[Nathaniel Carr]

Last year I read all over this site about garden bed edgers. I was really impressed when I got my own this last season. I wouldn't be with out it. Now I am thinking about the next new thing. Could I hit another home run?

I run a small design and construction firm. We only use natural stone, in fact my foreman and I dropped $750 at http://trowandholden.com/masonry.html just this morning. She was pumped that she gets to have all her own tools. But any way, I am racking my little brain trying to figure out the next tool to help us get ahead.

I was wondering what you all use daily that makes the differrence between working and getting work done.

We have a plate compactor, a track loader (CAT 277b like our old pal Bill Schwab, I didn't want to need extra power) a walkbehind rototiller, all the hand tools, etc etc.

What do you have?

[Nathaniel Carr]

You know where I think we are slow... Lay out! The first day on those wall and patio/walkway jobs, I seem to take forever setting stakes, squaring strings up. Maybe I should lay those out the day before, by myself so that I don't freak out when I see three guys waiting to dig.

I also am suprised by how long it takes to rake out base. We can usually get the machine to distribute the bucket load of gravel, by dumping and backing up, but to get it pitching how we want it, with no low spots... that takes a while.

Do you leave a grid of strings up to go off when you are doing that?

One thing that I repeatedly think I can't be without is a tool trailer with the whole shop packed into it.

What about you?

[johnkeegan]

Do you have a laser transit? I have one man, one machine, one transit. He should be able to excavate for base, install base material, while one guy moves around tamping the lifts. And, on most jobs, one man can do that by himself. Very little hand work. Can't imagine having 3 men on the prep work, unless it's a really big job, then I'd have 2 machines running and 1 tamping.

[mrusk]

3 men might not be needed for a wall base, but for a patio or any paver surface it is nice to have the extra hands to do the final raking of the base material.


I defiently think it is smart to change the size of the crew depending on what task is being performed. But this only works if you are running muliple crews and jobs.

Always good to have alot of guys for laying pavers and clean up. But for cuts and base you can get away with less guys.

[Fine Edge]

My coffee. If I don't have my coffee...........

WATCH OUT WORLD!!!!!!

[Nathaniel Carr]

I have a laser, we got it last year and it works well, though I am still trying to get to know it.

It is absolutely required.

What else...

I was thinking about one of those walk behind harley rakes http://www.preseeder.com/news/. We can rent a big one when we need it, but maybe a little one can save us fixing up the jobsite, save on hand raking. I don't know.

I don't have a power head either, you know to run a paddle broom, hedge trimmer, etc

Blower, don't have it.

What else, plug of dip, Ipod....

[GLAN]

I like this question.........cause when ever I am asked.....one thing I always think of that I can't do without.

The men working for me.


It don't matter what machines, tools or gadgets I have and somethings I have are kinda neat.......but it all comes down to the simple fact that I could not do what I do without my men.

[Nathaniel Carr]

The men are the #1 asset. For sure. That is why I gave my foreman all her own chisels and hammers, at least $500 worth. And when I asked her is she wanted me to take them back to the shop she saad NO! she wanted to take them home. That's a good sign.

But what about the other guys. The ones who want things to come easy, "I'm not going to put the effort in unless I get paid for it"

What do I do about that...?

[GLAN]

The slackers

Well............what I have done......

I take the slacker off to the side..........ask him "What's up?"........."I see or hear that you aren't keeping up with the other guys"................."is this true?"

I ask him..........."So, what are you going to do about it?"............."Or, how can we make this situation better?"


Most times they will say.........oh it's nothing........or they aren't feeling to good today..........

If I am hearing about it.......you know it's more than just 1 day.........and If I am seeing it..........obviously this is a problem..........Now if their response to my above questions is BS........I tell them.........As of this momment you have 2 options.

1 you can go home and go find another job

2 work with the crew, keep up and blend in.......Do your job. If not...........you're looking for another job.


If it comes back to me that it is about $..........have to evaluate the situation.........how long been with us.........what is the over all work ethic and quality.........when did the problem first become noticeable?...........very well could be that a small raise in $ is necessary.........

Under no circumstances will I tolerate a new higher a couple weeks later or a month later dictate to me the need for more $.....they were hired with an agreement as to what they would be compensated for..........I remind them of the agreed $ and leave it at that.

[Nathaniel Carr]

Glan,
I like your style.
My problem employee actually said to me after I gave him another raise (just a quarter/hr but it was the third such by june. .75 from april to june is better than average) That he wasn't going to put anymore into it for a ten dollars more per week.
That stuck in my craw didn't it?!
But he is starting the season next week. So who is the chump now?

So this gets back to the original reason for the thread...

If you want to replace some labor, what equipment do you do it with?

[capeholedigger]

Best tool I have bought is my Wacker 1600LB double vibratory roller. This thing is a walkbehind oldie that has a hand crank starter on a single cylinder diesel motor. It pounds the ##$% out of base and makes it perfect. Much better compaction and faster than the plate compactor. And I only paid $500 for it. Still need to change the oil! As Ferris Bueller said "if you have the means, I highly reccomend getting one of these".

[4seasons]

A saw of some sort. I love my Ts 400 stihl.
And gloves when your handling stones.

[BSD]

I'm just starting to get into more and more hardscaping. Started a major job this past Monday and I bought some new tools to help out.

I went out and bought a Berger LMH600 laser with dual slope capabilities (still need to figure it out, I've been manually setting it to pitch).

Purchased a Shindaiwa EC7600 14" saw today, I should get to try it out on Saturday.

I have a Sakai 5.5 honda plate compactor which does a fair job but I would like something larger.

I rented a few tools for this job which were major time savers. 1). Mustang MTL25, 10.5K lb tracked skid steer with a 84" bucket. This monster heaps up almost a yd at a time and it's quick around the jobsite. The tracks put down only 4.3 PSI. 2). 1.5ton Compac vibratory roller. This made short work of base prepping for the patio. I would estimate it saved 8-10hrs over compacting with a plate compactor.

I would say the best "investment" you can make are those latex dipped work gloves. they're hard to beat

[cutntrim]

After you've used the Shindaiwa saw on a few jobs, post back about how it's working out for you if you can. I've asked for feedback on them before but nobody has owned one on here, until you.

[Raj Venugopal]

My best asset on the jobsite is my wife.

She's smarter than me, and is a very good landscaper...from design to install.