Member introduction

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500K_773

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Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Messages
342
I've been here quite awhile now, but have never introduced myself. Long time members have probably figured out who I am and how I use my Bobcat skidsteer loader. I hope others post here, so we can get an idea of other users.
My name is C.A. Demoski. I grew up in the excavating business and was running equipment by the time I was 12 years old. I worked for my father's excavating company and other contractors running heavy equipment (primarily excavators and backhoe loaders) until 1993. Here in Alaska, the excavating season lasts from May until October so you have to make lots of money in a short period of time to last the entire year. I got tired of working the entire summer and not having the benefits of full-time employment. I started working for a North Slope drilling contractor with the intention of becoming a forklift (966 loader) operator. They kept promoting me on the drilling rig and I never got into the forklift. It was a good living and the 2 week on and 2 week off work schedule was great.
In 2000, I went to work for a oilfield service company as a Measurement While Drilling engineer. I still work in conjuction with the drilling rigs, but now maintain tools that are utilized to drill directional wells and provide logging data to geologists. Still have a 2 and 2 schedule, so have plenty of free time to pursue other intrests.
I missed working in the excavating/construction industry and still got calls to perform work and operate equipment. Decided to start my own business to operate on my 2 weeks off. It was a difficult decision upon purchasing a Bobcat skidsteer or a backhoe loader, but the Bobcat won in the end. It was the perfect decision. Now I have an owner/operator business which I operate strictly by word of mouth, no advertising. I stay busy in my two weeks off during the summer months and have a snow removal service in the winter.
Bobcat equipment and the huge number and variety of attachments have made my business in high demand for residential work. I originally thought I'd also buy a Compact Excavator to complete my "Bobcat system". There are so many other owner operators offering excavation services in my area that I was not in my best intrest to go this direction. I purchased a Brushcat attachment and begun landclearing/landscaping. This seems like a niche market that I want to pursue further this coming season. The work is actually pretty easy on the machine and very profitable. I would like to purchase a T-300 this year and a 90" Brushcat and then begin bidding work for road service areas and utility companies. My wife also runs her own plant business and she expressed interest in designing custom landscapes for me to offer. My son will be 15 this year and I plan on setting him up with a lawn care service to complement my business.
Hope you enjoyed this little blurb about me and I'd like to hear from other Bobcat equipment owners.
 

Tazza

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 7, 2004
Messages
16,829
Well, the main reason i bought my Bobcat was that i needed a project to keep me busy, also we live on acerage with a creek running through the middle. Each side of the driveway slopes down to the creek, it was made of bitumen all of 20 or so years ago. Many years of neglect left it in horrible condition. I started looking in the paper for a cheap second hand Bobcat and found one, an old 731. Yes i know its old, its about as old as i am, but it works great. Now the driveway is very easy to maintain, its amazing just how much such a small machine can actually do!. I use it for so many things, lifting things on to and off my dad's truck, moving concrete pipes around the yard to use as fish ponds for my mum, moving rocks (this is where the 4 in 1 bucket really shines), building retaing walls, moving dirt, the list goes on. I could never be without it now. I have 2 attachments to build for it, an excavator attachment (one of those ones that use the aux hydraulics to drive the bucket) and pallet forks. I would also like to one day get a post hole drilling attachment for it, but i have asked the Bobcat dealer and they say they almost never get them, for the use i would give it i would be wasting my money buying new. I don't do commercial work with my Bobcat, i fear it would die on a jobsite and cost me a fortune to fix. I believe its the best money i have ever spent. I would like a more current model but the amount of work i have done on this one i will find it very hard to part with it, new ram seals all round, new hoses all round, re-built the tilt ram (was bent like a banana and spewed out oil) and re-built the controll valve block, now my lift arms don't slowly fall when the pedel is in the centre position!!. I have found the parts are of a reasonable price, the service is EXCELLENT, if you ever have any problems you just talk to the service department and they will help you out without hesitation. Personally i would only ever own a genuine Bobcat. ooh, his name is BOB, for BOBcat :)
 

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