Fabtek 133

Corley5 · March 25, 2013, 11:08:23 PM

I'm meeting with the Ponsse salesman in the AM. He's coming to my job to look over my Hitachi EX 150 with the Slingshot to see what they might give as trade on a 99 Fabtek 133 on their lot in Gaylord. If we can come to some sort of an agreement I'll see if I can get financing. Never had a payment on a piece of woods equipment :-\ New territory for me :-\ For my plans to work this is the time for me to make this sort of purchase. I've got work lined up for a couple years. It all depends on $$$ now and whether the Fabtek is worth what they want. I may just end up running what I've got ;D Trade in wise his estimate over the phone on the low end was twice what I paid for it. I can come out way ahead there and be well on my way to 20% down. Looking forward to tomorrow 8)

AlexInman06 · March 26, 2013, 07:13:22 AM

I've heard twice in the last month of guys having to wait a couple of months at a time for final drive parts for the fabteks... Just some info that you might wanna check into, at least check out the machine your buying real good to make sure it's not gonna break and your stuck in a bind...

Corley5 · March 26, 2013, 07:22:00 AM

I'd like to demo the thing for a bit before I commit to it so I've got a better idea what I'm getting

Corley5 · March 26, 2013, 10:15:44 PM

This is what the boys and I went and checked out tonight. I signed an intent to purchase if my financing is approved. They'll hold it for 48 hours on that. Just waiting on a yes or no. I'll do well on my Hitachi trade. Not as well as I'd hoped but more than I paid for it even figuring in the repairs I did to it so that's 8)

thecfarm · March 26, 2013, 10:22:43 PM

The guy that cuts on my land has a fabtek forwarder. Had it since at least 2006 when he came here for the first time. Either he don't have trouble with it or he don't have trouble getting parts. It's the only one he has. For years he did not have a skidder either. Just the forwarder and a harvester and a chainsaw.

Corley5 · March 26, 2013, 10:38:02 PM

It's got an updated Kawasaki pump, newer computer system, the U.C. was updated a while ago. It has some wear but it's got lots of life left. The head was reconditioned not too many hours ago. The previous owner traded it for Ponsse that doesn't leave feed roller marks. He had a northern white cedar job and the mill he was selling to didn't want the wood marked up. He bought the machine when he retired to play in the woods with his brothers. It looks to have been well maintained and well treated.

Ken · March 27, 2013, 04:17:51 AM

Nice looking unit. Very compact for working in tight spaces. Good luck with the financing. What type of forwarder do you use?

Gary_C · March 27, 2013, 05:25:20 AM

Did those 133's have measuring problems?

snowstorm · March 27, 2013, 05:57:47 AM

looks like someone added a little extra steel to the head. the machine looks pretty good. i would look at all the rollers on the track frame. they are always a pain to change. track chain will wear more on the inside of the pins & bushings on a machine that works sitting still. a dozer would have more wear on the outside of the bushing and sprocket. deere power? how many hrs? with all those hoses plan on buying a few. they put all the valves for the head on the machine. so lots of hoses. most of the heads have the valves on the head that way there are only a few hoses

Corley5 · March 27, 2013, 07:48:22 PM

I filled out the credit app and should have the answer tomorrow. I was in Cadillac at the Sustainable Forestry Education core training for most of the day and just got together with the dealer to get it filled out. I'll be in Cadillac again tomorrow. We've got to have this credential to work on State timber sales. I was daydreaming about my potential new machine most of the day ;D

I'll probably get denied now :

:-\
I'm a bit nervous about this. I've financed and paid for my NH hay equipment, a Harley and a pickup that's 11 years old now but nothing of this caliber. Never even had a mortage but according to my figures it'll work. It goes against my philosophy of buying used up forestry equipment ;) ;D

This machine sure doesn't appear used up. I don't think I'm missing anything. It'll be nice to have one that has more up time and higher production than the old machine which did me well for the couple years I had it. I'm not complaining about the old girl.
The Fabtek has 11,500 hours on the platform but has had updates and rebuilds. The engine is a JD and runs clean even at start up. It's unknown if the engine is original or not. If it's original at 11,500 hours it runs awfully well. Too bad nothing has true oil pressure gages anymore :

All the pins seem tight etc etc. There are a few minor welds on and around the head but they all appear to be well done and not done as a result of a major break but rather fixing something minor before it got worse. AC works 8) It has a programmable diesel fired heater that works. If I do get it one of the first things I'll do is find out what I need for fittings and hose and lay in a supply

I've got a good selection of NPT and JIC now. I don't think this has any odd ball stuff. I did notice some O-ring fittings at the cylinders and motors that hoses thread into. I don't now what the hose ends are. This head has the independent measuring wheel if that makes a difference ??? Sounds like it's a better deal.
This machine will probably out do my C4D Tree Farmer forwarder ;) I hope

My forwarder operator prides himself on being able to catch me now :D

Ponsse is also going to pull it in their shop and check and top off all the fluids including an engine oil change and a complete lube. They are also going to replace the only broken light. I'll know tomorrow. Hopefully I won't be going back to the woods with the Hitachi Friday morning ;D

Corley5 · March 28, 2013, 05:56:21 PM

Apparently our credit isn't good enough for the finance company the dealer uses. We have an appointment with our own bank in the AM and the deal already sounds better. What

beenthere · March 28, 2013, 07:20:32 PM

What ??

AlexInman06 · March 28, 2013, 07:47:18 PM

Financing is hard... Sometimes I just wanna ask them how many machines they actually sell lol, I mean logging is just plain hard and if someone is willing to put in the effort to do it then they should at least put forth an effort to try and help you out!

Dave Shepard · March 28, 2013, 08:01:12 PM

Quote from: beenthere on March 28, 2013, 07:20:32 PM
What ??

I think it means "Work That Financing" :D

Dom · March 28, 2013, 09:31:38 PM

Good looking machine!

mikeb1079 · March 28, 2013, 11:08:08 PM

What

Without The Funds. :(

barbender · March 29, 2013, 01:04:01 AM

Was that Agstar, Corley? Sometimes when the parts don't fall into place, I step back and re-evaluate. That looks like a decent machine, but parts and perhaps computer parts could be hard to come by for it. It would have to be a really cheap price. Keep in mind that Ponsse probably gave very little for it in trade, usually the non-Ponsse brand machines they just want to dump. Item number 2 is that machine is going to bury your current forwarder, what kind of production will you have to get to make it all work? I'm not saying you haven't thought about these things, just giving the view from here ;)

timberlinetree · March 29, 2013, 06:00:04 AM

Hope all goes well and be careful not to make the same mistake i make sometimes.buying equipment can b exciting but stressful. Few times been so caught up searching, waiting for.answers etc.. I forgot about wife and kids(the most important). Good luck and if this machine doesn't work out there is always tomorrow. Hope it does!!

snowstorm · March 29, 2013, 06:07:57 AM

since cat bought fabtek that machine is pretty much a 501 cat. parts should be fine. i like a local bank much better than the big guys. did you get a price on insurance for it? you have an old tree farmer fowarder? that will be days or weeks behind. we all wanta know what are they asking for this machine?

Corley5 · March 29, 2013, 07:50:33 AM

It wasn't AgStar but they were suggested as an alternative to the one that turned us down. They're supposed to be a bit more lenient but have a slightly higher %rate. Our conversation with our bank yesterday was positive but it was late in the day and more to do about it today. I think we'll be able to play ball together

I'll have to produce and move 60 cords of hardwood or aspen pulp per month to cover fuel, labor, stumpage for the said sixty cords plus the machine payment and that leaves a couple hundred $ + as a cushion or to pay myself

That's two days worth of work. Those were figure were from the terms of the first finance application

and subject to change :-\ I haven't checked on insurance for it that's on my agenda to call Farm Bureau today. Asking price was 95,000 he came down to 90,000. We're looking at financing 70,000. 10,000 cash down plus ten for the Hitachi on trade.
I've been told these will do 40 cords daily depending on the wood. We can get 20 easily with the C4D and in good ground 30 isn't too hard. It'll be outclassed

My biggest concern will be keeping it in wood. I've got work lined up. I figured a couple years ahead for the old machine but that's down to a year if this one comes thru.

Ken · March 29, 2013, 04:01:42 PM

Although I'm sure you've thought of this but ensure that you don't leave yourself short of cash after getting a "new to you" piece of gear. It is the inevitable that there will be some issues show up once you start working any used piece of equipment. There will also be the learning curve of something unfamiliar.

Although you're forwarder may be outclassed it is an easy piece of equipment to work extra hours to keep up with. If you've owned it for a while you already know how to keep it's wheels turning. Keep us posted.

Cheers
Ken

snowstorm · March 29, 2013, 05:05:21 PM

i just renewed the insurance on my fowarder. it was 3.4% of its value. there will be a learning curve. some say up to a year. at least a few months. a bit of cash stashed just in case might be a good thing

Corley5 · March 29, 2013, 06:42:18 PM

We took our paper work to the bank today. She told us our debt load was very low and the fact that we're long term customers.... but she has to fill out apps and submit them higher. We'll have an answer Monday or Tuesday no later than Wednesday :

:

The terms are equal or better. Three point five to four point five depending on 5 or seven years. The low rate is equal to that of the company that denied us and theirs was for three years. There is a penalty for early payoff. Five percent in year one, four in 2, three in three, 2 in four, one percent at year 5 and no penalty for the last two years of the seven. Approx 35 cords of pulp per month for the 5 year and 30 for the seven year to make the monthly payments and associated expenses to produce the wood. Now I've gotta wait until maybe Wednesday for an answer. I've got some trees that need to be hand cut so I guess tomorrow I'm strapping on a chainsaw to keep up some production. I don't want to run the Hitachi anymore for fear of breaking my trade in ;D

Corley5 · March 29, 2013, 06:50:06 PM

I called Farm Bureau this morning but Fred wasn't in. They took the info on the machine and he'll get back to me Monday with a quote

thecfarm · March 29, 2013, 08:22:58 PM

I traded our Kubota for a NH. I had a few, :

things fixed on it before I traded it. He came and looked at it,gave me a price and it was 2 weeks before the NH was at my place. By the time the NH showed up,the starter was not engaging again,started to leak again, and not shutting off again. They kept thier end of the deal. I told him about it before he came.