New Job

[Nick Drew]

Hi all,

Well on Monday I am going to be starting a new job, operating machines as a relief driver for our Member here at CMN Ian Stanton, I will be doing this until my new machine arrives in 2-3 weeks time.

This coming week I am going to be operating a Case CX75 zero tailswing excavator on another site in the West Country city of Plymouth, I will post some photos here next week

Nick

[Robban_C]

Congratulations!
I bet it feels good.
And besides photos we expect a thorough report on driving that Case.

What has happened to Ian Stanton? Nothing seriously I hope?

[Nick Drew]

Congratulations!
I bet it feels good.
And besides photos we expect a thorough report on driving that Case.

What has happened to Ian Stanton? Nothing seriously I hope?

No Nothing has happened to Ian, I should of explained more As well as running a few machines Ian also provides other customers with Operator hire, this has become quite a large part of his business as it is becoming harder & harder to find good operators here in the UK!! is this a problem in Sweden also??

You may of seen some of Ians machines in action in the "Dancing Digger" thread

Nick

[Robban_C]

Ok, I thought he was sick or something. It´s nice to hear that our members are doing well.

Yes, It´s difficult to find good drivers here as well. I have two drivers that I can hire on an hourly basis but they don´t always have the time.

One of them is a very talented driver but he isn´t that fast. But he always does a _very_ good job except that he don´t like using the laser and the machine mounted laser detector.
And he drives so incredibly smooth. The bushings don´t wear as much on a week with him as they do on an hour with me driving.
He has been driving my Volvo last week while I´ve been doing all other work on the site including transporting material with my MB. The job is a foundation (footing?) for a house, just like the ones that you vill do with your own machine. Photos coming next week.

The other driver is a friend of mine that can drive but he´s not a specialist. But he is faster which means more money for me.
The problem here is that he can´t spend that much time at my place as he is running his own business as a house examiner for house buyers. looking for water leaks, fungus (is it the right term?) and other weak points. I can´t afford paying the money he is making when working as a house examiner and he must of course pick the jobs that pay best.

[Nick Drew]

Well the new week has started in a rather confusing way!!

The machine that was supposed to be a Case CX75 turned out to be a Hitachi EX75UR which was an import machine and not a very comfortable drive for someone as Short as me!!
The seat had no height adjustment which meant my legs were left dangling in the air.

Luckily for me I wont be on this job anymore as I have been told I am needed to do some night work for the rest of the week driving a Volvo EC140BLC doing backfilling duties, I hope to get some shots of this work later in the week!

[Nick Drew]

Ok, Well the confusion is continuing on this new site

I am now doing some nightshifts at a job where they are building a massive power station.
The Langage Energy Park is the first new power station to be built in the UK for over 5 years, work started on this site in late September 2006 and is due for completion in October 2009.

Last night was my first night on the job and I was told I was going to be operating a Volvo EC140BLC, but when I arrived I was allocated to a rather tired Case CX130 with over 7,500 hrs on the clock The machine was still up to the job though as I was only sat on a spoil heap loading 10 ton dumpers all night.....easy work = easy money

Took a few shots but hope to take some more as the week goes by !!

Nick

[Bosse_A]

Nice shots
You must have a hell of flash to lighten the machine up.
//Bosse

[Nick Drew]

Hi Bosse,

No not a super flash Just strategically placed floodlights!

Here are a few more from Thursday night when I got to use the Volvo EC140 after the old Case broke down

I have to say that the talked about grading problems with these models are quite correct !! I found it to be a problem

Nick

[IBH]

The cab on the ec140b looks fairly spacious? Happy operators make more productive operators

[Robban_C]

IBH, I guess that you´re right about happy/productive operators. It´s also a question about (hopefully) less accidents/incidents.

Nick:
I guess grading is just about the skill of the driver.

Seriously, what have they done to correct the problem? How old is it? Hours?

Don´t you miss the dozer blade on other machines? I´m mostly thinking of the extra support it gives.
I sometimes use it as a dozer blade as well but as you know you have to use every possibility on a small excavator to be productive.