I'm running a Dingo 425TX, same machine you rented John. Been at it since the beginning of June, (minus 10 days when the machine was in the shop,
a story you can read here) and have amassed about 100 hours operating time. I paired it with a new dump-trailer to haul the Dingo and tip its prey. We also added a light materials bucket (maybe 1/3rd yd. capacity), pallet forks, and nursery forks (28" maximum width).
Many things to like: 1) A breeze to operate, and train others to operate, 2) Dizzying array of attachments, 3) Stand-up service from Reindeers/Toro when it broke down, and most of all 4) the labor it saves.
Saved labor would include: 1) roughing out tree holes with pallet forks, instead of shovels, especially critical now that the ground is so dry and tight, 2) loading, unloading and moving around B&B nursery stock, previously performed with a tree dolly and indomitable will, 3) loading and unloading boulders at the quarry and jobsite, again previously performed with a tree dolly and "I bet you can't move that rock" motivation4) and mostly, replacing the wheel-barrow, when it is time to remove sod or move soil-amendment, gravel and mulch.
I am sure there are other ways I could use this machine to save labor. I wonder for instance if it would be an effective tool to scrape cut sod up, instead of loading the bucket with scoop shovels...
One Major Complaint:
Limited Lift Capacity. The machine has a sticker that says lift capacity is 525#, and it doesn't take long to reach that point. A regular pallet with two layers of 2" flagstone will max it out, as will 28" diameter B&B stock, even though the nursery forks will close on root-balls that big. This can be really dangerous, when the front of the Dingo tips forward lifting the rear where the operator stands off the ground. React too abruptly, say, opening the forks, and the whole Dingo will see-saw back and forth, crushing all in its path.
The moral I guess is
Know your limits! True in drinking, Dingos and life.
The machine with attachments came in at 18 large. The dump trailer was another 6. The years added to my life...priceless.
