Excavator for Firewood

[clint53]

I've been cutting firewood since 1976 and big trees have been magnetic for us.
Now I can cut them in sections and cut rounds over the trailer.
For my wife 65 and me 68 it will be a big back saver.

 

[grizz55chev]

I've been cutting firewood since 1976 and big trees have been magnetic for us.
Now I can cut them in sections and cut rounds over the trailer.
For my wife 65 and me 68 it will be a big back saver.

Nice, now it's about getting used to it!

 

[clint53]

Nice, now it's about getting used to it!

Thanks.
Yep.
It's not as easy as watching the experienced guys that make it look so fluid like.
Getting it in my head as second nature will help a lot. So time in the seat is required.

 

[grizz55chev]

We milled this weekend for a friend, he rented a skidsteer, to move the logs around. He had never operated one before, so it was awkward at first, but buy the end of the day, he was doing quite well.

 

[clint53]

We milled this weekend for a friend, he rented a skidsteer, to move the logs around. He had never operated one before, so it was awkward at first, but buy the end of the day, he was doing quite well.

Skid steers are awesome machines. I operated them off and on for 43 years at the paper mill I retired from.
You have to turn the handles loose if it gets to buck jumping with you.

 

[ErnieG]

They are a excellent all around machine ..isn't much you can't do with an excavator.
It will take some getting used to if your new ..be patient and you'll be a pro in no time !
My seat every day ...loading tri-axles today .

 

[rancher2]

Clint53 Your posting has me thinking again how I would like a excavator. I sold my towable backhoe a while back and need to start looking at mini excavators again. I have rented a eight thousand pound machine a couple times but would like a ten or twelve thousand pound machine with a hyd thumb on it for the farm. Enjoy the new {TOY} tool. It won't take long and you will be a pro with it.

 

[clint53]

They are a excellent all around machine ..isn't much you can't do with an excavator.
It will take some getting used to if your new ..be patient and you'll be a pro in no time !
My seat every day ...loading tri-axles today .

Thanks Ernie
I could tell a big difference after 4 stumps from the first one. I just need more seat time to get better.

 

[clint53]

Clint53 Your posting has me thinking again how I would like a excavator. I sold my towable backhoe a while back and need to start looking at mini excavators again. I have rented a eight thousand pound machine a couple times but would like a ten or twelve thousand pound machine with a hyd thumb on it for the farm. Enjoy the new {TOY} tool. It won't take long and you will be a pro with it.

Thanks much.
An excavator was something I had a want for for decades. I just got to the point that I didn't want to die not ever having one.
The many things that can be done with one is never ending.
Good luck on getting one.

 

[CUCV]

Congrats Clint! The 304 is an amazing machine, such a great size. I bought a 303 size machine years ago for one job but really wanted a bigger 305. I instantly fell in love and my father was very excited that he had an excavator in the family. After all these years the 303 size has served my needs well and a friend has purchased a 305 that I can use when needed.

 

[clint53]

Congrats Clint! The 304 is an amazing machine, such a great size. I bought a 303 size machine years ago for one job but really wanted a bigger 305. I instantly fell in love and my father was very excited that he had an excavator in the family. After all these years the 303 size has served my needs well and a friend has purchased a 305 that I can use when needed.

That's terrific.
I didn't know much about the sizes until last fall when I started studying them.
So I ended up feeling the 304 was just the right size for me, for what I needed it for and hauling it with the Chev diesel truck I have.
I'm going to buy a 14K GW tilt trailer. If I had gone any bigger than the 304 then I would have had to go up in size on the trailer also.
Take care.

 

[capetrees]

Thanks.
Yep.
It's not as easy as watching the experienced guys that make it look so fluid like.
Getting it in my head as second nature will help a lot. So time in the seat is required.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excavator_controls
On the newer models, you can switch from ISO to SAE or visa versa, depending on what you have (it looks like you have ISO controls currently, the right hand control, curled in, closes the bucket, also known as John Deere control). It doesn't matter if you have a Deere or a CAT or any other machine, the systems are set up differently. Some people prefer the SAE (backhoe/CAT controls) over the ISO (excavator/Deere controls)

On the computer panel in the cab of the machine, you can go into the menu and change the controls. https://www.pon-cat.com/application/files/6715/3537/9466/C748938.pdf
Try both to see which one you're more comfortable with. Personally, I like the ISO.

 

[clint53]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excavator_controls
On the newer models, you can switch from ISO to SAE or visa versa, depending on what you have (it looks like you have ISO controls currently, the right hand control, curled in, closes the bucket, also known as John Deere control). It doesn't matter if you have a Deere or a CAT or any other machine, the systems are set up differently. Some people prefer the SAE (backhoe/CAT controls) over the ISO (excavator/Deere controls)

On the computer panel in the cab of the machine, you can go into the menu and change the controls. https://www.pon-cat.com/application/files/6715/3537/9466/C748938.pdf
Try both to see which one you're more comfortable with. Personally, I like the ISO.

Thanks.
I tried the SAE and went back to the ISO. The ISO pattern was what I had studied leading up to buy the machine.

 

[Skeans]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excavator_controls
On the newer models, you can switch from ISO to SAE or visa versa, depending on what you have (it looks like you have ISO controls currently, the right hand control, curled in, closes the bucket, also known as John Deere control). It doesn't matter if you have a Deere or a CAT or any other machine, the systems are set up differently. Some people prefer the SAE (backhoe/CAT controls) over the ISO (excavator/Deere controls)

On the computer panel in the cab of the machine, you can go into the menu and change the controls. https://www.pon-cat.com/application/files/6715/3537/9466/C748938.pdf
Try both to see which one you're more comfortable with. Personally, I like the ISO.

Sae/Cat controls you have backwards, ISO/backhoe is left hand curl in/out.

Sae lay right hand is all boom functions, right hand joystick
Right down: main boom down
Right up: main boom up
Right right: curl out or dump
Right left: curl in

Left joystick
Left down: stick out
Left up: stick in
Left right: swing right
Left left: swing left.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ErnieG]

Sae/Cat controls you have backwards, ISO/backhoe is left hand curl in/out.

Sae lay right hand is all boom functions, right hand joystick
Right down: main boom down
Right up: main boom up
Right right: curl out or dump
Right left: curl in

Left joystick
Left down: stick out
Left up: stick in
Left right: swing right
Left left: swing left.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On my machine a Komatsu PC 390
ISO is cat controls and SAE is backhoe controls .

 

[clint53]

Sae/Cat controls you have backwards, ISO/backhoe is left hand curl in/out.

Sae lay right hand is all boom functions, right hand joystick
Right down: main boom down
Right up: main boom up
Right right: curl out or dump
Right left: curl in

Left joystick
Left down: stick out
Left up: stick in
Left right: swing right
Left left: swing left.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep I typed it wrong. Thanks.

 

[clint53]

Getting more seat time. I need all I can get.

 

[ErnieG]

Pretty soon you'll be makin music with it !
Ernie

 

[clint53]

Pretty soon you'll be makin music with it !
Ernie

Thanks Ernie
The last time I used it, I felt like I was less skilled than before. Which I've experienced before with other such things.
It's just going to take a little more time for this old dog to get it.
I operated a skid steer of and on for over 43 years before I retired, but this is so different.
Clint

 

[U&A]

Thanks Ernie
The last time I used it, I felt like I was less skilled than before. Which I've experienced before with other such things.
It's just going to take a little more time for this old dog to get it.
I operated a skid steer of and on for over 43 years before I retired, but this is so different.
Clint

Best advice I can give...

Slow down and literally say out loud what each control is doing as you do it.

Verbalizing things and hearing them will speed up the learning process


Sent while firmly grasping my Redline lubed Ram [emoji231]