Self-loader, knuckleboom, whatever the heck they are called on trailer?

[KiwiBro]

Tractor will have FEL and I have the forks +log grab already from my old tractor. The idea of the loader on the trailer was because some of the harvesting is on small trails on the sides of steep hills. Sometimes there's not enough room to land logs let alone process them. It's quite good to be able to reach over the sides a little and clear the chute (Which is half the reason I'm after a knuckleboom that's robust). Tractor FEL's are sometimes not much fun with logs when room is tight. Secondly, loading trucks with a tractor wouldn't be as much fun or as productive as with the knuckleboom.

I have in the past use a tilt ag trailer that I fixed log bunks to and loaded with the tractor FEL. It was fast unloading at the log staging area, if the area is big or being cleared often enough. Just back up, dump the lot, and be gone. Hmmm, a tilt-bed log trailer with solid loader could be an interesting combo. It might on occasion save having to unload the trailer with the loader.

I agree, there's probably not enough room to get the loader and bunks on that aforementioned arrangement and still keep the load balanced. It's quite a juggling act at times, getting around tight corners and through farm gates themselves on tight corners. Two of the more common log lengths if milling myself will be 2m and 5m (about 6 1/2' and 16'). There will be times it won't be possible to get the 5m logs out because the value isn't enough to justify pulling gate posts or cutting wider corners. Unless the gates are close to the mill and I can drop logs one side and ferry into mill with FEL - lifting the log over the posts as travel through the gates.

I know this all sounds mickey-mouse but farm woodlots the big boys are too smart to touch are what I'm targeting and farmers either haven't thought about how they will get logs out, or they have and decided to find a mug who will do it instead. It's also been by experience that occasionally the first such few small, ugly jobs on such farms are a test. Pass that with a can-do attitude and you are told about the really good patch they have been keeping silent about.

 

[gomoto69]

Yes, it's good to pick a niche that other's don't want. I read a story of how old time drag racer connie kalitta got his start in the air freight business by flying water buffalo out of africa and similar jobs that no one else would touch, now i believe he specializes in flying high end race horses (among other things) around the world, a successful multi million dollar operation!
The boom type loader does sound like your best option, and the wagon trailers do have a good turning radius, most log trailers also have stakes that can be tripped, allowing the logs to simply roll off the side for quick unloading, as ling as stability wouldn't be an issue with them not being attached to a truck, but should be fine. Good luck on finding a setup that suits your needs! I hope it works out for you

 

[KiwiBro]

Thanks. There sure are any number of ways to lose a ton of money doing this work, so I have plenty of research to do and things to learn before spending $. I just found a Polish(?) business on the net that does what I was thinking about recently - their trailer can change from regular forestry trailer to one with a regular bed that tilts/dumps. Quite versatile.

Then I have found online KTS log trailers and winches which look good. And I also like the Kesla loaders from Finland. But this sort of gear is big money.

Seems to be many of these sorts of options in Europe.

 

[dhskier2]

Not sure if Craig is still a distributor for Nokka products, but here's something they put together a few years ago-

From their webpage: "Nokka loader mounted on the back of a trailer. We prefer to mount the loader at this station as it is farther from the truck and closer to the work. It will more than double your reach mounted in this position, and the tow vehicle is less likely to be damaged if the operator makes an error or a hydraulic line breaks. This unit is totally self contained and the tow vehicle can be used elsewhere and the loader can still sort and load logs for this operators sawmill. Very handy and this unit is in daily operation. We tried other brands but have found the Nokka to be very durable, and it has become our choice."
Contact info: http://ckyber.com/contactus.html
PM me if you'd like a phone number for him

 

[KiwiBro]

Not sure if Craig is still a distributor for Nokka products, but here's something they put together a few years ago-

From their webpage: "Nokka loader mounted on the back of a trailer. We prefer to mount the loader at this station as it is farther from the truck and closer to the work. It will more than double your reach mounted in this position, and the tow vehicle is less likely to be damaged if the operator makes an error or a hydraulic line breaks. This unit is totally self contained and the tow vehicle can be used elsewhere and the loader can still sort and load logs for this operators sawmill. Very handy and this unit is in daily operation. We tried other brands but have found the Nokka to be very durable, and it has become our choice."
Contact info: http://ckyber.com/contactus.html
PM me if you'd like a phone number for him

Thanks for this info. I'll take a look over the Nokka site also.

 

[treeslayer2003]

Yes, it's good to pick a niche that other's don't want. I read a story of how old time drag racer connie kalitta got his start in the air freight business by flying water buffalo out of africa and similar jobs that no one else would touch, now i believe he specializes in flying high end race horses (among other things) around the world, a successful multi million dollar operation!
The boom type loader does sound like your best option, and the wagon trailers do have a good turning radius, most log trailers also have stakes that can be tripped, allowing the logs to simply roll off the side for quick unloading, as ling as stability wouldn't be an issue with them not being attached to a truck, but should be fine. Good luck on finding a setup that suits your needs! I hope it works out for you

trip stakes have just about been outlawed on this side. and with good reason.

 

[Gypo Logger]

The nicest log loader on a truck that I've seen is a Serco 8000 with telescoping boom.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Just saw some Sitka Spruce unloaded with trip stakes on Saturday. Now I have to peel them all.

 

[KiwiBro]

The nicest log loader on a truck that I've seen is a Serco 8000 with telescoping boom.

Thanks. What about them makes them better than others? None of this gear is cheap, not even second hand, darn it. This forwarding trailer with crane could end up costing more than the tractor pulling it.

 

[1270d]

Serco is a very nice loader, just well built, good quality. Rotobec and hood also make very good loaders of this type. They are usually truck mounted and may be too heavy for a small forwarding trailer

 

[KiwiBro]

Thanks. Certainly a trade-off between size, wallet, strength.

I like how those truck mounted ones are mounted up quite high. Would be a good thing when loading out trucks, but might be a bad thing if it's higher than the tractor rops and catching on things and if it doesn't have much reach if I want to use it to reach over the side a little and help clear the chute on the tight jobs where don't have much room to move.

Here's about what I think will be at or maybe just over the upper limit of what the tractor I'm lining up will handle:


It strikes me that unless I have a bloody crazy amount of $ to blow on big gear, there's not much in between solid gear and the flimsy crap that won't even last even if babied.

The crane options seem to be the main disappointment. Just doesn't seem to be many around here. There's quite a few in Europe.