new skidder

sandersen · February 06, 2014, 02:03:57 PM

For the last few months I've been reviewing this awesome forum and at the same time looking for an old timberjack to restore. I used to own and run tj's in the 70's and 80's when I was a young whippersnapper with a chainsaw. Sold out, moved on, and now ride a desk. But always wanted to have an old tj to "play" with. I have no wood to cut really, and my wife thinks I'm nuts, but after 40 years of marriage she just shakes her head. In MT, tj's are not easy to find. But I stumbled across one about 800 miles from here and on pictures and phone calls alone I bought it ($4,000) with shipping about $1500. It looks straight and square, guy says it hasn't been used commercially for many years ("former owner a hippie with a tree farm"), runs strong (453 DD), 4 speed manual, 18.4x26's, Hercules winch needs work, fenders missing, center pin sloppy, one new tire, two really good tires, one really bad tire. Open cab with cage on back only, 8 feet 8 inches wide...owner doesn't know what model it is...I'm guessing older 230 b/c of the 453, but not sure. It arrives tomorrow, right now 32 below zero. Good grief. I'll try and post pictures when I can for help in IDing, but if someone told me I was insane right now I'd probably agree. Signed, old skidder lover of all kinds, but would marry an old tj if I was single.

LittleJohn · February 06, 2014, 02:23:47 PM

I would denfinately say that I am jealous! GOOD LUCK

My first official job, after cutting grass and paperboy was to run a grapple skidder for a local logger/family freind. I thought I was the TOP DOG, being 16 years old and running a machine with BIG O TIRES. What a learning/living experience, would love to go back and do that again, only thing I don't miss about it was having to run the hydraulic heater in the cab in summer time to try and keep the hydros cool. In winter, it was great, -15 with the door open and a sweatshirt

sandersen · February 06, 2014, 02:28:37 PM

Thanks...quite nervous though as 5000 bucks is not easy to part with. But you only live once and life is awful short theses days.

mad murdock · February 06, 2014, 03:07:43 PM

congratulations on the old skiddersandersen, and Welcome Aboard! I like the older iron too, easier to work on, and definitely less expensive to own, especially for the part time user! I love the old Garrett!

thecfarm · February 06, 2014, 03:48:31 PM

Yes,life is too short. Welcome to the forum. You must be around 60? Glad you brought it. No matter what,it will be something to spend your money on. Even better,call it a hobby. Never make money on a hobby,but we sure do have fun.
and this thread,
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,13313.0.html
will keep you busy. Once you figure out what kind it is,put a couple pictures in the thread for us to enjoy.
How many acres you have to play with your TJ on?

Big timber little dozer · February 06, 2014, 03:52:31 PM

should have got a oliver

8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) oliver

sandersen · February 06, 2014, 03:56:55 PM

I love the old Garretts too and thought about buying gone but getting up down on em on bad hips (one articificial) is hard, especially at 60. I like the hobby idea...and sold it to the boss on that notion (welding, cutting, twisting wrenches, cussing).

mad murdock · February 06, 2014, 04:48:32 PM

The old TJ's are definitely easy on-easy off! I would be you have at least a 225, maybe a 230 with the 453. I guess it could be a hopped up 208, cant wait to see the pics! Good for you on getting it, anything to keep the a guy from rusting up is ok, IMO, better than sitting in front of the tube wasting away!

mad murdock · February 06, 2014, 04:50:37 PM

Quote from: Big timber little dozer on February 06, 2014, 03:52:31 PM
should have got a oliver 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) oliver

Cool HTML trick BigTlittleD. Your skills will come in handy around here for sure 8) 8) 8)

thecfarm · February 06, 2014, 04:58:48 PM

That'll make your eyes go crazy. ;D

treeslayer2003 · February 06, 2014, 05:19:45 PM

wouldn't it be a 240 with a 4-53 and over 8' wide?

rockwall · February 06, 2014, 05:26:23 PM

Way to go! You will have a ball with your new machine! It sounds like a good one and can't wait to see some pics.

sandersen · February 06, 2014, 05:42:13 PM

Thanks guys, I feel better already knowing I'm not the only old logger whose gone nuts. It could be a 240 I suppose, half the fun will be finding out with help from all of you. I'm very impressed with the knowledge base on the forum. I'm not much of a computer guy but I'll try to get pictures. 32 below this morning, it'll be like the old days in Maine when we were neat-o with the riggin.

Maine372 · February 06, 2014, 06:08:56 PM

whats your connection to maine? the pine tree state is well represented on this forum.

David-L · February 06, 2014, 06:09:27 PM

Welcome, Sounds like a 240 with a 453 in it unless its' a 230, 225, 208 thats been hopped up. what kind of winch on that bad boy. Ran my Jack hard all day and can't wait to do it all over again tomorrow.

David l

Maine logger88 · February 06, 2014, 07:18:27 PM

Welcome to the forestry forum! Sounds like a good buy on the tj! I would think that with a 453 it would be a 240 as well as a few others said, I have seen one 230 with a 453 but someone put it in it originally came with a 353

sandersen · February 06, 2014, 08:12:35 PM

If it's a 240 then i bought a tj a bit bigger than i actually wanted, but the price was right...at least I hope so anyway. The owner was tough to get info out of...he wasn't really logging much with it...bought it for a small job, paid for it, then it sat for a long time. I asked him how wide, he said 8 feet (the trucker said it was 8-8), he didn't know the model nor a lot else, but the pictures told me a lot. If it's a 240, that's okay, because it's still pretty small as skidders go. And the old tjs are tough to find. The runnin gear will be heavy and rugged anyway if it's a 240. During the 70's I started pulping east of Bangor along the Airline Road with jitterbugs and the old manual oiler Lombard saws, as a kid. Then McCulloughs, partners, jonsereds, and huskies in that order. The timberjack 225 was my favorite...that's a beauty by the way. I like the snow covers. A few ran Clarks, TF's, and a few JD's, but the woods at the time and place in Maine was crawling mostly with the orange demons. The 90's brought on the mechanical harvesters, shears delimbers etc...and the cable pullers were on the way out. It got tougher and tougher. Born in Montreal, moved to Maine as a kid, now in Montana, but the Maine woods is always near and dear. The smartest most capable guys i ever worked with taught me the trade, and many never finished high school.

rockwall · February 08, 2014, 07:04:23 PM

Where are the pics? Is it home yet?

rick f · February 09, 2014, 06:33:14 AM

Around Debloise now there are 24 wind towers in on Bull hill. We ride atv/ utv'v up there all the time now . There are a lot of trails and some of the logging roads are open to ride on. Where abouts did you cut up there?

plasticweld · February 09, 2014, 06:58:07 AM

Quote from: sandersen on February 06, 2014, 02:03:57 PM
For the last few months I've been reviewing this awesome forum and at the same time looking for an old timberjack to restore. I used to own and run tj's in the 70's and 80's when I was a young whippersnapper with a chainsaw. Sold out, moved on, and now ride a desk. But always wanted to have an old tj to "play" with. I have no wood to cut really, and my wife thinks I'm nuts, but after 40 years of marriage she just shakes her head. In MT, tj's are not easy to find. But I stumbled across one about 800 miles from here and on pictures and phone calls alone I bought it ($4,000) with shipping about $1500. It looks straight and square, guy says it hasn't been used commercially for many years ("former owner a hippie with a tree farm"), runs strong (453 DD), 4 speed manual, 18.4x26's, Hercules winch needs work, fenders missing, center pin sloppy, one new tire, two really good tires, one really bad tire. Open cab with cage on back only, 8 feet 8 inches wide...owner doesn't know what model it is...I'm guessing older 230 b/c of the 453, but not sure. It arrives tomorrow, right now 32 below zero. Good grief. I'll try and post pictures when I can for help in IDing, but if someone told me I was insane right now I'd probably agree. Signed, old skidder lover of all kinds, but would marry an old tj if I was single.

I did basically a frame off restoration of my old timber jack. I posted the story and about 20 pictures over on the arborist site. Label skidder rebuild "warning pictures graphic"

I built these bumpers out of 3/4 inch plate, there is just a little over 50 pounds of welding wire in there to glue them all together.

I did center pins, walking beam bushings, blade bushings rebuilt the winch, the transfer case, transmission, the rear end final drives and on the rear of the machine. also did bearings and a new head gasket on the motor topped off with new tires I think I was in the $40,000 range money wise when I got done. not bad for a machine worth $25,000. Not sure if it was worth it or not. You can not beat the Timberjack when it comes to being easy to get on and off. I have three other skidder all of them seem to be miles off the ground by the end of the day at my age

David-L · February 09, 2014, 07:14:19 AM

Nice job, What about that Chevy in the corner. looking for a farm truck to deliver vegetables in the summer to my customers around town.

David l

plasticweld · February 09, 2014, 07:57:47 AM

David I think it still sits there and could be bought. The guy got the truck with the idea that he was going to restore it. I owned at the time a motorcycle painting business along with the logging business and he was talking about me doing some work on it. as far as I know it still sits quietly rusting in the weeds. I will ask him tomorrow what the status is and send you a note...Bob

sandersen · February 09, 2014, 09:53:29 PM

Wow that's an impressive restoration project on that 240 plasticweld...very cool, inspirational. Well, my tj arrived on friday, it was 20 below. Poor choice on my part to have it delivered in winter I guess. The trailer almost slid off the road, skidder and all, we blocked the road for two hours while we tried to straighten it out. Finally tried to unload, but it would not start, couldn't get it off the trailer, too heavy...had to haul it to the local mill where my neighbor (owner) was kind enough to have a giant loader pull it off...where it sits right now waiting for warmer weather to try and start it and drive it home. The tj is older that i expected...maybe mid 60's...and a bit rougher around the edges as well. But it ran when they loaded it. Right now pretty discouraged and wondering if the whole thing was truly crazy...my wife and kids certainly think so. So do the neighbors. Just shaking my head right now.

thecfarm · February 09, 2014, 09:57:41 PM

A few of my neigbors think I am crazy too. They are the ones with the lawn that always need mowing and 1-2 broke down cars in the yard and the ones that bushes are growing up to the front door. They are also the type that,if they don't do it,why would anyone want to do it.

Neilo · February 09, 2014, 11:19:26 PM

Post some pictures when you can. We will be interested to see what model and age it is. If you think it is mid 60's, get a photo of the control lever arangement.