Wood gathering machine back in the line up after 5 yrs. 1966 PUG

Looks like TurboDiesel got his sleuth on!

 

Great story Casper!
I've wanted one of those for...... well ever since I saw one in a Popular Mechanic magazine way back in the 70's as a kid.
Still do.

 

I always wanted a 6 wheeler after seeing/riding in one 40 years ago.

 

The guy I mentioned earlier was/is heavy into those things.

 

Wow. That 6 wheeler is amazing. I wonder how he gets it to skid-steer?

 

Like the PUG Casper
Great backstory to it as well.

 

Probably just brakes that side.

 

Our two cemeteries had trees trimmed or completely cut down a few weeks ago. It's been available to anyone who wanted it since. I was talking to one of the trustees and he asked if I would take it and use the PUG so the ground doesn't get torn up. Sure thing!

This was a good "shake down" cruise for this machine since it only returned home last week. Also, it is somewhat close to home. It does need a few things done. Throttle bracket being the biggest deal. The cable housing was sliding inside the clamping bracket and I had so little throttle that the thing would barely move until I tightened it back up. The drive belt is another issue that is a royal pain. I thought I had it licked, but nope. I think there is a spacer kit for the Comet Duster primary. I'm looking into that now.

It was also a day for the Huskies to play instead of the Stihls.

I took a small tilt-bed utility trailer to transfer some wood onto since most was where anything with weight would leave Mark's. It worked great. Roll bigger pieces up into the PUG then roll them onto the trailer that sat next to the driveway.



Anyway, here's a few pics of today's haul. Probably a cord and a half total. Red Oak, Sugar Maple and a little ash.

 

That is a really neat machine.

 

Some big rounds in that load.

 

So probably a magnum 18 in it then.

 

It's basically a snowmobile drive train then, except with a Kohler opposed 4 stroke.

Neat stuff. I could see how that would be very useful for firewood use.

 

I hauled 4 loads of 5"-10" back to the house before wrapping it up with the big stuff. We couldn't use the tractor with a FEL due to rutting things up so we used an ATV ramp to roll the larger rounds into the PUG then rolled them onto the trailer. We'll split them off the trailer into the PUG.

 

I'll get some pics to explain better but instead of driving the front wheels directly, like a track on a sled, this drives a two speed forward and one speed reverse gear transaxle. Of course, with the centrifugal clutch, you have a range from creep, to a bit "faster". This will go 20 mph in high range, but it ain't made for speed.

 

First time I drove one was in the mid-60's. (?) There was a minnow trapper (sold bait) in a town where I grew up and he had one. Let me drive it. He was also one of the first people I remember to have a snowmobile.

Thanks for the memories!

 

Awesome thread Casper. You got yourself a reliable workhorse vehicle now that you fixed it up. We had a Pug on our 120 woods when I was a teenager. It survived three teenage boys who used and abused it continually, lots of getting stuck, trail making, firewood hoarding, and deer hauling. Ours had a 16hp Briggs and Stratton transplant.

 

Neat hauler Casper ! Thanks for sharing.