Weilbacher Landscaping Pools’ Booming Business Relies On Bobcat Compact Track Loaders & Mini Excavators

Andrew Weilbacher runs a small, efficient crew that installs in-ground swimming pools and performs other landscaping jobs. Weilbacher Landscaping Pools LLC uses Bobcat T650 and other compact track loaders along with Bobcat compact excavators such as the E50 and E55. But in the spring of 2020, a couple of developments caught him unawares. The first surprise was COVID-19.

“Before the pandemic, we were just getting fired up for the season,” Weilbacher says. “We kicked things off at the beginning of March, so we had two pool sites going and new job requests were coming in. But once word got out that the virus had reached the States, all our calls came to a halt.”

Weilbacher and his workers prepared themselves for a prolonged downturn in business. Then came the second surprise.

“By the third week, our phone started ringing again. Not only that, but the calls were flooding in,” he says. “I was surprised because this turned out to be our busiest summer yet. A lot of families realized public pools were shut down, so they wanted to install their own in order to keep their kids busy throughout the summer. We went from giving probably three or four pool bids a night to suddenly being booked out until the following year.”

A Fit For Any Backyard

Weilbacher and his crew of three typically install a pool every other week. They use Bobcat E50 and E55 compact excavators for the dig. If a dump truck can’t reach the jobsite, Weilbacher’s Bobcat T650 track loaders haul the dirt from the backyard to the truck.

“We use the T650s and the E55 pretty regularly on our pool installation jobs,” he says. “We want equipment that can work wherever it’s needed and do a lot of different jobs, as well. One day we may need it for a retaining wall and the next day we may need it for a pool installation. These machines are great because they’re very universal.”

The Bobcat T650

The 9,113-pound (4,134-kilogram) Bobcat T650 compact track loader has a 2,570-lb (1,165-kg) operating capacity and a tipping load rating of 7,343 lbs (4,133 kg). It can reach a bucket hinge pin height of 124 inches (3,150 millimeters) from the ground. It’s propelled by a 74.3-horsepower (55.4-kilowatt) Tier 4 Interim turbo diesel. With a two-speed option, it can travel at up to 10.7 mph (17.2 km/h).

“I really like the pilot controls on the T650,” Weilbacher says. “I have a little pain in one of my knees, so the pilot controls are nice because it makes operation effortless. It’s also nice that the equipment is so easy to work on. We can handle all the routine maintenance, and I’ve never been in danger of a breakdown. It keeps us working.”

Weilbacher’s other track loaders include a Bobcat T76. “We’re also getting ready to buy an MT85 mini track loader, because they’re good machines that fit in everybody’s backyard,” Weilbacher says.

The Bobcat E50

The R2-Series E50 mini excavator from Bobcat features less than one inch (25.4 mm) of overhang in its tail swing. Its Tier 4 engine produces 49.7 HP (37 kW), and its operating weight ranges from 11,357 to 11,894 lbs (5,151 to 5,395 kg). It has a maximum digging depth of 12.7 feet (3.87 meters) with a long arm option, and a maximum ground-level reach of 20.6 ft (6.28 m).

Source: Bobcat