which is better?

[donny hochstetler]

I've run enough skidders in my lifetime to know I will never own another one. Yes ,you can move more wood with one - you have to to be able to afford the upkeep and fuel.  

 

[KyMasterLogger]

something you may want to consider is nearly all new tractors have a fiberglass hood and a exhaust pipe sticking straight up through it just waiting to get knocked off and have to work the rest of the day with diesel fumes blowing in your face or stop and fix it. a tractor small enough to get through the woods, is probably not going to be an enclosed cab. limbs and small branchs will pop you in the face and smack your ear when its 10 degrees outside..and it could very well be the worst thing in the world when it happens (and its going to happen). if you manage to get a tractor with a cab, make sure it has bulletproof glass in it. a tractor will nearly turn around in its tracks when using one of the rear brakes. anyone who uses a tractor to skid with and has not blown out a tire is either the luckiest person in the world, or not skidding much wood. most tractor tires are 6-10 ply. my 1949 JD G has 3 ply on it.

a skidder hood will be made of steel. most all skidder exhaust are designed to not get knocked off. all skidders will have a somewhat inclosed cab. it may just be some wire mesh on 3 sides, but its better than a rollbar...and limbs will still smack you. if the skidder has a inclosed cab, there a slim chance of busting the glass out of it. the glass will get dirty, scratched up, its hard to clean and impossible to keep it clean. at times visibility is very poor. a skidder gets around the woods pretty dang good. forestry tires are tough..18-20 ply, theres not a tractor tire as tough as a forestry tire (that im aware of).

i have seen a 548-G JD skid 50 mbf in one day. it was a very short drag (the longest drag wasnt even 200 yards), started at daylight and didnt quit till dark. the operator was gettin with it! he didnt stop for lunch or to smoke any cigarettes.

ive done it with both machines. as previously stated the skidder will use more fuel but in the hands of a good operator, it will pull alot more wood out. IMHO, if your gonna log..you need a skidder. tractors are for farmers...

 

[treefarmer87]

sounds like you were doin some serious skiddin KyMasterLogger the guys i bought my equipment off of used a 548 g and i agree with u 100% "if your gonna log..you need a skidder. tractors are for farmers"

[240b]

you guys ought to start a ford vs. chevy thread

[Ron Scott]

Full time commercial production "loggers" here use skidders and forwarders. I've never had a commercial job done with a farm tractor.

[Mark K]

There is alot of operations up here using tractors, some part time and full time. I've seen operations that use a skidder to drag trees to a landing in the woods and use a tractor with a trailer similar to bill m's except bigger to forward the trees to the road. Alot of guys also run them 6-6 army trucks with log loaders on them to forward the wood. Kind of a cheap forwarder.

[arojay]

Depends on a few factors.  Are you logging in a plantation forest or the bush.  Bill M has a real nice looking rig and some impressive wood.  In my operation, essentially old growth wild land, it might not stand up to the terrain.

[KyMasterLogger]

you guys ought to start a ford vs. chevy thread

why would we need to do that...everyone already knows chevy would win...

[Gary_C]

why would we need to do that...everyone already knows chevy would win...

From what I hear chevy would be in third place with that Toyota Tundra first. 

[KyMasterLogger]

why would we need to do that...everyone already knows chevy would win...

From what I hear chevy would be in third place with that Toyota Tundra first. 

i just bought a new toyota keyboarddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd.  im gonna take it in for the recall tomorrow. 

be careful with their lawnmowers to, evidently they are having the same recall issues as the prius.. 
 

[ahlkey]

You really cannot compare a tractor to a skidder or a full time logger to someone who works at it part-time.  The only real point is what amount of capital do you have that can be put to work to accomplish the desired outcome.  If all you are doing is cutting the back 40 acres and you do it with a chainsaw and draw horses that is certainly a huge accomplishment but hardly means you are a logger.  By moving to tractors you can accomplish so much more and while capital investment increases it can be reduced by spreading it  across many other farm activities.  Moving upward to dedicated skidders, forwarders, etc.... increases productivity significantly but with the increased capital also comes added business risk and if the equipment sits very long you lose. 

I have two Metavic Log loaders similar to Bill's.  One that works as a forwarder and the other for transporting over the highway.  I use tractors to move logs but my highway log trailer is a triaxle 20K deckover and my F650 together with my CAT diesel flatbed can move close to 6 cords of pulpwood per trip.  I work at it all alone, and use the equipment year round logging, working around the sawmill, kiln drying, or delivering products from the woodshop.  Do I consider myself a logger?  No but many months of the years I am full time on the activity.  Right now finishing 300 cords of pulpwood.   The key for me is making sure I work at a pace that is cost effecitve and yes make a profit. If I were to add more traditional logging equipment I couldn't make a go at it and if I tired I would make a lot less profit.   

So to answer your question if you want to do it full-time go with the skidder, forwarder, etc.. if you want to do anything less a solid tractor with other selective equipment can do the job.

[Maine372]

i tried to stay out of this but here goes.

we all do this to make money. we need profit if we are going to stay in business. so with which machine can you make more profit?

that comes down to your business approach. my father and i worked small woodlots, houselots, horse pastures, etc in an rural area, but not the boonies. tractor worked just fine for us. i know a forester who is looking for a logger to cut 90 miles from the nearest town. no tractor or small skidder are fitted to make money on a commute like that. hes looking for an outfit with a buncher, 2 grapple skidders, stroker, and a loader.

if you rely on volume you need machines that move volume. if you rely on high quality detailed work, you need a machine with a gentler footprint, and more versatility.

i need more than one hand to cound the loggers i know that have both. what does that tell you?

[bill m]

if you rely on high quality detailed work, you need a machine with a gentler footprint, and more versatility.
[/quote
That is what I am doing with my business. My equipment works for the style of work I do. In all my years of logging I have never had to bid on timber or go knocking on doors and even in these times I still have 2 or 3 years of logging ahead of me. So - which is better a tractor or skidder? We all have to decide for our self based upon the kind of work we want to do and areas we work in.




P.S.  Ford all the way!

[treefarmer87]

i need production i made a little over $40,000 with my tractor this year if i had a skidder it would have been more than that