Roads from the forum

Jeff · September 14, 2003, 11:02:19 AM

Its funny the way the Forestry Forum can take you down a road you never would have taken or maybe never would have know about. Here is an example of one that it took me down that almost ended up back at home.

Corley5 sent me an email telling me about an upcoming auction that he saw advertised on-line. They had a J.D. power unit listed that he was interested in. Turned out the Auction was in Harrison and Greg wanted to know if I could contact them and go take a look at the Power unit and send him some pictures. I said sure and made an appointment to go to Mark Humphey's home to take a look. I thought I recognized the name, but turned out the guy I new was "Umphrey"

Last night, Tammy and I drove the 8 miles to take the pictures. When I drove in a gentleman was moving dirt with a little skid steer in front of a large new under-construction log home. He saw the truck and parked the skid steer and met us as we parked by his pole barn. I did not recognize him, but he broke a great big smile and grabbed my hand and shook it as I got out of the truck and said, "by god it is you".

Turns out, Mark worked in the woods for the same outfit I sawed for back in 79 and 80. He remembered me instantly but I was embarrased that I did not remember him. That's the draw backs of working at a place that where in one year they sent out 160+ W-2s and we only had 8 positions. :D

Anyway, Mark and I had a great visit and he sure does have some great toys up for sale. We talked about old common friends and wood and trees and toured his new home. He took a class in scandinavian scribe and is doing a fine job. Due to health reasons he is getting rid of his loaders and skidder and some other stuff that he used to harvest the trees for his house. He has all those things not because he worked in the woods any more, he has been a cement contractor for years, abut because he has sawdust is in his veins. He is also autioning off his concrete business tools.

Turns out he has an amazing little mill operation there too that he is holding on to. He is keeping his mill and fork truck and skid steer and is planning on building and selling the little cabins like the one you will see pictured below.

I made a new friend. Mark said he would call the next time he plans on firing up the little mill and we would visit and play around with it. Funny how the forum pointed me down a road to re-aquaint myself with someone from 24 years ago that I may have never met again. I wish Mark had a computer. Ya'll would like him.

Marks Mill, his milling hat hangs in waiting.

The power unit I went there originally to photograph

woodhaven · September 14, 2003, 03:18:25 PM

Jeff,
I like him already he has a circle mill. Could you find out what kind and color finish he has on his logs. I don't know if I have mentioned it before but I have a log home to.

Jeff · September 14, 2003, 03:25:32 PM

I know it is sikkens (sp) but dont know the color.

Frank_Pender · September 14, 2003, 03:33:31 PM

I sure wish that loader was closer! ;D

Jeff · September 14, 2003, 03:43:06 PM

I figured you guys would like that. :D its a 71 ford with a 21 foot prentice loader. 1160 cat that recently had a major. probably would haul about 8 cord. Really pretty clean looking.

The Timberjack is what I like. Just a little guy but real clean. Its got a 172 ford industrial in it.

Frank_Pender · September 14, 2003, 04:00:56 PM

What is he asking for the truck and loader, Jeff?

Bro. Noble · September 14, 2003, 04:04:32 PM

I like his little cabin. We're thinking about making those to sell also.

Tell him to get online-----we wanna talk to him

Jeff · September 14, 2003, 04:20:29 PM

Its an auction Frank, I'm not sure what the reserve is set on any of the stuff.

Paul_H · September 14, 2003, 04:30:55 PM

Noble,
I had my nose up against the screen trying to get a closer look at that cabin too :D

Mark has a tidy looking operation.

Corley5 · September 18, 2003, 08:05:01 PM

I'll be at the auction for the opening bid tomorrow morning. I'll try to keep some kind of track as to what stuff brings. If the power unit goes right I MAY get it but I've got a line on a UB-264 IH one that's hooked to a grain vac that would make an awesome sawdust mover along with running the mill...... We'll see. That little Jack would make a nice toy. Real handy for low impact logging in hardwoods. But with winter coming on FAST my budget is limited so it'll probably be a just day well spent an auction with few purchases but you never know sometimes a price can't be beat.

Jeff · September 19, 2003, 03:35:16 PM

Frank, yer goona be sick. You coulda flew out here and drove that truck home for what it went for. Corley5 stopped by after the auction. He said it went for $2000. The owner had told me that the engine just recently had a complete major. Greg said when they operated the loader it looked tight.

The Skidder went cheap too. $3800

Oh, the cabin, he didnt make much on that. Can't beleive he let it go for $1800. Corley picked up a pallet load of big dry pine cookies for me for making tables. 5 bucks for the lot. ;D

DanG · September 19, 2003, 04:11:17 PM

Frank ain't the only one sick about that truck. What a sweet deal! :-/

Corley5, next time you go to an auction let me know. I'll give you my cell # and my wife's credit card #. ;D

Frank_Pender · September 19, 2003, 10:55:42 PM

DanG, I feel the same way. I would have set the whole thing on a lowboy and had it shipped out here in a flash. Always a day late, I reckon. Sad part is, I just sold $4,100 worth of Maple burl today. I am fat and sassy, 'till the wife hears of the sale. :'(

Corley5 · September 20, 2003, 07:41:16 PM

The more I've thought about it the more I wish I'd of bought the truck :( :( :(. The Cat engine alone was worth way more than $2,000.00. The loader seemed tight during the demonstration. The swing cylinders held, bucket appeared tight...... Rather than hauling it back you could have driven it without any worries. The tires were well within wear limits and they said the brakes were good.
I did pick up a little sawdust blower for $5.00, a bander with almost a full roll of 1/2 steel banding, homemade cart, 4 tighteners, a crimper, and a tool that does both for $45.00. My best deal was a fairly new 372 Husky that shows very little wear it even has the original 20" bar with the lettering and paint still on it 8) 8) 8). It runs especially well since I opened the high speed up a bit on it. That cost me $220.00 ;D ;D ;D ;D. My 395 isn't going to cut much firewood this year

Corley5 · September 20, 2003, 07:51:53 PM

Oh ya that JD diesel sold for $1,200.00. I didn't bid on it as there was a guy right in front of me who had a use in mind for it and was prepared to pay what he had to. If it would have had a clutch unit it would have been worth more to me. It had V-belt sheaves that were direct drive. When the engine was started the pulley was turning. The engine had been used on a street sweeper to power the brushes and vacuum. They must have had their own clutches. They also sold a 1979 FXR Shovel Head Harley with 6,700 on it for $8,000.00. It was chromed out, looked good and sounded even better 8) 8) 8). I probably wouldn't have been real popular if I'd ridden that home. As it is now one orange chainsaw looks the same as another just as long as they aren't together ;);D ;D

Corley5 · March 30, 2008, 04:08:57 PM

The old Jack is back on the block

He let the skidder go and bought it back a year later

He didn't let the truck go then and sold it later for 5,000. He's still got his sawmill 8) 8)

Dave Shepard · March 30, 2008, 05:02:49 PM

What model TJ is it? Looks a lot like my 208 with 34 inch rubber.

Dave

Corley5 · March 30, 2008, 05:11:42 PM

Supposed to be a 200

Dave Shepard · March 30, 2008, 06:19:28 PM

Looks like a gas engine, I think I can see the air intake hooked to a carburetor. My cab has another vertical support forming a doorway, and the arch was removed for the grapple, but otherwise looks like the same basic thing. Wasn't the 200 a very early machine?

Dave