How do you operate a skidder?

[oldseabee]

668 had 504 Cummins, 668C had 555 Cummins. 667C had 378 V6 Cummins as option.
504 would be a tight fit (V8), probably have to move engine mounts and get shorter drive shaft or push the front end out a little. Trans and convt are the same in both machines. 668 and 668C had bigger axles and bigger Rad, could have heating problems and depending on tire size and ground conditions, could have axle life problems. You might try the "Forestry Forum" for more info on operating. Link below:
http://www.forestryforum.com/

 

[Hillbillybjopkr]

ya I moved up here from Quincy a few years to run stroker. My pop's logged up in this area most his life. I remember commin up here with him when i was small. We're workin out in Scott's Valley right now

 

[Kiwi Logger]

There is only one way to run a skidder as I was told first time I was thrown in a cab of a 668C foot hard on the gas and dont touch the brakes!!!!!!

 

[Hillbillybjopkr]

There is only one way to run a skidder as I was told first time I was thrown in a cab of a 668C foot hard on the gas and dont touch the brakes!!!!!!

Also.....If you don't at least try to flop it every other turn.....your not doin it right

.......what brakes?

 

[bme.3log]

Hold it to the floor and keep it there

 

[Born2clearcut]

Don't let Fear and Common Sense hold ya back , Wood it down and get it to town.

 

[Vigilant]

One of the biggest mistakes I saw made back in the day was to actually sit in the driver's seat. Back then, skidders were like scrapers: you kind of half-sat, half stood behind the controls, so that when you bottomed out hard, you did not have to stop and scrape your kidneys off the floorboard. Back then, skidders were made to do two things: pull logs to the landing, and kill the operator. Actually, we called the landing the deck down South here.

I liked the old Timberjacks most of all, partially for the steering lever in lieu of a steering wheel, and partially for the suspension. Too bad the winches seemed to suck on a TJ. I'm not an experienced skidder operator, but I also ran a few Franklins, most of which had already been worn out four or five times. That was a prerequisite in the North Carolina woods back then for any skidder. I often wondered who had to do the dastardly deed of breaking in a new machine for the first 20 years or so. I also wondered where I had to sign up for that.....

 

[BDFT]

There is only one way to run a skidder as I was told first time I was thrown in a cab of a 668C foot hard on the gas and dont touch the brakes!!!!!!

The 668's never had much for brakes anyway. The 668B's spent a lot of time on their roof too. But, like the man said, you can't make any money with all four wheels on the ground.

 

[orb353]

I had an old man that ran skidder for me for a few years. He was the best skidder driver I ever had. He was steady. He did not run in the highest gear, but he was steady. Sometimes, trying to go too fast will just ruin the machine. A steady pace is the best.

 

[mike 96 ws6]

Keep 2 things in mind...

Everyone has posted so much usefull information in this thread, and, although it's an old thread, I'd like to add a few ideas for thought if you haven't aquired a more health oriented occupation
Bellboy, If you have heavy equipment experience then the basic machine functions will come quickly.
As already posted, you'll need to used caution in order to stay alive/healthy ect. when driving a skidder
your main objective (other than safety) will be to learn how to 'get the wood - out of the woods Depending on geographical location, skidder drivers need to obtain a knowledge of the terrain. You'll need to keep track of where the timber cutter (saw operator- feller buncher ect) is located. (If you work with a crew that uses chainsaws to fell timber then your #1 duty is to know where the saw operator is - Human life is more valuable than a big, pretty; high $ log!!!).
The trucks need to be loaded when there is enough of that type wood at the loader to load 'that truck'. Trucks need to be loaded quickly so if there is not enough of 'that type wood' at the loader, then you'll need to search through the timber already felled to drag that type of wood to the loader in order to load that truck quickly. Remember, the trucks sometimes make long trips to deliver the load to the mill, specified by type of wood, sometimes several hundred mile trip

 

[Bellboy]

Everyone has posted so much usefull information in this thread, and, although it's an old thread, I'd like to add a few ideas for thought if you haven't aquired a more health oriented occupation
Bellboy, If you have heavy equipment experience then the basic machine functions will come quickly.
As already posted, you'll need to used caution in order to stay alive/healthy ect. when driving a skidder
your main objective (other than safety) will be to learn how to 'get the wood - out of the woods Depending on geographical location, skidder drivers need to obtain a knowledge of the terrain. You'll need to keep track of where the timber cutter (saw operator- feller buncher ect) is located. (If you work with a crew that uses chainsaws to fell timber then your #1 duty is to know where the saw operator is - Human life is more valuable than a big, pretty; high $ log!!!).
The trucks need to be loaded when there is enough of that type wood at the loader to load 'that truck'. Trucks need to be loaded quickly so if there is not enough of 'that type wood' at the loader, then you'll need to search through the timber already felled to drag that type of wood to the loader in order to load that truck quickly. Remember, the trucks sometimes make long trips to deliver the load to the mill, specified by type of wood, sometimes several hundred mile trip

Interesting... It seems you do selective felling (terminology?) of natural forests (concept?), whereas down here we grow genii like pine, eucalyptus and acacia for our commercial timber needs; pine for saw-logs (mostly), eucs for pulp and paper, acacia for bark and timber (timber is crooked, sometimes you can get a load into the pulp mills, other days take it to a charcoal burner). Anyway, use of skidders in this country is mostly limited to pine tree length operations, with a few used in extracting eucalyptus short round wood.

Since starting this thread I have indeed gained some operating experience, although not on timber equipment, mostly just TLB's and tractors and the like, and discovered timber is not quite my thing anymore (as much as it is my brother's, who's help was needed to give the detail on forestry ). Anyway, thank you for all your comments.

 

[mike 96 ws6]

Interesting... It seems you do selective felling (terminology?) of natural forests (concept?), whereas down here we grow genii like pine, eucalyptus and acacia for our commercial timber needs; pine for saw-logs (mostly), eucs for pulp and paper, acacia for bark and timber (timber is crooked, sometimes you can get a load into the pulp mills, other days take it to a charcoal burner). Anyway, use of skidders in this country is mostly limited to pine tree length operations, with a few used in extracting eucalyptus short round wood.

Our company usually clears cuts everything, then the land is re-set, so very little selective felling other than 'Select Cut', oak hardwood logs, which are saved till last to be cut by chainsaw only. (feller buncher tears the woods grain too severe to use it for these cuts).
I drove a skidder when I lived in Ocala FL at our horse farm and understand about the crooked tree species down there. Aggravating to deal with on a skidder!!!

Since starting this thread I have indeed gained some operating experience, although not on timber equipment, mostly just TLB's and tractors and the like, and discovered timber is not quite my thing anymore (as much as it is my brother's, who's help was needed to give the detail on forestry ). Anyway, thank you for all your comments.

IMO, you were very wise not to pursue a job driving a skidder. I'ts a hard job that requires the physical ability to withstand being thrown around violently inside that cab all day long. The skidder man is the only person who has to work every minute of the day (other than lunch break). I've been driving for 21 years and still have spots from hitting stumps for 10 hrs today.

 

[mike 96 ws6]

hmmm. unauthorized outlaw skidder racing.
that sounds like a felony.

Yep, that's a felony, and I'd like to find out who took a Sunday joy ride on my skidder a couple of weeks ago and let the front tire catch the door, which we can't afford to replace. So this endangers my life daily having to run it with the door tied shut with a strap because it will no longer close to latch. At least they didn't run it into the lake or shoot it up like some instances I've seen in the past. Gee, sure are a lot of people who discredit loggers/logging, but they don't complain about the wood that built their house, or the toilet paper they wipe the butt with. Go figure...

 

[mike 96 ws6]

I had an old man that ran skidder for me for a few years. He was the best skidder driver I ever had. He was steady. He did not run in the highest gear, but he was steady. Sometimes, trying to go too fast will just ruin the machine. A steady pace is the best.

A wise man indeed, especially if you understand the cost of equipment repair. In the past, Cat, (which is what we have always used) seemed to always have the most expensive machine repair parts on the planet, but now days all the other equipment manufacturers seem to have followed Cat. Gee, no wonder why most of the logging company's around these parts have closed the doors. My boss is a very few $ from loosing our company. So, seeing as how I need a job, I drive my skidder very conservatively. Hell, in addition to my needing a job, I'd certainly rather drive it than work on repairing it!!! JMO