Thinning pines with a Chainsaw

[gwilson]

I have recently had the opportunity to thin some 15 year old southern pine. I have access to a big rig and trailer, and have saws to cut with. My main question is what have yall found works skidding small wood? I need to maximize output, and save time as i will be working as a one man crew. I also have tractors and was looking at one of the 3 pt hitch grapples and was wondering yalls opinion of them? anybody alse running them? Thanks

[BBK]

We have used the Farmall 806 (100hp) with a Farmi winch for pulpwood and log skidding since the 80's. We set up for pulp with 12 to 14 keys on the winch cable to tag that many chokers. On the 6" to 8" trees we cuold usually get two to a choker. Most of the pulls had from 14 to 20 trees hooked up. The tractor and winch handle this with ease making for fast turnaround to the landing. Dad kept 2 men cutting full time with him and with me on the tractor. That seemed to work well.

[Meadows Miller]

Make yourself a Felling Bench it will keep the tree up of the ground so you are not bending over limbing and toping ;) whats the logs going into pulp small sawlog or posts  ??

[Raider Bill]

Make yourself a Felling Bench it will keep the tree up of the ground so you are not bending over limbing and toping ;) whats the logs going into pulp small sawlog or posts  ??

Whats a felling bench?

[Gary_C]

Whats a felling bench?

It's a place to sit and contemplate all the DanG'ed work you have in thinning those pines by hand.  :D :D

[thecfarm]

gwilson,welcome to the forum. Tractors do not like brush,limbs under them. But I do feel a tractor could do the job you want. How many hp you have is a question too. A 30 hp would not be my choice to try to make money at it. I never been around a 3pt grapple for a tractor. A tractor is not something to drive through the woods in high gear with either. They will not do a fast job without destroying the tractor.

[gwilson]

Adding somemore info. This wood will be going out for pulp, and my tractors are in the 80-100 hp range. Thanks for the feedback.

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

A felling bench is just like a steel sawhorse you shift around the block in your timber zone drop your trees across it then limb them up and either see saw your tree length of it or dock n trim as you go  You set it up where you can drop afew trees onto it whilst leaving it in one position that way you can make up a lift  for a forwarder or a drag for a tractor/skidder  ;) ;D Tractors are fine for thinning like has been said just dont go tear arsing around in it like you in a paddock I have used Chamberlain, Fergy,Fordson,Fiat 35hp to 100hp tractors over the years without a drama and they all did a great job ;)

Regards Chris

[shortlogger]

No offense but that metal sawhorse sounds like a lot of trouble and a good way to dull a saw . But I might not be seeing the whole picture either .

[WDH]

It's a place to sit and contemplate all the DanG'ed work you have in thinning those pines by hand.  :D :D

:D :D

[sawguy21]

That felling bench is an interesting idea, I have never seen one either. Thinning with a chain saw sounds like back breaking work to me. Is the wood too big to use a clearing saw like Swamp Donkey?

[Ianab]

Is the wood too big to use a clearing saw like Swamp Donkey?

If it's being sold for pulp I'd guess yes

At least you can use a small lightweight chainsaw on those smaller trees.

Ian

[John Mc]

When I'm cutting firewood, my felling bench is just a tree dropped perpendicular to where the other trees are going. After limbing the "bench", I drop the other trees on top of it. Since it's firewood, and not sawlogs, getting that crossways "bench" out of there after all the other trees are gone is no big deal. I just cut it down to a length that I can skid out without damaging other trees.

[gwilson]

 Has any one tried using a limb gate with the grapple? in a need to maximize output i thing backing through a limb gate would be the fastest. I could also limb with my excavator and a gate i guess.

[shortlogger]

I have heard of making a gate out of chains between trees and backing the top of the tree through it to break off the limbs but never seen it done . I took it as something done before delimbers

[Side loader]

Here's my 2 cents worth. I started logging with a tractor and a bob truck a few years back on weekends and after work. I would skid with a grapple behind a 50 hrs 4wd Kubota.  The problem is that with hand felling,  the trees may get hung up or fall in such a way that you could not reach them with the grapple. Then you'd have to get off the tractor and hook a chain and pull out to where you could hook up the grapple. It's aggravating and I'm too lazy to use a winch SO, I got a little bell cutter and was moving about 2 tractor trailer loads a day (50-60) tons. My tractor started getting ragged out ( broke off blinkers, dent in hood, bent centerlink,ect) SO I picked up a small skidder so I won't abuse the Kubota.  I think a winch might be the way to go if hand felling IMO. But it's gonna be WORK!!!!  We don't have a gate but just back up in some bushes to delimb. We call it popping corn cause that what it sounds like. A gate would be better. 

[WDH]

De-limbing gates were common in logging southern pine, but never for hardwood.  The hardwood limbs will not snap off.  You don't see as many gates as you used to.  The CTR de-limbers are the main way it is done mechanically in the South.

[semologger]

I like useing our gate. We have a ctr delimber on our 210 but doing it for post we have to keep em cleaner. I like the gate because so many trees can be done at one time. Then we use a chainsaw to top off at 4 inches and hit the knots left. i usualy would get ahead of the skidder far enough i would top. Plus the cost of runnig the knuckle boom and the extra hand running it all the time. I dont think a tractor will be able to handle the gate. Like a skidder. I dont think the chains will work.  Here is ours.



  



 
We also use it on loblolly stands. I cut with the cutter throwing al the trees to one side. Making my way to the end of the rows running over every skid as i cut breaking off limbs. Then the skidder starts at the last drag running over all the drags on its way out. then by the time it makes it to the gate not many limbs are left. 

I have guys cutting down with chainsaws and using tractors some do it better than others. I also have a kid thats 14 hauling into my mill that is using a small articualting fork lift that they mounted a small grapple on the front like a knuckle boom. Instead of forks.  He just drives thru the woods picking up 8 foot post. Brings them up to the landing and puts them straight on the trailer. He pulls in 300 to 400 dollars in a weekend. 

But me i am fixing to go out and by a bell and use it. I have a small tractor to skid with. Or i might just skid with the bell if not to far. I dont have to have the biggest loads to haul into the mill since i will be doing the logging and peeling.
Since i dont work with my dad no  more that was all his equipment.

[shortlogger]

Thats good to know that there are still some kids comming up that know how and are willing to work .  working in the woods kept money in my pocket when I was growing up .

[treefarmer87]

I have thinned va pine with a tractor. It wasnt easy. It beat the tractor up a bit. I would fell by hand drag out and load with the tractor. When i got a skidder loader and straight truck. It made things alot easier   

[lumberjack48]

I've thinned a few thousand cords with a S8 & a C5, i ran 1/2" mainline with 8 7/16 chockers. We used a limbing gate, i would trim and top the piles when i came out for lunch.

[gwilson]

Does anyone know of a used 3 pt grapple for sale, or how somebody could find one used? I Would rely like to have a category II lift system on it, as to make it more durable, and easier to hook to a big tractor. Thanks

[treefarmer87]

check treetrader.com or machinerytrader.com