Like you I started with a tractor. In my case a 1989 Ford 6610 (85hp with a loader) but I struggled loading logs on the bed of my LT-15W due to the congestion around my shop. I bought a CAT236 (62hp) wheeled Skidsteer and it’s been a game changer but you are absolutely correct that it chews up the ground around my mill.
Articulated loader with rotating grapple. Yanmar V4 or similar. Quick, turns on a dime, gentle log setting on the mill. Loading logs by hand onto a mill is crazy. Be sure to get the skid steer attachment platform so you can run forks, a bucket or the grapple.
Even if you don't have a sawmill, this is good info. Other than my credit card, I have never had a tool where one design or size was good for all jobs. Even then, having only one card doesn't always work.
Hi, that was great with lots of infprmation. I am at a point that I have a Ford 3600 with FEL and clamp on forks. Just so I can operate, never mind the speed or efficiency. I plan to add a true front fork attachment as one of the first things. I came up with an idea to get a big round truck mirror mounted up on the front of the loader frame to try to see the forks, of course in todays world a backup camera pointed at the forks would be great, too, but the video screen to watch it on like a cell phone, washes out in daylight. My mill does not have lifter arms and I very gently ease a log down on the bed, no banging. Maybe a periscope ?
I have just the basics, big 4x4 tractor with loader and some attachments. No more money at present for additional equipment. Looking at a sawdust blower if possible. I am currently going through all your videos which means that I am neglecting other "chores" that need doing. Lots of really valuable information, just have to convince my supervisor of that....
Great video, Robert! I love forklifts. Drove many different brands and sizes up to 15,000 lbs. at work, but I purchased two when I owned my fab shop. Fun machines. Here at the farm, I only have a 58 horse tractor with FEL and a dozen attachments, plus a Kubota excavator. The funnest drivable machine I've ever owned. 😁 You certainly have your operation squared away! 😁 Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Intresting, I came to say that a Telehandler work great for this :) We bought a 10 year old Manitou 1840 for 30k USD and it works great for both this work but we also use it for lifting a lot of heavy stuff and it is very common that we want to move things further away from the drive way and we also use it with a personal carriage to make job close to ceiiling 4m-5m up in air and even Snow plowing in the winter, so we have it as an everything machine at our cabin :)
Another educational experience. I think that I have 3 things in common with your operation: tractor color (36hp LS) , tractor forks, and sawmill brand (LT40 Wide). I was on a job last fall for a tree guy, he had a new Avant articulated loader. I was impressed with that green machine and at my age (79 in June) its versatility is very attractive. I was in Navy Class A and C schools in 1967 at Corry Field in Pensacola and was wondering how far you are from the panhandle.
My old gas bobcat for logs to the mill,ford 600 getting logs out of the woods but I need to find a loader for it. I’m cheap so I use old equipment that easy to work on plus I don’t want debt it cuts into my fishing boat time! Hope you are staying warm you probably have had more snow than us again up here in NW Ohio 5” total
Greg from northern Michigan. Another great video. I have a JD 3046R tractor (46 hp) with their H165 heavy duty front end loader with JD quick attach front hitch. I can easily change over to forks, dirt bucket, rock bucket, or hydraulic grapple, I added 4 inch wide wheel spacers on all wheels for better lateral stability,, and added rear wheel liquid ballast and a ballast box on the rear three point hitch. With this setup, I can lift approx 1700 lb on the forks up to 10 feet high. However, my forks are not self leveling, so it takes additional time to level the load. I also have a low hour Nissan 5000 lb lift fork truck with side shifting. It's three stage mast can lift 16 feet high. It's very stable on concrete. I have 20 ft x 20 ft concrete aprons on both ends of my large pole barn to load / unload items thru its two 14 ft square roll-up garage doors. I also have 8 ft long fork extender tubes like you have. My final item is a Moritz heavy duty tandem axle 7.5 ft x 14 ft hydraulic dump trailer with low side walls. I had the mfgr derate it's 14k axle rating to show 10k capacity so i could pull it with my GMC 1500 crew cab pickup. It works well for many hauling tasks ... Thanks again for your very helpful comments.
Professor, your channel should change the lumber business. I know that the dedicated will greatly benefit. Thank you for your dedication. This old world needs hardcore folk like you.👍
Question for Mr. Robert Milton: Any tips for cutting super dense wood? Specifically Live Oak, janka hardness 2,680? For perspective, Pig Nut Hickory has a janka hardness of 2,140, walnut has a janka hardness of 1,010, and pecan has a janka hardness of 1,820.
I have one of the most dangerous things about a skid steer is getting in and out of it. I’ve worked on a skid steer before so I know to be careful, but it is risky. Now, if you look at the JBL that has a side door that seems better and I understand what you mean about it being a little uneven in the weight, but I’m told when you’re pushing low, it locks into the body so the full machine is pushing forward, not just the arm. Now I love Kabota, but I’m really considering the JBL.
For me, a 4wd compact tractor/loader with a grapple is ideal. Pallet forks for the loader are doable if you can't afford the grapple. Fairly serious hobby sawmill operator.
No climbing in and out of a small telehandler with side door at near ground level. Plus lifts more than skidsteer. All wheel steer skidsteer is nice on lawns. But wish I had your fork lift.
It was an easy decision for me - start with what you already have... because im poor... use it until the real strong need for something different araises... than try to modify what you have as far and as good as possible and than still wait another 1/2 year to be sure before buying another machinary - and this is if you are a professional ... if its hobby - its much easier to spent a lot of money on it ... hey - its a hobby and its ok that a hobby costs money. 😀
Chip looked right at home in the forklift. I do appreciate all of his advice that you’ve so kindly provided to us. Thanks, Chip!
Like you I started with a tractor. In my case a 1989 Ford 6610 (85hp with a loader) but I struggled loading logs on the bed of my LT-15W due to the congestion around my shop. I bought a CAT236 (62hp) wheeled Skidsteer and it’s been a game changer but you are absolutely correct that it chews up the ground around my mill.
Glad to see that Chip is firmly in charge 🎉
Articulated loader with rotating grapple. Yanmar V4 or similar. Quick, turns on a dime, gentle log setting on the mill. Loading logs by hand onto a mill is crazy. Be sure to get the skid steer attachment platform so you can run forks, a bucket or the grapple.
Another excellent video.. Very informative, and educational gets a person thinking of whats best for my operation
Even if you don't have a sawmill, this is good info. Other than my credit card, I have never had a tool where one design or size was good for all jobs. Even then, having only one card doesn't always work.
Thank you very much for the video sir.
Thank you!
Hi, that was great with lots of infprmation. I am at a point that I have a Ford 3600 with FEL and clamp on forks. Just so I can operate, never mind the speed or efficiency. I plan to add a true front fork attachment as one of the first things. I came up with an idea to get a big round truck mirror mounted up on the front of the loader frame to try to see the forks, of course in todays world a backup camera pointed at the forks would be great, too, but the video screen to watch it on like a cell phone, washes out in daylight. My mill does not have lifter arms and I very gently ease a log down on the bed, no banging. Maybe a periscope ?
I have just the basics, big 4x4 tractor with loader and some attachments. No more money at present for additional equipment. Looking at a sawdust blower if possible. I am currently going through all your videos which means that I am neglecting other "chores" that need doing. Lots of really valuable information, just have to convince my supervisor of that....
Great video, Robert! I love forklifts. Drove many different brands and sizes up to 15,000 lbs. at work, but I purchased two when I owned my fab shop. Fun machines.
Here at the farm, I only have a 58 horse tractor with FEL and a dozen attachments, plus a Kubota excavator. The funnest drivable machine I've ever owned. 😁
You certainly have your operation squared away! 😁
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Intresting, I came to say that a Telehandler work great for this :) We bought a 10 year old Manitou 1840 for 30k USD and it works great for both this work but we also use it for lifting a lot of heavy stuff and it is very common that we want to move things further away from the drive way and we also use it with a personal carriage to make job close to ceiiling 4m-5m up in air and even Snow plowing in the winter, so we have it as an everything machine at our cabin :)
Another educational experience. I think that I have 3 things in common with your operation: tractor color (36hp LS) , tractor forks, and sawmill brand (LT40 Wide). I was on a job last fall for a tree guy, he had a new Avant articulated loader. I was impressed with that green machine and at my age (79 in June) its versatility is very attractive. I was in Navy Class A and C schools in 1967 at Corry Field in Pensacola and was wondering how far you are from the panhandle.
My old gas bobcat for logs to the mill,ford 600 getting logs out of the woods but I need to find a loader for it. I’m cheap so I use old equipment that easy to work on plus I don’t want debt it cuts into my fishing boat time! Hope you are staying warm you probably have had more snow than us again up here in NW Ohio 5” total
Having more than one piece of equipment also helps when you have one break down. It can be getting fixed and you are able to keep on working.
Greg from northern Michigan. Another great video.
I have a JD 3046R tractor (46 hp) with their H165 heavy duty front end loader with JD quick attach front hitch. I can easily change over to forks, dirt bucket, rock bucket, or hydraulic grapple, I added 4 inch wide wheel spacers on all wheels for better lateral stability,, and added rear wheel liquid ballast and a ballast box on the rear three point hitch. With this setup, I can lift approx 1700 lb on the forks up to 10 feet high. However, my forks are not self leveling, so it takes additional time to level the load.
I also have a low hour Nissan 5000 lb lift fork truck with side shifting. It's three stage mast can lift 16 feet high. It's very stable on concrete. I have 20 ft x 20 ft concrete aprons on both ends of my large pole barn to load / unload items thru its two 14 ft square roll-up garage doors. I also have 8 ft long fork extender tubes like you have.
My final item is a Moritz heavy duty tandem axle 7.5 ft x 14 ft hydraulic dump trailer with low side walls. I had the mfgr derate it's 14k axle rating to show 10k capacity so i could pull it with my GMC 1500 crew cab pickup. It works well for many hauling tasks ...
Thanks again for your very helpful comments.
Finally got the right tractor for me on the 3rd try. Would love to have a skid steer too, not enough need at the moment
Skidsteer w. Forklift attachment for me. I already need a Skidsteer for lots of other tasks here, and it is relatively inexpensive
Professor, your channel should change the lumber business. I know that the dedicated will greatly benefit. Thank you for your dedication. This old world needs hardcore folk like you.👍
I already have a tractor , so quick connect forks was cheapest for me to start with . Hopefully this will grow into needing a skid steer.
Question for Mr. Robert Milton: Any tips for cutting super dense wood? Specifically Live Oak, janka hardness 2,680? For perspective, Pig Nut Hickory has a janka hardness of 2,140, walnut has a janka hardness of 1,010, and pecan has a janka hardness of 1,820.
Thank you. Exactly the information I was seeking in my forum post.
That opening music is some fine guitar work. Is it you?
We have a case 60xt skid loader. We just need it to move logs and move lumber to the solar kiln. I had to use it some before I got the feal .
I have one of the most dangerous things about a skid steer is getting in and out of it. I’ve worked on a skid steer before so I know to be careful, but it is risky. Now, if you look at the JBL that has a side door that seems better and I understand what you mean about it being a little uneven in the weight, but I’m told when you’re pushing low, it locks into the body so the full machine is pushing forward, not just the arm. Now I love Kabota, but I’m really considering the JBL.
It really sucks that I cannot edit on an iPad using chrome. The first sentence you should read “I have heard that”.
What about a power hand truck? What are your thoughts.
Very helpful
Dude, you know it!
For me, a 4wd compact tractor/loader with a grapple is ideal. Pallet forks for the loader are doable if you can't afford the grapple. Fairly serious hobby sawmill operator.
Bobcat has a rubber tire skidsteer with 4 wheel steering. Jcb has a side door
For me its my forklift - because all of my yard is paved ... the tractor I use for getting the logs out of the forest
No climbing in and out of a small telehandler with side door at near ground level. Plus lifts more than skidsteer. All wheel steer skidsteer is nice on lawns. But wish I had your fork lift.
Actually you can put a bush hog on a telehandler with 3rd valve
It was an easy decision for me - start with what you already have... because im poor... use it until the real strong need for something different araises... than try to modify what you have as far and as good as possible and than still wait another 1/2 year to be sure before buying another machinary - and this is if you are a professional ... if its hobby - its much easier to spent a lot of money on it ... hey - its a hobby and its ok that a hobby costs money. 😀
why don't you put one of them back up cameras they have cars on your tractor so you can see your forks