Some actions shots from today.
Here I am pulling out a couple of tops that are still good for a couple more logs.
Close up. You can really tell how crazy dense this loblolly stand is.
Here's a nice healthy 80-90 footer. They are good for 4 16' 4" logs and sometimes a 12' 4" section as well.
No problem lifting a bottom 16' section all the way in the air.
Different angle.
Loading log onto trailer. One of these days I'll get around to putting rimguard in my rears. It's a little light with just the log grapple out back.
This one leaned out into the clearing, so I needed to make sure it would fall the right way.
All cut and ready to be pushed over. It is *VERY* important to leave enough "hinge" in the cut so that the bottom doesn't kick out and cause the tree fall on you and your tractor and anything else you have parked in the trees' path.
Done for the day. My guess is that's about 5.5 tons.
Another angle showing the 4 skinny 12' sections on top. Hey, every piece counts as the mill pays $38 per ton!
Farewell shot as I'm heading back to the house. You can't even tell that anything has been cut yet. lol
I'm very impressed with the power and capacity of this logging grapple. The hydraulic top link is real handy for getting the proper angle once raising the hitch. Using float for both the top link and side swing cylinder takes all the stress out of making turns and going up and down inclines. Since it opens up 76", it is also very good for picking up the tops and side limbs along narrow paths where it is not always easy to get the right angle with FEL grapple. Playing around with 7 hydraulic controls at once is pretty cool too, but it will take some seat time before it will become second nature which way to move each lever to get the desired result from that rear grapple. I got the front one down. I need to color code my hydraulic lines so that they get hooked up the same way each time.
