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General Forestry => Sawmills and Milling => Topic started by: dablack on April 09, 2013, 10:25:35 AM

Title: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: dablack on April 09, 2013, 10:25:35 AM
I've got some VERY novice questions, but there is only one way to learn.....

Anyway, I'm building a house right now and I'm thinking of getting a mill for siding, flooring, and other such things.  We have 30 acres and lots of trees.  Once we are living there, I will be driving 50 miles every day.  On that drive I always see lots of large pines that have come down and need to be cut up and hauled off.  I also see free ads on craigslist for pecan and other trees that need to come down.  I would love to tap into some of this "free" wood. 

On my property, I could use my little 30hp kubota to move logs, but what about picking things up along the road or going to cut and pick up a pecan or something similar?  Would a trailer and electric winch work?  I have a 1990 F250 with a 460 and 4.10 gears that should be able to pull whatever I need.  Would it be possible to mount a winch in a bed and pull the logs into the bed if they are cut 8' long? 

Thoughts?

thanks
Austin
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: giant splinter on April 09, 2013, 10:48:48 AM
Tex,
Magicman  has a neat trailer setup that is self loading, I think his is a great idea and combined with a portable capstan winch you could retrieve almost any log and haul it home. Our sponsor Logrite sells the Portawinch so you might like that rather than a truck mounted winch and if you use a trailer you can haul more and bigger logs.
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: POSTON WIDEHEAD on April 09, 2013, 11:07:11 AM
I have several customers that have winches on 12', 14' and 16" trailers.

From what I have noticed looking at their trailers, get a good winch......not one from Harbor Freight.
Make sure your winch is well mounted on your trailer. I see a lot of bent trailer from the pressure being pulled from a heavy log.
Also have a duel axle trailer instead of a single axle. A single axle will work fine but LARGER logs will take their toll on a single axle.

It would also be a good idea to winch logs from the woods with a winch on the front of your truck. Get the logs lined up directly behind your trailer ramp and then use the trailer winch.

And as I always say.....this is what I would do.  :)
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: PC-Urban-Sawyer on April 09, 2013, 11:15:37 AM
Austin,

First of all, free logs are like free lunch, ain't no such thang...  ;D

Take a look at the DanG/DeadHeader Log Lifter device for loading logs into a trailer. Here's a link to the entire thread https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,17613.0.html (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,17613.0.html) both DanG and Fla._Deadheader are still members, though they both tend to post less often than in the past.

The Log Lifter is an ingeneous (and cheap) mechanism and appears to really do the job of loading a few logs on a smaller trailer.

Good Luck!

Be Careful!

Herb
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: dablack on April 09, 2013, 11:19:24 AM
Thanks guys.  I was trying to figure out how to just use the truck to grab stuff (without a trailer), but I knew that was a long shot.  The only reason I was leaning this way is lots of these logs are hapenstance logs.  Logs I might want to pick up since I was there anyway, but might not be worth it to me to go get if I have to run home and get the trailer. 

No big deal.  If they are worth it, then they are worth going to get the trailer.  PLus I will need the trailer for other things as well.

thanks
Austin
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: beenthere on April 09, 2013, 11:46:04 AM
A capstan winch that you could carry in your truck along with a chainsaw, couple snatch blocks, logrite cant hook, and have permission to take wood seen along the road.

But, in the end, those logs look good but can be a lot of work and full of surprises. ;)

How long a log can you get into your truck?
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: thecfarm on April 09, 2013, 11:50:31 AM
As said no such thing from what I hear on here. Seem like they want you to cut the tree,haul off the brush and have it look like you was never there. I won't get into where the power lines are,neighbors garage,houses. I have people contact me for trees to burn in my OWB. If they show up at my front door,I will take them. I do not go after any tree.
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: pineywoods on April 09, 2013, 11:56:39 AM
Two things you will absolutely need, a trailer and a winch. I assume you have a vehicle (preferably a truck) to pull a trailer. Mount a good heavy winch on the front bumper of the truck. Mount an extra hitch ball on the FRONT bumper. Mine is welded to the winch frame. Across the rear end of the trailer, a couple of 6 ft pieces of oil field pipe mounted vertical in an A shape. Mount a pulley at the top of the A. To use this contraption, un-hitch the trailer and hitch it to the front of the truck. Maneuver trailer so the log can be winched endwise to the back of the trailer. Then run the winch cable over the pulley on the top of the "A" frame and winch the end of the log up on the trailer. Move the grab/chain back to the end of the log that's still on the ground. Continue winching the log endwise up on the trailer. A pair of log grabs makes the whole operation a lot easier.
There's a lengthy thread with a lot of details somewhere on here. Search for "Dang Florida Deadheader loader"
You will find the front mounted winch very handy for lots of other uses. Mounting a winch on the trailer is fraught with problems, most associated with getting adequate power to the winch.   
advantages:
Much easier to maneuver the trailer
If electric winch, cables to vehicle battery are short, ie cheaper (priced copper lately ?)
There is a hydraulic winch available that uses the vehicle power steering pump
Mount winch control in the cab, sit in air conditioned comfort and load log  ;D

Here's a link to the loader
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,17613.msg253404.html#msg253404
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: dablack on April 09, 2013, 12:00:03 PM
thecfarm,

I know what you mean, but I'm driving down a small highway to get home.  Every log I see if already down too big to be hauled off easily.  On the land I bought there is a 36" diameter oak on the ground.  I would use it for flooring but it has been sitting there for 5 years.  HA!  Anyway, with the drought there are lots of trees that need to come down or are on their way. 

beenthere,

I have zero idea of how big a log I can get into the truck.  It is a normal size bed.  Not a flat bed or anything like that. 

thanks
Austin
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: 44woody on April 09, 2013, 12:45:35 PM
i woud think u coud get 8 to 10 foot logs in it safely u may want to try for cedar they r alot lighter
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: bandmiller2 on April 09, 2013, 12:45:58 PM
Auston,prehaps I'am old and lazy but those roadside trees of unknown pedigree are not usally worth the hassel.Buy or make a heavy duty trailer that you can haul your tractor or a load of logs as the above posts mention. Frank C.
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: dboyt on April 09, 2013, 12:46:53 PM
If the logs are in your woods and not too far from the mill, I'd recommend a log arch.  It has been a very useful tool for me-- easy to move the logs, and very little impact to the trail.

PC Urban Sawyer is right.  Some of the most expensive logs I've ever brought home have been "free".  Two examples; the landowner (in town) told me not to worry about leaving a few divits in her yard-- but told me wrong about where her yard ended and her neighbor's yard began.  It cost $500 to fix the neighbor's yard to their satisfaction.  In another case, I was just setting up to cut a very nice walnut tree when a car squeals to a stop, the guy jumps out and asks me what the #@!! I'm doing.  Turns out the people who were selling me the tree were just renting the place.  Here in Missouri, the standard penalty for cutting a tree that isn't yours is 3 times the value of the tree.  And don't get me started on the metal I've run into with yard logs.  I'd rather pull trees out of the woods any day!

I use a chain saw powered Lewis winch for my main mover.  Very portable and useful both in the woods and for loading the trailer.  I also have a PTO winch on my tractor (it has a hitch so I can pull the log arch behind it).

Here's a photo of a small long being parbuckled onto a trailer with the Lewis.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12837/Lewis_2_s.jpg)
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: dablack on April 09, 2013, 03:01:03 PM
Pineywoods,

Thanks for all the info.  Yes, I saw the thread on the DanG/etc loader.  Looks great and something I could build. 


44woody,

There is a guy less than a mile (crow flies) that gets all the cedar.  When I need cedar I get it from him.  Wilcox in Rusk. 


bandmiller2 and dboyt,

I hear you about the yard sticks.  Most the houses I pass on the way to the property are on 5 to 10 acres and the trees are in pastures or wooded areas.  I'm not talking about 1/3 acre neighborhood lots trees.  I will have to look out for barb wire!  Dboyt, the way you are loading the trailer is the only way I had thought of doing it.  Just makes sense to me. 

thanks
Austin
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: redbeard on April 09, 2013, 03:44:40 PM
Welcome Austin (dablack) when I was searching for log fetching rig I was set on truck,trailer & parbuckling winches. This boom truck fell in my lap and the dollar amount was the same so I went for it. I think this is my 5th year using it and my main goal is to recover insurance and license and fuel. I pretty much get the set up charge a mobile sawyer gets hauling logs to my stationary set up. Side jobs with it are good paying. And if your building a home it can be really handy. I also use it a lot on the big n heavy logs on mill. Has it paid for itself? Maybe iam getting close in five years. Lucky that its a sound and maitenence free truck I don't abuse its limits its medium duty but it handles 5K stuff.

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/22539/rps20130409_124244%7E0.jpg)
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: Leigh Family Farm on April 09, 2013, 04:01:09 PM
Redbeard,
Does that crane have a grapple on the end or just a hook?

Dablack,
Ever thought about proffering the land owners for a few bucks to remove the trees? I'm only talking about $20 a tree, or something just enough to cover gas. Then it might be worth you going back with your trailer on a Saturday or evening and grabbing the trees.
Title: Re: best way to get the logs to the mill?
Post by: redbeard on April 09, 2013, 04:58:50 PM
Its just a hook. Two man job picking logs just balance them with tongs. The truck dose dump though. 18' max length to haul I don't like to haul full load of 18' its hard on it.