Chokers and choker setting

[treefarmer87]

there is a guy right up the road but he wants $20 a piece for 6 ft chokers. i would go to balieys first, they are like $16 there, i dont plan on pulling more than 2 or 3 per turn, i agree about the rats nest. thanks for the good advice

[Maine372]

attach a short peice of chain to the arch and a slider on the main line. let that slider run between the winch and arch and it will keep other sliders from getting wound up in the winch. this way you can start with the choker on the end and not worry.

you can cut keyhole shaped holes in the fenders to attach the unused chokers too. this will keep them from getting caught up in the hitch. there have been alot of variations on this theme. get creative. some people just let the drag around. i always have preferd to have them tucked out of the way.

when youre on steep ground keep the blade low, but also keep the hitch low, especially on side slopes. pulling the wood up tight against the top of the arch makes the machine top heavy. keep the wood down between the cheeks. usually just as the first slider crests over the roller is a good place to stop.

use your eves alot and if things hang up get out and look. you cant see as much from the skidder seat as you can from standing by the winch on your tractor. the extra minute it takes to get out and look costs alot less money than the repairs.

[treefarmer87]

yea your right, im always watching ahead and behind me, im always safe. i have seen people
hanging the chokers on holes on the fenders of the skidder

[Stephen Alford]

   Hey TF/TJ . Congrats on the skidder. Lots of good advice on chocking,probably worth a second read. I sleep better at nignts knowing that I have a kill switch out of site and not easily found. You probably have one on the fuel but check to see what the status is of the kill switch on the air intake side. If its there but not hooked up probably a good idea to get it back on line. Have shoved that hard with  that ol treefarmer that she has flipped. Shutting the engine down pronto will save you some grief.  A small branch went through the screen and triggered that air intake switch onetime . Spent a day lugging batteries and wrenches. Finally gave up and recriuted older and wiser. Offered him lunch. He walked around the machine hit the switch then the starter ,she didn't role twice and was runnin, then he informed me he wanted steak. I had crow.  Good Luck.

[logloper]

I also suck my drag up to where the bells just go over the roller, as above member stated. Keeps drag/skidder stable and also makes the last 2' of bull line last longer. If you don't want to cut keyholes in your fender, weld an old bell or two on the side of your arch. I like 1 on each side of the arch. Hook the ferel of the unused choker closest to your drag into this bell, and it will keep your unused chokers untangled. When you get to your next tree, drop your drag and pull forward a bit.Then your unused chokers are ready to go.

[mad murdock]

good point on the hidden switch!  If you are logging in any area that is open to general public, someone, somewhere, sometime will find your job, and mess with your equipment.  They even get behind locked gates and mess with helicopters.  We have hidden switches that completely disable the starting circuit on the helicopters, unless you have the correct switches in the correct positions, it will not start.  The company I work for had a helicopter torched to the ground about 20 years ago down in Lane Co. Ore. (epicenter of alot of the enviro crazies).   Even in N. WI, we had fuel stolen from time to time, and once had the fan belts cut on one of our machines by some vandals.   I don't know how bad the meth problems are in the east, but out here the tweakers are constantly on the prowl looking for anything they can steal and sell for scrap, especially anything copper. 

[treefarmer87]

people around here would rather take your equipment joyriding or take fuel mostly thanks for the wonderful tip because i dont want anyone fooling with my equipment. i was just thinking about that today i am so glad to have this helpful site and people, thanks guys  

[John Woodworth]

Treefarmer don't wast your moner on 6' chockers they are too short, I've even found 8' too short, if you want to be able to bonus up your turns, 12 footers, 10 at the least.

[Emajsh]

they also make a short cable extention, 18 inches or maybe 2 feet, i keep one in the skidder just in case you get in a situation where your choker is not quite long enought to make it all the way around the log.didnt see it mentioned anywhere so i thought i would. good luck and safe logging

[treefarmer87]

 i cant win! the man who owns the equipment company sold the TJ to someone else! after i told him i would have them money tomorrow, he said he would hold it for me and call them back and tell them it was sold, allthey did was put a down payment  on it yesterday. ill go check on this 1966 treefarmer with a new 353 motor, i guess.

[poor farmer/logger]

I've had as many as 14 trees on our 664 Clark. They were the 10-15" and roughly 50' long. That was in good conditions though. Usually in big white spruce we're pulling 3-5 trees. Sometimes only two if they're big enough. Had 7 on once this spring but it was a bit of a stretch for it at times. We've got 5 chokers on there right now. One thing someone mentioned to give er while you're turning. Bad idea. Keep the speed down make wide turns and if you can't swing wide drop the skid pull ahead and winch it around. Just make sure you're not winching at to much of a angle on your fairlead as you can pull the skidder right over. Turning sharp with a full skid on though is very hard on equipment. It's putting a unreal amount of strain on the inside side of the back diff. When working with old equipment treat it with respect and it'll treat you the same. Same goes for the new stuff too of course.

Ryan

[Bobus2003]

people around here would rather take your equipment joyriding or take fuel mostly thanks for the wonderful tip because i dont want anyone fooling with my equipment. i was just thinking about that today i am so glad to have this helpful site and people, thanks guys  

Here in the last 2 months there have been 2 skidders, a Timbco, Boom Delimber and a Log Truck Stolen from out in the woods.. Its not hard to do. Go to JD and get a key and you can start any JD tractor that had that key series and alot of the equipment out here is unlocked with the keys left in them . I have 6 padlocks on my dozer (Hood, Fuel, Hyd Oil, Oil Valve/Filter compartment, Dash, Master Switch) Lock up the Processor Door and hood, Skidder has a Master switch with the Knob unscrewed and in my pocket, plus aftermarket ignition.

Back in 2000 my dad was doin work for a guy and the neighbors didn't like what was being done(too many trees being removed) and they poured sand in the engine oil of the 440 and Skid steer.. Sadly enough didn't catch it quick enough and took out the skidder engine (Thats why she's got the 4045T) we did a oil change on the skid steer ASAP but had the engine go on that about a month later so i'm guessing we still had sand in there..

You hear of guys equipment missing in the morning, but generally found down the road out of fuel or stuck somewhere, fuel tanks will be empty, bulk tanks stolen.. The stuff people do to get there kicks

[treefarmer87]

i found a treefarmer in almost new cond. going to get it tomorrow- the guy showed me where the cut off switch is on it. that is gonna be handy and make me feel better when its on this new tract.

[captain_crunch]

Old logger trick with sliders if choker is not long enough put nubbin of choker in next slider and use winch line to add length Or use 2 chokers and bridle log. Last weeks Ax men had a great view of a bridled log when Rygard had the Big log on landing

[leeivan1956]

  Its been 25 yrs idrove TJ 207-208-217-230 in N.S. we was running 5 foot chokers with 125 foot 5/8 main line with 12-13 chokers most times was full.actually I have a plastic model of a 230 TJ about 15inchs long  brings back many memories 

[Corley5]

I hate pulling cable and setting chokers.

[timberjackrob]

me too corley5 but palin nugent 2012 i like

[Maine372]

alot of guys around here will make the last slider away from the machine a key hole. it can be turned so the loop end is out and hooked over the tow hook on a truck, or you can use it with a chain to make as long a choker as you need.

[quietrangr]

I have locking lug nuts (from any parts store) holding my engine covers, grill, fuel tanks, and hydraulic tank, also a cover over my gauges held by a locking lug nut. (These are ordinary lug nuts with an opening you can only open with a special piece that comes with the lug nuts.) You would also have to weld a pipe around the locking lug nut so it can't be loosened with a vice grip. I had to weld 7/16 fine thread bolts on the machine to accept the lug nuts, or sometimes had to weld the lug nuts onto a bolt where the threads on the machine were female. (Oh, I forgot I'm not supposed to talk about sex on this board.) I've never had anybody break in to my machine since I put these on, though of course they could go and buy the same type of locking lug nut I bought, and then get in. Most thieves are not that determined.

[barbender]

I hate setting chokers too, especially when thinning. I'd like to build a grapple for my little machine.