Estimating Large Jobs! Whats your trick?

[Jeff]

Here's a REALLY handy instructional video, showing you everything you can do with a grapple. Looks like most every tree service I've ever worked for!

 

[SumoClimber]

Royce, what's the winch you're putting on the tractor? Logging winch like a Farmi or Uniforest? Spent a bit of time using a Farmi myself. I much prefer having the electronic remote for ease of use. The rope activated clutch models aren't bad if you're working as a team, with one person in the tractor and one or more acting as choker setters.

Speaking of running a forestry winch like a loggers skyline, here's a little trick I've used a few times when I had a lot to skid from one place to another with access issues. First time I set it up I was working on the edge of a swampy area and didn't feel like slogging through mud every time I ran the cable back to the trees. We set up the tractor and winch on the dry side and then put a pulley about 15' up a tree near where the felled trees to be skid were. We ran a line through the pulley and would clip it to the chains. After the logs got to the tractor we could pull the cable back to the felled trees with the line.

 

[ROYCE]

Royce, what's the winch you're putting on the tractor? Logging winch like a Farmi or Uniforest? Spent a bit of time using a Farmi myself. I much prefer having the electronic remote for ease of use. The rope activated clutch models aren't bad if you're working as a team, with one person in the tractor and one or more acting as choker setters.

Speaking of running a forestry winch like a loggers skyline, here's a little trick I've used a few times when I had a lot to skid from one place to another with access issues. First time I set it up I was working on the edge of a swampy area and didn't feel like slogging through mud every time I ran the cable back to the trees. We set up the tractor and winch on the dry side and then put a pulley about 15' up a tree near where the felled trees to be skid were. We ran a line through the pulley and would clip it to the chains. After the logs got to the tractor we could pull the cable back to the felled trees with the line.

Thanks for the advice. I have done something simpler to this with the winch on the chipper, and a rope with the dingo pulling it. The winch we are getting put on it an Igland. We are operating a 4 person team so we went with the rope style control. I would love the remote control but it was not an option for this size winch.
We are getting it tomorrow night, around 4. I will post some pictures and videos from using it on Thursday.

 

[tc262]

Just make sure that the winch setup is heavy enough for you to use as a counter weight when using the loader. Tractors that size need a good sized counter weight to keep the rear wheels on the ground.

 

[ROYCE]

Just make sure that the winch setup is heavy enough for you to use as a counter weight when using the loader. Tractors that size need a good sized counter weight to keep the rear wheels on the ground.

It weighs about 450-500 pounds. That is good to consider thought when grabbing logs or using the buckets.

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

It weighs about 450-500 pounds. That is good to consider thought when grabbing logs or using the buckets.

Good idea to load the rear wheels with sugar water (general truck can have this done). I think they put 55 gallons in each of my rear tires when I bought it. Somehow I still find a way to need more ballast.
Ps the farmi I think is around 700#

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

Here is the WR long grapple. Been super happy with it... Until I bought the mini skid, now it hardly gets used.

 

[ROYCE]

Well, we completed the job this week. It was actually 150 red pine trees. I did just what flying squirrel suggested. I parked the log truck and chipper and chip truck next to each other. I was asked to also pull the stumps and remove them off the property. So, I hired a friend of mine who has a large excavator and a tri-axel dump truck.
We had five guys on site. Log truck operator, feller, chipper operator, excavator operator and one guy marking and scaling logs, Job was completed, with all trees cut down, chipped, logs loaded and all stumps pulled and removed from the site in 4 days. We all had a great time getting this job competed. It took some planning and for-sight, but it all wired out well. I thank you all for the advice.

 

[cory]

Nice to hear how it came out, nice pics!

Why'd they do the clearing?

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

Sweet! Did you guys have the fishing poles in at lunch? I used to love spending time up there when I was a kid. It's great to hear you came out on top.

 

[ROYCE]

Sweet! Did you guys have the fishing poles in at lunch? I used to love spending time up there when I was a kid. It's great to hear you came out on top.

One of my guys LOVES to fish. However, we were so busy there was no time. I felt bad for him. People kept walking past us with poles headed to the fish ladder. Next time.

 

[treehumper]

Congrats on a job well planned! Thanks for the feedback on the outcome.

 

[southsoundtree]

Bump.