[scott C]

Been thinking about this for a while but just recently tried it...So far so good.

Our 753 Bobcat has a lifting capacity of 1200 #'s??? pallets of pavers are 2000+ #'s.

We raised one end of the pallet slipped a peice of 4 inch drain pipe under it. Grabbed the pallet from the other side and slid the whole thing closer to where we were working. Unfortunately it wasn't a great distance and the pipe was pretty crushed. I will try it again with a schedule 40 pipe. Try it out see if it works for you.

On another note How well do paver carts work?? The ones that look like a hand truck but carry a full band of pavers. Are you able to slip the cart between the pallet and the bands of pavers or do the bands need to be moved into place to grab them?

[Paul]

Paver carts are great for on site moves with most pavers! We keep the pavers banded but they can move pavers unbanded.

There are a couple of alternatives to a paver cart. Check with www.pavetech.com They have band carriers that can move one or two bans of paver at a time with your size machine.
http://www.pavetech.com/newtools/bandclamp.shtm
Other options for moving pavers around are pallet carts found in most warehouses. They work well for smooth surfaces like dives and sidewalks. The last option is to have a bigger machine, it's a cost that you will have to work out (cost of machine Vs labor ) I use New Holland machines so the size that moves most pavers bundles is a LS180 figure it to move about 2500 lbs.

[Stonehenge]

Scott - are there weight kits you can mount on the back of your Bobcat?

We had two sets of weights added to our Gehl 6635 - 300# bumper weight and 2 - 150# arm weights, for a total of 600#. This gave us the ability to lift a great deal more, which was important because most skids of pavers in our area are about 3000#.

[scott C]

I don't think a weight kit is available for the 753. Unfortunately at the time of purchase (including our mini x) I went with price rather than functionallity. Some day I will learn from my mistakes.

Paul do you find having a paver cart cuts down on man hours carrying pavers. Seems as though moving full bands of pavers to the man laying rather than 8-10 at a time would help?

[dan deutekom]

Personally I have found paver carts of limited use. If a section of stone has to be moved a short distance on a relatively level surface they are OK but if there is rough ground or an uphill slope involved I find them pretty much useless. If we don't have the room for a machine to move them and the conditions arn't good for the cart we will just load stone into wheel barrows or we will machine lift several sections onto our Honda tracked carryall and move it into the area

[jwholden]

I had an experience with moving a heavy @*!# pallet of pavers last Saturday. I thought it would be a nice day for a drive so I went to my supplier and picked up 3 cubes of pavers. I know my 763 has a lift capacity of 1600 lbs and in the past I just took the top few rows off and all went well.

Two hours later and after dumping 1/2 pallet of pavers when I hit a pebble on the drive I learned my lesson which I'm sure I already learned.

***Have the pavers delivered and placed close to where you are working, get a bigger machine, or use a lighter paver.

Needless to say this didn't help with the T200 debate that's been going through my mind the past few weeks!

[jwholden]

Final note, a cube of Techo-Block Elena weigh in at over 3500 lbs.

[Paul]

Paver cart; We really don't use ours that much, if we drag it out twice a year that would be alot. Does it save time yes, places we use it most, long sidewalks with limited access. One thing to remember is to not handle the material too much. Our best equipment for moving heavy loads is our LS190's we can move a pallet of pavers very easy, it is a bit over sized for most pallets but with 2 speeds very fast.

[scl]

I also have a 753 and move pallets of pavers and wall block. Just don't pick them up very far or go over super rough terrain Little rough on the pallets sometimes too! If you have to lift at all, get the machine facing uphill, makes a world of difference. As for weights, Bobcat has bolt on weights that fit on the axles, either front or rear or both if you want. Helps keep the thing from tipping backward when empty when on the front and adds scads of stability when on both. I also think they have bolt on weight plates for the rear, or you could make some as they have pre-drilled holes in the back door. You're limited on lift though by the capacity of the hydraulics.

[PSUscaper]

Hello,

A much more economical solution to a paver cart is go out and buy a nice, heavy duty hand cart......the kind with big pneumatic tires.......and screw a long piece of sheet metal to the bottom that is about 1 ft wide by 4 feet long.

If you don't use metal, a 2x8" will also work, but the metal is easier to slide under/or slide the band onto. I think I have a old piece of 3/16" steel diamond tread that I've been using.

Next, just rip a piece of plywood to about 3'x4' and sit it so it stands up on the bottom piece.

Next, just slide the band onto the cart. Most banded pavers can be easily slid by 1 person, but 2 makes it a breeze. The piece on the bottom keeps the pavers from dropping out, the piece on the back keeps it from falling backwards.

The rediculously overpriced paver cart truly does not out perform this method. the mechanism that locks the pavers in is a pain in the but also. Also, the thing is so big and bulky to transport.

I find that if you have a smaller machine, you can move pavers band by band just as effectively. Just put a piece of plywood in the bucket. Pull up to the pallet, and tilt the bucket forward. Have someone push the band onto the plywood, and then tilt the bucket back. Move the band to its destination, tilt the bucket down while lifting up............with a little practice, you can slide the band out so it stands up right.......with a little more practice, you can keep the plywood in the bucket too.

Using this method works excellent with a toro dingo or other type of mini skid. I have moved pallets and pallets of pavers this way and find it very effective, as you can place bands right along the work site.

As for non-banded pavers.........well......thats another story. Basically, get a machine big enough to handle them.

I find techo's pallet weights to be a bit rediculous.......really, why do you need a 130 sq feet on a pallet? Now, you have to have a big machine to move them.........I truly don't know who the hek is coming up with their pallet sizes.........but they should be shot. There's no reason to have pallets weighing over 3k. They charge us a arm in the leg already to buy the pallets anyway, so why not just break the pallets up and instead of getting 10 3k pallets, get 15 2k pallets. I know its a trucking thing weight thing, but really, it is very, very impractical to have such large pallet sizes.

I truly don't think they give a *)*& though.


steve

[jwholden]

Steve,

I hear ya on the Techo Block pavers.

Unfortunately I've been sticking to their product this year rather than trying to memorize what the other 50 manufacturers have (and I have that neat samples briefcase, customers just eat that up). I have vowed to never try to move a pallet of that stuff again. Whatever the delivery charge is its better than the trip down there and time to unload the truck. My supplier has an all terrain forklift that puts them right where you want them.