Five Things to Consider When Buying Forestry Equipment

Forestry isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes a special kind of grit, resilience, and determination to make it in this wild industry. More than that, it takes the right type of machinery. The many different forms and functions of forestry equipment have various skill sets that enhance one another, creating a streamlined and efficient operation from end to end. This puts a lot of pressure on your machines to perform, and on you to choose the right one. Knowing which machine is best for you can be a hard decision to make with so many different options and factors to consider.

We understand how important trust and confidence are in your machines. So, to keep you from feeling lost in the woods, we’ve compiled a brief introduction to forestry equipment and what to consider when searching for the best logging equipment for your business.

Most Common Forestry Equipment

Before choosing your next piece of forestry equipment, it’s important to remind yourself of what’s available. Since every great solution begins with a solid understanding, let’s start with a quick summary of the most common types of logging equipment.

Feller Bunchers

Feller bunchers are a type of harvester capable of cutting, holding, and moving multiple trees at once. With a single large rotating saw, feller bunchers can quickly and easily cut through various tree sizes. The perfect logging equipment for clear-cutting operations, feller bunchers provide the speed and efficiency needed to meet high product quotas.

Harvesters

Harvesters are a type of heavy forestry equipment used on cut-to-length logging operations that can fell, delimb, and buck logs to various sizes. They feature a fully articulating head and long telescopic cranes, which gives them a level of dexterity and precision that feller bunchers lack and allows them to reach specific trees.

Log Loaders

Log loaders are used to move, stack, and sort processed logs. They typically feature large, curved grapplers capable of grabbing multiple logs simultaneously and a knuckle boom crane. Incredibly versatile, log loaders are the hands of a forestry operation and can be used for everything from loading and unloading trucks and delimbers to daily job site organization.

Forwarders

Forwarders are articulated trucks used to transport processed logs. They feature a large flatbed, boom crane, and grappler for loading and unloading timber. Forwarders are used primarily on cut-to-length operations and work in tandem with harvesters, replacing the need for skidders and log loaders.

Grapples

Grapples are forestry tools that can attach to wheel loaders and other forestry equipment to increase their carrying capacity. With their large, curved jaws, grapples make moving and organizing processed logs more efficient and offer tremendous support on loading and unloading sites.

Delimbers

One of the most useful and famous pieces of forestry equipment, delimbers work hand in hand with feller bunchers. While there are many different delimbing methods, the three most common variations are gate, pull-through, and flail.

Matching The Machine to Your Method

Forestry machines are finely tuned pieces of equipment. When put in the right place, these machines have the potential to make you unstoppable. However, put in the wrong place, the only thing they’ll be cutting into is your bottom line. That’s why it’s so important that the forestry equipment you choose matches the harvesting method you use.

Clear-Cutting

Clear-cutting, also known as the full-tree system, cuts down all trees in a designated area. Popular among loggers for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness, clear-cutting requires heavy logging equipment capable of meeting high quotas and extreme demands. The best machines under this method are feller bunchers, skidders, delimbers, log loaders, and grapples. While some harvesters can be used for clear-cutting operations, they’re limited in the number and size of trees they can cut. This makes it very difficult for them to maintain the productivity levels necessary for this environment, causing them to fall dangerously behind. This can cause a ripple effect that forces subsequent machines into longer wait times, which leads to excessive downtime, and can severely impact your productivity and profits.

Selective Logging

Selective logging, also known as cut-to-length, is a method of harvesting in which only specific trees on a lot are cut down, usually chosen for their height, diameter, or species. Here, power isn’t enough. You need a level of precision and dexterity you can only get from harvesters and forwarders. A feller buncher won’t do you much good, as they lack the range of motion and finesse necessary to maneuver through dense stands without causing a lot of residual damage. Since harvesters have delimbing, bucking, and stacking capabilities, additional forestry equipment like skidders and delimbers are rendered redundant, and log loaders are unnecessary since forwarders can load and unload themselves.

At the end of the day, it always comes down to which machine will work the hardest for you. At Chadwick-BaRoss, we offer a wide selection of innovative forestry equipment for sale that is capable of meeting the demands of both clear-cutting and selective logging operations.

Operator Safety

Now that we’ve narrowed down our search for the machines that meet your needs, it’s time to start looking at some of the finer details like operator safety and comfort. Forestry is an inherently dangerous industry with an incredibly high risk of large falling debris. When exploring different forestry equipment, you want to ensure they have a solid cab built to handle heavy impact. This is especially important for feller bunchers as they have to get right up to a tree to cut it, unlike harvesters, which can do it from a safer distance.

While inspecting the cab, take note of the visibility it provides. Out here, it can be very easy for objects or even crew members to blend into the trees, so it's incredibly important that your machines have a clear field of vision. Fire is also a huge risk in forestry, so you want to make sure the machine has an up-to-date fire suppression system or at least a well-inspected fire extinguisher.

Operator Comfort

Operators are sometimes required to work long days and weeks to get ahead of changing weather patterns and amended deadlines. Operator performance is essential, so you want a machine that is as comfortable and easy to use as possible. The ideal is a cab that’s adequately insulated from noise and provides ample heating and cooling. Look for intuitive, ergonomic controls, adjustable seats with great suspension, and high-quality HVAC systems.

Good operator safety and comfort features are essential in this industry. However, they may not be immediately apparent and can be overlooked if you don’t know what you’re looking for. To ensure you don’t pass over the perfect machine, partner with the forestry equipment experts at Chadwick-BaRoss. With their vast knowledge, they can provide clear and comprehensive rundowns of all our equipment, pointing to key features and benefits that fit your needs.

Purchasing Used

Your machines are an investment. Like all investments, you want to make sure they perform well and give you the best ROI. If you’re looking to utilize a machine’s entire lifecycle or replace one nearing its end, buying new is your best option. However, there are many situations when purchasing used forestry equipment is not only a viable and cost-effective solution but can also be the better choice.

With their considerably lower upfront costs, used forestry equipment is an excellent option for smaller businesses working with tighter budgets, but their possibility goes beyond that. Used equipment can also benefit growing businesses, allowing you to expand your fleet while maintaining a positive cash flow. Since the value of used equipment doesn’t depreciate, it’s also a great way of acquiring machines you don’t use all the time. For example, if you’re taking on the occasional clear-cutting gig or need a little extra support on larger jobs, used forestry equipment might be the best choice.

When chosen for the right application, used equipment can perform as new. We offer a wide range of fully serviced used forestry equipment, which we hold to the same standards as our latest models.

Whether you’re looking to increase your fleet, explore efficiency opportunities, or break into this dynamic and exciting industry, the experts at Chadwick-BaRoss are here to guide you.  We’ll work with you to create an equipment solution that fits your current needs and budget while setting you up for the future. With the right machines from the right people, you can be unstoppable. Contact us today.