I'm new and green

Cub · January 16, 2018, 12:19:18 AM

Hello all. I'm new to the forum and this is my 1st post. Really green to the logging industry. Found some great info on this site and decided to join. There's many years of experience and knowledge here to be had. Thank you all for sharing what you've all learned over the years. A little bout me. From the time I was 14 til I was 24 I worked at a local dairy and vegetable farm where we also ran 9000 taps in the spring to make maple syrup. In the winter we made around 100 cord of firewood for sugar camp and for heating the house and shop. I went to work in town at the foundry but still worked part time at the farm and also worked part time in another farm. Was always involved in making firewood and lots of it. I make about 20 cords of firewood for myself each year. I still work a full time 40 hour a week job in town. This fall a buddy of mine and myself took on a logging job of 250 cord of scotch pine aspen and white ash. I bought an iron mule 5510 forwarder to do the skidding. We do all ctl in the woods by hand cutting with saws. Since the time change we only cut weekends now and take turns during the week after our full time jobs skidding at night. Anyways that's me and just wanted to say hi and thank all for sharing your knowledge and experiences.

Logger RK · January 16, 2018, 05:20:32 AM

Welcome to The Forum. I do think when starting out Logging,a forwarder is a good first machine. I'm wondering what kind of chain saw's you run?

thecfarm · January 16, 2018, 05:56:37 AM

Cub,welcome to the forum.

mike_belben · January 16, 2018, 06:23:02 AM

Sounds like you could teach some of us a thing or two!

Beware the carpal tunnel and worn out joints and stuff that come with repetative manual labor like firewood. If its hurtin ya a little now, its gonna be a lot worse later. Anything you can do to mechanize parts of the process will save you pain and cortizone shots down the road.

mf40diesel · January 16, 2018, 06:35:49 AM

Welcome to the forum. Amazing resource and a lot of real cool people... with similar interests.

Yeah, you sound like quite the industrious beaver.

Of all the facts you said..... 9000 taps! Holy smokes.

g_man · January 16, 2018, 07:01:17 AM

Welcome to the forum. You are a busy man! If you have time post some pictures of your equipment and operation. Everyone enjoys pictures.

gg

DaveP · January 16, 2018, 07:46:14 AM

Welcome Cub. I think you are from my area in the Door County area.

DaveP

trapper · January 16, 2018, 10:26:47 AM

Welcome from another not too far from you

wesdor · January 16, 2018, 10:39:03 AM

Welcome Cub. Sounds to me like you fit right in.

You are correct, this is a great group of people, willing to share their expertise.

Cub · January 16, 2018, 12:03:04 PM

I run stihl saws. Ms440 046 026 ms260. Actuall marinette county. When I was on the farm we had a jd 440a cable machine. Good machine but snow was your best friend to keep from having to constantly sharpen saws. We cut a lot of big hard maple and beech and white ash. With a forwarder you can cut year round. And yes 9000 taps. Thanks all for the welcome. And yes I like to keep busy.

Cub · January 16, 2018, 12:04:11 PM

Correction ms 440 036 026 ms 260

trapper · January 16, 2018, 02:32:46 PM

I grew up in Marinette co town of grover

Cub · January 16, 2018, 04:26:11 PM

Currently live in "downtown" porterfield . Grew up in peshtigo.

Cub · January 16, 2018, 04:30:03 PM

I hope to go at it full time 1 day. But now just starting off. Also plan to get a small processor after a while to save on the aches n pains n carpel tunnel that all eventually catch up to hand cutting with saws. But for now I'm perfectly happy doing it this way.

coxy · January 16, 2018, 06:50:41 PM

welcome to the FF a full time job and log on the side that's the way to go 8)

BargeMonkey · January 16, 2018, 07:32:36 PM

Welcome. 👍 alot of good information to be had here.

lopet · January 16, 2018, 08:31:32 PM

Welcome Cub and good introduction post. It's good to see young motivated guys on here.

teakwood · January 17, 2018, 06:49:32 AM

Welcome to the FF. What's taps?

mf40diesel · January 17, 2018, 07:42:34 AM

Teakwood, taps in maple trees to make maple syrup. While I am no expert, I believe 9000 tapped trees would be a pretty darn big operation. We tap 15 trees for our own personal fun where we live.

petefrom bearswamp · January 17, 2018, 08:06:33 AM

Welcome cub
You sure as heck aint lazy!

samandothers · January 17, 2018, 10:04:59 AM

Welcome Cub!
I'm tired from just reading and thinking about all you are into!

trapper · January 17, 2018, 12:24:04 PM

All this before your time. My father used to buy his ramblers in porterfield. I went to high school in Peshtigo also. Worked for a year at the sawmill there and ended up running the saw for 6 months. Circle saw back then with 110 hp electric motor.

Pclem · January 17, 2018, 12:42:07 PM

Welcome Cub. Good to see a neighbor

I would be lost without the FF. Sure have learned alot the last couple years. Good bunch of woodsmen

Cub · January 17, 2018, 08:14:06 PM

Not quite 9000 trees. Just 9000 taps. We had many big trees that got 3-5 taps a piece. Some had 7. Lots of big old maple. All gathered by hand in 5 gallon buckets and walked to the wagon pulled by a couple John Deere tractors. Yes the building where the ramblers were sold is still standing. And we still have our own post office. Thank you all for the warm welcome. I look forward to learning more from all you that have way more experience and knowledge than me!! I'm out in Connecticut right now for work. But I will try to get some pictures of the old iron mule and what we are cutting when I get back home. MO

Wrenchman · January 17, 2018, 11:31:59 PM

Welcome to the forum Cub!

I'm about an hour north of you in the U.P. Sounds like we are doing something similar, run a forwarder after work and weekends. Would love to do it full time, but not in the cards right now.

Good luck to ya!

Nick