Tractor around the sawmill advice needed

[haywire woodlot]

I'd like to have proper grapple for my hitachi, I,ve never seen one on a machine as small as mine, it would sure be handy for forwarding logs, loading trucks etc. What I'd really like to have, would be a processor head, that would be the way to make a pile of fire wood rounds in a hurry!

[Handy Andy]

 I used to have an industrial Ford, 3550, it had a fel and could lift a lot, the front end was really heavy, but was short wheel base, and the loader way out front, and I had to have something on the 3 point just to be able to use the loader. When it rained, the tractor was hopeless.  Sold it a few years ago and got a Case skidsteer, wondered why I kept that old Ford all those years.  Just a tightwad I guess.

[Magicman]

Sometimes you just gotta use what you have.


 
But the front end needs to be beefy enough to handle the weight.  4 wheel drive and PS are really not luxuries. 

[Clean Image]

I read through all the comments again and feel good about my decision to remove the FEL...it's just not made for this machine but I can still adapt it to work well for my use at this time. There is a guy in town that rents out his Kubota L3200HST pretty cheap so I still have access if needed when it comes time to landscape.

I'm productive in my profession with the tools I have...this tractor with forks mounted on the 3-pt hitch, will give me all the production I need with the manual mill. My guess is I could spend an hour loading up the log deck and keep busy milling for most of the day afterward...plus I don't want to be working so fast I miss any opportunities to breath in some of that fresh air and sawdust...that's the main reason I'm on this journey!

Means a lot to have access to you guys who do this stuff for a living...thank you!