Favorite tools close at hand

[Timo]

Ok, I've gotten some great advise about what mill to purchase, have made a choice, and said wood chipper is on the way.

I'm interested in knowing what 'peripheral equipment' others keep at hand. What tools to you keep on the job site that contribute greatly to your days work? Peavy's, leveling equipment, de-barkers, reference books, whatever? I know this will vary greatly based on the type of core equipment people are running, but I am curious about all the support equipement needed to efficiently mill. I will be running a swing mill with occasional help from a Bobcat; other then that I have a few chainsaws, a Lewis winch, and a peavy. What do you consider indispensible?

and speaking of loading equipment, whats your thoughts on a cost effective machine for moving logs around on the work site? Skid steer, tractor, loader, extended family?

[Jeff]

A LogRite hookaroon.  I'm serious. Not just because they are a sponsor either. Thats the first thing I would buy even before a LogRite peavy or cant hook. Even before the sawmill!

[Tom]

Check out this thread for starters, Timo.  (DanG, I like that name) ;D

I'm sure your thread will generate even more.

https://forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl?board=sawmill;action=display;num=994012887;start=0

[WV_hillbilly]

  Man o Man Jeff.  I'm ahead of the learnin curve cause I got both of those Logrite tools already . Another Logrite item I got was a log stand for that 5' peavy . It really helps out when cutting firewood .  

[Captain]

Timo,  I can't say enough about the LogRite stuff.  By the nature of loading into a swing blade mill, you are not only rolling logs in, but prying them to square them up, etc.  I was breaking wooden handles on a regular basis as my peavey was also my prying tool.  No more problems.  BTW Amen on the hookaroon.  Don't move slabs without it.

You will also want a high-lift or what some call a handyman jack or farm jack to lift one end of the log (on occasion) to shim for taper compensation.

If you mill has not been boxed and shipped yet, I would call Peterson's right quick and get them to throw in a couple of extra water bottles, their design is unique and I have not found a replacement here in North America.

Metal Detector

My basic 2 foot long tool box contains spare chains, files, and the standard stuff (sockets, pliers, screwdrivers, wrenches) but my FAVORITE item is a Hitachi battery powered 1/2" impact.  LOVE THAT THING around the jobsite and around the homestead here.

Nice thread, I'm looking forward to what others might say.

Captain

[Brad_S.]

I will never, ever be without a Bobcat again. It is faster and more nimble than a tractor and more versitile as well. I found out the hard way that the sawmill was just a step in the process. You have to get the log in position, then deal with finished lumber and slabs. The Bobcat with forks makes quick work of all the above. 8)
Coupled with the Bobcat, a flat bed trailer. Allows you to go get logs, take your bobcat with you to remote jobs or carries finished lumber home or to end user.
A nice $300 trailer like DanG's would work fine. :D

[Minnesota_boy]

Chains and come-along help with that onrey log that has a stob on the backside wedged under the next log, as does a good pry bar.

[Tom]

A 3.5 lb sharp axe comes in mighty handy around the mill if you can keep someone from sticking it in the ground or grubbing roots with it.  For some reason, folks don't consider an axe a "fine" tool.

To get tramp metal out of a log the handy stuff is a Framing Hammer with straight claws that have been sharpened from the underside.  It acts as a hatchet but the topside is left flat so you can pull nails with it.  (a crows foot is handy but you will also find a wrecking bar better for pullig large spikes.

Some inexpensive chisels and a wooden mallet (you can make it yourself) comes in handy too.

I have made some chisels from old lawn-mower blades and pieces of file. Just don't hit them with a steel hammer because you can cause slivers of metal to fly.  That's why a wooden  mallet is so handy.

A couple of poly ratchet straps thrown behind the seat of your truck comes in mighty handy too.  You never know when someone might give you a special board or two and you will need something to strap them down. They also come in handy when you need an extra hand working on the sawmill.

[Murf]

A Hookeroon ? Who'd a thunked it........

I've been using one o' them things for years, my Great-Grandpa made it out of an old axe probably about a hundred years ago.

I never new it was an actual tool.

Today wasn't a waste, I learned something new.  :P

[DanG]

Ditto all of the above.  I prefer the forklift for moving logs, but a skid-steer will do it unless they are really big. A tractor with a loader on it works fine, too.

One thing I depend on that hasn't been mentioned, is a comfortable chair...one that fits your back. Unless you're an energetic whippersnapper like Captain, that can go a hunnerd mph all day, you'll want to sit down and take a load off once in a while. I just use one of those cheap molded plastic ones, but I found a style that fits me. It helps a lot.

If you're working at home, an air chisel is great for digging metal out of logs. Saves a lot of flailing away with a hammer.

Other items I keep handy: crowbar, 3lb hammer,  rubber mallet, pliers, and at least 2 measuring tapes. I keep one tape on the mill, and one on the forklift...saves lots of steps.

I also keep both chainsaws out there...a biggun and a littlun.

[Swede]

"......a biggun and a littlun."  :D  :D  :D

DanG...... If I sometimes can´t hear ya talkin! Remember FF is an international site nowadays.

But I DO like when people pay attention to their use of dialect. Like to do that in Växjö, Göteborg, Malmö and other towns  where people are better folks than me, a forest fool living at countryside in Småland.  ;D

Swede.

[Pete J]

I know which tools I like to have around, but I might be biased a little bit.

[customsawyer]

I agree with all that has been said already but one of the things that I have is the small tool boxes that mount just inside your tailgate one on ether side mine have five drawers each and I love them they keep all your small tools close at hand and you don't have to spend all your time standing on your head looking for the small stuff that always falls to the bottom and under the big stuff in those big cross body tool boxes. I have one of the biguns also but use it for the big stuff.
I also got a set of those craftsmans ratchet end wrenches, they are more than a little proud of those things but they sure save alot of time. Oh yea spare parts ask other sawyers with your type of mill which parts they need to replace the most and stock your truck with some.

[WH_Conley]

Handy one item I added is a big plastic crossbed toolbox, catches all of the little stuff and small spare parts as well a few extra bands. I keep it close if I am at home or on the road, get to a job just unload it close to the mill as practical, by using it at home  the stuff that needs to be there will be. One person handle it.

[TN_man]

A good understanding wife :D :D

[redpowerd]

yea, every man could find one of those really handy! :D

i allways carried mult-pliers, but ive lost too many. now i just have my buck knife and a pair of small vice grips allways have a windex jug of light oil and a syrup bottle of old motor oil on hand.

skidsteer for those tools not fitting into pockets, i allways have bars of multiple length, weight, and bends. think its saved my peavy and cant many times over

swede; biggun = big one, and so on ;D
how do you say 'big one'? mabie its easier than spittin out biggun

 :D :D

[Swede]

redpowered; I DID undrestand   Have been here for a while now.
On Swedish TV you can see movies and other programs from US every night. I like CBS 60 minutes and remember Dallas, Bonanza and others. Have always been reading the text more than listen but after reading  FF a lot I can understand more.

 (en="one" or "a", stor="big", liten= "small")
"a big one" = "en stor en")
Many people would use  words you don´t want to hear instead of the last "en"  

Swede.

[rebocardo]

A hi-lift jack is my one tool I can't do without. I have used it for everything, including rescuing my truck, rolling 4'x10' foot logs, and lifting trees so I could buck them.

I would follow that by a five foot cant hook and six foot breaker bar (1.5 inches of steel).

I take all three whenever I take down a tree.

[Engineer]

Besides the mill:

Extra blades.
Both chainsaws,
Sledgehammer and splitting maul.
4 ft peavey.
2 ft cant hook.
4x4 x 12' long ash cant, for levering stuff.
Gas can, bar oil, water jug for mill, drinking water.
Standard safety equipment.
Chain saw bucket with files, wedges, scrench, etc.
4x4 tractor w/ forks (JD 4100)
Log chain with slip and grab hooks.
Debarker attached to chain saw bar.
Lots of dry stickers.

Can't think of anything else.  Would really like to have a track-type skidsteer for log and lumber handling, with forks and a grapple.

[MULE_MAN]

Well I really like my Case 580 Backhoe for work around the Mill & Farm
It seems to be real handy for anything I'm doing. Use it unloading logs,
I have use the hoe end to reach and pull logs out of my woods. when
the log is in a bad place. I used it to lift the Trusses  in place when I built
my Saw Mill Shed. My wife bought a 5 ft tree  and ask if I could dig her
a hole in the yard to plant it. I say sure , I'll go get the Backhoe !!

She couldn't believe it , She say your going to use the Backhoe to
dig a hole for this tree!!      I told her, Well the ground is hard , & why
should I be jumping up & down on a shovel, when I have a Backhoe

She say MICHAEL YOUR A SICK MAN.  I told her  I Love you too
Dear !!  And laughed and got the Backhoe !! HA   :D :D ;D

[WH_Conley]

Mule Man, makes perfect sence to me.

[oakiemac]

I can only ditto what the others have said. The Bobcat is especially useful.
I have small hookeron, a 4 1/2 cant hook, sharpening equipment, assortment of hand tools and a bucket of various lenght chains. 2 come alongs, several thick ratchet straps, red/yellow spray paint for marking metal in logs, metal detector, doyle log rule, 2" oak boards for blocking-ect.
Don't forget the water and a sandwich or two!

[MULE_MAN]

Well  I did to at the time, But I think she got the last laugh, after
I had to repair the yard , from putting down the out rigger on a 12,000 lb
Backhoe.   : But that was easier then digging a hole
OH WELL  we have fun anyhow !  :D

[ScottAR]

Sounds good to me...  When we had a 580, we used it to dig carrots and potatos from the garden...   :D :D

I want another one!!  :D

[Minnesota_boy]

I've got one more "tool" that helps me through those long cold days.  Little contraption called a lunchbox oven that I picked up at the local truck stop.  Put in some meatloaf, polish sausage, or maybe an eggroll at my morning break, say 10:00 or so and plug it into the cigarette lighter.  When noon rolls around, open it up to a steaming hot meal.  Realy hits the spot on a long hard day.

[Bibbyman]

Don't forget good tape measures.  We've learned out lesson and buy only Sears Craftsman brand.  That way you never have to buy another (unless you loose one or one "walks off". )  We like to have a lot of them around – one in the truck,  one in the Terex,  one on the edger,  one on the sawmill control box, etc.

We've got cant hooks out the ears too.  One within a couple of steps from anywhere a log or cant may be.   Got our Pro-Sawyer Mary Sawmill special LogRite cant hook stationed on the back side and front side of the mill.  If the short handled beauties can't handle it,  then we get after it with the 60"er.  

We have a short handled camper's axe hanging on a pair of nails on the post next to the skidblocks.  It's there to use to knock off a small limb or chunk of dirt, etc.

We've got a couple of scoop shovels too.  Even though we have a blower,  still there is a lot of dust and debris build up.

[DanG]

I bought a sack full of 25' tapes at Walmart about a year ago, for $2 each. So far, none have given any trouble. It's 40 miles to the nearest Sears store.(or is that K-mart?)

Forgot to mention that I keep a box of kid's "sidewalk chalk" for marking lumber and logs. Got about 20 big hefty sticks of colored chalk in a plastic container for about $3. Works great!

[Gary_C]

One thing you don't want around a mill is a log grapple or forwarder. Sure you can pick logs from the middle of a pile and from the side or end of the pile. Ya, you can spin them around and look for defects and then place them exactly where you want them with either end towards the blade. But the problem is you get so spoiled that you will not be able to go back to the old way.  

I have a forwarder that is normally out in the woods. I use it around the mill the rest of the time and sure enough, I now just cannot seem to  get anything done without the forwarder at the mill.

They are so darned expensive and I cannot afford another one unless I bought an old one and fixed it up. However I already have too much to do and too many "projects" that are not getting done.

Don't make my mistake.   :(

[Bruce_A]

I think I know where there is a pedestal mount loader with all the controls and pump, motor etc, that can be had for $2500.00.  It has about a 20' reach. It is located in western washington.  Was used as a garbage handler.  It is electric powered.

[Gilman]

Bruce,
What part of western Washington?

[Bruce_A]

Gilman;  about an hour north of Vancouver on I-5 if you are interested, let me know and I'll check further.

[steveo_1]

DanG, good idea about the chalk, i been using a grease pencil,that chalk has got to be cheaper.I didnt see any of you say anything bout a framing square,i always have one to check my cants squareness.You guys buy alot of tape measures,i have two one in the tool box and one on my side.