Here is a reason you might need a sawmill

Banjo picker · August 20, 2020, 09:47:47 PM

This red oak is over 3 foot at the base. I had to trim some off the sides to bore the center. It had a little lean and I wanted to make sure it didn't barber chair on me. So I bored it from both sides after I cut my wedge. Then cut the back...it wasn't too pretty, but the log was ok. Problem was it had been lightning struck and was healing over. it would have been worthless selling it. I got a 20 foot log and there is another 8 footer before the first limb. I needed two trailer decks both 20 footers. This log and another smaller blow down that I got this morning will do them both. I did have to take the 850 case dozer to drag it in as the M7040 kubota and the winch would not pull it.

That's a 3 foot bar on the 460. Pretty nice to be able to turn a worthless log into two trailer decks. Tim

Banjo picker · August 20, 2020, 09:52:34 PM

Ruben , the mule an a couple of his side kicks didn't know what to think about the dozer pulling that log through His pasture.

There is another mare off camera, guess she is a little shy. Tim

WV Sawmiller · August 21, 2020, 07:46:30 AM

Real pretty mule there. Do you ride or work him or just feed him? :D Mine is the star of our personal petting zoo and he really would rather we just feed him and don't even pet him. He goes crazy if we separate him from our half Belgian horse. Does yours get upset if you leave him alone? Mine is 27 y/o and the horse is 29. If the horse dies first I will have to buy something else to put out there with him.

mike_belben · August 21, 2020, 07:50:32 AM

Nice work tim

Bruno of NH · August 21, 2020, 07:53:12 AM

Tim
I'm surprised the mule didn't run you off.
That's great you can make use of your own logs when needed.

Banjo picker · August 21, 2020, 08:44:37 AM

The mule was born here. You can ride him, but the steering gear needs work. His mother was an Arabian mare. I have always had a horse that rode better so mainly we just feed him. I haven't been on him in years. He's the protector of the mares...nothing moves that he don't investigate. I had him sold, but Debbie vetoed that deal. Time to bush hog that pasture again....just did it about a month ago. Always something to do. I meant to get a picture of the log hooked to the dozer, but by the time I got it to the mill, that wasn't very high on my list. Tim

Nebraska · August 21, 2020, 09:43:32 AM

Howard goats make good companions for horses and such, plus they tend to eat different stuff. Like your kudzu......with the exception they take a little better fence...
Tim he is a good looking mule, must eat well. ;)

WV Sawmiller · August 21, 2020, 09:55:58 AM

We had goats. A better fence is not the word for it. Our last goat was a young whether who hung out with the horse and mule till he died.

I heard you need to use the water test for a goat proof fence. If water can get through it so will a goat.

Banjo picker · August 21, 2020, 10:56:37 AM

The best way to keep a goat from going through a fence is put a board on each side of a post and let it walk over it. :D The mule is what you would call an easy keeper. Don't take much to keep him in good shape. He will likely outlive all the mares, then I will get him a goat. Tim

WV Sawmiller · August 21, 2020, 12:19:45 PM

Mules are smarter than horses too. I could dump 100 lbs of sweet feed in the mule's trough, he'd eat a quart or so and walk off. The horse would eat it all and founder himself. Goats are like mules and will not overeat. Maybe they don't have time to finish because they are in too big a hurry to go get into some new mischief. :D

Peter Drouin · August 21, 2020, 01:11:55 PM

Good looking animals you have, well-fed.
How much would a good mule go for down there?
Not much up here for mules.
Mosley draff horses.[ Beljems] $1500.00 to 3000.00 a head.
Have teams here were you hook up the firewood logs tell them to go and they will bring the load to the landing where the man cutting and splitting can unhitch the load and send the team back for more logs.

WV Sawmiller · August 21, 2020, 02:10:07 PM

That was what i always heard about well trained horses and mules here too.

The rigging also had what was called a "Gee Hook" which was a type of quick release. When going down a steep hill, which is typical here, if the log started to slide toward the horse/mule which could result in a broken leg or such, the handler would yell "Gee" and the horse/mule would step to the right and the hook would disengage and the log would slide down the hill past the horse/mule. Experienced horses/mules working alone would automatically step to the right on their own when they felt slack in the load.

farmfromkansas · August 21, 2020, 09:29:24 PM

There used to be a guy whose handle was "Horse logger" on the forum. Haven't seen him post in some time.

Banjo picker · August 21, 2020, 10:04:59 PM

Peter, the most demand for mules down here is riding mules. Take a Tenn. Walking Horse mare and breed her to a large jack, and if it can hit a lick like his mommy it would bring good money. Tim

Bob_T · August 22, 2020, 11:56:35 PM

Back in the old days mules were used to haul ore cars in the local mines. They tried horses but if something spooked a horse the horse would rear up and hit his head on the mine tunnel roof. If something spooked a mule they were smart enough to know they were under a low ceiling and they didn't rear up.

Banjo picker · August 23, 2020, 12:32:23 AM

Decided to mill the big boy. It was a fight. For one the back hoe wouldn't clear the ground with it...it would just scoot it IF you had the boom and extend a hoe all the way out...2 wheel drive >:(.

I bumped a pile of a customers lumber he should have already picked up, with the back boom...fortunately didn't knock it over. Got one end in the bay them hooked the winch on the Kubota to it. Had to double the chockers as one wouldn't reach around it.

Drug it part way in then had to reposition the wwinch

From there I pulled it to where it needed to go then pushed it the rest of the way with the backhoe.
Now will the cooks lift it.

Picked it up no problem, but I did have to bump it with the forks to get it over and off the arms....Then I started making sawdust and lumber.
Had to trim some on the far end. I needed that second log turner that Cooks offers now.

Not the biggest log I've done but by far the heaviest. I am glad to make use of a tree that was just gonna rot and die, but with time spent cutting logging and messing with loading, I could have made more Money custom sawing the mountain of logs waiting on me. But I Obligated myself to deliver it with another order going out Monday. I need to watch what I promise. Tim

Magicman · August 23, 2020, 07:28:50 AM

Good Job Tim. Sometimes we just gotta do what we gotta do. It makes you feel good to win!!

customsawyer · August 23, 2020, 07:41:27 AM

Next time fill your hoe bucket with dirt then extend it out all the way. It puts more weight further out. Or don't let yourself get talked into such things. Which I haven't figured out how to do yet.