Got my eyes on...

[YupperYooper]

this forwarder



, if I go into it full-time.  I haven't seen it in person, but from the pictures it looks pretty solid.  The price seems right, but again, I don't know what issues it has.  The rep I spoke to says it seems solid as well.
This is the full listing: http://www.forestryequipmentsales.com/listing/6639/Rottne_Blondin_SMV_6Wheel_Forwarder.html

Otherwise, if I don't go into this full-force, I'd like to find an older cable skidder and a dray with a clam loader on the dray. 

[mad murdock]

T'hat is a good sized ride.  What engine does it have?  I like the grapple on it, and the fact it has a blade on it is nice.  A lot of the Ponsse machines I have seen don't have a blade on them.  Does it come with tracks for the rear bogies?

[barbender]

Most forwarders, you can't see the blade to use it anyways and they end up getting in the way. That's why they are often taken off or ordered without one in the first place.

[JacksonBros]

When I was running a Rottne H20 processor last year the crew I was with had what looks to be very similiar forwarder, it had the john deere engine in it, and it was BULLET PROOF! I have never seen a machine that saw the abuse that thing saw. The guy did manage to break it in half when the center bearing decided to go but it had a million hours on it so i didnt judge the machine. If the price was right I wouldnt hesitate judging by the durability of what i had witnessed all season

[YupperYooper]

Most forwarders, you can't see the blade to use it anyways and they end up getting in the way. That's why they are often taken off or ordered without one in the first place.

I really think the blade is for moving stuff out of the way, but more importantly to stabilize the machine when loading larger logs and such.  It has a 4 cyl Ford diesel engine.

No indication of tracks, so that is something that would have to be sourced.  I know they're not cheap.

[PAFaller]

Rear tires look more like an industrial sort of tire, not a high float forestry tire. It may not matter, but if you are going to run tracks it could be an issue. A friend of mine wanted to try CTL in PA and picked up a used Rottne 8 wheeler. Shes got her share of scars but still hauls wood every day with over 21k hours on the meter, so they are tough and reliable. Never had an issue getting information and assistance from their staff at Blondin either, top notch guys there.

[T Welsh]

from the looks of the machine in the pictures, it seems to have sat still for awhile? ask why,then all the other questions that go with purchasing a used machine.
Hours
Age
1 owner or 2,3 ect.
What was its history
any major repairs and when
and a lot more questions!
Then if your still interested,take a road trip with a friend that knows equipment and set up an appointment to test it out! and let your gut feeling tell you what to do next. as long as it was maintained it should do as intended.
When we purchase a used machine the first thing that is done is drop all fluids and filters and get to know the machine before it goes to work. alot of time while doing this you will find out a couple of little things and they get attention as well and of course grease the you know what out of her. also check the pivot points and drive shafts,engine,gear box,front and back rears. not much else to them. metal stuff a welder can fix. good luck. Tim

[snowstorm]

ya those tires are a bit odd . tracks are pricy 10k new if you find good used for 2500 buy them. i would make sure parts are available. some of them used  circit boards to run the crane

[YupperYooper]

from the looks of the machine in the pictures, it seems to have sat still for awhile? ask why,then all the other questions that go with purchasing a used machine. 

Yeah, it was bought by a guy for using around a mill.  They never really needed it, and now he wants to free up some money he's got tied up in equipment.  That's the story I got.

Hours
Age
1 owner or 2,3 ect.
What was its history
any major repairs and when
and a lot more questions!
Then if your still interested,take a road trip with a friend that knows equipment and set up an appointment to test it out! and let your gut feeling tell you what to do next. as long as it was maintained it should do as intended.
When we purchase a used machine the first thing that is done is drop all fluids and filters and get to know the machine before it goes to work. alot of time while doing this you will find out a couple of little things and they get attention as well and of course grease the you know what out of her. also check the pivot points and drive shafts,engine,gear box,front and back rears. not much else to them. metal stuff a welder can fix. good luck. Tim

No matter what I get I'll have it checked over, and then go through it before putting it to work.  I always do that with cars or motorcycles I purchase as well.

Thanks for the tips.

[YupperYooper]

ya those tires are a bit odd . tracks are pricy 10k new if you find good used for 2500 buy them. i would make sure parts are available. some of them used  circit boards to run the crane

The wiring and circuitry in the cab are definitely a concern.  I have many more pictures of the machine, both inside and out.  Mechanically, the guy from forestry equipment sales I spoke with said it seems pretty dry - no leaks.

[chevytaHOE5674]

If you plan on hand cutting I would try to find an Iron Mule or a smaller single bunk forwarder. Easier to maneuver around the woods without doing residual damage, easier to work on, easier to move from job to job, etc. That is a big machine that is ment to run behind a CTL processor. If your hand cutting it would take a long time to cut enough wood to fill that bunk, and in the UP winters you want that weight on the bunk if you have to go UP any hills or anything. I ran a Ponsee forwarder for a while and empty it was useless if you needed to go up a hill or push/pull a logging truck, hard to have enough wood on hand for that bunk with just one guy hand cutting.


FYI Pats equipment in Greenland, Mi has a single bunk franklin forwarder for sale. 

[Gary_C]

There's lots of questions about that machine that need answered. The tires are not the right ones and hopefully those replacements are the right diameter as the ratio between the front and rear is fixed by the internal gearing. You will have difficulty finding tracks for those tires.

And the specs say that is a 6 cylinder Ford engine and chances are it is that 4 cylinder Ford diesel that has not been made for some years now. Parts are getting scarce for that engine.

You need to look that machine over carefully in person before buying.

[YupperYooper]

There's lots of questions about that machine that need answered. The tires are not the right ones and hopefully those replacements are the right diameter as the ratio between the front and rear is fixed by the internal gearing. You will have difficulty finding tracks for those tires.

And the specs say that is a 6 cylinder Ford engine and chances are it is that 4 cylinder Ford diesel that has not been made for some years now. Parts are getting scarce for that engine.

You need to look that machine over carefully in person before buying.

I was probably mistaken on the engine.  I haven't communicated with the guy in a few weeks.  Been dealing with the death of my mother-in-law (being investigated as a homicide). 

chevytaHOE5674, if I get a machine like this, it won't be for my own cutting.  I'll line up jobs to do the forwarding for.  If I just do my own cutting, I'll just get a small dray with a loader or older Iron Mule (as you mentioned).

I haven't had a chance to do enough research to see what will be best for me to get into as of yet.

[chevytaHOE5674]

May want to look into the contract forwarding thing. I know/work with/buy from many many loggers and never heard of anybody using a contract forwarder. Some will contract with another CTL machine if the job needs to get done (but even with 2 CTL machines one good forwarder operator can keep up with both). Just my observations in the woods round "here" (western UP).