Best tool so far...

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tylorklein

tylorklein

Member
Sep 8, 2014
66
Minnesota
(Other than a saw). Bought an older skidsteer a few months back and I can't believe how awesome it is for firewood work. Had a MASSIVE boxelder that was hung up in an even bigger oak I hope lives forever today and without that I wouldn't have even messed with it. A few wheelies later it was down and by the shed for bucking and then the fiskars.

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The bottom (was split into two trunks) was so big even the 24 inch bar took some effort to get through it. Had to chunk it into many 8 to 20 foot pieces to pull it all out of the woods. Forgot to grab pics of the bottom pieces (nothing even remotely close to that oak from the other thread but have an oak about half that stove 15 feet up and horizontal when I get the courage and ambition) but biggest I've messed with so far in two months of my new addiction...
 
I hear ya. Bought the compact tractor I should have bought 25 years ago this year. No more jackassing stuff with a garden tractor. Just do it with bucket or pallet forks. And that big leaner that has been hanging up there for two years is about to get yanked down.

Taking this one to the Gear room.
 
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Thanks - wasn't paying attention to where I posted. Also learned (3 broken tow straps later) to not screw around and use a heavy chain for pulling them down / around.
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Learned that about 4:25 pm this afternoon myself for loading monsters on the bucket forks. >>

BTW: Great prices for really good forks for skid steers at palletforks.com. Not pimping them, just endorsing based on my purchase. Don't know how or why I ever lived without them all these years.
 
Do you have a separate set of forks from them or the clamp on? I was actually looking at the clamp on ones the other day but a bit worried how well they would work / how they would hold up. My Gehl is pre-universal attachment so I haven't had any luck finding forks for it and an adapter to go universal is like $800 by itself.
 
Those are good prices. Better than what we can get around here and there's at least 3 manufacturers within 30 miles of here.

My wife thought they would never use the forks I told her they needed for the farm, bet they get used at least 2-3 times per week. They get used to take ground feed to the cows in 5 gallon buckets, to stack round bales on their flat sides, to load and unload bags of seed and fertilize, to move 200# protein tubs, and etc.
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tylorklein said:
I was actually looking at the clamp on ones the other day but a bit worried how well they would work / how they would hold up.
Click to expand...

Clamp ons to a bucket will reduce your "pick" weight because it extends the forks out by the length of your bucket. Not a deal breaker, just something to keep in mind.
 
I don't like the clamps on because they're too dependent on the strength of your bucket.
 
Skidsteer would be very nice....highly maneuverable. I find the 3PT winch on the back of the tractor even better. I can drag an entire tree to the woodshed. I usually will cut the trunk in to two or three sections, and then a big top section, and pull them all in together in one trip. Then buck at the woodshed and hopefully the wife/kids have the rounds out of the roadway when I get back with the next one.

While the winch is great, one does end up making quite a few trips from the back of the tractor to the load, as it gets hung up on one thing or another it seems. The tractor can sit some 150' away from the tree.....it is a great tool. Pulling down snags has never been safer.
 
Stay away from the bucket clamp-on forks if you can. In addition to reducing your lift weight as mentioned, I've seem too many buckets gone FUBAR with them.
 
If you plan on splitting box elder with a Fiskars, you're going to have a bad day.

My 27 ton splitter has a harder time with box elder than it does with oak. Lol.
 
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Haha. So far only a couple tough ones I've set aside but at some point I'm sure I'll give in and bust out hydraulics. Now I tried a couple with my dads old steel handle mega maul the other day and I can confirm that if you maul when you're supposed to fiskars you're definitely gonna have a bad time...

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Foton TE354 from Northern Tool.

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Agree on the skidsteer. Got a 1990 Case 2 yrs ago....but the biggest addition was a Stump Bucket & grapple for $550...brand new. Nothing like being able to pick up stuff with a big pair of pliers!!!
 
I hope that my new toy will be of use for firewood (and a lot of other things)
 

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BrotherBart said:
Foton TE354 from Northern Tool.

View attachment 148441
Click to expand...

Keep us up-to-date on how it does. They're nice looking tractors and at an almost unbeatable price. I've heard Foton puts out some nice stuff.

As far as color, my wife and sons equipment shed looks like a Christmas tree, red, orange and green. They buy according to need, price and performance. I hope the new Kubota M7 series, 130-170hp, has Deere shaking on the hooves. There's one JD tractor here a 5065M and the only reason it's here is because it weighed about 2000# more then the comparable Kubota and was actually cheaper because it was being phased out of Deere's line. That other green thing with a seat is riding mower according to my wife, she won't call it a tractor, it's lifelong farm girl in her. Behind it is a JD grain drill.

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In case anyone is wondering you need to be careful taking your best tool ever into low areas to try and pull out trees down across creeks after unusual warm spells. An hour plus shoveling later and I'm hoping the huge hole around the skidsteer freezes tonight so it stops sinking in the mud and I can get it out...
 
Oh no! Can you use the bucket to push yourself out? I've been stuck several times in skid steers, but have always been able to drop what I'm trying to haul and push my self backwards while driving. I'm sure you've tried though. Hopefully a hard freeze and maybe some splits or unwanted rounds wool get you moving again
 
Ya its so soft that pushing out didn't work. Actually dug to the point of standing water... I hope a good freeze and 100' foot of chain plus 4x4 truck gets her out. If not I guess I'll post some epic buried in mud pics.
 
tylorklein said:
Ya its so soft that pushing out didn't work. Actually dug to the point of standing water... I hope a good freeze and 100' foot of chain plus 4x4 truck gets her out. If not I guess I'll post some epic buried in mud pics.
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Either way you'll smile afterwards I bet. Still a great tool. Wish I had my own skid steer! Or tractor of any kind for that matter. I'm fortunate that I can usually borrow one or have a friend come help if one is needed.

Good luck and I'll be watching for them pictures[emoji2]
 
Have any old tires off rims? I've used them to get track machines out of stuck situations, put it/them under rear of the direction you are trying to back out of, the tracks will grab the tire and suck it under while providing traction and flotation. We have walked dozers out of some crappy situations with a few old tires. Not sure about a tire skid steerer but it's worth a try. And pictures are a must, the first thing we do if someone gets stuck is to take pics to send to all our buddies and then get the chain ;)
 
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