Need opinions on new welding truck.

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I have been looking around for a new truck and I wanted to see what others had to say. I am not sure if I should just buy another utility body truck or get a bucket truck. I have never really had the need for a bucket, but I guess since I have never had one I never really thought about it. I thought there might be chance to make some more money doing jobs that a bucket would be useful, instead of climbing ladders or scaffolding, etc. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Reply:I guess if you're already buying a big enough truck that a bucket could fit on and still have all the other space you need, then may as well go ahead and put a bucket on it.  Couldnt hurt to have that capability.  If going to a bucket truck means going with a bigger truck than you would otherwise have bought, then I would be looking at how important having that bucket actually is and does it justify the extra cost of the bigger truck.  And cost is not limited to only purchase price.  Commercial registration is based on vehicle weight capacity so the bigger bucket truck may cost alot more in the long run than a smaller one without the bucket but of sufficient size to do what you want it do.  There are also fuel economy, tires, brakes and other maintenance costs of the bigger truck to consider.  Is the bucket going to make you enough additional money to be worth the added expense over time?MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33I guess if you're already buying a big enough truck that a bucket could fit on and still have all the other space you need, then may as well go ahead and put a bucket on it.  Couldnt hurt to have that capability.  If going to a bucket truck means going with a bigger truck than you would otherwise have bought, then I would be looking at how important having that bucket actually is and does it justify the extra cost of the bigger truck.  And cost is not limited to only purchase price.  Commercial registration is based on vehicle weight capacity so the bigger bucket truck may cost alot more in the long run than a smaller one without the bucket but of sufficient size to do what you want it do.  There are also fuel economy, tires, brakes and other maintenance costs of the bigger truck to consider.  Is the bucket going to make you enough additional money to be worth the added expense over time?
Reply:On an F450 sized truck, for me personally, the bigger consideration would be space and weight, rather than cost.  One can reach the max space and weight limits of a truck that size rather quickly, if you like to run a 'fully equipped' rig.  On an F650 or bigger truck, space and weight wouldn't be a big consideration for me.  There is plenty of 'head room' for growth in a truck that size.$1500-2000 to me is a fairly small investment as far as new welding/metalworking equipment goes, so I don't worry too much about purchase cost in that price range, if I think the tool will pay for itself in a reasonable time frame.  If a new tool is going to cost $5K or more, then I would have to really consider it carefully.  Maybe for others, their threshold is higher, maybe $10-20K.  For a big company, maybe their threshold is $50-100K or more, as to what they consider to be 'no big deal' on equipment purchasing.  It's all relative to what you're used to spending and how much cash you can afford have tied up while waiting for investments to 'pan out'.MM350P/Python/Q300MM175/Q300DialarcHFHTP MIG200PowCon300SMHypertherm380ThermalArc185Purox oaF350CrewCab4x4LoadNGo utilitybedBobcat250XMT304/Optima/SpoolmaticSuitcase12RC/Q300Suitcase8RC/Q400Passport/Q300Smith op
Reply:Originally Posted by DesertRider33On an F450 sized truck, for me personally, the bigger consideration would be space and weight, rather than cost.  One can reach the max space and weight limits of a truck that size rather quickly, if you like to run a 'fully equipped' rig.  On an F650 or bigger truck, space and weight wouldn't be a big consideration for me.  There is plenty of 'head room' for growth in a truck that size.$1500-2000 to me is a fairly small investment as far as new welding/metalworking equipment goes, so I don't worry too much about purchase cost in that price range, if I think the tool will pay for itself in a reasonable time frame.  If a new tool is going to cost $5K or more, then I would have to really consider it carefully.  Maybe for others, their threshold is higher, maybe $10-20K.  For a big company, maybe their threshold is $50-100K or more, as to what they consider to be 'no big deal' on equipment purchasing.  It's all relative to what you're used to spending and how much cash you can afford have tied up while waiting for investments to 'pan out'.
Reply:I would think a small crane would pay much more return than a bucket for a mobile welder.Miller Dynasty 700Miller 350P with Aluma-pro push-pullMiller 280 Dynasty with expansion card Dynasty 200 DXMigMax 215 Enuff power and hand tools to create one of anything..... but mass produce nothing!!!
Reply:The only guy i ever seen  make a good welding truck/bucket truck combo work did NOTHING but tank and silo work.  Even then he graduated into Service truck with a gooseneck trailer behind it.    He had a Vantage 300 mounted on top of the counterweight of a Genie 60' man lift that rode around on the trailer from job to job.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.
Reply:Originally Posted by FusionKingI would think a small crane would pay much more return than a bucket for a mobile welder.