iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Old willys vs tractor for logging?

Started by slice107, April 22, 2019, 11:07:43 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

slice107

My grandma wants her 200 acres logged, its mostly firewood trees in there and theres already trails everywhere. She has a old willys jeep with a winch on the back but it needs some work. I was also thinking about getting a old tractor like 8n or something but i think the jeep would be better cause I could throw the saw in the back of it and any other tools I would need. She has a old logging winch for a tractor there to.

i talked to my mechanic friend and he said that the jeep needs allot of work, about a month of work if we did it after he got home.

Also I'm pretty new to the whole logging thing. I just don't want to be stuck doing all that work to the jeep and learn that a tractor would be better.
Stihl 028, Husqvarna 288,285, Stihl MS500i, Ford 8n.

Huztle/Farmertech 36" CS mill

Norwood HD36

sawguy21

The Willys won't last long  doing that kind of work, it will be underpowered and the drivetrain won't stand the abuse. You say you are new to this, get some experienced help. Logging is a very dangerous operation at the best of times. Where are you and what are you working with? We might be better able to offer constructive suggestions.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

slice107

I'm in Ontario and I'm not working with much. I have a good understanding of how cable works and i have been around allot of heavy equipment. I got a little ATV but that is it for anything with wheels right now. I got a chainsaw mill i was going to use on any decent saw logs I found. But I thought the jeep with winch would be good cause I can use winch to pull hung up trees down so I'm not near them. Id also be hauling a trailer around in the bush I don't really plan on skidding logs out on the trails.
Stihl 028, Husqvarna 288,285, Stihl MS500i, Ford 8n.

Huztle/Farmertech 36" CS mill

Norwood HD36

47sawdust

Welcome and Happy Birthday.If you want to celebrate more birthdays I would strongly suggest better equipment than the jeep or the 8n.Logging is hard and dangerous work.
Mick
1997 WM Lt30 1999 WM twin blade edger Kubota L3750 Tajfun winchGood Health Work is my hobby.

Weekend_Sawyer

I think were only talking a couple of trees every now and then right?

I like the Willis, add a log arch and I don't think you'll beat it up too much.
I have pulled my arch behind my ford ranger and behind my buddy's UTV.
It works fine for my weekend warrior needs.

Check out Logrite in the menu to the left. They make very good quality products.

I tried skidding some logs with my 8n (without an arch) it just didn't have enough power for medium sized green oak.

Enjoy
Jon
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

slice107

I'm more thinking about dragging logs to the trails and loading them on trailer there if they saw logs if not id just drag to the trail and block it for firewood. Log arch is an option I guess. I was hoping to avoid them tbh though, as they don't seem that great if you gotta move allot of logs vs just loading onto trailer and moving them all in one go?

All in all I'm not 100% sure on this I'm just trying to get ideas. I mean they used to haul logs with a single horse back in the day. I seen some pics of old log trucks from the 50s around here and they where loaded up way more then trucks are nowadays. with way less power then then the new trucks today.

As for a couple trees here and there Id be hoping Id be out there at least 3 days a week. I'm not in any real rush, just trying to keep myself busy with stuff I like doing.
Stihl 028, Husqvarna 288,285, Stihl MS500i, Ford 8n.

Huztle/Farmertech 36" CS mill

Norwood HD36

btulloh

Try a couple logs and then start honing your plan.

See if you can help a neighbor one day.

Some things don't work in practice like they do in your head.

"Just load the logs on a trailer" is a lot easier than really loading logs on trailer.

You'll certainly be able to accomplish what you set your mind to, but you should either get some experience or listen to some experience.

Good luck. Sounds interesting.
HM126

btulloh

—— happy birthday and welcome to the forestry forum.
HM126

Old Greenhorn

I think @Weekend_Sawyer is on the right track. A log arch will take a lot of load off the pull vehicle as opposed to dragging. Your idea of using a trailer is fine, but how do you get the logs on the trailer without a grapple. Also, those logs are gonna load up that trailer weight pretty quick and depending on your trail quality it may be pretty rough pulling a few thousand pounds of even rolling weight around in the woods. Given the few details we have here, I would say the logging arch is going to give you the best bag for your buck, regardless of what is pulling it. You can make these if you have the skills and materials.
My pull vehicle (Mule) and my body take much less of a beating when I use the arch and the front of the log is off the ground. I have nearly knocked the teeth out of my head when the front of a dragged log hits an embedded rock. Also, dragging logs is going to get them full of mud and dirt which is not very good for the mill or chainsaw. An arch can reduce or eliminate this entirely depending on the design.
The key thing I have found is to minimize that amount of times you handle the wood. I like to skid my logs right to the splitter, buck and split and throw them right into the delivery trailer. If you block in the woods, then move them someplace else for splitting, you are adding a handling step. Think your process and plan through, then improve it as you go. Start with what you already have and then you will get a good idea of what you really need. You'd be surprised what you can do with an ATV and a skidding arch.
Good Luck,
Tom
P.S. Happy Birthday.


 
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.

Riwaka

Check the forest rules in your area before you start cutting. 
Canada's forest laws | Natural Resources Canada

Can you persuade Grandma to trade in the Willy's for something more suitable?

slice107

Ive been par buckling logs onto an old boat trailer and its been fine but my ATV has no brakes so its really sketchy hauling that down the road especially when the rear of ATV comes off ground. The trails out there are pretty good shape, some have culverts even.

No grandma isn't willing to part with the jeep its just sitting there right now rusting away. That's why I want to use it.

The other problem with ATV is its slow on the road and I think a tractor would be to but with the jeep I could actually drive at the speed limit. Its about a 20km drive from my house out there..

Ill look into the arch some more. I just really hate having logs drag though the dirt.

Thanks everyone for the happy birthdays to :)
Stihl 028, Husqvarna 288,285, Stihl MS500i, Ford 8n.

Huztle/Farmertech 36" CS mill

Norwood HD36

lxskllr

I'd be inclined to go for the Willys cause it's a Willys!  :^D It should be a useful machine regardless of logging with it. If money's tight, it may not be the best way to go at this point though. You could tap out putting money into it, and still not have something you can use.

luap

When I was 20 years old I did what you are proposing. I had a chainsaw, an axe,  a 1948 cj2a jeep and practically nothing else. I wanted to get enough logs to build a 16 foot square log cabin on site so I didn't have to move logs far. It was really hard on the drive shaft u-joints. Turning radius was terrible. Left it in 4wd low all the time, didn't need brakes. Neighbor was cutting pulp next door using a ford 8 or 9n. He far out performed what I was doing. Jeep is worse for climbing in and out of  compared to tractor especially if you are tall. I did get it done. 
As already recommended the tractor with arch would be the best for your situation


Old Greenhorn

This photo was taken Friday, it's about the best hitch I can haul and get it up the hill safely and easily. The photo is deceiving, the long log is 12" diameter at the large end. This is all green maple.


 
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.

thecfarm

We used a NAA Ford,just a little bit bigger than a 8 and 9n,better gears too for hauling out my firewood. Slow,but 2 people made a big difference. My father would drive and I was the Chain Man. He did not get off the tractor. We was hauling some big wood. Some 2 feet across. BUT we was not hauling many 40 footers at one time.  ;D  Seem like 16-20 feet was enough. The worst part was only able to haul out really one at a time,with the small stuff,like the tops. Hard to get more than one with only a chain and the hyd arms of the tractor. Sometimes,when the stars all lined up we could get two. Than we would go in with a trailer and haul out the limb wood. That was slow and I do mean slow. Not something I would want to do alone. But have done it alone.But we have to do what we have to do.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Cub

I made ALOT of firewood with my 1939 ford 9n for a lot of years. Drop the tree. Limb it. Lower the 3 point hook it short lift up the 3 point and go. Keeps the butt end out of the dirt. I did most of mine in winter so dirt wasn't much of a factor. Tires filled with calcium and the weight of the tree and tire chains and the old rig could pull an awfully big tree. Has to be careful to keep the front end down though.  I pulled them to a landing. Piece cut them at 20" loaded em in a trailer and hauled it 35 miles home. Could do a cord and a half a day. Wasn't ideal but it's what I had. And I did what I had to do. 

slice107

@Cub Is that face cord or full bush cord??
Stihl 028, Husqvarna 288,285, Stihl MS500i, Ford 8n.

Huztle/Farmertech 36" CS mill

Norwood HD36

Cub


Wallys World

I used to many years ago (I was in my 20's) do firewood logging with a couple of Willys. I had a '46 CJ2A and a '50 Willys truck with a factory flat bed on it. They pull well, ran chains on all 4 tires, axles are weak, I blew a front diff on the '50, luckily a local junk yard had one. Turning radius stinks, they were 6 volt, after a while I converted the '46 to 12 volt. Gave me some good experience how to and not to do things, but I wouldn't go back.
Wood-Mizer LT28G25, Wood-Mizer EG10 Edger, Wallenstein Timber Talon log loader trailer, Wallenstein GX640 wood splitter, Wallenstein WP835 Fire Wood Processor, Kubota BX 22 TLB, JD 445, JD Gator, Home made arch, Stihl 024 Super, MS251, MS311, MS440 Magnum & MS660.

dustintheblood

I have a 1971 M38A1 and use it in the woods, but only to carry gear and beer.  I wouldn't want to try and skid with it.  They're not making them anymore, and logging would only tear it apart.

It is the coolest side-by-side / front-to-back yah ever seen though!
Case 75C, Case 1494, RangeRoad RR10T36, Igland 4001, Hardy 1400ST, WM LT40HD, WM Edger, ICS DH Kiln

Hilltop366

Not sure what part of Ontario you are in but there are lots of cheap tractors on kijiji, something a little bigger than a 8n or 9n with hi/lo range would be better. 

Puffergas

What ever machine you end up with; make sure it has a ROP and a belly pan under you. Sticks like to go up the cab floor and stab people. Machines can be repaired but people not so easy. Jeeps are valuable, maybe sell it and buy another machine. We used a Jeep for firewood. It was nice with a tow bar. Could come home with a load of fire wood in the back of the pickup, Jeep in tow and the trailer behind the Jeep.
Jeff
Somewhere 20 miles south of Lake Erie.

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

krusty

I have a 52 Willys PU and for cutting firewood an old Willys could be fine with a small trailer on the back. Fall a tree, buck it up, drive right up to it and load the cut wood into the trailer. Plus as said elsewhere, good to carry lunch an a beer in for the end of day drive out of the woods. Anything more than that would be hard on it.

AnvilRW

I'd rather use the Willys than the 8n,  Keep it in low range and don't try to do more than 40-hp worth of work and you'll be fine.  If the Willys is going to take a month of work to get usable, I'd probably pass.  I use mine all the time for working in the woods but if I'm going to do serious work, I use machines more suited to the task. 


 
"A man with any character at all must have enemies and places he is not welcome—in the end we are not only defined by our friends, but also those aligned against us."

square1

Those old Willys have a very weak reverse gear. So weak that reverse is going to fail the first time you try to back up with almost any weight in addition to the Willys itself.

Thank You Sponsors!