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3 wheeled logging

Started by Blackcanyon, December 29, 2020, 06:59:26 AM

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Blackcanyon

Hello it's been a while since I've posted. As someone who is getting a little older I'm seeking information about mechanical harvesting. I only log part time and the 3 wheeled units seem quite cheap for what they possibly can do. My questions are do you all think they are obsolete? Is there one kind vastly better than another? And how are they in hilly terrain? I would love to hear from people that are experienced in owning/ running these. I have 0 interest in hearing from someone saying a 2020 tiger at is the way to go. I see them in the 15-25 k category pretty regularly. Thanks

mudfarmer

No experience with them but feel the same way you do, they look awesome for the prices I see. Have been keeping an eye on bid packages here and many (especially state jobs) specify no "WHEELED" harvesters. I guess they are OK with tracks. Take that for what you will RE: "do you all think they are obsolete"

nativewolf

The bells are cheap, they were imported into the US from South Africa until emissions tripped them up.  The machines are still made in South Africa.  The importer actually moved from SA to my home town of Wilmington of all places, was still alive at 90+ 2 years ago.  There were less than 600 imported and many if not most are still going so that tells you something.

They have dangle heads and hot saws, I think the dangle head would be awesome.  At least one FF member owns one and is a big fan.  Log in and search for Bell harvester and you should get some good hits. 

I have seen them going up and down some decent topography.  

They have a learning curve.

They are larger than you'd think.

Very good bang for buck, can even do some topping up with the danglehead.

Liking Walnut

mike_belben

There is a tracked version of the bell thatll work in a swamp.  No experience with them but ive missed a few deals.
Praise The Lord

barbender

I think a Bells machine would be great for a small operator looking to get in a cab. They also look like they have a very large cutting capacity for the size of the machine. 
Too many irons in the fire

Haleiwa

I never ran one, but I met someone who did.  His biggest complaint was visibility.   The operator kind of sits down in a hole and can't see much except straight ahead.  He sometimes had to get out of the cab to see where he was.  Bells are tough, simple machines.
Socialism is people pretending to work while the government pretends to pay them.  Mike Huckabee

barbender

I think one of those heads on a well guarded excavator ran by a careful owner operator would work really well. Ryan's Equipment makes what I understand to be the same basic design, but they're pretty spendy for what they are. I'd probably just find a head off a scrapped Bell's and put it on the excavator myself.
Too many irons in the fire

Skeans1

Quote from: barbender on December 29, 2020, 03:06:13 PM
I think one of those heads on a well guarded excavator ran by a careful owner operator would work really well. Ryan's Equipment makes what I understand to be the same basic design, but they're pretty spendy for what they are. I'd probably just find a head off a scrapped Bell's and put it on the excavator myself.
Another option is a Hultdins super fell they were made for the job and could shovel log still.

Maine logger88

I have a bell ultra C with a circle saw on it. It does a pretty decent job for the most part and will lay down a lot of wood in a day in the right going. It doesn't like wet ground or rocky ground. semi steep is ok if you can climb it you can cut it. Parts are no problem at all there is a guy in mass who stocks about everything and will ship the parts to you. They are definitely a cheap way to get into mechanized cutting but anything to hard to get to still has to be cut with a chainsaw. 
79 TJ 225 81 JD 540B Husky and Jonsered saws

Mountaynman

The mill i sold my hardwood to had 2 crews each with a tracked bell kind of a reverse high track design very handy in the right conditions they felled the tree walked up topped it reversed back and grabbed the butt and pulled it to the skid trail for the grapple skidder they ran a 4 man crew hand cutter dozerman skidder driver and the man in the bell put out a tremondous amount of tree length wood 
Semi Retired too old and fat to wade thru waist deep snow hand choppin anymore

Riwaka

 Depends on the size of the trees that you are regularly cutting. If you are a one man logging crew, it might be better to look at something different. It is possible to be trapped in a 3 wheeler if it flips on the side and the 'large enough' tree being cut lands on the top side door. 
A well maintained ancient Timbco track buncher or woods guarded  excavator (that can also be used for dirt work) or the right 4 wheel rubber tire disc saw feller buncher are alternatives.

BargeMonkey

One of the foresters here has a 3 wheel bell, does TSI work with it, for what they are i think they are a decent machine. If I was going to buy one I would try and find an Ultra-C which isn't 16 levers and pedals, has the 4BT over a Deutz and try and find one thats 3/4 pitch. 
 "Hilly terrain" varies by opinion, my cousin bought a pretty straight looking one from Milton yrs ago CHEAP, the story went that someone else came to try it out and ran it thru the gates at the yard, he wasn't allowed to try it, price was loaded on the trailer and GONE 😆 He didn't have it long. I know another guy who ran one, he said they have a seat belt in the cab for a reason and get used to that motion of the back wheel off the ground all the time. I see those 603 Valmets around pretty reasonable also, little newer and a touch bigger but parts are available. 

Wudman

I had a number of contractors running them back in the early to mid 90s.  I had a one man show that had a Morbark.  He felled with the machine and then swapped on a grapple and skidded and loaded with it.  He made pretty good production with it.  Probably took home more $$ than a lot of his bigger compatriots.  With decent rubber under it, the machine would go in places that were too wet to skid with 30.5s under a skidder.  

Bells, Franklins, and Hydro-Ax were very common in plantation thinning.  I wish I still had a few left around here.  A good operator could do an exceptional job with them.  You did need chains on them for traction and operability.  Good machines.

Wudman  
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

CrossHead

Has nobody tried the new iteration of this from DelFab?

Delfab Website



mudfarmer

Heads up. There is a Bell Ultra T on craigslist right now between Syracuse and Utica NY

makeri_drvr

Tigercat Dealer in Keysville,VA has a 321 Hydro Axe for 10K with a 16 inch shear head

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