Timber forwarder

A Timber forwarder is a vehicle that carries logs from the stump to a roadside landing. Unlike a skidder, a forwarder carries logs clear of the ground, which can reduce soil impacts but tends to limit the size of the logs it can move. Forwarders are typically employed together with harvesters in cut-to-length logging operations. These are mainly built by specialist convertors using a stamdard production tractor or a Skid unit as the basis, coupled by a flexible coupling to a trailer fitted with powered axles to give an all wheel drive vehicle. These units often have a Lorry loader crane mounted either on the trailer or on the tractor (unit), fitted with a log grab.

Load capacity

Forwarders are commonly categorised on their load carrying capabilities. The smallest are trailers designed for towing behind All-terrain vehicle which can carry around 250kg to 500kg. Agricultural self loading trailers designed to be towed by farm tractors can handle load weights up to around four tonnes. Light weight purpose-built machines utilised in commercial logging and thinning operations can handle payloads of up to eight tonnes. Medium sized forwarders used in clearfells carry between twelve and fourteen tonnes with the largest class handling up to twenty tonnes.

Manufacturers

In the UK in the 1960 & 70s units were often built from County and Roadless tractors.

• Aktiv
• Bolinder-Munktell
• Flexor
• Highlander
• John Deere
• Kockums
• OSE
• Timberwolf
• Zanello
• ? - add others

List of models

From Elmia Classics - the forest machine e-museum.

In front of you is what could be called an e-Museum. It contains a searchable database with brochures, service manuals and other documentation for forest machines dating back to 1955. This cultural treasure of the forest industry is now accessible thanks to an arrangement between collector Jimmi Svensson and Elmia.

To see the brochures visit - www.elmia.se (Web Site available in English but some brochures are not)

Brochure list

Name/Model	Manuf. year	Machine Type	Brochure language
AKTIV Kvicken 727	1982	Forwarder	Swedish
AKTIV Skotten 747	1978	Forwarder	Swedish
AKTIV Skotten 758	1977	Processor	Swedish
AKTIV Skotten 758	1978	Forwarder	Swedish
AKTIV Skotten 758	1979	Single-grip harvester head	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Bamse	1962	Forwarder	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Boxer	1960	Forwarder	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Boxer	1963	Forwarder	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Doning	1955	Other	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Halvbandsutrustning	1956	Other	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Livab Kärror	1959	Other	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Reko Kärror	1959	Other	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Rossön-Doningen	1957	Other	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Timmersax 3-punktslyft	1959	Other	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Timmervagn ösa 56	1959	Other	Swedish
Bolinder Munktell Vinsch med Lastkran	1955	Other	Swedish

Preservation

These are not machines that generaly appear in preservation as they are often worked to death (till they break & are considered too costly to repair & are usually broken up for parts/made into a 'new' machine on a donor tractor)

Most forestry tractors in the UK built on County tractors have been stripped back to a basic tractor. The few Timber forwarders that are seen at Vintage shows are usually working machines being used as part of sawing demonstrations to supply the heavy logs to the saw in a safe manner if the demonstration is not using a steam crane like Hooky.

See also

• Timber tractor - type of lorry (both mechanical and steam) used for moving timber with a winch.
• List of Types of Agricultural Machinery
• Special Purpose Machines

References / sources

• Forwarding with agricultural trailers
• Rottne Forwarder