One hitch...

[HiTech]

out today. Just as day the started it wasn't bad. Got back to the woods and it started snowing real hard. Got 4 trees down and limbed and hooked up and started out. My glasses had snow on the inside and outside. lol Makes it kind of hard to see. Got to the landing, unhooked the chokers, parked the skidder and called it a day. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

[Ed_K]

Tomorrow is going to be -4  .

[Firewoodjoe]

We left two machines running tonight. Calling for -13

[DDDfarmer]

Calling for -34°c with a wind chill of -40 to -50 tonight here.

[HiTech]

12 below here this morning. Guess it will get above zero but barely. Haven't decided whether to try it or stay home. lol Maybe give it a 1/2 day.

[thecfarm]

Them temps are some brutal day after day.

[coxy]

We left two machines running tonight. Calling for -13

please don't take this the wrong way   but what would happen if one started to loose oil pressure or broke oil line now you are out thousands for a motor or hydro pump or even if one burnt up and at least 100 bucks in fuel letting them run all night  is it really worth leaving them run for that big of a gamble  ;D

[treechopper40]

I worked all day with the high winds a snowing like crazy I got my load of wood on the truck around 530 and called it a day this morning I got up it was 14 below I went back to my nice warmbed and stayed inside all day

[1270d]

26 below at my place this morning.  First time this winter we didn't work because of weather.  worked on the pickup some, sharpened some chains and drank lots of coffee.

[barbender]

I've fired up the forwarder on quite a few -35°F days this winter. It usually eats up an hour and a half getting going on those days, my preheater usually needs some coaxing those mornings. It has been a brutal winter up here, I'm not whining, I sit in a warm cab all day unless I break something. But man it would be a bugger working a chainsaw and pulling chokers.

[barbender]

One plus side to this cold is that it is knocking back a lot of insects, both native and non native, that have been wiping out our timber. I've been working in a stand of tamarack the last few days that is about 50% dead from an infestation of some sort. We haven't had the cold in quite a few winters to keep populations in check.

[Firewoodjoe]

Well when we Ieft yesterday the others shut them down! Ugh. And our machines are fairly new. Maintained well and they don't really burn much fuel.  We have left them running many times. Shut them down check fluids and do a once over and let her go. The hydro axe's have digital read out and burn .4 gallons an hour at idle. Batteries and starters and hoses aren't cheap. Like I said the guys shut them down it hit -24 and only one started right off. Took two hours to get things rolling (with 4 guys on payroll) then slashed 3 drags and the slasher blew 2 hoses. And that's a 2013! Now u have down time and parts. It's worth every penny if you know your machines.

[JDeere]

I have lost count how many days we worked this winter when it was well below zero when we started in the morning. This AM we had -12*F when we got to the yard. When I left the woods at 4:30PM it had warmed to zero. I decided the best way to get warm was to start working, cutting & skidding. I didn't get cold until I stopped for lunch and my feet were freezing while inside our woods camper. I have said it before, the best thing I ever bought for my skidder was an Espar heater. Run it for 20 minutes and the skidder starts like it's July.

[Firewoodjoe]

Yeah sounds like it works well for you. Never heard of the heater before. We have a power inverter in the service truck and a few minutes with the ready heater and the engine starts. Then more time for the hydraulics to warm. My 648 wouldn't even pick the arch of the ground after 45 min running. A friend of mine use to work for a construction company and they didn't even shut down to change the oil! Dump it in till it runs out clean put the pug in and got to work. Now that's pushing your luck

[1270d]

You should look into the espar type heaters Joe.  Set the timer and when you show up in the am the engines warm as well as the cab.  The exhaust of my espar goes through the hydraulic tank so it heats the hyd oil as well.  Ten minutess warmwarmup, exersise the hydraulics a little and away you go.

Several brands out there, espar, webasto, proheat

[Firewoodjoe]

I googled them. Interesting

[timberlinetree]

Working isn't that bad here it's standing on the landing talking that freezes me or driving the open cab skidder. Chopping and dropping in this weather I kinda like it ???.putting on ten pounds of clothes and trying to find Sox's isn't much fun and Marcia complained about the smell of cooking oil coming off my overalls that I park next to the wood stove at nite :D. Gotta love it.

[Jamie_C]

The espar's and similar brands make a huge difference. I am currently running a Tigercat 855 with a Waratah 622B head on it, it doesn't have an espar system but has what they call "Service Mode" ... you turn on the service mode button and the fan runs in reverse pulling air through the main rad before it hits the rad for the hydrauliuc oil. This effectively blows warm air on your hydraulic rad and will heat up your fluid pretty quick.

[LittleJohn]

Used to run an old TimberKing/Jack Grapple Skidder, and that thing LOVED cold weather.  It had a couple of extra hydraulic radiators in the cab, so after about an hour or so of running with outdoor temperatures below zero, you would have to drive with the door open otherwise you would start to sweat.  I rarely had to wear long underwear, ususally just a sweatshirt, when I ran that monster.

Also, we loved the cold weather in Northern MN, swamps and lowground would freeze up and you could get to spots that where marginal at best in the summer