Zackman1801
ArboristSite Guru
it really depends what your going to do with the tractor and what you have to cut, where, when. A big tractor 100hp plus can be good for actual logging, ive seen alot of videos of people using them on youtube overseas. You also have to factor in the size of wood, if its big or small, you have to factor in the terrain and the location, and you have to know if your going to run into mud or slippery times. A tractor can be a valuable logging tool because it has easy attachments that you can add on to the PTO and the hydraulics much easier than to a skidder. But if you do go with a tractor you must make sure you prepare it for the woods, Add a belly pan to protect the under side. Add a fully enclosed cab with sufficient ROPS, Make sure the tires are puncure resistant or else you will be constantly fooling with flat tires, and they aint cheap! you also want to make sure that all of your hydraulic hoses are tucked away so that you wont snag them on branches and other trees and break them. Like i said a tractor can be valuable if its used correctly.
Now onto a skidder. You must be careful when buying other peoples used junk. People frequently buy a skidder and abuse it and beat the snot out of it and then leave it by the side of the road. It looks nice, but when you get to looking at it you realize that the engine is going to need parts and that other stuff is going to need to be fixed and that costs big bucks. You also have to be careful because skidder parts for some are hard to come by these days because of the age of some of the machines. A skidder can pull alot of wood but it can turn into a headache quick if you dont get a good one.
Now onto a skidder. You must be careful when buying other peoples used junk. People frequently buy a skidder and abuse it and beat the snot out of it and then leave it by the side of the road. It looks nice, but when you get to looking at it you realize that the engine is going to need parts and that other stuff is going to need to be fixed and that costs big bucks. You also have to be careful because skidder parts for some are hard to come by these days because of the age of some of the machines. A skidder can pull alot of wood but it can turn into a headache quick if you dont get a good one.
With my winch theres nothing I can't get.As I said in previous post though it's not high production, good for personel use but I'd never try and make a living with it.Nice part is with PTO I also have a back hoe, post hole driller etc. I look at it like a swiss army knife, lots of different blades and tools, none as good as if you had specific tool for each job but way cheaper.
