Mini diggers in woodland

[Baldbloke]

Nowadays I'm just a homeowner getting firewood locally for a 60 kw biomass stove and cannot warrant purchasing all the toys I'd really like, like a forwarder. My machinery needs to multitask and earn its keep and even warrant it's secondhand purchase price. I do have a small 20 year old 25 hp 4WD Jap import tractor without a loader but find my 25 year old Yanmar 1.5 tonne mini digger is more versatile and proficient for log dragging up slippery woodland slopes to a trailer. Most of what I'm cutting is clean dry dead elm in thick woodland so the trunks are long and straight. They drag well. I can also use the digger to grade my dragline. I would love a grab (rather than just a bucket) and will maybe one day find one second hand. Plus I can log to size on site by picking up the trunks to a more comfortable height to save my back.  

I realise they're not the ideal machinery for the job, but does anyone else use mini diggers in woodland settings?

[william127]

I certainly do with my 1.5 ton kubota, using a thumb,ripper tooth and rake. I also used to use it power my log splitter before I sold it.  

Have a look at the "show us your diggers thread" over 200 pages of diggers!

[Baldbloke]

1 minute ago, william127 said:

I certainly do with my 1.5 ton kubota, using a thumb,ripper tooth and rake. I also used to use it power my log splitter before I sold it.  

Have a look at the "show us your diggers thread" over 200 pages of diggers!

Will do! Just joined so still navigating my way around the site. Will have to work out picture posting and include mine

[Blake@waveney]

What about a Compact loader?

[Baldbloke]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Compact Loaders said:

What about a Compact loader?

Probably out of my price range, but looks good. My digger is a 25 year old 3k machine. Are the Compact loaders as able over wet clay slopes as a tracked machine?

[richy_B]

You can get a 'thumb' for the excavator pretty cheaply. Or a fixed grab is very good. I have a fixed grab from digbits on my 1.7t komatsu.

 

You could put a round strop when skidding the logs up a bank then use the grapple to load a trailer. Saves a whole lot of back ache! I can lift 200kg bits of log not bother.

[richy_B]

You can get a 'thumb' for the excavator pretty cheaply. Or a fixed grab is very good. I have a fixed grab from digbits on my 1.7t komatsu.
 
You could put a round strop when skidding the logs up a bank then use the grapple to load a trailer. Saves a whole lot of back ache! I can lift 200kg bits of log not bother.

Not the best picture of the grapple. Super useful bit of kit.

[the village idiot]

30 minutes ago, richy_B said:

Not the best picture of the grapple. Super useful bit of kit.

Does that type of grab need to be welded to the boom Richy?

[richy_B]

Does that type of grab need to be welded to the boom Richy?

A bit of it does but it's pretty minor. It has 3 settings on it. It is mainly for how far away you want to grab. Ie the grab is right above the log say 2 metres away, 1 metre away or right up close.

[Matthew Storrs]

DO you find the Digbits grab a bit undersized for the machine- I had one for my old 1.7t digger and ended up welding 1” M16 bolts on to the tips of the grab so that when grabbing larger timber it could still grip it even with grab fully open. Made a massive difference in productivity.