Home made log decks

[ozarkgem]

How about some pics of home made log decks. The bottle neck in my operation now is loading the logs in a timely manner. I saw by my self and I have to jump on the Bobcat to load each log. So I think this will be my next project. I mainly saw Cedar so the butt end is always bigger by a lot than the small end. I would guess rolling them would not be a good idea.

[Ron Wenrich]

I had a log deck many decades ago for a circle mill that consisted of some hickory poles.  We had them laying on old chunks from log cutoffs.  They acted as a post.  We put a chock on each side of the pole to keep it from moving.  We took the bark off the poles, and things slid along fine.  You can roll the logs, but you'll have to pull the end back or push it ahead to keep a tapered log straight.  If you can't slide, a little bit of diesel will act as lube. 

If you have a log loader on your mill, you can keep the log deck far enough back to roll it onto your log loader, which will give you room to walk between your deck and your mill.

[drobertson]

I cant' remember what if any log loader you have on your mill,, I just use 8x8's a pair of them, and use the load arms to raise up to the mill,  I thought about many times building one up to bed level, like the live decks are made, these do speed up the process a little bit, they are just costly, or can be, I reckon it depends on the amount of production needed.

[rjwoelk]

We just bought a log deck for our firewood processing.  12 x 24 chain conveyor, hydraulic driven. also known as a Mckee StacknMover. Cheep got it for $1400. A used round bale mover works as well

[Sixacresand]

 
If you have a log loader on your mill, you can keep the log deck far enough back to roll it onto your log loader, which will give you room to walk between your deck and your mill.

I like to keep enough room between the loading arms and logs to drive a pickup through.  If somebody brings a log, I can put it on the mill with out rearranging logs on-deck or lined up on the ground, in my case.   

[Verticaltrx]

 

 

That's my very simple setup. Just took two logs, sawed two flat faces on each (for about a 10" thick timber) and set them on blocks at the height of the mill. Also nailed a block on the ends to make sure logs don't roll back. They are set about 7' apart so the skid steer can fit between them, yet still accommodate 8' logs.

[ozarkgem]

I cant' remember what if any log loader you have on your mill,, I just use 8x8's a pair of them, and use the load arms to raise up to the mill,  I thought about many times building one up to bed level, like the live decks are made, these do speed up the process a little bit, they are just costly, or can be, I reckon it depends on the amount of production needed.

I don't have loader arms on mine. I was thinking of a live deck.

[ozarkgem]

I had a log deck many decades ago for a circle mill that consisted of some hickory poles.  We had them laying on old chunks from log cutoffs.  They acted as a post.  We put a chock on each side of the pole to keep it from moving.  We took the bark off the poles, and things slid along fine.  You can roll the logs, but you'll have to pull the end back or push it ahead to keep a tapered log straight.  If you can't slide, a little bit of diesel will act as lube. 

If you have a log loader on your mill, you can keep the log deck far enough back to roll it onto your log loader, which will give you room to walk between your deck and your mill.

I saw a lot of Cedar of taper is a problem. That is why I was thinking of a live deck. Guess I should have been more clear on that.

[kelLOGg]

Here's mine. Pullout steel 2 x 4s connect the log deck to the miill.
Bob



 

[Sixacresand]

Verticaltrx,  yours is the setup I used when I had a LT10.  My stepson, a GA Tech Engineer, took one look at my log deck and suggested dedicated floor jacks on the outer ends of log deck beams.  Load the deck, jack the ends up, let gravity help feed the logs to the mill or mill loading arms.  Worked good, but needed to use chocks control how far they roll.  Most of the time, even with a slope, I had to help it along with a cant hook. 

[Bandmill Bandit]

Some fine examples of what I call a roll way. I use them all the time.

I have even figured out one that will mount on my little trailer so I ca just park the trailer beside the mill and roll right onto the mill. Pics will come when it is finished.

Heres a few of the ones i have made on jobs over the last few years
   

  

  

 

The on below the very first one i did with power poles. it was too short but it worked well.

 

This next one was the made of 4 inch pipeline stock, welded to a couple of pieces pushed in to the ground with the hoe. it worked goo but could have been 6 feet longer.


  

[ozarkgem]

Some fine examples of what I call a roll way. I use them all the time.

I have even figured out one that will mount on my little trailer so I ca just park the trailer beside the mill and roll right onto the mill. Pics will come when it is finished.



  

  

 
Heres a few of the ones i have made on jobs over the las few years

Nice job on the decks. Gives me some ideas now.

[Quebecnewf]

The best way to go if you can do it is a live deck. With tapered cedar you can,t go wrong with this.

If a live deck is not an option I would build a dead deck wooden or steel ( steel better). I would slope the deck towards the Mill. Put some kind of a stop system so logs cannot roll onto the mill by accident. The slope will help with rolling tapered logs. Make the deck short to hold 8 to 10 logs . You don,t want to roll tapered logs a long distance. After sawing 8 or ten logs it will be time for a break. Break time is loading 10 more logs.

Newfoundland coffee break : Mending a gill net.

Quebecnewf

[Peter Drouin]

I don't have one. Sometimes I have to drive in with John to take beams off the mill and the deck would be in the way. I will put some 4x4s down if I'm not cutting beams.



 

[mburrow]

here is mine. Ive had to make them wider to handle the 16' logs I sawed last month

[Keith Shirley]

        Mine, before and after building saw shed.

[sandsawmill14]

 

 


 

here is what i built but i use it more for a green chain than log deck  but i really need to build another one

[coalsmok]

 I don't use one unless I'm staging a lot of logs before bringing the mill in. Then it is simply a 10 or 12 footer with three smaller 16' poles laid on top.  A few cutoffs under the middle of the poles for support and your done. Preferably the mill is down hill from this and the ends of the poles set on the ground so large logs don't need lifted.  May have to block up one end or the other to get things more or less level. When done it gets sawn into lumber or firewood.




 
Yes I know I need to stack and sticker some lumber.  Work is keeping me to busy to even get a day off lately.

[squidboy51]

My log decks, actually I sort of use 3, all made from logs.

I carry logs (try not to drag anything to keep the logs clean) from the woods with my crawler loader and place them on my 1st deck for a quick check with my metal detector and debarking.

When first deck gets full I put log I want to mill on second deck, then roll it on to the mill. This keeps crawler loader away from mill rails and possible regret.....don't ask regret????

I pull slabs and flitches off end of mill on to 3rd deck for firewood (slabs) and later edging (flitches).

All lumber comes off the right side and back on deck 2 for transport by crawler loader to stickering and drying area. I am working on some small trailers with pallets to improve on this last move as crawler loader tears up the ground too much around storage/drying area.



 



 



 



  



 

The removable steel ramps were simple to make and are easy to remove so I can push the saw head back and forth.

I will post pictures of the trailers when I get them going.

Most of my ideas are not original, they come from the minds of the the forum members who share what works for them, and may work for others, thank you.

squid

[btulloh]

Lot's of good stuff here.  Nicely done squid - very functional and doesn't require a lot of time to get together.  I like the idea of using the logs with flattened sides.  Quick and effective. 

This thread ties in pretty well with the workflow thread.  It's really helpful to see what others are doing.

[ozarkgem]

 


 

here is what i built but i use it more for a green chain than log deck  but i really need to build another one

This is what I am leaning toward especially with Cedar logs. What kind of chain did you use to move the logs? Any teeth on it?
Jim

[sandsawmill14]

it is either 2050 or 2060 extended link roller chain i cant remember which :-[ it does not have any lugs on it but it works fine a knot might hang every once in a while but it works ok it cost  me about $500 to build and most of that was the chains

[Bandmill Bandit]

How did i miss the work flow thread? looking for it now. can some one point me to it?
Thanks

[thecfarm]

Bandmill Bandit,still looking? I think this is it.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,89700.0.html

When I was looking, it's about the 20th post down on the sawmill thread or about the 8th one past this thread.

[Bandmill Bandit]

Thank you for the link Cfarm.

I like you live Deck Ozarkgem.