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Getting started on the winter logging

Started by Quebecnewf, January 07, 2019, 06:15:14 PM

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Quebecnewf

 

 No I still use my cone on a regular basis. I to sometimes just pull a few logs on one point . I try to avoid this if I can but you have to take what the forest gives. 

What are you using for your pulling rope and what do you have as a winch ?

As you can see it can get rough on the trail . These marks are fifty feet apart and I have seen it when you have to stop by each mark and wait to catch a glimpse of the next one before going on .

Out on the open bays and lakes it is actually easier to manage when it's rough . It's when you come to sections that pass over hills that you run into trouble .

The visibility can go down to where you can't even tell if your moving because you lose sight of the ground .you have to be very careful because if you miss a marker you can get in trouble real quick

Quebecnewf 

mike_belben

What do you do then?  Whats your emergency gear consist of?
Praise The Lord

thecfarm

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

Old Greenhorn

Quote from: Quebecnewf on January 29, 2019, 05:01:43 AMNo I still use my cone on a regular basis. I to sometimes just pull a few logs on one point . I try to avoid this if I can but you have to take what the forest gives.

What are you using for your pulling rope and what do you have as a winch ?
OK then! Thanks! That's all I neeeded to know. I will start on it the next chance I get. My only concern is that you tossed it in favor of a better method, in which case I would ask more.
I have a UTV with a 3,500# winch and steel cable. It does get challenged with the heavy hardwoods and the very large rocks the log nose digs up and lodges against. Lots of going back and fourth to adjust the log on a long drag, and I work alone.
That's a huge help, thanks! Please be safe out there, that trail photo really gives me pause. Holy cow!
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

sealark37

For those of you who wonder how far North the OP is, go to Google Earth, find the North shore of the St Lawrence River.  Follow the road to the Northeast until the road ends.  Look Southeast across the water.  You will see an island.  The OP lives on that island.  His cabin is even further in the woods.  He skids his logs to the mill in the summer with a boat.  He also takes great pictures.         Regards, Clark

Brian w

I noticed that you said winter logging but I am assuming that you are talking about fire wood cause I've never cut a log let alone a tree that a snowmobile would pull. But I have always wanted to be able to live on my own in the woods so sounds like you are living my dream so keep on going

Quebecnewf

We log all softwood and our trees are mostly on the small side. It's what we have so its what we use. All the people here burn almost 90% softwood to heat their homes. Once again it's what we have so its what we use.

Going back in the woods later today for another couple days . Cold here again so bit of a challenge but it is winter. My plan is to try my zip line on this turnaround . If all goes to plan there should be some video and pics posted here in a few days . Wish me luck

Quebecnewf 

mike_belben

Luck wished.  I wanna see this  :laugh:
Praise The Lord

Stephen1

IDRY Vacum Kiln, LT40HDWide, BMS250 sharpener/setter 742b Bobcat, TCM forklift, Sthil 026,038, 461. 1952 TEA Fergusan Tractor

petefrom bearswamp

Just got back on the thread.
Watched the whole vid this time.
Stan is an interesting guy and knows his dogs.
I suspect that he is from several thousand miles east and a little south of Alaska tho.
Newf you are an amazing fellow with an incredible work ethic.
Stay safe my friend.
Cant wait for spring to start sawing here, but I do enjoy snowmobiling.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

nativewolf

Quote from: petefrom bearswamp on February 01, 2019, 07:54:19 PM
Just got back on the thread.
Watched the whole vid this time.
Stan is an interesting guy and knows his dogs.
I suspect that he is from several thousand miles east and a little south of Alaska tho.
Newf you are an amazing fellow with an incredible work ethic.
Stay safe my friend.
Cant wait for spring to start sawing here, but I do enjoy snowmobiling.
Stan is from Mass.  Left there for Alaska as a young man, he has lots of old videos and was producing videos for the internet before youtube was a thing.  He'd be a hoot to meet and appears very happy which is the key thing for us all.
Liking Walnut

petefrom bearswamp

Yes he would be a pleasure to meet.
Figured he was from massa 2 *****
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

mike_belben

Yeah thats how its pronounced in tennessee.  :D
Praise The Lord

Quebecnewf

 

 Well did a test Zip line setup and sad to say it did not go as planned. 
Problems: rope I use has too much stretch . It's just fishing rope.
Not enough slope in location where I did test . 
Need better zip line pulley 
Sorry no pics at this time . Will try to modify my setup and do another run .

Sorry guys.

It's been cold here but we are getting some logs .

Quebecnewf 

Old Greenhorn

Good luck Newf! We are all waiting to see how you make out. I would be surprised if you have good success with rope on the high line. There are simple methods for getting this pretensioned by hand with two or more people that we used in swiftwater rescue operations, but you need to start with a good static line or it will keep stretching. One time, when doing a practice exercise, we nearly pulled over the telephone pole we were using for an anchor. Another time, we dragged a fire engine. No pulleys involved.
Be safe out there. OH yeah, that's a nice load of logs you have, especially when one considers that you use mostly hand work to get them.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

mike_belben

Can you switch to cable anchored to a comealong for tensioning?
Praise The Lord

tacks Y

Newf, Do you cut on gov land? Or is this all private up there?

OntarioAl

tacks Y
Neuf  posted an answer to this a while back
It is government land, they determined that there was no  merchantable timber and could not issue a cutting permit if there was no timber. So Neuf is harvesting a resource that the government officials have determined doesn't exist.
hope this helps
cheers
Al
Al Raman

Quebecnewf

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on February 04, 2019, 09:49:59 AM
Good luck Newf! We are all waiting to see how you make out. I would be surprised if you have good success with rope on the high line. There are simple methods for getting this pretensioned by hand with two or more people that we used in swiftwater rescue operations, but you need to start with a good static line or it will keep stretching. One time, when doing a practice exercise, we nearly pulled over the telephone pole we were using for an anchor. Another time, we dragged a fire engine. No pulleys involved.
Be safe out there. OH yeah, that's a nice load of logs you have, especially when one considers that you use mostly hand work to get them.
This is what I was worried about . The rope is the main issue . It's good rope but it is designed to stretch . It's made for fishing . As the boat rises on the waves the strain on the rope jumps up big time . You have a fifty foot boat rising up so  with maybe ten crab pots hanging on that rope depending on the depth of the water if the rope cannot stretch it will bust like thread . 
I have been looking into high grade no stretch rope but the cost is out of my budget right now .
I am still going to keep working on this idea because I know there is something there . They do it big scale on the west coast , there is no reason , other than finding out what works that we cannot scale it down for the east coast .
Quebecnewf 


Old Greenhorn

I am looking at the logs you are working, much like mine, but lighter (I have hardwood) and am thinking that 1/4 steel cable should work pretty well. Any chance you can scrounge some up? Old winch cable should work.
 AT some point I will try this, just looking for the blocks I need.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

Quebecnewf

For me cable is not the answer I think . It should work but the weight and working with it by hand is not where I want to go.

The answer , I think , lies in these new no stretch ,super light and strong ropes. The problem so far for me is the cost . Going to keep looking and I'm sure something will turn up . 




Quebecnewf


Old Greenhorn

Yeah, I get it Newf. I think what you are looking for is something like Phillystran, which is a synthetic rope that behaves like cable. It it used in a variety of marine, commercial, and radio applications (antenna towers). It is pricey though. Several of my buddies have used it on their towers, but they have deeper pockets than I. Check around the utility companies, maybe you will get lucky.
 The reason I said 1/4 cable is because I have done a bunch of rope rigging and know you will need some hefty stuff to get the tension you will need, even in a static line, you are looking at 5/8 line or so. This is very bulky and gets heavy, especially covered in snow and ice. Cable is not a lot of fun to work with in the beginning, but once you figure it out and pre-make your end loops with double saddle clamps, it can actually go pretty easy, plus it packs smaller and is less subject to weather changes. The blocks should be smaller too. Setting the backline might take a bit more thinking, but once it is in, you are set. Keep looking, you will find something.
 I took some trees back in May-June that were on a 60 degree slope, big stuff and I am still kicking myself for not setting up a line to get them down. Very rough working at that angle and I just cut them into 6' logs and rolled them down. It may sound easy, which is what I thought at the time, but man THAT was work! Next time I will know better. f nothing else, it will make for some good photos for the FF, right?
 Have fun and be safe out there.
Tom Lindtveit, Woodsman Forest Products
Oscar 328 Band Mill, Husky 350, 450, 562, & 372 (Clone), Mule 3010, and too many hand tools. :) Retired and trying to make a living to stay that way. NYLT Certified.
OK, maybe I'm the woodcutter now.
I work with wood, There is a rumor I might be a woodworker.

mike_belben

I would look at amsteel and the cheaper clones that are sold as winch line.  Very low stretch and they pull jeeps up vertical ledges.  

How long do you need?

"Ranger" and "X-bull" look like two of the cheapest im seeing right now.  100ft of 3/8 is around $90 and in the 20-23k pound rating.  
Praise The Lord

curved-wood

We've used old telephone post ''guy'' cable. Very low stretch. Very stiff, does not bend around like a winch cable. Here is a company that is specialized in used electric materiel where you might find something : https://www.papineaumetal.ca/quincaillerie/

Bruno of NH

The guy who worked with me at the condo repair contract I had.
Would set up a rope skyline and I would pull heavy loads up to him 3 stories up.
200+lbs the rope would stretch very little and it was 3/8.
He came from timber framing and used these ropes and straps for lifting frames.
We could set a system up in less than 10 minutes .
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

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