What are your thoughts on a good start up robot with out breaking the bank? I'm looking for something to get started, but if all goes well, I will eventually get an S6 (I'm partial to them...).
Just looking for some thoughts and opinions. Thanks!
The geomax 90 is mid 20s in price. I've never used it but others do. It's uses a carleson collector.
If you want an s6 eventually, you can stay remotely close in software and go with a focus 35 for low 20s. That will run survey pro. I had a focus 30 and then a 35. Thing went to war with me in the field.
Now I also have an s7 which I run with surveypro as well. Mostly bc I want both robots running the same collection software and survey pro is also extremely user friendly
If you are serious, and you know you want an S6, why not get an S6? You don't have to pay up front cash for these things, you know. Nothing stops you from paying the thing off early when you've made some money with it.
FWIW, in the last 5 years I've used Access, Viva, and Survey Pro. I like Access best.
When I opened my business about five years ago, I got a used Topcon from Hayes. I liked their lease-to-own plan. It gives you the option to return the equipment at any time with no further charges.
I'm still using the same robot, and it's been paid off for quite a while now.
I have a complete S6 setup, everything plus many extras from a traverse kit to a TSC2 data collector. I'm about to post it to eBay if your interested. Was hoping to get around 14k if you're interested.
Its the innate fear of finally going out on my own. It doesn't make sense to quit my job and spend 15-20k. Haha But that is the reality.
I ultimately am going to look into financing. I'm interested in the lease/own package Hayes has. However, I wpuld perfer Trimble.
I do plan to work full time while I start up. My employer is okay with it, so its not as bad as it sounds. I work an hour from where I live, so there is no real market cross-over for them. Not that they couldn't, they just don't market to this area. Sp that does relieve some pressure. But, I am starting with nothing, so there is a lot of spending in my near future...
Turk-LES, post: 377079, member: 11428 wrote: Its the innate fear of finally going out on my own. It doesn't make sense to quit my job and spend 15-20k. Haha But that is the reality.
I ultimately am going to look into financing. I'm interested in the lease/own package Hayes has. However, I wpuld perfer Trimble.
I do plan to work full time while I start up. My employer is okay with it, so its not as bad as it sounds. I work an hour from where I live, so there is no real market cross-over for them. Not that they couldn't, they just don't market to this area. Sp that does relieve some pressure. But, I am starting with nothing, so there is a lot of spending in my near future...
I'm in the same boat but it is more like 50k - 60K best i can figure once you add a data collector and CAD and other stuff.
This is what I did a few months ago
97 Toyota 4runner- $3,500
Topcon PS 103 Robot (came with tripod, bipod, data collector)- $2,200 down payment
Carlson Survey 2016/ Intellicad- $1,500
Computer $500
HP Designjet T520 $1,400
Used Schonstedt x92 $300
Caps,mag hubs, flagging, mag nails $250
Business Cards, paper, office supplies $200
I know that isn't EVERYTHING but that is under 10K. I made that the first month I starting throwing my name out there.
Yea, its going to be a piece meal operation. I plan to pay cash for as much as I can up front and possibly lease larger cost equipment.
I'm picking up my business cards tomorrow. In the next week I plan to send out my Intro letter. We'll see where that takes us for now. I do plan to do a few other marketing runs, but nothing like the mailer campaign.
As work comes in, I'll complete and reinvest in equipment. Hopefully get I can pay 80% of the startup costs paid before I truly cut ties and go out on my own.
Turk-LES, post: 377079, member: 11428 wrote: Its the innate fear of finally going out on my own. It doesn't make sense to quit my job and spend 15-20k. Haha But that is the reality.
I ultimately am going to look into financing. I'm interested in the lease/own package Hayes has. However, I wpuld perfer Trimble.
I do plan to work full time while I start up. My employer is okay with it, so its not as bad as it sounds. I work an hour from where I live, so there is no real market cross-over for them. Not that they couldn't, they just don't market to this area. Sp that does relieve some pressure. But, I am starting with nothing, so there is a lot of spending in my near future...
Trimble/Spectra has 24 month no interest financing. Put 0 down and you got a robot for less than 1k/mo. Put a few K down and it'll be that much less.
Here's an idea.
What kind of work are you going to be doing, mostly?
If it is construction, a robot is in order.
If it's larger acreages, then maybe rtk, or post processed, GPS, with a reflectorless gun.
There are alot of combos, that work for particular things. So, what you get, should be dictated by what you are going to be doing.
Do you perform lot surveys?
Asbuilts?
Are you going solo?
Crew, and you at telephone, and desk, and computer?
I bought a bunch of equipment from one of my county colleagues who was not going to be doing side work any longer. I basically got all of the equipment and the office stuff (Carlson 2007, plotter, etc) for the price the older Robotic/Reflectorless gun would sell for individually. I did buy a better data collector on here...If you count my Suburban that I already owned...I'm at $15k and haven't done a lick of work yet.
I'm with Nate on this. Heads up, I also sell RTK equipment, so I do have a bias. I've also recently started my own survey business. At some point I plan to add a robot to my arsenal, but for now I've been amazed at what I've been able to do with RTK. I bought a used reflectorless instrument in great condition for under $3k. I've used it on two jobs. One job I had two corners (out of 10) that were in canopy too thick to get an RTK solution so I set a pair of points and turned them in with the instrument. The second job was a 10 acre truck stop. I collected 900 points with RTK and 90 points with the total station, mostly the building and awnings which I collected reflectorlessly. My other jobs so far have been done entirely with RTK, much to my surprise.
If I had a topo survey that included hard surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt, I'd likely not use RTK (depending on the reason for the topo). For construction staking requiring tight verticals, I'd probably not use RTK. For residential lot surveys, it would be a toss up. Depends a lot on the environment. For boundary surveying, RTK is the cat's meow. I sell Javad and use Javad, but I would say the same thing about many other makes on the market right now. For a solo operator RTK is a great performer. If you have someone with reasonable intelligence and a heart for providing a quality service (which requires performing quality control), then there is a world of possibility out there.
I already owned my RTK system. I already owned my vehicle. I've added a total station, data collector, tripod, poles, bipods, prisms, software, printer, office furniture, hand tools, locator, and materials for less than $10k. I splurged in areas that I believe will present quality (like aluminum ID caps over plastic and metal U posts instead of wood stakes). In a few months I'll assess the direction of the business and decide if a robot makes sense. Hopefully by then it will be a cash transaction.
I am a solo operation.
I anticipate the bulk of my work to be 70% Boundary, 20% Topo, and 10% Misc. Atleast at the very start.
My area is rural/agricultural. Most of the area is a mix of farm fields surrounded by woods (Central Pennsylvania.)
Traversing solo with a robot sucks. Tight topo and tight construction staking with a robot rocks.
