Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Most Difficult Heavy Machinery to Operate?

"Heavy" could mean many things, depending on context. I'm thinking primarily of earth moving equipment larger than a wheelbarrow/shovel combo.

Full disclosure requires that I admit to never having earned a living operating ANY machinery of this type, but I've hired and/or observed quite a few different ones.

I judge them based on precision, speed, and efficiency.

My vote goes to the backhoe.

Crane. Hands down.

Crane would be my pick also

Granted, a large crane looks impressive. I even got the chance once to try throwing a dragline bucket in exchange for letting the operator run my swabbing machine........ we both chickened out.

But a GOOD backhoe operator can be moving the hell out of dirt and "feel" a plastic line in time to avoid cutting it. It takes a LOOOOng time to develope that level of expertise.

I met a guy in Benoit, Ms. who had his own backhoe business and filled in for a local Ag Pilot flying a turbine powered Air Tractor.

He said the backhoe took longer to learn.

Yep crane, the F'up factor multiplied.

I've ran most grading, digging and lift equipment professionally. Backhoes are fairly easy.

Kent

Cable log loader......The old timers used to be a hoot to watch..

"I've ran most grading, digging and lift equipment professionally. Backhoes are fairly easy."

Ditto here....

The crane is tough - but I'd have to vote for moving dirt with a small tractor. Larger is better, when you can do it.
Small tractors are a lesson in frustration.

I'd go with Rosie O'Donnell as difficult-to-operate heavy machinery.

Ridin' a hoe is easy.
Especially on back.

What I hate most is a lawn mower.

The mechanics of backhoes can be picked up quickly, especially with the toggles/joysticks of today, the old four sticks were harder to master.

Feeling is more of a sixth sense. I've dug hundreds of foundation footing, retentions, plumbing trenchs on open lots. It's blow and go, if there was a hidden line, or away from blue stake, it gets cut.

I also worked on fireline reto fits, where existing buildings are brought up to code. Digging from the mains out in the street, coming through all the utilities in the easements, and entering the business. That can be tricky and a experienced spotter is needed. Any pebble feels like a gas line.

Kent

I consider a double jack to be "heavy" everything else is just drivin',,,,

Crane is probably hardest.

Mastering a road grader to the point of being a finish grade operator isn't for amateurs either.

The difficult part about yarders is the extreme boredom........

Cranes, meh. Impressive but slow and easy.

Operating anything is easy. We call them guys "lever pullers".

Doing the job efficiently and safely is a total different game.

I would say getting proficient on a dragline is one of the tricky ones. Lots of "feel" involved in them. As mentioned, road graders can be tricky, especially the old knuckle busters.

What's a double jack??

Ive ran equpimemt for over 20 years. Old drag line. ,

Personally, I would not advertise that item on your "bucket list", then again you two have so much in common. Did she make you a sandwich too, although my guess is she probably ate it..

I Remember this one time, me and a fishing buddy, digging up an old farmers septic line.

A Case hoe from the 60s

Doing general maintenance before load up I'm raising and lowering boom and out riggers and he's pumping the grease gun when all of a sudden his phone rings.

I shut the ignition and listen.
It's his wife.

"Whatcha doin honey? "

He looks up at me grins...

"Just greasing up an old hoe. "


LMAO!