TJ608 Harvester..anyone know anything?

[amberwood]

On behalf of a business collegue, they are looking at going mechanical for harvesting.

Considering a Timberjack 608 tracked harvester, Waratah 20",or a Timbco equivalent.

Does anyone have any experience, or have any usefull comments?

thanks
DTR

[Gary_C]

I know a little about cut to length mechanical harvesters but mostly about rubber tired machines, not tracked harvesters. But so much depends on the type of terrain and local markets, it's hard to give general advice. But I sure do like the cut to length method of harvesting wood.

Also I'm familiar with Ponsse and Valmet, but not Timberjack, now John Deere.

[Ron Scott]

Good machines from what I've seen of them working on some of my cut-to-length harvests. The tracked machines seem to be preferred, or at least I see more of them in use.

[amberwood]

Currently they manual fell/skid/process. It is just too slow for the volume of orders we are seeing. We are working in plantation pine so CTL is the obvious choice. We have most brands avail, but in the 2/h market we are at the whim of what is out there for sale. Our terrain varies from dead flat to mountain goat, so tracked seems to be the safe option. Timco is the most prevalent, but in our price bracket are just about worn out beyond repair. Having a sit down with CAT tomorrow to see what they can offer. This is going to be expensive.

DTR

[Gary_C]

If you can, go visit some other operations with various types of machines and get the operators thoughts. If you can find someone operating a similiar machine, ask him what to look for in problems. Most of those guys will know every machine that's out there for sale.

I can understand what you are saying about tracked machines but I have avoided them because they are slow moving, somewhat harder on the ground, and much higher in track maintenance costs. It's real easy to dump $50-100,000 into undercarrige repairs so be careful.

[MaineLogger]

The 608's seem to be a good machine,all that I have seen have bunching heads.I think if you can find a good Timbco you will be happy.We have a 425 and I couldn't imagine not having a self leveling cab.Undercarriage is Cat 330 planetaries and D6 chains and sprockets.Replacing the undercarriage is way cheaper than 4 30.5 x 32 tires. if your comparing to a big fourwheeler.
  Good luck with what ever you purchase and remember" if it's got teats,tires or wires your gonna have problems".

[Ron Scott]

As Gary C. said, try and visit sites where the varied machines of interest might be operating and talk to the owner's/operators on their pro and cons. Also contact the dealer's for a demonstation or trial period if possible. You should satisfy your personal preferences for your type of operating conditions.

[barbender]

Most CTL operations around here are running rubber tired machines, for the reasons Gary stated. As far as steep ground, they are running Ponsse machines out in Montana in the mountains, from what I hear they are working out better than the tracked machines. But, they drive up the logging road and then cut their way down the mountain, get to the bottom and repeat the process. That may not work in more varied terrain, but the point is that rubber tired machines can work some really steep terrain.

[amberwood]

And since I posted this it has become more likely it is us looking at a harvester not the collegue. Well I guess once you have broken the "no employee" seal you may as well have a few more. Now I need to work some production/budget figures for myself. Anyone dare to throw some numbers out there?

Biggest unknowns are maintenence allowance and mt/hr?

DTR

[mahonda]

I run a 210 linkbelt dph (dedicated processor/harvester) with a 622B waratah for my families logging business. We do a little in the brush processing, but mostly we fall skid and process in the landing to reduce brush piling, and handling more pieces in the brush. Works slick for us, and i can sort for the loader or truck while processing. I think our cost is 150 an hour in the landing, and 175 to 200 at the stump, depending on the terrain. We bought it new in 06. Got a great deal and works great everyday. Sorry beenthere guess i've been slacking on my punctuation. I blame texting 

[beenthere]

mahonda
Welcome to the forum.

To better understand what you said, some periods and commas and capital letters will surely help. Hope that is taken as a friendly suggestion. Would like to hear more about your harvesting tales and experiences. 

And we like pics. 

[tuckermtn]

I just recently purchased a 2001 TJ608s with a hotsaw- have about 90-100 hrs on it so far.  Like the simplicity of the machine and the cummins engine.  frequently see the 608's with warratah 622 heads on them. seems like a good fit.  Stay away from the 608's with the leveling cabs- they have a "twitching" problem-

 Don't have a good sense on costs yet, as I only have my fuel burn data and not much else.  A number that is tossed around here for feller buncher work is it will cost you $3 per ton (sorry USD and 2000 lb ton) to get the wood on the ground- that is for hot saw felling/bunching- not CTL. 

[jkingsley]

2008 john deere 703jh with waratah 622b. 180 cord aspen clearcut. flat ground. all wood was cut as 100 inch pulpwood. fuel consumption was roughly .8 gallons per cord.

[MDLogging]

2008 john deere 703jh with waratah 622b. 180 cord aspen clearcut. flat ground. all wood was cut as 100 inch pulpwood. fuel consumption was roughly .8 gallons per cord.

   All pulpwood in our area is sold by the ton.  I would guess a cord would be around 2.5 tons depending on species but is there a formula to convert a cord to tonage or the other way around?

[jkingsley]

i think we go by 2.25 tons per cord. i will double check tomorrow.......................... and the less you spend up front on a harvester, the more money you will spend on repairs.  with more repairs comes more downtime.

[barbender]

How are things down in Palisade Jkingsley?

[amberwood]

OK. looks like we have made the call. A decision I had to make, but with someone elses money. Almost harder than spending your own. Machine delivery looks like Wednesday. Pics when I go back for handover.

mid 90's Koehring 618 harvester with Rosin 975 felling/processing head. CAT power with 00 hours on the motor and pumps.
05 Timberking Forwarder, JD power, before CAT bought them.

Its odd:
Koehring is CAT D7 running gear, bought by Timberjack, which was then bought by JD.
TimberKing is JD underneath, but is now a CAT product.

Fingers crossed and thanks for the input.

DTR