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YellowHammer, mooseofark, Resonator, kkcomp, CS229, thecfarm, booman, Woodfarmer, trimguy, Peter Drouin, RIBota, Machinebuilder, Cedarman, Jeff, Southside, Wayniac, caveman, Kit B, Kodiakmac, GullyBog, mjeselskis
YellowHammer, mooseofark, Resonator, kkcomp, CS229, thecfarm, booman, Woodfarmer, trimguy, Peter Drouin, RIBota, Machinebuilder, Cedarman, Jeff, Southside, Wayniac, caveman, Kit B, Kodiakmac, GullyBog, mjeselskis
Recent posts
#1
Sawmills and Milling / Re: Any suggestions on the typ...
Last post by kkcomp - Today at 07:35:37 AMQuote from: rusticretreater on Yesterday at 01:25:14 PMWe really need to know some more specifics before we decide how to spend your money. Is this just a yard tractor to move logs and lumber? Is this an all-purpose tractor needed to dig, clear brush, do logging, skid logs, pull things? Somewhere in between? Do tell!I have a Kubota 33hp tractor, a full size backhoe and mini excavator for most OTM/ non-mill type of work. The only one that can lift a decent size log is the backhoe. Unfortunately, it is cumbersome to maneuver and my space is a bit limited. A bigger tractor would allow for more lifting but still have size issue just not as much. but a bigger tractor could also replace the Kubota. A CTL/ skid would allow more space but as others have said is not really smooth per say. Since much of the property i will be using it on is hills I am guessing the CTL with a lower center of gravity would be beneficial. What the question really comes down to is do I add another piece of equipment to cover the shortcomings of the others or is there a jack of all trades I should be looking for. If it helps I have no commercial ambitions, I use the mill for my own work and pleasure.
#2
General Board / Re: The weather 2025
Last post by Peter Drouin - Today at 07:33:47 AM+12 here no wind, good day to cut firewood.
#3
Health and Safety / Re: My cancer journey
Last post by thecfarm - Today at 07:31:47 AMGood luck with the healing up part.
Sugaring, spring is coming.
Sugaring, spring is coming.
#4
General Board / Re: The weather 2025
Last post by thecfarm - Today at 07:08:35 AMI have 10° and we should see some sun in a couple hours.
I might even see some melting today with a high of 35!!!!
I might even see some melting today with a high of 35!!!!
#5
General Board / Re: The weather 2025
Last post by SwampDonkey - Today at 05:50:53 AM8° this morning. We did hit into the 24° mark yesterday with the sun being out and no wind. Snow was melting on the steel roofing to. Was a nice winter day. So much for the weather guesser temps. 
#6
Firewood and Wood Heating / Re: Bass Wood first time burni...
Last post by SwampDonkey - Today at 05:21:00 AMDad always confused basswood for maple looking at the bark. The bark looks a like here on the farm. I've seen some maple in other woods with more scaly bark. So anyway, we have burned some here over the years, mistaking it for maple. Of course you know right away when handling it and especially dry. My experience with burning wood, is don't believe the twice as much wood bunch. One load of aspen and fir in the wood stove will heat the shop all day and night. It's never froze out there yet and if I load the stove a second time, after the first burned down to coals, I can drive the heat up over 100°F. 
I find with one load of the 'lesser species' door and windows have to be opened up to do any work. With the place all opened up I'll drop one stick in every couple hrs when working. And it's been in single digits here for a week. Which is good in it's own right because I like fresh air. The biggest factor above all is how well the place is insulated. In my stoves here, a stick of maple might burn 20% (at best) longer than aspen wood of the same dryness. And it's easy to prove. Also two different types of stoves. A force air furnace needs to drive heat with a fan, if the fan ain't on, you don't heat more than around the perimeter of the stove within 5 feet. A small woodstove has no fan, heats up fast and can actually heat a certain space within parameters just as long with less wood. Will a small ductless stove heat a full house with 2 stories and full basement? I doubt it unless your winters are 40 degrees and warmer. You'll heat the basement though. I lived in a house with a gravity fed furnace in the centre and a kitchen stove. Nice and warm in the kitchen, and over the grate of the furnace. Better pile the blankets on the bed.
I'll burn 6 cord of aspen and fir or darn near 6 of maple if I choose in this house. I always have 1 to 3 cords more than I'll burn all dry and ready. This year it came in handy after I had seen my shop was going up. So half of the basement wood room is empty before I started burning, aspen and fir. I've got over 4 cords dry left, part of one rank of 18" in the basement, rest under the porch. By the sounds of my friends here who are experiencing the same cold, they are going through their maple darn near as fast as I am with my aspen and fir. Now how about that? I am also going on 5 months now of burning and I have not supplemented heat with oil, gas or electric. A lot of folks here do use two heat sources. So lets just be honest. ;) Another 4-1/2 months to go.
I find with one load of the 'lesser species' door and windows have to be opened up to do any work. With the place all opened up I'll drop one stick in every couple hrs when working. And it's been in single digits here for a week. Which is good in it's own right because I like fresh air. The biggest factor above all is how well the place is insulated. In my stoves here, a stick of maple might burn 20% (at best) longer than aspen wood of the same dryness. And it's easy to prove. Also two different types of stoves. A force air furnace needs to drive heat with a fan, if the fan ain't on, you don't heat more than around the perimeter of the stove within 5 feet. A small woodstove has no fan, heats up fast and can actually heat a certain space within parameters just as long with less wood. Will a small ductless stove heat a full house with 2 stories and full basement? I doubt it unless your winters are 40 degrees and warmer. You'll heat the basement though. I lived in a house with a gravity fed furnace in the centre and a kitchen stove. Nice and warm in the kitchen, and over the grate of the furnace. Better pile the blankets on the bed. I'll burn 6 cord of aspen and fir or darn near 6 of maple if I choose in this house. I always have 1 to 3 cords more than I'll burn all dry and ready. This year it came in handy after I had seen my shop was going up. So half of the basement wood room is empty before I started burning, aspen and fir. I've got over 4 cords dry left, part of one rank of 18" in the basement, rest under the porch. By the sounds of my friends here who are experiencing the same cold, they are going through their maple darn near as fast as I am with my aspen and fir. Now how about that?
I am also going on 5 months now of burning and I have not supplemented heat with oil, gas or electric. A lot of folks here do use two heat sources. So lets just be honest. ;) Another 4-1/2 months to go. #7
Forestry and Logging / Re: JD 440B diffs
Last post by Grandpa - Today at 05:15:20 AMJust torque the nut. It has two tapered
roller bearings with a precision spacer between them.
roller bearings with a precision spacer between them.
#8
Sawmills and Milling / Re: Total of our experience-Sa...
Last post by just_sawing - Today at 03:57:16 AM33 years with over 32 using Woodmizer Sawmills
#9
Sawmills and Milling / Re: Any suggestions on the typ...
Last post by longtime lurker - Today at 03:50:09 AMNothing comes close to a wheel loader handling logs, or packs of lumber in a rough yard. Add a bucket for sawdust and chip and they are a mainstay of most commercial milling operations. I like mine around the 30k lb size.... 938 Cat or equivalent... I don't see too many logs that stretch it capacity wise but the real reason for capacity is the ability to sort log piles fast. Shifting 50 logs one at a time against 4 at a time is time consuming.
Forklifts are the kings of warehousing due to their compact size, tight turning circle and high lift ability. They're also great on a handstand. Figure your average pack weight and double it for the best compromise machine. The problem with machines working to capacity is the pack you can lift easily in the shed is a problem child when trying to place it on the far side of a truck using slippers. Mine is great for tight space warehousing but sometimes too small loading trucks.... the loader covers that gap.
Everything else I've tried is a compromise. But compromise is good when you need a machine to multi-task to pay its way. I've tried telehandlers, 4wd forklifts, backhoes - never seen a skid steer big enough for what we do here but that doesn't mean it can't work somewhere else - farm tractors with loader frames... wheel loaders from tiny to excessively large.
To me the question is what do you need it to do around your sawmill, and what could you use it for away from your sawmill to help ease the pain of buying it. Toys are fun, but toys that pay their way are funner.
Forklifts are the kings of warehousing due to their compact size, tight turning circle and high lift ability. They're also great on a handstand. Figure your average pack weight and double it for the best compromise machine. The problem with machines working to capacity is the pack you can lift easily in the shed is a problem child when trying to place it on the far side of a truck using slippers. Mine is great for tight space warehousing but sometimes too small loading trucks.... the loader covers that gap.
Everything else I've tried is a compromise. But compromise is good when you need a machine to multi-task to pay its way. I've tried telehandlers, 4wd forklifts, backhoes - never seen a skid steer big enough for what we do here but that doesn't mean it can't work somewhere else - farm tractors with loader frames... wheel loaders from tiny to excessively large.
To me the question is what do you need it to do around your sawmill, and what could you use it for away from your sawmill to help ease the pain of buying it. Toys are fun, but toys that pay their way are funner.
#10
Sawmills and Milling / Re: Below Zero is tough on equ...
Last post by Brad_bb - Today at 03:09:31 AMI wrapped my mill mounted planer tonight with a small electric heater at the ready for Sunday morning. I'll let the heater run for an hour to hopefully heat up the bearings and grease in the bearings before running it. I need to joint and thickness three 4x8x8' walnut pieces to be used as trim above the bedroom doors in my mom's house.
