... HE CHOSE A BOBCAT INDUSTRIAL GRAPPLE, AS WELL AS A BUCKET FOR CLEANING MANURE FROM HIS HORSE BARN, A PALLET FORK FOR MOVING PALLETS OF WOOD AND A SIX-WAY DOZER BLADE FOR LEVELING AND GRADING PROJECTS ...
“The visibility from inside the machine is very good, and with what I’m doing, it’s very precise work. You don’t want to crush the logs and ruin the outside of the timbers. It’s nice to be able to see exactly what you’re doing.”
— Dr. Ryan Cole
Lifting trees at his sawmill meant that Cole needed an attachment to handle the heavy objects. He chose a Bobcat industrial grapple, as well as a bucket for cleaning manure from his horse barn, a pallet fork for moving pallets of wood and a six-way dozer blade for leveling and grading projects.
Research leads to Bobcat
Prior to purchasing the Bobcat compact track loader, Cole did a considerable amount of research. “I am a thorough analyst, so I went on many manufacturers’ websites and looked at all of the features and weighed my options,” he says. “I looked at lifting capacity, the value and consistency, and I searched for the nearest dealer. The salesman at the Bobcat dealership was great, in terms of showing me the equipment, demoing it and making sure that I understood how the equipment worked.”
Rubber track undercarriage. A rubber track undercarriage was important to Cole, too. His Bobcat loader has the optional Roller Suspension™ system for improved ride and less bucket spillage. “Because I knew that I’d be moving some things over my yard, I wanted a loader with low pressure per square inch,” he says. “We have an in-ground sprinkler system, so I wanted to be able to distribute the machine’s weight and fl oat on the surface.”
Visibility. The cab-forward design of Cole’s M-Series Bobcat loader is important for his type of work. “The visibility from inside the machine is very good,” he says, “and with what I’m doing, it’s very precise work. You don’t want to crush the logs and ruin the outside of the timbers. It’s nice to be able to see exactly what you’re doing.”
Cab comforts. “I really like the climate control in the Bobcat loader,” he says. “In Boise, we get really hot, dry summers with 90- or 100-degree days. And in the winter it’s cold and windy up here in the higher mountain valley. The heat and air conditioning come in handy. Plus, I had a radio installed for added comfort, making this a very nice machine.”
After a long day at work, a relaxing evening or weekend at his sawmill is just what Dr. Ryan Cole needs to recharge, and a Bobcat loader goes a long way in helping him turn once beautiful trees into something special for a homeowner.
Dr. Ryan Cole has another hobby and another use for his Bobcat®
compact track loader. Cole and his family have 100 bee colonies that he keeps at his family’s organic farm. He uses the Bobcat T650 with a pallet fork attachment to move the colonies. “Everybody wants local honey for local allergies. We’ll sell it at the co-op downtown,” he says.