What is it you do for a living rodgini? sorry for being nosy! i saw the GPS Controlled dozer. Im a Civil Engineer. I have to upload all the designs on to the dozers for the construction company i work for.

aled, on 09 February 2012 - 08:05 AM, said:

i work for a general contractor on the site development side. I started our GPS and in house survey department back in 05. I used to build all our 3-d models back then. i still over see that department but I am strictly project management now. We have a guy that does them. I miss playing with the gear everyday...it's pretty cool stuff. i almost built a model of the track and setup the gear but that would be over kill and a pain in the ass. also, as you likely know nothing can replace a good operator. i am fortunate that one of riding buds is a bad-ass on a dozer. Do you guys use Trimble gear over there? what do you use for your models? terramodel? Is GPS machine control pretty popular over there? I have seen it in Germany a bunch.

i always wonder why they don't use it to build sx tracks here for pro races. you could have the whole track laid out in advance and just go to work.

rodgini, on 09 February 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:

The price of the GPS, and getting people to do the design work for the GPS wouldn't be worth it. When they can say, hey this is what we want, and Joe Operator goes to work. Like you said, you can't replace a good operator for a track, but on a road way, lots of other places etc GPS is second to none.

Yes my company uses solely Trimble . They have a few Trimble GPS Kitted dozers. The company owner is a right tight fisted multi millionaire , so for him to use GPS on the dozers must save him money. It saves me setting out a lot of the time anyway I use Terramodel on a daily bases, don't think it;s the best system in the world but i've had to learn to use it so...
Some of the drivers are old-school and won't use it , seems stupid as you can use the auto-pilot mode on it o'r whatever it's called.The dozer virtually drives it's self!

aled, on 09 February 2012 - 01:35 PM, said:

still won't fix stupid though. most of our guys that have skills use the gps but run it in manual mode. GPS can save huge money on layout and re-work. it can also cost huge money if it's not setup right or if your guys don't check it in every day.

highflyernick, on 09 February 2012 - 11:12 AM, said:

good point. but just think what they pay a graphic designer to make there lame track maps?? a good gps model will cost you 2K. The gear for the equipment would pay for itself in no time. You have to use a total station/ robotic and not actual gps as most sx tracks are indoors. it would save a lot of time roughing it in but you would still need quality operators to fine tune and adjust everything. the advantage would be to build the track in 3D before hand. true 3-d not some lame track map with an arrow that throws tail whips. alright now you guys really have me nerding out. let's get back on topic.

rodgini, on 09 February 2012 - 04:23 AM, said:

I will keep in touch and let you know when we are down that way, thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Do you need a live-in track nanny? Maids quarters on site? =)

I dont know how you guys hall butt in the air with all those trees right on top of you! Thats gotta mess with your subconscious!

Justin Pearson, on 09 February 2012 - 03:35 PM, said:

We are all woods racers. we wouldn't feel comfortable if there weren't a few trees to bounce off of. it's like you guys and cacti.

ckny, on 09 February 2012 - 03:10 PM, said:

sounds great man.

On my buddys single track theres 2 trees you have to pop the front up and cock the bars to the side just to make it through. Your always bouncing off trees in the woods or I am. I hit a tree so hard this year it sheered my bolt that held the bar clamps on the tripple tree. I had to ride 7 miles out of the woods holding my forks. I just hate when you get trees stuck in your radiator shroud it made one radiator start to leak but I welded it up. Ive been alot of places in my 295 I wouldnt even want to walk through. My 295 goes everywere..dunes,harescrambles,ice racing.

mixed 500 yds of clay into the track this weekend. we rode it saturday and the dirt was amazing. my bud snapped a few pics of me working the dirt on the tractor. the power rake does and amazing job. no actions shots. we were too busy riding in the afternoon.

















good thing we got a ride in Saturday because it snowed yesterday. 60 on Saturday and snow the next day. Sunday gotta love VA. We finally finished my shop up yesterday. we ended up going with kitchen counter tops. It came out really nice. Spent yesterday afternoon rebuilding 2 sets of forks for my buds.

Track and shop look fantastic!!!

So jelly!

WoW! Living the dream!

thanks guys. flooring is next in the shop. might do some sort of epoxy paint though i heard it is a pia to prep for. i still have another 500 yds of clay to mix in and revamp the jumps. it kinda sucks i had it all groomed up for Saturdays ride and now it's a major mud hole from the snow. it will probably be a few weeks before it's ride-able again.

my buddy who is in the data systems / IT business and is quite successful just suprised me with a flat panel tv for the shop. he obviously has dealer accounts and gets them cheap. it is a 40" TV and will read files off a jump drive. i was speechless. he is new to riding and we have helped him get started. he said it was a gift for helping him along and letting him ride @ the house all the time. i haven't taken much from anybody since i was 15 years old so i really didn't know how to act. man what a cool gift though. where the heck should i mount this thing?