Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Equipment => Topic started by: justinb on March 02, 2015, 03:48:49 PM
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I was cutting wood this past weekend with a guy who has a skid steer with a grapple and I was blown away. Picking up huge oak trunks and cleaning up the ground with the rake on the grapple was a big time saver. Naturally, I want to buy one now. I have a John Deere compact tractor that I use to drag wood out of the woods, but it doesn't have the power to lift large logs. I need to sell this before purchasing a skid steer. My question is: how do you like your skid steer for working in the woods, and other yard type projects? My john Deere has a backhoe and mower that I'd be giving up, but I think it would be worth it. Would you buy a skid steer again for gathering firewood?
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no skidsteer for me thankyou very much , maybe one of articulated loaders . I have crapty back (herniated disc ) and they a helluva struggle to get in and out of and ruff bouncy ride
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Have a tracked 864 Bobcat and love it, will go thru stuff you can't walk in.
Today was moving the portable silage bunks with a tractor and got hung in a snow drift, couldn't move a few inches either way, finally unhooked and almost didn't get the tractor out. Grabbed the tracked skid steer and used a chain, didn't even slip a track moving them.
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Don't know if could justify one for just wood, have ours do to farm and livestock, couldn't function without it. For woods only tracks of some sort would be preferred (don't have any) a wheel machine can sink and spinout fast, would consider over the tire tracks if it weren't for barnyard use. That being said its a life saver moving and splitting wood, have a splitter don't have a grapple but considering one.
One wouldn't have to give up the backhoe and mower they are available as attachments, at least rough cut mowers.
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I don't have one ..I rent one on my 3 day weekends I can grab up 5 logs or better 20' long and pile'em up where I need them .....I have better than 100 hours in it over the years ,and I can rake the woods clean.. ...a little "side to side" action and the logs are branch free to ! they rent me the same one (as good as my bbq can butter them up) the grappler is the best thing since slice bread....... tracked ones here go for 50000.00....
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Love mine. I have a root rake grapple with dual independent thumbs. Tracks would be better in the woods but it's all about what you can afford. Remember.....when they break, they are expensive!
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A skidsteer is a huge improvement over a loader tractor, but only if you get a track machine.
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Love mine. I have a root rake grapple with dual independent thumbs. Tracks would be better in the woods but it's all about what you can afford. Remember.....when they break, they are expensive!
Yes and no, goto Bobcat and yah, gets expensive. A lot of stuff is available aftermarket though, we installed aftermarket tracks on ours about three years ago and they still look practically new.
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I want to get a grapple for my tractor (MX5100). It's got the size and power to lift some good sized logs.
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Don't know if could justify one for just wood, have ours do to farm and livestock, couldn't function without it. For woods only tracks of some sort would be preferred (don't have any) a wheel machine can sink and spinout fast, would consider over the tire tracks if it weren't for barnyard use.
Yah, only time we take ours into the barnyard is if it's froze up good. Any other time it should get some poo in the tracks we wash it out before it dries.
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Thanks guys!! I wasn't considering tracks until you're suggestions. I didn't know realize that it was easy to get them stuck. I'm just trying to figure out an easier and faster way to get wood out of my woods. This is my first year burning, and it has been a chore. Loading the OWB isn't a big deal, but spending every weekend lumberjacking is getting old. Trying to find ways to expedite the process.
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Thanks guys!! I wasn't considering tracks until you're suggestions. I didn't know realize that it was easy to get them stuck. I'm just trying to figure out an easier and faster way to get wood out of my woods. This is my first year burning, and it has been a chore. Loading the OWB isn't a big deal, but spending every weekend lumberjacking is getting old. Trying to find ways to expedite the process.
I drop em, then drag em out wit the skid steer to either the field or a clearing. Much easier and safer to cut if your not working in brush and briars.
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I drop them and drag them out now as well. So I guess I won't be saving much time as far as that's concerned. Where I struggle is loading them by hand into my small end loader and making countless trips back and forth. I'm hoping that with a grapple, I can easily grasp a pile of logs and make fewer trips, while saving my back. Is my reasoning wrong for making this decision? Seems like I can purchase a decent used machine for $20K. Hoping to sell my setup for $12-15K.
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I do it one of two ways, either find a big ugly log and leave it, cut all your wood and use the ugly one as a backstop so you can get a full bucket of wood then dump it in a dump truck. I've also used the grapple to handle the cut stuff, using a backstop and a bucket is faster than the grapple. Either way beats the heck out of loading by hand and wearing your back out.
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I use my skidsteer nearly every time I cut wood. I would hate to be without it. I have a standard bucket, pallet forks, root grapple, snowblower, mower and currently building a log splitter for it. I bought it new around 1999 or 2000 and haven't had any major problems with a Bobcat 763. It is a tire machine, no tracks. I get along fine with the tires and probably wouldn't spend the money for tracks. I'm sure they would be nice but certainly not a necessity. The one time I got it stuck was in snow and that was my own fault. If you also use your tractor to move snow you will be amazed how much faster a skidsteer is.
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I fed a boiler for one year without a skid steer. It was fine until I bought a bobcat t190 track machine. I couldn't even imagine doing it without one anymore. Of course it makes it easier but it's the shear volume of wood I can pull in a day that blows your mind. With a bobcat,winch,and grapple you can pull and stack 15-20 cord in a day with time left over to drink some cold ones and admire your pile. I have both and a bobcat is worth 20 times more than a tractor. Everything is so much faster and handier you will not be disappointed.
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We've got a JD 317 skid steer, Its wheeled. Works great especially with tire chains but rips sod up if you need to do much work on the lawn. We have a snowblower, backhoe, winch, splitter, forks and bucket for it. I use it for pretty much everything. Lifts much more than its rated capacity too. Not great in deep mud or deep snow though with the wheels. Wish it was 2 speed, our bush lane is pretty long.
In liberty
Ben
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I am on my second skid steer my first was a bobcat 853 and recently bought a cat 246 there are certain limitations to skid steers but like others have said get yourself a set of tracks to go over the wheels and you can pretty much get through anything... I still have a loader also kubota that I find to use more often
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Sounds like I need one....let the search begin
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I'm intrigued by this thread as I know a piece of heavy equipment is in my future. ;D Until now, I assumed it would be some type of tractor with attachments. Please tell me more about what makes a skid steer different from a tractor and what some of the relative advantages and disadvantages are versus a tractor.
I'll be doing lots of skidding, but didn't want to spring for a full blown logging skidder. Figured a powerful enough tractor would give me that capability, plus all the attachments to groom a food plot and everything else. Right now I use Yamaha Rhino 660 for all those chores, but you have to cut fat trees to 10' or less sometimes to pull with the Rhino.
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I've got both and can't see how a skidsteer is better for dragging logs out of the woods. More clearance, better traction, easier to get on and off and with a skidsteer you are dragging backwards, unless I'm missing something here. Skidsteer and grapple is great for moving logs around the landing and clearing the land. If I had to have just one piece of equipment I think I would have to pick a tractor. I'd go bigger than the 40hp I have to handle the grapple. And lots of times its nice to be out either mowing or tilling and having a loader on the other end.
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I've got both and can't see how a skidsteer is better for dragging logs out of the woods. More clearance, better traction, easier to get on and off and with a skidsteer you are dragging backwards, unless I'm missing something here. Skidsteer and grapple is great for moving logs around the landing and clearing the land. If I had to have just one piece of equipment I think I would have to pick a tractor. I'd go bigger than the 40hp I have to handle the grapple. And lots of times its nice to be out either mowing or tilling and having a loader on the other end.
Weld a couple of eyes on the rear of the skid steer and hook the log to that, our tracked skid steer has more push/pull than our backhoe. Bobcat 864, backhoe is a JD400.
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My woods are thick and full. My little john deere 855 gets through my trails, but a larger tractor would not. Im hoping a skid will maneuver through my woods and still have a lot more power than my tractor.
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i use my john deere 6300 with a 640 loader, lifts 2000lbs. i wouldnt do without it.
best part is the forks. i pick up logs waste high and then cut them, keeps saw out of the dirt.
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If you have to choose between a skid steer and a tractor,the skid steer wins hands down. I will tell you what I tell my dad (full blown tractor man) if you think a tractor is even remotely close to a skid steer you just don't know how to operate a skid steer! I have a bobcat t190 track machine with a farmin501 winch and a 6' dual action grapple. I can cut trees 170' away into the woods,drag six at a time,and I mean full 100' oak trees and then grapple them to a waiting trailer or right I front of the woodstove. Skid steers have all the weight in back meaning they can lift allot more. Movements are also much smoother,faster and more controlled. Anything you can do with a tractor can be done with a skid steer much faster,easier and safer. Cost of a skid steer is more but once you learn how to run one you will see why.
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Not true sluggo some guys have said they like their tractors for putting in food plots and what not. If just used for wood then yes a skid steer is probably your best tool. Any person on this site can operate a skid steer a 10 year old can operate one!
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If you have to choose between a skid steer and a tractor,the skid steer wins hands down. I will tell you what I tell my dad (full blown tractor man) if you think a tractor is even remotely close to a skid steer you just don't know how to operate a skid steer! I have a bobcat t190 track machine with a farmin501 winch and a 6' dual action grapple. I can cut trees 170' away into the woods,drag six at a time,and I mean full 100' oak trees and then grapple them to a waiting trailer or right I front of the woodstove. Skid steers have all the weight in back meaning they can lift allot more. Movements are also much smoother,faster and more controlled. Anything you can do with a tractor can be done with a skid steer much faster,easier and safer. Cost of a skid steer is more but once you learn how to run one you will see why.
Yes and no, and I'm not trying to be argumentative, but a skid steer isn't always fastest, we have a yard bucket on our loader, skid steer might go a little more than half a yard at best, loading fertilizer, feed, etc is faster with the loader and if you don't have a cab skid steer then anything that slops out of the bucket could end up in your lap including poo. For handling hay I can carry two 1000 lb bales on the front of the loader and one on back with the three point, can carry two with the skid steer but if you have any distance to drive the loader wins out again with much higher ground speeds. For tight spaces though or doing something that requires very good visibility the skid steer wins hands down, get a tracked one and it will go where a front wheel assist tractor will just tear it all to h*ll.
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I have to agree that tractor vs skidsteer is only decided by intended use to yourself.
Pulling and pushing power, my farmall 300 will pull both a t190 and a 259b3 backwards and forward all day long. But definitely wouldn't in soft ground. Where tracked machines Excell.
I have a full hydraulic loader on my farmall and it lifts, moves and drags logs just fine. But doesn't have cab heat or radio!
Skidsteer wise, tracked machines are the way to go. Attachments can be done from in the seat and number in the thousands. But the farmall still gets used where tracked machines would be to small or under powered.
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For my property, a tractor makes more sense. It's hilly and open. I have fields to mow, ground to work, and fences to put up. While all of those things can be done with a skid loader, it's easier on a 51 HP tractor. My FEL has a skid steer quick attach, so I can make use of skid steer attachments and I have the third function hydraulics so I can do just about any of the powered attachments too.
The big kicker in tractor vs. skid steer is a PTO. Skid steers don't have them. A PTO driven brush hog or field mower will be more efficient than a hydraulic version. PTO implements are usually significantly cheaper than hydraulic versions (i.e. post hole digger). For implements that have to run a long time, PTO wins out because a hydraulically driven implement will eventually overheat the fluid without an added cooler.
I came home today to 10" of snow and my house is on the top of the hill. After driving up the driveway (AWD Volvo with real snow tires), I drove my tractor to the bottom and pushed the snow UP the driveway. Sure, a skid steer could do that too, but having a tractor sizable enough to do that is significant. I don't have chains for it, either.
Since I can only afford one machine right now, it's definitely a tractor. I don't have woods to navigate, just about 30' deep of trees along 2 of my property lines. My big tractor wouldn't navigate woods too well, but at nearly 6000# and R1 Ag tires, the woods would flatten pretty easily too :) The FEL is good for lifting 1800#, so it has the capacity of most smaller skid steers anyways.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a skid steer. The funds don't allow it at this time, and I really want a Takeuchi when I finally get one. One day...
Tractors vs. skid steers: they're two different machines. Their functions can cross in a lot of applications, but one is not better than the other in all applications. Earth moving and heavy lifting will almost certainly always be a skid steer application, but working the ground and the hat tips to a tractor. Both can move logs either by skidding them or via a grapple. The benefit of a tractor vs. a skid loader for moving cut/split firewood is that I can put the wood on the FEL and the 3 pt hitch to the tune of about 1.5 cords at a time.
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For my property, a tractor makes more sense. It's hilly and open. I have fields to mow, ground to work, and fences to put up. While all of those things can be done with a skid loader, it's easier on a 51 HP tractor. My FEL has a skid steer quick attach, so I can make use of skid steer attachments and I have the third function hydraulics so I can do just about any of the powered attachments too.
The big kicker in tractor vs. skid steer is a PTO. Skid steers don't have them. A PTO driven brush hog or field mower will be more efficient than a hydraulic version. PTO implements are usually significantly cheaper than hydraulic versions (i.e. post hole digger). For implements that have to run a long time, PTO wins out because a hydraulically driven implement will eventually overheat the fluid without an added cooler.
I came home today to 10" of snow and my house is on the top of the hill. After driving up the driveway (AWD Volvo with real snow tires), I drove my tractor to the bottom and pushed the snow UP the driveway. Sure, a skid steer could do that too, but having a tractor sizable enough to do that is significant. I don't have chains for it, either.
Since I can only afford one machine right now, it's definitely a tractor. I don't have woods to navigate, just about 30' deep of trees along 2 of my property lines. My big tractor wouldn't navigate woods too well, but at nearly 6000# and R1 Ag tires, the woods would flatten pretty easily too :) The FEL is good for lifting 1800#, so it has the capacity of most smaller skid steers anyways.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to have a skid steer. The funds don't allow it at this time, and I really want a Takeuchi when I finally get one. One day...
Tractors vs. skid steers: they're two different machines. Their functions can cross in a lot of applications, but one is not better than the other in all applications. Earth moving and heavy lifting will almost certainly always be a skid steer application, but working the ground and the hat tips to a tractor. Both can move logs either by skidding them or via a grapple. The benefit of a tractor vs. a skid loader for moving cut/split firewood is that I can put the wood on the FEL and the 3 pt hitch to the tune of about 1.5 cords at a time.
Well said I agree to your posting 100% :thumbup:
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Just a newbie innocent bystander here--don't have my OWB in operation yet--considering a skid-steer purchase down the road and was wondering what the maintenance costs are on WHEEL units vs the TRACKED units as the ones with the original rollers etc.??? I have seen a lot of used over the wheel types rubber tracks that can be fitted over a wheel unit-looks to elevate the machine up for ground clearance-adds some dirt/sand/poo goo to the tire area/wheels etc. on the other hand the regular tracked machines that I see used on CL can already have the rollers/brngs/sprockets replaced with 600 hours. Seems to me the tracked machines are at a premium to purchase up front and require more $$ for up-keep costs, but is the most desired machine due to the added traction and other handling considerations. If one purchases a unit and keeps the machine clean-whether it is wheeled/tracked and performs the required manintenance one should expect a return on that investment. Just my two cents worth-hope that I am not confusing anything on the thread and not anyway related to the tractor/skid steer discussion.
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It's all what you need it to do and where you need it to go. Tracked machines are more maintenance but then again if you operate as recommended and are really the only one using it then it should last a long time. For instance keeping proper tension and avoid doing 180 degree type turns. What brand you choose is a whole different ball game.
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Great feedback everyone. Really does depend on primary use. For me it would need to be a 'do everything' machine. And I also have over 70 acres and it has logging roads criss-crossing the whole thing. It takes a while to get from one end to the other on a Rhino so using something like a tracked skid steer would be really slow. If I can't have both, I think I'm leaning to the tractor for now as it gives both more flexibility and higher ground speed.
If someday, I do some serious logging (selling saw logs), I can see a skid steer really doing the trick.
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Great feedback everyone. Really does depend on primary use. For me it would need to be a 'do everything' machine. And I also have over 70 acres and it has logging roads criss-crossing the whole thing. It takes a while to get from one end to the other on a Rhino so using something like a tracked skid steer would be really slow. If I can't have both, I think I'm leaning to the tractor for now as it gives both more flexibility and higher ground speed.
If someday, I do some serious logging (selling saw logs), I can see a skid steer really doing the trick.
Some do offer a two speed option, but yah I hear yah, skids are much slower than a good tractor but do offer more safety with their lower center of gravity and ROPS.
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Going back to the op's situation. You said transporting after getting the logs out of the woods is your bottleneck. Would maybe a dump trailer be a better investment for you? It's a big timesaver for me. I would never try to talk someone out of getting a piece of equipment, I'm just throwing some options out there for you.
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Going back to the op's situation. You said transporting after getting the logs out of the woods is your bottleneck. Would maybe a dump trailer be a better investment for you? It's a big timesaver for me. I would never try to talk someone out of getting a piece of equipment, I'm just throwing some options out there for you.
Yes, I have thought about keeping my tractor and getting a dump trailer. So many options for me. Right now I'm leaning towards skid steer. I like the idea of cutting large chunks of tree and using the grapple to get them out of the woods. My tractor struggles to drag large trunks so I end up bucking them, and either dragging out smaller pieces or hand loading them into my small bucket. In a perfect world, a skid steer and dump trailer would do the trick.
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Well I can't answer the question of tractor or bobcat. I have both and use both. I have a Bobcat s650 with root grapple and I love it. Most often I cut logs in the woods to 8 foot long then pick up as much as the grapple will hold and drive down the trail. I don't like skidding them, picks up to much crap on logs. I also pick up 8 foot logs and place them right in front of the burner, cut and toss in, less handling.
I love my tractors too but down side is you can't see the bucket or quick attach. And need larger room to maneuver. I can do way more log handling with the skid steer than I ever could with a tractor. But for the jobs my tractors do I couldn't use a skid. Sooooooo buy them both. It's only money, they will print more. :photo: ;D
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Well I can't answer the question of tractor or bobcat. I have both and use both. I have a Bobcat s650 with root grapple and I love it. Most often I cut logs in the woods to 8 foot long then pick up as much as the grapple will hold and drive down the trail. I don't like skidding them, picks up to much crap on logs. I also pick up 8 foot logs and place them right in front of the burner, cut and toss in, less handling.
I love my tractors too but down side is you can't see the bucket or quick attach. And need larger room to maneuver. I can do way more log handling with the skid steer than I ever could with a tractor. But for the jobs my tractors do I couldn't use a skid. Sooooooo buy them both. It's only money, they will print more. :photo: ;D
X2
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X3, great post log hog, I tell my wife that all the time, an old friend of mine that served his country well in Vietnam x3 and then got screwed with MS used to tell me " the guy that dies with the most bills wins"
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I could use one with a grapple.
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I think they both hv use for different things.. I wouldn't do with out either one..