New Log Truck- PALFINGER

[Mark Chisholm]

Just got this truck built and am wondering how many of you avoid chippers and use the trash grapple instead? I'm used to bypass grapples and am wondering if I should just swap it now?

 

[Reach]

Nice truck! Around here, everyone uses chippers, but some have grapple trucks similar to yours. The grapple you have is fairly common around here, as it can be used to pick up brush or a junk pile when necessary, but still lift logs well the rest of the time.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

That's a cool truck! I've seen guy's with a truck like that leave the chipper at home and just pack brush and logs into it. Just a thought if you are doing real large removals and stuff, I'm thinking along the lines of dump trailers here where sometimes you need to get in there and cut everything up to slice and dice to make more room for more material versus just piling it in whole...could you run into any issues like that with an overflow of material where the time back and forth to dump it and or cut everything up is decreasing production versus just using the chipper?

I guess it depends on the size of the job and how much material you are going to be handling would be my thoughts.

 

[Crimsonking]

The guys at Dillon Tree use a mecanil 280 on the same truck. Today we used it for some removals and loading logs in a space too small to effectively use the k-boom.

 

[adolan]

We run two Volvo's with serco loaders with the trash grapples. They are mounted behind the cab with a 22' box. That style of grapple is a jack of all kinda deal. Hands down the best way to deal with stump mulch, can handle large logs albeit log tongs are more effective but with experience you can become just as efficient. We don't load very much brush but the times we have it has worked out pretty well.
Looks like a slick setup!

 

[colb]

I sub to several haulers in my market. They all have clam shells. My market is not forward-thinking, but most companies are pretty efficient at removals. The nicest thing I notice about the clamshells is how they pick up leaves at the end of the load. I'm not sure what the bypass guys do about those last two or three leaf piles. Heck, sometimes my hauler picks up 8-10 of those leafy piles.

Nice truck!

 

[Crimsonking]

Debris bags are the best solution I’ve seen for final cleanup with a bypass.

 

[27RMT0N]

I have zero experience to add to this conversation, but I wanted to say that is a beautiful truck. Congrats, Mark.

 

[ATH]

I have a friend who runs a grapple truck with no chipper. He went from a 60 yard to 80 yard box a couple of years ago. He also spends quite a bit of time doing storm cleanup after hurricanes, etc...

There is another company in Dayton Ohio that runs several crews (10+???). I had heard the owner speak at a conference a few years ago...he said they have one chipper and the crews get mad when they have to use it. Just pulled up an aerial photo on Google Earth. They have 13 trucks with trailers (also about that big) sitting in their lot in that photo.

So short answer: Yes, that is a very workable setup.

 

[27RMT0N]

It's funny how different tree work is in different markets. Where I live, a truck this size would be lucky to even get to 50% of the properties in the entire county and even that would probably require a bunch of limbing of trees to fit down peoples LONG gravel driveways through the woods. And from there, I'd say only 5% of the work is anywhere near a road since most properties I work on are 5-20 acres. Even less within reach of the boom without an excavator forwarding the material first.

 

[Crimsonking]

Drive 2 1/2 hours north or west of me and this truck would be useless. Here in NC’s Triad, it’s perfect.

 

[Tim Meagher]

Truck looks great Sir. You will love the Palfinger. Modern technology and the M13A will extend out from 22-32'

 

[southsoundtree]

So true here, too.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

That's a cool truck! I've seen guy's with a truck like that leave the chipper at home and just pack brush and logs into it. Just a thought if you are doing real large removals and stuff, I'm thinking along the lines of dump trailers here where sometimes you need to get in there and cut everything up to slice and dice to make more room for more material versus just piling it in whole...could you run into any issues like that with an overflow of material where the time back and forth to dump it and or cut everything up is decreasing production versus just using the chipper?

I guess it depends on the size of the job and how much material you are going to be handling would be my thoughts.

I'm not too sure really. I don't plan to replace a chipper. Just load more wood really.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

The guys at Dillon Tree use a mecanil 280 on the same truck. Today we used it for some removals and loading logs in a space too small to effectively use the k-boom.

We have the mecanil on backorder.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

I have zero experience to add to this conversation, but I wanted to say that is a beautiful truck. Congrats, Mark.

Thanks!

 

[Bard]

A few thoughts for you Mark, before the subject gets too threadbare. Two years ago or so my employer was looking to purchase a grapple truck for the sole purpose of log hauling. Before the truck was purchased we were able to hire another company's grapple truck, nearly the identical truck to what we were looking to purchase, except that the one we hired on a pretty big job, had the clamshell. The truck my employer purchased has the bypass grapple.

I have seen the clamshell excel and I have seen some of its shortcomings. The clamshell will pick up more coarse- to finely ground bulk debris (stump grindings, mulch etc) than a bypass grapple, hands down. Later we hired the grapple truck with the clamshell on a block of municipal work. The block consisted of 99 street trees, with very easy access. On the account of hauling stump grindings, the clamshell was incredibly efficient. The stump grinders were able to stay on the grind while a single guy in the grapple truck came through to clean up the grindings. The shortcomings of the clamshell are in the arena of picking up logs. I've seen that same clamshell bucket struggle (as in dropping logs in sensitive areas) to pickup a log that was well within it's clutching diameter.

We had Palfinger install a quick-disconnect system on our grapple truck so we can easily switch from the bypass grapple to a hook for taking picks. I don't know if they have a system like that for the clamshell or if the ability to switch between bypass and clamshell would even suit your needs.

Sweet truck though! That truck looks twice the size of the one we use!

 

[ChoiceTree]

I have both. The grapple is faster, higher dump fees, and less labor. There are times the chipper makes more sense. I have a 18” chipper so we are not limited too often.
My service areas has a variety of tight and ample spaces. We can get the chipper in places the grapple cannot go. Having the chipper I can break some guys away and have them go do other jobs while the rest stay on the main job.

 

[Mark Chisholm]

A few thoughts for you Mark, before the subject gets too threadbare. Two years ago or so my employer was looking to purchase a grapple truck for the sole purpose of log hauling. Before the truck was purchased we were able to hire another company's grapple truck, nearly the identical truck to what we were looking to purchase, except that the one we hired on a pretty big job, had the clamshell. The truck my employer purchased has the bypass grapple.

I have seen the clamshell excel and I have seen some of its shortcomings. The clamshell will pick up more coarse- to finely ground bulk debris (stump grindings, mulch etc) than a bypass grapple, hands down. Later we hired the grapple truck with the clamshell on a block of municipal work. The block consisted of 99 street trees, with very easy access. On the account of hauling stump grindings, the clamshell was incredibly efficient. The stump grinders were able to stay on the grind while a single guy in the grapple truck came through to clean up the grindings. The shortcomings of the clamshell are in the arena of picking up logs. I've seen that same clamshell bucket struggle (as in dropping logs in sensitive areas) to pickup a log that was well within it's clutching diameter.

We had Palfinger install a quick-disconnect system on our grapple truck so we can easily switch from the bypass grapple to a hook for taking picks. I don't know if they have a system like that for the clamshell or if the ability to switch between bypass and clamshell would even suit your needs.

Sweet truck though! That truck looks twice the size of the one we use!

I agree and understand. Our other 2 logtrucks have bypass grapples. This was a new try. We also have a bypass coming for it (mecanil) that will possibly stay on the truck most days.

Curious about the quick disconnect concept you used?

 

[Mark Chisholm]

I have both. The grapple is faster, higher dump fees, and less labor. There are times the chipper makes more sense. I have a 18” chipper so we are not limited too often.
My service areas has a variety of tight and ample spaces. We can get the chipper in places the grapple cannot go. Having the chipper I can break some guys away and have them go do other jobs while the rest stay on the main job.

Versatility cab be king!