3 wheeled feller bunchers.

redneck logger · March 31, 2009, 06:14:11 PM

i was wondering because i wonder a lot as you can tell,but any way do you guys and gals think i could use a 3 wheeled feller buncher hear in nova scotia with the hilly terrian we got.

Samuel · March 31, 2009, 06:17:51 PM

i have seen them in small projects being utilized here in Alberta on a lease clearing project (well site), but they did not seem very productive or stable to me (as an observer). I would not want to be in anything 3 wheeled on a hill but thats just me.

redneck logger · March 31, 2009, 06:22:36 PM

yeah thats kind of what i thought about them i prefer cutting with chainsaws and some day i want my own outfit with chainsaws,skidder,log loader and 2 trucks.

thecfarm · March 31, 2009, 06:52:59 PM

How many do you see in your area?That will tell you a lot.If they work good,dependable,able to make money with one,than you see a lot of them.I have only seen a couple in use.Mostly small trees I've seen them use on,chipping operations.

redneck logger · March 31, 2009, 07:00:46 PM

i have never seen them working around hear because most contractors are in to ctl not tree legth.

VT_Forestry · April 01, 2009, 12:26:03 PM

Wasn't long ago that I went and looked at a pine thinning here in VA that had a 3-wheeled machine on it. Seemed pretty productive until it got on the slope and flipped over twice while I was there. It sure wasn't much of a slope either. Seems to me that hills need 4 wheels

Gary_C · April 01, 2009, 12:48:04 PM

Four wheels is not the complete answer either. Those fixed head machines are very prone to tipping over. The best answer for fixed head machines is a large tracked machine with enough muscle to handle the trees you are cutting.

But even with those smaller four wheeled fixed head machine, the operator can limit the tipovers better that what you describe. I've cut a lot of trees with a Hydroaxe and never tipped it over. Even cut a 24 inch diameter Red Oak that was 24 feet to the first limb and got it down without tipping over. Might have lifted two wheels off the ground and had that "pucker factor" problem, but did not tip over. For one thing, you just never cut trees on a side slope with a fixed head machine, it always should be straight up hill or down hill.

VT_Forestry · April 01, 2009, 01:11:36 PM

Quote from: Gary_C on April 01, 2009, 12:48:04 PM
Four wheels is not the complete answer either. Those fixed head machines are very prone to tipping over. The best answer for fixed head machines is a large tracked machine with enough muscle to handle the trees you are cutting.

But even with those smaller four wheeled fixed head machine, the operator can limit the tipovers better that what you describe. I've cut a lot of trees with a Hydroaxe and never tipped it over. Even cut a 24 inch diameter Red Oak that was 24 feet to the first limb and got it down without tipping over. Might have lifted two wheels off the ground and had that "pucker factor" problem, but did not tip over. For one thing, you just never cut trees on a side slope with a fixed head machine, it always should be straight up hill or down hill.

You're exactly right

Maybe I should have said that 4 wheels is better than 3 on hills haha

Ironman · April 01, 2009, 01:45:09 PM

Well nobody makes one anymore if that tells you anything. There are guys who love them and are very productive with them, because of their speed and manueverability. The most recommended machine is probably the Wolverine, made by Morbark. However, most people find them very dificult to get used to as far as just feeling comfortable and confident as an operator. They are fast, but awkward compared to just about anything else you could operate.

They work great for thinnings but not much else because they just can't feature a large sawhead. The biggest head I have ever seen on one of these is an 18" Koehring sawhead and that was on the 321 Hydroax.

Bell made a nice 3-wheeler with Duetz power, tough built, reliable and simple, featured the same Koehring 18 or a 30" dangle bar saw that could take down some big wood. Those are nice machines and you can usually get them cheap.

Jesse

www.ironmart.com

ironmule2004 · April 02, 2009, 12:22:40 AM

I have a Bell that I absolutely love. I don't plan on ever owning a 4-wheel machine.

KyMasterLogger · April 03, 2009, 09:53:57 PM

Bell also made a few tracked machines. from what i hear, the tracked version works better on the hills.

semologger · April 08, 2009, 10:39:35 PM

I have a 221 Ax its a little older than the 321. I would be lost without it. It has a bit better ground clearence than the bells do. Plus you can see alot better in it. The controls in mine are the same as the 4 wheeled hyroax cutters.
This is mine.

thecfarm · April 09, 2009, 08:37:26 AM

Nice rig. Did you put this in the timber harvest methods and equipment thread too?

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,13313.0.html

Seems like the bell was a smaller unit,not as wide and not as long either.Probaly what you have weights a lot more too.I'm only guessing just from seeing one.

lonewolf · April 09, 2009, 08:23:15 PM

I've got a Gafner (Iron Mule) feller buncher. It has a Uni - Versaw head on it. I can cut a 20" tree with just 1 cut and if your creative it will cut them a lot bigger. I haven't used it on anything steep as of yet but I'd be lost with out it. I can lay down more trees in a day than I can skid and process in a week.

Meadows Miller · April 11, 2009, 05:22:52 AM

Gday

Redneck I use to wonder alot at your age ;) :D ;D ;) Matter of fact i still do

;) :D :D :D :D its good you think about things Mate ;)

BELLS I love Em ;D 8) 8) and they are still being built at the Bell plant in Africa I know afew blokes downhere that runn them and do quite well with them on steep sites Like everythig it all comes down to the opperator ;) Ive seen Idiots tip 4x4s and timbco's over out the bush Ive even delayed thinnings on a 35 + deg slope with dad when i was your age with a bloody fergy tractor w/loader and farmi winch for gods sake and i was driving ;) :D :D It just takes common sence ;) remember biggers not allways better as you have to float all that gear around the joint which aint cheap ;)

For a young bloke you couldnt go past a bell for price ,maint/running costs production the best one to look for if you ever do ;) is a 220 telle logger with a quick change grapple to havesting head settup and a static delimber ;) ive done work with one off these in the past Morning started with felling and toping of with the dangel head then swap over at smokeo then skidout and delimb on the way to the landing then dock with a chainsaw and sort an load em on the truck couple off loads a day no dramas in delayed pine thinning stopping at 6" tops ;) ;D 8) 8)

Reguards Chris