best machine for loading wood at jobsite?

[jabuteyn]

i am in need of a piece of equipment to load and move wood at the jobsite and was wondering what some of you guys use and what you think is the best. for example skid loader or tractor or toro dingo

 

[ATH]

I think a Gehl or Avant are the best options with a grapple attchment

 

[timberland ts]

I have a 743 bobcat skidsteer with a full 66" bucket and grapple. I can easily move 28" wood 8' long. Nice thing with the bucket you can clean up rakings and stump grindings.

 

[MackenzieTree]

Skid steers can tear up a lawn sometimes you could put plywood down everywhere but the better experience I've had are with tractors/loaders no bigger than 40hp, 4x4, quick connects in the front for forks bucket or grapple. The don't tear up the lawn from turning

 

[Saw Dust Smoken]

A piece of equipment can be dual purpose. Up north in snow country. Get what works well for that also.
We use a small skid steer. Wheeled type. Around 1,000lb lift capacity. Grapple for brush. Pallet forks for logs. Bucket for grindings and dirt work. Can load skid steer on one ton flat bed beside stump grinder. Or in trailer with brush \ logs. Larger machines will take a trailer by itself.

 

[treeman82]

I've been around mini-skids, track skids, tire skids, and TLB's of various sizes. What has worked best for me has been the ~50 hp TLB. It can pick up enough weight so that you don't get impatient waiting, doesn't tear up the lawns, and can be used for other tasks. The down side to the TLB however is that it's not as maneuverable as the track skid steer. I've had to rent those before to get into certain places that the TLB would never get out of.

 

[RandyMac]

988

 

[2treeornot2tree]

One piece of equipment isnt going to be able to do every job. I have a dingo 425 wide track, and a cat 236 loader. I have used both of them on tree jobs depending on what was needed to be done.

 

[Zale]

What is your budget?

 

[TheJollyLogger]

We have a '91 Manuel, and an ' 88 Luis, they work great.

 

[TreeLogic]

Love my CAT 232B with overlay tracks and grapple bucket. I cut logs 9' long by walking them off with my boots. I then grab the logs by the ends and carefully feed them into the chipbox on my dump, leaving a few inches to close the tailgate. Made sure when i bought the grapple bucket that it would fit inside the chipbox. Only the largest and heaviest logs have to be cut shorter. It's not optimal but it works. Skidsteers will mess up turf. Nobody operates the machine on a customers job but me as minimizing damage takes practice. Mats or plywood definitely help. Get the wood to the street 1st and do the loading there. However, the asphalt will limit the life of your tracks. Would love to have a Gehl. Heard some good things about Swingers too. If you have the dough, an articulating wheeled unit would be the way to go.

 

[old_soul]

My vote is for a mid size skid loader. We use a 773 bobcat with forks to load out logs on the jobsite.

Best money I ever spent. One major benefit of having the loader is that you don't have to buck up the logs at the job. 90 percent of the time the logs go out in 6, 10 foot lengths.
Then you can process them, or dump them, wherever.

The downside is it won't fit through small backyard gates, etc. Just depends what your clients properties are like. Big loaders are heavy and will track up a lawn. Lay down plywood, or track in the same ruts to minimize damage.

I will price in restoration with the job. Especially if we are grinding stumps. If they will not allow a loader in for large wood, OK, on to the next job. My back is too old to be wrestling wood around by hand.

Good luck

 

[mellonhs]

We have a '91 Manuel, and an ' 88 Luis, they work great.

Hahahahaha holy cow man Lmfao hahahahaha I can't stop laughing hahahahaha

But they are cheaper than what everyone else is suggesting that's for sure.

 

[flushcut]

But they are cheaper than what everyone else is suggesting that's for sure.

Well not really. I have a Vermeer s800tx I bought for 33k and change with a BMG, broom, and scoop and I get about nine to ten hours run time per five gallons of diesel. So lets say you are paying your the amigos 15k each per year, on the low end, plus workmens comp. You can have a machine payed for in two years or less and never have to worry that they got picked up by Imegra or a blown out back and be ten times more productive and profitable.

 

[mellonhs]

Well not really. I have a Vermeer s800tx I bought for 33k and change with a BMG, broom, and scoop and I get about nine to ten hours run time per five gallons of diesel. So lets say you are paying your the amigos 15k each per year, on the low end, plus workmens comp. You can have a machine payed for in two years or less and never have to worry that they got picked up by Imegra or a blown out back and be ten times more productive and profitable.

So that machine runs itself? You dont pay anyone to operate it?

 

[flushcut]

So that machine runs itself? You dont pay anyone to operate it?

No but I wish it did, and yes I pay myself handsomely.

 

[logging22]

Prentice 210. Works every time.:msp_thumbup:

 

[Naked Arborist]

988

Come on now. Most of us don't move a half a house at a time.

Avant looks nice but poor website and attachment info.

 

[Goose IBEW]

Has anybody been around the A series Bobcats? I hire my brother when needed, his A300 is very kind to turf, I was very surprised.

 

[Fairbanks Stump]

Gehl AL20DX

I use a miniature articulating loader with a Branch Manager log grapple for those who have never seen one it wont tear up the grass like a Mini Skid it is 1/2 the width of a small bobcat and it Sill still lift 1800# it will turn around a pole and not damage the grass!
check out this video

Gehl AL20DX - YouTube

this Little Machine is worth its weight in gold! it only weighs 2300 less than my stump grinder!