using the mill to clean up a tree...

[Revival Sawmill]

I do a bit of tree work on the side; mostly as a climber and occasionally including cleanup.  Unfortunately, I don't have the type of heavy equipment (yet) that would let me pickup logs, or load them for transport to the house.  Generally, I chip anything that's small enough to run through the Vermeer, and chunk anything left over up into firewood or pieces small enough to load by hand. On a recent hurricane Florence-downed tree I got the bright idea to drag the woodmizer out to the site and sliced the tree up there rather than deal with that much 'chunking'  .  It ended up being more trouble than it was probably worth, but I got some 'free' wood out of it and learned a few lessons.  I will definitely be putting together some sort of log-loader for the truck, or welding up a log trailer soon!  And next time I want to drum up some business, I'll just drive around to random gas stations towing the mill - never had so many people stop to talk to me!!




 


The tree on arrival.  The local utility came out and took care of disconnecting the wires, but made a hash of chopping up the middle of the spar to clear the homeowner's driveway.






 

 
The top was laying in the field across the driveway.



 
I used the tailgate of the dumptruck and a newly-acquired set of log grapples to hoist and skid the logs out of the yard.



 

Chipped down all the slash, and left the logs piled at the side of the driveway. 


 





 

I brought the woodmizer over behind the pickup truck, and discovered the driveway was not nearly as level as I remembered.




It was sloped enough that one of the log-lifters was about 10" off the ground, and the tops of the jacks near the front of the machine were high enough to interfere with clamping.
 


I used some little cutoffs for ramps to get the log up onto the lifters
 

 
I wasted a bit of wood for not remembering to use to toe-boards to account for the taper... :(
 

 
Yikes!




I noticed a bunch more build-up on the belts than I got doing red oak at the house:
 


I stowed the mill, chunked up the flitches and loaded them on the bed of the truck, noticed a tire going flat on the truck and spent the rest of the afternoon at the local tire place (more questions about the mill!  ;D)
 

 
My ill-gotten gains:



 

We came back that evening and loaded the truck, 




  

and ended up unloading in the dark.  Like always.  




 

I'll have to sticker and stack in the next couple of days.  As soon as I pick a spot...

Thanks for reading!  Hope all that's useful/entertaining for someone.

 

[charles mann]

I too will be building a dedicated log trailer, probably this time next yr. using my flatbed gooseneck as a log hauler is tearing the flooring up. I plan on getting a set of pre-made 12k tandems ordered, and building off the design of a regular ole' log tck pole trailer, minus the folding at the center, until i can get a flat bed built for my dually. I would imagine the entire setup, including tandems will weigh around 3000-4000 lbs, which will allow me to maximize my gn hitch and carry 26,000-27,000 lbs of wood. i will design it so that the pole bunks will fold down and act as ramps and help winch the logs onto the trailer and have another set of bunks that will pin place to the first set, to allow for a sec row if need be. 

for time being, i will just use my flatbed and log arch to keep loading trees on last wen was the first time i used 4-6" x 8' round fence posts to help roll the logs onto the trailer. i found out that if i don't secure the set of posts, as the sec log is loaded and the post under that log rolls into the first back post, it kicks the post out of whack. my next trip, i will bring a few short chains to secure the first set of post and use my cut down post to help transition between the back and front posts, used to the first log. but those post sure did make loading a LOT easier, especially coming up the ramp, where the transition is between the ramp and flat deck, and dragging the logs over the angle and where the log is coming onto the dovetail of the trailer. I need to trim a little off the posts to to allow them to sit between the sides of my ramp and in the cleats (angle iron turned upside down, where the point of the V is upwards) and my ramp. 

[Southside]

i will design it so that the pole bunks will fold down and act as ramps and help winch the logs onto the trailer and have another set of bunks that will pin place to the first set, to allow for a sec row if need be. 

Charles - 

I am trying to picture exactly what you mean here but it sort of sounds like you are thinking of a break away bunk style.  FMCSA - DOT has very clear regulations on log bunks, best to double check them before you start cutting steel.  Technically I have been told break away bolsters are not illegal, but there are whole host of other specifications in the regs that can more than make up for that little technicality.  

[Southside]

Revival - was that some sort of fir?

[charles mann]

i will design it so that the pole bunks will fold down and act as ramps and help winch the logs onto the trailer and have another set of bunks that will pin place to the first set, to allow for a sec row if need be.

Charles -

I am trying to picture exactly what you mean here but it sort of sounds like you are thinking of a break away bunk style.  FMCSA - DOT has very clear regulations on log bunks, best to double check them before you start cutting steel.  Technically I have been told break away bolsters are not illegal, but there are whole host of other specifications in the regs that can more than make up for that little technicality.  

something with a hinge pin and pin that will lock it in the vertical position. if it borderlines legal/illegal, then i will go to the folding style, and run a pulley at the folding point to aid the winch line in redirecting. once pulled up far enough to grab hold with a choker, winch it onto the trailer. from the crap iv seen with old pulp wood trucks, still on the road today, even with the "break away" bunks, I'm sure as long as the tags are farm tags, and the trailer is kept in better than avg condition, chances are i won't get messed with. iv seen DOT trucks and trailers with near bald tires, oil leaks from hubs, xmsn, diffs, and motor, that get ignored. not saying my equipment should be the exception to the rules and regs, but most times, hm built farm trailers are left alone unless something is truly unsafe. 

During my cdl school, i was told that pulling doubles with anything not having more than 3 axles was illegal. did know it at the time, didn't know it when i was pulling a "double". i had a hm built atv and dog trailer and hm built pig wagon i pulled behind my wheeler and even though transporting live feral hogs was/is frowned upon, i never got any grieve over it, even by the game wardens. I was approached by a warden and asked why i was transporting live. i explained i wanted to corn feed him out for a wk, get the nastiness out of his system and give him time to get the adrenaline out of his system, after being dog caught. warden shook my hand, said thanks for helping reduce the population and went on. another time i was approached by a state trooper (wt./measure) about the live hog and my lil wagon (coupled onto my hm built atv/dog trailer), he checked it out, saw that the lights worked, ensured i had a solid coupling system for both trailers and power unit, complimented me on my design of a guillotine gates for separating or loading and unhobbling w/o getting eaten up, and said drive safe. 

again, not saying I'm exempt, not saying i should be exempt, and definitely not saying that 1 day i wont meet that ONE cop who wants to enforce or read into the law just to meet his quota. but a solid build, solid coupling points, safety equipment and materials on hm built stuff goes a long way when dealing with cops and hm made equipment. 

[Stephen1]

Revival, everything in your pictures looks exactly like what I and others go thru on portable sawmill jobs, especially when we were new to the buisness. Dragging logs around with your truck, unlevel ground with all sorts of props, blocks holding the mill and loading arms, logs not on bunks . 
Lokks like a nice supply of wood!
It is all part of the adventure.....Mobile Sawing!

[Revival Sawmill]

Revival - was that some sort of fir?

Yep- we are around 4-5k', so fir is pretty common

[Revival Sawmill]

Revival, everything in your pictures looks exactly like what I and others go thru on portable sawmill jobs, especially when we were new to the buisness. Dragging logs around with your truck, unlevel ground with all sorts of props, blocks holding the mill and loading arms, logs not on bunks .
Lokks like a nice supply of wood!
It is all part of the adventure.....Mobile Sawing!

Thanks! Glad to know I'm not off-track... 😳

Really looking forward to acquiring some heavy equipment !

[Southside]

Revival - was that some sort of fir?

Yep- we are around 4-5k', so fir is pretty common

Now I am jealous - you are in the part of NC that I really, really like.  

[Crusarius]

we all need one of these

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