We're finally getting some cold temps after the sun goes down, I'm leaving in just a few minutes to go forward a hardwood thin (11 pm) I'll probably work until 7 or so in the morning, whenever things start to thaw.
I really don't like going on night shift like that. We had to do it last spring, I think we were working from 1-10 am. Starts to get old.
Been there done that. It's amazing how dark it gets out in the woods in the middle of the night. Not my favorite thing at all.
Barbender has got cat eyes . I heard the mill is 30,000 cords short of spruce .
Gearbox, that wouldn't surprise me. We sure didn't cut much spruce this winter, I might have put 300 cords of black spruce on the landing all winter. BTW, the night went fine, but the drive home was pretty rough. I had to get out and walk around my pickup twice. The nasty cold I have isn't helping matters at all ::)
Don't walk around the truck . RUN around the truck . Gets the blood pumping . Old truck driver trick . How do you nap in a forwarder with no steering wheel . Be safe out there . Are you by yourself or is the CTL still there ?
Processor is still cutting. No problem napping without steering wheel ;)
Spin the seat around and put your feet on the back bench and napping shouldn't be much of a problem :D
That's right Chevy, if I'm tired I'll find a way ;) Also, I stated the night went fine, which it did as far as staying awake. The woods were not providing much in the way of cooperation though. There's some big hills on this job, with the unfrozen conditions and extremely greasy soil, I was having a really tough time getting the loads out (why is it hardwood and nasty hills always go together?). Half loads and lots of spinning. When I would get traction, the cutter pressure is off for my tranny, so the machine would just stall out. Which reminds me, I need to call Ponsse and have them come out and adjust that. Very frustrating, but I needed to get out there and run the trails down so they will freeze.
And you MI guys are thinking "that's what we deal with every day!" :)
Steep hills, snow, mud, big hardwood that's all we cut... haha
And mixed up cutter pressures too. Sounds familiar. Our buffalo won't climb a big hill right now.
Yes, that gets irritating. Just when I finally get hooked up with good traction, it just stops >:( This BuffaloKing needs that adjusted about once a year for some reason. To be fair, when it's coming up a 50% + slope with hardwood stumps everywhere and 8 cords piled on (total weight would be around 80,000 if I'm not mistaken) it's a huge load. But I want it to at least spin out ;)
My favorite thing that happens in hills is when the back bunk of wood falls off🖓 Then you have 3-4 cords of wood sitting at the bottom of a hill in the middle of the skid trail, that you can barely reach >:(
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11286/20170223_235440.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487986140)
Firing up last night
We had 4 forwarders on the last job. "So your saying you want this one picked up quick" ;D
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11286/20170224_192707.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487986122)
It's no substitute for sleep, but wow, the led lights sure light up the woods for night work.
How do the Ponsse machines do in really cold weather?
Starting a diesel at - 30 degrees has to be an issue, no?
If the coolant preheater runs as it should, temperature doesn't really matter with the forwarders. In fact, because the Mercedes engine also has an air intake heater (similar to the intake heater on a Dodge Cummins), they will cold start down to -20°F or so. Colder than they should, put another way. The harvesters can be way more fussy because they are spinning more hydraulic pumps than a forwarder, the preheater needs to have them up to temperature for them to start in the cold. Try to start a wood splitter in the cold to experience a similar effect ;)
My processor doesn't appreciate cold starts, but I have gotten it going down to colder than -30f
The Scorpions have been notorious for cold starting headaches.
If the preheater runs as it should starting down to -30 isn't too much of an issue. But at that temp and colder the operator has trouble starting. :D
Haha! I have started my machine at -38°F. I have yet to hear my boss say "stay home too cold" :D
Quote from: barbender on February 24, 2017, 11:34:37 PM
Haha! I have started my machine at -38°F. I have yet to hear my boss say "stay home too cold" :D
If northern Minnesotans stayed home because of cold everyone would have to hibernate wouldn't they? :)
Quote from: barbender on February 24, 2017, 11:34:37 PM
Haha! I have started my machine at -38°F. I have yet to hear my boss say "stay home too cold" :D
Wouldn't matter what my boss said at -38 I'd be at home tending to things on the farm.
I only run single shift but do pick up some extra hours for the harvester by running it myself some evenings. I enjoy running after dark in the winter. Usually nothing else going on to get distracted by. Sucks when you break something though and have to fix it by flashlight. Our full time operating season is coming to an end very quickly. Road restrictions go on in a week. Been running pretty hard for a few months now so a break will be welcome.
The DOT put weight restrictions on gravel roads here in NS last Friday. Gave notice in the paper on Thursday and closed roads Friday at noon. Now I am stuck on a road I can't truck from or move my gear; and I am finished cutting it. And to top it off they are telling me I have to wait until the weather is cold enough to reopen the road. I haven't looked at the regulations yet but I don't think that having that short of notice should be allowed.
Depending on which end of the Province you're in the paved roads close at 12:01am on March 06 or 12:01am March 13
An hour and a half from now, they start here till the 30th of April.
Yep.... I didn't get the final four loads drawed out in time. Dangit