firewood tractors

[Sawyer Rob]

18+ foot saw log from the downed tree and 22+ foot saw log from the hung tree. Will make firewood from the rest.

Ron

Good for you! I just hate to see some of the nice logs on this site, guys cut down just to firewood them!

SR

 

[rwoods]

I primarily cut for a firewood ministry and have cut some beautiful oaks into 18” pieces, many 30”+ 18’ long. Given the locations and only a tree or two at a time, it is hard to sell saw logs. To my knowledge in the last few years we have only sold one - a nice White Oak I cut. It was too heavy for our small equipment so it was months before it was loaded. Most residential folks won’t wait that long.

Yesterday’s trees were from a two acre wooded tract that is going to be leveled. The developer is a friend and gave all the wood to me. Only catch is they want to clear with a machine to make stump removals easier. In the meantime, I can take the down trees.

I hope to salvage all of the saw logs I can and give the rest to the ministry. There are several over 30” standing White and Red Oaks, much larger than the two shown in my picture. The short log is 22” on the small end and 17’ long (I forgot that I shorten it due to an old limb hump). The longer log is 21” on the short end and 24’ long.

I should check with the miller for his maximum length.

Ron

 

[Sandhill Crane]

rwoods: Consider a LogRite fetching arch for saw logs, and the smaller hand arch for tail wheels if need be. A few saw logs this year will pay for the long term investment, and it's also fun and safe to use. The big plus is handling larger logs, and keeping them out of the dirt for the sawyer. I cut up a beautiful cherry log into firewood, which I regretted. I bought the arch shortly afterwards. These are all blow downs or down/dead firewood, except the poplar, which was cleared from the wood lot pallet staging area. The photos give you an idea of size. The limiting factor is the balancing point to the hitch. I could do up to thirteen plus feet, but get into turning issues on the side of the log against the frame neck. The hitch/winch is sold separate, and you could fab a reese style adapter/extension for longer lengths. I think it's rated 2k as is. The two speed winch and doubling the cable is completely necessary for bigger logs, to raise them and for additional clearance. Most of these show double cable vs single cable and choked. Single cable uses a bell. Double cable has bell/hook adapter, and hooks to five link chain on tail. A tractor with draw bar could give additional length unlike the quad. Double cable causes log to twist sideways, because the cable saddle is supported from a pulley on the beam and the tail, so the saddle faces perpendicular to the beam. The heavier the log the more resistant to pushing/pulling parallel to beam for towing. That is the reason for the chain keeper adapter. It is a quick, one handed operation, and gives additional, much needed leverage. An option is to lift the log partially, secure the front, and then lift further. That is also difficult as the log is nearer the ground. The arch itself is a very well built piece. It is heavy, but not too heavy for the lifting handles for positioning. Too heavy an arch will make positioning more difficult. Sometimes backing parallel, one wheel can climb the log. There is also enough cable to move a log to better position.

 

[rwoods]

SC,

I considered a log arch before I bought this tractor. With the grapple I can pick up and load my trailer with any of the logs shown other than the 24 foot one. Using the grapple keeps them fairly clean.

I can skid any of them with the boom and tongs mounted on the rear. If the ground is too steep, I winch the log to the tractor, tilt the boom, grab them with the tongs, raise the boom and go. I can also drop the log if it wants to take me for a ride.

Of course skidding does not keep them completely out of the dirt.
Ron

 

[Sandhill Crane]

There is a disadvantage to the arch in that the cable needs to be unspooled, and respooled each time to keep from pinching it on the drum and kinking it, and jamming it. Well worth it however.

 

[sirbuildalot]

Most people buying the subcompacts live on suburban lots of only 1/2 acre-1 acre of land. A 60hp farm tractor would be a little overkill. LOL



My Kioti is about 7k lbs with the loader, Rimguard filled tires and 3 point box on. The little Case hi wheeler is only a 7th of that with wheel weights on. Its still fun to zip around on, and will still pull a lot of weight.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I've pulled some fairly big loads with this small tractor,

They can be fun, but they are pretty limited in what they will do...

I'm not sure what that pulling "Rolling loads" was suppose to prove... Especially down a grade, like some of that was. lol

SR

 

[dave_dj1]

Most people buying the subcompacts live on suburban lots of only 1/2 acre-1 acre of land. A 60hp farm tractor would be a little overkill. LOL



My Kioti is about 7k lbs with the loader, Rimguard filled tires and 3 point box on. The little Case hi wheeler is only a 7th of that with wheel weights on. Its still fun to zip around on, and will still pull a lot of weight.

Not to argue but have you weighed that Kioti?

 

[15psd]

Here's my little B Series woods tractor. Not the ideal candidate for hilly wooded terrain but does just fine until I can get another mini ex.

 

[mountainguyed67]

Most people buying the subcompacts live on suburban lots of only 1/2 acre-1 acre of land. A 60hp farm tractor would be a little overkill. LOL

You forgot to mention what size you buy if you have 20 acres of timberland. Lol.

 

[sirbuildalot]

Not to argue but have you weighed that Kioti?

I haven't brought out my scale. lol

The base tractor is 4000 lbs.
The loader brings it to 5500 lbs.
The Rimguard is 500 lbs. per tire, so 6500 lbs.,
and the weight box with concrete is around 900 lbs.
So total 7400 lbs.

 

[sirbuildalot]

You forgot to mention what size you buy if you have 20 acres of timberland. Lol.

For 20 acres I recommend 40-60 hp. I think more important than hp though is weight and lift capacities.

 

[sirbuildalot]

I've pulled some fairly big loads with this small tractor,

They can be fun, but they are pretty limited in what they will do...

I'm not sure what that pulling "Rolling loads" was suppose to prove... Especially down a grade, like some of that was. lol

SR

Most of the items I pull be it firewood, stone, dirt, etc. is going to be in a trailer which are on wheels. The last time I pulled dead weight like a sled with my gt's they pulled around 1000-1200 lbs.

 

[dave_dj1]

I haven't brought out my scale. lol

The base tractor is 4000 lbs.
The loader brings it to 5500 lbs.
The Rimguard is 500 lbs. per tire, so 6500 lbs.,
and the weight box with concrete is around 900 lbs.
So total 7400 lbs.

I was just curious, thanks.

 

[mountainguyed67]

The chains are Aquiline Talons.

The biggest size on their chart is one size smaller than my loader size. And that size is $1,724 per pair.

 

[Big_Eddy]

Johnny D was earning his keep yesterday

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[captjack]

Well its not a tractor, I still have the JD 5400 but this is a beast in the firewood making process !!!

 

[Willy Firewood]

I have not been back here for too long. It seems you guys have been working all the while.

I finally found a log / root grapple that I liked at an acceptable price. I bought it from a place that sells skid steer attachments that is about 2 hours away so big savings on the cost / shipping. They had many grapples of different uses, widths, and weights. It mounts on the tractor loader and is 84” wide with the split or two lid top. It opens huge and with long tines can bite a huge load. It is very well made but not overly heavy for the size.

I wanted it to cover the front wheels for cleanups and the outside tread on the cront and rear is 84”. After more use if I ever want to reduce width or weight, I can remove one tooth or section from each side without getting into the hydraulic lid coverage.

 

[Jere39]

Snow on my trails to my firewood is getting a little too deep, so I have been raising the plow up a little and smoothing them out. I mostly appreciate the snow for smoothing out my trails, and making dragging easier, but when my ATV and carts start high centering it gets to be a pain. Here is 17 minutes of my Deere x728 taking another couple inches off my trail network. Probably a good think you can quit anytime you want when watching youtube:

 

[captjack]

I have not been back here for too long. It seems you guys have been working all the while.

I finally found a log / root grapple that I liked at an acceptable price. I bought it from a place that sells skid steer attachments that is about 2 hours away so big savings on the cost / shipping. They had many grapples of different uses, widths, and weights. It mounts on the tractor loader and is 84” wide with the split or two lid top. It opens huge and with long tines can bite a huge load. It is very well made but not overly heavy for the size.

I wanted it to cover the front wheels for cleanups and the outside tread on the cront and rear is 84”. After more use if I ever want to reduce width or weight, I can remove one tooth or section from each side without getting into the hydraulic lid coverage.

Yeah you have to watch the ones 80 inches or so they get heavy and cut down on lifting capacity. The one I have is just under 1k lbs The machine has a 2700 working load and break out of 5k lbs so I can get the bid stuff off the ground bur getting them on a trailer is slow going hahah