Mini Skids

I struggled for a year deciding which mini to buy. I wanted to stay away from tracks due to turf damage, in the end it came down to the dw zahn or avant. Though the avant is hands down a stronger unit I chose the zahn. The reason being if you are feeding a chipper, you need to climb in and out of the avant to do the manual work of chipping vs stepping off the zahn. Lifting capacity wasn't the issue for me because I have a wilmar wrangler I use for larger wood and the zahn will be used mainly for brush and smaller jobs.
 
Are you happy with the Zahn? What kind of grapple do you use?
I agree that stepping off is so much easier and quicker.
 
I am thinking of the Mini log grapple, from branch manager attachements.
And thickness im wondering about is on the Square steel.
 
Alright, the gooseneck of the hanger for the Branch Manager Grapple (BMG). The thickness is 3/16" or 1/4"... I think 1/4". I've never heard about the gooseneck breaking/bending. Over time with hard use I've heard (and seen) the mounting plate will wear/stretch to a sloppy fit. On my particular machine that did that, the male quick connect plate on the mini had cracked and bowed over time which bent the upper lip of the mount out.
 
tnttree said:
Not a mini skid Butt
damm near same size as the vermeer 600, lighter than the 800,
telescopic boom lifts to 110", twice as fast,
No skid marks, no alturna Mats
Articulating . . . next level up in forwarding loaders
2 year, 1000hr warranty
Avant super dependable, starting @ ~ $25K
Click to expand...

For a big guy, what is it like sliding in and out of one of those 420? It looks like it be pretty cramped on the leg area. Without the rear plate, is the length the same as the 650tx (with grapple on)?
 
I just shot another video using the BMG to unload my trailer. This is the first 12 minutes of it...In all it took me 19 minutes to unload and stack the wood. Yes it probably would have been faster to just dump, and then stack, but I wanted to show pick work with the grapple.


Kinda long and boring so feel free to not watch whole thing and/or fast forward. Not in HD either, I uploaded it straight from gopro app to YouTube.
 
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I'm 6'2" with a strong affinity for gravity.

I can repost the videos of me running it if you'd like. It's snug, but it's not tight on me.

It's right around the same length as the 600tx with a BMG on both. I took those pictures in Illinois at FJR's house.
 
Lumberjack said:
I'm 6'2" with a strong affinity for gravity.

I can repost the videos of me running it if you'd like. It's snug, but it's not tight on me.

It's right around the same length as the 600tx with a BMG on both. I took those pictures in Illinois at FJR's house.
Click to expand...
I've seen most of your videos ;-) and you didn't seem to have a problem sliding in and out...but I was kinda thinking that was the next model size up.

A still picture of you sitting it it may be better, and easier.
 
That's a good video, climbhightree. I assume it's cut firewood length?

Here's another shameless plug for a sale I'm running on the BMG... seems to fit in with climbhightree's video of customer promotion.
Screen Shot 2015-03-12 at 9.55.14 PM.webp
 
Lumberjack said:
Wow, must be the perspective that threw me. I thought maybe they were double length firewood, no clue they were 8'!
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Yeah perspective was bad...they ranged from 4-8' (most on the longer end of that). I was trying a new camera angle, trying to show the grapple work better. Unfortunately it didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, going to try sticking a rod, and mount, out the side of the mini next.
 
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