iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

skid steer logging with rotating grapple

Started by Topcut, August 26, 2015, 12:50:57 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Topcut

Hello all. New to the forum.  Wondering if anyone has actually logged with a rotating grapple.  I mainly stay in the small walnut jobs here and there. I have a 325 Deere skid steer was thinking about getting a Ryans. Wondering how big of log you can "heel" and carry out?
Thanks!

barbender

I have. As long as you don't have to move the wood far, it can work. I used mine like a backwards grapple skidder, pulling wood tree length. Tire chains are a must.
Too many irons in the fire

Plankton

A friend of mine works for a sugar farm that logs there bush with that system. They skid with the grapple skidsteer and load onto a tractor with a log trailer/boom on it, drive the trailer out of the woods and deck with the boom off the trailer.

Works pretty good for them, logging is not there main operation of course but they put some wood out and the skidsteer can go anywhere especially since the guy who runs it is a little crazy haha.

They also have a winch on the skidsteer for getting down steep knolls etc.

As far as size he was showing me a video the other day of it lifting and rotating/swinging a 30" pine butt log. I know there cutting some veneer oak up there too so as long as you have a large enough skidsteer you should be fine.

Also theres is tracked if yours isnt definitely tire chains

BargeMonkey

 You can do alot with one of them, but always be prepared to be on your nose. We bought one of those grapples cheap after the guy realized you need a bigger sized machine to pick bigger stuff. Chains or over the tire tracks are almost a must in the woods, and you want to make sure your belly pans are in good shape. For brush and feeding a chipper they are handy, we can lay it right next to, or even feed the chipper if you want to.

Topcut

thanks for the responses. my 325 is a 2500 pound lift, machine weighs about 8400 lb. I have new steel tracks over tires. I hate to think about dragging every log backwards. I was hoping I could pick up and heel a 12 foot 24 inch walnut log and carry it out like a gun barrel out in front of the machine. I'm also fixing to buy weight kit for the back.  I've owned a skidder before... they are the right tool for the job. But I'm not doing that much right now and the skid steer is handy around the farm. I just understand the importance of carrying a log or pulling a log out long ways vs perpendicular to the machine. I understand a 18 foot log would produced too much wait out front. But I'm wondering if a good size butt log could be handled by heeling it on the machine. I was also thinking a person could possibly pick up a couple foot top logs to carry out.  I'm looking at the 60 inch Ryans grapple.

ehp

there are a couple guys logging using this method but bigger track skidsteers and I was surprised at the amount of timber they put out per week , In the deep snow they out produced the skidders . One thing you need to think about is yes your machine is rated at 2500 pounds ROC lift but that is in close to the machine , not out where the grapple is , every inch out farher from the mast of the machine you lift less and a couple feet out you lift alot less plus you need to take the weight of the grapple off what the machine

barbender

Topcut, a 24" 12 footer is going to put you on your nose, I think. Especially out in the woods, with rocks, stumps, hills etc. When you have your machine maxed out every little bump tips you forward.
Too many irons in the fire

Offthebeatenpath

I have a Fecon rotating grapple on an ASV RC-60.  As handy as it is, it would work better on a bigger machine (like yours). If a log is too big to skid backwards with the grapple, I spin around and pull it with the winch attached to the back. Heeling the logs works well on level ground for short stints and stacking cut to length logs. Hills and rough terrain will make the logs and or the skid steer swing and spin around pretty uncontrollably. Not sure about the Ryan's, but you have to keep an eye on the Fecon hoses- they like to catch things.

That said, if you have to pull slash or feed a brush fire, they are amazing. They also work very well to move timber a short distance to a skid road where a bigger machine can grab them. I think I have a video in my gallery of the skid steer stacking logs at a landing.
1985 JD 440D, ASV tracked skid steer w/ winch, Fecon grapple, & various attachments, Hitachi CG-30 tracked dump truck, CanyCom S25 crawler carrier, Volvo EC35C mini-ex, Kubota 018-4 mini-ex, Cormidi 100 self loading tracked dumper, various other little trail building machines and tools...

shamusturbo

Are you bucking everything clean and cut to length in place? If so, whats the longest you hope to drag out of the woods? I have both a valby grapple and a double clamp/root grapple bucket that I much prefer over the arch grapple style. How wide of trails are you typically moving the wood on?

As with the ryans grapple, there is a learning curve, but the root grapple can do some pretty amazing stuff including heeling a log long ways like I think you are talking about. It all depends on how tight of an area you plan to be working in and how steep the grades. I feel much more in control with the root grapple but the learning curve was probably much more difficult. Also, a downside I now remember is that they are quite heavy. I'm not sure about your machine width but I think my 84" wide model is 900#. I doubt I will sway your decision but pay for a good quality one no matter what route.
Stihls 660,461,460,390,200T
Duramaxs 04 CCLB,15 CCFB DW
Gators- TS Loaded
Timberwolf TW-5
CRD Loco 20
CAT 287B

Woodmaaaan

i like the root grapple best to if you have the width to move logs so much more control plus bigger payload i have a 963 bobcat with tracks  have probably brought out 200,000 ft of logs with, nice and clean great for my bandsaw mill actually helps stabalize on sideways runs with log close to ground great for stacking loading ect..

barbender

I much prefer the rotating grapple over a root grapple for handling logs.
Too many irons in the fire

Woodmaaaan

i would love to have grapple for smaller stuff and feeding chipper but know that a grapple skidsteer combo would handle a lot of the logs i'm harvesting 16 -20' ft logs 30-44' diameter need them tucked in close to the machine so i'm not doing nose stands

Thank You Sponsors!