One day the rest of the world will catch on to the fixed grapples. Today with a fixed"clam" grapple I dug a trail across a steep hill, pushed over a dozen or so trees,the bunch couldn't get to. Then hoechucked them to where a skidder could grab them.as well as rehabbed the trail. With one machine. Tough to do that with a "swinging" grapple and with one machine. I will get a video of our clams loading big wood for you frog! 6m part prunes!
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Loaders, Limbers and Roadbuilders.
- Thread starter csquared
- Start date
skadill
Senior Member
Hitachi UH-181
Ex-Roadbuilder on gravel duty.Taken last year,Whos colors were these?http://youtube.com/user/skadill
Ex-Roadbuilder on gravel duty.Taken last year,Whos colors were these?http://youtube.com/user/skadill
Attachments
BDFT
Senior Member
A heel boom loads over the back of the truck. On steep ground they are the only way to load. The butt-and-top loads over the side of the truck, see my pics a few posts earlier. To load with a butt-and-top you need relatively flat ground and the wood should be processed by a processor for best results. The outriggers on the grapple allow you to pick up a large grapple full of wood and straighten it out in the grapple as you swing towards the truck. Its not unheard of for a good loader operator to load 18-20 40-50 cubic meter loads in a day.Typically, in these types of logging operations, the loader operator will seldom see the skidders and never see the bunchers. I have loaded truck with heel booms, butt-and-tops and clam grapples, they all have their advantages and disadvantages like anything else. As for rear entry cabs, they are the only way to go. You southerners will learn eventually.Me too. I have a friend in Canada who swears by them, and wonders why we would use anything else. I can see the advantages in loading small and long wood, but I think we'll be sticking to swinging grapple/heel. Strange people those Canadians
furpo
Senior Member
Some contractors in KT have set ups similar to that grapple for loading stems to the Webb rd yard. Usually they are on 40T size machines and those guys load fast. I wish I had a picture handy.
I quite like the look of the rear entry cab. They look like they are less prone to scratches on the windows from branches etc. Are they usually a factory option?
I quite like the look of the rear entry cab. They look like they are less prone to scratches on the windows from branches etc. Are they usually a factory option?
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Scott S
Well-Known Member
The difference between rear and side entry cabs is about $15,000 on a new purchase.
Atleast 15 000 difference from side to a rear entry. I think our old 322c it was a 30 000 option at the time. Now I believe finning orders all there machines standerd with rear entry as well as brandt.
Our main loaderman is pushin 60 years old, so as far as safety and easy access, rear entry can't be beat. The cabs have way more room in them as well, but that's good and bad as you have to have a bigger a/c to keep it cool.
Our main loaderman is pushin 60 years old, so as far as safety and easy access, rear entry can't be beat. The cabs have way more room in them as well, but that's good and bad as you have to have a bigger a/c to keep it cool.
log frog
Well-Known Member
Are the rear entry's necessary by Canadian Law? I sure liked the look of the one's I saw at your outfit. 'Cept for the colour, that is.
JTL
Senior Member
Haven't they become a mandantory down in Oregon as well Scott? I had heard that OROSHA was pushing that way, but don't know the details.
So on that rear entry cab note..why not just buy a Madill. They come that way?
Scott S
Well-Known Member
Not mandatory yet, I purchased this one first of this year.
John C.
Senior Member
The rear entry cabs have for the most part been rejected in the states for now. No one ever produced any statistics that proved there was a reason to pay all that extra money and put all that extra weight on. The fall injuries from the side entry units just didn't happen. The only company that I know of that required them for awhile was the lazy W and even they quit on that now.
What is happening now is roll over protective structures are being required. It is standard on Cat FM machines now. Somewhere I have photos of a machine that rolled down a draw hitting on the cab several times and both the machine and the operator survived.
I still don't get the Butt-N-Top grapples though. If you have to be on flat ground and only load over the side, then the only thing these are good for is yard work handling pecker poles and pulp logs. The other issue I see with them is being able to balance a load on the trailer when you can only see one side.
What is happening now is roll over protective structures are being required. It is standard on Cat FM machines now. Somewhere I have photos of a machine that rolled down a draw hitting on the cab several times and both the machine and the operator survived.
I still don't get the Butt-N-Top grapples though. If you have to be on flat ground and only load over the side, then the only thing these are good for is yard work handling pecker poles and pulp logs. The other issue I see with them is being able to balance a load on the trailer when you can only see one side.
BDFT
Senior Member
That's what we log here. Bug killed pine. All winter I haven't seen a tree bigger than 12" on the butt and more than 60' long. All dead snags. Lodgepole pine can be 8" on the butt and 6" at 50', Just like a chunk of rope. Try loading that with a heelboom. All you will do is make short logs. Butt-n-tops were specifically designed for roadside logging like we do here in central and northern BC and in northern Alberta. How does 250 pieces to the load sound? I seen some of those go out last week.
John C.
Senior Member
With that many pieces to a load down here they would chip it in the woods and take it out in a walking floor trailer.
At least you are doing something with your bug kill. Down here the greens have it all tied up in the woods doing nothing but making more bug dust.
At least you are doing something with your bug kill. Down here the greens have it all tied up in the woods doing nothing but making more bug dust.
Wdonaldson
Active Member
SPMiller
Senior Member
Hey a local!
Wdonaldson
Active Member
Ya it was South of Chetwynd near Gwilliam Lake. Nice looking machine
HCF
Well-Known Member
Haven't they become a mandantory down in Oregon as well Scott? I had heard that OROSHA was pushing that way, but don't know the details.
So on that rear entry cab note..why not just buy a Madill. They come that way?
I don't think they're required until 2013 or 2014.
There are only a few cab manufacturers that make OROSHA approved forestry cabs. I know for sure that madill and Tigercat are not on the list.
Wdonaldson
Active Member
Komatsu PC300 roadbuilder.
SPMiller
Senior Member
A different feller buncher.
skadill
Senior Member
Oldbuilders
1980's photos from used sales publications.The UH seems to have found itself one very large spruce log.http://youtube.com/user/skadill
1980's photos from used sales publications.The UH seems to have found itself one very large spruce log.http://youtube.com/user/skadill
