Productivity and Cost Comparison of Two Different-Sized Skidders
Abstract
Productivity and cost of two skidders, Timberjack models 460 and 660, were evaluated while operatin in a loblolly pine plantation performin a clearcut harvest in the Southeastern US. Productivity without delimbing was 46.7 tonnes per PMH for the model 460 and 51.7 tonnes per PMH for the model 660. Cost per tonne was $1.70 for the model 460 and $1.90 for the model 660. The model 460 utilized 67 percent of its grapple area, compared to only 56 percent for the model 660.