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Timber Harvest Methods & Equipment

Started by Ron Scott, March 24, 2002, 02:14:52 PM

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longtime lurker

Logs are cut exclusively with a chainsaw, and the length issue means it takes a fair degree of skill to get them on the ground cleanly, and sometimes a lot of winching and blocks when things dont go according to plan. Then they get pulled to the ramp by skidder or sometimes the dozer, then loaded with a wheel loader. The heavy gear has gone home for the wet when these pictures were taken so all thats left to load is the JCB. It is nominally a 2.5t machine but the counterweight has been expanded and she'll handle closer to 4t.



 

Logs are broken for loading on the little truck as required, which is determined by either the max length I think I can get away with or the lift capacity of the gear. I run overlength and overweight a lot in the body truck - no onboard scales and the reality is that Australian hardwoods weigh heavy. About 1.5 times the density of red oak, to give you guys a frame of reference.

Last of the logs on the ramp:

 
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

longtime lurker

Then back down the hill to home with the jakes echoing off those rock walls all the way down. You mightn't be able to see me coming but you'd have to be deaf not to hear it. Up the coast to the mill and unload.



 

Reminding ourselves that we better get the waterpump back into the yard loader soon because this "short log" caper is a little bit tough on the 2t forklift. :D

Last load of logs for 2014 "in".



 

Probably around the 12t mark on that load. Mind the wet appears to be late and if it doesn't rain in the next week we might just throw a skidder on and go back and get some more. 8)
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

thecfarm

Thanks for the pictures and how things are down in your part of the world.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

coxy

nice pics that poor little kitty cat  >:( in the one pic it looks there was a fire or is that how the first 5ft of the tree looks standing they look burnt  :)

longtime lurker

Quote from: coxy on January 07, 2015, 06:56:40 AM
nice pics that poor little kitty cat  >:( in the one pic it looks there was a fire or is that how the first 5ft of the tree looks standing they look burnt  :)

Fire is part of the cycle in  eucalypt woodlands. Mostly they need to burn every couple of years, the hard shells on the seed pods require the heat to crack open so they can grow. Doesn't hurt the live trees at all - they have thick bark either full length or in a "stocking " at the base to protect the tree - and it helps to clear out competing weeds etc also. The major problem that arises is when they don't burn regularly, excessive fuel loads can make for fires that are uncontrolablely hot.
Working after a burn is nicer... we might have to suck a bit of ash with the dust but we can actually see where we're going in there. Dead logs are very slow to burn, particularly turpentine which is one of the most fire retardant timbers in the world. There's old stumps and trees on the ground that might be 100 years old in there and all they have is some charring.
The quickest way to make a million dollars with a sawmill is to start with two million.

coxy

 thanks for the info    do you have a pic of a turpentine tree never heard of one  ;D

Puffergas

The Reo is gone but not forgoten... 8)

Resting


 


Rear view


 

Landing


 

Skidding


 


In the yard


 

Out the back window


 

Another hitch


 

:new_year:
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

GEHL 5624 skid steer, Trojan 114, Timberjack 225D, D&L SB1020 mill, Steiger Bearcat II

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

barbender

Building a pile-


     I like to lay out the wood the length of where the pile will be, it makes it easier to build the pile straight.



     Then I take my "bucket" (lake states term for grapple) and tap things straight. Keeping the bucket half open kind of works like a plumb bob and helps me keep the face of the pile vertical.



   

      Then you just keep adding on and going up ;)
   

     When you have that one piled up, start another row, if you have room-

Too many irons in the fire

barbender

I thought this scene was pretty, this is a mature stand of second growth Red pine after a fresh snowfall. Unfortunately that's not what we're cutting, it was just where my machine was parked ::)

Too many irons in the fire

lopet

You always have some pretty neat piles barbender. Keep up  the good work.  ;)  The truckers must really like you.
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. !!

1270d

nice piling Barbender.  Ive been cutting some black spruce if the buncher breaks down.  Pushed a stick down 22 ft yesterday ;D

WDH

Barbender,

Those are some plumb nice piles. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Corley5

Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Maine logger88

Looks nice! We call them buckets around here too
79 TJ 225 81 JD 540B Husky and Jonsered saws

snowstorm

Quote from: 1270d on January 09, 2015, 06:47:02 PM
nice piling Barbender.  Ive been cutting some black spruce if the buncher breaks down.  Pushed a stick down 22 ft yesterday ;D
yup 22ft you remembered that i pushed one down 21'6" last winter

Ed_K

I spoiled my trucker too,but not that much  ;D .You didn't run a string did you  ;) .
Ed K

Southside

Quote from: snowstorm on January 09, 2015, 08:40:06 PM
Quote from: 1270d on January 09, 2015, 06:47:02 PM
nice piling Barbender.  Ive been cutting some black spruce if the buncher breaks down.  Pushed a stick down 22 ft yesterday ;D
yup 22ft you remembered that i pushed one down 21'6" last winter

Be careful snowstorm, someplace I have photos of a tracked processor that went down just as far in February one year.  One big hole had to be dug to get her out. 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Dave Shepard

Quote from: Ed_K on January 09, 2015, 08:40:28 PM
I spoiled my trucker too,but not that much  ;D .You didn't run a string did you  ;) .

A string is ok, but using a theodolite is pushing it. :D
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

1270d

Quote from: snowstorm on January 09, 2015, 08:40:06 PM
Quote from: 1270d on January 09, 2015, 06:47:02 PM
nice piling Barbender.  Ive been cutting some black spruce if the buncher breaks down.  Pushed a stick down 22 ft yesterday ;D
yup 22ft you remembered that i pushed one down 21'6" last winter

:laugh:  whats your deepest bog?  they do get a bit spooky at times.

WDH

I would like to see Barbender's sticker stacks  ;D. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

barbender

No stringlines or anything- I did spend many years on an asphalt paving crew where I had to make people's driveways look nice. Curves, straight lines, all had to be done by eye because you don't use forms with asphalt. So, I probably go about things with a different perspective ::) I think I may leave real loggers shaking their heads :D
     1270d, this particular region we are working is somewhat unique, the spruce tracts are basically wet sand instead of actual bogs. Frequently, Jack pine is interspersed with the spruce, and it can be a real bugger to tell them apart if the processor operator isn't helping you out.
    WDH, I've made some nice looking lumber piles, and some I sure wouldn't  want Red oaks lumber to see ;D One of my prouder moments was when last summer, I had my 14 and 12 year old daughters sticker some white oak decking, unsupervised, and when I inpected their work I found that I wouldn't have done it nicer myself. I did heap some praise on them for that ;)
Too many irons in the fire

snowstorm

Quote from: 1270d on January 09, 2015, 10:46:06 PM
Quote from: snowstorm on January 09, 2015, 08:40:06 PM
Quote from: 1270d on January 09, 2015, 06:47:02 PM
nice piling Barbender.  Ive been cutting some black spruce if the buncher breaks down.  Pushed a stick down 22 ft yesterday ;D
yup 22ft you remembered that i pushed one down 21'6" last winter

:laugh:  whats your deepest bog?  they do get a bit spooky at times.
that was it. it gets you to thinking how fast would this machine sink. on the other side of the same swamp a tracked machine went down. part of the cab sticking out

1270d

Are you enjoying the rottne?  Happy with the switch from valmet?

snowstorm

Quote from: 1270d on January 10, 2015, 07:15:37 PM
Are you enjoying the rottne?  Happy with the switch from valmet?
night an day difference. the valmet was cheap at the time and the keto head had pretty low hrs on it. it was a 546.pretty simple to work on. rottne bigger cab air ride heated seat. more hp hy stat  piston pumps. one thing i dont like it dosent have a lot of swing power. its ok most of the time. temp at -5 i shut the pumps off turn the key its running. no either. i like that iveco motor

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