Larry Harrell wrote:
Mhagen wrote in message ...

Larry Harrell wrote:

I just got a pic and a very short video clip of a new feller buncher
which has no wheels. It looks like a bug with six legs and a boom arm.
It also looks like it can handle steeper ground with no damage to
soils. This machine looks rather slow but is really cool to look at. I
don't think it has as many uses as a standard cut-to-length processor
and how would you get the logs off of that steeper ground?
(helicopter?)

I can email anyone a pic but the video is too dang huge for me to send
over the Internet.

Larry

Is this an old machine or a new one? We had a Spider working in this
area about twenty years ago. The description fits. It's basically a
back hoe frame and engine, with hydraulic legs and a cutting tool on an
arm. Very interesting to watch work on a steep slope. The actual name
was a "something" Superhoe. Made in Norway. The same rig was converted
afterward to a backhoe with thumb, two legs and drop down wheels, and
used for in-stream restoration jobs. It's in Grays Harbor county now.


It is brand spanking new but probably an old idea. The six legs help
it balance on steeper ground and the boom is centered. At first, the
video looked like a fake but, I've gotten this from two different
sources.

Maybe the PNW can thin steeper ground, after all. I can't see it being
very economical, with it being pretty slow and with no forwarder to
deal with the logs. Just another "cool tool" at the forester's
disposal G

Larry
It was designed to do high angle thinnings in doghair DF and WH. Stand
ages were 90-120 and slopes were 100%++. Fire caused even aged stands
were common in the Quilcene area. These days they'd probably use a
running skyline or even multi span.

The trees were cut full length, gathered and bundled. A yarder would
haul the whole bundle up the strip. The landings were very large but
had a portable chip & saw mill set up. Everything went in one end and
two by fours and chips blew out the other. Hog fuel was selling at a
good price then. The sales were set up to be a shade over break even -
this was a better alternative than clearcutting the slopes to get some
regeneration.