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mini excavator in the woods

Started by EricR, April 12, 2011, 08:22:53 PM

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EricR

I was wondering if anyone on this forum brings a mini excavator into the woods with them.  I was looking into buying a forwarding trailer to pull with my kubota but then was thinking that for a little more money i could get a mini excavator (about 4 ton) and put a grapple on it.  the mini would be  used to load my tractor pulling a home made bunk trailer.  The mini would be a better option for me as it would make my life easier for  many other chores.  Just curious as to weather anyone uses one to do this and if they can take the abuse, or would the undercarriage take too much of a beating.  Most of the land im on is pretty flat and im not too concerned with the ground clearance.  I realize it is slower then a tractor would be but like i said if it would work, it would be a lot more useful to me for other projects as well.

bill m

How are you going to unload the trailer?Do you have someone working with you to drive the tractor while you are in the excavator?
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BARPINCHER

I use one occasionally.  A 4 ton unit is too small in my experience.  I don't skid with it, only load trailer.  A  6 ton unit is about the minimum for the stuff I typically load. THe 8 ton unit I frequently use lately will pick 5,100# extended out over the side of the track. Skidding with one could be a hair raising, slow, and expensive propositon I believe.  YOu would beat the crap out of the turret in a hurry.
Serving hunters and the hunted with science based; non-traditional resouce management methods

tapper2

Belsaw m14, 1992 Ford 1720, Homebuilt  bandmill, Franklin 120b & a bunch of worn out, banged up stuff........gotta love it.

EricR

yes, It would be a two man operation and i have a trailer mounted loader to unload the trailer into my truck.  i have a farmi winch for my tractor but where i am, most lots i do are under chapter 61 and are usually not over 50 cords and most of the land owners dont want someone to make skid roads.  Im making some money and looking to expand. I hate to sound lazy, but hand loading4 footers is getting old

Jasperfield

I use a Bobcat 337 excavator (right at 11,000 lbs) with a Valby grapple and rotator. It is easily detachable, but it's so useful that I've not had the bucket on the machine for about four years.

I don't use it to skid logs, although it would.


treefarmer87

that is a neat little rig in that vid :)
1994 Ford L9000
2004 Tigercat 718
1998 Barko 225
1999 John Deere 748G
FEC 1550 slasher
CTR 314 Delimber
Sthil 461
Sthil 250

chevytaHOE5674

Neat setup that guy has. Using one for skidding/forwarding purposes like that puts a lot of wear and tear on the undercarriage ($$$$$) though.

Bobus2003

I have an excavator, Not really a mini though Link Belt 1600Q (19,000lbs Op Weight) with a Patu stroke delimber.. It has a hitch on the blade and the guy that ran it before I got it pulled a trailer through the woods behind it, would cut and process wood right on the trailer.. I've done it a few times but its way quicker to just skid the wood, or haul the CTL out with my skid-steer

BARPINCHER

That ex/ trailer combo is super slick! 
Serving hunters and the hunted with science based; non-traditional resouce management methods

timbuck2

After 35 yrs. in the woods I put my Kubota to work shoveling snow and clearing debris this winter. (snow was 4 ft deep) and found it useful raking limbs off a hitch of fir behind the skidder.

250quality

That is exactly what I use on my 46 acre bush lot and it works great. I have a JD 35zts and an old pole trailer I shortened and pull with my 55 Kioti.
At the landing I unhook and then unload the trailer with my forks leaving the mini in the bush.
No grapple yet just a hydraulic thumb and tongs for skidding but it treats me well.

tapper2

Welcome to the forum! We love pics here, 250!! Got any? I've only been a member for a bit here, but it's great. Lot's of interesting equipment and methods. Using the search tool, you can pretty much find any topic you're interested in.

Are you in the woods full time, or a weekender like some of us?
Belsaw m14, 1992 Ford 1720, Homebuilt  bandmill, Franklin 120b & a bunch of worn out, banged up stuff........gotta love it.

Piston

A friend of mine has a mini ex about, maybe even smaller than your mentioning.  I drove it from his house to his neighbors house which is about 2000' or so.  I figured it would be a one beer ride and at the end of his driveway I was already out of beer.  They are definitely A LOT slower if you have to go any distance with it.  However keep in mind this was a very small unit and maybe smaller than what you are considering, just something to think about.

I would still love a mini ex though, I think they are handy as can be and fun to operate!
-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."

OneWithWood

I have a Bobcat 331 with a hydraulic thumb.  I use it mainly to dig ponds but the thumb allows me to move a lot of slash and small logs when necessary.
One With Wood
LT40HDG25, Woodmizer DH4000 Kiln

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