Logging with a BX25

[Maine wild blueberries]

I have a John Deere 4310 with a FEL and Farmi winch would not want to cut wood with out the winch. I only have to get with in hundred feet of the tree because the winch has 150 feet of cable. the wife and I have harvested 80 cord this summer clearing the blueberry field. For selective cutting I would also get a snatch block for pulling around trees I don't want to damage. and access roads only have to be 200 hundred feet apart.
Wayne
PS I haul between 1/3 and 1/2 a cord to a time with reasonable going

 

[milkman]

bstrom - yes my concern is that a lot of my property is pretty hilly. I was hoping to stay on the trails I have and dragging the cable to the logs rather than trying to get to them with the tractor. I am pretty sure I will invest in the skid plates as well.

Brian

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Sounds like the Farmi will work good in your case, if I understand it correctly, the Farmi sets on the ground and digs in as you winch the log so it should work ok on a small tractor. Show us pictures when you get up and running.:thumbsup:

 

[Briyon]

Does anyone have experience or Knowledge of the Wallenstien FX65 Logging Winch and how it compares with the Farmi. I found a used Wallenstien (Says used one time) for $2400 compared to the price of the new Farmi JL 290 $3035.00 I just want to make sure of the quality of the product. I like the price but I also know you get what you pay for...

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Carykong]

If you want to stay on the trails and off the inclines,a skidder winch is a good decision. On the other hand, you BX has a low center of gravity compared to most compacts and is agile. If it was my wallet,I would skid with just a chain and some tongs and decide later if the winch would really pay for itself. We all know that you can never have enough attachments for your tractor. Right?

 

[ChuckinNH]

There is another option which is probably much less expensive. NovaJack has a large assortment of logging equipment designed to be used with ATV's. I don't see why it couldn't be used equally as well with a BX. They offer a capstain winch that is very portable, and looks like it works well. Here is a link to their offerings for an alternative perspective.

NovaJack

 

[Briyon]

I did look into smaller winches or ATV winches and it is definitely a less expensive option. The problems I see with these type winches are...

1) Pulling capacity - typically they don't have as much pulling capacity.
2) Blade - the blade that digs into the ground and prevents pulling the tractor to the log
3) Heavy Duty - The actual logging winch seems much more heavy duty
4) PTO Driven vs Battery Driven
5) Cable length

 

[beenthere]

I cut and move from 6-10 cords a year, on fairly steep woods slopes with my Deere 4300. I have boulders and old stumps to get around, as well as downed trees not fully decayed. I wouldn't want to try it with smaller tires and less ground clearance (even with a pan).
I've toyed with the farmi winch idea, but have stuck to just tossing the tongs on the iMatch (some don't like that method, but it works for me). To skid out the hard-to-reach logs, I have 100' of cable that I can use through a snatch block or two, and keep the pulling tractor on the woods trails. Doesn't take much longer to run this cable out than it does to hook with the Farmi winch (I work with a Farmi winch at a neighbors woods so am quite familiar with how handy they are, but know they take some planning to schedule when they are mounted on the tractor). I like the flexibility of not having the winch on the tractor. Only have one, and flexibility is key for me.

But, all said and done, ... give it a shot and see if it works out for you. If not, either sell the Farmi or upgrade to a bigger tractor. Any excuse to go bigger works for me.

 

[Chilly807]

Another thing to consider is how much the winch weighs before you hang logs from it to haul out. Not sure what the lift capacity of the BX25 is, but I think you might be pretty close to the limit if not over.

I use a skidding frame on the 3ph of my L3400, it has 4 hooks for chokers. I've had enough log weight on the frame that the 3ph wouldn't lift it, and the frame weighs maybe 60 lbs at most.

I use a snatch block and a skidding cone to guide the logs around trees, over deadfalls, etc. It makes for a lot less walking back and forth to un-snag logs, and takes a good deal of the strain off the hauling gear and tractor. With less HP to begin with, you might find a cone a very good addition with or without the winch.

The link is here http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/166815-log-skidding-cone.html

Sean

 

[waggy5]

I would buy the 3 pt. winch. I have one on my Newholland boomer 1030 with FEL, and one on my Newholland TD5050 with FEL. You will save so much time and energy by using a 3 pt. logging winch. You will cause less damage to your woodlot by not having to get right up to the tree to winch it out, you will be able to pull logs/trees from across wet holes that you can't get across, you will be able to pull at least two 10" to 12" DBH trees full length with your BX, you will be able to pull down hung up trees from a distance with this winch, you will be able to pull yourself out very easily-or somebody else! The list is endlist for which you should by the 3 pt. winch! I skidd out between 300 and 350 cord of firewood and about 25000 board feet of logs every year utilizing the TD5050 and a Farmi JL601 winch and my Boomer 1030 and a Farmi JL290. You will never regret it.

 

[MarkV]

Think I would also check if the Farmi will fit the BX without a lot of modification. I know the BX models have problems with some implements attachment points and the winch is a good size piece of equipment.

MarkV