Logging With Doodlebug Skidder February 2024

[@jimputnam2044]

LOL Way back about 1985 ( yes I am old ) I built a skidder out of a 1966 GMC truck. Back than the transmission was separate from the transfer case. there was room to install ( with a few custom mounts ), a second 3 speed tranny between the 2. Built some adapters so as to install 10 hundred 20 truck tires on rims and chains. That old beast would push down a 6 inch fir tree LOL. Made some money and had lots of fun.

[@mikeh.753]

That's a unique little skidder. But hey it works really good. Great job building it.

[@randyschock7374]

AWESOME TRUCK!

[@joshblack5810]

Someone send my brother some suspenders. I love seeing the antiques hard at work sounds beautiful.

[@bobcat9314]

I want to build a doodle bug. The old man down the street has one they made as children from an old model T or something like that..its so old, rusty, dangerous, and just perfectly cool. All the adults said (we use to drive it around the forest as kids). Hahahaha.. What fabulous story's they told of the old doodlebug. That is how i learned what a doodlebug was in the first place. Fun stuff..keep safe bro

[@billyhorton5779]

Cool! Only suggestion I have is to install "expanded metal" over your rear glass in case anything comes flying through it from the rear. It happens!

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Good tip!

[@jwfinley7808]

​@@mountainfarmer8766it happens branches will fly!!

[@ern48]

Very nice set up! I did the same with my old Jeep FC150 using a hand operated winch.

[@frankdodson3534]

Nice a timber Jack with a comfortable warm cab to take a break and have coffee sweet.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

My thoughts exactly and the radio works😁

[@frankdodson3534]

@@mountainfarmer8766 ya I was going to say and a working radio got to have some classic country while I warm hands over defroster with that cup of hot coffee.

[@tickcreekranch]

Sweet old Mac!

[@timberinternational2377]

Sweet truck. I'd look into a spool for the rear axle or just weld the spiders up. I'd leave the front alone since it looks like you do a lot of hard turns and the log on the rear should put more traction on the rear tires when loaded. Put a headache rack on it though, your a snapped cable or slipped chain away from a real bad day when your really trying to pull a log hard. That winch hooks got enough energy to go through the window, your head and then out the front window when you got a load on it. If you've got some plate or big pipe and a torch you can make your own cleats for the chains if you want to have traction like real skidder chains have. You can probably knock out a set in a weekend. I'd love to build something like this myself but all the old 'junk" trucks have gotten to be so expensive if they are 4x4 and they run/drive.

[@WayneMoore-b8p]

Enjoyed your video! That is a strong little skidder truck! That is innovation at work.

[@armandleger2457]

Definitely in need of Detroit lockers - back and front!!!

[@mountainfarmer8766]

If I had the cash !

[@hackofalltrades5256]

Lincon locker weld the spiders ✌️

[@mattbranstetter4072]

Yea I came here to say weld the spiders! If you can make a skidder from a pickup you can handle it

[@ryanstewart1521]

Lincoln locker is the best and strongest! Swear by that in the rear.

[@Leafgreen1976]

Thanks for including your troubles.

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

Really great ideas! tHanks for the video!

[@UnfinishedProjectDartSport]

Thanks!!

[@naturundhund]

Nice Truck....greetings from Germany Peter

[@cathijohnson723]

Hubby was watching this video and I was in the room when you mentioned buying chokers at Mardens. Our eyes bugged out of our heads! Hubby says I bought chokers at Mardens in Houlton the last time we went! I am from Maine and we live in New Brunswick. We visit my family in Maine and are always sure to visit at least one or two Mardens while we are “home”.

[@denislosieroutdoors]

I'm in New Brunswick as well there eh! Don't get to Martin's as much as I would like lately...

[@caesar1295]

Nice job just found your channel and subscribed. Good luck! 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@denislosieroutdoors]

Great idea for a skidder there eh! Thanks for sharing

[@alwayssearching1882]

Two thumbs up from me.

[@Kerfufflekitten]

Love that dodge, my dad had a 72 with the 400 and wished he still had that thing

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Nice wish I had the big block,!

[@meirionevans5137]

Now, THERE'S yer problem! Cool truck.

[@fricknjeep]

hi there i like it john

[@veterantechus]

Exploring the logging process with a Doodlebug Skidder in February 2024 provides an intriguing glimpse into the future of forestry, blending tradition with innovation.

[@victorriceroni8455]

That is quite a handy buggy you got there.

[@danbentsen]

Decent price for wire choker. Like your dodge skidder, looks pretty handy w/short wheel base.

[@okgroomer1966]

Been thinking of doing similar with a 1989 7.3 that I have. I almost never use it on the road anymore after getting my duramax in 2011 so might be time to make it a tractor. My L2550 Kubota just doesn't have the ass to pull multiple large logs. The idi sure does though.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yeah the 7.3 will definitely pull bigger logs than a Kubota good luck!

[@wesleydynna8411]

Nice rig.. doin the same in northern Canada. Cheers.

[@swagtech_]

11:34 The heavy machine is truly amazing!!

[@mountainfarmer8766]

The Yanmar B50? It's a great little machine

[@bwilliams463]

Looks like a good, solid rig. I'm a little surprised it has the weight for the job, unless all the added iron is considerably heavier than a standard pickup bed.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes it's probably a little heavier than stock the winch weighs close to 300#. I mostly rely on the weight of the log to give me traction!

[@calhiser8265]

So cool. I also used a boat gas tank on my home made articulated loader affectionately known as " Franklin tractor".

[@MatWalter-q3h]

You may want to be aware they make a much more aggressive tire chain for ice and snow. links with teeth basically. In general you winch the log to the skidder then drive away leaving the log and repeat until you get some where easy to get the log sliding. The power in a skidder is in the winch not the tires. Very cool truck. I was stunned you could not just drive up to the shop or house or what ever it was. LIke you I expected the ground to be hard but I guess not.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes I have some of those chains for my other plow truck I wanted to get some real skider chains for this the European style like you're talking about but they are super expensive. I need the weight of the log on the skidder ram to get any traction in that snow.

[@JimLudwig-x8q]

Looks great. If you need more traction and less wear and tear on dif and chains double up on cross bars put a cross bar in every other link of side chain. You will get 4 times the traction

[@mountainfarmer8766]

good idea I was thinking adding Canadian rings on there out of some 4" pipe

[@mrMacGoover]

Would you consider adding a bash plate that sticks out further than the back rear wheels? Ive seen skidders have a plate the logs rest against when the logs are fully winched in to keep the logs from serging forward on uneven terain and batteraming the back end.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes there is a c channel between the frame rails but needs to be extended lower

[@biggussd5473]

Yes on the Detroit lockers at least on the rear would help you a bunch, also a log bumper plate on the back would help you a bunch also, lockers would only cost about 500 to 700 bucks and the log bumper plate maybe 200 bucks.

[@retiredwelder]

I like it bub. Where ya at? Mercer Maine heya.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

I'm in Freyburg

[@pjofurey6239]

Dodge M880,s and YANMARS , getting er done with real steel . Sweet that skidded works awesome

[@jasonbusch3624]

Let the air out of your tires then hook your chains as tight as possible then air the tire back up. You won't need bungee straps anymore.

[@cabotbluegill]

Mardens you must be in Maine i will subb for sure nice big pine that second one is a bit rough

[@cabotbluegill]

its not froze in the woods here in Vermont at all either kind of a mess i do a lot of my logs with a atv and a arch those logs would be a bit out of my league

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yeah over here in Western Maine. 50° yesterday turned everything into a mudfest!

[@jamesmorgan6782]

Hello just a quick thought. You might ought to put a bumper plate on back of frame it will save frame, reared and let logs bump against it to pull them. It would be easy and kinda inexpensive to make . That is a real use for a dodge as they can do anything.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes there is a piece of c channel that I welded between the frame rails but I need to extend it down lower to protect the pumpkin

[@mlindsay527]

You might consider filling the tires with fluid for more traction.

[@wespuckdog3897]

How to tell someone you're from Maine without telling anyone you're from Maine!

[@boooshes]

Good stuff

[@oldstudbuck3583]

Awesome

[@cameronlamb7274]

That branch that fell could have been deadly.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Haha that little stick? Wasn't anywhere near hitting me😁 that's why I stepped back and had my eyes on the tree as it fell!

[@cameronlamb7274]

@@mountainfarmer8766I know an arborist that unfortunately wasn’t as lucky.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes it is the most deadly job that you can have. But like I said I practiced safe tree cutting and saw the branch falling also I was 10 ft away.

[@terrymcclure688]

the best of red neck enginering love your vid keep up the good work

[@dmitrytitenko1277]

❤❤!)) Serious trees are peeling...trucks need to be strengthened..thanks for the video..I’m watching from Russia..😊😊

[@SuperKyle309]

Super cool I subscribed. You ever consider putting some kinda guard across the back window? It would suck if somthin broke and came flying at the back of your head.😬

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes I will be doing some more upgrades

[@tomallen1149]

Front tires draggin on body .. need lift to clear chains draggin on body in vid perfect angle to see

[@biggussd5473]

Some old timer must have taught you how to cut / fall a tree with making the notch on the low side of the cut closer to the ground, If you are getting paid by board ft for a saw mill you end up with more board ft at the end of the day, not a lot but it does add up. Also That McCullock Chain saw is older than you and runs great, Oh yea and some old timer taught you how to sharpen it too cause i can see some big wood chips flying off of it. and the Yanmar looks like it's older than you, and runs great, And i have never seen a high reach Lull forklift that old and it is definitely older than you and runs great, And as for the old Dodge It speaks for itself, what a beast. I didn't get to see a good pic of the sawmill you have but i'm sure it's not new but runs & cuts great.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Thank you! I was taught by one of the best horse loggers in New England Les Barden my -grandfather. He has many informative videos out there for logging and horse harnessing. I appreciate you acknowledging my reasoning behind the low notch for board footage. As you can tell I prefer the old machines that I don't have electronics. The Yanmar I think is a 95 and probably has 15,000 hours on it no pilot hydraulics just straight up spools. The high lift lol is a 1960s based on an Oliver 770 industrial tractor I have videos on that and that thing always works. The sawmill I handmade from a kit works very well. Yeah the old 1970s McCulloch barely has any hours on it works better than my new Husqvarna. Thanks for watching appreciate the comments!

[@c3homeimprovementllc927]

Weld the diffs

[@rustinloverink4691]

Definitely need diff lock

[@jeffwoehrle]

You bought it when you saw it at Marden's!

[@PaulHodgson-gm6lg]

I just bought an old Tree Farmer C5 back in '90, cheaper than a truck, burns diesel and hauls way more in way worse terrain.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

If I could have found a skidder cheaper than the truck that I paid $200 for I would have bought it but skidders up here go for 5,000 with no motor and bad tires. Skidders are always in desperate need up here in northern Maine

[@glenn9766]

Use your winch to pull you backwards out of the bog!?

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Tried but I was caught on a log!

[@mikeedwards1768]

that was fkn mint

[@NatureRecycleFlorida]

Open diff axles suck on 4x4😂

[@farmallchris]

At the end I thought I was watching Austin powers

[@Jay-xe6jf]

Great, Hey what saw are you using?

[@mountainfarmer8766]

McCulloch pro automatic 10 -10

[@jwfinley7808]

Your rig doesnt weight anything?

[@mountainfarmer8766]

5500# probably

[@BusHuxley]

Looking good man. I like what you’ve got going on there. Woods engineer. I’ve built my house in a similar manner in western Maine. What county you in? I filmed the whole damn process too. Take a look. Cool that you’re taking the time to film and edit your process.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yeah it's a lot of work I'll take a look at your project. I'm over here by pleasant mountain.

[@mahskwahmontana7108]

Is the shed u built sittin level or going with the topography?? J w cuz that’s awesomely high n seems not level. Conserved viewer😅I am

[@mountainfarmer8766]

If you're talking about the timber frame I'm building it is definitely level. The camera angle is pointed up a mountain 600 ft in elevation.

[@timbarry5080]

Were those metal wedges? I've only seen them on ebay. ive been wanting to get some just cuz i think theyre cool. What do you like about them?

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yeah they don't sell many steel wedges anymore! these were my father's and grandfathers some are close to 100 years old. I like the steel wedges because they drive easier and they don't split when you hit them with a sledgehammer. The plastic wedges have too much give so the impact doesn't transfer the force as well as the steel. They're also thicker so it gives you more leverage. The advantage of the plastic wedges are there lighter and you can run your chainsaw blade through them without ruining the blade. I've had plastic wedges but they don't last me very long.

[@timbarry5080]

@@mountainfarmer8766 those are great points. Thank you! And nice truck, btw. I've had a lot of vintage trucks but ive always wanted a dodge but never got one. I almost got a 66 w300 but at the last minute the guys son said he wanted to keep it. I'd love to have one with a slant 6. I love big six cylinders, like the Ford 300ci, and the dodge looks cool being crooked.

[@AndyTaylor-z8o]

Awsome work bud, that's a good deal on them Chockers and the welds on your hangers and exhaust system look good. Are you milling the wood yourself or selling to a mill? That's some nice pine. where are you located, Im in Maine, looks alot like my area, sorry for all the comments and questions though your video was pretty cool tho look forward to seeing more of your videos

[@mountainfarmer8766]

I'm over here Western Maine by pleasant mountain. Milling lumber on a sawmill I built.

[@ChristopherHoyle-h8v]

Awesome looking setup on that truck 🚚 🛻 👌 👍 😎 🙌 🚚 🛻 👌 👍 😎 🙌 🚚 🛻 👌 👍 😎 🙌 🚚 🛻 👌 👍 😎 🙌 🚚 🛻 👌 👍 😎 🙌 🚚

[@nathanschonberg2439]

Having your log chain swinging around so close to your tire chain could end up being a problem

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yeah it's pretty obvious , it hooked the tire chain so I won't do that again thanks for your input

[@bekabeka71]

My dream is now to buy an old pickup truck 🛻 as I’ve two ML’s and a a tractor I want a truck 🛻 for therapy now 😂🤦🏻‍♂️

[@spotchris2506]

When asked why the Americans did so well during WW2, the answer was always because they could improvise so well. This is an example. They couldn't get thru the hedgerows in Germany so a private welded rail road ties on front of their tanks and broke thru as an example.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes and as you know doodlebugs came out of wwII because tractors were in short supply to American farmers who needed to plow their fields. My grandfather was a bomber in world war II and I proudly carry on the tradition of self resiliency which makes the United States stronger.

[@waynekarjala2032]

Last time I looked railroad ties were made of wood or concrete. Kinda hard to weld.

[@mountainfarmer8766]

He ment track

[@dmitrytitenko1277]

😊😊😊What is the name of the wood? And for what purpose did your friend cut down this tree?)

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Eastern white pine for building my timber frame house.

[@walterneville2625]

LOOKS LIKE SOME REAL JUNK..

[@robertbouchard574]

Drop some air pressure you'll notice a huge difference

[@mountainfarmer8766]

I run them as low as I can 12 to 15 psi !

[@edmoore2389]

Pro Mac 55 ?

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Yes Auto 10-10 barely broken in!

[@Mattcandy123]

Open diff life…..😂

[@benhill391]

👍👍

[@FishNFoolLures]

If you had a Ford you wouldn't have been stuck lol

[@jesusislord7733]

You would have to cover your face in shame in you had a Ford though

[@DavidLack-s4n]

Tried watching could hardly hear you talking

[@mountainfarmer8766]

Thanks for tuning in we're just starting out here and need to upgrade my video equipment.

[@timphillips8966]

You could use a rear locker or just weld the spiders and an e-locker in front and you’ll improve yank capacity 100%

[@leonardryan8723]

You need rings chain with timberjack tires 🛞. 😮