iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Tractor forwarding trailer vs. older skidder

Started by mf40diesel, July 27, 2014, 07:52:13 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

luvmexfood

Don't feel bad. I got the milk out for my coffee this morning, poured some in my cup and sat it back in fridge. Then poured my coffee in cup and was going to nuke it a little to warm it up. Opened fridge sat coffee cup in and shut the door. Brain fart for sure.
Give me a new saw chain and I can find you a rock in a heartbeat.

g_man

You can do quite a bit with a tractor and winch but in general it is slow work. Being a hobby logger in my own woods that works for me but it isn't for everyone. I protect my tractor. I keep on nice clean tractor trails that I make. I don't drive thru slash and over stumps. But it makes for some long winches. On steep parts of the property I have a tractor road straight down hill with a turn around where ever I can make one. Then I have side roads off the main road where ever there is a flat or shelf, often dead ends.

Here is a winch line I set up and used for a couple days. It is off one of my side roads. It is steeper than it looks - look at the angle of the winch cable.



 



 



 



 

You probably pretty much know all this but I thought you might enjoy the pictures.

Instead of buying a skidder I bought a small used dozer to put in my nice tractor roads



 

gg

Piston

Quote from: g_man on August 01, 2014, 09:00:41 AM

You probably pretty much know all this but I thought you might enjoy the pictures.


I always enjoy the pictures you post.  Do you mill your own logs, or do you sell them to a local mill? 

I bet that dozer is pretty handy to have around, and probably complements the tractor very nicely.  Did you think about a mid sized excavator instead of a dozer before your purchase?  I suppose if the main purpose of the dozer purchase was to build roads, then you wouldn't consider an excavator. 
-Matt
"What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race."

mf40diesel

Those pictures are awesome, thank you so much.  Two interesting points to mention, one side of the property is the side of a small mountain, it is heavily forested, but steep,  there is a road access at the top so down the road (I am always thinking "down the road..") I will need to work off that side and yard wood up the hill.  Should be interesting, but I imagine it will be the only way to get the wood.

I do have a buddy with an old, but very nice JD 450 dozer.  He bought it new, I want to say its a 70-something?  It actually has pretty low hours... might be fun.  I do think though that if I get any large equipment it will be a TJ skidder.  Loved them since I was a kid.
John Deere 5055e, mfwd. Farmi JL306 Winch. Timberjack 225 Skidder. Splitfire splitter & Stihl saws.

BEEMERS

I was on craigslist here in Michigan just now..theres a factory built gafner hydra-loader trailer on there for $4000.Ive seen them looking a lot worse go for that money so im sure if it didn't work or you tried this..and upgraded later..you could easily get your money back.Alot less investment this way.
These were pretty tough loaders and popular around Michigan they were made I think starting in 1957 through the 70's when skidders took over.people pulled them behind dozers or farm tractors.
gafner also made the iron Mule.thats whats in my avatar..this trailer is basically the back of it.same loader same cylinders same grapple..single axel but big road grader tires...
will do 2 cord maybe a little more.Central Michigan CL...Gafner.

Thank You Sponsors!