iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Preparing for next teak thinning 2018 (Now Started)

Started by teakwood, September 21, 2017, 05:50:35 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

teakwood

Quote from: lopet on January 21, 2018, 07:55:51 PM
Heeh, what's that picture doing here.  :D :D

Well teakwood, this is NOT my dream solution. Don't get me wrong it's working for now if you compromise here  and compromise there.  My dream is to have two skidders, one just for cable skidding and one with a grapple boom and a clamp at the back for all the smaller stuff.
I think this probably would work the best for my operation, but I am afraid I am running out of time . ;D
As I probably mentioned before,  with the boom added later in the skidder's live, it's mounted on top of the winch and the visibility to the back is very poor, also the cab is way too small and too tight and I am 5' 8" 190 lbs.
The seat only turns 90 degree and all twelve loader functions run on one single joystick.

Okay, now you got me going again here, my dream is to replace the 5 speed tranny on my C5 with a clark torque converter and power shift of some mining equipment, ditch the funky cage and replace it with a tractor cab, have a hydraulic rotated seat with pedals for throttle and forward /reverse and two joysticks for all hydraulics and steering.
Also ditch the winch and the arch and mount " Junior's " grapple boom on the back  and  and and.....

What do you think , is that realistic or will it just be a dream ?  You started it  ;D

With all the hassle I went through with the import, I would definitely NOT do it again.
If I were you I would mount a new dual drum winch to the back of of a skidder and have room to mount a boom behind the cab. You're not doing much big stuff either, I mean really big diameter, that's why I think that would work for you.   



I think the ideal machine for me would be a newer euro skidder but with a "klemmbank" (a big stationary grapple to haul long wood) in the back, dual drum winch and a crane, a small crane would be sufficient. yours seems very big and in the way.
Of Course it would have to have turning seat with all the controls and double joysticks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCxEo-BpIUc
But i would want that machine already built this way, i don't have the possibility nor the desire to fabricate such a skidder. adding a winch adding a crane, seems pretty complicated to me.
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

teakwood

What do you think , is that realistic or will it just be a dream ?  You started it  ;D

Seems like a awful lot of work/trouble to me ???  But of course you know you situation better. I have no idea what you're logging and my knowledge of the northern forests are pretty limited.
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

lopet

Quote from: teakwood on January 22, 2018, 06:45:28 AM
Seems like a lot of work/trouble to me ??? 

You got that right, maybe I just need more guys trying to talk me out of it.  :D
Make sure you know how to fall properly when you fall and as to not hurt anyone around you.
Also remember, it's not the fall what hurts, its the sudden stop. !!

teakwood

Are you a full time logger? do you have your own woods?
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

lopet

I farm and sell firewood. The logs I am getting out of my 80 acre woodlot and any standing tree which is offered   to me for free, like fence rows and smaller thinning jobs. Once every while I buy a truck load or two when I don't have enough good hard wood.
Living in the snow belt of the Great Lakes makes logging challenging in the winter months, that's the time when I hide in my shop and build my own stuff. Most of my farm wagon gears are home made. :)

Make sure you know how to fall properly when you fall and as to not hurt anyone around you.
Also remember, it's not the fall what hurts, its the sudden stop. !!

teakwood

ahh, now it makes sense to me why you want to start such a fabrication project on you skidder. If you have the time and skills why not!?
80 acres that's a nice piece of land, i have 47ha (116 acres) and it's alot of work.
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

mike_belben

Praise The Lord

teakwood

Thanks mike for that post

Myanmar is the last place that has old grown teak left, 70, 80, 100 years old. that's a total different wood than 20 year old plantation teak. of course it's about 3-4 times more expensive also.
I have read some reports from quality teak buyers that it's almost impossible to buy the old teak at a affordable price anymore.

Of course that's good news for us plantation owners. more for me as i'm planning to let them grow to 30-40 years
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

mike_belben

Praise The Lord

teakwood

Sold the oldest 260 to my help as a firewood saw and bought him a new MS361 for work.

My "old" (half year) 361 i really like!! Muffler moded and double sided felling dogs


  

  

  
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

teakwood

Today we loaded the fifth longwood container

The piles are the shortwood 



and tomorrow the fifth short wood load, by hand

 
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

lopet

I can see where a grapple on that volvo would be pretty handy, but on the other hand you're providing some income for those guys. 8)
Make sure you know how to fall properly when you fall and as to not hurt anyone around you.
Also remember, it's not the fall what hurts, its the sudden stop. !!

teakwood

That's true. But a grapple would be very useful for the longwood though and going into the container, instead of doing all that with a chain.  Although a grapple for a 30ton and the arm and stick she has would probably be to big and clumsy to reach inside a container.

Now we chain a 8m long log to the underside of the bucket so i have like a push stick and can drive the shorter logs into the container until they hit the front. the load has to be distributed evenly front and back.  If the port crane lifts the container and it tilts one way they put them down and you need to rearrange the load and pay a fine.  
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

teakwood

Finally, the last one. 2180 trees, 15 loads, 358 m3, 4 month later.

The last one was also one of the nicest load.




i threw 2 12 years old clones i had (behind my house) into the load because i was some logs short for the complete load.

those where exceptional trees!!



39cm diameter


 a little road trip


a Swedish torch i made with a beautiful full moon


National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

nativewolf

Very nice, good to see palms.  I guess you get some immediate temp relief as you climb up to the mountains, a mountain road trip every once in a while is very nice in the tropics.
Liking Walnut

Tarm


teakwood

We have lots of different palms, those are coyol palms, lots of nasty spikes, the fruit gets eaten by the cattle and some guys lay them down and with a special technique it's possible to produce a juice which is very sweet first and then starts to ferment and then you get really drunk from it 
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

kanoak

Wow, beautiful load. Good thing I have other ducks; some looks larger than my teak at 30 years and I imagine the land costs are much more reasonable. Macadamia was big business hear until C. america got into the act.
Aloha,
Kanoa

nativewolf

Quote from: kanoak on April 24, 2018, 05:00:40 AM
Wow, beautiful load. Good thing I have other ducks; some looks larger than my teak at 30 years and I imagine the land costs are much more reasonable. Macadamia was big business hear until C. america got into the act.
We chatted about his area in the Mahogany thread.  He's got more rainfall than you, thats all.  It's going to respond a bit better.  I expect you'll have a bit better quality because of the slower growth.  
Liking Walnut

teakwood

of course nativewolf, the slower the better the quality. i have some areas which make me cry, 13 years old and maybe 6"-8" dbh. it's a hill with lots of wind
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

teakwood

Quote from: kanoak on April 24, 2018, 05:00:40 AMI imagine the land costs are much more reasonable.


when i came here in 2004 landcost for farms was around 1000$/ha which was very cheap, then rich gringos and europeans raised the prices to the unpayable 10-20k/ha. after the crash in 2008 the prices where i live went stable at around 5-8k/ha
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

mike_belben

You dont want to know what a hectare costs where he lives.  Youd have to buy it from mark zuckerburg or ted turner.  Or maybe demolition a walmart.
Praise The Lord

teakwood

I can imagine.

But here at 5-8k it just makes no sense for teak projects anymore. to much money tied up for 20years until you see a return and profit
National Stihl Timbersports Champion Costa Rica 2018

kanoak

Just saw 500 acres go for about 4 times that. Smoking deal around here, but prices vary widely depending on where you are on the island. If you want to rub elbows with the rich and famous get ready to pay for it; manufactured paradise is expensive. It does not make sense to buy land for plantation here either, but it is a good way to hold it, and a responsible way to manage it. 
Aloha,
Kanoa

Thank You Sponsors!