Hey.....Gypo.....Skidders???

[caryr]

 

[woodshop]

Rich, a new JD540 cable skidder will run you a paltry $130,000 base price or you can get a loaded JD648 grapple for $230,000. Rich if you want to play with a skidder then I can arrange for you to take mine for a spin, I'll even let you play with the dozer and dump a few stems.

guys I haven't run a skidder since 1982 when I ran a timberjack grapple skidder for a pulpwood company, along with a Franklin feller-buncher. I have to tell you though, it was a LOT or fun and I would give anything to work one for a day again, if only to see if I still could handle the thing. Hard work bouncing around through the woods, got a workout, neck would sometimes ache from looking over my shoulder working the grapple when I was in a hurry, but I enjoyed it. It wasn't much fun when a hydraulic line would bust and spray oil all over you, and it would of course break where it was a mother to get at and fix. But I enjoyed that work a lot. Gypo have to say you look pretty darn cool on that skidder. You are right... if you can't work on your own equipment, its gonna cost you plenty. We did lots of our own stuff, using another skidder or the head on the feller buncher as a makeshift winch/hoist for when taking off a wheel or pulling a transmission.

 

[trimmmed]

Hey Rich, the loggers showed up at the job site last summer, with a brand new Timberjack, OMG what a nice machine,

 

[Ryan Willock]

I'm partial the new franklins but they don't have the dealers that deere and cat have. I also don't need a machine that large for what I do. My 130 does every thing that I ask of it and more, not to mention it doesn't stomp down the woods. Its about the same size as John's straight 540 maybe a tad bigger and putting out 100hp.

 

[Timberjackboy]

I know of a early 1990s model ranger 665 that went for $11000 canadian and it only had 4000 hours on the motor. Good shape too, but buddy wanted some quick cash money.