What to skid with???

[Mikeysmill]

You Guys in this forum are great!!! 8) 8)I would like to tell you "thank you for all your advice, assistance and of course the entertainment!!!! Now, My second year as a mill owner I need some Wisdom.....What to skid logs with??? I have a wood lot that is mainly on a hill and I have been using a Suzuki Four Wheeler with an arch.....It has worked fairly well....but now I am getting into logs that just fit the arch and I have found turning to be a problem at times. I had a Farmall 240 tractor i used and it proved cumbersom and I had to change my shorts several times.  Can't afford a compact diesel tractor.....Does anyone have any suggestions for skidding in tight spots/on a hill that may be under $10,000 bucks???   And what type of machine?? I looked at several front end loaders, REALLY used skid steers and numerous other types of equipment.....I have found your wisdom to be extremely accurate.....Any input appreciated!!!   Thanks Mike 

[TexasTimbers]

As much as I love skid steers, they are way down the list for your situation, if not on the bottom.
For under 10 grand your just gonna have to run across one of those "deals of a lifetime". But you'd be suprised, they do come around more than once in a lifetime.
Can't you find a mid size tractor with power steering for around 10 grand?

[Mikeysmill]

Yeah I can find a mid size tractor but I thought possibly a skid steer with tracks would be a better choice because the tight  areas I find myself working in...but I do know I would have clearance problems.....I figure most of the sawyers have tried just about any and everything and most input from the forum is just as good as gold.......You just eliminated a skid steer and I will probably stay with the Four wheeler and look for a smaller tractor, but I am open to any suggestions....Thanks for the input :)Mike

[Kevin]

Rather than buy something what about renting a machine or hiring the job out.

[sprucebunny]

What is your 'turning problem' with the four-wheeler ???

The tracks on my 4-wheeler added a signifigant amount of traction for about $3000.

[Mikeysmill]

The 4-wheeler works great unless I have a  20"x12' red oak log on and I have to make a 90degree turn .....when going down hill the but tends to transverse the hillside and OOOOh can it get ugly...I think I have to go to the next level of skiding logs...The logs are gettin larger...big enough that I should either have a small skidder or maybe a tracked machine (small dozer) a skid steer seemed like a a cross breed and I thought it might work but everybody suggest that I stay away from it.  The logs are getting bigger and the mill and skidding equipment i have just do not perform like I would like them to........I need a larger mill and a miniature cable skidder and I would be a happy man 8 8)and probably divorced!!!  Any body ever try a small articulated loader...I know where there is one, but I do not think the center of gravity is low enough on one of these machine and it would more than likely roll over....Any input is appreciated ....My wife agrees with Kevin and I should hire the logs skided out....I will not give up this battle!!!! Any other input Bunny the logs now far out weigh the weight of the 4-wheeler and arch and every log is a new adventure in SKID MARKS and not from the logs!!!  Thanks Mike

[little-guy]

I agree with the line that on those steeper grades an articulated loader would become a little tippy with the higher center of gravity.I would tend to lean towards an older small track dozer to solve your skidding problems.They have the power for those bigger logs plus the stability on the steeper grades.I have inherited the family farm dozer and use it now around my property,its an older John Deere 4010 dozer with a winch .Being just a 2 cylinder gas motor ,its cheap to run but can still pull those logs (mind you one at a time at times ) and the price tag should fall within your price limits..I also own a skid steer ,but each machine has its place to excel,just my 2 cents worth ..
Cec

[Ianab]

Quad bikes + hills + heavy loads  ... not a good combination.

I agree a small bulldozer might be an option. Safer on the hills, and puts the weight advantage back in your corner. No problem hooking up your logging arch to the back of a little dozer and hauling pretty heavy logs safely. Also gives you something to build and maintain tracks around your property etc.

Cheers

Ian

[beenthere]

little-guy
Sure interested in that 4010 model number for a Deere 2 cyl dozer.  I was aware of the MC, 40, 420, and possibly a 430 before Deere dropped the 2cyl in about '59.  What year do you think this one was built?    Thanks.

[thedeeredude]

I did a quick search on ebay for "cletrac" and came up with 3 dozers there.  I don't know where warren is but if you get a chance, come down to Kinzers,PA for the rough and tumble society.  You could find a good deal there most likely.  www.roughandtumble.org

[BBTom]

I would think that this would be a good application for one of the skidding winches such as the Farmi or Tajfun.  I know that I wish for one about every time I head out to skid a few logs.  

Being able to "drop" the log and manuver the tractor to a better position, then just drag the log to you, makes for much safer and easier skidding.  

They make them for tractors as small as 20 hp.  You just need 3 point hitch, 540 RPM PTO, and front weights.

Farmi Winches/

Tajfun Winches Pronounced typhoon

Virginia Tech Writeup on using farm tractors as skidders

[jpgreen]

Most everyone knows this but I'm just posting it for someone looking in who may not...

Tractors and hills = serious possibility of death.  Roll overs, and flipping backwards whilst pulling a load have killed many a person every year.  Doesn't take hardly much of an incline neither, specially with tractors.

Please make sure your tractor has a ROPS...  roll over protection system (roll bar) and a seat belt and use it.

............

[Tom]

That's always good information. 

Let me add.   Be careful lifting logs with a front-end loader.  The log can roll off the back and come crashing down on the tractor, pinning the operator in the seat.  If you use a FEL to move logs frequently, it is a good idea to add a safety device on the loader and the tractor to stop the log.

[mometal77]

http://www.ytmag.com/      "If you own a tractor" Some good pics too.
http://chambersmotorco.com/ 
This place is in oregon look at the construction part.. they have other neat machines.. i love the welders.
http://www.govliquidation.com/    Another one I browse..
Around here I see a lot of farmers have machinery in the brush.  How I got my crane I still think I got a good deal at 800.  Anyway thought I would share..
bobby

[thecfarm]

Are you trying to skid logs up hill?I try to avoid all 90° turns.I have very few sharp turns.I lay my roads out to avoid this.I have rocks,wet spots,small knolls to avoid,but it has to be done.I use a 4WD 40hp tractor with a Norse winch.My land has a hill going up to it.Once I'm up on top,it's mostly level.I have cut trees on this hill.It's quite a struggle.I go staight down the hill when I am on it,but it's not that steep.A few places it levels off,than down it goes again.I take it slow and easy.Love that low range.But you have to be wicked careful.Take less,unhook it at the bottom and go back for more.Than take what you feel you can.I feel you need a small crawler.I have never been around one,so I can't help you.I would like to have one.I have a need for it.Have many rocks to move around.

[vgbob]

I've used a JD1010 crawler for years and find it is pretty useful around the
woodlot. One thing I will warn you about is that if you have a long distance
to skid the logs a crawler of any type is going to be slower than a wheeled
tractor or skidder.  You should be able to pick up a pretty decent crawler
for under $10k, but any old equipment, tractor or dozer is likely to need
regular maintenance, which if you can't do yourself makes them a lot less
attractive. It sounds like you have hills to deal with. If that means the ground
is rocky or ledge a steel tracked machine is pretty rough riding. (and tough
on the machine) But it will do lots of things that a small, wheeled tractor of
the same HP can't do, like build roads easily. And in the winter I can drive
over all sorts of terrain than you couldn't with anything smaller than a
skidder, because it tends to stay on top of the snow. (just don't try anything
but straight up or down the hills on snow or ice, the tracks offer no resistance
to sideways movement)

[barbender]

   I think you need a small cable skidder, you should be able to pick one up in the $3000-$5000 range. I just saw a 215 timberjack in the local paper for $3000, I know of a C4 treefarmer that the fella wants $4000 for that I am saving my pennies for  . Another option, I just saw on I think it was the Backwoods Home Magazine website where a fella built his own miniature cable yarder for getting his firewood up a hill he didn't want to tear up by driving on it. It's pretty cool  8). If you can get the wood lifted off of the ground, I would think that would be the ultimate in low impact logging.

[barbender]

  I'll try to make a link to the mini skyline here http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/deaton0601.html

[barbender]

Its groovy- I love homespun ingenuity

[leweee]

barbender.... great LINK 8) 8) 8)