new here love the forum

[semologger]

I just found the forum and love it. A little about myself. I am a southeast mo logger here in the ozarks. We are surrounded by mark twain national forest (mainly oak). there is a sawmill every 15 miles here in my town of 4,000 people.  There is at least 30 sawmills. I mainly cut pine post timber 9 inches and down thinning operations we make fence post. we have a cresote plant to treat the pealed post. In my woods my equipment are a 221 hydroax shear head its a 3 wheeler. A 450a timberjack grapple. A 210 prentice with a delimber. I also use a limbing gate to delimb. Thanks semologger. 

[beenthere]

Pull up a stump and sit in awhile. Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like you have a busy operation there. Hope we can get some pics of what yer doin too. 

[WDH]

Looks like you are set up nice.  Welcome.

[semologger]

thank you i am wanting to update my skidder. i am looking at a 170 franklin. it has a cummins and bigger grapple mine has the 453 detroit in it. like to have something with more power. i am wanting around 10,000 for mine its worth that.

i just havent heard much about franklins any input on them.

i am puting my mom on it soon as it warms up shes alot more dependable running it than putting anyone else on it. sound weird to say but shes better than most guys around here also lol. i can cut my father can run the loader.

[semologger]

i am not trying to sound like a kid. i am 30 and been logging for 12 years. it sound like that i guess when i say mom and dad lol. just wanted to make that clear

[Gary_C]

Welcome to the forum.

Do you have any problems with that shear shattering the butts of those pine logs and how do you cut to length?

[semologger]

no it dont bust them. we haul tree lenght to the mill. we have a cut up line that we control with the knucleboom. it picks up the tree and sits it on it. we usualy cut about 3 inches off the butt of the tree. in case of busting from the shear. even with a hotsaw we cut off the butt makes the post look better. we sell to a broker who sellls to tractor supply company and orchelns farm and home.

[Cedarman]

Semologger, good to have you around.  My daughter keeps my website up to date. Wife and other daughter work in the sawmill until daughter turns 21 and goes to work in the casino or hotel at French Lick. One son works while home from college running loaders, the main mill, or forwarder as needed.  Oldest son and wife run our grinding operation in Ok.  So, I see why you brag about mom.  Working with family can be a great source of pride and accomplishment.  It can make for "interesting" times as well.

How many stems per hour can you shear with your hydroax?

Do you have any cedar in your area and have you logged any of it?  I'm partial to cedar.

[semologger]

interesting times is a understatement i am to much like my father man can we but heads. the best thing is for him to go get on his machine and me to go get on mine. lol but i wouldnt change a thing i love what i do. i am a third generation sawmiller slash logger. we all got to do something to make money so why not make it fun.

as far as cutting if its plantation in rows i can cut up to 150 stems an hour. and if i am cutting southern yellow pine we have a lot of that around here around 80 trees an hour. i usually leave a tree every 16 foot. take out 9 inches and below. mostly goverment timber not much private pine around here. but i am on a 200 acre tract not thats private.

cedar. theres is cedar around here i dont cut it. the owners of the job i am on now bought a baker band mill and are cutting a bunch of cedar. he has cut all of his own material for his sons  house and running more for his house hes building now. its not all cedar. 

[semologger]

hey cedarman how close are you to tell city my girlfriend is the district manager for orschelns there. i was over that way about 1 month ago. i went to a mill about 30 minutes north of tell city. were to wife ran the mill husband ran the woods. i talked to their son in law were he did chainsaw carvings he was really good. i think they got loggers of the year a few years back. it was him and his brother

[thecfarm]

Enjoy working with your Father.We started to cut wood on the farm here.We never did get it done before he passed away.I still make reference to working with him from time to time.My Mother would stay home and cook dinner for us.Welcome to the forum.

[semologger]

yes sir. my grandpa died of cancer when i was young. he was in his mid 50s. But my dad still smokes 3 to 4 packs a day that aint no lie. ive tried ask him dont he want his grandkids to be able to be around him longer than i was with my grandpa. but what can you do i cant make him stop and he aint going to.

[Cedarman]

Semologger,  we are about 60 miles from Tell City.  I think the mill you were at was Ettienne's.  Joan runs the mill.  Phil and Doyle run logging crews.  Good people.  Marengo is about 30 miles from their mill.  Stop by if you have some time.

I would like to see your Hydorax in action sometime.  We use a Tree Terminator shear on the front of a Cat skidsteer to cut cedar. 

I bet your folks get a good feeling being able to work with you.  I know I do when I see my kids getting with it.