Cutting firewood with a Skid-steer

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rx7145

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Sure does make it easier. Got a good two+ cords yesterday. Sorry only one picture.

All wood was for my brother, he has a indoor boiler and still working on wood for this year:bang:
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Nice job, and good to ya helping your brother. Least its T-shirt weather and not (everything you can wear) weather. Having real nice weather here too,70':cheers:
 
Now put a grapple on that steer and you'll really have something!!! Way to go.
 
Got another load today.

We do have a grapple for the skid steer but I dont see how it could work any better. Might try it some time.
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What timing! The wife is hinting that she wants me to replace our 9n, she feels it is not safe in the woods. Have been looking at several different compact tractors, but out of the blue SHE mentioned a skid steer. Any input on how well they do in the woods would be appreciated. I have used them before on flat construction/farm work, but never in the woods with hills.
 
Run steel tracks and keep the heavy end up hill. They will bury a tractor with their agilty and hydraulic speed. Tractors really only have an advantage if you want to run them down the roads, where the skid is limited to @ 7mph.
Ken
 
skid steere

I have a bobcat skid steer and have access to a compact tractor they have there pros and cons . A skid steer is better all around machine it turns on a dime much more maneuverable heavyer duty lifts a heavier load and there are alot if different attachments but they are pricy. A tractor is more versatile. you need a lot more area to maneuver a tractor around obstacles . more attachments and the attachments are a lot less $. What ever you buy good luck
 
A tractor will pull a lot more wood out of the woods than a skid steer,esp in mud and snow.Skid steers are awesome,but a tractor is simply designed to pull better,larger tires,more reduction.If I throw the ag tires on the old 1910 4x4 Ford,and theres any mud or snow,it will outpull my much heavier 80Hp Cat 246 skid steer,although if theres traction forget it,the Cat will rip it around.If you plan to use a Skid steer in the woods,plan on over the tire tracks,as a must.
 
Here's my little gem:

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I love my skid steer.
 
What timing! The wife is hinting that she wants me to replace our 9n, she feels it is not safe in the woods. Have been looking at several different compact tractors, but out of the blue SHE mentioned a skid steer. Any input on how well they do in the woods would be appreciated. I have used them before on flat construction/farm work, but never in the woods with hills.

We've had a New Holland L555 for quite a few years in the woods. Ground clearance bites in a big way, and if it's muddy on the side of a hill, just hold on and see where it stops. I slid ours into a standing tree sideways and the tree went between the wheels. Getting that out was an experience. My opinion,even though I love the little ol' Ford, is go with a compact tractor. They're cheaper, more versatile (ever try plowing the garden or bush hogging with a skid steer?), more ground clearance, lighter (depending), easier to haul and get unstuck, and climbing over the bucket or forks of a skidsteer all day gets real tiring real fast.
 
We've had a New Holland L555 for quite a few years in the woods. Ground clearance bites in a big way, and if it's muddy on the side of a hill, just hold on and see where it stops. I slid ours into a standing tree sideways and the tree went between the wheels. Getting that out was an experience. My opinion,even though I love the little ol' Ford, is go with a compact tractor. They're cheaper, more versatile (ever try plowing the garden or bush hogging with a skid steer?), more ground clearance, lighter (depending), easier to haul and get unstuck, and climbing over the bucket or forks of a skidsteer all day gets real tiring real fast.

What he said X 2 -
 
+1 on the grapple.

We just pile the wood up and then use the bobcat with a grapple bucket to move the wood up and into the truck.
 
Here's my little gem:


I love my skid steer.

The RC30 is very nice,but its in a different league than a skid steer,being a CTL. It will go places no skid steer can go,and do things one cant do either.Im willing to bet the RC30 will go thru just about anything a tractor can,and maybe more,unllike a SS.The problem with the CTL's is operating costs of upkeep on the tracks,and idlers are too high for any use other than commercial industrial.Ive seen tracks get damaged pretty easy on them,and they are not cheap.I love the green track model you have,its footprint is very easy on turf,can run over just abotu anything and not damage it.If money is no object that CTL is very cool.
 
The RC30 is very nice,but its in a different league than a skid steer,being a CTL. It will go places no skid steer can go,and do things one cant do either.Im willing to bet the RC30 will go thru just about anything a tractor can,and maybe more,unllike a SS.The problem with the CTL's is operating costs of upkeep on the tracks,and idlers are too high for any use other than commercial industrial.Ive seen tracks get damaged pretty easy on them,and they are not cheap.I love the green track model you have,its footprint is very easy on turf,can run over just abotu anything and not damage it.If money is no object that CTL is very cool.

Just not very good in the mud or snow. lol
 
The RC30 is very nice,but its in a different league than a skid steer,being a CTL. It will go places no skid steer can go,and do things one cant do either.Im willing to bet the RC30 will go thru just about anything a tractor can,and maybe more,unllike a SS.The problem with the CTL's is operating costs of upkeep on the tracks,and idlers are too high for any use other than commercial industrial.Ive seen tracks get damaged pretty easy on them,and they are not cheap.I love the green track model you have,its footprint is very easy on turf,can run over just abotu anything and not damage it.If money is no object that CTL is very cool.
:agree2:
I tried to talk a coworker out of buying a rubber tracked skidsteer. He bought it anyway then had a lot of buyers remorse after having to replace one of the tracks. He cut/broke it in the woods dragging logs, caught a limb between the track and one of the end sprockets. While he was replacing the track, he found that the idlers needed a lot of work. Rubber tracked models are nice if you can afford the upkeep, tires are a lot cheaper.
 
I am about to join you skidder guys. I have wanted a skid steer for years but couldnt quite swallow the prices for good used and dont need anymore junk around here to work on. One good thing about the current downturn is all that has changed. I just last week purchased an 2001 Mustang 2040 with enclosed cab and all new tires for $4200:cheers: and it is not a worn out POS. I'll post some pics as soon as it is delivered, this week hopefully, the boys is chomping at the bit, LOL. Now I need to find a grapple for it but I have a while to shop, we finished NEXT years wood yesterday.
 
Hey Butch I'm not sure where you are in Ohio, but there is a guy in Huntington, Indiana that sells grapples for 1500.00 to 2k new. I bought one from him and has been a good unit, tough as nails.
 
Hey Butch I'm not sure where you are in Ohio, but there is a guy in Huntington, Indiana that sells grapples for 1500.00 to 2k new. I bought one from him and has been a good unit, tough as nails.

I googled that town and grapple etc and couldnt come up with anything. If you come across anymore info on him I'd appriciate it.
 
I'll agree on points about a skid steer and in woods ability but one thing (unless you have a really large skid steer) is the lifting ability and lifting height. They will out do a CUT but a larger farm tractor will have more lift power and ability to push or pull with a load. The grapple on my Deere weights 800lbs and I still have a 2500lb lift potential. So working along fence rows or edge of th woods the tractor is alright, in the woods a steer is the way to go no doubt about it. Wish I had both.
 

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