5030 "skidder" pics - the "tree-bota" in action

[milkman]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Man, what a setup, looks like it works great, thought it knocks the bottom out of the theory that you need a heavy hunk of iron to work a log woods. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[SkyPup]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Sweet! Thanks for the great pics, I really like that rear grapple, one may be in my future too. I've got the ANBO root grappler on our L-39 and do allot of the same. A Stihl 046 32" chainsaw sure comes in handy too!

Be sure to wear your seatbelt! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[riptides]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Wow.

Thanks for sharing those. Looks to me like your research has definitely saved your back.

Your postings proves and brings home the point, the right equipment for the job.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Howdy, and thanks for the kind words.

Milkman: Thanks, yeah it really does work great, especially with the hydro tranny. Really powerful and nimble - we can clean up the biggest messes in no time, and have fun doing it!

It's not a JD 540 skidder, but it's just right for the fussy work that I do. I'm going to beef her up a bit with some brush guards and a 5/8 or 3/4" steel plate for the entire underside, mounted to a backhoe subframe that is 1.5" deeper than the loader frame. That will allow one solid sheet of steel to clear everything underneath. Thicker than it needs to be for protecting the underneath, but the weight down there (about 375-450 lbs.) will be just where I want it. If and when I put on the Michelins XM27's, we might be able to do more serious work with it, like light land clearing.

Skypup: I'd love to see some pics of your L-39 with that grapple, must be really powerful. I toyed with the idea of an L-48 just for the loader.

The Implemax is a little "spendy" at over $8K, but the engineering and construction is world-class IMHO. T-1 steel, not too heavy, not too light. No signs of failure anywhere.

And it's nice to meet another Stihl man - my 066 is my weapon of choice right now. Also had an 046 and 036 until recently when some jack*** stole them, along with my sweet little Husky 242 with 18" bar for climbing in bigger stuff. And yes, I ALWAYS wear my seatbelt! I want to build a FOPS rollcage too.

Mike: Boy, has it ever saved my back. And most of the research I did was right here on TBN - that's why I called it "Our" 5030 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[SkyPup]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

You really have a great setup.

Here's a pic of our L-39 with a 66" ANBO Root Grapple!

 

[SkyPup]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Paid for itself after ONE hurricane!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Thom:

Great pics, thanks! Burn baby, burn! Love the grapple, Anbo is one of the ones I considered, I think it was a little heavy for my 853. That is one powerful loader, those logs are not small! And that's some nice counterweight you have on the back there /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Man, I just read your bio - I'm not worthy! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

At the risk of going off-topic, what's your take on the Avian flu, should we all be moving to the Himalayas?

 

[SkyPup]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

We'll be having Turkey for Thanksgiving no matter how "fowl" it may be! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Avian hemagluttinen nuriminadiase 51 will most likely mutate from avian species cell receptors to humans at some unknown time in the near future, when it does it will be pandemic, until then I am not worried about it, but when it does happen everyone will be major worried. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Slippy]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Very impressive set up and thanks for the pics. Just wondering about your cable on the winch. I have read and heard about cables breaking and what they can do to a person. Please be careful and check you cable often.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

Re: 5030 \"skidder\" pics - the \"tree-bota\" in action

Hi Slippy - Yeah, I keep a sharp eye on that cable since I'm right in the line of fire when operating the winch. It's still in really good shape, but when it starts to wear I'm thinking of replacing it with 3/8" Samson Amsteel Blue synthetic rope. It's good for 18-20,000 lbs. and I'd rather get whacked with that than a cable. I know I need to add some expanded steel to the ROPS to protect me. I've had a few cables break on other equipment and they never seem to go flying with the kind of force that I would have expected, maybe because the steel in fairly inelastic, but I'm going to keep treating cables as if they could really screw me up. I will be careful, thanks for your concern.