The Daily Firewood Picture Thread

[HemlockKing]

Welcome to the forum Foragefarmer

[Big_eddy]

Big eddy, neat gator! Had no idea they made those. Hard to image life without one after owning one.

Technically ours is an AMT626. The single front wheel does not steer worth a darn especially when the box is overloaded, and the brakes do next to nothing but squeal constantly. Top speed is a measly 18kmh.
Despite all that, I couldn't live without it. For bringing home firewood rounds from the woods, it is perfect. If you can get it in the box, pile it on, or tie it down, you can haul it home, even up hills that my 4wd tractor won't climb empty. I can get it stuck, but it takes some work to do it. I built a bumper to reduce the tree damage to the plastics which further encourages inappropriate squeezing between trees to get right next to the felled logs to reduce carrying.
Right now it is pulling our splitter to and from the firewood area. Carry the saw, gas and peavey in the back going over, toss all the rejected rots, crotches, hunks and chunks into the back while splitting to bring home for our pile. 
Another month from now it will be wearing a 100gal sap tank 

 

[Old Greenhorn]

After a long time I am still not sure what I think about those gators. Folks either love them or hate them. First time I saw one was at a large sports complex the ground crews used them for and they loved them. Those had the single front wheel, never saw another one since. Then about a dozen years ago I had brought our FD's 6 wheel ATV to a 1,000 acres wildland fire job as did many other departments because you need a lot of them to shuttle gear and people on those bigger jobs. Anyway, another department had brought a 6 wheel gator (2 on the front) and I admired it. The guy running it said "never buy one of these for your department. It's a dog in wet sloppy ground and a mistake to own one for this kind of work." He had a long list of complaints. Fast forward another few years and my buddy Bill picked one up to ramble around the woods at his place. He drives it like a rented mule, over stumps, through thick brush, places I sure wouldn't try. It's no dog but he beats up on it pretty good. Fenders are all busted up and tied together with wire ties, I am surprised he hasn't ripped out the running gear underneath...yet.
 So after all this time I still don't know how I feel about those, but if it does the job for you, then I guess it's the best thing to have. Whatever works. I think they all have weaknesses including my Mule, which I too love.

[Corley5]

  Capitalism and The Theory of Natural Selection are much the same.  
  Got to use my hose machine today.  Blew a hose to the processor's saw motor and I actually had hose and fittings in stock 8) 8)  I was back in operation in minutes



 

[Old Greenhorn]

I can only think of one or two better feelings than having something go belly up, ruining your day and then walking into the shop and realizing "Hey, I've got one of those!" and JUST LIKE THAT, everything becomes easy and you day gets turned back around.
 Good on ya man! I know that feeling is hard to explain. Enjoy it.

[crazy4saws]

Welcome Forage Farmer, those ported saws are fun to run, got a 372xp and MS460 ported.

Sum1 that pile of firewood is neat to see. Those processors pile up alot, quick. Last week highs in the upper 20s, than Sunday 37 but the ground stayed froze, tonight dropping back to 10, still no snow unlike you.

Hemlock king, gotta do some digging, might have a summer photo. The upper canopy is thick. Plan to post in the forestry section about the woods health soon. 

[fabandfirewood]

 


well we got easy part done and now comes the hard part, hauling the wood a mile or so home in this muddy slushy mess with a jeep and trailer or a pickup if it dries out at all. 

[crazy4saws]

Big Eddy, that's a gator load of wood!! Mines a 2008 TS model, like yours it sports something different in the back depending on the season. Got Electric lift, beds hold a lot more than you might think or I haul more than I should. Added an engine oil filter kit last year, rear tires are swamp witchs 6ply. Zero flats since changing. 

Old greenhorn, each brand has its pros and cons. The TS model suits me, no ROPS, tight quarters access, low impact, fuel efficient. Sits low to the ground, can pick up litter while staying seated. Cons, occasional ground clearance issues and Dad does a lot less walking now a days lol just have to find the one that's right for u. 

Fab&firewood is that a KX040? What species of wood you cutting?

[Big_eddy]

Big Eddy, that's a gator load of wood!! Mines a 2008 TS model, like yours it sports something different in the back depending on the season. Got Electric lift, beds hold a lot more than you might think or I haul more than I should. Added an engine oil filter kit last year, rear tires are swamp witchs 6ply. Zero flats since changing.

That's nothing - I didn't even pull out the ratchet straps.  :D

[PoginyHill]

Big eddy, neat gator! Had no idea they made those. Hard to image life without one after owning one.

Technically ours is an AMT626. The single front wheel does not steer worth a darn especially when the box is overloaded, and the brakes do next to nothing but squeal constantly. Top speed is a measly 18kmh.
Despite all that, I couldn't live without it. For bringing home firewood rounds from the woods, it is perfect. If you can get it in the box, pile it on, or tie it down, you can haul it home, even up hills that my 4wd tractor won't climb empty. I can get it stuck, but it takes some work to do it. I built a bumper to reduce the tree damage to the plastics which further encourages inappropriate squeezing between trees to get right next to the felled logs to reduce carrying.
Right now it is pulling our splitter to and from the firewood area. Carry the saw, gas and peavey in the back going over, toss all the rejected rots, crotches, hunks and chunks into the back while splitting to bring home for our pile.
Another month from now it will be wearing a 100gal sap tank  

How well does that steer? Especially with a load, it seems as though it would want to keep going straight, no matter where that single wheel is headed. Is there any individual breaking of the drive wheels?

[Iwawoodwork]

I use the Polaris 500cc 6x6 for getting in wood and it works great, but I build front racks out of hospital bed foot/head boards, (this is my 3rd 6x6) so that I can put a smaller rick of wood on the front. The one I am using now I built a back board in front of the headlite out of the back from a metal tube patio chair, cut the seat off and welded it to the rack, holds the front down on steep ground when loaded.

[Big_eddy]

Big eddy, neat gator! Had no idea they made those. Hard to image life without one after owning one.

Technically ours is an AMT626. The single front wheel does not steer worth a darn especially when the box is overloaded, and the brakes do next to nothing but squeal constantly. Top speed is a measly 18kmh.
Despite all that, I couldn’t live without it. For bringing home firewood rounds from the woods, it is perfect. If you can get it in the box, pile it on, or tie it down, you can haul it home, even up hills that my 4wd tractor won’t climb empty. I can get it stuck, but it takes some work to do it. I built a bumper to reduce the tree damage to the plastics which further encourages inappropriate squeezing between trees to get right next to the felled logs to reduce carrying.
Right now it is pulling our splitter to and from the firewood area. Carry the saw, gas and peavey in the back going over, toss all the rejected rots, crotches, hunks and chunks into the back while splitting to bring home for our pile.
Another month from now it will be wearing a 100gal sap tank  

How well does that steer? Especially with a load, it seems as though it would want to keep going straight, no matter where that single wheel is headed. Is there any individual breaking of the drive wheels?

Honestly, it steers okay. The rear wheels on each side are chain driven together so all 4 drive. It has a differential lock for those rare cases where both wheels on one side are slipping. If you press the differential lock, it goes straight forward regardless of which way the single front wheel is pointed.
On bumpy ground or if heavily (over)loaded and going uphill, the front wheel will come off the ground - making you go straight until it touches down again. But in general it steers as well as can be expected. I'm sure the 6 wheel ones steer better - hence why these were replaced with them. Mine is not at all unstable. At 5' wide, with a center of mass about 12" off the ground and no suspension - on a steep sidehill, it will slide sideways long before it feels the least bit tippy.

Individual wheel braking - Ha! - I would be happy with any braking. The brake system is cable operated with pads about the size of a quarter. They MIGHT slow it down but they will not stop anything. Fortunately (?) the top speed is SLOW and there is enough friction in the 4 wheels chain drive system that it slows to a stop reasonably quickly after you take your foot off the pedal. Or when you get to the bottom of whatever downhill you are on.

Most of my neighbours run Mules, Rangers and similar. They are faster, more powerful, suspension and brakes, windshields. Even still - If something were to happen to this - I'd buy another gator soon as I could - probably a 6 wheel version. They are simple and tough. I have raised 4 boys on this property so our gator has had a tough life. Given it has 2 speeds - stop and slow - it has seen absolutely no love. It has spent its entire life pedal to the metal. (And I shouldn't blame the boys for that - I drive it just like they did)

[Magicman]

 

 
I am heating my firewood today    well actually it is heating me.    

[HemlockKing]

Doing a little backwoods clean up. 



 

  When my back bothers me I cut highstumps(firewood anyway)...


 
 

[stavebuyer]

 
I am heating my firewood today    well actually it is heating me.    

You're going through your supply at a feverish pace MM!

[mike_belben]

Diff lock!?  Nice.. I never noticed that on the two parts piles i have.  Where is the actuator located?  

Does yours have electric dump kit?  If so is it strong?  

Ever break anything on them?

[Big_eddy]

Diff lock!?  Nice.. I never noticed that on the two parts piles i have.  Where is the actuator located?  

Does yours have electric dump kit?  If so is it strong?  

Ever break anything on them?

Diff lock is a lever under the left heel.

I have the Armstrong dump kit. I have considered fabbing a hydraulic one from a porta-press, but most of the time mine is loaded with wood or other items that will be individually removed. When I use it as a chipper hopper, I do need to rake the chips out. Too heavy to dump.
Define break. I've replaced the engine which was worn out when we got it, removed the parking brake cables when they failed, new choke cable after it rusted solid, plastics are beat up. Tire or two. Rebuilt the brake calipers a few times trying to achieve  some semblance of stopping power. But nothing catastrophic and nothing surprising given its lifestyle 

[mike_belben]

So the F-N-R box is pretty strong then.. Glad to hear that. 

[cutterboy]

I've been cutting in the woods today, got a load and a half out. Oak, ash and hickory in the barn, out of the weather and ready to split.


 

 

 

 
  Happy cutting.....Cutter

[stavebuyer]

Very neat and organized operation. Staging to optimize the time when conditions are suitable to be in the woods sure adds to efficiency. Experience always shows. Well done.

[Andries]

"Very neat and organized operation" 
Just a wee understatement - more like a surgical procedure room.
Very very good looking setup Cutter

[newoodguy78]

That's the cleanest woodshed floor I've ever seen, didn't know they existed  :D  Very nice work as always. 

[cutterboy]

stavebuyer, Andries, newoodguy, thanks for the kind words. You make me feel good.

[cutterboy]

That's the cleanest woodshed floor I've ever seen, didn't know they existed  :D  

It only takes a broom. ;)

[Magicman]

'Only' a broom plus Pride.