First Crack at posting photos - Wudman's "Stuff"

[Wudman]

Well here goes:



This is my homemade contraption that actually works pretty well.  It is a four post design that is raised and lowered on 1" Acme rod (5 threads per inch).  Power up and down is supplied by a Milwaukee Cordless drill with fine tuning by the lawn mower steering wheel.  The two rods are connected with a length of roller chain to keep everything in tune.  Axles are from a 9" Ford rearend so I don't think there is much danger of the 5 HP electric motor wringing one in two.  It uses compact spare tires harvested from a Lincoln Continental.  I can saw a 16 foot log up to 28 inches in diameter.  My best day of sawing by myself was 680 +/- bd ft of 4/4 and 6/4 yellow poplar.  I've sawed the beams and joist for my new house that is under construction as well.



This is an eastern red cedar being sawn for closet linings in the new house.



The lumber from that red cedar tree.



A couple of red oaks waiting their turn.  The greenhouse / drying shed is in the background.  With the tobacco program dead, it makes for a good place to dry lumber.



A big yellow poplar on the deck ready to be sawed.  I think I had to trim that one a little on the big end to clear the guides.  I need an A.S.S. to turn those by myself.



This is my forwarder.  It's a 1960 Fordson Dexta diesel with a 3 cylinder Perkins.  The log arch is a 3/4 ton Chevrolet Crew Cab truck frame and running gear.  The log under there is a 22 foot long red oak 28 inches on the big end.  I've got a 12,000 pound Mile Marker winch to do the lifting.  I built it like it is to be able to move long poles / logs during the building of my log home.  That's it for now.

Wudman

[Paschale]

Looks good Wudman!  I personally love seeing the guys with homebuilt rigs--very impressive, plus two thumbs up for getting some pictures posted!

Thanks for posting...   8)

[Coon]

Looking good Wudman.  Looks like you did your homework and saved yourself a pile of bucks building some of your own equipment.  Hope it works out for you.  Keep those pics comin' ;D
Brad.

[wiam]

Nice looking mill. 8) 8)

Will

[moosehunter]

 Nice mill Wudman! Do you have a small son that you could set on top and work that steering wheel? ;D you could build a little seat up there, he would have a blast riding back and forth!
Could I suggest a guard on the front of that mill, you break a blade and it may not stop till it gets to the next state
Happy Millin'
mh

[Burlkraft]

Wudman.......

Nice lookin' stuff.

I can see that you are pretty handy with a welder and a torch.....

With the prices of things these days to be well equipped you need to be able to do some things like that yourself.

Keep the pics rollin' in ;D ;D ;D ;D

[TexasTimbers]

Nice fabricating. I could stand to see some close-ups of the log arch if you get time. I need to build one and I'm looking at as many as I can.

[Tom]

You guys never cease to amaze me with your skills and stick-to-it-ness.

[SwampDonkey]

That's cool stuff Wudman.  8)  ;D

Tom, this is the kind of fellow that most farmers like to deal with if they can't fabricate it themselves. We have lots of Wudman's around these parts. I saved thousands on a utility trailor.  8)

[sandmar]

How long you had the Fordson......yep,I am jealous  :-[

Sandmar

[SwampDonkey]

A friend of my father lent him a book on all the old tractors from the beginning to the 1970's I think. Some photos of the tractors even have the price tag still on them. Some of those tractors were expensive for back in the 20's and 30's. The book was published back in 1993. Here's one similar on Amazon.

Tractors One of the authors has a field guide to vintage tractors as well.

[Lud]

Way to go Wudman!   It must have been you I was channeling when I built my log hauler.  Only difference is I used an old disc frame that had split axles that let's me straddle the mill and lower the log to the rails.  What do you load with? ???

[sawhead]

Great pics   8) and specialy on the dexta ,Kinda partial to them. I  have a 64 super dexta that inherited from my father-inlaw , GREAT old tractors and stout as they come!

[Wudman]

Thanks guys.  I've had the Dexta 5 or 6 years now.  I bought it at auction.  I looked at the old tractor early the morning of the auction.  Cosmetically, it was a little rough, but typical of a 40 year old tractor that had worked for a living.  I gave it the once over.  It ran (although a little surging - I figured it was the governor).  Hydraulics functioned plus it had live remotes. 

By the time the sale rolled around, the tractor wouldn't start.  Its a little temperamental and the battery was dead.  There was not much interest, and in retrospect, I got a pretty good buy.  I carried it home and serviced everything.  There was enough water in the transmission and rearend that I thought it may have ventured into a pond.  The oil bath air filter was a block of ice (literally).  At that point, I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. 

To date, it is one of the favorite tractors on the farm.  It gets used on a regular basis.  The hydraulics are strong.  The motor runs good.  It still has a little surge at idle when cold,  But it smoothes out under throttle.  Its a good handling tractor and serves my purposes well.

Aside from rebuilding the starter, and replacing a couple of tires, it has needed nothing but routine maintenance.

The Dexta also serves as my loader.  I built a set of forks for the three point hitch.  With no front weight, it will handle a 16 foot oak log up to about 18 inches diameter.  Bigger than that and the hydraulics will pick the front wheels up off the ground.  I do plan to build a hydraulic forklift to work off the back of the tractor.  I thought about a front end loader, but I think a forklift off the back would be a little more doable for this size tractor.  I'll put wheels on the forklift attachment so the tractor doesn't have to carry much of the weight.

Also, I still have the rearend out of the old Chevrolet truck (the log arch frame).  I plan to make it into a winch.  Finally, for safety in the woods, I do plan to put a roll bar and canopy on the tractor.  I'm not as concerned with turning it over as I am with something dead coming out of a tree and caving my skull in.  I got whipped from behind by a small sapling one time that I hung with a tree I was skidding.

I'll try to get some more pictures up soon.  Thanks guys.

Wudman