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July August 2004

New & Noted at the Forest Expo 2004

Forest Expo, Canada’s top forest industry show held in Prince George, BC from June 3 to 5, was an excellent opportunity for loggers to take a look at what’s new in harvesting equipment and associated services. Forest Expo exhibitors seized the opportunity to showcase their new equipment. Below is a review of some of the new equipment unveiled at this year’s show.

New loader for Madill
Madill introduced the new 1800 power clam log loader at Forest Expo. The machine is powered by a Cummins QSB 5.9 litre engine, rated at 205 hp at 2,200 rpm. It features tandem variable displacement piston pumps, 124 US gpm, 4,500 psi operating pressure, with a pilot pump on the engine. The valve is nine spool excavator style with twin spools for fast boom and stick operation. Swing drive on the 1800 is L & S planetary with adjustable free swing. Swing speed is 8.5 rpm and swing torque is 70,000 ft lbs. It features a Madill formed plate boom, with guards on stick and boom cylinders. The machine has a reach of 34’ and a gross lift capacity ranging from 27,000 lbs at 20’ to 12,000 lbs at 34’. The undercarriage is a D6HD, 16’ long by 11’4” wide, with 26” double grouser shoes. There are nine Berco Excavator rollers per side, and arched top track slides and ski type rock guards. The rollers are removable through the track frame. Tractive effort on the machine is 65,400 lbs. The unit has carbody clearance of 28”. Tailswing on the Madill 1800 is 10’ 8” and it weighs in at 74,000 lbs with attachment. www.madillequipment.com 

Zimmer Loglifter unveiled
Kevin Zimmer, a British Columbia welder/fabricator by trade, has spent many hours wrestling with heavy logs, trying to lift them. Out of necessity, he designed and has started manufacturing what he calls a revolutionary affordable and durable new tool—the Zimmer Loglifter. In addition to the firewood industry, the Zimmer Loglifter has the potential to assist an enormous number of people in a variety of situations that require log lifting: log homebuilders, hydro linemen, park maintenance, and wood artisans. The Zimmer Loglifter will easily handle logs up to 17” in diameter. To raise a log, the base of the tool is placed against the log and the hook will drop over the log. The hook is designed so that it can be moved left or right to locate a convenient spot on the bark of the log. The telescoping handle is pulled out and drawn back towards the operator. The leverage of the handle makes it possible for almost any adult to easily rotate a heavy log 4 to 5” off the ground. The elevated log is cradled securely in the Loglifter and short lengths of firewood can be cut from the raised portion. As soon as the raised portion is too short to remove another length of firewood, the log is rotated off the Loglifter and the tool is moved along the log and used to raise the log once again. To remove the log, the hook is raised and the handle is pushed forward. The log will roll slightly forward and out of the Loglifter. www.zimmerloglifter.com 

Votec introduces 620 delimber processor
Equipment manufacturer Votec Innovations Ltd chose Forest Expo as the venue to introduce its new Hornet 620 multi-stemming delimber/processor. The 620 features an advanced feeding system, optional rubber feed rollers and a swing-away saw cabinet. The 620 AFS/SFS (Advanced Feeding System/Simplified Feeding System) has an intelligent design for today’s more intelligent, more specific requirements, says the company. It is all-wheel drive and all synchronized, and can process as many as nine small trees at a time, simultaneously. It can process the equivalent of 120 feet per second when processing bunches of small trees. Accuracy of +/- 0.6” is standard with the new Votec Innovations computer. The new saw cabinet swings away 60 degrees for processing any type of forks (up to 12” in diameter) in any type of hardwood, up to 25” in diameter. The Hornet 620 has a length of 115” without tail and butt plate, and a height, from base to rotator point, of 89”. Total width is 59”. It has a rotator lifting capacity of 146,000 lbs. In terms of cutting capacities, the maximum diameter of the butt saw is 25”, and 20” on the topping saw. Maximum diameter with the topping saw cabinet open at 60 degrees is 12”. Saw motor displacement is 1.1594 cu in. The delimbing arms have a maximum opening of 25” front and 35.8” rear, with a maximum closing front of 1.68” and 2.25” on the rear. The feed rollers have a maximum opening of 25.25”, and maximum closing of 1.12”. Recommended carrier size is 20 to 22 metric tonnes. www.votecinnovation.com 

TIREBOSS offers tire pressure control system
TPC International had the latest in tire pressure control systems at Forest Expo and had its TIREBOSS Tire Pressure Control systems on display. The systems can improve forestry hauling operations in a number of ways. The system offers increased traction. A longer footprint is produced when the tire pressure is decreased. This results in a significant increase in traction. The Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) and the USDA Forest Service have documented traction increases for logging trucks up to 42 per cent depending on the road surface material. Tire life is also increased. On-off road forestry applications have realized an average of 30 to 40 per cent increase in tire life, according to the company. The system monitors and controls tire pressures ensuring that the tires are always at the correct pressure for the application. The vehicle ride is greatly improved, resulting in less shock loading to the vehicle and roads. Reduced driver fatigue and driver bounce as a result of a softer ride (especially when empty) will also result in fewer back-related injuries. www.tirepressurecontrol.com 

Gilbert Products introduces new felling head
Gilbert Products Inc introduced what it says is the world’s largest felling head at Forest Expo: the 3028 (patent pending). The 3028 head has a 28” front cut capacity, a 66” diameter Hi-Cut saw blade and a large accumulation area of 6.3 square feet. The Gilbert Products line-up also includes 22’’and 24’’ front cut saw heads. Their design features an integrated 220 degree side tilt system with a new heavy-duty top pin assembly. www.gilbert-tech.com 

Risley Equipment introduces new harvester/processor
Risley Equipment is introducing a single grip harvester/processor to add to its line of forestry attachments consisting of controlled and dangle style harvester/processors, delimbers, and felling heads. The new product line, based on proven Scandinavian technology, will be manufactured in Canada for utilization in commercial thinning or large scale operations, either in the forest or processing at the landing/roadside. Risley has four new models of harvester/processors available. Models are designed to fit carriers from 10 ton and up, with a simplistic interface package. Features include: four-wheel drive, providing extreme power; a high capacity topsaw for creating superior quality when processing crooked stems or removing rot; and the choice of a 12”, 16”, 24” or 30” butt saw for optimum cuts. A variety of feeding options from spiked, thumbnail, rubber, or low impact ECO-wheels are offered in the line. www.risleyequipment.com 

QUADCO Equipment Inc introduces grapples, processor
Quadco has introduced its new line of heavy duty loading grapples with load capacities from .25 to .55 cubic metres, jaws tip to tip. Overall construction of high tensile steel provides strength and light weights. A unique jaw design with wider than average widths allows for an even “rolling-in” with tight bundles. Oversized pins and bushings enhance a long service life. Dual, cushioned, high pressure cylinders provide a low and even distribution of power. A fully covering belly plate gives maximum cylinder protection. The compact overall design requires a minimum amount of room when closed for transport. This complements Quadco’s other products, the Prolenc swing brake and a choice of either Baltrotors or Archimedes rotators, and allows a total package option to customers. Also from Quadco is the new robust 24” processor designed by the Levesques, the inventors of the Target Processor, which is specially designed for the most difficult hardwoods and softwoods. The 240 processor has a capacity of up to 24” and delimbing capacity from 2” to 22”. It has four moving delimbing knives and two fixed. The processor has a weight of 6,800 lbs (c/w rotator and mount yoke), with a length of 11’ 10” and height of 5’ 11”. The Levesque 240 offers a unique high performance saw circuit running with a dedicated pump that produces quality cuts at an impressive rate. The top saw is standard, with capacity to 22”. The butt saw is adjustable between 8’ 4” and 10’ 4” for simultaneous two-saw bucking of last pulp length. Capacity is 22”. It has a dangle mount with heavy duty chain-drive rotator. The unit offers a full-featured Allen-Bradley measuring system with length and diameter. It is well suited to roadside or behind-the-buncher CTL processing. The head has Valmet 1600 cc motors with 9,750 lbs feed force at 4,000 psi and 15 ft/sec feed speed at 120 gpm. Steel rolls are standard, with rubber being optional. The ideal carrier size is said to be a 25 ton+ class excavator or purpose-built capable of 120 gpm (175 hp). www.quadco.com

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