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NC Wayne
02-07-2007 20:20:03
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Re: linkbelt draglines value in reply to 720diesel, 02-06-2007 20:49:02
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I'll start by answering your origional question from yesterday first. I looked in a set of old Corp of Engineers books that list a blue million machines, along with thei specs, etc. Based on what they showed the 68, 78, and 98 series machines could all have a 4-71 Detroit in various HP combinations as an option. It didn't shiow anything about a 53 series for any of the three machines. All three also showed a 3/4 yard bucket, but like I said yesterday it depended on boom length, etc. As for pricing the Bid book showed a couple opf 78's and 98's. The 78's ranged from $6000 to the 8,000 andf the 98's from $8000 to around $12,000 depending on how they were setup. Hope this helps. Now on to the current question. First I'm no operator by any strech of the imagination. I can run one enough to work on it but when it comes to operating I leave that to the experts...I'd love to learn but I can't stand the liability of messing up a customers machine trying to learn, especially when their making a living with it... I work on just about any kind of heavy equipment made, including cranes. Dad has been in the business for about 35 years and used to work for the BE dealership in Charlotte back in the 70's, and CAT in the 80's. He finally quit the dealerships in 86 and went independent and never looked back. I grew up around all of it it and after getting out of the Navy in 92 and about 6 years of doing welding and industrial maintenance full time plus helping him out when needed. I finally went to work with Dad full about 8 years ago and like him have never looked back. We tend to do a pretty good amount of crane work on the older machines. The machines we routinely see are a 9570 NW dragline removing overburden in a sand pit, another guy that has gravel pit using a a 180D NW dragline, a 80D NW with a front shovel digging the gravel, as well as a 28D he's gonna set up as a small dragline for dipping the sediment ponds. This same guy also has an old H3 BE hydraulic truck crane he uses for lifting. There's a company in Spruce pine with a 71B BE dragline dipping their sediment ponds. We did a ground up rebuild on that machine over a 14 week period back in '04. There's nother outside Jefferson City with an American doing the same thing and an 80D NW dropballing. There are several MM quarry in eastern NC, one with a 50D NW dipping their ponds, another with a 70DNW, and still another with a 68D NW, all doing the same. There's a 22B BE in Clemmons draglining sand from a creek and another BE right down the road from us here in Concord doing the same. I've the one down the road from us from a far distance, but I don't know what it is except that it's definately a BE. There are alot more of the machines around doing dragline or other work than you realize. The main thing for a dragline is they'll do things the long stick hoes just won't do. What's really dying off is the guys that have the skills to operate the machines. It'd probably make you sick to see how many machines are parked simply because the operator retired and nobody else has the ability, or more importantly the want to, to learn how to operate it properly. Then they all require oil and grease and periodic adjustments/maintenance to work right so you've actually got to get dirty once in a while....nobody wants to do that whe they can set in an airconditioned cab and do nothing but pull a lever all day..... If your loooking for a duty cycle machine to do nothing but dragline work you can't beat the old NW machines, especially the ones with the Murphy engines. The engines have great lugging ability and with even very little TLC will last forever. Treat them right and the'll outlive all of us. Now the Murphys are expensive as heck to rebuild if you do wear it out but they'll run so close to forever that's usually not a big issue. I've alway heard the Linkbelts aren't the greatest machines for draglining. Their more of a lifting crane and are a little slower than an air/friction machine but if your not doing it day in and day out for production purposes you wouldn't know the difference. One good thing about the Linkbelts is that their still in business and parts aren't that hard to get even for the older machines. American is the same way but to a lesser degree, meaning their still in business but parts for the older machines are a littler harder to get, at least in my experience. Northwest has been out of business for awhile but their not as hard to get parts for as you'd think...if you know where to look. One good thing that makes ther NW machies so good for the draglining is their really simple, basic machines, all you've got to do is keep them greased and oiled and they'll run forever no matter how hard you work them, add the Murphy and you've got a bullet proof package. Plus nowdays you can buy them pretty cheap, even in good to fair condition. BE is also a good machine and have some nice sized machines for "personal" use. Something like a 22B would probably be ideal for you. Thing about them though is their usually pretty pricy unless you get one that's worn slap out. Like I've said on here many times before I don't claim to be a real expert at anything but if you've got a question about anything feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer or find an answer for you. Good luck in your search and let me know how it goes. Wayne
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