hand. Since then it has proven to be very useful for all kinds of
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If you can afford it, you should look ahead to where you want to be and purchase the equipment you need to get to that place. That will allow you to be ready when an opportunity arises, whether it’s a month from now or six months. Without the right equipment available at the right time, you miss out.
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landscaping projects, including planting trees with the 36-inch auger attachment. Another valuable feature of the mini track loader: minimal damage to property.”
Davis also owns a Bobcat utility vehicle that he uses
around his own 10½-acre property. “With an enclosed, heated cab and snow blade attachment, it’s great for plowing snow, especially on my 500-foot-long driveway,” he says. “The utility vehicle certainly fits the long Bobcat tradition of quality machines.”
His four employees appreciate the value of good equipment. They all have full-time jobs and work part- time for Davis. Depending on their regular hours, some are available during the day, others in the evenings and weekends. Davis is present on every job. “This type of arrangement has worked well for me and my employees,” he says.
As a part-time landscaper, Davis’ philosophy is: “I don’t need the cheapest machine on the market, I need the best. I need reliable equipment and the best dealer support. It’s really simple.”
Continued on next page WorkSaver Fall 2010 15
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