skidsteer/mini

[swampy036]

I am looking to get a skidsteer I was wondering what people are using. I want to load logs on to a 14' steakrack. Back yards are not a big deal. We have alot of large sugar maple so weight might be an issue, thats why I think I am not looking for a mini. I found a couple of older T190's, but they are foot control.

 

[SkwerI]

Lots of guys around here have skid steers and almost all of them destroy every yard they touch. Just a fact of life with that type of machine. I know two guys with articulating loaders and Dat Is Da Chit. One has a Swinger and the other has a Kubota articulating loader and both of them can pick up more weight than a skidsteer and they do way less turf damage.

 

[Koa Man]

I also much prefer an articulating loader vs a skidsteer. My Gehl Advantage can run over even wet lawns making turns with no worries about tearing up the grass.

 

[RIVERRAT]

I am going to take ownership of a Ditch Witch articulated loader here before to long.

 

[Jamin Mayer]

I am going to take ownership of a Ditch Witch articulated loader here before to long.

Which model? R230 or R300? How much are they running for anyway?

I considered one too. But a couple of things prevented me from it. They say 36" wide. Okay fine, it will squeeze through a gate if you force it. Will that crack wood? Will customers whine about it?

In addition, they don't even talk about lifting height or lift capacity. And since the units are light weight, I would think their lift capacity is low.

But, their advantage of being faster and turf friendly might offset the extra cutting of logs to keep it within the lift capacity.

Maybe it like "Six of one half dozen or the other"?

 

[squisher]

Ramrod 950 with about 90hrs on it so far. It sure as hell beats lifting, dragging, just about anything I used to do by hand before. Brings a whole new element to how you can do things. I would never go back to working without one. Monday I bent my BMG so it wouldn't close all the way. Today everything stopped until it was fixed (easy fix).

Oh yah I run across turf no problem, just pick straight shots is all and plan your turns. With the turf tires I've got on I can do some mild turning on grass but no spinning it around.

 

[squisher]

Mini+autofeed+horsepower= easy peasy.

 

[stehansen]

I'm the oddball around here as I use a tractor to load wood. Won't go in a small gate but it will pull trees over pretty well. I would go for an articulating loader as well.

 

[squisher]

How's it on turf?

A BMG on a mini will stuff the chipper with no handling that's what I like. All we do now is make piles of limbs right around the dropzone and then it goes real smooth. Hell sometimes I bomb it all and then just start grabbing and stuffing, still works fine.

 

[stehansen]

It's a little tough on turf as the front tires are kind of small. It will lift approximately 1500 lbs. to a height of 8'. If the lawn is dry it's no problem. My bucket is built to handle stump grindings and dirt or whatever also. I loaded broken concrete with it last weekend. I'll get you another picture showing the bucket. I think Squisher may have been teasing me and I didn't realize it until now. Canadians

 

[squisher]

Score one for the Canadians!

 

[sotc]

justin, what did you bend? pics?

 

[stehansen]

Score one for the Canadians!

Yeah, well, you guys could use one.

 

[Frans]

Seems like an innovative machine.
I would like to see one in action

 

[lumberjack]

Ditch Witches don't lift much and they don't lift it very high.


I'd go for an A300 by Bobcat, or an articulated loader.

 

[Frans]

Ditch Witches don't lift much and they don't lift it very high.

I have not met anyone who has actually worked with this machine as it is so new on the market.
Ditch Witch minis are different than this machine.

But no matter, it does look about the same capacities as the Kanga?

I have so many small gates to go through that it has to be a mini. Or humping with a hand truck..

 

[swampy036]

Well I found a thomas 35DT for 7500 how much do the branch managers weigh and cost. Will I be able to lift 600lbs with this unit?

 

[lumberjack]

I would shy away from Thomas tracked units, converting it to tires probably wouldn't be that hard.

BMG is $2k and weighs around 200lbs. My Thomas 25G can lift 7-800lbs with me on the back of it.

 

[swampy036]

Why stay away from the tracked machines? I thought it would be better.

 

[squisher]

justin, what did you bend? pics?

I didn't grab no pics. It was my own dammed fault. I always take my bucket with me everywhere I go just in case I need it. I take it with me by just grabbing it with the tips of the bmg. Well I forked up and when I went to grab it the bmg twisted sideways and closed all the way with the edge of the bucket between it. It bent both beaks slightly so that it would no longer close on itself, the beaks hit instead of the small one folding into the larger one. I took the beaks off put them in my buddy's press and beat them straight with a sledgehammer. Took longer to pull the four bolts than to restraighten them. So no fault of the bmg just operator abuse.

 

[lumberjack]

Why stay away from the tracked machines? I thought it would be better.

Parts are a collosal PITA to come by. Thomas's track's idlers/rollers are plastic=high wear.

Dave and I pondered if Ram Rod parts would work for replacement parts.

If all you're trying to lift is the grapple and 600lbs, you're safe getting a wheeled machine. My Thomas can heel the 450lb ramps on level ground, although it's borderline tipping. (Heel= grab at the end and stick them straight out). If I grab them about half way forward and let more of the ramp get behind the grapple, it's better. The only time I heel it is when I'm placing a single ramp to make a bridge across a ditch or other hole.

 

[William Greene]

here's my skid steer at work.

the pile of wood with snow is this winters haul, it's already sitting in some one's elses yard drying
the others are this spring's haul,heading out daily :what:
and my boy taking his first shot at knot bumpin' age 13. and he's running the processor while i load the deck
we all gotta start somwhere

 

[OTGBOSTON]

Cool pics William!

Weather must be getting real nice in your neck of the woods right about now.

 

[Paul B]

William G, welcome, always nice to see some new blood on the forum, good to see your young man getting in the mix, hate to be a nay sayer but he needs some PPE. chaps and eye gear would be a nice start to a safer career.

 

[lumberjack]

IMO, eyes and ears are a near must, Chaps are situational. If they weren't so effing hot, then it wouldn't matter, but I'll pass on the heat stroke and roll the dice on getting cut.

Cutting on flat ground with solid footing is far different than cutting in thick brush, on a hill, in the rain.