New Thread for pictures and other updates / discussions etc.
Old thread is available here, but is now locked.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=80957.0
Carry on. ffsmiley
I made it!
Swinging a big rotten leaner
I'm not sure if I'm loading the pictures the best. I'm using an IPhone and selecting small as the format?
might try medium, at least for pics where detail matters.
Like Doc says, you can go up a size.
The bit that says 240x320 is the number of pixels (dots) in your image. You can go for 640 or 800 and get a larger (more detailed) image, without blowing the file size.
Modern cameras lake crazy big files, default on mine is 4096 pix wide, or about 3 average monitors across, and maybe 5 mb file size. And it's not a high end phone. So there are limits put on the forum file size so Lil can't accidentally upload a 12 mb / 8,000 pixel image from her phone, and waste Jeff's server space and bandwidth, when it then gets shrunk down at the end screen to ~1,000 pix for display anyway.
So you are doing it right by selecting and uploading the smaller size image, just you can go up a step in size and it will be fine.
Ah man.... I hate our old thread has been locked. Glad I was a part of it! And like he said carry on! I tried to downsize a pic, will have to try to post it tomorrow. :thumbsup:
Spring has sprung here in the pnw
Pitch is boiling out on this one. Bark is slipping on the Doug firs ( not a great way to fall)
A hickory I cut the other day. Not huge, but a good one. 4 foot at the stump.
https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=353777
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/61047/IMG_6872~0.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=353777)
There, finally got it....!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5729.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5808.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5812.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5813.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5877.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5858~0.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5854~0.jpeg)
I know that burn was a personal tragedy for you, but you're making the best out of it. Those are really nice looking skids behind the ol TJ!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5907.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5906.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_5905.jpeg)
Great photo documentation.
WPJ, Great pictures, keep them coming. I really enjoy them.
Just short of a year ago I wrote this in the thread soon after your fire:
---------------------------------------------------
(https://forestryforum.com/board/Themes/default/images/post/xx.png)
June 11, 2023, 12:56:57 PM (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?msg=1985792)
WPJ, what I am seeing in that photo looks like a fairly fast moving mid-story burn, some creeping fire on the ground but not a lot, that took out the saplings if there were any and some smaller trees. Look like most of the stuff on the ground may have been litter before the fire? The crowns of the trees are all brown BUT they re there. This tells me that fire was not hot enough up in the crown to do a complete killing burn. This I see as all very good news. Give it time and see what pops. I also see green in the background so perhaps there will be some regen coming from that side also?
Yes, quite a blow and extremely depressing, but at least you are there to fix it. It will take time for sure. Now would be a good time to clear up all that litter, before the grass pops up and covers it. Miserable and dirty work, but much easier now than later.
In my experience white pine is quite resilient and grows like weeds. I have a patch 50' from where I sit right now where the saplings are popping up 14" apart and choking each other out. I am considering it a mini nursery ;D.
Best of luck man. Stay strong, you will get through this.
--------------------------------------------------
Now that you are approaching the anniversary I am wondering how you are feeling about the whole incident? You've already put in a lot of work and have a lot more to go, but are you feeling like you have a grip on it? It's too easy for 'other folks' to be sympathetic for a while after a tragedy, but then they move on. You can't move on without dealing with it and I wonder how your are coming along for yourself?
Good question!
I was very devastated after it happened, but i rebounded quickly, and decided I was going to make the best of the situation, fast forward a year and it may be of surprise to many... but I'm glad it happened at this time, the forest will comeback and look much better than it did before, il be there the whole way along to baby the trees, do spacing, species favouring etc.
it's a clean slate and I have the opportunity to really steer the land in the direction I want it to go, when I got to it, a few years ago it was umanaged land with no thinning done, some trees were alright but not the best lumber
After all said and done the land only became more sentimental to me as I have literally stepped over every square foot of it "restoring it"
I have logged off about 50-60 acres and maybe another 20-30 to hit and the rest isn't timber worthy
Good Answer!
Although some of us looking from the outside in may have thought, once the fire had passed, that perhaps this might work out fine for you in the longest run. Of course at the time, that would have been the least 'sensitive' anyone could have said given what you were looking at and processing right at your feet.
I am very happy for you that you have come around to this way of thinking and dealing with it. Looks to me like life threw you a truck load of lemons and rather than make a lot of lemonade, you are going to make a fine wine out of them. It will take longer, but has a bigger payoff.
Onward and Upward!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6017.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6018.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6023.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6006.jpeg)
Haven't had much good to say, being home for 2wks off seems weird.
received_702504061909028.jpeg
Burn brush, truck wood. Fighting a gremlin in the Timbco, United has a decent Tigercat in Houlton I wanna go look at, little Rowan showing up this time prevented any road trips to look at iron. Messenger_creation_775f02c4-b0a8-4935-a7ed-98c3b87a8349.jpeg
Messenger_creation_f2e1fc29-d700-4836-80d5-a4be7de10cd5.jpeg
Move to a local job when I get back, then move to a forester job, I keep telling myself I'm retarded for wanting to cut wood this year. There's a fair amount of big wood on it, my father cut it 40yrs ago, getting the major haircut this time.
20240525_154948.jpg
Well congratulations Barge , Mom and baby look like they're doing good hope you are as well.
Nice brush pile burn too by the way.
congratulations Barge and family!
All looks good!!!!
Congrats, Barge!
Congrats Eric, did you make it to the hospital on time?
Congratulations Sir !!! smiley_divide ffcool
Once again, congratulations on the new baby! Two weeks doesn't seem like a lot of time to catch up and still do al you have on your plate, but I guess if anyone can, it's you. :wink_2:
I hope you, Momma, and the little one are all doing well. I'll have to try and catch up with you sometime this summer, but you're a tough one to catch in town. ffcheesy
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6057.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6058.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6040.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6065.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6035.jpeg)Pulling some nice balsam(for once) out of this mostly red maple stand, they will be happy to see the balsams gone
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6062.jpeg)
Congrats barge. Cute kid. Rowan. I see what you did there. Boat reference 😂
I was kind of running out of good, white, Scandinavian names, child #5, going for 7 or 8, I was Chief on the Rowan when he was created, figured run with it. Yeah she called me at 4am Tuesday, said it's time, got home at 1230, hospital by 1400, kid showed up at 1830 Wednesday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6092.jpeg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_6088.jpeg)
The price of used iron in central NY is getting cheaper, I heard today someone else is folding up unfortunately, not a little logger.
Someone's gotta be buying it, probably going to South America or Australia / NZ. Sitting on the dock tonight in Newark waiting to go on a ship.
20240529_192522.jpg
I've gotta do something, paying the gov isn't on my to do list, if it didn't have the Mercedes-Benz engine I would have jumped already.
a43fb0b2-f422-40e7-98fe-b6a9274a7a51.jpeg
f99fd63e-cb33-4211-bc7d-b831207c9914 (1).jpeg
Quit being afraid of that MB and go load it up
img_1_1717000458832.jpg
For a while I drove a Freightliner back in the day with a Mercedes Benz logo on the wheel... and still at the end of the day it was just a Freightliner with a MB logo on it. ffcheesy
Tigercat and MBE no longer deal with each other is the story I got. Engine's not bad in the machine but at somepoint its going to happen, Barbenders talked to a couple people who have converted the truck engines. We have 1x MBE in a truck now and it's honestly not bad, it's not a Cat but has been a good truck. CJs has never sold / had this model, it was a Maine / 🇨🇦 machine. Frank Martin in Maine sold a bunch of them, 1/2 of the MBEs had issues and got converted to Cummins, the one in KY I looked at was converted but for the hours that machine is spanked. It's 25k for a reman MBE, it's 50k to put a Cummins in, or buy an 822C. Either way I've gotta buy a bigger lowboy.
Barge, what kind of issues did they have with the MB in those?
Like Barge mentioned, I know of a few guys sticking MB 906 truck engines into Ponsses. There were issues though. The injectors and ecu on the truck engine were not compatible with the Ponsse system for whatever reason. MBs use unit injectors, so every injector has its own pump and control unit on it. They had to swap the injectors and ECU out of the original engine and then they fired up and worked fine.
The reason these guys used a truck engine is that you can find used take outs for $5000-$8000. A reman MB engine is pushing $30k😬
My experience with the MB engines in Ponsse equipment is they are excellent. They are very, very trouble free in those applications.
Biggest problem I've heard about was oil consumption, couple guys have said they where great, just get hours on them and start eating it. This one isn't tired BUT she's coming due. If I put 300hrs on it between now and next May I would be surprised.
I've only seen one that went through a lot of oil. It was old and tired, and nicknamed "Smokey"😊
We ran a 500 hour oil service interval. Some machines would use ½-1 gallon just before service. The machine I got new, I don't know that I ever added any oil to in the 8500 hours I ran it.
When I was in a higher hour machine, Ponsse switched to a 5w-30 synthetic from the previous 5w-40. I figured that machine would start to use oil with the 5w-30, but it didn't.
One gripe I have with Ponsse, is some of what should be daily checks are a real chore to do. To access the engine oil dipstick, you had to drop your blade, drop your brush guard, and then put the hood up with the electric hood lift (slowwww). And if you left your blade up, you have to start the engine to put the blade down🤦 I didn't check my oil very often🤷
My buddy's processor went through several computers so he didn't know the actual hours on his machine, but guessing in the area of 35,000 original hours on that engine. At that point, it finally started using some oil. So he put a reman in, just seemed like the right thing to do. Is that high hours?😊
Quote from: BargeMonkey on June 04, 2024, 02:02:40 PMimg_1_1717000458832.jpg
Just be sure to emphasize the importance of checking your coolant lines.
Coolant lines are often overlooked and can always benefit from additional protection.
I keep telling myself the extra work is going to slow down, actually go cut wood, hasn't happened. Buying wood off someone else for 500 a triaxle load, haul more when I get back.
20240617_084352.jpg20240617_185542.jpg
20240613_052101.jpg
20240610_104456.jpg
Dock ships, tow containers, move rail cars.
I've never been into the valve bank. Slow on the stick, swung around, hit the stop and won't swing. I've gotta move it when I get home, tempted to make sure the swing break is unhooked, pull the swing motor hoses and turn her to get it home. Anyone got some tips of what I'm getting into here ?
20240523_165539.jpg
20240523_165743.jpg
Barge,
No help with your Timbco but $500 a triaxle load for logs is a deal. I'm almost triple that for a load of processor logs here in NH (7 full cord)
I've gotta truck it but still, I'm not going to argue at that price and only the BEST is going on the truck. Couple times over the years its been cheaper to buy wood than cut wood. I don't see this year being great again for firewood, softwood is slowly coming to a halt, only thing really paying is ash right now. Fuels dropped way down, couple weeks ago on-road was .02 cheaper than 87 gas, back up to 3.30 today. I'm hoping it's not crazy, get it moved home and dig into it, problem is the stuff sits to much. I find a hotsaw I wanna hang a head off that Timbco, keep it for the stupid ground.
Quote from: GRANITEstateMP on June 19, 2024, 12:48:56 PMBarge,
No help with your Timbco but $500 a triaxle load for logs is a deal. I'm almost triple that for a load of processor logs here in NH (7 full cord)
Geez Granite at that price is there any meat left on the bone for you?
Certainly understand the loggers having to raise their rates. Just makes me wonder when is it going to stabilize and at what point is it not worth it anymore?
Margins have never been great, but when the cord of logs goes up $10, I go up $15 on the finished side. I am trying to shrink down my delivery area too. I am between $130-$140 a cord log length, processor wood, delivered to the landing. I am getting between $285-$300 a green cord delivered. Campwood I'm getting $210 a cord delivered. I'm not getting rich but plugging away. I'm mostly working alone this year and my goal is to get down to 100 cords processed. I put a little bit into my pocket, the rest goes into inventory, and equipment upgrades, or an envelope to grow :thumbsup:
Thanks for the reply Granite. Personally think you're on the right track by grinding it out. Seems like you've got a pretty efficient system that works for you. Having that envelope around isn't a bad thing either. Especially when those NH varmints decide to chew on your atv parts ffcheesy
The machinery sitting outside can get rain/ water into places that can cause issues.
The Mercedes Benz engines in the off road, construction & industry, ag etc equipment etc are handled by MTU-Solutions. Looks like the MTU/ Mercedes Engine parts and service are handled by https://www.stewartandstevenson.com/ for a fair chunk of the USA.
The Merc engines appears to have their own MTU engine part code.
Tigercat are making their own track machine drives, then one day parts for Tigercat's outside supplier's old track drives will probably come from a third party etc.
Caterpillar/ Weiler parts aren't likely to be cheap if one goes for a cat541 etc feller buncher.
working in a mixed hardwood stand. Taking pictures of the young white oak regeneration is proving difficult. But I will post about our process which we have been fine tuning with the researchers and Hardwood Initiative team at the VA Dept of Forestry. The overall issue is not enough young WO. If you clearcut the yellow poplar (liriodendron tulipiferia) regeneration out competes the WO. So you need to give WO a head start. How? Provide some sun but not too much, heavy shelterwoods work best. We need to keep sunlight on the ground to less than 50%, otherwise YP takes off. We are looking for oak stands with 6' WO regen because at that height they can compete with YP, usually this happens when some portion of a stand dies releasing ankle-knee high oak seedlings at the ground level.
It helps if you think about recreating a fire ecosystem.
So, here is a white oak stand, some sections have had pine die back and some had that light grabbed by red maple, beech, and black gum. We are thinning from below because the healthiest WO are markedly less likely to have epicormic sprouts after harvest. Also the larger the WO the better the response, to a point. Finally by leaving the larger trees we have enough value on the stand to return and harvest again once the WO regeneration has reached 20' tall.
Failing this morning on getting file sizes below 1mb to upload. I don't seem to have a free way to do so...sadly no pics.
What system are you using to try and reduce image size? Shouldn't be a problem, but I use "paint" on my pc computer. There are others, also free.
I had trouble in the beginning. I downloaded a size app to my phone, but it was hard to use compared to just tapping and uploading 5 at a time. now I just upload from my phone and have had no trouble. pic quality is good, even if I do say so myself. ffsmiley
It stopped forcing me to resize when uploading to the gallery and I refuse to investigate why lest it angers the photo posting gods
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240622_145753912.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354396)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/WO_with_no_regeneration.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354405)
Thanks mudfarmer! WO with no WO regeneration. The only way to get that to regenerate in WO is to remove the midstory (redmaple and blackgum and sweetgum) and some co-dominants (remove the worst, save the best). The WO there is pushing 28" DBH or so, big stuff, 80-100 site index depending on what part of the site.
This is what we really want, 6-10' tall WO saplings. When released they will out compete YP and other species if light is held to less than 50%, ideally keep it at 30-50%. Above 50% and YP will still outcompete the WO.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/WO_regeneration_under_WO.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354404)
We have monitors on site
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Tree_frog_on_WO.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354406)
Our harvest is mostly stave wood on this one, we have some great WO regen in spots and none in others so it's lots of field time fixing it up. Fortunately stavewood does pretty well.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/WO_Stave-_jpeg2000.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354403)
Quote from: nativewolf on June 24, 2024, 05:10:43 AMFailing this morning on getting file sizes below 1mb to upload. I don't seem to have a free way to do so...sadly no pics.
Not sure if this will help you or not, but I use MS Office Picture Manager and do the following:
- Open desired pic with MSOPM
- Select "Edit Picture"
- Select "Compress Picture"
- Select "Document Size" then "OK"
- Either "Save" to overright original file or "Save As" for a new file to keep the original
- When editing your post, select a typical width and height format that works for you - 2 examples follow
This pic was taken with my phone yesterday on a buggy ride in Washington County, Maine. 12.2 Mb original file size. Used the above process and it was saved as a 244 Kb size file (or 0.0244 Mb). I will take credit for cutting down the file size but not the trees - the beaver get the credit for that!
maine pond 1.jpg
Posted at 640x480
maine pond 1.jpg
posted at 1280 x 1024
Needing some more poplar to finish a small lumber order(which turned out to be a big one for my little operation).Been looking at this one for awhile.60' to the first limb and 24"at the big end and 18" small end.Now to get it down to the sawmill without to much pain.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/A52C8D27-715E-41EE-8C82-B0892D4E4538.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354415)
I'm back to rafting the few logs we cut last winter . ( we had a crappy winter ) .
We have made 2 tows . 100 in the first tow and 70 in the second tow . Both tows went fine . We're not sawing much now . Other things on the go at the workshop .been away from the FF for a while but still pop on to read a bit every now and then .
Quebecnewf
Very interesting the way you get the logs to the mill.
Those log towing photos are some of my favorites, I look forward to seeing them, it's just so different than my way of life here. Same with the "boat" photos from Barge.
Agree, the logs being towed looks so peaceful and easy, until one thinks of all the work getting those logs cut from the trees, decked in that large log pile by the shoreline, then moved into the water and lashed together to make up the tow.
Impressive, to say the least. Do always enjoy the pics.
A nice log raft photo.
Quote from: Quebecnewf on June 29, 2024, 05:09:23 AMI'm back to rafting the few logs we cut last winter .
newf, your activities are always a Special Treat for me. Thank you for taking the time to capture and share whatever you do.
I realize that it is work and a way of life for you, but it is so vastly different from any other FF activities. :thumbsup:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Kissing.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354568)
Didn't cut that but thought it pretty neat.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Nice_WO_regen.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354567)
You can see the tall WO saplings, some 4-8' tall. Thinning it out to get to the desired light ratio of 30-50%.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/WO_bad_butt.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354566)
This batch of WO is too small to make it, too much YP in the mix so we give sunlight but will have to do follow-up basal area spraying to kill YP and sweetgum competition. Again, you can see that we take the worst WO unless it is super dense. This is the advantage of our 30 year contracts.
@nativewolf What's the basal target? What was the pre harvest basal? Are you guys doing basal from in the cab?
It had about 100 sqft before we started work. Removing the midstory is probably going to be a 5-10 ba hit via basal herbicide. Then we mark the stand, both machine fell and hand felling trees.
We'll go down to 50, it's going to look like a shelterwood cut in many areas. A few patch clearcuts. Some areas we're going to take out 20 feet of beech in 4-10" beech. A lot of beech.
Recreating a natural oak hickory ecosystem is hard work.
Post harvest pics, shared some back in the winter while cutting and here it is today (two days ago technically)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240707_190754076.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354591)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240707_190822622.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354592)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240707_190655018.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354593)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240707_190844120.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354594)
The deer are chewing off the stump sprouts
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240707_191025487.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354595)
A nice stick today, veneer log, a qs log, 2 stave logs in about 55' before it goes to crotch. 30" at the top of the veneer stick. Big buttress, had to slice off to load it.
@mudfarmer what species mix? I bet the deer are chewing off the sprouts, there isn't much browse there is it? We are becoming bigger advocates of getting enough sunlight to the floor to have robust understory regen
Wow that is a nice one! How does your equipment work out with that big stuff?
That stand is heavy with hard maple, some yellow birch and cherry, pretty thick with ash in spots which is what was mostly being removed. Maybe can see the slope in the top few pics, the whole site is a sidehill down to a valley full of beaver flats and streams and such, plenty of browse down there but not much shade for the hot summer so I can't blame them for not walking far.
There is more sun hitting the ground now, but in patches. It will be interesting to watch it grow. I like the work you are doing with actual recorded light levels, very cool.
Here its totally the other way , they donot want sunlight to the floor nor trees very far a part cause they will grow pin knots instead of growing up . Here the forest floor looks like a jungle and you cannot see very far from the growth , here a tree has to be 10 inches in diameter at 60 inches off the ground to count in the basal when looking threw the glass and that tree better be closer than about 10 feet to you to count and you need a basal of 8 left after marking then you see if it passes the bylaw guy to has to sign off for you to cut and you need 3 trees in the basal 19 inches and bigger at DBH and the bylaw will put a lot of basal areas in the cut and will look at the lowest basal area of timber that you want to leave . They prefer you do all your marking with no leaf on so they can see abit of the ways threw the forest , It sounds strange and odd but it works and we can come back in 8 to 12 years and cut again
Ed I think I understand the science there, they are getting enough light to trigger regeneration. It goes like crazy and then they cut another tree, giving another dose. Your upper canopy is not closed, that's my guess. The spacing is giving trees enough room to grow, not too much though. The understory is, I bet, full of saplings of preferred timber species.
Are you both talking white oak? We don't got none ffcheesy
I have played with it on small scales, hard maple, ash, cherry, yellow Birch and white pine are easy enough here but have to watch the beech and deer close and deal with appropriately. Most of the hardwood will have epicormic sprouts if opened up too much like ehp is saying. Seems like in the maple-beech here it is let them grow thick, control the beech to get desired species then let them grow thick again. (That is if basically starting over or controlling small patches after increasing light) We do not grow them big like you guys either. I leave it to the foresters except on my experimental ground :uhoh:
No, not just WO. More just thoughts about uneven aged harvesting. I'd really love to see Ed's forests. I keep thinking I can get there but then things go to heck and I have to work in the summer. Sigh. One day.
https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=11195&pid=354618#top_display_media I cannot post the normal way , so many popups is blocking me , just stuff I'm cutting , this is a bur oak
This is quite a pain to deal with trying to post and needs to be fixed , I got lots of pictures but I'm not going to spend a bunch of time trying to post them while fighting adds or surveys asking how my marriage is going . Sorry but if this is wrong under your guide rules then just ban me , I never ask for much and try to help as many as I can . There are some very good people on here and they have helped alot of other members but you donot see them posting any more and its pretty easy to see why
Quote from: ehp on July 12, 2024, 04:36:43 PMhttps://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=11195&pid=354618#top_display_media I cannot post the normal way , so many popups is blocking me , just stuff I'm cutting , this is a bur oak
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11195/1000002816.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11195/1000002817.jpg)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11195/1000002905.jpg)
Some nice cable skids.
The ads I get have a small x in the upper right corner that if clicked, the ad disappears. Have not trouble or hardly any extra time posting or adding pics to my gallery.
Ed, here's how I do it on Android- first, you can't use the "Quick Reply"
Quote from: beenthere on July 12, 2024, 07:55:39 PMThe ads I get have a small x in the upper right corner that if clicked, the ad disappears. Have not trouble or hardly any extra time posting or adding pics to my gallery.
The 'Featured Video' ads do not have a way for me to close them. Cell service is not great for me, living in the woods and such. Those have made loading the forum or posting pretty much impossible from phone anywhere near my house. Also I don't speak Arabic
me too, I don't even bother looking at the forum from my phone anymore.
I've given up looking at the forum in the morning keeps hopping around on me very frustrating the crazy amount of popup ads is never anything we had to deal with before it has stopped me twice now trying to post this
I guess I'm glad I went to the dark side and switched to an I phone. Really have no issues. No pop up ads.
All I view the Forum on is an Android. There's been a couple of times where the pop ups got a little busy, but Jeff got them dealt with straightaway.
All I really have access to is my phone, so if I can't take care of things on there, it doesn't happen🤷
I'd rather use the FF on my Android phone. The ads are too busy on my lap top. Each time I change pages on the computer it's three clicks to get rid of the ads. More than a little annoying. It's no where near that bad on the phone.
My buddy had a leaner that might take out some small ERC trees planted for windrow and privacy on his property. It was 104 degrees so not many pics. He used his loader and we got it and another elm on the ground. He broke a small chain trying to just pull it over. He has a rope with clevises rated at 116,000 pounds.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_8645.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354696)
you can see the lean. he was just striping off lower limbs so I could get the chain up about 12 feet from the bucket.
you can see the baby ERC trees and the fence in the background. not trees or humans were injured in the making of this movie! I took my 880 with a 3-foot bar.
oops forgot 3 zeros. :thumbsup:
I know some of y'all don't make it to the sawmilling section. Here is 50M bf of WRC that I recently bought. Open to suggestions on what to saw out of them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11861/1000027584.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354695)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11861/1000027581.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354694)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11861/1000027582.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354693)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11861/1000027583.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354692)
Since you are asking for suggestions how about a nice cabin, on a pond, overlooking a pasture, in Virginia? I will be sure to keep it ready for your arrival in between visits. ffcheesy
Funny day today, lost 2 hoses/lines on the forwarder, loaded 2 trucks, cut 2 loads, gave 2 tours.
Quote from: ehp on July 12, 2024, 04:55:22 PMThis is quite a pain to deal with trying to post and needs to be fixed , I got lots of pictures but I'm not going to spend a bunch of time trying to post them while fighting adds or surveys asking how my marriage is going . Sorry but if this is wrong under your guide rules then just ban me , I never ask for much and try to help as many as I can . There are some very good people on here and they have helped alot of other members but you donot see them posting any more and its pretty easy to see why
Ed those are some nice sticks and thanks to whitepinejunky for helping out!
Spent most of the day cutting a nice poplar and trying to get it up out of a steep hollow.Was finally successful.Endeavor to persevere.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/2874C7E5-7F1B-4DE8-927C-F752B1D9177E.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354724)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/5B556DCE-571B-42CB-84EA-3756927A70A2.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354726)
Sold most of the TyG stock for ceiling i had so it was time to get more logs to start sawing again. Had one dry day and we went for it, brought down 12 midsize trees, it's a thinning and they are 18 years old, buttlogs around 12". it has been one of the wettest rainseasons ever, still had to drop the load on a small incline and get the skidder up empty and drag the trees up with the winch, which makes them all filthy with dirt, rainseason logging is no joy
But pretty nice logs, good heartwood to sapwood ratio and nice color on the heartwood
IMG_20240718_075026.jpgIMG_20240718_075151.jpgIMG_20240718_075105.jpg
I finally get a chance to participate! Cutting some near dead spruce for a fishshack/ screenhouse for by our pond.
The treee was on a slope, with a kink in the stump and dense. I was begiining to think I didn't have enough wedge to lift it. Ten foot logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/1000027653.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354731)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/1000027654.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354731)
Wow Wlmedley, teakwood, and Jeff, you guys are gittin-r-done. :thumbsup: ffcool
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_8677.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354736)
So, a tree service ai know called with about "50" pine logs. I told them I would take the bigger ones at least 8 to 10 inches. and a few strait smaller ones to make posts. I showed up and met the homeowner and she was 86. she had asked them to leave one particular log, as it looked neat. It had gray stain she could see from the cut end. I offered to take a short piece and cut it up for her. She said she wanted a few slabs. (cookies).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_8678.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354737)
This is a few on the mill. this is what it looks like to cut a stack.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_8679.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354738)
this is what it looks like when you have a tall stack and drop the head before you get behind the stack. It looked like a drunk robotics card dealer at a casino on the jetsons. or the little star trek toy gun that shoots the discs back in the 80s. you get the idea.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_8684.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354739)
this is an engraved one. you can see why she thought it was cool. she requested one engraved, so when I got home, I made cookies and engraved it and took it back to her in about half an hor. then she asked if I could make a few more. In the end I made one more than every ten years of her life.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_8686.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354735)
a bunch raw
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_8687.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354734)
a bunch with cutting board oil on. She liked this best.
Doc that is one fine deed you did for that lady. I'm going to give you a pat on the back and a ata boy
Doc, you have a kind heart. Bless you.
@teakwood what you really need is a ponsse bear and an elephant all tracked up. Now that you are an important mining magnate you will need equipment to depreciate and reduce your tax obligations. Plus it will keep you from getting your toes muddy. We all know the Swiss hate getting toes muddy. I have lots of other excellent reasons for making a generous offer on our equipment.
Enjoy the cooler weather, thanks for the pics!
In our work to save this white oak stand we are sometime faced with a need to remove some larger YP but where to put them ...where to put them. You can see in the first 2 pics that this YP wanted to go right into our save WO (with a nice veneer log in a future harvest). Our challenge was moving it into the gap you can see in the canopy and not move it so much that it smacked the bark of the save YP.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/YP_in_canopy.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354787)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/YP_canopy_pull_to_WO.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354786)
So a wedge and manipulating hinge thickness let me move this one into the gap in the canopy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/YP_in_the_hole.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354788)
Looked at a property we'll harvest in November.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Big_Scarlet_oak.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354841)
One the larger and nicer scarlet oak that I've seen. Still it has to be at end of life as this is not a young stand. So, down it will come, 42" dbh. Seedlings are there, we'll remove the worst competition with a basal spray (red maple, beech, glackgum). Hopefully we'll see more.
Threading the needle
Yesterday morning I went after this white pine. This pine is the last one of a stand I've been working on for the last 6-7 years. This has opened up a half acre wildlife area in the woods. Anyway I cut it down and started transporting the logs out to the barnyard.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07592.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354862)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07593.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354861)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07594.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354860)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07597.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354864)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07598.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354863)
All the logs from this tree will be stored on this platform to keep them off the ground. They will be left there for 6-8 weeks to let the pitch dry out.
Back to the woods this morning for a couple more logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07602.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354866)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07603.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354867)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07605.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354868)
As you can see in the next picture the pitch is oozing out of the ends of the logs. If I were to saw them now the band and sawmill would become a sticky mess.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07606.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354869)
Tomorrow I'll go after more logs if it doesn't rain.
Keep on cutting.....Cutter
Looking good my friend, mighty fine indeed!! ffcool
I didn't cut them but the arborists and their crew did and dropped them in my yard
Sap everywhere on the pavement dripping out the ends.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13648/thumb_IMG_2390.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354858)(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13648/IMG_2389.jpeg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354859)
That scarlet oak is a beauty. I've never heard of that species.
It took me a couple of days to get the rest of the pine logs out of the woods because of the rainy weather. That tree gave me eight 8ft logs. I'd like to do another pine but I also need red oak, red maple and cherry.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07608.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354902)
That log whack looks awesome, enjoy the accomplishment. ffcool
Thanks MM, the first three logs are really nice and the rest are ok.
Those first three are really nice.They would be a joy to saw.I've found the crooked ones make about as much slabs as lumber but still make nice lumber.
Welp, I've never posted to this thread, and I guess it's about time, seeings as two big-for-me trees are now on the ground, and I'm still alive.
If I have my druthers I will use the backhoe to push trees down. Unfortunately, it has problems that I don't know how to fix, so while I procrastinate on calling a mechanic my lovely wife asked me to take down some dead trees. My time at the pig roast inspired me to actually get out there with the saw and do it.
I'm still not a big fan of cutting down trees. This one was a dead standing ash. My wedge cut was not great and when I came at the back side I got about a fifth of the way through and the tree decided to lean hard, but not fall. After running away I stood there and stared at it for about 10 minutes before I dove back in. I cut a few more inches into it and it shifted around a bit again and off I ran to stare it it some more. Still just leaning, and the breeze wasn't pushing it enough. Dove back in and finished up, it fell right where I wanted and I didn't die. Wee!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20240809_184926.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355029)
The next was a dying honey Locust. Again, not a great wedge cut, but this one was holding better than the ash. I got the wedge cut but needed to finish it from the side the tree was leaning to, cutting slow and watching for any movement I managed to do OK as I cut through the back. It fell where I thought it would but not really where I wanted. I don't think I had much option there. It's laying across the creek but I should be able to drag it out. It also had a mess of wire fence or something grown into it so I had to cut higher than I would have liked.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20240809_184919.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355030)
Two is enough for me for the eevening. Though I did a woodpecker pole up front, that one didn't count.
I've decided that chainsawing, to me, is a lot like riding a motorcycle. Both would be a lot of fun if they weren't so scary!
Nicely done Austin. One of the things that was hard for me to learn early on was that you have time when cutting these things, especially the smaller ones under 20". If you noticed, when I cut that little pecker pole in Jeff's yard, I stopped when the tree started to move, just as you did. We had a rope on that one so I figured the crew would just yank t over, but the hinge was too thick and no go, just like yours did. You can work your way up on that hinge nice and easy as long as there is no chance of a barber chair. The other way of looking at it ids that even though you see movement, you can continue to cut until you hit the hinge thickness you wanted or it really starts to go over.
What you did on your trees was fine and worked out nicely, which is all that matters. On bigger trees you have to hang in there a few seconds more and chase that cut up to your desired hinge and then bail out and it should go right over.
Good plan on that second tree too. Taking it high was the smart way to go. Now you can go back and clean that stump off at ground height, unless you want a flower pot stand. I took an ash once on the edge of a pasture and wound up putting the notch 5" above grade because of the barbed wire form 100 years ago. I cut a clean cut, but when I put that butt log on the mill, I hit wire 3' further up the log. I have no idea how that wire got up that high. ffcheesy
By the way, little dead trees can hurt you as much as big ones if you take them for granted. No tree (in my book) doesn't count. I got in a real bad spot last fall taking a 10" mushroom tree 10" from a 10KV overhead line. I thought it was an easy 'cut and push' (by hand). Turned out I was wrong and the weight was just against me a little bit. I stood there holding that tree from falling backwards (into the lines) for about 5 minutes trying to get it to go over. I even called for help but nobody was around. I could barely hold it. Finally I managed to one-hand the saw and thin the hinge and using every fiber in my legs, I got it to go over. I thought my legs would explode. Lesson re-learned: never underestimate a small tree.
Nicely done.
Not cutting, just looking. Amazing!!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20240809_104116.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355036)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20240809_112134.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355034)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20240809_111043.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355033)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20240809_112651.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355032)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37555/IMG_20240809_113008.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355035)
I smiled when I saw what a marvelous trip that WOC is taking you on. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Tom. The two bigger trees were probably in the 18-22" range as my 20" bar wasn't going all the way through. They sketched me and the wife out enough that 2 was enough. The small tree I didn't count was essentially sponge, it could have landed square on my head and I'da been fine.
@teakwood those are great! Amazing trees aren't they? So big!
@caveman I took your Husqvarna sharpening jig advice and it's treating me well, thank you!
Through the miracle of modern machinery, namely a tractor that drug most of the tree to the firepile and a chainsaw, weve managed to melt down most of the bigger ash tree already.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20240810_120626.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355037)
I moved the big trunk log over to the fire, yesterday, and bucked it up for the fire. I found several with some real nice streaks of spalting in them, so i set them to the side to cut further. I tried using my fancy new bandsaw to cut, like a mill, a round that was probably 12ish inches around. I was using a pretty stout blade but couldn't cut a straight line, the cut would start at about 2" into the wood then run to about 1" on the end of the cut. It also wasn't as easy for the saw as I was hoping... We'll see what happens.
aigheadish the more you cut the better you'll get at it. Its only the first couple thousand or so trees that's hard. I started cutting timber in 1997. I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. ffcheesy ffcool
After 70 days I'm ready to go home.
Messenger_creation_64afbff3-dda4-409f-988b-b00a262690df.jpegMessenger_creation_5cd223fe-7140-49ae-af35-eab6c78da9b8.jpeg
Messenger_creation_4e2a2d6b-6db3-4aef-bd84-d04e154df5dc.jpeg
Finishing up a clearing job, Timbco is already moved, need to move 1x skidder, stroker and slasher up by the weekend.
Messenger_creation_683b8826-375f-48a6-9c53-c9d89a8bd643.jpeg
Walk to the right of that dozer and it turns into ledge UP and then DOWN. State comes out and monitors the dens, only seen 1x so far here but I haven't went looking.
Had a few more brush piles to get rid of,
Messenger_creation_b9c0c827-8ab4-45f1-9bbf-65938c4a7411.jpeg
Had 2x customers breaking my balls, had some wood left on this job and quoted them a cheap trucking price just to clean it up, guy thought I was joking when I said I was going to throw a match on the log pile.
Messenger_creation_38066959-1727-4010-9e84-3d802bc88141.jpeg20240812_140923.jpg
Now he wants a bridge across this small creek come spring 🤦.... Wicked pile of road I've put in on this job.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07619~0.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355110)
The rain stopped finally so up to the woods for this red oak. The one on the right. Last year I cut a few trees in this area and made a little clearing. I like to drop trees into a clearing, it's so much easier to work on them. This tree fell into the clearing, I cut it into logs and moved them to the log deck in between the barns.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07622.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355094)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07623.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355095)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07625.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355096)
The last 16 foot section was in thick brush so I pulled it out into the clearing, cut it in half and transported the two logs to the sawmill.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07630.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355097)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07638.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355099)
That tree gave me six 8' logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07639.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355100)
Now I want to grab another pine before I saw these oak logs.
Keep on cutting.....Cutter
Picked up a C6D tree farmer putting some paint on also fluids changed and hydraulic cylinder rebuild (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/72879/IMG_7197.jpeg)
I must say the tree farmers are not designed well for getting in and out of
Access is a real issue for a hand cutter.
received_739592148244012.jpeg
received_899188802026164.jpeg
Move stump piles, cleaning off for food plots.
Messenger_creation_c73b8db8-0925-4928-ae6a-d4c37272eecc.jpeg
Finish grade and go. Now that's a road after logging. Landowner wishes I had hit it harder now. Have 70+ acres across the road to come clap next year, bunch of other road work.
received_843375904403698.jpeg
Gonna scare the deer......
Messenger_creation_faff4ced-90f3-4ba5-b790-2e4797c8dc24.jpeg
Both loaders fired right up, take the barko up this weekend and start a job.
More Red Pine.....IMG_4930.jpg
Nice pile of logs cutter. I would have trimmed the flared end on that double heart log. Make it easier to turn it on the mill. But I bet you were going to do that to before you loaded it. ffcheesy
Barge I swear sometimes the cleanup and equipment moving cost so much and takes so much time you wonder why you ever started. smiley_furious smiley_headscratch
received_1177296640256660.jpeg
received_3938235519831844.jpeg
I'm going to dream about loading stumps tonight. Finish up this other job tomorrow, see how bad it's raining and hopefully cut wood.
received_471219745827981.jpeg
Till dark, repeat tomorrow. Had 2x engineers quit at work, got the call today if I can come back Sunday 🤦😆
Quote from: B.C.C. Lapp on August 15, 2024, 05:06:25 PMBarge I swear sometimes the cleanup and equipment moving cost so much and takes so much time you wonder why you ever started. smiley_furious smiley_headscratch
It's not worth it. These private jobs the extras will eat you alive. I'm at the point in life if I can't make money on a job the iron can sit in the yard, watch someone else starve to death hustling.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire eh Barge? Walking like you are still on a boat across the landing? ffcheesy
Sounds like two jobs, loader dozer skidder and dump at one, excavator and dump at the other, that should keep you busy and the fuel man happy!
Grease it and let it sit, have a cold one and make money doing what pay$, watch the boys race to the bottom.
received_476328985290827.jpeg
received_1060700118724693.jpeg
received_397447162978006.jpegreceived_424938349950018.jpeg
received_1677636906361346.jpeg
received_1008923267393984.jpeg
received_1508377230053011.jpeg
99% manicured. There's 8 cabins going in up here, bridge, all about the rich people from NYC. From wood to a couple miles of road I don't think it came out to badly.
Looks very good from here.
The road looks good.
Looks like you have some nice ground to work with. meaning not rocks every 10 feet. rayrock ffcheesy
Horrible ground. Can't find enough dirt to hide the rocks. This is UP there, go 50ft off this trail and it's nothing but down, over looking RT30 coming out of Blenhiem. Going to get hit with the drag rake, planted in seed, should hold up. There is a rock point that sticks a fair ways out, talking do a clearing here for a large cabin.
Messenger_creation_6081b97d-8511-4b30-b82c-442379d88d0b.jpeg
reminds me of Thatcher park near Albany. we did a retreat/end of year party for peds there each spring. all rock pushed up by glaciers, I guess.
Lots of places up here to, blessed with boulders. They still cut the wood off them boulder fields. Whatever seed falls in trails afterward, is all natural. Sometimes mostly raspberries and pin cherry. ffcheesy ffcheesy ffcheesy
Quote from: doc henderson on August 16, 2024, 09:15:28 PMreminds me of Thatcher park near Albany. we did a retreat/end of year party for peds there each spring. all rock pushed up by glaciers, I guess.
Pushed and dropped and luckily for the settlers they never had to dig up rocks to split the stones for foundation rock etc
they could simply walk into the woods and find random stones are all over
I have a unique stone that the glaciers dropped on my land, hauled it over from the bay of fundy when I first laid eyes on it I wasn't sure if it was a meteorite or something ffsmiley
Well that's a pretty spot, I could probably be happy with a cabin there.
Yes that looks very nice! :thumbsup:
So, you guys are smart...
I have honey locust that I'd like to buck up into probably 8-12 inch lengths, then rip in half with a chainsaw, so I have 2 half circles of log 8-12" long.
Is there an easy to make jig that makes this process easier and less in the dirt? My initial thought, and I don't think I can describe it well in words, was a V shaped thing (really 2 of them I guess) at the top of a sawhorse, so I'd lay the logs in, there'd be a gap below so my saw doesn't cut the jig in half, and slice away. It'd have 4 feet, like a sawhorse, but those legs would extend up past the top of a normal sawhorse?
Just make sure you put the chainsaw dogs (felling spikes) against the log and then cut. noodeling, because the chips will come out real long. sometimes they clog the bar cover so go slow. Be carefull, the smaller the piece of log the more dangerous it is to cut or rip it with a chainsaw
Good call, I probably wouldn't have thought of that. I do have a ripping chain to put on...
I would consider ripping it in half, at least most of the way. what is the project? if they need to be identical halves, you could then bind the halves together before you buck them to length. the longer log is easier to stabilize. what it the log diameter? i have supported big logs on for smaller logs at the 4 corners and get the big log 6 inches off the dirt. A spotter watches and give hand signals so I stay out of the dirt. I try to use gravity when I can so you could stand the log up, and let the saw cut with gravity. What the heck are you making?
drying thin wood for coaster stock. - Page 4 (forestryforum.com) (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=116232.msg1840488#msg1840488)
Howdy. Been working on this place in the mountains in the summer when it's too hot down here in the desert. Guy has lost 22 oaks...big and old.
https://youtu.be/qarCha6yGs0
I've done it like this before using a pipe clamp and plywood top on my trash can for lathe pieces. I'll find the pic later and post. Make sure everything is tightened.
The plywood has a frame and is secured with a couple of screws on the can top sides.
The clamp piece is tight and excess pipe is in the can. Lead with tip, small bite to start.
Have some weight in the can so it's not top heavy. A nice large bandsaw would be so much better.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13635/1000006616.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=353406)
The white oak site we are on has some terrible wind damage, tree crowns are larger than the soil supports (sandy loam over clay). Here is one that came down a year ago. It's 37" at 24', too much for our old elephant.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Large_WO_storm_blown_.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355237)
Thanks Doc. They don't have to be perfect at all, maybe better if they are varying lengths. The plan is to make a raised garden bed box with the Locust. Depending on how much trouble it is to saw them in half I may use the full round. We think it'll look neat to use that wood rather than like plywood or metal. Ideally, it's easy to split them, and after a few practice runs I can see how tall they'll stand against my fence, otherwise we'll stack them maybe two or three high, then line the inside with weed fabric, dump in dirt, and gittyup. Also, in regards to plywood or metal boxes, we quick and dirty'd the fence for the dog, so it's not terribly conducive to straight lines.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Large_WO_stained.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355267)
Not all sugar and spice, that hurt, it was a several thousand dollar tree right up until I bucked it . Sigh.
More market related ...stave mills are indeed getting full. We've been cut off from our favorite for a week or two.
now it's an official FF Forklift!
20240819_075809.jpg
This is the largest tree I've cut down to date. We do not grow poplar much bigger than this around here, at least not that I've seen. Over 30" across the stump.
When we were measuring my old yellow birch for the great trees of NB book. About 8 paces over was a 48" dbh aspen that was just about dead. Old fire in the area, aspen seeded in. Suckered stuff around here might get 10" and die. Land across from me, the suckered aspen is all dying and falling down. None quite 10", 30 years. I've got 30 year large tooth that is 18" dbh now. I don't have many. The ones I have grow in a circle, from were one stood and was cut. Grows faster than trembling.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07645.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355284)
I went after this white pine last week. I knew this was going to be a challenge the way the tree bent at the butt and as the stem went up it curved back to the left over the butt a considerable amount. I felt it was going to fall to the left so I cut the stump high to keep the balance point as much to my advantage as possible.
It didn't quite work out the way I planned. It got hung up in another big pine. :veryangry:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07646.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355287)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07647.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355288)
I couldn't budge it with tractor and chains and ended up cutting three short (4') logs off the butt. Then I was able to pull it down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07650.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355286)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07657.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355289)
Then I was able to cut 8' logs and transport them all to the barnyard.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07653.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355290)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07662.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355292)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07666.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355297)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07667.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355298)
Now the logs from this tree join the logs from the pine I cut two weeks ago and they will sit there for about a month to let the sap dry out before I saw them into lumber.
Keep on cutting.....Cutter
That is a nice whack of logs. Actually very nice. ffcool
I went out and determined that the Locust that I cut down was going to get split in half this past Saturday. I chose not to build a splitting jig due to the top of the tree being stuck out in the woods. I figured I'd clean that up first. I cut the top off and tried running the saw down the middle of the log top to bottom. "Well, this is easier than I expected!" I thought, then I started noticing lots of dark brown sawdust and bugs squirming around. So, my first foray into attempting to make some raised bed surrounds ended with 40 or so feet worth of hollow log with a ton of ants and maybe termites. The insides were all mush. To the fire pile it goes! I'll try again, once the backhoe is back up and running, but looking at the other Locusts I have I'm no longer expecting it to go well...
Apparently you are talking about Honey Locust rather than Black Locust??
Yes, MM, I believe so... The extra thorny ones. I read above (or elsewhere) that they aren't as rot resistant as black locust, but they seem not bug resistant either, so maybe a poor choice for our application.
Honey Locust is a poor choice for anything outdoors/weather exposed.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/IMG_5946.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354299)
But otherwise it is amazingly pretty.
Cutterboy can your chainsaw carving friend use the 4 footers for eagles or bear cubs or similar things or will you saw them? More clamps for the sawmill are on my list to make better use of short offcuts. Always a pleasure to see a pile of logs by your barn and what goes into it!
Mostly working through log piles and tearing out trees with an excavator at a building site here... Did cut some dead balsams at a camp last week. One almost crushed the outhouse and decision was made to not test luck with the other ffcheesy That stuff cuts so easy I whipped up a bench for their fire pit with the 346xp. Do not have any on my land, grandparents were a bit (30min) south and had a lot. This was about 20min east. We are in a funny thumb of hardwood because of the river I guess.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240820_165836525.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355331)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240820_174546852_HDR.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355332)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240820_165619201_HDR.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355333)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240820_172822756_HDR.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355330)
Quote from: mudfarmer on August 26, 2024, 07:26:17 PMCutterboy can your chainsaw carving friend use the 4 footers for eagles or bear cubs or similar things or will you saw them? More clamps for the sawmill are on my list to make better use of short offcuts. Always a pleasure to see a pile of logs by your barn and what goes into it!
Mudfarmer, I will saw them into 4/4 boards. I have no problem selling short boards of pine. At the moment I have none left. Actually I have no 4/4 pine left.
Yeah them short boards would certainly sell. I rarely build furniture needing longer than 4' boards. I suppose if you were building a tall book case or cabinet, 6' would come in handy. I'd actually like to build a glassed door pine cabinet some day. A lot lighter to move than oak. But easier to ding up. Trade-offs. ffsmiley
Mudfarmer, seeing that balsam tree falling at the outhouse must have given you a scare. After a scare like that you may have needed to use the outhouse. ffcheesy ffcheesy
BTW, nice little bench.
Still amazed by the old erosion gullies we run into on these tracts in central VA. It's a sandy loam soil and was abandoned between the civil war and turn of the century. Its deeper than I am (over 6') and you shudder to think that it all ended up in the Bay.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Erosion_gully.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355348)
So in the 150 or so years since it was abandoned the backs were turned and virginia pine, a weed basically, Pinus virginiana, grew up with shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata- a super high quality hard yellow pine favored by craftsmen like
@Southside) and old field WO and stream bank YP and beech seeded in amongst the pines.
This is a picture of one of the virginia pine we dropped during our selective harvest last month. A forum member has a request out for some good virginia pine. It's not a super fresh cut but you can see in some spots the growth rings look like balsm from northern Canada. At this point in the forests life the VP have almost all died away, the shortleaf are hanging on and we hope they'll reseed into the gaps. The interesting thing on both counts is that the white oaks are over topping the shortleaf by a good margin, 30', so the shortleaf are usually doing best in the areas with more beech or hickory. The best WO are over 120 and that is just superb. We are assisting the VA DOF with seed collection for a seed bank experimental trial and this site is one of our collection sites.
The stem is basically 12" in diameter, my dbh tape is 1/10s of a foot and I didn't have it line up correctly. I had quite a lot of trouble counting the rings when it got tight.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Virginia_Pine.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355349)
And if you thin the fir, 2 rings will cover your index finger. ffsmiley Where I am working I see a few fir this year that grew close to 30" of new height growth. Tree getting full sun. Those trees are around 10 feet tall over all. Trees half that tall have 18" of new growth. And some of the fir is garbage, suppressed too long and machine tramped during harvest. I cut them off.
Made a modest start on some S/F stud wood yesterday afternoon. There are 10 12'ers in the pile.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/24_8_30.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355396)
gg
Yup, you gotta start somewhere and at the beginning is best. Looking good. :thumbsup: ffcool
Once in a very rare while we get presented with 3-4 really nice trees clustered tightly in one spot. Today we got to cut one, pulled a tiny bit at the base but that shouldn't hurt the price, it is all in the buttress and should be removed by the butt reducer at the veneer mill. About time to replace the links in the tracks with the smallest link.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/Fast_growing_302522_WO_veneer_at_21_.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355440)
@Hogdaddy - $7 straight thru FYI
Found a market for the lower grade RO logs, boy is it hard to move some stuff. I'm talking 2nd-3rd logs in southern red oak in soil that seems to generate quite a lot of mineral stain. Color isn't great, growth rings are tight. Oh well. I move the butts up to PA where the price is $200/thousand better than in VA and they take all I can send them but the upper cuts ...not so great. I suspect the butts are going in containers.
Quote from: Hogdaddy on September 06, 2024, 10:18:17 PMQuote from: nativewolf on September 03, 2024, 08:26:49 PM@Hogdaddy - $7 straight thru FYI
@nativewolf Wow! Super log with a super price. Was it 20' long?
We left at 21' - two 10' logs. I think we could push to get $8 the next time. We keep those away from the regular veneer layout. If we like the price on the regular layout show them the exceptional logs. We left that one right in the woods with 1 more 12' log that sold at $6.
I had a mechanic (yes I'm a sucker) come out and tap on the starter of the backhoe one time to get it back running like a champ... So, I got her out to play a bit today. I "cut" the next honey locust down, via a semi - sketchy push. The roots came up immediately but it took a bit of messing around to get the tree down. After some pushing and readjustments it wss on the ground, then dragged to the fire pile. Man, the backhoe is so handy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20240908_142553.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355511)
Days never finished, Masta got me working, someday Masta set me free... 😆...
Messenger_creation_88E0A734-D8CF-4681-B134-169AA2687B3B.jpegMessenger_creation_4400DD94-6EC3-4262-9319-313F23BA0114.jpegMessenger_creation_A70AB062-264D-4E00-A8BE-E018901EEDB8.jpeg
At 0200 am last Friday. Office pimps us out in an emergency when we are local to keep everyone else running. 20240902_105343.jpg
Should be cutting my own wood this week, carpenter is here putting roof / deck on my house, not enough hours in the day. I've been cleaning off other guys landings all weekend.
Messenger_creation_C0796700-9FA0-40CE-B2C4-E111AF2036CE.jpeg
Messenger_creation_821B4A7C-D034-4149-BDA9-D1727E160937.jpeg
He's such a happy kid, his brother will be here in May.
img_1_1725654822504.jpg
Barge, that's a good looking boy. You look like a proud papa and it's nice to see you like that. And another boy on the way! Congratulations! Many adventures ahead for you.
It is drying up here for a week or two and I will cut some wood. The old skidder has been sitting since Spring. The clutch was stuck, had to start in gear and break free with service brakes. I will jam the pedal down from now on when it is going to sit for a long time rayrock
I come on here to joke, bust balls, met alot of decent people. I'm down cutting up neighbors last load of wood tonight, he can't do it, 78, dying of leukemia, you wanna talk about 'Admin edit' sucks.
Messenger_creation_EB4D7F8D-01BB-46FE-989C-0E7A75A561E9.jpeg'
Good for you.For what it's worth it will be one less thing for him to worry about.
Quote from: BargeMonkey on September 11, 2024, 07:52:00 PMI come on here to joke, bust balls, met alot of decent people. I'm down cutting up neighbors last load of wood tonight, he can't do it, 78, dying of leukemia, you wanna talk about 'Admin edit' sucks.
Messenger_creation_EB4D7F8D-01BB-46FE-989C-0E7A75A561E9.jpeg
Making a mans last year of fire possible. Good on you Eric!
Not much ball busting here these days. I forgot to say congrats :thumbsup: Keep it up with the kiddos and you will put the 'straw hats' out of business ffcheesy
A Northern Red Oak, no foliage this year- so I took it down. It's about half way down a steep slope, but I managed to fall it uphill. Many of you are responsible for teaching me the patience and (limited...) skill I needed to fall it in the direction I needed. Thanks!
~24" at the cut, but only 33 rings. That means this tree only grew <3 rings to the inch. Will it make okay lumber? Feedback needed.
IMG_5084.jpg
IMG_5087.jpg
IMG_5086.jpg
Only 3 rings per inch is mighty fast, even for here in my area. It indicates no competition.
I would think that would affect strength and stability which may not be an issue depending upon the intended use.
It should be able to support a baseball player...made out of silverware.
Three rings to the inch for red oak means the wood is higher density and has more strength, than if 10 rings to the inch.
Beenthere, there's posted and 'learned' articles on this and the theory is that it is stronger. I read those
But, here's what experience tells me.
The five growth ring 2x4 stud bought at the big box store in Florida won't hold a construction screw on a framing project. Framing up a wall with those baby sticks isn't what is called good practise by any woodworker. Like working with wet noodles.
A 50 year old salvage 2x4 stud with 30 growth rings will hold a screw like it means business. A lot of growth rings are always seen as the better wood, by furniture makers and framers alike.
However, olecowhand may not care about theoretical Janka Index values. His oaks look good and would likely make some fine lumber if stacked carefully.
With oak you are getting more latewood with faster growth. The earlywood is usually a consistent width and more porous and less dense. Thus more latewood growth will make stronger wood. Same goes for hickory for handle wood, you want faster grown hickory wood. We've tried red oak for axe handle wood, it wasn't worth a darn. Locally, hop-hornbeam was preferred handle wood. Ash seems to be a commercial thing for handles. I never knew anyone too fond of ash handle wood. Makes nice bats though.
I would think if your just using the oak for woodworking or paneling you'll be fine. Or like Doc said, make a base for one of your ropin', ridin', salt-shaker-six-shooter cowboys. :cowboy:
I'd be curious to see if the wider growth rings would make a difference in the look of medullary rays when quarter sawn.
Learned Gentlemen,
Thank you all for your insightful feedback. My plan is to Flat Saw it for trailer decking and Fence boards. If it looks pretty clear, I'll take a couple LE slabs out of the middle for some "sorta" Q-sawn lumber.....
Good choice/plan for sawing Steve.
I realize that we are talking Oak which is a minor species for me to saw.
With Pine, I am normally sawing framing lumber. For that, I like tight evenly spaced growth rings. I will refuse to saw Plantation Pine which usually has 2-3 growth rings per inch. It will bow, warp, twist, and make all sorts of propellers which I can not scale as lumber. Nope, I will not saw it.
Well, any other advice can be added here, but the next time you all see this log- it will be over in the Watcha Sawing thread.........
There is much of the top that will be added to the firewood pile, but those sawlogs are going into lumber inventory.
I also wanted to pass along a milestone. Last month, the little sawmill paid itself off. I am pleased beyond imagining that this would happen so quickly, and you all are solely responsible for supporting and encouraging my journey. Thank you all, and I pray that my FF Family enjoy good health and prosperity.
I'm actually cutting decent wood, sat in the buncher today carving a path out to it, pile of handcutting 28-36" decent oak the next couple days. Not super remote but out there far enough you can scream all you want, 20-30' ledge drop offs, bears everywhere, it's a good time. My buddy shot 2x last weekend, 250 and a 350 not far from where I'm working.
Messenger_creation_C4401AC1-780B-43AF-A97D-737BDC53FB83.jpeg
Stumbled on this today, I would rather deal with a bear. 🤦 I hate white faced hornets. Not a baby one either.
Messenger_creation_7697CC95-91DB-4B98-BDA1-85C7E24E4127.jpeg
My poor kids got more truck time than most grown men now, he wasn't to happy to hear we where getting another load,
Messenger_creation_4FED694B-C43B-4669-957C-4DFAE591DBAC.jpeg
What a face!! ffcheesy
ffcheesy ffcheesy Watch out Papa. He doesn't look very pleased with you and he is a sturdy looking young lad. ffcheesy ffcheesy
Barge, he's making that face because you keep making him crawl up the ladder and run the loader while you buck and trim on the landing! Get him some Worktunes headphones with kids songs that he can jam out to while he's up there loading, that'll make him smile ffcheesy
Barge your boy is telling you he wants you to breast feed him so get doing that
I'm just cutting junk with abit of size to it . Nothing special
Small junk here all day (now there is an opportunity for ball busting)
Chucked a lot of it in the mud holes. Driest it has been all year but still some bad spots and hate dragging logs through the mud
So cutting the junk small stuff now too...but the butts are still decently sized
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/34089/IMG_0702.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355577)
A lot of wood moving past me on the woods road I use to get to work. So dry the dust off the road needs wipers to remove from the windshield at the end of the day as I park on the road shoulder. I bet there are at least 6 loads a day off one block moving by. Been hauling for weeks.
Not alot of grade in this stuff , I'm on clay/sand soil but makes good stuff for big long timbers , only pretty much need 1 choker on skidder as its got some weight to it
I've gotta get the junk out of the way to get to the good wood, 1 spot to get down over the ledges, not even close to flat. Moved yesterday,
Messenger_creation_A086BFCD-2E20-4A6D-B04D-591F0E9A73F6.jpeg
Messenger_creation_DA2B2E86-D963-43C5-B5BE-DA0574896412.jpeg
It's close to a mile in from the town turn around, it's DROPS OFF in the ledges.
Couple days have this stomped out, other side is 4-5 jobs together. My boats headed to Boston, chase it till Thursday till they get back.
Messenger_creation_C7BD0FE7-D53B-40B9-9871-E92F388042B3.jpegMessenger_creation_EA15BA91-83CB-4104-BA34-689B1009605A.jpeg
Wondered where my skidder operator was at, went and caught himself some ankle jewelry 🤦😆.... Bartender jokes I'm gonna have an interlock device on the skidder... 🤦😆....
Messenger_creation_54CD56CE-94C8-46AF-847D-8855FF910650.jpeg
Girl at tractor thought I was joking, ALL they had. My buddy took 25, I took 50. For 30.00 a pail that's cheaper than drums for ISO 46.
Messenger_creation_2BC5723E-E6A8-4BAA-B1C9-102339D3BC2D.jpeg
On a more serious note, and not to make it political, but I don't know how people are making it ? There's a formula shortage in the country, the plant was hit by a tornado, that's what almost 500 bucks looks like, how does the average person do it ? Girl looked at my wife like she was nuts last night when we cleaned target out of formula. I don't get it anymore.
Messenger_creation_C6498C83-8A12-4A90-A101-ACA05C110769.jpeg
I'd rather be looking at hyd fluid for that much money!!!! ffcheesy
I hope that one wearing the ankle hardware got a work release.
Quote from: BargeMonkey on September 14, 2024, 11:07:10 PMWondered where my skidder operator was at, went and caught himself some ankle jewelry 🤦😆.... Bartender jokes I'm gonna have an interlock device on the skidder... 🤦😆....
Messenger_creation_54CD56CE-94C8-46AF-847D-8855FF910650.jpeg
Girl at tractor thought I was joking, ALL they had. My buddy took 25, I took 50. For 30.00 a pail that's cheaper than drums for ISO 46.
Messenger_creation_2BC5723E-E6A8-4BAA-B1C9-102339D3BC2D.jpeg
On a more serious note, and not to make it political, but I don't know how people are making it ? There's a formula shortage in the country, the plant was hit by a tornado, that's what almost 500 bucks looks like, how does the average person do it ? Girl looked at my wife like she was nuts last night when we cleaned target out of formula. I don't get it anymore.
Messenger_creation_C6498C83-8A12-4A90-A101-ACA05C110769.jpeg
So we need some help on the harvesting team, trying to free us up to expand. However, don't need help that has so much jewelry.
Eggs were 6.33 in town a couple days ago fwiw. Oddly enough i saw a logging truck on the road here with what looked like a load of so so Green Ash logs, it was strange to see in this neighborhood. Once in a while you see one, almost always it's a load of cottonwood headed to be pallets or once in a blue moon a load of Walnut. Otherwise lots of fairly large farm equipment.. ffsmiley
Years ago I drove truck hauling Christmas trees for a guy that hired immigrants with a green card, and prisoners on work release from the county jail. He'd pick them up and return them each day on time or they'd be considered escapee's. When he'd give me a choice who to take along as a helper to load the truck, I decided I'd rather learn a few words of Spanish than have a guy that could try to make a jailbreak. ffcheesy
I've also seen job ads recently that say: "Those with criminal records are encouraged to apply". I suppose for 2 names of reference they can always put down their bail bondsman and parole officer. ffcheesy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20240905_110131115.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355594)
Couple pics when I was cutting maples by my customers lake cabin. Not a big tree, but was plenty exciting when I saw what looked like dirt coming out the saw instead of sawdust. Luckily there was enough solid wood to wedge it over, and not end up having to fish it out of the lake.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20240905_095241299.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355595)
Had a bigger hard maple I cut also, was able to wedge it over where I wanted it to go too (ignore the fiber pull). ffcheesy
Ended up getting a couple decent saw logs and some good firewood. One of them had tap holes that made nice lumber (see the wathcha sawin' thread).
I've been filling in for a friend in his forwarder, he's out elk hunting in Colorado😊 We're harvesting what we call "soup can" aspen, because the diameter is similar to a soup can😬 Not high production wood for sure, but it's contract cutting on paper company land. They pay decent per cord.
This stuff probably runs between 6-10" dbh.
The mill lines to harvest their aspen at this size, between 30-40 years old. They get more cords per acre, and this small diameter wood feeds through the mill well.
Eh, there's probably another 75 good sticks on this piece, firewood and some pulp / hemlock. Finish this one up and move around to the other road, alot more wood to cut over there.
Messenger_creation_785A20D2-6A3E-4B12-A4C8-E33D1F32E98B.jpegMessenger_creation_AB9A37B2-4260-46C3-8295-0F8C50844FA8.jpegMessenger_creation_2A6A1A0A-0EAC-4F5F-A75E-EAB333A11B27.jpegMessenger_creation_0B202EC3-7476-4EC1-84BB-8863B6CFEFE2.jpeg
Not alot of room, put up a decent wall, back the slasher in, would like to be done here by Wednesday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240915_104304079.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355606)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240916_173627090.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355604)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240915_180904420.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355605)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240915_121852236.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355603)
A couple triaxle loads of firewood out and half a load of saw logs, getting into a good pocket now.
Sticking with workflow from this winter, drop/top/lop and bunch to the trail all weekend only bringing out hitches at lunch, end of day and if I need something from landing. The skids get shorter every turn but are still long. Skid until dark after work on weekdays.
It must be cool to hand cut ahead of a grapple skidder doing whole tree ffcheesy
That's a tough schedule to keep
@mudfarmer - hats off to you. Good thing you are young. Dark is coming quicker now but it is drying up slooooowly. At least here anyway. Skidder and woods you are leaving look good.
gg
Thanks g_man! Your crane and trailer setup are just the ticket for keeping a nice woods though. There is an old forwarder in my yard that needs a drivetrain and loader that would make this all easier and probably nicer in the end. Doing what I can to keep this job nice but also get it done. It will rain soon and that will shut it down again so get it while I can. Feast or famine I will choose feast every time and work 8 days a week to get there.
My wife started cutting Monday. Very green and small diameter ffcheesy
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/18262/IMG_4393.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355660)
No problem getting rid of every part of this crop!
looks like a record number of stems per acre. ffcheesy is that corn? ffsmiley
Yes Doc, cow corn. They just got.to chopping it on Monday. I will try for.better pics, but I've been heading from work straight home to try and get a cord done or a project finished, then making dinner. Need less real.work so I can get MY stuff done!
Gaining on it, one more day of freedom left, my boats coming back from Boston for Friday.
Messenger_creation_4B626629-6680-46A6-9599-7ED2221E2945.jpeg
Messenger_creation_6BB86A2C-D6F5-406B-96E0-1316FC0C7102.jpeg
Only get about 10 hitches like that before this postage stamp landing is plugged.
Messenger_creation_F43B5985-7669-4986-8629-061ED4E3DA53.jpeg
I needed the exercise 😆.
Be down here cutting wood again soon the way it's going.
Messenger_creation_8D96A55D-A32B-4A69-AF4D-ECCA5FD9B9AB.jpeg
Still digging for gold. ffcool ffcheesy
Not that I don't like your boat pictures. but I like the logging ones better. ffsmiley
I think we refer to that as silage and often it is milo stalks and grain.?
Doc I believe they are cutting corn silage, where instead of just taking the kernels, the machine shreds everything (stalks, leaves, and corn cobs). It is blown it into a chopper box wagon, that is then hauled and stored to be used as cattle feed. (One of the best cattle feeds I've been told).
thanks. yes, we do that with milo. well, people I know, not me. always looked fun to see the stream of green blowing back into the trailer.
Yes to both Doc and Resonator, that is corn silage. Makes great feed for the cows
Doc its fun when its blowing into the truck. Not as much fun if your not in sync with the fella in the chopper and it covers the window. Farm rigs aren't known for good windshield wipers!
It looks about the same coming out of the back of the cows, too!
Barge, I know a cutting system that works just absolutely wonderful for those postage stamp landings you invariably are working out of. Inquire if you'd like to learn more😁
Practicing for when Barge takes over the whole industry up here and makes me use a grapple skidder. Hopefully have a little more time to get it right ffsmiley
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240920_160114466.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355723)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240919_174625874.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355724)
It has been dry here for the last three weeks, in fact so dry that a wet area in the woods has dried enough to let me get in there with the tractor. There were two nice red maple trees in there I have wanted for some time. It was very thick in there with smaller trees.
First there were two cherrys that were big enough to make some small logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07726.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355728)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07733.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355727)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07800.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355753)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07803.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355755)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07806.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355756)
Then there were three white birch, again big enough for small logs. one was dead but sound, another was on it's way out and the third was healthy.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07739.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355729)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07795.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355751)
One of them had a surprise for me. Excuse my thumb.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07793.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355750)
I will show the red maples in another post as this one is long enough and I am getting tired.
Till then, keep on cutting.....Cutter
Quote from: barbender on September 19, 2024, 02:49:21 PMIt looks about the same coming out of the back of the cows, too!
Barge, I know a cutting system that works just absolutely wonderful for those postage stamp landings you invariably are working out of. Inquire if you'd like to learn more😁
You know we were trying to keep that process a secret...fat chance now
Quote from: cutterboy on September 20, 2024, 07:53:57 PMtwo cherrys that were big enough to make some small logs.
For whatever the reason, Cherry here is always crooked and will have a pith check. The sweep may not be as noticeable with @ 8' logs, but it is still there. I have to be extra careful selecting the opening face.
It's good to see you keepin' on cuttin'. ffsmiley
Most black cherry up here is only good on the but log and that may not be quite 8'sometimes. Most every tree will have black knot somewhere in the main stem and in the limbs. Been saving a few in the back yard to size up and see what's inside, I suspect full of gum. Centring cherry pith for 6x6" + might be good for blocking, but I find it mostly firewood. Can't be used for turning or making carved furniture legs. It will check deep on every face. I've got quite a few trees in the back yard with decent but logs. Biggest I've cut is 20" on the big end and 16"on the small end. They don't even grow real tall here, maybe 70 feet. To survive the maple woods they have to come in after a disturbance, then later die off once the maple matures
Magic, you are right about the cherry trees. They are very seldom straight. So I end up cutting a lot of short logs. People here are crazy for cherry so the lumber sells, even the boards that don't look good.
SD, The cherry like the white birch trees don't live a long life here. As soon as the maples and oaks overtake them they start their decline.
We grow a decent amount of cherry with good form and size. Not many survived the last price boom in fact there was a veneer yard near me that pretty much specialized in it. Fewer still survive the high wind events now due to shallow roots.
"I cannot tell a lie, I did not cut down my father's cherry trees" -- but another guy did and it was mostly veneer :thumbsup:
On the public ground, Forever Wild we call it, constitutionally protected, there are stands of 36"+ dbh gun barrel straight beauties.
Here is one from today that was marked because it had started to uproot and was hung in a maple. Pictured with a 20" bar but definitely not because I got it stuck and removed the power head to winch it down... :uhoh:
Cutter you got a free culvert!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20240921_151015602_HDR.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355764)
17" @28ft, about 80ft to tip of branches
We get a lot of cherry on old fields and orchards that grow up in mostly shrubs species. The ash, red maples and white spruce will eventually take over.
Cherry was hit and hit hard when it got hot 10 years or 15 years ago. WV and PA have some quite decent cherry stems, they look like loblolly pine. Some of our clients have terrible stem form, some very nice. In my gallery you can see pics of some quite large cherry from a harvest outside of Paris, VA.
Mudfarmer good to see you cutting a bit.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20240916_092147333.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355775)
Beautiful weather lately and the leaves are just starting to turn, have been doing a little clearing in my woods. Mostly small crooked trees will use for firewood for next year. Did cut a couple soft maples and got at least had a few good saw logs. Had to be careful to land this one with the fork flat, so it didn't split.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20240916_093646644.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355776)
Thanks nativewolf, it is oh so very nice to be in the woods cutting again after 6mo hiatus. Nothing resets my perspective like some days pulling cable and running a saw.
It will rain this week the guessers say, how much they still have not settled on. Will switch to buckin' and get some logs shipped out. Right now I cut as long as I can skid without barking everything up, just to get it out of the woods. No slasher.... Forks and saw.... May bring the excavator over instead of tractor.
The Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania grows some great high valued black cherry.
I ended up taking three good sized red maples after the area was cleared out enough to get to them. The first one was smaller than the other two but I got two nice logs from it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07740.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355731)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07742.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355733)
The 2nd one I got four 8' logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07745.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355730)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07752.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355734)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07754.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355736)
The third tree was the biggest of all, got 5 logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07759.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355738)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07760.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355740)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07765.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355737)
The tree looks like it's up in the air but the butt is resting on the stump.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07768.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355739)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07774.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355741)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07784.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355746)
Now back at the barn I've got some logs to saw.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07786.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355747)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07788.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355748)
There is a lot of firewood back in the woods from the tops and smaller trees I had to cut. I'll start working on moving that out now before the rains come and make that area a swamp again. Then I'll be sawing lumber probably into November.
Keep on cutting.....Cutter
Wow Sir, those are mighty purdy!! :thumbsup: I will never get to saw something like that. :wink_2:
Yes Cutter you sure do grow nice trees! I am sure you grow some not so good ones too but definitely some real nice ones :thumbsup:
I won't be cutting these, I am hireing it done. They are scheduled for Tuesday 10-1
the 2 HUGE catalpas are ready. This spring both had limbs get blown out in storms. The limbs were as big as trees, the last was about 14" dia.
With power lines, my house and the size, I can't cut them. the tall one is at least 90' anf at least 72" DBH
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/Catalpa_before.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355862)
I'll try to post some pictures Tuesday
Good decision!
makes beautiful, light weight wood. works like cedar. smell like someone smoking a cigar in the stove when you go outside.
Thanks mudfarmer. Yes I grow plenty of "not so good ones" I cut those for firewood.
90 foot catalpa is bonkers. There are several "big" ones around here. Dbh is likely in the 24-30 inch range, that are 30 feet tall and they've made a mess with the latest hurricane weather. 90' is nuts.
they grow tall and straight in plantation, but alone, can turn out like a tree of knowledge with broad crown of limbs and a 5-foot trunk.
the really sad thing is I don't expect to get any usable wood out of them.
that used to be a fence line so there is metal in them.
The trunks are so big I'll be doing good to move them out of the lawn. My 24" saw won't get too far on them.
Maybe some of the verticle limbs that are straight can be milled.
Mostly I hope some friends need a lot of firewood
Those big ones can be a bother to work with and work up.
I had some EWP that was 3 feet across.
Made me wonder if they was worth the work to make them into firewood size.
But have to do something with them.
Messenger_creation_669563DD-9D12-4C82-8993-64F7A59224E7.jpeg
The irony is, even if they go on strike and everything shuts down, I've still gotta come back to work because they never lay the engineers off. I was hoping for a few extra weeks off to cut wood 😆
Jimmy and i were finally cutting some sentimental walnut brought to us by Chuck, a relative of Jimmy and Kathy. He was dx. with leukemia a month later and has passed. the logs have been here a few years and have been moved. I had a pallet with 4 logs on it, but there was a long ganglier one I had to look for. I thought it may have been this one, due to the color. but one cut and I knew for sure.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_9113.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355888)
Ol Yeller. you can see the color change with uv and air. it barely is below the surface.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_9111.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355886)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_9112.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355885)
also, be aware of fire risk. this log had a twig sticking out, and against the muffler. It smoldered for a while.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_9110.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355887)
Mulberry makes great firewood for a good stove at 25 million BTUs per cord.
Sawdust Jimmy found a pic he was sent from the farm of the logs, and I was able to find the log in question. It is good to have a photographic record, especially for sentimental logs. this is what we had from a few years back. this log is 15 feet and takes many turns. It was not deemed valuable until Chuck passed and now every scrap will be used for gifts to the family.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_3988.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355889)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_3987.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355890)
These are the visual clues to fine this big log on top.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_9103.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355892)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/IMG_9102.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355891)
I'll try to get some better pictures but helping an old friend (72) log a couple load of some pretty nice second growth cedar. Some a little better than 4 foot. Interesting part is he had them come in and limb them and take the bows which he said he got around 3k for. Crazy how much work had to of been put into limbing these things up and picking the bows and transport.
Definitely on the struggle bus getting around through the limbs to chop one down. I should add, my 72 year old friend is running his old garret 21 and not giving me 10 seconds to take any pictures lol
Oh, and he's logging this for his 90+ year old mom who is in great shape!
By bows, do you mean boughs? English is a messed up language when it comes to spelling. You cut boughs off of a tree, bow in thanks, and then make a bow out of the wood🤦
Probably boughs? For Christmas reefs
Climbing and limbing around a 4' cedar tree probably around 100' for those boughs seems crazy to me but evidently it's a thing
Some folks use white cedar here, but not commercially. Most are cut from balsam fir and tipping season is probably 3 or 4 weeks away here. Been so warm. Been 70° the last two days. No sign of rain for the work week. We put up a white cedar one Christmas for our tree. Field grown, they are quite bushy. Just wild ones.
Here's a decent sized one and an excellent example of what it looks like when they hit the ground lol
Yes cutting boughs (rhymes with "cows") is big business at Christmas time. The Christmas tree grower I worked for had pickers bring in fresh cut and tied bundles of spruce, pine, fir, etc. They bundles were weighed, and then they were paid by pound for what they bought in. Cedar was the top price, especially with good color and lacey texture. The boughs were then cut and wired together on steel rings to make wreaths of different sizes and patterns.
We've cut after bough guys go in. The cedar just crumpled on any berm there was. Could only make short wood out of it.
We did a job one time where the landowner got over 30k from cedar boughs.
He must have a lot of bows for that money. But of course they pay crazy money out there for cedar shake blocks to. Where I worked they paid $800 a stacked m3, air lifted to a road landing. Up here they wouldn't pay that for white cedar if it were 6 m3. ffcheesy White cedar logs are crazy cheap and getting harder to source. Lots of stands have been clearcut off. Several cedar mills here have closed up in the last 10 years. My cedar stand grew back well here. Many grow back to mostly aspen or balm with black ash and white elm mixed in. Although I did have a couple narrow runs that grew back to balm and white birch. That balm ground will eventually have cedar grow under it (and mine is) which will take over when the balm dies.
Well, the tree service got here a bit late, 11:30a and left at 3:00p.
They said the previous day a coworker hit a big underground wasp nest and they had to leave the equipment on that job.
They are scheduled to be back here next Monday.
They started to work on the smaller tree and found more limbs going into the holly tree than expected. They got things cut back and should be ready to fell it first hing Monday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa1.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355914)
That lift is really cool, It is quite heavy and with the soil a little wet there are some ruts left.
They did a beautiful job on cleanup and I will have a bonfire when it dries out some
Quote from: quilbilly on October 01, 2024, 10:17:28 PMWe've cut after bough guys go in. The cedar just crumpled on any berm there was. Could only make short wood out of it.
We did a job one time where the landowner got over 30k from cedar boughs.
It definitely makes saving them out a challenge. Deep undercuts and new chains. My forearms are finally starting to feel a little better after chainsaw karate chopping through limbs for 2 days
Quote from: Machinebuilder on October 02, 2024, 07:58:41 AMWell, the tree service got here a bit late, 11:30a and left at 3:00p.
They said the previous day a coworker hit a big underground wasp nest and they had to leave the equipment on that job.
They are scheduled to be back here next Monday.
They started to work on the smaller tree and found more limbs going into the holly tree than expected. They got things cut back and should be ready to fell it first hing Monday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa1.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355914)
That lift is really cool, It is quite heavy and with the soil a little wet there are some ruts left.
They did a beautiful job on cleanup and I will have a bonfire when it dries out some
Are they feeding a chipper with that little track loader? Or hand feeding it
That "Easy Lift" is very similar to if not identical to the one that my tree service used to remove my trees. They have eliminated the need for a heavy bucket truck, much more maneuverable, and will go higher. The one here would reach 87'.
no chipper, just piling it for me to burn
Neat to watch those aerial lift machines set up, I've seen they have a self leveling system built in. You hit a switch, and all 4 hydraulic outriggers come out simultaneously and adjust until the machine finds perfect level even on a slope. I always thought that would be a handy system to build into a portable sawmill.
Yeah, I go up 45' in my Genie. A little unnerving. When I go up on the edge of the drop-off, way unnerving!
I don't think I could do 87'!😬
That one is 83', the crew said it might be a bit small for the big tree :uhoh:
I have used a 60' Grove 4x4 lift without outriggers. those really heavy tires flex amazingly with that much leverage.
I don't know if I want to go up 80'
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/IMG_6671~0.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355920)
This one was 87 as is written on the partially unfolded boom. The brand name is Easy Lift.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/20011/IMG_6672~0.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355919)
And here he was almost at his limit. He was removing two trees that were overhanging my shop and shed.
Cutting tall eastern red cedar. (blob:https://forestryforum.com/221448b1-a7a0-4c0b-8f38-96367772d377)
I'm struggling to get any pictures. That old guy is right on my tail. He had me take a 4' cut to try and clear up some rot and then I took a 7 and it finally did. I'll make some fence boards and some blocks of wood for a buddy that wants to practice making some bases for base guitars. This is some of the better inland/lowland cedar I've cut actually. It's not near as good as what quilbilly will have on the coast. We won't be back till Monday so going back to do some milling but Monday I'll be done and get a few pictures
IMG_7357.jpeg
This one is shorter but a better picture.
That is tall for ERC.
One thing I found with ERC- those limbs are nasty! You'd have to wear armor to hand fall them😂
I use my Stihl pole saw to limb them up. nice if you have someone to pull the limbs as you cut. if you fall them with all the limbs on, that is a pain as half are trapped under.
Perfect nice flat ground. The ledge gets worse the further you go up, come up from the bottom and blow a road in, my father cut the adjoining lot in 1978 and using his path out thru the ledges, couldnt pay me to cut jobs like this with a 440.
Messenger_creation_9964B441-58F7-40F1-8027-71C12878BC35.jpeg
Messenger_creation_9B8971D2-78D6-41E1-ACD0-47766D27704F.jpeg
Turn the corner and it DROPS off.
Messenger_creation_427A9139-FBC7-480D-97AA-876195C14AF9.jpeg
Blow a road down over the bank and up between the ledges.
Messenger_creation_C61ECEBA-EB1E-40C8-9B24-520B17EDF3AA.jpeg
Honey it's gonna be fine, just back over the bank 😆 she was less than impressed.
Messenger_creation_043B3810-B0FD-4F6F-AF85-3D4259D50C17.jpeg
Finish this one in a couple days, have a decent wall of wood, go around the other side and clap 5-6 adjoining.
Messenger_creation_D9B1EC82-C620-43EC-8C62-D0C2E18FEAF6.jpeg
Just crawl right in...
Messenger_creation_4B686159-79AB-4FA1-9981-DC975B6A0A61.jpeg
So I guess the strike is over for now. Media did the best they could to make the ILA president out to be evil, I work for the biggest scab boat company on the east coast and agree with him 100%. I was part of local 333 for 15yrs, till the feds came in and raided it, and it became the joke that's MMP.
Messenger_creation_4BFCB097-2CDB-405C-AFC3-1B7272DB6573.jpeg
Messenger_creation_3932BF25-6FD5-45E4-B60D-10F8791A7EC5.jpeg
12 more days of freedom, be back for 28.
Messenger_creation_1FC6AC3E-0885-4FEA-9B1A-EA4E004B2ECD.jpeg
Told him he falls in we will go to the grocery store and replace him with an immigrant. We finally have some good deckhands.
Men those ERC sure have some nasty limbs, doesn't look like good saw logs!?
Nice pics Eric!
Managed to get 35 mid sized trees to the sawmill, in Rainseason!
20241003_171800.jpg
That's why we grind ERC for mulch and then make our cedar fiber bedding out of the them. This 200 acres of cedar I am cutting have really nice looking logs but 98 percent of them are rotten so grind them it is!
(blob:https://forestryforum.com/285db684-2b00-46d7-8565-64e72a528bf2) (blob:https://forestryforum.com/d298059d-c2a7-423c-8e23-28a06b5df4ca)
Neat to see pictures of the operation okmulch! Your dad(?) was talking about some of it to me but I didn't really understand, I think he was talking about that beast in the field.
I'll take ledge over boulders. Lot easier stepping around those ledge with a clearing saw. But no fun stepping on boulders and rocks with both hands on handle bars. I refuse them blocks now, I got wise. ffcheesy
Quote from: BargeMonkey on October 03, 2024, 09:42:50 PM, couldnt pay me to cut jobs like this with a 440.
Nahh you can't fool me that easy. You can take the man out of a 440 but you can't take the "20 bucks is 20 bucks" out of a man 🤑🤠
Diesel refill at the store last night $1 more than beer refill
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20241004_165137121.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355934)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20241004_165322552.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355933)
20.00 is 20.00 🤷😆....
Eh, another day at the coal mines... Timbco will cut 90% of the wood on this job but I need the exercise.
Messenger_creation_C93FC318-6764-4F30-9453-A75A36F4E614.jpeg
Messenger_creation_FC4EF987-02DA-45AC-9963-06FC87E84A61.jpeg
Tractor supply sells a copy of a VP race jug now, the big and little ones. Not sure how many of you guys have seen them but the small ones make the ideal saw gas jug.
Messenger_creation_34E36DA2-2FFB-4007-9DED-A8DA40DB09B9.jpeg
Messenger_creation_13552EE2-A2A6-404B-9D38-8653C1305CD8.jpeg
It all adds up. Hopefully swing this job by end of next week, move to the other side.
Messenger_creation_E0233CC7-9174-48A2-B553-A45B61B54C90.jpeg
Messenger_creation_EBF24F48-AAC8-4F40-903D-A218F83D3B83.jpeg
Most of the hemlock going for pulpwood, I'm not being nice about cutting it.
Hemlock pulp, you got me there. Might as well sell the 440 and head to the beach for a few months
30.00 a ton loaded, not a get rich thing but it helps. Going to have this job clapped in a couple days, be a decent pile of wood for 4-5 days.
Messenger_creation_5399885A-5454-4AC6-BA46-02CFC706F39A.jpeg
Messenger_creation_3B691DA5-76ED-410C-8A24-FCD61AD24CC2.jpeg
Right to the limit of cut and carry with something that size, trying to keep them off the line.
Messenger_creation_53968AF9-01FF-4C69-AFB6-251B094217C9.jpeg
Get the fat kid out of the cab 😆 Tomorrow get into the bigger stuff. Messenger_creation_ED87EECA-AD08-4265-8FF7-F927C7FFAC8A.jpeg
https://youtu.be/1wgzttRiWlw?feature=shared
"Just one more tree" strikes again. It is getting wet and I have enough out, going to shut it down and knock out last few acres this winter and it will all go to my mill for once ffsmiley
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/37318/IMG_20241006_105556115_HDR.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355960)
This pig of a stump is a long way from the end of my cable and not allowed to go off the trails ffcheesy
Men, thanks for the link, I really enjoyed that song!! I love old music
Just went back and listened to the song for about 5 times until I understood all the lyrics. And it touched something in me you can probably only understand if you're a logger!!! Thanks again, what a great song!
mudfarmer, I'm glad I'm not the only one.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07647.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355288)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07737.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355726)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07796.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355752)
Quote from: cutterboy on October 07, 2024, 06:39:29 AMmudfarmer, I'm glad I'm not the only one.
No pics, but you all are not the only two......
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"
If you haven't hung one, you haven't cut much.
Cable, chain, come-along winch, pulley, ratchet strap, keep any or all of theses handy for such occurrences. Best ones are when you leave to get something to pull it down, and return to find the tree has untangled itself and is on the ground. ffcool
broke 3x 5/16" high grade chains, 1x 3/8" g70 choker, 2x 15k lb break strength 'tree saver' straps and wasted a bunch of time getting that one down. A ratchet strap probably would not have helped ffcheesy The maple it was hung in ended up partially uprooted. Sadly not allowed to leave trees hung up to let them come down naturally as people recreate in this area. It wouldn't have come down on its own for a longgg time anyway.
Got 2x 10ft and 1x 8ft "prime" grade logs plus a mess of firewood out of it so not all was lost. Most of them are not such a big deal especially with skidder winch, being so far from the trail really added to the PITA factor. The tractor/winch has been a little light to get some down in the past if a big tree and hung real bad.
"Hang in there, baby!" :uhoh: :snowball:
When I get one hung, I try to save it for when I have a big hardwood. Then try to drop the crotch of said hardwood into the crotch of another big hardwood. Why mess around? Hang them up proper!😁
I have taken to a 12 gauge and duck loads to shoot the stem off of one thus hung up before. It had to come down, and there was no other way I could think of. I tried pulling it loose with a skidder winch, which was only going to snap off the tree it was hung up in🤷
I was speaking in general to use whatever you've got handy to try to get it down before the before you leave. If you've got the heavy machinery, by all means use it. :thumbsup:
I just make firewood, so all I need is a chainsaw on them hangers. They always comes down, one stick at a time. I'm not dealing with huge wood, but it's 70 feet tall. Can be up to 20", but mainly 10-16" stuff that hangs once in awhile. The small stuff isn't an issue, 4-8" stuff. Aspen is worst than other hardwoods for hanging, even when cutting with a clearing saw. And I'm cutting some 40 feet tall. Tolerant hardwoods fall to the ground so much nicer. ffsmiley
The tree service sent another crew on Saturday.
They preferred a bucket truck
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa2.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355986)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa3.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355984)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa4.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355985)
42" diameter. and some rot in the stump
I didn't take many pictures of the big tree, I took video of the trees falling but I don't do youtube to post them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa5.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355982)
it looks a lot different now
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa6.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355983)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/catalpa7.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355981)
I've got most of them move and sorted.
There are 3 piles to burn, plus a lot of big chunks, some of which I can barely move.
I have quite a bit sorted for firewood................If i can find anyone that wants it
I may try to mill some pieces for carving/turning blanks and a neighbor has reached out to a friend of a friend that does chainsaw carving.
It certainly changed your view and profile. I suppose that you lost some shade?
machine, is (was) that an elm?
Quote from: Machinebuilder on September 27, 2024, 05:55:06 PMI won't be cutting these, I am hireing it done. They are scheduled for Tuesday 10-1
the 2 HUGE catalpas are ready. This spring both had limbs get blown out in storms. The limbs were as big as trees, the last was about 14" dia.
With power lines, my house and the size, I can't cut them. the tall one is at least 90' anf at least 72" DBH
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/65100/Catalpa_before.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=355862)
I'll try to post some pictures Tuesday
doc, here is Dave's original post about the trees. I quoted to bring the picture up for comparison.
I love Catalpa. I went back but not far enough, I guess. Thanks Lynn.
Yup, that was Reply #242 back on Page 13. I kept looking because I knew it was there.
I lost shade in the yard, but not much on the house.
There was a lot more dead/dry/ rot in the big tree than I realized.
There was a rotten spot about 8"dia in the stump that was full of water, the guy cutting said it seemed like 200gal came out
Didn't cut this one but one my son bought today. Tulip poplar 1200bf. IMG_5583.jpeg
Trying to bust a 23.5 × L5 tire today off a 644K loader, 🤦, harder than it looks.
Messenger_creation_FD8BE621-EF1E-48D0-9236-D9C643407377.jpeg
Wanna get this job done this time home, with deer season I'm going to be shutdown a bit. Be alot of long nights between now and Tuesday, that light plant is one of the best things ever.
Messenger_creation_38EB4998-72BE-4760-A335-820F8036B28C.jpeg
Postage stamp landing, have to change the sprocket on my topping saw, won't be any brush when I'm done.
Messenger_creation_3D8B7958-7187-4CC8-A0E7-94A0AF78D8B2.jpeg
Quote from: Machinebuilder on October 08, 2024, 07:52:01 AMI have quite a bit sorted for firewood................If i can find anyone that wants it
How far are you from Rt. 321? Been looking for an excuse to stop by and meet you one day! I'm in Kingston, was at Rural King Tuesday! LOL
I sent a PM
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/55256/IMG_8608.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356037)
Row of 40 year old ERC a deer client had removed and piled last winter. He was going to burn them. Three more loads there.
url=https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356035](https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/55256/IMG_8607.jpeg)[/url]
url=https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356034](https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/55256/IMG_8605.jpeg)[/url]
The pile after I had most of the load out of it. Second picture is the chipped limbs and tops probably more than a side dump load.
I remember driving by the trees thinking some of those would make nice logs.
The day didn't go as planned however as this was my second load. My old F350 had a thermostat stick and the top plastic radiator tank cracked. Luckily I was able to limp it to an ex dairy farmer clients place and borrow a truck to drive back to town and deal with stuff.
url=https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356036](https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/55256/IMG_8610.jpeg)[/url]
Unloading at the office mechanic is about a block away. To quote someone else here,"tomorrow is another day". ffsmiley
That's a nice "found load" of ERC, I sure could use some of that and could make a lot of boxes out of it. I don't suppose you could mill some 3/8" thick by 6 or 7" wide and cut them off at 3' and ups them along could you? ffcheesy
It's a shame about your truck and it's even worse that it got hauled home by a Chevy. ffcheesy Hope the new radiator doesn't cost a king's ransom.
Edit to add: I note that it's only 20 hours down I80 from my place to your. If I wasn't headed for VT this weekend I might drop by and help you mill all that stuff up.
That is a nice whack of ERC. Those will be well worth the effort to haul and saw.
Nebraska,
Congrats on the logs, sorry about your truck. It sure is nice to have a group of people you can limp your way to in a time of need. I have been on both sides.of that ball on more than 1 occasion!
Sure, 20 inches fit the urn boxes. :wink_2:
I'm blessed around here I'm usually not far from someone who will help me. I answer my phone in the middle of the night as well. ffsmiley
I was just kidding Pat (well mostly). I think you have enough work to do without supplying my stock and I already know shipping costs and arm and a leg these days. ffcheesy
Well, I got a couple pictures without the old guy running me over. This ones about 6' but they all taper pretty fast but still decent for inland second growth red cedar
Coast live oak...might get some mill wood out of it.
Doesn't look so big next to that Euc log.
That's rare to find a cedar like that without a hole or some big ol bark seems.
Quote from: quilbilly on October 11, 2024, 09:50:38 PMThat's rare to find a cedar like that without a hole or some big ol bark seems.
Especially inland. I've cut some nice stuff over belfair and silverdale area by the water but rarely anything inland. Looked at a logging/tree job in graham the other day with a couple probably 6' and fairly tall rotten cedars leaning over their house with barely any room to fall and not enough room to get behind the lean to pull very good. I slept on it and declined the next day. I'm getting too old for that stuff
Coastal red cedar in northern British Columbia.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_WesternRedCedar.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=18250)
Upland eastern white cedar in central New Brunswick growing with red maple, white ash, yellow birch, red spruce.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11009/SD_white-cedar3.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=115485)
That little stuff is mostly red maple regen.
Ordered ProPac parts, should have wrapped this job up, this wasn't alot, other side is 70+ acres.
Messenger_creation_58B0664A-FAE4-46F2-8703-0222A1B65242.jpeg
I hope whatever immigrant family my tax dollars are supporting til Jan 21st 2025 are happy, warm, enjoying TV, these 0430 till passed dark days are getting old.
Messenger_creation_3F7263E6-7C1F-472C-9018-40357B3FB16D.jpeg
Of course the time I take a picture its poverty sticks, Messenger_creation_3833E071-CFB8-4EC8-9519-86728F76F151.jpeg
Told the truck driver that the words "no", "no more" and "stop" aren't good enough and we need to pick a better safe word 😆 when it comes to how much wood I can load on, I bet I can fit 50 ton on that trailer.
Messenger_creation_BB658566-5E67-48C9-9725-362E201CD6F9.jpeg
A full-size Cat 525C? Skidder was recently shown in a Californian? fairground with the waymo type lidars etc for 'distant operator' machine operation. The video poster said the operator was over 100 miles away from the machine.(Caterpillar made remote control logging equipment previously for removing trees near military training uxo areas.)The Californian machine looked like it would easy to back over the tongs & ruin tires, damage the lidar. The RC skidder could be okay for 2 staging under a Swing Yarder with a restricted landing, pulling logs down a track to a better log processing site. (I wonder how many of those 'migrant families' would really like to get outdoors again and wield a Stihl 880 or Husky 3120 like they did back in the jungle?)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/55256/IMG_8616.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356097)
Saturday morning after I went in to the office for a bit I decided to get the last load of the "free" Red Cedar logs. I was following my trucker with the load of logs
(my wife) pulling the trailer with the tractor. Saw white smoke coming off of the rear of the tire and of course we are in a hole where cell signal is poor so I have to hope she sees it, or it holds together long enough for me to get up hill enough to call her. I was about 200 yards behind.
Parked it in a harvested soybean field on top of the hill and drove the 15 miles or so home to get the jack and the spare. I had part of the load off of the trailer when I took the picture figured I should show proof. :wink_2: Sometimes free doesn't equal cheap. Kinda like dogs and horses.
The load shifted just a little and a nubby branch broke a spot weld and bent the fender liner in and rubbed the tire sidewall.
Final scorewas three and 3/4 loads of cedar.
For
1 thermostat and radiator tank, one fender liner repair, and one trailer tire.
Plus an extra half a day dealing with this project.
Quote from: BargeMonkey on October 15, 2024, 09:43:38 PMI hope whatever immigrant family my tax dollars are supporting til Jan 21st 2025 are happy, warm, enjoying TV, these 0430 till passed dark days are getting old.
Just shipped a load too, heard the immigrant my tax $$ is going to is Elon
Me today
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20241015_083649649.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356100)
Had a tree service come in this week to cut a few trees around one of the old cemeteries my local church owns. A young guy that could climb like a red squirrel cut the top branches off, and set the pull rope in this particular ash.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20241015_090224865.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356101)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20241015_105144892.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356102)
Also had a basswood tree that was definitely a challenge, and why the tree service was called in. It had 2 stems grown together, with one trunk snapped and hung up high overhead. And just to make it more fun, at least half the trunk was rot. He cut the unbroken stem separate, then had a tracked machine pull as he cut the main trunk. Everything came out cleanly and landed in a neighboring field.
I helped with cutting them after they were felled, and got a few good saw logs and some firewood out of the job.
I had a balsam today that grew with two tops. The wind over the years was causing a split to appear. The split filled with resin, great for a wood fire. I cut it to fall between two trees, but the crown was wide enough that one top hit one of the two other fir. It broke the split in the collision and both tops were on the ground.
I lack 3 days and have this one wrapped up. My boats coming back from Maine, have to go relax and earn a paycheck.
Messenger_creation_7AD0CA6D-60F0-459D-8F90-630ED7E95307.jpeg
That's snow up there, last 2 days it's been snowing on and off here, got the woodstove going.
Messenger_creation_ED1AE6DF-DB14-4CB6-BF00-7F3EF66D4118.jpeg
My log buyers outlook on the log market isn't good, not so much pricing but even being able to get enough, I was the only one today to ship wood. He said a few of his customers up north have packed it in. Get off the mountain into the snake pit with the creeper clowns, 4400ft on that one. Messenger_creation_42A61EDD-AAD7-4336-B5AC-1478C44B50BD.jpeg
Nice! Hard frost here and snow at higher elevations too. I guess I need to pay better bribes? :huh? 4500 in the pile and got left with 500 ffcheesy
Have fun on the boattruck24.jpg
It's about 1 mile in of town road, then I'm 1mile in down the private road. No good place to stack wood under the wires, met the caretaker and he seemed cool, dropped the wood in the town turn around, left him a note, brought wood out and did a 2nd one, hadn't heard back from him ? Yeah... he's been dead in the house since Thursday night... 🤦I feel bad.Messenger_creation_C8D26997-B351-4351-B824-896294A4109E.jpeg
Find a hole and stack it full, gotta finish cleaning the yard out. Not CTL level production but take what I can get for a couple days alone. Messenger_creation_6C703823-3ADB-47ED-BFCC-D014F78F6770.jpeg
Anyone who thinks NY is all blacktop 🤦, spend enough time out down here you look at your cousin differently, that Delaware / Greene / Sullivan county corner is like a trip back in time.
Messenger_creation_B4C83B97-CED9-4A66-99BF-0827FF951F79.jpeg
You were cutting in sundown? Like In Denning? That's more my neck of the woods than yours. Geez I had to deliver in Big Indian today, I could have hopped over a few mountains on the way back and said 'Hi'. I haven't been up that road in about a year, but I have never known it to be a good one crossing from Ulster into Sullivan, it has lots of pieces missing. ffcheesy
Went down and hung that winch on for a guy on Friday Tom. Again I just laugh because people think NY is blacktop, NOTHING out there. I didn't see 4 cars all afternoon. I thought about saying something, I flew down, hung the winch and flew back, down thru Lexington notch, went back Lanesville way.
Bummer about the caretaker.
You guys make some really nice logs!
Barge, nothing wrong with that oak, I hope your getting a good dollar for it , that size is about as small as I want to see cause for timber logs the bigger size pays alot more per ft, you keep it up your going to have your own baseball team of kids
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/5A999D69-018D-465E-B000-0F5C4173A0BB.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356139)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/27E827CF-B198-4694-81C7-8357DA53E4B7.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356138)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/863059E5-F745-410E-BE5A-02F52BCB3169.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356135)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/416A3643-1E3A-4085-9D56-B33BEBC4DB9E.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356134)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/08E2402C-CCD5-4017-BF77-3685E557B95F.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356132)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/A4CF0923-31E3-4D43-8EE3-765F32E652FB.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356133)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/12487B85-62DC-4926-8F76-77BD81650E49.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356136)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57471/1D176B0E-698E-46CD-90FF-F997B65AA1E4.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356137)
Had a friend ask me to run his dozer for him cause he was in a pinch so I've been doing site prep, road/landing building the last couple months. Told the two young lads that have worked on the farm for the last 4 years that if they got permission from their dads they could learn to operate the big machines. They started on flat ground moving logs from one side of the yard to the other till they were blue in the face. They're very talented young men so it was worth giving them the opportunity to learn a skill that will last them a lifetime. They've been coming out after school and, for rookies, they're quite talented and work well together. Couple loads of white pine and spruce have gone out and a couple more spruce to go.
PJS, that's really encouraging to read.
Cut'n in predominately balsam fir ground, some aspen in it. Using both for firewood. I've got trails that circle around me. If I need one, I cut one out. ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCWQSCAqBKI
img_1_1729720412421.jpg
Take a bad day of boating repairs over an easy day of logging repairs any day. Got the surprise to pack and go tow sub parts tonight. 🤦
Messenger_creation_2149CC39-8264-442A-950B-DEF257A2C896.jpeg
Messenger_creation_FC0E0FDC-1195-4D7D-A25B-073F77415529.jpeg
img_2_1729752709070.jpg
The original boat that had this name was lost off NC in 1969, killed the entire 6 man crew. They didn't find the boat for 3-4yrs. They built 3 basically identical class boats after and I've worked on all 3 now about 20yrs apart. All 3 have either burned, sunk or blown up, this one sat on the bottom for 6wks WAY off the coast of Florida running from a hurricane in the late 90s.
Messenger_creation_0D5E3E99-A768-4231-AF5F-193CBE869CDD.jpeg
Bunch of maintenance when I get home, the panic of "deer season" is coming. Ordered a blank skidsteer plate, I need a combo box, that will hold 4-6 pails of oil, tools, 100+gal of fuel, build it similar to my other carrier so I can still hang it off skidder blade. 15+ beers and going to tractor supply never makes for good life choices 😆
Messenger_creation_F2AE186C-52EB-405E-8995-E71EF36A0D94.jpeg
Anyone on here using hydraulic skidsteer forks ? Are they as nice as they look ? I've gotta order a set of 5500lb forks, is it worth it ?
ffcheesy ffcheesy gotta love it ffcheesy
Log prices are up, diesel is down and it's warm at night we are in fancy beer territory the past few. Don't let me go to TSC....
SD, Nice video..thanks. I like your little buggy, it looks handy. I could use something like that.
I have been through several sets of skidsteer forks. Get the ones that exceed the lift capacity of your skidsteer. It's not to hard to bend the tips of the lighter weight ones like you mentioned. I bent every set I have owned. They aren't to hard to straiten when you have other equipment to push them back. Or a press. I have a 10000 LBS set on my JD now that has a little bend towards the tip of the right fork.
Nice clear fir even at the butt SD. I'm jealous. Like the video too.
gg
I'm at the edge of that older thinning where I'm running the saw, a trail runs over behind me a few feet away and there is a spot there that is terrible thick and skinny. I'll probably have to cut it quite heavy and leave what I can with good crown and stems, but it will need a lot of cut'n. Even in that old thinning some grew a little close and have hardly any crown left and have to go. There is one big old bruiser to the left with lots of stout limbs on it. A woodpecker hit the but about 20 years ago and I looked at it back then and I never saw a bug or any galleries. I bet they are in there now. It had nice growth and no suppression. Sometimes the wildlife do lots of harm. But there are lots of 16-20" fir around there, most are 6-10". It was kinda big when it got thinned so some stuff was left a bit close and could not be cut with the clearing saw. The stuff I drove through on that long straight stretch is younger and has spruce all through it, a little aspen scattered. Spruce is smaller, but some are quite a bit bigger than the average. 30, maybe 40 acres of that size wood. Only 24-30 years old. 40 year old stuff I'm cutting now, cut in '84 and pretty sure it was mostly aspen overstory because 300 cord came out of that area. A large part of it never had fir undergrowth, was mountain maples and ash because it was wetter off to the right after about 30 yards. Lots of ash whips coming back after Arthur knocked the aspen down. The wildlife seem to strip the tips of the little fir in there, especially moose and rabbits.
Quote from: customsawyer on October 24, 2024, 06:55:57 AMI have been through several sets of skidsteer forks. Get the ones that exceed the lift capacity of your skidsteer.
There's so much garbage out there for attachments, alot of places are rating the forks higher but the frames look light, trying to stay with decent US made attachments.
Needing a few 8' poplar logs to finish a small lumber order. This was the easiest and safest tree to cut. I've got three really nice ones between the house and the barn but I've seemed to have lost my nerve.Ten years ago I wouldn't have hesitated to cut them but maybe I've gotten older and wiser. The tree I cut today is anything but straight but I can get some straight 8 footers between the crooks hopefully.(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/68995/2A93BA14-9612-447A-9004-2617A131FB2A.jpeg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356413)
Went a bit north to cut in a burn. Expected to waltz around and cut a mess of trees. Brush and brambles over my head, only got a few.
That oak is probably 4' DBH, wonder if it's worth getting to a mill
Quote from: BargeMonkey on October 17, 2024, 09:39:15 PMWent down and hung that winch on for a guy on Friday Tom. Again I just laugh because people think NY is blacktop, NOTHING out there. I didn't see 4 cars all afternoon.
If you like it like it is, don't advertise it. It used to be like that here. Now, it's apartments, subdivisions, trailer parks, storage buildings, warehouses and ridiculous traffic.
Never much traffic here year around. I can go 3 miles to the woodlot many times and never see a car. Right now a few deer hunters looking for a buck, but not even many of either, deer or hunters. I've seen 6 different does all fall, but no bucks. Deer season is only a week old up here. ffcheesy
Quote from: caveman on November 03, 2024, 05:25:03 AMQuote from: BargeMonkey on October 17, 2024, 09:39:15 PMWent down and hung that winch on for a guy on Friday Tom. Again I just laugh because people think NY is blacktop, NOTHING out there. I didn't see 4 cars all afternoon.
If you like it like it is, don't advertise it. It used to be like that here. Now, it's apartments, subdivisions, trailer parks, storage buildings, warehouses and ridiculous traffic.
"Do not come" ffcheesy
There are no trees, just concrete and blacktop.
There are more laws than people and you have no freedom.
The streets are full of gangs of blue haired soros funded antifa supersoldiers or gun toting red hats depending on which is scarier to whoever is reading this.
The taxes are so high you can't afford to live
Hopefully that covers it :thumbsup:
☝️ About sums it up. I'm 10 miles from the ski slope on the "poorer" side but there isn't any cheap housing here so we don't have much of the crime or drug problems, real estate market isn't cooling off here, my father's got 3-5 machines in Windham just slamming in houses. My towns pushing an 18.6% tax increase and huge cut in services. I hope the immigrant family I'm supporting at least sends me a Christmas card this year.
Messenger_creation_02D4A2AC-4A7F-4C93-AAE7-F81257174EBD.jpeg
Like anything else, the better you do the job, you get to do someone else's job. Get 5 days off, repeat. The iron addiction hasn't been cheap lately 🤦.
Quote from: customsawyer on October 24, 2024, 06:55:57 AMI have been through several sets of skidsteer forks. Get the ones that exceed the lift capacity of your skidsteer. It's not to hard to bend the tips of the lighter weight ones like you mentioned. I bent every set I have owned. They aren't to hard to straiten when you have other equipment to push them back. Or a press. I have a 10000 LBS set on my JD now that has a little bend towards the tip of the right fork.
The problem I'm seeing, even on the higher rated ones isn't the forks, the frames don't look any heavier unless you get into a stupid wicked heavy set. Hunted marketplace and grabbing a low hr set of Blue Diamond hydraulic 6ks on my way home, I'm hoping they hold up.
Messenger_creation_C0C9B8EB-FCD1-4CA3-996C-8A1B7C5A3EF5.jpeg
The set I have now, is Blue Diamond 10,000# set. They aren't hyd. as I don't have much use for that part, and switch from forks to bucket a few times a day. I did weld a step on the entrance side of the forks to help my old bones climbing in the machine.
They don't give anything Blue Diamond away but I think it's worth it. Viewed the hydraulics as something just to go wrong, Captain I work with here has a set on his 906 Cat and loves them. I think New Holland is trying to sell yellow or white skidsteers now, got a brand new 320NH a few months ago and it's garbage. Been wanting something bigger and hunted down a super low hr clean 190.B, so 4k or even 5500 won't work.
Messenger_creation_05B42720-9A7E-4D91-B3CD-2A98BF2E305A.jpeg
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸..... everyone can hang up their welding leads, put your acog / eotech back in the safe, the madness is over for now.
img_1_1730788256490.jpg
I bought a 2012 NH 230L new and have had very little trouble out of it. Keep in mind it only has a little over 1000 hours on it. I do find that NH seems to have a poorer electrical system in them.
skis steers of all flavors are awesome....until they break! Then they are as evil as a grease gun that won't prime with a new tube in it
I have a bad bearing on a cluster sprocket that I've been ignoring for a year now on my Case 1845c. I've made lots of excuses why I haven't done it yet (I have the parts) but mostly I think it is because I fear I'll be doing a headstand to perform the work😁
@barbender it may be worth reading my post in the Shade tree mechanic thread about how I've spent 3/4 of this year not having a running backhoe because I was worried about maybe 5 hours of miserable work... It was still miserable but not as back as I expected and I was mad that I didn't just dive in, when it was done. Not sure where the cluster sprocket is but... Just another perspective from a professional procrastinator.
As big as Burt, if he's doing a handstand working on something, his feet may be up in the dang jet stream!
Quote from: aigheadish on November 06, 2024, 10:58:01 AM@barbender it may be worth reading my post in the Shade tree mechanic thread about how I've spent 3/4 of this year not having a running backhoe because I was worried about maybe 5 hours of miserable work... It was still miserable but not as back as I expected and I was mad that I didn't just dive in, when it was done. Not sure where the cluster sprocket is but... Just another perspective from a professional procrastinator.
Lol I had a hydraulic leak on my JD steering column for 2 years because I didn't want to tear into it...then i tightened the line fitting at the bottom and it stopped ffcool
Yeah if I do a headstand it may affect the jet stream and then all of you guys in New England will be upset that I did something to screw up the weather😂
My old cable skidder had the transfer case to transmission bolts rattle out. I started to take it apart, it was looking like I was going to need some special tools to even get back on the bolts to tighten them. I walked away from it. I don't remember if it was a year, or two later that I went back after it because I needed it for something.
Now, I'm never a mechanic by choice (I'm sure I've made that clear on here before) but I'm not a novice by any means. Any problems like this on my Ponsse forwarder at work, I would be dropping the belly pan for access. Too bad my skidder doesn't have belly pans under the tranny...oh wait, what are those bolts for? Yeah there were nice access panels held on with 4 bolts. I could've fixed it in less than an hour if I would've seen those in the first place.
Some other time I can tell you guys how I am the Northern Minnesota brake rotor wear test champion.
Sometimes the best way to fix a machine, is to use a little plastic card with numbers stamped into it that makes a computer reader go beep. ffcheesy
Some jobs start out better than others...
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/WhatACommute.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356664)
First day (yesterday) was 7 hrs, customer wanted mostly posts, max length (and fought it all day).
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/6by8.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356661)
I had done a meet-n-greet Monday and advised the customer some of the logs were too crooked and/or damaged, but he persisted, we agreed to take the good stuff first, make a game-time decision. End of day yesterday we had 1-good log left, do you want to push and finish, or come back tomorrow, I really don't think those ones are worth... No, come back tomorrow we'll do the good log and try the others. OK Mr. Customer, Sir.
Literally biggest log this mill can cut, we had to shave it w/ the chainsaw repeatedly to make an opening pass. Thank goodness for the brother-in-laws bobcat!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/NoMas.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356662)
Today billed 4.5 hrs. We struggled through knots, cracks, crotches, ANTS!!!! he got 4- 4x4's and 2- 2x4's out of it. Cost him about 50-bucks a stick for the 4x's. Twice today I suggested we cut bait after struggling through some junk that ended up on the waste pile.
Final Haul:
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/7HrsMilling.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356663)
I got a text message later "thanks for working with me on those bad logs, I really appreciate it." He had mentioned nobody else he talked to wanted to touch the job (way to make me feel like the prettiest girl at closing time!) I billed him for $575 plus tax for about a day and a half.
I started my annual TSI project which usually involves Fir (Balsam). There is a section of S/P/F with a little hardwood mixed in but mostly Fir. They are bigger trees, at least compared to other fir in my woodlot here in the NE. They are recently dead or dying and many are misshapen. I want to cut the fir before the increased light from dead trees encourages regen so it won't blow down on new growth later.
Since it was a new project I brought my camera. Heading down to the work site there was a blowdown across a fork in the trail.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/Snapshot_-_2.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356705)
I took care of that with the grapple. Then as I continued down I saw a partridge giving me the evil eye as I drove past.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1000278-1.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356704)
At the work site the first tree was about 2' at the butt and dead. It also had a serious case of butt rot so using a wedge seemed a bad option. But there was an opening with just one small maple branch across it that I thought I could drop the tree through.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/Snapshot_-_5.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356708)
Of course it hung up on that little branch.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/Snapshot_-_6.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356709)
I had to work harder than you would think to get it down and finally reverted to the winch.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/Snapshot_-_8.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356711)
The butt was totally rotted and there was a weevil crook up 12'.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1000287.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356706)
Even with that I got a 40' log out of it. I cut a cookie and cut that into a block just to ensure myself that there was solid wood in that rotten tree.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1000285.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356707)
Here is a video I made for fun showing the above story in case you are in the mood to watch an old guy enjoying his woods.
gg
Quote from: g_man on November 10, 2024, 08:36:35 AMin case you are in the mood to watch an old guy enjoying his woods.
Yes, I am always in the mood to watch you enjoying your woods. ffcool
Yup, those old fir lived as full a life as they could hope for. I cut one down like that, the bend was down low, a harvest scar from decades ago. Wood pecker hit it about 20 years ago, I remember seeing the fresh pecks by a pileated. It's next to an old trail that perimeters the tree plantation. There was about 3 feet of rot on the but end, then cleaned up. Only difference was a full green crown with rather stout branches. In the firewood pile now. Keep on keep'n on. ffsmiley
g-man, I enjoyed the pictures and the story and the video very much. Thank you. It is surprising to me how a few small branches can hang up a big tree. Very frustrating! I never thought of using a cant hook the way you did. I'll have to remember that for next time.
https://youtu.be/Hpx_Wa_ZL-M?si=mKYflfAIaKRbIm-F
https://youtube.com/shorts/ZxCeYfSl6zk?si=fJFIlaBdj8eEco_6
https://youtu.be/kJdGLlNupTw?si=AYLkpe4-y2QqzxmN
https://youtube.com/shorts/brSuBxDRxXg?si=rWpQ0j9BKIuh4haL
Hm
A few short felling vids...guess I didn't embed properly
In an effort to improve our view in the backyard I took down a living Mulberry tree over the weekend. I limbed it and saved the trunk for future use, it has a couple crotches which may make for interesting lumber. The trunk was only maybe 6-8 feet long before it split off into a couple big branches. I assume the whole tree to be around 50 feet tall. I'm not a big fan of cutting good, healthy trees, but it does improve the view a lot.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20241109_104529.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356738)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20241109_134947.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356740)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/63516/20241109_145238.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356739)
That's a good sized Muhlberry.
5 days off, shut out for deer season. Finish my log job I get back and go to the other side.
Messenger_creation_BFCEB386-D88A-4A6C-878E-199BBA09641B.jpeg
You ever wanna feel like the poor people, drive to Norwalk CT 😆. Worth the money but I got the feeling they had more money than common sense, had 3x sets of them.
Messenger_creation_2A12FC89-84B8-4312-994B-56717362F42D.jpeg
Messenger_creation_F6DD71D0-7345-4705-8CE2-AD9A47FA9909.jpeg
Barge is still killing it making the huge coin while the rest of us starve to death slowly . Snowing and raining here , its a mess
Barge if you want someone to test out skidsteer fork setups just send them here , I have only broken 1 fork and that was shoving down trying to get under logs in the cold , now breaking the frame the folks hook to I'm a champ at that . I get about 18 months maybe on a set of 5500 pound fork setup before the frame cracks everywhere and I can but a new complete setup cheaper than just the frame
Ed I'm so poor have an OnlyFans page here soon, we know your the one making the real money on here.
Doesn't look like a boat to me 🤦. My light plant sat on my job, drive 4hrs home to hook up power and head back down.
Messenger_creation_37120456-17A0-43AF-80AE-82647C90B650.jpeg
You're getting quite a dump of snow down there. Just 3 days of rain up here on the tundra. No warmer than 42° though. Only 30's by mid week.
Barge you can use that picture for your Christmas card😊
Was down in a little town called Soddy-Daisy TN all week, nice 4-day job, guy wants me back in a couple weeks. Worth the drive (1.5 hrs from house), great customer. Travel time was paid.... The Watts Bar Nuke plant was about halfway.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/20241121_073220.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356883)
Started w/ a bunch of white and red oaks that the city dropped off on his farm 6 months ago.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/20241118_085435.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356886)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/20241122_123217.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356884)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/20241122_123243.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356885)
We had company the whole time, every morning, and every afternoon. Saw lots of footprints in the mud/dust around the mill as well.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/74868/20241122_160402.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356887)
He's got some walnuts for my next... Norwood's BlueFlex blades did not perform well on the oak at all... very chattery running through the wood. Did not hold up at all. Their standard 10-degree blade performed better, lasted longer. Ordered a pack of the 7-degree blades for next trip down there.
Quote from: barbender on November 23, 2024, 12:27:20 PMBarge you can use that picture for your Christmas card😊
Man Barbender, you got me thinking. In the words of todays youngsters, I bet a Barge Christmas card would be EPIC!!!
Fr fr😂
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07953.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356912)
I've been cutting white birch. I cut down two, hauled the logs off to the barn yard and moved the tops to an open area where I could work on them.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07954.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356911)
Then I went for a third tree..
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07957.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356914)
HUNG UP! That tree should have busted through those small pine branches. It's so annoying!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07959.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356915)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07960.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356916)
I hooked a chain to the tree and with the tractor pulled it off the stump but the butt sunk into the soft ground and wouldn't budge. I turned the tractor around and with the FEL gave the tree a little push and it came right down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07963.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356919)
With the butt end up in the air I was able to slide the tractor forks under it and cut an eight foot log and drop it onto the forks.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07965.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356918)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07966.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356920)
I added the 2nd log and a couple of firewood pieces and brought them to the barn yard then returned to get the rest of the tree. (an eight foot and two five foot logs.)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07969.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356921)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07978.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356924)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07980.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356925)
There is another birch out there I want to get tomorrow if we don't get too much rain today.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
Keep on cutting.....Cutter
You cut some nice WB Cutter. I enjoy all you pictures. Happy Thanksgiving to you and everyone else. Still cutting fir here but I will switch to firewood with the snow cover we are getting today.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1000294.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356930)
I have a neighbor who loves to make wreath decorations. Some years she makes a big one in the shape of a horses neck and head that they put on the gable end. I brought her a top and a choker bundle of boughs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P1000291.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356929)
gg
Cutter & gg, I love seeing what both of you two old farts do. ffcheesy
I figured you would call us young'uns.
gg
Yup, at heart anyway. I am just glad to still be in the group and still fartin'. ffwave
How does the white Birch hold up? I have a few big logs in the pile that I haven't looked at or messed with for probably 2 years. Is it decent or interesting lumber? A neighbor cut a few down and I asked if I could have them. At the low, low cost of them being covered in poison ivy, which I contracted. I'm thinking they are 3ish feet in diameter...
White birch probably rots as fast as any hardwood. The bark is rot resist.
Hey! I got one! It's sitting over there with all the bark, and poison ivy, still on it. I'll go slice it up one of these days.
Birch makes pretty good lumber, recommend you use lots of stickers and put weight on it drying. Yes water tight bark. Blown down trees will rot before others, and why the bark was used for canoes. Also I split every piece of firewood before stacking it to dry.
Yes, the bark lasts longer than the wood. If left on the ground a few months it spalts and soon after goes punky. Lasts about as long as aspen. Hard maple holds up longer up here as far as being usable for firewood after 2 years. I have one for firewood, and the smaller limbs have an orange fungus growing on it like someone sprayed some of that kids bottled silicone we used to have 50 years ago. :D Was cut last fall and laid until July before I got it under cover. The bigger pieces were fine, but spalted. I like peeling the bark for fire starter, burns a lot longer and hotter than paper. I don't take bark from live trees unless it mostly separated and hanging.
aigheadish, if that birch has sat with it's bark on for two years it might be pretty punky. You can give it a try and see what you get. White birch is pretty wood and many woodworkers like to work with it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07567.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=354246)
g man, if the neighbor makes the horse head and neck wreath, I'd love to see a pic
Yeah that sounds pretty interesting to me as well.
Quote from: David B on November 11, 2024, 10:46:18 PMHm
A few short felling vids...guess I didn't embed properly
To embed youtube, click on the youtube icon and put the video url in then click insert
@cutterboy that's beautiful! I didn't expect the red inside, I'll have to cut it soon to see what's up! Man!
g_man, you sure get some nice straight stems from those fir trees. My birch trees have so many curves and bends that I have a hard time getting eight foot logs.
Yeah, fir tends to grow nice and straight.
I have some white birch here that are scattered and one little grove with some popple mixed that used to be cedar ground. Not many are straight, but every once in awhile there is a nice one in the mix. Nothing log sized in there. I do have a 20" one that would make log, by the road. They'll grow pretty big and old up here if the stand doesn't get opened up too much from harvesting, blowdown or if they have a bunch of dying fir in them. Get sun scald easy. Wish I had more and more yellow birch to. I only see a single yellow birch here and there, never a grove on my ground. Down the road a mile from my woods was a big stand of yellow birch. I do have one close to 30" though.
Probably messed the picture attachment up, but it's just a skidder on a golf course. That's a hard way to make a dollar.
Got granted parole today, the snow isn't making it fun,
Messenger_creation_7F0FB31B-0C73-4D92-9FC0-91A1757BB5E0.jpeg
IMG_4880.jpg
Quote from: BargeMonkey on November 29, 2024, 08:20:54 PMGot granted parole today, the snow isn't making it fun,
Welcome home again Eric! I am doing a 2 day show down he hill from you in Arkville yesterday and today at Union Grove Distillery. Why not grab the family to hang for a bit? Been a while seen we've seen each other and I haven't seen the new boy yet. Besides, the refreshments are downright palatable. ffcheesy :wink_2:
Don't know if you got hit with those lake effect squalls yesterday, but down in Arkville it was near whiteout conditions off and on for a while. The roads were lousy too until I got on the east side of High Mount.
Quote from: SwampDonkey on November 29, 2024, 04:39:37 PMYeah, fir tends to grow nice and straight.
I have some white birch here that are scattered and one little grove with some popple mixed that used to be cedar ground. Not many are straight, but every once in awhile there is a nice one in the mix. Nothing log sized in there. I do have a 20" one that would make log, by the road. They'll grow pretty big and old up here if the stand doesn't get opened up too much from harvesting, blowdown or if they have a bunch of dying fir in them. Get sun scald easy. Wish I had more and more yellow birch to. I only see a single yellow birch here and there, never a grove on my ground. Down the road a mile from my woods was a big stand of yellow birch. I do have one close to 30" though.
I suspect white birch trees have different varieties (sub species?) - 40 miles north white birch trees are often part of the climax forest; growing as tall as competing hardwood and hemlocks. In other locations including my lot white birch trees have different bark markings (much more black lines and previous branch marks). These white birch trees resemble gray birch but grow taller and don't bend over in ice storms. These trees are eventually outpaced by nearby trees. As mentioned previously, they need to be dropped when they first show signs of failing otherwise the wood quickly becomes punky. If promptly cut, split, and allowed to dry the firewood from these trees is stable and surprisingly good performing in the stove.
I went after another birch tree today. This is the 4th and last birch for now. The logs will sit by the barn all winter and will be sawed up in the spring. Tomorrow I plan to go back up to cut up the tops for firewood and bring them back to the barn and stack them up.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07984.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356955)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07987.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356957)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07989.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356956)
In the last 10 days we have had 2.5 inches of rain and the ground has softened up a bit. I'm beginning to see some mud.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07990.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=356958)
Down to 17 degrees tonight. That might firm up the ground some.
Keep on cutting.....Cutter
Looking good and also looking cold!!
I do like the winter for when the yard freezes up and I worry about running around in the backhoe more. And, this year I have a block heater, so I may actually get it to start!
Last night in the dark in a tee shirt I cut up some oooollld dry, dusty, dirty eucalyptus logs for firewood. Spent more time sharpening, haha...only a hundred more to go...switching to stihl semi chisel .404 from oregon 3/8".
Quote from: aigheadish on December 02, 2024, 09:20:47 AMI do like the winter for when the yard freezes up and I worry about running around in the backhoe more. And, this year I have a block heater, so I may actually get it to start!
Make sure you have winterized diesel in the fuel tank or else it may not start.
GAB
QuoteDown to 17 degrees tonight. That might firm up the ground some.
Keeping the snow clear off logging trails (bare ground is best), works good to freeze them at night. Otherwise the snow acts as insulation to keep it from freezing.
This morning the mud was frozen. The tractor didn't sink in at all. By late afternoon it was just starting to soften up. The temp only got up to 35 degrees.
I used to wait until there was snow on the ground to skid firewood out. Last December there was no snow but the logs skidded out very nicely over frozen ground - didn't get the logs dirty or make a mess in the woods. If not for the stumps it looked untouched (I pull the whole tree out with branches attached and have a burn pile for the brush). I'm hoping for the same snow-free conditions and frozen ground when I start back up this month. I re-registered the sled for some extra snow-free mojo.
Greenie,
I hooked up my plow last night to confirm everything was still functional. Good to go. That normally kills any expected snowfall. I really don't mind the snow, its the ice and freezing rain that I hate. Maybe I'll buy a sander for my truck! That should keep away the rain and ice!
It does seem that the better prepared one is for weather events, the less likely it is that they happen. That must be why tornadoes always veer towards trailer parks🤷
Quote from: GRANITEstateMP on December 03, 2024, 06:56:46 AMGreenie,
I hooked up my plow last night to confirm everything was still functional. Good to go. That normally kills any expected snowfall. I really don't mind the snow, its the ice and freezing rain that I hate. Maybe I'll buy a sander for my truck! That should keep away the rain and ice!
I like the way you think. I'll put mine on too. ffcheesy ffcheesy :thumbsup:
Quote from: GRANITEstateMP on December 03, 2024, 06:56:46 AMGreenie,
I hooked up my plow last night to confirm everything was still functional. Good to go. That normally kills any expected snowfall. I really don't mind the snow, its the ice and freezing rain that I hate. Maybe I'll buy a sander for my truck! That should keep away the rain and ice!
A couple days before Tnksgving I went into the woods where I store my plow thinking the same thing. When I got it on the truck - uhoh, no worky. Clicking noises and bogged down the truck motor a little. Dragged it out of it's nook to where I could pick it with the tractor and hitch the safety chain. Motor or ceased pump ?? Turned out to be 23 year old motor. In stock at local Fisher dealer and easy swap. Got it fixed in time but didn't stop 6" wet/icy snow storm Thanksgiving.
gg
gman,
I had a plow motor fail on my old 3 plug minute mount. I broke one of the bolts off that went through the valve body. Many not nice words were used when drilling out said bolt. I put a new motor on the next day and did one heck of a job sealing it from the elements!
Quote from: GRANITEstateMP on December 04, 2024, 07:00:36 AMgman,
I had a plow motor fail on my old 3 plug minute mount. I broke one of the bolts off that went through the valve body. Many not nice words were used when drilling out said bolt. I put a new motor on the next day and did one heck of a job sealing it from the elements!
Thee plug Minute Mount is what mine is too. I noticed there was no gasket where the motor case fit down into the valve body but it was close fit. I did put some Never Cease on the bolts but maybe a good sealing job would be good next summer. Thanks for the idea.
gg
Cutting EWP for the OWB and anything that don't look good, be it dead or alive.
I hauled one EWP that broke off in a windstorm and an 8 foot chain would not go around it.
Ray, I hope your OWB has a big door on it. ffcheesy
Spruce/fir stud wood from earlier in the week - Tuesday afternoon.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/24_12_10-1.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357053)
Went down to get one more. A white spruce that uprooted in the wind about 6 weeks ago. It was hung up and at a 45* angle until the wet snow on Thanksgiving brought it down.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/24_12_10-2.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357051)
By the time I got it limbed I was done in. It's kind of ugly too.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/24_12_10-3.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357054)
Since I didn't have the energy to pull it out I decided to leave it all propped up and off the ground until after the big rain expected on Wednesday and Thursday.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/24_12_10-4.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357052)
We got over an inch of rain here and high 40's. Softened things up. Gave the trails a test drive yesterday afternoon. Things are froze up again with much less snow now.
gg
Oh by Golly, it looks Cold there !! :shocked2:
It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People
I got a good laugh from that one MM.
Instead of complaining and giving in to it....just wear it with pride.
GG, working in snow always tires me out.
We had 1.6 inches of rain Wednesday and it melted the snow. Then it turned cold and froze the ground, so out to the woods today for a beech tree for firewood.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07999.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357056)
As you can see this tree has problems and is not a good candidate for saw logs, so firewood it will be.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08000.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357055)
There are two more beech trees beside and near this tree that need to come out and if the upcoming weather allows I'll go for them soon.
Cutter
Quote from: Magicman on December 15, 2024, 08:35:38 AMOh by Golly, it looks Cold there !! :shocked2:
Feels normal - all what your used to.
gg
Gotta be dressed for it and cutting wood will warm you up too. smiley_smug01
I find when I've got a saw that refuses to start in the cold, pulling that rope warms me up. Also pounding multiple wedges in a stubborn tree that doesn't want to fall, gets me warmed up too. ffcheesy
Quote from: cutterboy on December 15, 2024, 05:07:46 PMGG, working in snow always tires me out.
We had 1.6 inches of rain Wednesday and it melted the snow. Then it turned cold and froze the ground, so out to the woods today for a beech tree for firewood.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC07999.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357056)
As you can see this tree has problems and is not a good candidate for saw logs, so firewood it will be.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08000.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357055)
There are two more beech trees beside and near this tree that need to come out and if the upcoming weather allows I'll go for them soon.
Cutter
I like beech firewood. Most all of the beech I have is loaded with BBD cankers before they get that size. Yours look pretty smooth. Mine are like this.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/21_12_22-1.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=316973)
gg
Do those cankers make birdseye looking lumber?
No birdseye that I ever saw.
I cut a lot of it about 30 years ago for firewood. All split by hand. That stuff splits hard.
All mine have the cankers too. Well, I say all. But I have one with smooth bark. I did not know what it was at first.
The ones I got many years ago was big ones. Seem like a 18 inches across was normal. I remember them being tall and all rotted hearted.
I really can't remember where I cut all that and it was on this land too.
Beech trees also provide mast for wildlife and the big old cull beech trees make good den, snag and cavity trees for wildlife. Leaving 2-4 such trees/acre is a good management practice if wildlife habitat is one of your forest stewardship objectives.
I once cruised a 50 acre square plot of hardwood that was full of old growth beech like potato barrels. The farmer was mostly interested in making more potato field. Shame to, that was all smooth beech. I have rarely seen a smooth one, but every once in awhile in among the diseased ones will be a nice smooth barked beech. Resistance, or maybe luck, who knows. The further north here, the better the beech. We had 450 acres of woods, a lot of it hardwoods and hardly any beech was in it at all. Mostly maple and ash. In openings on my ground, especially road side, I'll see a beech sapling start once in awhile. Blue jays, maybe bears, probably bring seed from the mountain nearby. I would imagine bears swallow a lot of seed without chewing it and it passed through. I've seen their 'beech nests' many times in the canopy of beech. They do the same to red oak. I have a red oak by the road and they tear the top out of that every fall that it makes nuts. It's one rough looking oak. :D
@g_man ,I was thinking of you yesterday.
I had a fir, about 10 inches through, that had broke off due to rot and the limbs has been holding it up off the ground for years. I drove by this tree many times over the years. I finally got sick of looking at it and limbed it out and hauled it out for firewood. I always cut my limbs short, try for no more then 3 feet long, so it took some time to limb out. Limbs are small, as you know, so no firewood there.
The wood was nice and white. The limbs kept it up in the air all this time.
I have another that needs the same treatment.
I cut a big old fir down this fall for firewood it had stout limbs like a pasture spruce. There was ants in the but end for 3 feet or so. The rest was solid and made nice firewood, easy split'n compared to limby spruce. My dad would confuse those kind of fir for spruce because they grow in more sun and the needles grow around the stems like spruce needles instead of flat like growing in shade. They get a lot more limbs and bigger ones in more open conditions like spruce trees. The inter whorl buds that normally go dormant in shade grow out into limbs in the sunlight. Big wide rings in the log with all that big green crown. That was a 20 "tree at breast height and probably 70 feet tall. It was ~50 years old. I see a big one near the main road that needs cut, but it's a taller one, has cracks in the but, but the limbs are 15-20" apart and maybe as big as your thumb. I really don't want to cut it because it's a nice looking tree standing there. I have lots of junk ones to cut first.
And sometimes you get a real bad limby one that had a hardwood or aspen growing over it whipping at the leader, short and fat and limbs with narrow rings in the main stem.
Quote from: Ron Scott on December 15, 2024, 08:45:07 PMBeech trees also provide mast for wildlife and the big old cull beech trees make good den, snag and cavity trees for wildlife. Leaving 2-4 such trees/acre is a good management practice if wildlife habitat is one of your forest stewardship objectives.
I like to retain those big old trees that are or might become cavity trees. We have quite a few. Most are Maple though. The Beech die young - most do anyway. These are Maple
Same tree 7 years between pictures.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/Double_2_Sm.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357068)
Once back pasture shade trees
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/P101001128229.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357071)
This is a rare Beech on our lot - still looks strong. Never a yellow leaf on it.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/BigBeech2.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357070)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/BigBeech1.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357069)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/BigBeech3.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357067)
One question I have about the Beech we have, and there is a lot of it, is why do I rarely find any Beech Nuts. Maybe once every 7 or 8 years and then very few. We have our share of black bears too, but no bear sign in the Beech ?? I blame it on BBD and poor soil but not sure about that ??
gg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdXzeHBlEEw&t=107s
bear 'beech nest'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxslDAW0aDc
Beech is another species that is common in Eastern woodlands, but absent from MN.
Beech is common here but no longer the stature that it once had because of the disease. There was a shop here that used to make bowling pins exclusively from beech. Bowling is not as popular these days as it was years ago. We have a bowling alley 30 miles from here in either direction. One in Woodstock, NB and one in Presque Isle, Maine at the Elks club building. I don't recall there being any others closer by.
I have Beech on my land, Some 30" dbh. Some good some not too good. I leave all the trees in bad shape standing for wildlife. I have only a few bad trees.
Unless there near my wood roads. I don't want them falling on my head. ffcheesy ffcheesy
There lots of old growth aspen nubs around 40" for cavity trees, most of them are on the ground now. There's blow down patches for bear dens, which I did find one last fall in under one. There's old dead white birch or almost dead, been standing for 30 years with one live branch being supported on one side, critters can live in that one and a couple old white cedar here and there about 30" across to peck at, some horizontal. I don't worry about leaving junk, there's all kinds of it. I've got barred owls, bear, deer [passing through], moose, squirrels, hares, grouse, otter, lynx, coyotes, song birds, blue jays. No scarcity of critters. :D
Another beech and a black birch.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08020.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357141)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08053.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357156)
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08062.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357163)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08063.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357162)
I'm just happy it wasn't a foot of snow. Cutter
I planned on cutting some wood on Saturday but had to work until noon.
Then we had to travel more then 1 hour one way to get a Bomber hat for the Grandson. By the time we got back the wind was blowing, and it was cold.
I never even started the saw.
Today, no wind, but it should be picking up and it's 6 above now. Good day to stay inside and watch movies.
I have one big dead EWP I want to bring to the ground.
Just not today.
Maybe after Christmas.
Quote from: cutterboy on December 22, 2024, 08:36:15 AMAnother beech and a black birch.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08020.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357141)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08053.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357156)
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES!
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08062.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357163)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11157/DSC08063.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357162)
I'm just happy it wasn't a foot of snow. Cutter
We don't have any Black Birch here. Is that bottom log a saw log for you or do you make it all firewood?
We got about 3" of fluff yesterday on top of about the same amount from a couple days of flurries. Cold too, so the ground is frozen again. Instead of wood I plowed out my road good and wide and hope it stays froze now. It's -6*F now. I'm with ray - stay in. I need a couple more trees to get my fir pile up to 1200 bf. Then a couple loads to the log yard. After that firewood for a while.
gg
Quote from: g_man on December 22, 2024, 09:17:09 AMWe don't have any Black Birch here. Is that bottom log a saw log for you or do you make it all firewood?
The butt would have made a good saw log but I put the whole tree into firewood.
I like the beach, 2hrs west 😁
Some big Euc and a little Mesquite...well, medium sized for Mesquite.
IMG_0100.jpegIMG_0101.jpegIMG_0114.jpeg
https://youtu.be/V09aa_raQyE?si=_yhXNxfsZOF93ei2
We don't have black birch either, but we have grey birch. But it isn't really classed as a tree. Gets no bigger than pin cherry. I have seen pin cherry sawed into lumber before. Doesn't look much different than black cherry. I have had some as big as 16" dbh. Grey birch maybe 8-9" and it's done growing. I call it oversized alder. Any wet snow or ice will bring it crashing down. And it is fairly heavy wood for junk.
I have cut and burned gray birch. It burns like white birch and has about the same density. 5-6 inches in diameter is about as big as it gets here. I only cut it if it is in the way or if I am clearing an area or cutting along the edge of a field.
I ran 2 black birch logs through the processor today. I split them small cause they smell so dang good!
I've been using large chunks of white birch without the bark for grilling and smoking alongside charcoal this year with great flavor results. I line the charcoal perimeter with the chunks to get the flame and smoke going and move them off after the cook to reuse on the next cook. It's similar to a sweet cherry smoke only better because I don't have to buy it. Also saves on charcoal use.
Making white birch bark tar oil.
https://otzispouch.ca/how-to-make-birch-tar-oil
Another member cutting black birch
The black birch burns pretty good too... but man it smells GREAT! I dig get a sawdust chip in the mouth when processing, it might smell great but still tastes like wood.
That's for sure Granite it might smell like Teaberry gum but definitely doesn't chew the same ffcheesy
I've never tried it, but they make something similar to root beer called "birch beer" from birch bark (made in Pennsylvania and eastern states). Birch has a natural wintergreen - minty flavor to it, very noticeable if you run fresh cut branches through a chipper.
They also make syrup by boiling down birch sap. But it is around 100:1 ratio to make it, as opposed to 40:1 ratio for maple syrup.
Been a long time but I used to make a birch tea as a treat. Boil up the fine twigs and tips. It comes out pretty tart but with some sugar, you got a tasty treat. Easy to make on the fly in a hunting camp.
I like that, Tom. "If you add enough sugar, you could almost drink it"! In scouts when I was still a kid, I was hanging with a mentor at a camporee in the fall by a fire, drinking cowboy coffee with the grounds dumped in. cold water was added to sink them, and then care was used to pour each cup. some younger guys came around and started asking about the coffee and somehow, they were led to believe that it was made from the leaves on the ground. Leaves do smell like a nice cup of tea in the fall. well, these boys prob. had some upset moms as they filled their backpacks full of leaves off the ground to show their moms how to make cowboy coffee from leaves off the ground. who knows, with enough sugar it might have been OK to drink. :snowball: ffsmiley
In some areas around here that had mostly big white birch and not a lot of maple they did tap the white birch for syrup. There is a place name here called Birch Ridge. It doesn't even run as well as maple sap, much shorter window to the season. Some trees will hardly run at all. It was common here to tap butternut for syrup, we never did it, we had lots of sugar maples.
There was a massive die off of old growth white birch during WWII. My grandfather said it wasn't safe to hunt in the woods with any breeze in the woods. Not many places grow big huge white birch. I worked on the west coast and never saw one bigger than 10". I've seen several here over 3 feet across at DBH. That would mostly be on public land, or hard to get to areas on private. The largest white birch recorded currently in "The Great Trees of NB" is 32" at dbh. I've seen bigger.
I've got a fair amount of white birch on my land. An 18" tree would be big. It seems they die before they get any bigger.
I have not had time for a few years but had a good experience tapping walnut trees for sap. could use the sugar to make other things more tolerable to drink.
I got a book on sugaring and looked up walnut syrup and in the half a page, it mentioned a study done by a prof. at KSU. I looked him up and sent an email. I got a call from his wife a few weeks later that he had passed a few years back. She was grateful to have someone still interested in his work. We had a nice chat.
I've read about the white birch die off in many sources. I have an old forestry textbook from the late 40's that mentions it also. It's here someplace in the loot.
I use to have some white birch here.
These were old and about 2 feet across.
My father and me cut them for logs. They had a lot of red rot to them, but it was solid.
These trees would have a lot of black in the bark. I suppose due to being 80-100 years old.
I don't have many white birch now. For some reason there are not many growing now.
My white birch are scattered and sparce, except one run that was mainly cedar. When that was cut it came back to a lot of white birch. There had to be some big old birch seed trees in that cedar ground to come back like that. I have a big old yellow birch, about 30" across, the yellow is all gone in the but log, all turned into some big plates of bark. That thing puts out a billion seeds each year, loaded in catkins. It's crown is all open to the sky. But I don't have many of that kind either, even more sparse. It to is on cedar ground as there are thousands of fence post (and lots smaller) sized cedar around it. A lot of huge aspen grew in there to, as big as 45".
Good size aspen!!!
The white birch that I had was scatted all over the woods too.
I do have one small area of yellow birch, maybe 500 feet across with one big one.
We have a lot of birch, white, grey, and yellow. Never tried make syrup though. As a kid we used to chew on yellow birch twigs. This dying white is/was the biggest by far at 32". The big ones remaining are only 16" or less.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/21065/WhiteBirch.JPG) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=150836)
gg
50 years ago one large area of my woods was all white birch, small trees 6-12 inches in diameter. It was thick with them, a beautiful sight, a white forest. Over the years the pine and maple and oaks overtook them and most of them died out. A few are left but not very big. I make lumber from them but a 14 inch log is about as big as it gets. Most logs range from 8-12".
Tom, my boy scouts made that tea also.
Quote from: doc henderson on December 23, 2024, 12:16:23 AMI like that, Tom. "If you add enough sugar, you could almost drink it"!
Now Doc, you are twisting my words a bit. ffcheesy I said "But with some sugar, you get a tasty treat.." I did, and likely still do like Birch, and sassafras teas but it had been a while. I did most of my experimenting back in the early 70's when Euel Gibbons was a big deal then and my Dad was on the staff of a wilderness survival course. We would devote a good part of our weekends at home testing out new stuff and perfecting skills like fire building (without a store bought spark stick). We had dozens or sets of bows and spindles we made with various woods to work out which type of wood was best for each part of the system. So yeah, testing various sort of plants and things was part of that process.
I consumed a lot of stuff that would not taste very good no matter how much sugar you put in it. Sumac tea, for instance is SO tart you think you are going to suck your ears inside your head from puckering. That took a LOT of sugar to be palatable. But we had a lot of sumac in our region, so it was on the menu. Peppermint tea was my favorite, but very hard to find. We came across about 1/2 acre of it on the Appalachian Trail one time and collected a trash bag full, brought it home and hung it to dry through the winter. It lasted us a couple of years.
They always said sumac juice was like lemonade. I never tried it. We never had any around home, but the field/pasture behind grandfather's was full of it, close to the river.
A whack of White Birch cut into firewood a couple of years ago. I've got a smaller pile ready to cut and split next year.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/13635/White_Birch.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357169)
our winters are mild enough that the soft maples get leaf buds in Jan. and that imparts a bitter taste (like prednisone). same with one attempt at sycamore syrup. very bitter. I may try earlier and see. but the leaf buds tell you not to make syrup.
I wonder what will happen to our White Birch in the next generation . The harvest now is for Birch poles 2 to 3 inch for decorations , wedding arbors and such . They load them out by the semi load thats a lot of future Birch trees
That kind of comes down to the stewardship a landowner provides for his trees. You can't blame the cutters for that. On the other hand, before there was any use for those small branches and poles and such, they all went in a burn pile. At least now, that stuff gets used and generates income.
There is a difference between cutting stuff just for the money while discarding what you can't sell, and cutting stuff and then selling everything you cut for different markets.
I used to cut damaged trees for Mushroom logs and leave a lot of branches and such that were too small. Now I take those branches and use them for table and stool legs or sell them to a facility that uses them for rustic broom handles while they teach to old art of broom making to school kids. The only things I leave are twigs and buds, which I want to leave anyway.
White birch are pioneer species here. Clearcut and they grow up, then die, and another species takes over. They don't hang around long.
Now me and Geatbox hold different views on the local decorative birch pole harvest. Perhaps selling crating lumber to the birch pole buyer colors my view😊 but so does the last 15 years of working in the woods where I watched how we ran over many birch saplings that were weeds to us.
Birch is pretty prevalent in the understory of many forests, so it tends to get not noticed, crushed, and ran over.
The best white birch I have seen tends to grow on sites that have a cool, moderated climate. It does nicely when you get up near Lake Superior, as the lake moderates temperatures and that area gets more moisture.
I've read that birch reseeds well on burned sites. On our property, anything Ive scratched open to mineral soil has a lot of birch sprout up.
Some areas around here white birch will take over an old field, most of the time it's aspen and softwoods. One that comes to mind is just 3 miles away, but it as been since cut off and spruce planted on it. It was not very big birch, it might have been 40 years old.
Days never finished, master got me working, someday master set me free...
Messenger_creation_ADECFAFB-999F-4B19-96D9-0F2DBB25F76F.jpeg
20241228_121743.jpg
20241228_121922.jpg
Wa supposed to cut wood, got 4 days off and came right back so by proxy it counts.
20241231_112808.jpg
Nice pics, I really miss being on the water ffsmiley
Nice pictures Barge, in 2024 I'm sure Barge made more coin that any of us and I'm not joking , that is for real . There is nothing I can say other than your a good man Barge , You are spending alot of time away from your family putting food on the table and a roof over their heads . You are one friend that checks in on me steady to see how I'm doing and feeling as I'm over 2 years last Oct doing treatments . It has not been alot of fun but it is whatever it is . It finally suppose to get cold enough I can start cutting again , Im going real slow as doc's tell me to sit on my butt but when have I ever listen . I got a couple small bushes to cut with fairly good size timber so that will be fun just hope the wind is not crazy like it has been the last week
Some pics of my winter logging (took these back in 2024, so it should still fit this thread). ffsmiley
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20241216_095753387.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357287)
The tall white pine in the center was the one I was cutting this day. Looking at it down slight slope, I'd cleared a path last fall to get to it and drop it in.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20241216_100934046.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357286)
Felled right where I wanted it to go. ffcool
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20241216_132444093.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357289)
One right in my logging trail. Little bend in the trunk had to cut around, but got a few good saw logs.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20241218_092515244.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357288)
This one in with a cluster of other pine, had to use a few wedges to get it over.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/47685/IMG_20250103_133027874.jpg) (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=357290)
Log pile stacked up, including a few spruce I'd cut also.
Looking quite industrious and resinous, Res.! ffcool ffcool ffcool ffcheesy
Only pine I have I planted and the moose tore most of them up and bear climb them for cones and break off tops. :uhoh: Might be 3 or 4 good trees out of 3500 planted. I never planted them in a group, just scattered all over. No difference, they still make targets for molestation by the wild beasts. ffcheesy I've got probably 50,000 spruce. Survival by the numbers. ffcheesy I've got a lot of fir to, they grow twice as fast as spruce. Get to around 20" and that's it.
All of the white pine I cut on my land wasn't planted. It grew on it's own, and the area I'm cutting in was my family ancestors ginseng field 100 years ago. The ground was hand picked of rock, and made good soil for the trees to grow.
-----------------------
Doc, I'm hoping the resinous (pitchy) pine dries a little bit stacked in the cold before it goes on my mill when it warms up. :sunny:
I cut a few crooked/small black cherry and red maple too. Those are already cut to length and gone through the splitter, ready for the firewood stacks. ffsmiley
Locking this thread as it's getting pretty long. Started a new one here.
New Thread (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=125497.0)
Carry on. ffsmiley