Jim Timber
Veteran Member
I've got a stand of timber that's in need of thinning. The trees that need removal are primarily firewood size, but I do have a pulp possibility with Sappi, so I need to be able to load a truck with at least 5-6 cords at a shot. That's yet to be ironed out, as their buyer is super busy this time of year.
My plan is to build a bandsaw mill and produce finished wood products as well as custom cut for individuals. I also have a possible deal for rough cut green oak and basswood, but that's another loose end at this time.
There's also several areas which need ground work done with a loader or backhoe (or both). My neighbor has a loader/backhoe, so it's possible once I'm able to get him access to his Northern property edge (big swamp cuts his land in half), he'll let me use the hoe. I'm aware the 3pt hoes aren't worth as much as a dedicated unit. I still don't really want to be at the mercy of his generosity either, but a hoe isn't a priority now.
So capacity concerns are: being able to lift a 4,000# log off a trailer. Eventually, I'll probably have a bridge crane by the saw, but I'm not counting on that any time soon (building one costs more than the loader). This weight class puts me firmly into the utility class machines - I've been drawn towards the 5045/55e's because their loaders are rated for this much, and the large front tires/ground clearance will be good for my wooded swamp.
Dragging trees around - I'd like to use a farmi winch or something similar for skidding logs, and then use a grapple for loading them onto trailers for forwarding and then also using the grapple to unload at the landing. Weight limit here isn't as much of a concern as most logs will be well under the limits of most of the CUT's loaders (800# or so).
I have a log arch for my atv, so I can move the big trees even if I can't lift one with the loader, it's just painfully slow as you have limited capacity per trip.
I don't want a huge tractor, because I currently have no way to haul one. I can tow around 7500# legally behind my Tahoe, but it's not fun. I'm trying to procure a M923 or 925 which would handle anything, but I'd like to keep things able to be hauled with smaller rigs. I might use the tractor to work up food plots for fellow hunters, so being nimble has an advantage there as well. Most people are only planting/working 2-5 acres per plot.
I do plan on farming with this thing. I'd like to grow sweet corn, carrots, unions, and such (potatoes are too cheap to bother with). I'm not sure how much field I'll end up with. My flat ground soils are virgin and will take a lot of work to get tillable.
I'd like to mow the yard with it, but a rough cut mower is fine by me. I'm the furthest thing from a lawn Nazi possible. The Mrs. on the other hand, she's out there with weed-n-feed twice a year. Getting her a rider might be a better option. I'm not planning on having more than an acre of grass outside my rifle range. Speaking of which: that'll be big, at 5.5 acres or so. So I will need a mower. It'll be personal use, so I don't need golf course quality sod. There's currently no buildings on the land, so this is all future needs territory.
While I appreciate the sentiments towards getting a cab, cabs in the woods get broken. It's also slower getting in and out of a cab. No cab for this machine.
Loader work other than moving logs: I'd like to dig a couple ponds. Excavator would be ideal for this, but that's also not in the budget. Two of the pond sites are in draws (hollow, gully) and just need to be dammed off and have some of their walls contoured. I also need to build a 16' wide corduroy road through my swamp. I've already been approved for the project through the Soil and Water district, ACoE, and county wetlands coordinator. This will be my driveway. I'm not sure where the bottom of the swamp is yet. I've hit what felt like flat rock at 18" and I've had holes that never got firm as well. I'll be probing when the ground thaws this spring. I have a corduroy trail that's 260' long which has taken many weekends to get to where I can drive my atv through it without needing to winch part way. Part of the problem there is that the point loads have been high and the small tires created pockets of muck. I'll be more careful when building the bigger road to not disturb the base. I'll also be adding a good deal of fill, so that's more bucket work for the tractor.
Hopefully this hasn't put you to sleep, and gives at least a basis for starting to think about what would be a good machine for my needs.
As was mentioned, I'm attracted to the 5e deere's, but their power shift transmission is quite rare and will pretty much mean I have to buy new (it's also a $2K option). I'm also attracted to the CC/Y lx450's, but realize that's a smaller tractor with less ground clearance and loader capacity - but it's also substantially cheaper (somewhere around 20K). I saw the AGCO/Massey's at the county fair a couple years ago and thought those were pretty nice for the money as well. Something like a used Massey 251xe would be good too (there's an `02 for 16,5K on TH now), but that doesn't have the power shift, and I have bad knees. Maybe the clutch wouldn't bother me though? I do ok hiking, but I can't run without a world of hurt.
Kubota has good resale here, but that keeps the used prices astronomical. Deere has a big dealer in town where my land is, so that's attractive. MF has a dealer about 30 miles from my land as well. I've never seen a Kioti dealer or Mahindra - I'm sure they're around, but I don't know of them so that makes me a little reluctant towards those brands. Cabela's just started selling the LS's under their house brand, but I hate to think of how much they've marked them up.
So as you can see, I'm a bit lost on all of this. I'd like to stay around 20-25k (if cheaper, then even better), but I'm not rigid on that. I can make enough in firewood to cover the payments, but getting a loan might be tricky as this is all a start up and I have no prior revenue records.
My plan is to build a bandsaw mill and produce finished wood products as well as custom cut for individuals. I also have a possible deal for rough cut green oak and basswood, but that's another loose end at this time.
There's also several areas which need ground work done with a loader or backhoe (or both). My neighbor has a loader/backhoe, so it's possible once I'm able to get him access to his Northern property edge (big swamp cuts his land in half), he'll let me use the hoe. I'm aware the 3pt hoes aren't worth as much as a dedicated unit. I still don't really want to be at the mercy of his generosity either, but a hoe isn't a priority now.
So capacity concerns are: being able to lift a 4,000# log off a trailer. Eventually, I'll probably have a bridge crane by the saw, but I'm not counting on that any time soon (building one costs more than the loader). This weight class puts me firmly into the utility class machines - I've been drawn towards the 5045/55e's because their loaders are rated for this much, and the large front tires/ground clearance will be good for my wooded swamp.
Dragging trees around - I'd like to use a farmi winch or something similar for skidding logs, and then use a grapple for loading them onto trailers for forwarding and then also using the grapple to unload at the landing. Weight limit here isn't as much of a concern as most logs will be well under the limits of most of the CUT's loaders (800# or so).
I have a log arch for my atv, so I can move the big trees even if I can't lift one with the loader, it's just painfully slow as you have limited capacity per trip.
I don't want a huge tractor, because I currently have no way to haul one. I can tow around 7500# legally behind my Tahoe, but it's not fun. I'm trying to procure a M923 or 925 which would handle anything, but I'd like to keep things able to be hauled with smaller rigs. I might use the tractor to work up food plots for fellow hunters, so being nimble has an advantage there as well. Most people are only planting/working 2-5 acres per plot.
I do plan on farming with this thing. I'd like to grow sweet corn, carrots, unions, and such (potatoes are too cheap to bother with). I'm not sure how much field I'll end up with. My flat ground soils are virgin and will take a lot of work to get tillable.
I'd like to mow the yard with it, but a rough cut mower is fine by me. I'm the furthest thing from a lawn Nazi possible. The Mrs. on the other hand, she's out there with weed-n-feed twice a year. Getting her a rider might be a better option. I'm not planning on having more than an acre of grass outside my rifle range. Speaking of which: that'll be big, at 5.5 acres or so. So I will need a mower. It'll be personal use, so I don't need golf course quality sod. There's currently no buildings on the land, so this is all future needs territory.
While I appreciate the sentiments towards getting a cab, cabs in the woods get broken. It's also slower getting in and out of a cab. No cab for this machine.
Loader work other than moving logs: I'd like to dig a couple ponds. Excavator would be ideal for this, but that's also not in the budget. Two of the pond sites are in draws (hollow, gully) and just need to be dammed off and have some of their walls contoured. I also need to build a 16' wide corduroy road through my swamp. I've already been approved for the project through the Soil and Water district, ACoE, and county wetlands coordinator. This will be my driveway. I'm not sure where the bottom of the swamp is yet. I've hit what felt like flat rock at 18" and I've had holes that never got firm as well. I'll be probing when the ground thaws this spring. I have a corduroy trail that's 260' long which has taken many weekends to get to where I can drive my atv through it without needing to winch part way. Part of the problem there is that the point loads have been high and the small tires created pockets of muck. I'll be more careful when building the bigger road to not disturb the base. I'll also be adding a good deal of fill, so that's more bucket work for the tractor.
Hopefully this hasn't put you to sleep, and gives at least a basis for starting to think about what would be a good machine for my needs.
As was mentioned, I'm attracted to the 5e deere's, but their power shift transmission is quite rare and will pretty much mean I have to buy new (it's also a $2K option). I'm also attracted to the CC/Y lx450's, but realize that's a smaller tractor with less ground clearance and loader capacity - but it's also substantially cheaper (somewhere around 20K). I saw the AGCO/Massey's at the county fair a couple years ago and thought those were pretty nice for the money as well. Something like a used Massey 251xe would be good too (there's an `02 for 16,5K on TH now), but that doesn't have the power shift, and I have bad knees. Maybe the clutch wouldn't bother me though? I do ok hiking, but I can't run without a world of hurt.
Kubota has good resale here, but that keeps the used prices astronomical. Deere has a big dealer in town where my land is, so that's attractive. MF has a dealer about 30 miles from my land as well. I've never seen a Kioti dealer or Mahindra - I'm sure they're around, but I don't know of them so that makes me a little reluctant towards those brands. Cabela's just started selling the LS's under their house brand, but I hate to think of how much they've marked them up.
So as you can see, I'm a bit lost on all of this. I'd like to stay around 20-25k (if cheaper, then even better), but I'm not rigid on that. I can make enough in firewood to cover the payments, but getting a loan might be tricky as this is all a start up and I have no prior revenue records.
