Skidders- Tracks ot Tires, Lines or Grapples- Lets see what you've got!

[Caterpillar941b]

Dad and I's swinger parked at our old mill(out of it now).Got it from Cascade Trader in 2004.

i recognize the blue kw in the background. the old skidder looks to be in good shape. is any of this stuff for sale now or is the new owner just leaving it sit?

 

[Caterpillar941b]

Found this beast at Dixon's yard in Elko BC, a couple of years ago.

View attachment 86300

elco bc just a short distance away from me. i know the dixon boys as we bought our timber quotas in alberta off them. this machine used to belong to my dads bushiness partner

 

[DerelictTexture]

Wow...that's a first for me. Never seen that set-up before. Was it any better or worse than FMC style or all rubber?

Mike P

 

[Caterpillar941b]

our old 560

the old 50th year editon 560 tj

 

[Caterpillar941b]

Wow...that's a first for me. Never seen that set-up before. Was it any better or worse than FMC style or all rubber?

Mike P

the things went fairly well and were better riding than the fmcs but the u/c was costly. this was sold to them back in 1990 somthin so i was just a young lad when it was around

 

[theironoracle]

caterpillar941b, that thing is really cool, i would love to see this thing work! i have pictures of this thing that i found googling around, looking for "track skidders", i have to wonder if this would catch on now with the price and availability of cat 527's the way they are.. the production per turn i would think would be 2x's that of the 527 for what a guy could presume would be about the same cost per hour, i think it would fit in the niche of clearcut to steep for wheels, to flat for yarder, to long for shoveling say 400 ft+ average skid? what do others think?............................theironoracle

 

[Caterpillar941b]

caterpillar941b, that thing is really cool, i would love to see this thing work! i have pictures of this thing that i found googling around, looking for "track skidders", i have to wonder if this would catch on now with the price and availability of cat 527's the way they are.. the production per turn i would think would be 2x's that of the 527 for what a guy could presume would be about the same cost per hour, i think it would fit in the niche of clearcut to steep for wheels, to flat for yarder, to long for shoveling say 400 ft+ average skid? what do others think?............................theironoracle

if they coulod make the track system last as good as the 527s i think they would be reall good machines for steep terrain as well as muddy ground. i have some pics of a 527 i will throw up to

 

[Caterpillar941b]

caterpillar 527

check out my youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/caterpillar941b i have vids of most of the machines i post as wellas new vids going up every couple weeks

 

[SBeange]

Hi SBeange: It seems to me you must have first hand knowledge of the Can-Car factory and the Tree Farmer skidder made at Thunder Bay. Care to share?

Brian

Brian,

I was exposed for many years to timber harvesting during my time with our Provincial Gov’t and my father-in-law worked at the Can-Car factory during the period Tree Farmer’s were made here.

During my field work on logging operations I developed a keen interest in all things mechanical but especially skidders. And while Timberjack was the most common Tree Farmer’s were of particular interest.

Having pulled together a history of International Harvester Trucks 1950-75 and Cockshutt Tractors I then started on Can-Car Tree Farmer Skidders. I was very surprised at the pictures and other info on the webb for TF skidders. My biggest problem is stopping as something new is always cropping up. And just when I think I may have things worked out a curve ball comes zooming in from left field.

Scott

 

[fitzpatrick]

Hi SBEANGE:

I figured you had some inside info somehow about the Tree Farmer skidders. Is there there any activity at the Can-Car factory these days?

When I was 16 I learned to fly out of SS Marie in a Fleet Canuck 80 on floats. I heard a rumor the Canucks were built at the Can-Car factory back in the late 1940's. Is there any truth to this?

I am slowly transferring old photos to disc and have a few of the Tree Farmer C-7 model we used to swing logs to the beach on a show just out of Vancouver. I'll send you a pic or two when I can. I think Derelict Texture has a few C-7 pics of retired C-7 skidders here on the coast. Check out his photos in this Forum. Brian

 

[spitzair]

Here's somebody's grapple skidder creation we found this summer...

 

[fitzpatrick]

Geez! Considering all the time, $ and hassle it took to create that screwed up grapple idea, wouldn't it have been easier to just use chokers!

Well, I can't say every idea I ever had was a good one. I'm sure whoever made this may have been quite proud of it. One can only hope.

Check out the brush/land clearing forks someone welded to the blade. Kind of an all purpose machine.

 

[SBeange]

Brian,

Can-Car no longer exists. The factory was taken over by Bombardier and now they manufacture rapid transit cars - subways and trains - for customers all over Canada and the US.

Fleet Canada 80 aircraft were not built at Can-Car although Hawker Hurricanes and Douglas dive bombers were during the war.

Appreciate any pictures you can provide.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[fitzpatrick]

Hi SBEANGE:

Pleased to hear the factory is busy and providing local jobs. We have the right to work but work is not a right. The devil is in the details.

I will send pics when I get them but may have to get my chum Derelict Texture to insert them. I've tried but my pics are too big for the system. I have had good help on this matter but I have bad luck with electric stuff of all types. On occaission I have put out the lights just by walking into a room. I have to watch football and hockey alone.

Most of my pics are Clark and FMC skidders. When I had my first skidder in 1960 or so, a C-5 at SS Marie I didn't get many pics but have a few. Brian

 

[DerelictTexture]

Here is a video ( no sound ) of several different models of the LeToureau diesel/electric log skidders. Pretty cool machines for their day. Their used to be one or two of them at Vic Walters property in Porpoise Bay, parked there for years. I think that at least one of them was taken to someones collection of old logging gear.

[video=vimeo;35343215]http://vimeo.com/35343215[/video]

 

[mike 360*]

Cracking pair of Countys there Mike......in their typical environment..........worth a bit as collectors machines now

lots of countys used here in herefordshire over the years in forestry operations that ive seen mate! heres some more pics!

 

[mike 360*]

 

[loggers son]

S8 International

with 666c lurking in the background

 

[Caterpillar941b]

tj

our 560

 

[theironoracle]

great machines, looks like the woods do around here with just a skiff of snow..................theironoracle