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apples and oranges

Started by furltech, October 30, 2014, 05:42:20 AM

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furltech

I know there is going to be no real answer to this but i was kinda curious as to the production of a smaller cable skidder say a c4 or a 230 . I know it will depend on terrain and wood but if i had some sort of guidelines.it would surely help right now, my plan is ten cord a day with two guys and i believe this is very doable but was curious how far i am off .our wood is not big by no means .i  have cut for a skidder before but that was way back at the start when i started in the woods and i had lots of other things on my mind being young and dumb in all .i maybe could have benefited from paying more attention . taking the cutter out of the equation i am just wondering about the skidder going at a steady pace and not trying to break records or equipment .i realize this will be hard to answer but just picking everyones brains

David-L

Honest answer, I have a 225 Jack and a few saws and on good ground and good wood I can cut, skid and deck 3 to 5 cords of pole wood daily, or if doing saw logs in Pine 2500 to 3500 mbf. Hardwood with size 2500 or so. I have cut more on very large pine and hardwood ,but those are trees have 1000mbf in them bucked up.. I am not a speed demon and work safe and slow usually.
Cutting 10 cords of pole wood with two cutters is possible I guess. I have never worked along with another cutter. Be careful of speed as it can make you cut corners which in this game can be, well you know what I mean.

                      David l 8)
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

furltech

I hear you david .i prefer to go home with all the same parts and and holes i started with so i do pay attention to safety .now with your numbers are you cutting and running the skidder your self ?

David-L

Just me, I usually cut for a few hrs when I get to the job site then start up the machine and run it to pick up whats on the ground and then repeat. I was not counting pulp from the pine or hardwood in those #'s. I am Leary of those who say they can cut a load everyday of saw logs for a tri-axle, that would be a long day. I figure I am there 7 to 8 hrs with those #'s.

                                 David l

                                             
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

furltech

Ya we are not trying to break any records just want to make a pay .I  am pretty sure i wont be cutting a triaxle load of wood a day in the first lot i am going to lol .Thanks for the input

treeslayer2003

i do one tractor trailer load a day useualy in big timber. 540 or 666 clark. about 4000ft.

thenorthman

I get about one load a day, 3 mbf or so (7-8 true cords?).  I've gotten 3 loads in one day but that was an exceptional day.

Mostly work alone, seems like production doesn't really go up any when working with someone. Just makes life a little easier.

Lately though it seems like a load every other day, steep ground, mud, back leaners, short ground and everything needs topped or pulled over...
well that didn't work

furltech

ok well then i think my numbers are not to far off then.thanks for the input guys

loggah

The 230 is quite a bit more skidder then a c4,its more equal to the c5. everything depends on the logging chance,wood,terrain, and distance of the skid.
Interests: Lombard Log Haulers,Tucker Sno-Cats, Circular Sawmills, Shingle Mills, Maple Syrup Making, Early Construction Equipment, Logging Memorabilia, and Antique Firearms

tj240

the numbers seem right. i would go with the 230 better machine basically the same repair cost, just a beter machine good luck.  go light and go often
work with my father[jwilly] and my son. we have a 240 tj 160 barko[old] works great three generations working together

RunningRoot

I have a C4D and am a one man operation 70% of the time...

By myself In good hardwood 18''+ and landing in an ideal place I can cut, skid, buck and load about 1 Tri axle load a day ( 4,000bdf). This is of course when everything go's right and it does make for a long day...
I can say, now that I have my C4D I almost wish I would have went to a 230 or C5D sized skidder, but it will do fine for me over the next few months and then upgrade...
A log in the hands worth two in the bush !

Maine logger88

In average wood (if your average wood is like our average wood) with two guys 10crd should be very possible. If it were me I'd go with the 230 out of the too nothing wrong with a c4 just a 230 is a little bigger and I'm a tj fan
79 TJ 225 81 JD 540B Husky and Jonsered saws

eichenberg93

In average sized wood my brother and I cut between 2-3 loads of logs (15-22000 Ft.) But that is when its a nice skid and
conditions are right. Lately its been alittle muddy.... took both skidders to get to the road last week :o   

BargeMonkey

 Ten cord a day with 2 guys is pretty good, like everyone said it all depends, no lot is the same. Ive gotta say, the older jacks are tough, my 230 would wallow thru the mud loaded till it was falling off and all she wanted was fuel and 1qt every other day. Nothing like a 353 echo up thru the valley. With 2 skidders going, wood on the ground from the Timbco or hand cut ahead, and someone slashing we can hump out 1-2 loads of logs and 1-2-3 loads of firewood a day. No job is the same. Ive got a monster lot for the spring, going to lay 90% of it down before we even start skidding, 60-75 cord a day is my goal to start.

David-L

I would go with the Jack, simple  to fix and parts available. Just get double up earplugs and the detroit will treat you right. with these #s I guess I should stop birdwatching at work, no more binoculars in the skidder for me or guns.

                                     David l
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

HiTech

A C4 will skid all the wood I can cut in a day. But if you are young and full of steam then you will want a bigger machine. A 230 is a bigger machine...I believe they even have bigger tires....18.4 x 34. Many love a Detroit and they are good motors but I couldn't run one all day. If you are a mile or so away from me I love hearing them run then. lol When I am dead and gone another old fart will be able to do what I do with it. If taken care of it will be around for another 50 years. I have had some big trees behind it and it has always gotten them to the landing. Treat them or any machine right and they will serve you faithfully for years.

furltech

all good advice guys and i appreciate it i maybe wasnt clear and i should not have worded it so that i was comparing the skidder .i was mostly concerned with the production in  general .i know i can cut for a porter and i average four cord a day cut and piled myself .so i should be able to do ten just cut and limbed i would hope .i guess we will see  8).

Corley5

I like Tree Farmers but it's easier to get on and off a Timberjack.  An average of ten cords a day is a reasonable figure  :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Woodboogah

I cut by myself and skid with a 240 jack.  I average about a truck load of sawlogs a day, 3.5MBF.  Of course there are a lot of variables some days more some days less.  Good luck! 
Keenan Logging & Tree Care, LLC

SliverPicker

If I can get into 16"-24" wood I can do a full load + in a day.  Cut, delimb, top and skid.  30 tons of dead dry pine in 8-10 hours. This is with a C5 with a grapple by my self. I wish I had about 200 acres of this type of timber to chew on for a season or two!

Once I get in to smaller, crappier wood 6"-10" I can do about 1/3 to 1/4 load per day.  Throw in tons of blown down junk to drive over and production in 6"-10" falls to 1/10 load per day. This is what I've been in since July.  It doesn't pay.

Yooper by trade.

bill m

Your right, there is no real answer to your question. Size of wood, terrain, length of skid, how heavy the lot is marked all come into play as to how much you can pull in a day. One of the biggest things is your work ethics. If your the type of logger who doesn't use wedges or care where the tree lands, doesn't care about saving any regeneration or scaring trees, cuts the logs off at the first limb and doesn't cut the tops then you will pull a lot more with a little 440 JD then the guy with a 740 JD who does just the opposite.
NH tc55da Metavic 4x4 trailer Stihl and Husky saws

David-L

Bill M, your post is right on the money. Love it when the service forester shows up and says were's the slash.

                                                David l
In two days from now, tomorrow will be yesterday.

redprospector

Hmm, I think I'll throw some grape fruit in with the apples and oranges. Pretty soon we can have fruit salad.  :D

This is a little 4 acre job I just finished. It was all Ponderosa Pine, and between the small saw logs, and the firewood I estimated it at about 40 cords.
I spent 12 days on this job by myself and that includes 1 1/2 days of break down and mulching the brush and tops.
I didn't figure the job was big enough to haul my skidder in, and did it all with my Bobcat. I now think it would have gone a lot quicker with the skidder.


  

  

 
This one figures to about 3.33 cords a day by myself, including mulching. So if you've got the wood, with 2 guy's, 10 cords a day is doable I'd say.
1996 Timber King B-20 with 14' extension, Morgan Mini Scragg Mill, Fastline Band Scragg Mill (project), 1973 JD 440-b skidder, 2008 Bobcat T-320 with buckets, grapple, auger, Tushogg mulching head, etc., 2006 Fecon FTX-90L with Bull Hog 74SS head, 1994 Vermeer 1250 BC Chipper. A bunch of chainsaws.

furltech

I know it is confusing with so many variables and different ways of doing things everywhere .The wood in your photos redprospector is very comparable to  the lot i am on now(Nice looking thinning by the way ) .i would say mine is taller but butt size is the same .this lot i am on is a clearing job so that should speed it up some for me also .all in all  i think things look good  for buying a skidder .and i will give the old atv a rest .

timberlinetree

So much depends on the job. Chopping can slow us down quite a bit. Hunting club wanted chopped to a foot or two. That will slow things down compared to leaving it 4' high which some want to slow deer brows and some just don't care. I like to chop low as possible but with economics some times it's not feasible. The job we are on now, maple saplings is what we had to be careful about running over,that slowed things down. Lots of cabling. Next a clear cut so that will be quick then more crop release cutting which will slow things down. Sometimes we cut all week long and not get any wood out(wet times or in spring dropping firewood trees) other times all we do is haul and get lots of wood out. I agree that this is a tough one to answer.
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