IH Excavators

[jostev]

That's what my parents keep saying, but my Dad also wants to start a small buisness, and small is the key word, just this, or maybe a backhoe, and that's it. I know that I could pay it back off before I get out of highschool, depending on the price...

Johnny

[Patbretagne]

Hi Josteph
That's quite some machine you have your eye on, you certainly could do some work with that! , and have a lot of fun at the same time.
I have worked for over 40 years now, both behind a desk and "On the Tools" out in the open and inside (I prefer the latter now that winter is here!). I have worked for others and I have worked for myself, so far successful. When I say successful I mean that I have a nice home, a lovely wife, a van and a Landrover, a collection of tractors and machinery, a large workshop and land, a lovely golden retriever dog and I have never been hungry, I have a small pension that comes in every month, just enough to cover expenses and in 4.5 years I will have a bit more coming in with my state pension. I have just been "head hunted" for the first time in my life to take up another job tutoring out of work social cases in Building Trades.
MY POINT is that working for someone else, especially when young has it's constraints, you are being ordered about told what to do, but the advantage, that to me outweighs the constraint is that the evening you come away from work without any worries, you can flirt with all the girls, have a great time without all the bookwork, stress and lack of sleep. During your workday the great advantage is that you are wearing out someone elses equipent, they are paying for the very expensive parts and repairs (see Cowboys recent experience), they are paying for your time gaining experience and contacts.
Machinery is good fun, the bigger it is the bigger the fun, but the heavier it is!
My experience tells me to start with someone elses equipment, gain experience, education and capital, invest wisely when the time comes with help from those who know and have contacts, have an expert like Cowboy look over the machine that you want to invest in, he will know of all the weak points, talk to your employer, he may even help you set up even if you will be his competition, remember if you leave him at some stage, be sure to rest friends with him, he may have need of your services as a standby when he has too much work or a machine down.
When you leave an employer to set up you are out in the cold with nothing, no salary check at the end of the month, just bills coming in.
Be very very wary of partnerships, you will find that you are doing all the work and the other partner is running round in the firm's car "Looking for work" draining all the cash out of the business that you are slaving away working hard dawn to dusk to produce.
Well even after all my rambling you are still awake, don't be taken by impulse, think it out first talk it over with others who have gone down the same road and don't believe all the lies that they tell you!
There is a passage in the Bible that I like very much

"Young men have visions old men dream dreams"

I think thats right.

Keep your vision going young man, I'll dream some dreams for you, we'll be right behind you in whatever you decide.
Pat

[jostev]

I understand what you are saying Pat, and as of right now, it's on hold, but my brother and I are going to look at it today, because our friend knows the owner, so he will be truthful and tell us if there's anything wrong with it...

Johnny