Chris I’ve been watching your RUclips channel for years now. I’ve seen other channels receive Demos from all sorts of equipment companies in their videos. It is fantastic that a company like Volvo to demo you such a great piece of equipment so that your viewers are able to see the capabilities of such a large piece of equipment like the Volvo 550E excavator. Your channel does a great service to Volvo by showcasing their equipment in your videos. Thank You Chris for all of the fantastic videos that you record for your viewers viewing enjoyment. Also Thank You Volvo corporation for giving Chris an opportunity to show his viewers just what your 550E excavator is capable of doing.
Chris, you have the patience of a saint. Four different dudes on the ground all trying to give commands to the operator while having the arms and hands in all the wrong places.
And they needed some tag lines on that load as well, so they aren't standing so close in case it drops. Would make it easier for them also one on one corner and another on the opposite corner. And one person flagging to the operator.
Look at Chris' following. The way he runs his machines and the efficient way he gets his jobs done, he's clearly the best advertising Volvo could ever want.
Glad to see an operator actually helping get the driver stacked up to go to the next job. Been in heavy haul for 20 years and have had many customers get their machine and just leave me sitting there waiting for a tow truck to stack up.
Man, I’ve been following you for years now, you’ve grown so much it’s crazy. But I love how humble you always are. Keep up the great work, love watching the channel and bussiness grow
And, how it was? A tingling in the stomach? Wet hands? The Desire for Greater? It was definitely a nice and clever action by Volvo! Maybe we'll soon see you starting and finishing a pond project in one day with a 950F.
Chris, It's good of Volvo to give you their demo unit for this job. Maybe at extra counterweight would be handy for loading dump trucks. It won't take long to load Barney with a bucket that size. Enjoy the experience.
That was stressful to watch, glad no one got hurt. The crew did not seem to understand safety rigging and lifting. Lots of hands and bodies in the wrong places. Congratulations on the new machine, going to be fun to watch it work.
Would have made a much easier lift if they'd have routed the chains through that shackle the right way. The way they rigged it of course it was going to spin 90 degrees.
I’ve seen these trailer hauling before but never seen how you disassemble em and stack em like this. I’m glad you filmed this process. Quite the operation.
Someone needs to teach those guys about tag lines. So they do not have to get under the load. And stick their hands into places where they can lose them.
She is truly a beast! I only realized it when you offloaded it's real bucket with that itty-bitty-lil bucket and the difference is awesome. Taking down the tree and digging a few five-scoops-with-one-bite. She is a real EARTHBITER! Congratulations and I hope you enjoy every minute on her.
Chris , the way you got into this monster and straightaway in charge of it as if you had used it before, just magnificent and I take my hat off for you. This pond will be done in no time. Greetings from Australia
Oh wow. That IS a beast. Heck, this will fill Barney up in 3 scoops. Congrats on the newest member of CG excavation! This was a wonderful surprise and delight for those of us watching you grow your own company. I am very happy for you.
Text said Volvo paid for transport and the dealer paid for set up. Didn't say anything it being a demo. Why would they? He'll never need a 550, the chances of him doing another set of twin deep ponds is slim.
I'd of lost that bet... I thought the "something special" was a D10 for this project. It's a beast for sure. Congrats Chris! Too bad our crappy old bridges here in NC make it too expensive to move and keep for the long term.
Yeah, to the other person in last video that said a 3 series would show, Even better w this 550 a beast for sure, the size of that bucket alone is nuts
Timber! Man that machine pushed over that tree like it was nothing… that is one big machine and fascinating to see its power. Love your pond building videos the most❤
Iv'e been watching your channel since the old Link Belt (SP?) I got my dad watching them and we spent hours enjoying your projects. He would always say you were the best heavy equipment operator he ever saw. Most of all he enjoyed the fact that you knew your machines limits and took care of your equipment, My Dad passed a few weeks ago. I miss him and seeing your videos bring back a smile because he couldn't wait to see your next big machine. Volvo should pay you to operate and endorse their equipment. Good luck!
@@letsdig18 Letsdig18 is now Bigdig18plus loland there you are doing hang ten moves with a full bucket , you'll be doing all sorts of tricks with it soon ,just don't find any soft or muddy holes , otherwise you'll become Letsdig forever . You'll need more than Charlie and cement stabilizer if she get stuck ,but I'm sure you are going to move some big dirt numbers on cheers
Volvo is a beautiful piece of equipment to operate. The operator comforts are fantastic and the machine is poetry in motion. I am semi retired now but I got excited watching this. I last worked doing mine reclamation in WV operating Volvo equipment among others. Enjoy the ride.
Not being in construction, but being strangely fascinated by watching this channel.. Something that struck me is the logistics involved. Sure, I'd love to have the biggest, baddest machines. But this shows some of the challenges and costs involved for the industry and I guess potential clients like me. Moving that beast between jobs can't exactly be cheap, and I guess for contracting, there's a sweet spot between the size of machinery and the costs of transporting it between job sites.
@@brolohalflemming7042 most companies with big machinery like this usually hire their own lowboy driver, put him in a truck, and pay him hourly. It's not very practical to own a machine this big if you'll have to contract another company to move it
Dude. Duuuuuuuude! That's a monster! So awesome. I see from other comments this is a demo from Volvo. I'm not in this industry but I assure you that if I ever change careers I will head straight for the Volvo dealership! Chris runs an awesome channel, does such great work, and works so hard...really really cool of you guys to support him! 👍👍
I thought it was going to be a scraper when he said he would bring in a new big piece of equipment to do the ponds, guess I was wrong this 550 will definitely move some dirt.
Congratulations, you didn't kill or maim the workers putting arms, legs and bodies in the wrong places while any number of their buddies were giving directions. Great job. I kept thinking this machine wouldn't be much use when you have to use the special equipment for each move. Then I read the other posts. I did watch later videos when you loaded the off road dump in three bucket loads. Impressive.
That thing is ginormous!! Bet it take two days to fill the fuel tank, LOL. Must have been awsome to see it in person. I assume this is a loaner so Volvo can get some great Letsdig18 advertizing.
Pretty cool toy Chris! You showed a whole hell of a lot of patience while working with the fellas here. It is quite a process breaking down the trailer.
Holy shit I can’t believe they sent you that monster. I was hoping for the 750 or 950 but that’s a much different transport and then assembly. This is why we don’t use these size machines for anything other than massive excavation projects lol. Still badass that you got this opportunity.
Now Barney has someone the same size to play with !! The great respect you show for your equipment and the trade makes you deserving of this fine machine! Good hard work and honesty pay double dividend .good luck in all you !!
My company had a Cat 374 delivered recently had custom built undercarraige extanded 2ft on each side it ran down the road 16' wide on the trailer. Spread out to like 20' 6" or so. We had 2 wheel loaders help spread the tracks out. Pretty big ordeal to do that, bolt counter weight, and pin the 30ft stick on.
Those transpo guys were making me nervous. They were putting out that... 'We don't quite know what we're doing'... vibe. Looks good though! Who knows, you might have a whole line of scrapers some day.
That's one hell of a machine. I can't help thinking, with the logistics involved moving it about, whether it would only be useful on larger jobs where it was likely to be staying for a while.
@@williamdavidson2233 yeah I thought they was years behind on that cuz that definitely should have had some type of hydraulic to slide it in and out itself without needing a second machine
That is one behemoth of a machine!! Between the size of that bucket and your skill, I expect this job is going to be done quite speedily!! Thank you Volvo!
As a kid i used to spend some weeks of the summer with an old lady and an older gentleman, the latter who had lots of excavators and other machinery. I remember the biggest one he got, a Volvo just like this one (but of course not the same model) that was the biggest they had at the time. The scoop was as tall as he was and big as a swimming pool. He was eager to try it out on a big boulder that he'd been fighting with with one of his lesser excavators. The boulder fit neatly in the bucket but he was confused and later disappointed when he couldn't move the arm an inch after getting the boulder in the bucket. And there wasn't enough power to even lift the machines back end like he was expecting to be able to do to walk the boulder out of it's place. He rarely used the machine and got rid of it a year later, it was underpowered for its size. Glad to see things have changed since then.
The sheer size of the machine and what it takes to transport it makes me wonder if a machine that size would be practical with the work you do. That said, bet that thing would rip out the biggest trees like it was pulling weeds, lol. Will be really cool to see what you do with it on these two ponds Chris.
He has said in the past this size of machine would be a problem transporting, and now we can see how much would go into transporting an excavator of that size.
I'm guessing, the bigger the project, the more efficient such a monster is Of course, that means logistics also has to adapt to what this machine offers in extra loads
It was amazing to see how easily a bucket of dirt could tip the excavator sideways. That is a very big machine. Looking forward to watching you put it through its paces.
This reminds me why I love my 7 axle rig so much. I’m home every night can run when I want. When I ran 13 axles over the road. It paid well but had to be permitted everywhere I went to. Even empty. My empty weight was over 80 thousand
I got goosebumps when I saw that arrive! The specs on that machine blow my mind.. 58 tonne machine with a 27 tonne breakout force. Looking forward to the next videos with this beast. :)
Chris, you are a very patient man! I would have gotten down and brought a halt to all operations, conducted a safety briefing and a refresher on CRANE SPOTTER HAND SIGNALS!! I really love the driver at about 12:20 giving you "down" command with right hand, while his left arm is under the tongue piece you were folding over onto the main trailer spar. The variety of signals from the rest of the helpful crew during the rest of the loading must have kept you extra cautious with the joysticks.
I've done that several times in my working career before I retired and also used an overhead crane making it simpler. Always following the driver's suggestions on how they wanted it done.
Looks like a tractor you need in your inventory!😊 Betting you can get that 550 running as smooth as the 220 once you get it settings all configured to the way you like them.
@@warrenmichael918 I agree $10 to $12 is probably right then add in the permits and escort. It was not cheap and cost prohibitive for the job he is doing but Volvo is footing the bill and probably didn't factor to much into their desire for advertising.
Beautiful machine, no doubt about it. The 550 hardly grunts when you dig, must beg fun to operate it. Thanks for the ride along sir, be looking for this series using the 550.
WOW beast is right!!! Man that's a big excavator. You could use another haul truck now with that bucket. I do believe Chris is about to have some fun with a 550!
Wow - the Beast is here - it was a Very Exciting Operation with the Trailer Gear etc - wow ! And a Larger Bucket as well - yes - that will speed things up for sure ! Also You had the Track Frame extended out - that was also a Brilliant Job ! Yes - Volvo makes Fantastic Equipment ! And it pushed over the Tree and picked it up with the Bucket like it was a Match-Stick - soooo Impressive ! Great Video and many Cheers from us in Australia !!!!
Finally Chris has been giving a real demo, this is like the holy grail of demo, an only you Chris could pull this off, you've showed Volvo equipment in your videos for years now, what took them so long, gonna be some sweet in cab coming can't wait, thanks for sharing Chris, your channel has been the best for years 👌🇺🇲💪🤙✊
I just wanted to say 😊thank you for showing us what it takes to load back up a trailer I always wanted to because on tv shows I watch there like they unload and bam there ready to move on.
Likely a 6 cy bucket. Compacted in-situ clay is about 109 lbs/cf = 2,943 lbs/cy x 6 cy = ~8.8 tons per scoop = ~3 scoops for a 30T truck. Unless Chris brings on more trucks, that 550 will idle most of the day.
I repaired an 11,000v cable that had been ripped in half by an EC480 and the thing was huge! You’ll be filling dump trucks so fast you’ll need another couple to keep up with the machine
It shows how good your relationship is with volvo getting such an expensive machine on demo. And I would hate to think how much it would cost to hire one of these for a few months or lease it for a year I thought the 220 made many trees look like twigs but the 550 makes all trees looks like a twig
Did you guys see what they had to do to move the Volvo 990E? They needed almost twice as many axles to move that from the show where they introduced it a few years ago.
550? 😱 Smoking ... Dang that beast is heavy. Quite an ordeal to move it. 12 axles rolling, 8 lights a flashing, Five golden hands, three pilot cars and a pinched pinkie on the right hand. ..... and that's just one way. Love it
We used to have to unload and hook up the log trailers in the Bush here in BC for every load. And that was with a Wheel loader, on a small landing. Some guys were good enough to set down a trailer in a minute or less.
Chris! Ever since you mentioned that its going to be big and move a lot of dirt, I was waiting. Then you had to move it two days and I was like Oh my God! NOOOOO LOL. I was literally here waiting in PHX AZ. Now I see it. Thanks for teasing us and making us wait. jk its not your fault. This is going to be amazing.
Chris you are the man. How awesome of Volvo to demo such an impressive machine. Maybe they will make you a really sweet deal on it when it's all said and done
Well, if I ever was surprised at something you did, this was it. It makes me really happy for you and your new company, as with this exceptionally large and valuable machine, I hope that this excavator helps to make your business grow and prosper. As is often said in all blue color jobs, if you buy good tools, it will be money well invested. That is, because you will never be disappointed in the performance of the tool and its ability to get the job at hand finished with both time saved and less money spent doing the job. Congratulations Chris, Congratulations !!!
When I saw that I thought for sure you had opened a open-pit mine on your farm. Problem is it won't fit under your equipment shed at the house. :) Very nice machine, and looking forward to seeing you put it to work.
Good Lord what a monster! Congrats man. What an awesome piece of equipment. I can see your hand on the joystick now pressing the thumb that isn't there. yet. Looks like the stick is a little shorter than I'm used to seeing you operate. Enjoy the hard-earned fruits of your labor, man. Cheers from Louisiana.
That’s a huge bucket, it’s going to move a lot of dirt quickly but I believe the excavator needs a bigger counterweight. I can’t wait to see this excavator at work.
Mr Jimmie won't be moving this one will he?? Awesome video moving the BEAST onto the site and set up. WHen you took aim at the tree I knew there was NO DIGGING REQUIRED! Like your said, Why take 1 scoop when you can now do 5 with 1.
Thank you Volvo for letting Chris demo this it is about time y'all stepped up before him forasmuch as he steps up for y'all and showcases y'alls equipment and Excavating and talks about the speed and power of them I am very thankful that he gets to do this cuz I really want to see how this machine performs with a good Scoop on it it looks like it actually needs more counterweight also during the unloading process I would not have had anybody else operating that machine but Chris no matter who was there once again thank you Chris and Volvo for this opportunity can't wait to see this machine in action
Nice rig! Cant wait to see the beast moving earth. What's the capacity of a bucket like that? 5-8 yds? Thanks to Volvo for having Chris demo your equipment. Good choice! I'm happy for you Chris.
City is digging a 380 retention lake next to our property, the construction company brought in 5 brand new 395f cats. It makes a 336 look like a mini. Dudes moving 25,000 yards in a day with 20 haul trucks with flotation tires. D10s all over it’s insane
Wouldn't it be fun if time travel was real and you could invite some of the old timers from the day of the first excavators back to run that thing. It would be a hoot the hear what they had to say about how far things have come !
Hello Chris, I must have missed the pre-amble on this brute showing up at your site. From the comments it seems you didn't purchase (thank goodness) it's so difficult (expensive) to move , it looks like something from a commercial pit or mining operation that moves after a few years. Since it's a loaner, I doubt you'll be putting a thumb or anything else on that bad boy. I also think "let's dig" won the "Mines bigger than yours" contest with Mike Simmons at "Dirt Perfect". Now you'll need a couple of Euclid's to keep up with the new cycle times.
What an amazing machine. I've spent a total of about 15 minutes in nn excavator - when I was a kid, it was a dream. I got a chance in 2019 when the Extreme Sandbox people were at an event I went to - would love to do more. I wonder if the "it's more sensitive" is a bit like when you drive a different car - a rental for example, and you find that the controls react a bit different to your usual vehicle - but you get used to it, and adjust as you get more time with it? Or is it a bit like using your 15" adjustable wrench on small bolts - it's just unwieldy and not the really the tool you were supposed to use for that task?
Chris I’ve been watching your RUclips channel for years now. I’ve seen other channels receive Demos from all sorts of equipment companies in their videos. It is fantastic that a company like Volvo to demo you such a great piece of equipment so that your viewers are able to see the capabilities of such a large piece of equipment like the Volvo 550E excavator. Your channel does a great service to Volvo by showcasing their equipment in your videos. Thank You Chris for all of the fantastic videos that you record for your viewers viewing enjoyment. Also Thank You Volvo corporation for giving Chris an opportunity to show his viewers just what your 550E excavator is capable of doing.
Couldn’t had said it any better myself ❤
Awesome day...all the power to you chirs...Go team Letsdig18...
When did he say it was a demo unit?
@@ScottyStock Read the text in the last few seconds of the video. *Sponsored by Volvo*
@@ScottyStock Thanks for asking that question !
Chris, you have the patience of a saint. Four different dudes on the ground all trying to give commands to the operator while having the arms and hands in all the wrong places.
Yeah, I was really thinking tag lines the whole time they were dinkin around,
No doubt, the fact no one lost a body part during unloading was a small miracle
@@bossmonkey1126 Serious pucker factor at several moments
And they needed some tag lines on that load as well, so they aren't standing so close in case it drops. Would make it easier for them also one on one corner and another on the opposite corner. And one person flagging to the operator.
Look at Chris' following. The way he runs his machines and the efficient way he gets his jobs done, he's clearly the best advertising Volvo could ever want.
Idk have you seen gold rush 😂😂😂
@@mizzo_beeto Chris is a wet dream of an employee for those shows
@@mizzo_beeto Yeah, I quit watching. Machinery abuse interspersed with childish tantrums!
@@tomrogers9467 exactly. I used to watch it but they throw fits like a four year old.
@@nathanscott7910 Yea it's the shows producer trying to add drama to a boring show
Glad to see an operator actually helping get the driver stacked up to go to the next job. Been in heavy haul for 20 years and have had many customers get their machine and just leave me sitting there waiting for a tow truck to stack up.
Man, I’ve been following you for years now, you’ve grown so much it’s crazy. But I love how humble you always are. Keep up the great work, love watching the channel and bussiness grow
And, how it was? A tingling in the stomach? Wet hands? The Desire for Greater? It was definitely a nice and clever action by Volvo! Maybe we'll soon see you starting and finishing a pond project in one day with a 950F.
Chris, It's good of Volvo to give you their demo unit for this job. Maybe at extra counterweight would be handy for loading dump trucks. It won't take long to load Barney with a bucket that size. Enjoy the experience.
Hell of a machine for hell of an operator. Havagudun Chris
That was stressful to watch, glad no one got hurt. The crew did not seem to understand safety rigging and lifting. Lots of hands and bodies in the wrong places. Congratulations on the new machine, going to be fun to watch it work.
Really liked the truck driver with his arm under load motioning for Chris to lower it. There always has to be at least 1 cowboy.
@@python3574 I bet OSHA would like to have a talk with that cowboy
Tag lines make it safer
Folding that pin extension back with four arms under the “guillotine” had me picturing a quadruple amputation!😂
Would have made a much easier lift if they'd have routed the chains through that shackle the right way. The way they rigged it of course it was going to spin 90 degrees.
I’ve seen these trailer hauling before but never seen how you disassemble em and stack em like this. I’m glad you filmed this process. Quite the operation.
Check out JPAYDIRT's web sight, every time he has to move his D9 Cat dozer, or his Cat Scrapers he uses a similar rig with the jeeps
@@jmwarden1 I like how the scraper becomes the frame of the trailer.
@@Kriss_L If they move them with a cradle setup yeah
Someone needs to teach those guys about tag lines. So they do not have to get under the load. And stick their hands into places where they can lose them.
The one guy had the crank handle! That's gotta be close to a tag line, right?
No only that but sticking their hand into places as stuff moves BEFORE asking Chris to hold on.
@@TheHOOfan1 I couldnt agree more. I saw much potential of danger and not even a hardhat
@New Name For RUclips a hard hat really. What the hell is a hard hat going to do. Hard hats are a bs osha requirement.
No kidding I was literally twitching watching them reach for stuff while the machine was still moving things around.
She is truly a beast! I only realized it when you offloaded it's real bucket with that itty-bitty-lil bucket and the difference is awesome. Taking down the tree and digging a few five-scoops-with-one-bite. She is a real EARTHBITER! Congratulations and I hope you enjoy every minute on her.
The real mind blower is realizing the small bucket is pushing a yard of dirt at a time. That monster is gonna fill Barney in 2 scoops.
@@StoicThrower It did. It did, i've seen it!
@@aikiemarais6676 Time to get a bigger dump truck 🤣🤣🤣
I'm so excited and i don't even own it. Congrats on all the hard work over the years that got you to this point.
Chris is a class act, not only for his skill as an operator but the way he cares for his equipment is an absolute credit to him...
Chris , the way you got into this monster and straightaway in charge of it as if you had used it before, just magnificent and I take my hat off for you. This pond will be done in no time. Greetings from Australia
Damn... that Bucket looks Enormous, even when its fitted to the 550!
Oh wow. That IS a beast. Heck, this will fill Barney up in 3 scoops. Congrats on the newest member of CG excavation! This was a wonderful surprise and delight for those of us watching you grow your own company. I am very happy for you.
I can't believe that video was 34 min long. It felt like 5-10 max!🤣And it was nice that Robert was at the unveiling of both of your new machines.
It's a rental.
@@farmerbill6855 I wondered, I still admire how he's grown his own company.
@@farmerbill6855 Demo machine. Volvo finally stepped up.
Text said Volvo paid for transport and the dealer paid for set up. Didn't say anything it being a demo. Why would they? He'll never need a 550, the chances of him doing another set of twin deep ponds is slim.
I'd of lost that bet... I thought the "something special" was a D10 for this project. It's a beast for sure. Congrats Chris! Too bad our crappy old bridges here in NC make it too expensive to move and keep for the long term.
Bigger hoes need bigger dozers to push with. I won't be surprise if he ends up adding a D8 to the fleet by year's end.
Yeah, to the other person in last video that said a 3 series would show, Even better w this 550 a beast for sure, the size of that bucket alone is nuts
And the "1 1/2 lane" NC roads with a paint stripe down the middle (maybe), with muddy grass and a ditch on both sides.
Timber! Man that machine pushed over that tree like it was nothing… that is one big machine and fascinating to see its power. Love your pond building videos the most❤
Iv'e been watching your channel since the old Link Belt (SP?) I got my dad watching them and we spent hours enjoying your projects. He would always say you were the best heavy equipment operator he ever saw. Most of all he enjoyed the fact that you knew your machines limits and took care of your equipment, My Dad passed a few weeks ago. I miss him and seeing your videos bring back a smile because he couldn't wait to see your next big machine. Volvo should pay you to operate and endorse their equipment. Good luck!
I bet your neighbour's kids think you're the coolest guy on the street!
im pretty sure Im the talk of the community unloading that in the road lol
@@letsdig18 Lets both assume they're talking about you in a good way - not "That Goddam digger man stopped me from getting to Church this morning.." 🙃
I’m sure every red blooded male in that neighborhood is jealous
@@letsdig18 Letsdig18 is now Bigdig18plus loland there you are doing hang ten moves with a full bucket , you'll be doing all sorts of tricks with it soon ,just don't find any soft or muddy holes , otherwise you'll become Letsdig forever .
You'll need more than Charlie and cement stabilizer if she get stuck ,but I'm sure you are going to move some big dirt numbers on cheers
Yeah, I think so too
Volvo is a beautiful piece of equipment to operate. The operator comforts are fantastic and the machine is poetry in motion. I am semi retired now but I got excited watching this. I last worked doing mine reclamation in WV operating Volvo equipment among others. Enjoy the ride.
You know it's big when the bucket has its own trailer.
Not being in construction, but being strangely fascinated by watching this channel.. Something that struck me is the logistics involved. Sure, I'd love to have the biggest, baddest machines. But this shows some of the challenges and costs involved for the industry and I guess potential clients like me. Moving that beast between jobs can't exactly be cheap, and I guess for contracting, there's a sweet spot between the size of machinery and the costs of transporting it between job sites.
@@brolohalflemming7042 a lot of machines that size will only be moved a few times in there life. It spend a good few years at each site at least.
@@brolohalflemming7042 most companies with big machinery like this usually hire their own lowboy driver, put him in a truck, and pay him hourly. It's not very practical to own a machine this big if you'll have to contract another company to move it
Hell the shot of the bucket compare to the device truck was impressive too
@@johndiclaudio9998 i move 60 metric ton machine 20000 for 75 mile
Dude. Duuuuuuuude! That's a monster! So awesome.
I see from other comments this is a demo from Volvo. I'm not in this industry but I assure you that if I ever change careers I will head straight for the Volvo dealership! Chris runs an awesome channel, does such great work, and works so hard...really really cool of you guys to support him! 👍👍
Somehow I knew Chris that you'd bring in a 550, because I saw you playing with one at the dealer!
I thought it was going to be a scraper when he said he would bring in a new big piece of equipment to do the ponds, guess I was wrong this 550 will definitely move some dirt.
@@jmwarden1 Yeah, so did I. Lost my ten buck bet to someone in here.🎲🎲
Congratulations, you didn't kill or maim the workers putting arms, legs and bodies in the wrong places while any number of their buddies were giving directions. Great job. I kept thinking this machine wouldn't be much use when you have to use the special equipment for each move. Then I read the other posts. I did watch later videos when you loaded the off road dump in three bucket loads. Impressive.
That thing is ginormous!! Bet it take two days to fill the fuel tank, LOL. Must have been awsome to see it in person. I assume this is a loaner so Volvo can get some great Letsdig18 advertizing.
This just shows there are companies out there that still take pride in their products! They definitely picked the right person to showcase this
Pretty cool toy Chris!
You showed a whole hell of a lot of patience while working with the fellas here. It is quite a process breaking down the trailer.
Chris, your skill is amazing with these machines. It's like watching a pitcher pitch a no hitter. I'm a big fan, that is a true beast.
Holy shit I can’t believe they sent you that monster. I was hoping for the 750 or 950 but that’s a much different transport and then assembly.
This is why we don’t use these size machines for anything other than massive excavation projects lol. Still badass that you got this opportunity.
Wow! That 550 is going to make quick work of your pond!
Now Barney has someone the same size to play with !! The great respect you show for your equipment and the trade makes you deserving of this fine machine! Good hard work and honesty pay double dividend .good luck in all you !!
*do
My company had a Cat 374 delivered recently had custom built undercarraige extanded 2ft on each side it ran down the road 16' wide on the trailer. Spread out to like 20' 6" or so. We had 2 wheel loaders help spread the tracks out. Pretty big ordeal to do that, bolt counter weight, and pin the 30ft stick on.
The pond owner has a nice new shiny Volvo too. :) Maybe they could drop off an A40 to haul the dirt around. I enjoy your videos Chris!
Congratulations on this BIG machine, Chris! I'm so happy for you and it is such a pleasure to watch your business grow---BIG. Many blessings to you!
That thing is HUGE! Wow.
Glad to see Volvo recognizes Where to butter Their bread. Congratulations.
Those transpo guys were making me nervous. They were putting out that... 'We don't quite know what we're doing'... vibe. Looks good though! Who knows, you might have a whole line of scrapers some day.
Thought the same thing. With the way they were doing things they have been VERY lucky so far.
@@Blazer02LS That whole operation had me waiting for a disaster! 🚑🚑🚑🚑
That's one hell of a machine. I can't help thinking, with the logistics involved moving it about, whether it would only be useful on larger jobs where it was likely to be staying for a while.
Now you would think there would be a couple of small rams to push the frames out. Maybe not through the rotary coupling, but just on some QC hoses.
As you could tell from the torque on those holding bolts there must be too much stress on the undercarriage for it to be readily moveable.
That’s how our crawler lattice boom cranes are. They expand the tracks hydraulically. That Volvo seems 30 years behind on that feature.
@@williamdavidson2233 yeah I thought they was years behind on that cuz that definitely should have had some type of hydraulic to slide it in and out itself without needing a second machine
@@bfcmik Holding it with bolts is fine, but automate the movement.
How often do these bigger machines move. Does it make sense to add the equipment if it is only used infrequently.
That is one behemoth of a machine!! Between the size of that bucket and your skill, I expect this job is going to be done quite speedily!! Thank you Volvo!
Very Nice! Volvo sponsoring this video with a 550 :)
As a kid i used to spend some weeks of the summer with an old lady and an older gentleman, the latter who had lots of excavators and other machinery.
I remember the biggest one he got, a Volvo just like this one (but of course not the same model) that was the biggest they had at the time. The scoop was as tall as he was and big as a swimming pool.
He was eager to try it out on a big boulder that he'd been fighting with with one of his lesser excavators. The boulder fit neatly in the bucket but he was confused and later disappointed when he couldn't move the arm an inch after getting the boulder in the bucket. And there wasn't enough power to even lift the machines back end like he was expecting to be able to do to walk the boulder out of it's place.
He rarely used the machine and got rid of it a year later, it was underpowered for its size.
Glad to see things have changed since then.
The size comparison between the two buckets is IMPRESSIVE!
10 scoops down and you'll hit hot lava! It's huge! This whole job is going to be fun to watch!! Stay safe! Jim
The sheer size of the machine and what it takes to transport it makes me wonder if a machine that size would be practical with the work you do. That said, bet that thing would rip out the biggest trees like it was pulling weeds, lol. Will be really cool to see what you do with it on these two ponds Chris.
Idk where they came from that required all those axles because a 75 ton 4 axle lowboy would do the trick a whole lot quicker
@@TronVila bridge laws for where hes at probably
He has said in the past this size of machine would be a problem transporting, and now we can see how much would go into transporting an excavator of that size.
I'm guessing, the bigger the project, the more efficient such a monster is
Of course, that means logistics also has to adapt to what this machine offers in extra loads
@@TronVila To protect the road, you can't overload any one axil too much.
Thanks Volvo for this opportunity for Chris. You couldn't have picked a better operator!
It was amazing to see how easily a bucket of dirt could tip the excavator sideways. That is a very big machine. Looking forward to watching you put it through its paces.
This reminds me why I love my 7 axle rig so much. I’m home every night can run when I want. When I ran 13 axles over the road. It paid well but had to be permitted everywhere I went to. Even empty. My empty weight was over 80 thousand
I got goosebumps when I saw that arrive! The specs on that machine blow my mind.. 58 tonne machine with a 27 tonne breakout force. Looking forward to the next videos with this beast. :)
True, the service side is what gets me, w the extra gallons of fluids etc etc
Chris, you are a very patient man! I would have gotten down and brought a halt to all operations, conducted a safety briefing and a refresher on CRANE SPOTTER HAND SIGNALS!! I really love the driver at about 12:20 giving you "down" command with right hand, while his left arm is under the tongue piece you were folding over onto the main trailer spar. The variety of signals from the rest of the helpful crew during the rest of the loading must have kept you extra cautious with the joysticks.
I've done that several times in my working career before I retired and also used an overhead crane making it simpler. Always following the driver's suggestions on how they wanted it done.
Looks like a tractor you need in your inventory!😊 Betting you can get that 550 running as smooth as the 220 once you get it settings all configured to the way you like them.
Volvo absolutely loves LetsDig18. That machine is what probably 2mil? and a 100K to move it. This going to be epic
The prices aren't that crazy. At most it would be half that price for the machine and less than half that to move it
😲
@@jpa1282 moving isnt cheap but its nowhere near 100K LOL More like $10 to $12 a mile with a little setup and breakdown fee.
@@warrenmichael918 I agree $10 to $12 is probably right then add in the permits and escort. It was not cheap and cost prohibitive for the job he is doing but Volvo is footing the bill and probably didn't factor to much into their desire for advertising.
We have a couple 950Es that we love. Fast and fairly strong while also offering some finite movement when doing finish work.
Beautiful machine, no doubt about it. The 550 hardly grunts when you dig, must beg fun to operate it. Thanks for the ride along sir, be looking for this series using the 550.
WOW beast is right!!! Man that's a big excavator. You could use another haul truck now with that bucket. I do believe Chris is about to have some fun with a 550!
Dang Chris, A beast of an excavator for a beast of an operator. What a process to get unloaded.
Wow - the Beast is here - it was a Very Exciting Operation with the Trailer Gear etc - wow ! And a Larger Bucket as well - yes - that will speed things up for sure ! Also You had the Track Frame extended out - that was also a Brilliant Job ! Yes - Volvo makes Fantastic Equipment ! And it pushed over the Tree and picked it up with the Bucket like it was a Match-Stick - soooo Impressive ! Great Video and many Cheers from us in Australia !!!!
Finally Chris has been giving a real demo, this is like the holy grail of demo, an only you Chris could pull this off, you've showed Volvo equipment in your videos for years now, what took them so long, gonna be some sweet in cab coming can't wait, thanks for sharing Chris, your channel has been the best for years 👌🇺🇲💪🤙✊
Just a little tip next time, put a single chain from the chains to the clevis make it a little easier so you could spin it
Beast mode activated!! That's a heck of a hy-ex!!! Congrats on the new addition to the fleet!!
I just wanted to say 😊thank you for showing us what it takes to load back up a trailer I always wanted to because on tv shows I watch there like they unload and bam there ready to move on.
Can’t wait to see how many scoops it takes to load the off-road !!
Likely a 6 cy bucket. Compacted in-situ clay is about 109 lbs/cf = 2,943 lbs/cy x 6 cy = ~8.8 tons per scoop = ~3 scoops for a 30T truck. Unless Chris brings on more trucks, that 550 will idle most of the day.
I repaired an 11,000v cable that had been ripped in half by an EC480 and the thing was huge!
You’ll be filling dump trucks so fast you’ll need another couple to keep up with the machine
It shows how good your relationship is with volvo getting such an expensive machine on demo. And I would hate to think how much it would cost to hire one of these for a few months or lease it for a year
I thought the 220 made many trees look like twigs but the 550 makes all trees looks like a twig
Congratulations on new machine . Excavator that size needs to be moving mass material with trucks to match . Love all your videos
Good morning,Chris very happy for you didn’t expect that. Steve from nb
You know it's a good one when the trailer has 10 axles under it lol
I counted at least 12 the truck is 4 axles jeep is a 3 axle so that's 7 then the beam trailer is a 3 plus 2
This is the step before the stick comes off lol
Did you guys see what they had to do to move the Volvo 990E? They needed almost twice as many axles to move that from the show where they introduced it a few years ago.
@@jarridcockey3810 he said trailer not whole rig.
550? 😱 Smoking ... Dang that beast is heavy. Quite an ordeal to move it. 12 axles rolling, 8 lights a flashing, Five golden hands, three pilot cars and a pinched pinkie on the right hand. ..... and that's just one way.
Love it
Mr Donnie could haul that, just needs a scout vehicle to run ahead and spot for DOT!
He might need more than two chains to hold this one on!
We used to have to unload and hook up the log trailers in the Bush here in BC for every load. And that was with a Wheel loader, on a small landing. Some guys were good enough to set down a trailer in a minute or less.
The 550 is a beast of its own. Its insane volvo build all the way up to a 950.
Chris! Ever since you mentioned that its going to be big and move a lot of dirt, I was waiting. Then you had to move it two days and I was like Oh my God! NOOOOO LOL. I was literally here waiting in PHX AZ. Now I see it. Thanks for teasing us and making us wait. jk its not your fault. This is going to be amazing.
I was thinking Komatsu D575
And there was me thinking Betty was coming to the site :-)😄
Chris you are the man. How awesome of Volvo to demo such an impressive machine. Maybe they will make you a really sweet deal on it when it's all said and done
At this rate I can see one of those fancy fuel trailers coming very soon 😎
Charlie lol
Maybe tomorrow that thing will use a lot of fuel in a day
180 gallon diesel tank
Hes going to need a tanker to fuel that beast. Its like a tank
The machine is a Beast ,On gold Rush they have a 750 That thing is a animal. Chris you should make short work of that pond with the beast from Volvo
Well, if I ever was surprised at something you did, this was it. It makes me really happy for you and your new company, as with this exceptionally large and valuable machine, I hope that this excavator helps to make your business grow and prosper. As is often said in all blue color jobs, if you buy good tools, it will be money well invested. That is, because you will never be disappointed in the performance of the tool and its ability to get the job at hand finished with both time saved and less money spent doing the job. Congratulations Chris, Congratulations !!!
When I saw that I thought for sure you had opened a open-pit mine on your farm. Problem is it won't fit under your equipment shed at the house. :)
Very nice machine, and looking forward to seeing you put it to work.
Good Lord what a monster! Congrats man. What an awesome piece of equipment. I can see your hand on the joystick now pressing the thumb that isn't there. yet. Looks like the stick is a little shorter than I'm used to seeing you operate. Enjoy the hard-earned fruits of your labor, man.
Cheers from Louisiana.
Congratulations on the new 550. looks like a great machine! Cool they let you demo this machine.
That’s a huge bucket, it’s going to move a lot of dirt quickly but I believe the excavator needs a bigger counterweight. I can’t wait to see this excavator at work.
It sure looks like it
Gonna need a quarry dump truck next !
Congratulations and best of luck on this project and you're future !!!
Mr Jimmie won't be moving this one will he?? Awesome video moving the BEAST onto the site and set up. WHen you took aim at the tree I knew there was NO DIGGING REQUIRED! Like your said, Why take 1 scoop when you can now do 5 with 1.
Thank you Volvo for letting Chris demo this it is about time y'all stepped up before him forasmuch as he steps up for y'all and showcases y'alls equipment and Excavating and talks about the speed and power of them I am very thankful that he gets to do this cuz I really want to see how this machine performs with a good Scoop on it it looks like it actually needs more counterweight also during the unloading process I would not have had anybody else operating that machine but Chris no matter who was there once again thank you Chris and Volvo for this opportunity can't wait to see this machine in action
Nice machine! Can't wait to watch you using it on the job. Also looking forward to seeing you run the 950 in the future on a jobsite...😁
Congrats on the use of the 550E! The beast will have the pond dug out in no time!
Nice rig!
Cant wait to see the beast moving earth.
What's the capacity of a bucket like that? 5-8 yds?
Thanks to Volvo for having Chris demo your equipment. Good choice!
I'm happy for you Chris.
City is digging a 380 retention lake next to our property, the construction company brought in 5 brand new 395f cats. It makes a 336 look like a mini. Dudes moving 25,000 yards in a day with 20 haul trucks with flotation tires. D10s all over it’s insane
You need to video that job and send us all a link here! Never too many dirt channels!
In America 🇺🇸 they do it big. This is a beast! Boy we in for a treat!!
Wow Chris that was quite a process. It’s going to be exciting to watch! 🇺🇸🇺🇸😁😁
Wouldn't it be fun if time travel was real and you could invite some of the old timers from the day of the first excavators back to run that thing. It would be a hoot the hear what they had to say about how far things have come !
It's likely they would claim he's a witch of some kind and kill him.
Take them back to the early 2000’s before all the computers and DEF systems!
@@LilPaulTheDrummerBoy yeah, on second though let’s go back in time and steal them ones while they’re new
Respect on the operating skills with a new piece of machinery just of the trailer 💪
Beauty machine. You're gonna have fun with that one. Looks like you may need a bit more counter weight though. Have fun with it.
Hi Chris,
Nice they Volvo is letting you play with!
I very anxious to see how productive it is!
I think it could easily handle 3 ATD's!
Hello Chris, I must have missed the pre-amble on this brute showing up at your site. From the comments it seems you didn't purchase (thank goodness) it's so difficult (expensive) to move , it looks like something from a commercial pit or mining operation that moves after a few years. Since it's a loaner, I doubt you'll be putting a thumb or anything else on that bad boy. I also think "let's dig" won the "Mines bigger than yours" contest with Mike Simmons at "Dirt Perfect". Now you'll need a couple of Euclid's to keep up with the new cycle times.
Dirt Perfect……..who’s that? 🤓
A Euclid on that site would be weird, I doubt one tire would make a full revolution before it was ready to dump
That looked like a very dangerous job putting that trailer back together. 👍👍👍great job
Why is it I get excited whenever Chris gets a new piece of equipment
What an amazing machine. I've spent a total of about 15 minutes in nn excavator - when I was a kid, it was a dream. I got a chance in 2019 when the Extreme Sandbox people were at an event I went to - would love to do more.
I wonder if the "it's more sensitive" is a bit like when you drive a different car - a rental for example, and you find that the controls react a bit different to your usual vehicle - but you get used to it, and adjust as you get more time with it? Or is it a bit like using your 15" adjustable wrench on small bolts - it's just unwieldy and not the really the tool you were supposed to use for that task?
To be honest my favourite job on our farm is using our Takeuchi , it took a heart attack to stop me in August but back in it soon. I am lucky.
@@lloydr.6271 Trust me, if I had a digger, there wouldn't be a single piece of soil that hadn't been dug... :)
NICE rig! More than one person at the pokey end giving direction is *bad* juju. You are a patient man!