Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[Rustyiron]

Wow that's a serious looking hitch! Any info on it?! Pretty awesome!

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/323322-log-winch.html

 

[TomSeller]

That's what I had in mind (the log grapple) when I built my winch. I think it should be real dream team. I built in a provision to hang one of them on the boom, just need to "pony up" $1200 or so and I can't spare the pony's right now!:laughing:

holy schmokes! That is a nice tractor and a nice hitch. I must have missed that thread. Very cool.

 

[Billrog]

There sure are some nice set ups here to look at & get ideas.I have a small band mill and been using my tractor to skid, pile logs & split fire wood since 1991.

 

[Piston]

That looks like a very nice grapple unit. You are just teasing us with a couple pics, What can you tell us about operating it. I see you have a winch too. How do you divide the work between the two of them ?? Thanks

gg

x2! Also interested in some more pictures (great quality pics by the way) and some thoughts/experience on how you choose between either the winch or the grapple.

Is the log your pulling in the second pic about the limit of the tractor/grapple?

Can you carry multiple logs at once?

I've waffled back and forth for a long time on going with a winch vs. grapple for the woods work, although it sure seems like there is a time and place for both tools.

 

[Piston]

That looks like a very nice grapple unit. You are just teasing us with a couple pics, What can you tell us about operating it. I see you have a winch too. How do you divide the work between the two of them ?? Thanks

gg

x2! Also interested in some more pictures (great quality pics by the way) and some thoughts/experience on how you choose between either the winch or the grapple.

Is the log your pulling in the second pic about the limit of the tractor/grapple?

Can you carry multiple logs at once?

I've waffled back and forth for a long time on going with a winch vs. grapple for the woods work, although it sure seems like there is a time and place for both tools.

 

[wmonroe]

There sure are some nice set ups here to look at & get ideas.I have a small band mill and been using my tractor to skid, pile logs & split fire wood since 1991. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/owning-operating/402401-tractors-wood-show-your-pics-more-fire-wood-003-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/owning-operating/402402-tractors-wood-show-your-pics-more-fire-wood-001-jpg"/> <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/owning-operating/402403-tractors-wood-show-your-pics-heading-jpg"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/owning-operating/402404-tractors-wood-show-your-pics-16-jpg"/>

Those are some nice logs that would make a good pile of lumber.

 

[arrow]

x2! Also interested in some more pictures (great quality pics by the way) and some thoughts/experience on how you choose between either the winch or the grapple.

Is the log your pulling in the second pic about the limit of the tractor/grapple?

Can you carry multiple logs at once?

I've waffled back and forth for a long time on going with a winch vs. grapple for the woods work, although it sure seems like there is a time and place for both tools.

My time as a logger precluded using the grapple type skidders almost everyone has now as opposed to the cable line skidders I worked with. If I can enlarge the scale, some things might be applicable to the smaller tractor skidders and again some may not. From guys I talk with now that transitioned into grapples, I get mixed reviews. Youngins who know of no other, don't seem to mind them calling them maneuverable and able to manipulate a hitch at will as far as picking and placing. Older guys seem to prefer the cable type with the biggest advantage of dropping the load to gain better purchase and traction for the skidder, and then reeling it all back up to the skidder once that has been accomplished. Where an aspect might not be applicable comparing cable to grapple for smaller tractors is the ability to carry multiple stems. A skidder grapple has a pretty wide maw and as a result, can take a wide bite of stems. This may or may not present a problem with a small compact type grapple depending on the diameter of the stems or the size of the grapple. One of the largest advantages of the grapple is not having a guy or the driver having to unmount to relieve chokers on the landing. Other complaints of the skidder grapple is of dropping stems that might not have pressure against them with an errant bite of the grapple on a larger hitch. For a home owner? I guess it all depends on how a guy logs his property or how long a return might be if one cannot grab multiple stems. Sure might be handy not to have to dismount to unhitch on short skids.

 

[PatMcD]

What brand of winch is that, and how old is old, I still remember what tractor not to buy, on the educational TV show Green Acers.
On my Fransgard v-3004 I don't hook the chain down on that chain rail, I keep it hooked to the keyhole cable slide, Fransgard says not to do that or the sky will fall down, I'm so blessed to have the courage to do it anyways.

I really am not positive what brand it is. It's been painted in the past. I am leaning towards Fransgard.

 

[grnspot110]

I used the 790 to pull these two (yes there are two) logs out of the ditch yesterday: 18" x 30' Red Oak, had to cut the second one in half to get it out of the ditch: Where they crossed the ditch, they were over my head, the second one fell into the bottom & was in a bind because of the length. They're out where I can get to them with the pickup & trailer now!

Earlier in the day, I pushed back the brush I'd cut Monday: About an hour later: Just hope I don't get any flats out of it, as they were mostly Honey Locusts!

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I have a loop on the end of the clutch rope. I run my thumb thru the top of the loop then grab the rope with a closed fist. That way the rope doesn't slip thru my gloves or mitts. I have to pull on the rope pretty good on a hard winch. In the video I was just holding the rope up so you could see it. Probably the two finger grip was so my little pinkies wouldn't get cold holding a snowy rope bare handed. One thing about the type chains I have is that they come down on the sidewalls in good shape. That has to help keep them straight. <img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/files/owning-operating/402166-tractors-wood-show-your-pics-tractor1-jpg"/> BTW I wasn't getting paid to test the snatch block. After they finished the prototype build they sold them at a reasonable price. I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to get one. gg

Gordon what type of tire chains are you using, price?