Small telehandler for forestry?

[charlieb]

Hello all,

I'm taking over management of a small estate in Scotland with 100ha of woodland. Most of the work gets done by proper contractors, but we sell hardwood firewood and take the odd log to a local woodmizer for sawing. We currently have an ancient 2wd Massey F with front loader and box on the back for logs. Keen to replace this in due course, so I'm just thinking out loud about what would be the best single machine for yard and woodland work. (Landrover pickup does day to day stuff btw.)

 

I've seen the Avant loaders at APF and elsewhere and would LOVE one. But new price is miles out of range, and there don't seem to be many around 2nd hand. So I'm interested in your thoughts on any other small 4x4 telehandlers that have a decent reputation for forestry. And how they'd compare to a small 4x4 tractor (possibly proper alpine) as an all-purpose estate machine. I'd really like to get a small bandsaw mill soon, so it would be used to load that. And a PTO would be useful for flail and possibly future attachments. Likewise 3 point linkage box for firewood be useful...

 

Any thoughts much appreciated. I'm not going to rush into buying anything: for now just trying to get thoughts in order.

[charlieb]

PS I've been an occasional lurker observer on here for ages. Finally posting now. Tanks for all the info over past few years!

[difflock]

Look at Godon Agricultural/Cowlings Agricultural

Cowlings have an absolute honey of an L4100HST Kubota, i.e. 41Hp and hydrostatic transmission, on wide agri tyres, with a proper Kubota loader.

My kinda indestructible (i.e no dry clutch) all round useful multipurpose tool

[Graham w]

i dont have much experience with smaller forestry equipment, the smallest i went was a holder a55 and tractors like ford 4000 and massey 135 etc. you could look at a mid sized farm telihandler something like this http://implements.frasersauctionroom.co.uk/uploads/lot_asset/asset/32895/lightbox_1108.JPG

 

i think that one made 6k (i thought 10-12)and sold. i have worked with a small estate that has a john deere 3200 with a log grab and its performance is excellent. it has very good ground clearance, really strong steering and a short wheel base gives a really good platform to work in the woods.

i replaced our county 1164 with a manitou 741 for hardwood extraction because it would run rings round pretty much anything all day and then drive home!

 

we would get a good days work done with the holder but you would get four times the work done with the telihandler

[Busy Daddy]

We used to use a zettylmyer {small pivot steer volvo }

They are very cheap good ground clearance , fairly good in the woods , with good hydraulic power

You can run splitters from it and probably a hydraulic flail

[Big J]

Lack of diff locks and limited range of motion on axles is an issue. I have a fairly large Manitou telehandler (LSU 628 MLA) and it's relatively poor off road compared to my ancient old Coventry Climax masted forklift which has longer travel axles and diff locks.

 

Might be worth trying to find a good example of one like that with a power hitch. I got my Climax from John Kerrs and I know they have another, but they are loathed to part with it. It will also lift nearly 4 tonnes.

[Tom at Heartwood]

I have a Schaffer 442 pivot steer loader. It's not a telehandler but it will lift to 3.2m. It is probably the most useful and versatile machine that I have. I use it with a loader bucket, log grab, pallet forks, hydraulic log splitter and billet bundler. I have made up an adaptor so that it can carry three point linkage mounted equipment but it doesn't have a PTO. I looked into fitting a PTO driven from the auxiliary hydraulic service but decided that it wasn't worth while. The Schaffer is my main machine in the yard and goes out on site on a 3.5t gross trailer.

 

I looked at and tried avants but decided to go for the Schaffer as they have tough mechanical axles.

[Treemover]

Your going to have to decide on lift capacity first; this will quickly eliminate machines. Then budget or vice versa.

We ran a Kramer 512sl for a decade; would lift 2 ton; yet, compact and extremely agile.

The 312 is even smaller and I think rated to lift 1.5 tons. Go for the deutz powered ones; the Perkins ones gave a lot of trouble and though younger are worth less than the older ones.

They sell for anywhere from €2500-8000 depending on hours and condition.

[charlieb]

Great guys. Thanks. Loads to be thinking about. Heavy lift not too important - accessing small sites for thinning more so. (There is always someone around with a decent lift capacity - either contract farmer or foresters.) And getting around the yard which is an old steading. Encouraging that people think (mostly) that a smallish telehandler would be a good all round machine.

 

Any thoughts on little alpine tractors, like the AGT 835 from Riko. I guess you can't do much without a timber trailer and grab, so the two costs need to be added.