Crane thoughts.

[JRM]

Put a headache ball on it....be good for setting rafters with a couple Yoders running the ridge boards.

 

[GenXer]

Doesn’t look like it would be good for big logs by the lifting chart.

 

[pdqdl]

Well, based on your cartoon, I would have to go with the Avant...
Oh but wait, I've run them both in the real world...
Sorry Mets, but those little articulated loaders are worthless in the real world. You haven't run either, so I don't understand how you could have an opinion.

I'm surprised to hear you say that.
Are you disliking that brand, or just the "small articulated loader" concept?

On a pound for pound basis, how are they any worse than a skid steer?

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I'm surprised to hear you say that.
Are you disliking that brand, or just the "small articulated loader" concept?

On a pound for pound basis, how are they any worse than a skid steer?

Everyone I have run , pound for pound, was high center of gravity, underpowered, and high maintenance... very tippy, just totally inferior to even a dingo.

 

[pdqdl]

I can see the underpowered consideration, but I think there may be a better way of looking at that. Compare their capacity to the horsepower (not weight) of other machines. They seem to be designed around maximum capacity and operator comfort for as light a machine as can be built.

Per pound of machine, they have very respectable hydraulic specs, and their "pin-height" at maximum reach is awesome for a relatively small machine.

I'd call them a trade-off of power vs. capacity compared to skid steers. Yeah, I've never had my hands on one, either, and cannot comment on reliability.

Articulated loaders are a bit tippy anyway, regardless of the size. I'll bet that would change a lot if you took those little machines and mounted the tires extra wide. That might get a bit wild if the wheels haven't enough clearance between them in a tight turn when extended wider, though.

 

[JRM]

I wish I had a picture of it, but the tree guy I get my fire wood from has this little loader with a grapple on it. The first time I showed up there with a dump trailer and a flat bed and saw what he was going to use to load me, I turned to my friend and said "I can see were going to be cutting a lot of these logs in half."
Boy was I wrong. That stinkin' little machine is incredible for the size of it. Here is some pictures of the logs he's loaded up for me. This is all hard woods, and most are green. All cut less than a year ago. My little 35hp Kubota struggled to even lift one end of a few of these off the 3pt. Forget about picking them up with the forks.

 

[ZinTrees]

What WAS it used for in the past?

not trees...

 

[mikewhite85]

I wish I had a picture of it, but the tree guy I get my fire wood from has this little loader with a grapple on it. The first time I showed up there with a dump trailer and a flat bed and saw what he was going to use to load me, I turned to my friend and said "I can see were going to be cutting a lot of these logs in half."
Boy was I wrong. That stinkin' little machine is incredible for the size of it. Here is some pictures of the logs he's loaded up for me. This is all hard woods, and most are green. All cut less than a year ago. My little 35hp Kubota struggled to even lift one end of a few of these off the 3pt. Forget about picking them up with the forks. View attachment 1116729View attachment 1116730View attachment 1116731View attachment 1116732View attachment 1116733View attachment 1116734

I feel cold just looking at this picture! Winter will arrive soon.

Regarding the crane, I think the OP has his answer!