couple pics... post what your currently cutting

[nativewolf]

Now you just gotta find a circle saw ground saw to hook to your 310! You would love it!

I'm going to leave that 310 right alone, Barko is going to sit in the yard to unload trailers, I want a Hood like yours, live heel and circle saw, or a 2384 ? I bought that 310 right, but I've got to take the skidder also, I can't argue about that 3/4 barsaw and cheap to run. I looked at an autocar triaxle the other night, decent older truck, 855BC / 8LL, in the deal is an 86 autocar that's an old roll off truck, 290 Cummins and the PERFECT length for mounting a loader like you guys do up north. I'm trying to get away from the log truck, go to a 3axle trailer for anything that's not local, drop a loader in 1 of my processor guys yards, trailers pound it in and I move on.

Or is it time for a shovel with the saw?

The guy who cut this job last had 2 shovels, my biggest problem is moving one, I was looking last night and saw a decent 2054 Deere with rotobec, live heel, would be the way to go and about the same money. Deere says a 2054 weighs 68k which isn't bad, its hanging the stick WAY off that gets me. Those 160 Kobelcos are rare, even a straight 200 logger is rare, and they all are basically out your way.

The Deere 2054 is a 200 class logger. The boom stand is simple and easy to do just chain it down or you can on some three axle trailer pull the heel all the way in and set it on the very back of the trailer. The 120/160's have gone out of favor out here there's still a few working but most are gone to the boneyards. I'd skip the rotobec and go Jewel, Pierce Pacific, PSM, T-Mar they'll be less trouble in the long run.

the 120/160s too small for whole trees out there?

[Firewoodjoe]

Barge you'll hate a truck mount. Get a self propelled with 72" circle saw. 

[Skeans1]

Now you just gotta find a circle saw ground saw to hook to your 310! You would love it!

I'm going to leave that 310 right alone, Barko is going to sit in the yard to unload trailers, I want a Hood like yours, live heel and circle saw, or a 2384 ? I bought that 310 right, but I've got to take the skidder also, I can't argue about that 3/4 barsaw and cheap to run. I looked at an autocar triaxle the other night, decent older truck, 855BC / 8LL, in the deal is an 86 autocar that's an old roll off truck, 290 Cummins and the PERFECT length for mounting a loader like you guys do up north. I'm trying to get away from the log truck, go to a 3axle trailer for anything that's not local, drop a loader in 1 of my processor guys yards, trailers pound it in and I move on.

Or is it time for a shovel with the saw?

The guy who cut this job last had 2 shovels, my biggest problem is moving one, I was looking last night and saw a decent 2054 Deere with rotobec, live heel, would be the way to go and about the same money. Deere says a 2054 weighs 68k which isn't bad, its hanging the stick WAY off that gets me. Those 160 Kobelcos are rare, even a straight 200 logger is rare, and they all are basically out your way.

The Deere 2054 is a 200 class logger. The boom stand is simple and easy to do just chain it down or you can on some three axle trailer pull the heel all the way in and set it on the very back of the trailer. The 120/160's have gone out of favor out here there's still a few working but most are gone to the boneyards. I'd skip the rotobec and go Jewel, Pierce Pacific, PSM, T-Mar they'll be less trouble in the long run.

the 120/160s too small for whole trees out there?

Oh yeah our 200 will do a nose dive on some of the second growth if it'll pick them at all. We've had to use our D7 winch to help load logs. A 120/160 shovel is great for a thinning side as long you're not having more then a standard two axle trailer come for loads.

[quilbilly]

My friend daniel boone has a logging channel on YouTube, you can watch me struggle on the old second growth from earlier in the year. 690 JD

[ehp]

where I'm cutting right now today a cut a walnut and a couple white oak that were so white I had to check and make sure I was correct on the tree , not sure how they will turn out veneer wise but should find out on Monday if we do not get rained out to where the log truck cannot get in to where I am, Even the red oak is pretty white , hard maple is snow white 

[BargeMonkey]

 I'm doing enough clearing work where a track machine would be nice, problem is that 2054 or a big 8 wheeler basically means a bigger lowboy, why stop at 50/ 55 ton, now your looking at a drop side, bigger tractor, all to feed the monster. 😂 
 Bagged firewood... I can't believe it 🤷‍♂️ brought down 12 bags and 8 kindling this morning, got cleaned out again yesterday, stopped at 530 and that's what's left. 


 
 Other than 30-40 up on top the entire job lays on the ground, no mercy given today, I'm going to be sleeping in the loader to get this done in time. 
 

 
 After hours 😂. Was talking to another forum member who's looking at a 6k, that 12way is the only way to go. Keep the truck loaded this time of the year, busy season is coming, 36 here right now. 


 


 

[Walnut Beast]

Might as well go big or stay home 😂

[BargeMonkey]

I am a poor logger compared to most of the guys around here 😂 theres a 4 axle Volvo tractor and 4axle Roger's lowboy sitting down the road from me, most beautiful trailer I've ever seen, dropside with wells built in, I dont think 300k would come close. 

[barbender]

I wasn't real fond of that 12 way on the one I rented, at least not the tendency it had for the pieces to flip over. We had wood get wedged into the cab several times, I had to remove and repair the cab guard before I brought it back as it was bent up pretty good. I would've preferred justina canopy to the cab, I thought it was a pain in the butt. Probably just not really a very good machine for a rental customer😂

[nativewolf]

where I'm cutting right now today a cut a walnut and a couple white oak that were so white I had to check and make sure I was correct on the tree , not sure how they will turn out veneer wise but should find out on Monday if we do not get rained out to where the log truck cannot get in to where I am, Even the red oak is pretty white , hard maple is snow white

about time for a picture from you.  

[Riwaka]

How many self loading log trucks are there in the North East of the USA? Or is the crane weight penalty for the loss of log carrying payload rule them out, or do the hydraulics freeze up in winter?

Northern Georgia, USA - Tigercat 234 with brazilian J de Souza saw on grapple. Leave the truck attached to pull the knuckleboom trailer around the wood yard.

JdeSouza high performance saw unit on a Tigercat grapple. - YouTube

[mike_belben]

Tri axle self loader is much more common in NE than SE.  Only seen one down here in almost 5 yrs that i can recall.  

[Corley5]

Michigan Truck.



 

[SwampDonkey]

Self loaders mainly on woodlot ground up here. But I have seen loader trucks even on woodlot ground at times. On public land never see them. Generally, the woods roads there are a lot drier and ditched, not ditches filled with mud and water for a road. Most always excavator built roads to. Much prefer them when thinning in the fall, you know you haven't got to fight the mud hole demons. ;)

[mike_belben]

I think for us its that you can find 3 cheap knucklebooms in one day for the money it would take to find a self loader triaxle in running shape after looking far and wide with next to no options.  Youd also easily find 3 hungry log truck guys to pull your pulp. Sawlogs generally arent going far and every single place theyd go to unloads, so bunks on a straight tandem cab chassis is fine.  


3-5 grand will get you into a rough 6 wheeler 4post log truck and $8-12k for a starter knuckleboom. Thats why CTL and self loader trucks wont ever take over the SE.  Theres a massive abundance of cheap old hillbilly stuff.

[GRANITEstateMP]

plenty of guys here in NH have 10 wheel or tri-axle self loaders. Some are front mount, some are rear and set to haul a small pup trailer. Depends on the operation. Plenty of stand alone log trailers around too.

[quilbilly]

What are guys making running a 3 axle truck? 

[ehp]

All log trucks here have their own loader , log truck that draws off me has 3 drive axles and a air lift axle and 2 steering axles and have a big pup trailer that is 4 axles. 

[ehp]

NW, we will see on a picture. Cut a couple hickory today that were about 50 feet to the first pin knot . No way no how are you going to keep those type of logs together , they check as soon as you start cutting them 

[thecfarm]

Here's a couple from Maine.



 




 

Very common to see these loaders.

[Southside]

One difference is weight limit.  3 axle trailer in Maine is 100K even on the turnpike, but not the Interstate.  IIRC there was a 5% additional allowance for logs and chips just because.  Michigan is what - 5,000,000,000 lbs limit with enough axles under her?  Here in VA it's 80K, with some exceptions but nothing that makes it worth hauling around a loader.  

[mike_belben]

 :D

[BargeMonkey]

I wasn't real fond of that 12 way on the one I rented, at least not the tendency it had for the pieces to flip over. We had wood get wedged into the cab several times, I had to remove and repair the cab guard before I brought it back as it was bent up pretty good. I would've preferred justina canopy to the cab, I thought it was a pain in the butt. Probably just not really a very good machine for a rental customer😂

Originally we didnt want a cab, those bars are for YOUR protection 😂 did you get to whip a block or cut off ? Yeah if a smaller chunk follows a larger chunk it will flip back, kind of get used to it. 

[BargeMonkey]

 We get 3% here for wood or material unless the guy is real harsh, my log trucks legal for 78,820 so technically with the 3% I'm hauling more than a lighter tractor on 5 axles. Heavy front, drop, 2x drives and a drop, and 2 on the pup will get you 119K, regular heavy tractor and 3 on the trailer is 117K+, I'm good for 102 with 5 axles on my tractor and lowboy and could go more. 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Most everything is self loaders here, and if you don't have a loader you probably follow around a loader truck so you get loaded.

Only way a forwarder or slasher loads trailers UP here is if its dropped and they can load right out of the woods or off the saw. But then the truck best be there to move it when loaded as that is valuable landing real-estate. Loading 22+ cord with a forwarder takes away too much time from their job of getting wood out. Loading 3 or 4 trucks a day would set the forwarder a few days behind picking up wood by the end of the week.