# better skideer?



## Timberjackboy (Mar 9, 2004)

Whats the better skidder, a 230 timberjack or a 665clark?


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## Newfie (Mar 9, 2004)

The one with the more competent operator.


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## Ryan Willock (Mar 9, 2004)

Well said Newfie! I would go with the timberjack if it were me because of parts avialbilty and its easy to work on.


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## logcutter429 (Mar 9, 2004)

Steep ground, or flatlands, the 230 tj is the steep ground champ, the clark and its automatic trannie is'nt very good in the mountains, but on the flats its fast.


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## Wade Huggins (Mar 9, 2004)

How about a 508 Cat?........... They get around pretty good in the woods.....Wade


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## Ryan Willock (Mar 10, 2004)

Wade, what are you running?


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 10, 2004)

The 508 cat is a bigger machine, where the 230 and 665 are around the same size.


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## John Ellison (Mar 10, 2004)

Here is the "best skidder". Dont even need an operator.

John


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 12, 2004)

*Horses are for boys- Skidders are for men*

Who would log with a horse when you could sue a skidder. A skidder can haul a lot more wood out and you don't have to train them.


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## treeman82 (Mar 12, 2004)

You are looking at 2 completely different markets. Horses are good for if your client doesn't want a whole lot of noise, and wants really low impact. A skidder is great for if you want to take out a lot of timber.


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## Pacific (Mar 12, 2004)

Heres a machine you need Timberjack 

This machine is better

Cat Grapple skidder


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## Pacific (Mar 13, 2004)

This is a common machine here

Clark 

A excavator like this gets more wood out of the bush than a skidder does this is what is used the most

Hitachi 

Another skidder

Clark


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## Pacific (Mar 13, 2004)

How long does it take you guys to cut a load of wood like this

Logging truck


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*Track skidders*

Thats a big ass load of wood. You don't see loads like that around here.

Also that tracked skidder would go with a big load, but the wheeled skidder would be a lot faster and quicker. The tracked skidder might be better in extreme terrain but thats all. But the tires will go ever the stumps much beter. 

The older clark grapples would not go with a realy big load, they were not balanced up good enough or somting, but I know of a local contractor had a couple 667s and the Internationals he had befor would pull much more. Although the newer Ranger skidders maybe improved.


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## Pacific (Mar 13, 2004)

Actually skidders are not used much anymore in this area a process what we call hoe chucking is a better method of getting wood from the cut block to the side of the road. A excavator with a heal boom grapple can grab the logs move them they can get alot of wood moved in a day.

If a skidder is used its most likely a grapple skidder the old line skidders are too slow and dangerous when your working on a steep slope. If for what ever reason you need to let go of the load its pretty hard todo with a line skidder.


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*SWEET DEAL*

Ya the escavators would probaly work pretty good i agree. But in a small area they wouldn't be as useful, but in a big area to cut the would be great. What are you cutting the trees with a feller buncher?


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

*What do you know TJ BOY??*

Sounds to me like you only use T-Jacks. So what would you know about a Clark. Clark's are strong powerful machines. But T-Jack's are more reliable so it's a toss up. It's whatever you like as your opinion


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

Feller bunchers could be used for small areas don't ya know. It just wouldn't be "cost efficient" to use them on a small lot. Then there's places that they can't go where it's too rocky, muddy, etc. That's why skidder crews are going to be here for awhile.


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*listen*

I agree clarks are a nice worken machine and probaly quite pwoerful. Although they are build shorter and they will not go with as big as a load. Although I think thye are a well built machine. The automatic Tranny is simpler to run, although it may be more expensive to fix.:alien:


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*I agree*

Skidder crews will be around for a while. But instead of just a guy with a skidder its gonna be a company. lets say a company is hire d to cut a small plot of land. The guy will probaly have a cable skidder and get a couple of his men to work it. The days in which just a guy with one skider is coming to an end.
What are yoy running N.B logger?


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

*Tru dat Yo*

They're transmission is more to fix. But, not as much to fix anything on a John Deere. Fixin' up one of those is like burning up your money. Only reason they're used so much is because of all the pansyboy accesories. Guys can't run standards anymore, or that it becomes too much trouble for them. Skidder crews are becoming a dying breed anyway. They'll just make feller bunchers better to replace them


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

*What men??*

The day of men working in the woods with a chainsaw is out of style. It's hard to find good workers here. That's why most people usually just get some Frenchies to work for them. It's funny though, if A NB'er ever came to Quebec to work in the woods they'd be killed. I run a 240 T-Jack.


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*YO*

Ya i agree. Back in the 70s many frencmen came down from Quebec tow ork and many of them settle din canterbury. But cornys grampa worked in the woods down here. Shes hot man. The french men use dto yell bush noire. i guess it means black-fy. The newer 230s with the cummins engine are a nice machine, so are the 240s. John Deers were never buiolt very rugged at first. But Johndeer eventually learned how to build a skidder. I guess they are an alright machine now


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

*Untrue*

I know a Frenchman who is a NB'er for life. He bought a John Deere brand new in 1978. He still runs it to this very day. I believe that todays John Deere's are for the punks who can't operate a skidder unless there isn't an automatic in it. As for those frenchman coming down here to work. Well they can stay In Quebec 'cause if one of them comes around were I'm working. Well I'll do what they do to NB'ers in Quebec. I'll vandalize and destroy their equipment and say "Welcome to Nouveau Brunswick."





Peace out


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## Ryan Willock (Mar 13, 2004)

Why such hostilities toward one another?


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

*What hostility Detroit man*

There's no hostility at all. I'm just saying that there's crap that happens in Quebec to us NB. Then when they come here we roll out the red carpet. It doesn't seem right at all to me. I have no real hatred for the frenchman its just that they're different when they're not in Quebec. In Quebec they take care of their one


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*Hostility*

Ya the frenchmen came down and cut all our wood off. But even if they would have staye dthe biger companies would ahve got the jobs by now or the goverenment would have bought the land the same as now and it would be still clear cut, but probaly even more then now.
A lot was the people around here couldn't find enough workers. I know one local contrator was around 8 crews of french men on. Cornys grampa came down to work and shes hot.:angel:


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*John Deers*

The older Johndeeres were small and not very rugged. A mid 1980s 440 was almost equilvelent to a mid 70s 540


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

*Did you watch all of that tape yet?*

T-Jack boy did you watch that tape yet? It is a long one but you should've seen it all by now. If you're done there's another one for ya. It's got some French hotties on it so oh yeah.


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## NB Logger (Mar 13, 2004)

You must be from BC. Or at least from the West Coast area. That's were all the big International companies are at. So know wonder they don't use skidders.


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## Wade Huggins (Mar 13, 2004)

Hey Ryan I run a 508 Cat..........nice skidder automatic 3 speed on the column......has great brakes and is dependable. The winch is an in house winch made by cat and in my opion is junk.........I would like very much to find a good used allied winch for it somewhere in the near future..............Listening to you other guys go on about john deer automatics being for ?????'s come on.......if it was within my price range I would have a brand new 450H long track and a 540G with a closed in cab heated/ac.....oh yeah why I am dreaming a good used prentice 180 with closed in cab as well heat /ac and a bucksaw to boot...........time for me to wake up later...Wade


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 13, 2004)

*hmmm*

If I had the money I would look at the Franklin-tree farmers maybe. They are a rugged looking machine now. Poor timberjack arn't the same since Deere took over, all the are are deers painted green except for the 660D that would be an awsome machine. The 508 cat is a nice skidder, how many hp is it rated at? are they 185? What size of tires are you running on it Wade?
Yes i watched the tape N.B logger i gave it to you yesteraday!!!!!!!!!! The woods around here is alll being clear cut now and they are cleaning up everything, although they are strip cutting one spot near here. They arn't leaving very big strips of trees though. I was thinking of getting a contract for valley, but the way they are cutting it Id have to purchase a grapple and feller buncher combo, I don't feel like havinn that much money at stake so im sticken with the cable skidder. 
Corns hot!!!!


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 14, 2004)

*Line skidder*

With a line skidder if you are crossing a swamp and get spinning you can drop the road and pull a head until you are on good ground then winch the load back in. With a grapple you drop your load and shes left in the swamp.:blob5: :blob6:


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## caryr (Mar 15, 2004)




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## bwalker (Mar 15, 2004)

We run a late 70's JD 440. It has been a real good machine except for the fact that it has no provisions for starting during the winter time. It is a little on the small side, but it can go place the big boys cant and it tears up the woods less. i do wish it hide the low pro tires that the new ones have.
BTW I am still kicking myself for not buying a Clark cable that was for sale in my area awhile back. The thing was in really good shape with the exception of its detroit diesel two stroke motor which needed a rebuild.


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 16, 2004)

*hmm*

The 440 won't really go naymore places then the big boys. My friend has a 440 and it wouldn't go down an unplowed road with front chains on, and at the same time we were in the woods with just the front chains on yarding wood. They might squeeze through the woods better maybe, but generally with a skidder with 18 tires on you can maneuver through most anywhere.


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## bwalker (Mar 16, 2004)

I drove ours through 3+ feet of snow last week without issue.


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## Ryan Willock (Mar 17, 2004)

Ben, I think we must take a look at past statements as I think we are being trolled. If I could get my hands on a good 440D then I would have one RIGHT now as they ARE good skidders.


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 17, 2004)

*ya*

No doubt they are a good machine for the small woods. But whne you gte a good load of rock maple on in 4 feet of snow I think you might want somthing a litle bigger.


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## Wade Huggins (Mar 17, 2004)

440s were great when they came out but that's been a long time ago..........I have had some hair raising experiences on those 440s always concerning the brakes......... my dad had one and it was handy, but after you have ran other newer bigger skidders you'll want nothing to do with them.....dont feel near as stable only skid about half of what a 540 or 240 will pull footage wise.......... If I was going after and older used skidder I would probably go after a 540A(JD) or 230 or 240 Jack something along those lines........not in any particular order either just would be looking for the most reliable looking and reasonably priced one I could find........Wade


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 18, 2004)

*right on wade*

Wade your a smart guy. Your absolutely right. Cat porbaly amkes a good skiider too I know there construction equipment is top class


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## cybergeek23851 (Mar 22, 2004)

My brand preference is the Franklin Tree Farmer. I don't know whether its the fact that they are mede here in town or that my family was involved in the company in the early days. My great uncle helped to design the first skidders from there when he was a grad student at Va Tech (VPI).Or my father when he worked there as a welder on the assembly line.

http://www.franklin-treefarmer.com


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## Timberjackboy (Mar 28, 2004)

*WINCHES*

Ya boys the tree farmers were good although i hear bad reports about th early Franklins. The winche son the Franklins and tre framers also was not much. Eaton winches rule


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