Norse/Igland or Farmi/Wallenstein style?

[thecfarm]

I always set the brake, it will shut off if I don't. Just about second nature after so many years. Just like shifting.
And I always lower the bucket all the way down each and every time. It's a just in case, but probably won't matter. I think the manual says to do that too.
I have never compared the two. Never seen an Igland.
They both weight the same??  
That would be mine deciding factor, take the one that weights more. Might be better built?? Sounds good.

[wisconsitom]

Hi Ray.  Units are identical.  I'm going with the Norse because that vendor appears to have some coming quite soon.  It's $25 more....but another aspect, both vendors are good folks I think, but the Norse guy is a big implement and equipment dealer.  Think he sells Kioti tractors, which might be nice if I need a demo on cutting that pto shaft.  Kiotis are like my Bobcat.  👍

[wisconsitom]

Oh, and your tractor brake/fel arrangement works for me!  Good to know, no issues.  

I might change my mind, but right now think my bucket'll just stay on.  Watched a YouTube of  a guy set up close to what I will be, and his machine was getting jerked around on snow, a little too much I thought.  Then again, I found myself cringing just a bit at his saw handling and a few other things in that vid.  No FF guy I don't think.

[thecfarm]

I have a twitch of firewood behind me and some in front too.  ;)
Meaning I have some firewood in the bucket too. It all adds up!!!
But saying that, the loader does get in the way turning around. But it's worth it to keep it on.
I have made many trips with a load of rocks in the bucket to fill in a wet hole and then came back out with it loaded with firewood.
I straddled an 8 inch dead fir that was on the ground once, when there was snow on the ground. I had a hard time figuring why the tractor did not want to stay in one place.
Get ready to use the left and right brake too. When hauling out just about all that the tractor wants and you have to make a turn, tractor might not want to turn. Step on one brake, it will turn, unless you are on ice.

[wisconsitom]

Thanks bud, can't wait to get that Norse.

Two of my oldest larch, from about 2008 planting, so pretty big trees now, cracked off in the wind and are hung up in other trees.  Might be my first use-try getting that stuff down without having to saw under big stems under tension.  Many uses.

[SoldierP]

Haven't seen much here about KRPAN winches, stoutly made in the European Union (Slovenia which is a major worldwide manufacturer of highly regarded skidding winches) with key parts from Japan, Austria and Germany. Very similar to Tajfun winches. I bought a 3.5E about three years ago and it has been great. It is best for tractors of 25-45 hp and pulls 7,700 lbs.  I am getting a larger tractor and a larger KRPAN winch so no longer need this one. I am in northern New Mexico. Yes, we have trees here at 8,000 ft - mostly Ponderosa pine and fir. Use  the winch for firewood and for thinning to help against forest fires. A large one right now near me but prevailing wind moves it away. But next time??



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[Ed_K]

 Other than the screen that looks exactly like my Tajfun winch  8).

[wisconsitom]

Noticed that too.  Looks a nice unit, a little big for my tractor maybe.

In any case, I've got a Norse ordered that is supposed to float up on these shores sometime this month.  Woohoo..

[melezefarmer]

On the advice of a fellow ff member, I also bought the Krpan 3.5 this winter. So far I must say it has worked out quite well. Compared to my previous hydraulic winch set up, it is miles better but dang does it winch in quickly, even at idle. I have a 45hp tractor which is at the top end of the Krpan model I got. It will easily pull the tractor backwards if I don't release the pull cord fast enough.

[wisconsitom]

Yo Norse 250 winch is at dealer awaiting my pickup!  

A month later than expected-no big deal.  I only need it starting this winter.

Woo f'n hoo!  

[thecfarm]

 smiley_clapping

[47sawdust]

It's going to be time for pictures pretty soon !

[wisconsitom]

Alright, think I've got my shotgun rider for tmrw.  Go git it!

Unit is at dealer between Wausau, WI and Merrill, WI.  I live in Appleton, and unit will be taken to and reside near Suring, lol.

Zig zag wanderer!

[wisconsitom]

Had to leave it sit til just yesterday/today.  Hooked up now, think everything's ready to go, and yes, I mean no, no pics yet..... we'll get there.

But here's what I can say already, having not yet winched a log...... already loving the size matchup on my tractor.  Looks kinda small and right, and me keeping in mind, a whole bunch of what I'll be pulling will be larch, in everything from bundles of  6 and 8 inchers, to 12 and 14 in. stuff, which is actually fairly heavy material....and it seems it may be ideal. Plus, a bit more weight hanging off the back end of tractor when scooping ain't a bad thing, though I've already got beet juice rears.

I def need one of those one-handed sawzalls all the plumbers and electricians use nowadays.  My big old clunky DeWalt plugin was not the ideal tool today on that driveshaft.  She's cut though🍻.

[mudfarmer]

Congrats!

Don't remember what size tractor you have and don't know about the hybrids but European Larch is &#(@ heavy for a softwood. Haven't logged it but milled it, edged it, stacked it, carried it, loaded it etc. Usually a couple mbf a day and a 16" SED 16ft log is a beast compared to EWP.

Take it easy for a few, go light and go often until you figger out the limits. Will you be cutting to length in the woods or skidding tree length?

Oh yeah and where are the pics of the new toy?  8)

[wisconsitom]

Yeah these larch should be comparable in weight/density to that euro larch.  Like you say, for pine family, a whole different beast.  Would you say it tends to dry slowly?  I get that feeling.

Probably skid out bucked up in woods.  Last couple winters, I pulled many smallish stems out with just choker cables.  Made the mistake of not limbing right away.  Won't do that again-just like the wood, those branch stubs are hard once dried out.

I think the winch will allow me to continuously thin runts, cookeds, crowded, until my days are done.  My guys can figure out what to do with all the good stuff when that time comes.

[thecfarm]

I've been cutting out bad stuff for years.
I do feel twitching out short ones are easier on a tractor.
There is a lot of leverage 40 feet behind you.
Most of my trails are not straight. 
My woods are hard to get around in.

[wisconsitom]

A few years ago I started mowing all our trail up in the plantation areas of our property.  Has made a big difference-now we can get around with relative ease save for the wettest of conditions.  Funny how just mowing, and pretty soon you've got a nice thick turf.

Not gonna be that way everywhere, but in my case I should be able to set up sideways on these lanes-I plow them in winter too-and snake stuff out.  Time will tell.

Last two winters, I would be dragging cut stems out to the edge of blocks manually.  Hey I really do love working in the woods, but when it's 20 degrees and your down to a Tshirt, and your heart is pounding....time for a change.  Heavy trees those larch!  

[mudfarmer]

Yeah these larch should be comparable in weight/density to that euro larch.  Like you say, for pine family, a whole different beast.  Would you say it tends to dry slowly?  I get that feeling.

Probably skid out bucked up in woods.  Last couple winters, I pulled many smallish stems out with just choker cables.  Made the mistake of not limbing right away.  Won't do that again-just like the wood, those branch stubs are hard once dried out.

I think the winch will allow me to continuously thin runts, cookeds, crowded, until my days are done.  My guys can figure out what to do with all the good stuff when that time comes.

Yes it does seem to dry slow but also seems to not have much stain/mold issues when dead stacked like many others do, ymmv.
Many logs have a serious amount of tension. Some (fresh) have fungal issues.
It is a beautiful wood especially planed. Here is some fresh off the saw today 


 
If you are lucky you don't hit any pitch pockets (there can be A LOT). The pitch is really something else. 


 


 
The sawdust itches like fiberglass insulation and the slivers are like barbed fishhooks, many nearly invisible (use duct tape or gorilla tape to get them out). Get your nails/screws in early and fast, it is pretty hard!

[Riwaka]

Alternative is to lower or raise the logging machine on a cable. Have to see if the driverless forwarder on a slope concept went any further.

New T-Winch 10.3

T-WINCH 10.3 Walkaround - YouTube

[thecfarm]

8 days have passed.
Been working in the woods?

[wisconsitom]

Ah, sorry for the abrupt disappearance.  All's good with Norse, just a big pile of life got in the way of foruming.

Now I haven't really used it yet-that's coming soon-but I sure do like how it sits on the back of my Bobcat tractor.  Pretty amazed at how much lift I've got on that 3-pt.

I cut my pto twice-thought I might still be in bottom-out territory, but all looks proper now.

I still have a bunch of these small larch sticks to delimb.  Think I'll cinch a bunch of them with one of my old cable chokers with the bell ending, hook on winch end hook, and drag up to where my sawbuck is.  That should be a good, easy first trial.  They drag good butt-first.

BTW, the Norse 250 does not come with a kickstand.  I found that blocking up the unit on the tractor side-and using the pallet it came on wedged against the top pulley on the back side-to be the way to mount this model to my 3-pt.  Feel free to ask if that doesn't make sense.  You don't want the unit tipping backwards-that's where I wedged the pallet-and you don't want it falling forwards onto your tractor-that's why the underneath blocking-while mounting to your tractor.

[thecfarm]

The Norse that I have the guard on the winch is tipped down and there should be a bar on one side to pin it in place.
That guard is long gone now. I had to build another one for it.

[wisconsitom]

Hey Ray, yeah, we may be welding bits and pieces, maybe another sidebox.  I ain't too bothered by the prospect of throwing saw (in saw case), gas and oil in milk crate, choker chains, maybe my cable chokers, whatever other junk, in tractor bucket for now.  My site is small, but densely packed with timber.  I forget something, just go up to shop and get.

[g_man]

I think Ray is saying like this





gg