Back in the cedars today

[LOGDOG]

Nice photos nas. Some of those more crooked trees still standing would make good short stock for split shakes. Just cut the sweep out of them by blocking them down into short legths.

What kind/size tractor are you using?

LOGDOG

[nas]

I use a Kubota B7100 18HP in the woods while I am cutting, and an IH 464 60HP with a log trailer for forwarding.  The swamp will not even hold the Kubota.  It seems like there are springs under the ice, so the water is moving, and the ice will not get thick enough.  Now it looks like I will be using a Polaris Indy Trail 500 for forwarding.   At least it has heated handgrips 8)

Nick

[LOGDOG]

Well Nick, you certainly have some good toys - I mean "tools" to use getting those logs out. I've been meaning to look at those conversion kits that you can put on tractors - vehicles too for that matter - whereby you trade out the wheels for tracks. Each end of the axle gets it's own assembly of bogeys and slides. I've wondered if that would give a guy more floatation in an unfrozen swamp environment. Think? I've got a DK45C Kioti with cab, heat,air, loader,etc. that I'd probably convert over in the winter time if I lived up north. With a Farmi winch on the back it would be a tough little rig.

LOGDOG

[LOGDOG]

Something on the order of this is what I was thinking.

http://www.mattracks.com/html/track-tor-assist.htm

Wonder what the conversion cost would be?

LOGDOG

[nas]

I have seen that sort of thing but they are pricey.  I would sooner look at a Forcat 2000.

Nick

[LOGDOG]

What do those Forcats run Nick? $? I actually knew a guy that ran a similar rig to that, although it may have been a bombardier. He was a private landowner, elderly gentleman, and he'd cut maybe 40 cords of poplar a year in the winter and spring, and he used that machine to skid it out. Did it year after year. I think his cab was enclosed though.

LOGDOG

[nas]

Last year the 35HP diesel was about $40k new.  I don't know how good they would be for hardwood but it looks like the perfect machine for cut and skid small cedar lots like what I do.
So some day when I'm rich . . . .  :D :D :D :D

Nick

[Kevin]

Just cut the sweep out of them by blocking them down into short legths.
LOGDOG

That's what I'm doing to some of the cedar I'm cutting.
I'll get some nice wide boards off the shorter bottom sections, twelve footers out of the middle and 3 1/2 " x 3 1/2 " from the tops.
It all goes.
I would chew up my trails pretty well if I had to use a tractor, not to mention the trails aren't wide enough.

[nas]

I would chew up my trails pretty well if I had to use a tractor, not to mention the trails aren't wide enough.

My Kubota is 44" wide, and the skidding winch sure helps with those hangups.

[LOGDOG]

Nice Kevin.

   Do you use a froe to spilt those shakes or do you mill them on your mill? You know, I've wondered if anyone on the forum has ever made a "power froe" - essentially a hydraulic woodsplitter with a froe head on it. If you guys or anyone reading this knows of one of our members who has built one, I'd be interested in seeing it.

LOGDOG

[LOGDOG]

How'd you make out today Kevin? Any more cedars fall to your saw?

LOGDOG

[Kevin]

That's a narrow tractor nas.
LOGDOG , I was back in the cedars today skidding but not cutting.
I have all the logs out so I may get back to cutting next weekend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v4Yl_8kuhw

[LOGDOG]

Very nice Kevin. Great looking Argo too. Has that been a pretty good machine for you? Always wanted one. I see you have a helper there showing you the way back to the landing. Good looking dog. Looks happy. 

Thanks for the movie clip.  ;D

LOGDOG

[Kevin]

Thanks, I'm just waiting for one other to download and I'll pop it in here.
The argo has been good for the property I have.
I've used snow machines and atv's but the argo has been the best for what I'm using it for in that wet location.
It has the power to drag it just doesn't have the weight to carry the logs up the hill at the end of the trail.
Last year I had a friend with an atv and tracks bring them up, I may end up with a high line at some point.

[LOGDOG]

Kevin,

  You mean the ATV was able to pull loads out that the Argo wouldn't? I would have never guessed that. Do you recall what size the ATV was? When you say "high line" what do you mean? Like a yarding cable? Or? I think it was Farmi that I saw that had a yarding cable system used with their tractor mounted winch system. Have you seen it? Similar principal to what they do out west, just downsized to the landowners scale. Could be a solution for wet / warm years in the swamp or select cutting hardwood patches where you don't want too much traffic on the ground. I'll see if I can find the video and post it.

LOGDOG

[Kevin]

This is loading the logs in the arch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0WbFgeYwNs

The atv with tracks has more ground pressure.
The argo's weight is widely distributed and can't get the traction on the hill.
The high line will be the length of the hill between a tree at the bottom and a spar pole at the top.
I'll winch the logs up and stage them there.
I was bringing the mill down the hill but it's too wet and unstable in the Spring of the year.

[sprucebunny]

Thanks for the pictures and videos, Kevin. Looks like you are having some decent weather there  8)

[Magicman]

Wow, that is so neat.  That is so different from anything that I have ever seen.   Thanks for sharing.....

[Quebecnewf]

Kevin

Very good thread. I really like the videos. Just looking at that twitch of cedars on the arch it seems about the same amount I can foward up through the woods per trip with my snowmobile and sleighs. This varys of course with the place I am hauling outf and snow conditions etc. How long are your trails into the woods. Over the years I have had some long fowarding trails and some very srooked ones to. The longest I have had is maybe 1/2 mile . You really don't want to be in any deeper than that . It takes too long to cut a trail that long and too long to haul out through it.

Quebecnewf

[Kevin]

Thanks.
I have one main trail that would be about a half mile down to a lake then a couple of short trails off the main where I extract a few logs.
The main trail continues on across the lake for another 3/4 of a mile or so then runs into Lake Huron.
There are some ash on the far end and I may venture down there to hunt for one if the weather holds but I'm glad those logs I did get are out of the woods because mild temperatures are on the way.
I'll be looking at taking at least one fir at the end of this week.

[LOGDOG]

How many acres do you have there Kevin?

Looked for that yarding system with the Farmi but couldn't find it. Your highline idea sounds like a winner though. Low cost too.

LOGDOG

[Kevin]

178 acres with three small lakes.
Thanks for looking for that.
There are small yarders that can be made but I want to try my portable winch.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/deaton0601.html

[Jeff]

Kevin, what are this years logs destined to become?

[Kevin]

Jeff;
I wanted the wide boards for stairs and stringers, the tops will be for foundation blocks and everything in between will be 1" lumber, siding or wedges maybe shingles.

[Jeff]

Are you building a new camp?