Best way to move big wood?

[AmericanArborist]

What are the best companies using to move big wood from yards to the street where it can be loaded? We have a Vermeer S600TX right now but have some very big projects coming up in the next months that necessitate something larger. Won't sell the mini, just need another tool in the toolbox. The thing I dislike about skid loaders and track loaders is the damage left. Most of our work is residential and commercial on nice properties. Very little is done in forests or areas that can be tore up.

I'm looking at a Gehl al 540 with an articulating grapple. Can anyone tell me what machines are being commonly used in the tree industry?

 

[MSHURLEY146]

we use a john deere 110 with grapple on front and hitch on the rear we find this is less damaging , also have a skid steer, track loader, and cat 904b articulating loader that are less than turf freindly

 

[BigWood]

Ask nicely! Failing that, enticement with beer has been known to work.

 

[Thillmaine]

skidsteer with turf tracks...asv or terex or cat with asv track system

 

[SRTsteve860]

at the company i work at we use mini-excavators. we have a cat 303 for one residential crew and a bobcat e45 for the second crew. both machines have rotobec grapples, they are fixed to the attachment plate so they can be articulated like a bucket, not dangle heads. the good thing with a mini-ex is you can track in once, do the whole tree removal, then flip wood and brush out as you track out. our e45 can move some huge logs out to the road.

 

[Lumberjack]

Currently, for my big wood I'm using a Kubota SVL90-2 with pallet forks. It's tougher on yards (when turning), but it's tipping capacity is 70% higher (the price is only 55% higher than a high spec AL540).

In sensitive yards we use the AL140 now, but hopefully in the quasi near future we'll get another AL540. The SVL offers way more pushing power (over double), which is better for doing heavy tree work, dirt work, and clearing. We had a crane pick we set down on the city street, 25klbs, which we shoved into the pile with the track loader. The city made us cut it into 5 pieces for them, so we pulled it out, cut it, then shoved the cut pieces back in the pile.

On most jobs, however, we use the mini excavator (13klbs, SVL is ~12klbs.). It has a thumb, and a 50" Valby grapple for it, or we use a chain. At ground level, and a 10' radius, it's rated to pick 5klbs.

 

[BRIAN_GRASS]

Ill tell ya what. The company I work for we have a skid and kubota. The skid is only brought out on lot clearing jobs or new construction job. The kubota is just a riding lawnmower with a grapple bucket. Nothing really impressive but still saves your back so cant complain. Now our newest toy even tho just a demo is a Mobark Boxer. Its on tracks, fits threw a standard gate, and has the power to move some big wood. You do need to watch the turf but with a good operator and a backpack blower you'll never now it was on the lawn.

 

[Lumberjack]

We have 532s also, but they really aren't suited for big wood. Here's the ex lifting one onto the trailer, from the trailer.

And FWIW, I'm a dealer rep for Top Notch Equipment/Dave Nordgaard. Lemme know if someone is interested in a Boxer or Gehl!

 

[brendonv]

Break the wood down with an auger drive bit and an Atom splitter. Maybe $2k forthe auger drive, $500 for the atom splitter. Use the auger for planting, and the atom splitter to make fence rails. Both are multi use. I just got the atom splitter and its great for breaking down logs.

 

[BRIAN_GRASS]

Yeah its not ment for big wood but we wanted to put it two the test. It was more than impressive. Nice machine.

 

[Crimsonking]

DitchWitch 230 zahn with grapple. We had to put 400 lbs of plates on the back to do really big stuff. We also upgraded from wheels to power tracks. It has changes how we work. Dragging brush, feeding the chipper, and loading chunks and logs are all a breeze now. We were able to do in 5 days what was originally scheduled for 1 7.

 

[oceans]

If the terrain and room allow, you can use a mini skid steer to pull HUGE pieces if they're loaded onto something like an Arbor Trolley or log arch. It may be like freight train coming out, but it's also...like...a...freight train coming out. You can literally move 3 to 4 times what the mini can do alone.

 

[tnttree]

big wood?, its all relative
54 hp or 16 hp

 

[Lumberjack]

'Murican Arborist, there's my old 540 with the valby rotating grapple.

 

[Oroboros]

DitchWitch 230 zahn with grapple. We had to put 400 lbs of plates on the back to do really big stuff. We also upgraded from wheels to power tracks. It has changes how we work. Dragging brush, feeding the chipper, and loading chunks and logs are all a breeze now. We were able to do in 5 days what was originally scheduled for 1 7.

I would love to see a picture of that Zahn. How do the power tracks treat the lawns?

 

[Mangoes]

A300 is a pretty slick machine. I would worry about repair demands.

 

[GrahamS]

A300 is nice and will move some really big wood, but I would be very cautious running it on lawns. I run one at work and even when your careful it does quite a bit of turf damage, mostly ruts, but turf / flotation tires would help there. My biggest complaint would be visability, you cant see a damn thing to your sides or back with the arms up trying to feed a chipper or carry a log around.

 

[Crimsonking]

I would love to see a picture of that Zahn. How do the power tracks treat the lawns?

I will get some photos tomorrow. The tracks are gentler than the wheels. Soft turf is the only issue. There are two models. Ours has the smaller engine (discount demo model). Most people go straight for the larger one

 

[chewbacca]

Wait a second, they make skid steers with articulating wheels?! Where the H.E.Double Hockey Sticks have I been? I gotta get out more.

 

[macswan]

You can swear on the buzz now chewy, it's a whole new world now....


Fuck....


Sorry