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General Forestry => Forestry and Logging => Topic started by: 101mph on December 15, 2014, 08:23:06 AM

Title: My micro logging operation
Post by: 101mph on December 15, 2014, 08:23:06 AM
Just a quick picture of my "micro logging" operation.  ;)

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/36572/IMAG0552.jpg)

The weather has really warmed up around here lately so it made for the perfect opportunity to take some more trees down on my property. Normally the snow would be over your knees about now and would make it very difficult for me to do this.

I dropped the trees in a certain order just to make sure I wouldn't have any hang up and to make sure they all landed on my property. Not having any leaves on them was a big plus as they all came down nicely even when they clanged off another tree (I was surprised how much the leaves would "grab" other trees when the tree fell doing this over the summer).

It takes me a while preparing to fell a tree as I'm working pretty much by myself and in close quarters to a lot of other obstacles around me (the wife is around observing and ready to make a phone call in case something bad happens. ;)

The process I go through is kind of like this:

- Get a good look at the lean of the tree and plan a location to fell it

- Get my ladder and tie my rope around the tree at the highest point I can and then anchor the other end on another tree (in the direction of the fall) across from it. This is using my Maasdam Rope puller. Depending on the lean usually dictates how much tension I'm using at the start.

- Now I get the chainsaw going make my notch cut, make my back cut and drop the tree. Sometimes I go back to the rope puller and put a little more tension on it just to be safe before I make my back cut. If the tree is big enough I make a plunge cut to set the hinge, pound a couple wedges in it then do my back cut and drop it that way. Every tree is different with the  techniques used but this is pretty typical for me so far.

So it's a bit time consuming but I do my best to be safe and not have any accidents or damage to anything. I use the rope puller on pretty much every tree even though I realize that it really won't help me if the tree decides to go more perpendicular to the tension that's on the rope. It's also helpful if the tree gets hung up.

Once I get the tree on the ground I limb it and buck it. Then I put all the rounds into a wheel barrow and wheel them over to my splitting area. I will probably stack these rounds until I can get to splitting them. I'm going to try and do this over the Christmas holiday. I still have a massive brush pile I have to deal with and a lot of clean up. :o

Really wish I had little bobcat or something to haul some of this..... but it's still enjoyable for me. There's a great feeling to burn your own wood that you've worked so hard for. 8)
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: mesquite buckeye on December 15, 2014, 11:33:04 AM
I use a 3 ton comealong to do my tree tipping. Don't have to go so high to get them to tip. Only got hit in the head one time so far. :o ::) :-\
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: drobertson on December 15, 2014, 12:09:45 PM
You have it figured out!  Just wondering here, would the brush piles work for wildlife? or is this not an option there?  Years ago my uncle has us taking down the tops to very manageable pieces to handle and then pile in a nice small pile, they reduce pretty soon if the sight is bearable.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: enigmaT120 on December 15, 2014, 01:03:17 PM
That sounds like how I do it.  I used to use my come-along for leaning trees, now I use the winch on my pickup if the tree is close enough to my skid road.  Yesterday I made two mistakes that will have me doing some panel beating next weekend.  I used an anchor tree for my snatch block that turned out to be too small, and I parked the pickup too close the the tree I was pulling down.  The winch pulled the anchor tree down and allowed the leaning tree to fall toward me!  Luckily only the top glanced off the truck but it dinged the left fender and now that interferes with the door.  Sheesh.  It wasn't even a big tree, just a 10" half dead alder that was tangled up in some limbs in a big Douglas-fir. 

I'm opening up this skid road to get to some big fir and alder trees that my wife wants down -- they shade the garden.  I'm hoping I can find somebody a lot more skilled than me to drop the big ones, as several of them lean toward the fence and house.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: 101mph on December 15, 2014, 03:08:08 PM
Quote from: drobertson on December 15, 2014, 12:09:45 PM
You have it figured out!  Just wondering here, would the brush piles work for wildlife? or is this not an option there?  Years ago my uncle has us taking down the tops to very manageable pieces to handle and then pile in a nice small pile, they reduce pretty soon if the sight is bearable.

Thanks. I still got lots to learn for sure.

I don't think I have the room to keep the brush pile around. The only place I could keep is too far away to drag it all there. I'll probably just end up burning most of it little by little come spring time.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: 101mph on December 15, 2014, 03:12:14 PM
Quote from: enigmaT120 on December 15, 2014, 01:03:17 PM
I'm opening up this skid road to get to some big fir and alder trees that my wife wants down -- they shade the garden.  I'm hoping I can find somebody a lot more skilled than me to drop the big ones, as several of them lean toward the fence and house.

Yea I had about 10 big trees removed this past summer by professionals. They were just too close to the cottage, leaning over it, some near power lines....I just listened to the advice here and had the pros do it. It was a little expensive, but it may have been more so if I tried to do it myself.

I still have plenty I need to remove that I can't do it on my own safely. I just don't have the equipment.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: thecfarm on December 16, 2014, 10:14:09 AM
Fast will get you in trouble. Slow and steady will win in the end. I have a FIL that has to do things quick. He's always saying,it took me only 20 minutes to do that.   ::)  And once in a while I will say,it looks it too. Good thing he has no trees to cut. Or he would be dead by now.
Looks like a drop off past the trees?
I worked on this place for years.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10436/across_garage2013thecfarm1.jpg)

I carried ALOT of brush out of this area and this is only part of what you see. I made some piles in the woods,than about 10 years later,the piles was all rotten and I moved the rotted compost with the tractor. I was not living here at the time. If I would have lived here I would have loaded the brush on the trailer and hauled it to the brush pile to be burned.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: 101mph on December 16, 2014, 11:56:02 AM
Quote from: thecfarm on December 16, 2014, 10:14:09 AM
Fast will get you in trouble. Slow and steady will win in the end. I have a FIL that has to do things quick. He's always saying,it took me only 20 minutes to do that.   ::)  And once in a while I will say,it looks it too. Good thing he has no trees to cut. Or he would be dead by now.
Looks like a drop off past the trees?

That's actually a lake out past the trees. It was so foggy that day you couldn't see 100 yards off shore.

That was another obstacle I was trying to avoid. Dropping the trees in the lake. It's frozen now but not that thick and I didn't want to have the tree fall and crack through the ice. Then I would never get it out of there. :)
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: luvmexfood on December 19, 2014, 04:57:47 PM
Quote from: thecfarm on December 16, 2014, 10:14:09 AM
Fast will get you in trouble. Slow and steady will win in the end. I have a FIL that has to do things quick. He's always saying,it took me only 20 minutes to do that.   ::)  And once in a while I will say,it looks it too. Good thing he has no trees to cut. Or he would be dead by now.
Looks like a drop off past the trees?
I worked on this place for years.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10436/across_garage2013thecfarm1.jpg)

I carried ALOT of brush out of this area and this is only part of what you see. I made some piles in the woods,than about 10 years later,the piles was all rotten and I moved the rotted compost with the tractor. I was living here at the time. If I would have lived here I would have loaded the brush on the trailer and hauled it to the brush pile to be burned.

I used to teach firearms in a police department. Tought everyone this "accuracy is more important than speed". Don't matter how fast you shoot if you ain't hitting what you are shooting at. That was the way I was taught.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: mesquite buckeye on December 19, 2014, 05:28:41 PM
Quote from: drobertson on December 15, 2014, 12:09:45 PM
You have it figured out!  Just wondering here, would the brush piles work for wildlife? or is this not an option there?  Years ago my uncle has us taking down the tops to very manageable pieces to handle and then pile in a nice small pile, they reduce pretty soon if the sight is bearable.

I try to drop the tops of several trees on top of each other. Turkeys love to nest in there and the deer don't eat the little cherry trees that come up inside. The whole thing is generally gone in 10 or so years, depending upon the species of tree and the diameter of the branches. If it's just pole thinning type stuff, most of it is gone in 5 or so seasons. ;D
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: thecfarm on December 20, 2014, 09:17:00 AM
@luvmexfood (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=23023),that is a diffeant way of looking at something.  ;) How true.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Puffergas on December 24, 2014, 01:13:49 AM
Thanks 101mph, I'm going to get one of those rope pullers.   :)

Here's two pictures of my micro or maybe pico skidder:



 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/Skid2.jpg)

One more:


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/Skid1.jpg)
The above pic was the first way using the sieve hitch. Next I built a wheeled arch and now a winch arch attached to the back as in the below pic.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/Skidding_Hitch.JPG)

I've started to build an articulated version.

Anybody ever build a skidder out of a 4wd trencher or a cable plow???? I've always thought about it....
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Maine logger88 on December 24, 2014, 05:42:33 PM
Those old wheel horses are tough! We have a few kicking around. I've seen a pasqualli used for twitching wood I guess they worked ok
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Holmes on December 24, 2014, 06:30:56 PM
Anybody ever build a skidder out of a 4wd trencher or a cable plow???? I've always thought about it....
A few years ago someone did just that . Trencher I think. We will have to look .  I will get Ray {thecfarm} on it right away ;D :)
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Holmes on December 24, 2014, 06:33:19 PM
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,49187.msg710306.html#msg710306
  This should be it
   And another one .
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,55142.msg796377.html#msg796377
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Puffergas on December 24, 2014, 09:28:00 PM
Quote from: Holmes on December 24, 2014, 06:33:19 PM
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,49187.msg710306.html#msg710306
  This should be it
   And another one .
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,55142.msg796377.html#msg796377


I'm sold..!!     8)
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Puffergas on December 27, 2014, 12:51:13 AM
Got that rope puller ordered today..  8)

My Christmas present was good weather to pull out some of my poll wood today.

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/IMG_20141226_104345.jpg)

one more

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/19539/XmasSkid.JPG)

When I put my new tires on the rims I put them both on the same way, ouch. And I double checked them, old age I guess. The one going the wrong direction is almost always the one to spin out...   >:(

And a vid of two small logs headed for the mill.

http://youtu.be/XZh7Quw1Rfc (http://youtu.be/XZh7Quw1Rfc)
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Puffergas on December 27, 2014, 01:16:42 AM
Quote from: Maine logger88 on December 24, 2014, 05:42:33 PM
Those old wheel horses are tough! We have a few kicking around. I've seen a pasqualli used for twitching wood I guess they worked ok


The pasqualli looks a bit pricey....  :o

Twitching must mean a short skid ? Maybe with small wood. If so that would be a good name for my machine; twitcher instead of a skidder..  ???
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: thecfarm on December 27, 2014, 06:30:39 AM
Twitching wood,the way I use it,is to pull or drag wood out of the woods. Be it with a skidder,dozer,tractor,truck,woods buggy,horses,oxens.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: lopet on December 27, 2014, 05:04:49 PM
Puffergras  nice drag for that little horse. ;D  Are you gonna tell us a little more about your fancy front weight ?
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: thecfarm on December 27, 2014, 05:13:56 PM
Uses wood as fuel?? 
That is quite the skidder you got there.  ;D
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: beenthere on December 27, 2014, 05:37:14 PM
A previous thread on the "puffergas" Wheel Horse.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,77928.msg1183311.html#msg1183311
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: lopet on December 27, 2014, 05:47:06 PM
Thanks BT
I actually thought it puffs gas.  Interesting set up anyways.  Must have  missed that thread. :(
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Puffergas on December 27, 2014, 08:16:17 PM
Quote from: lopet on December 27, 2014, 05:04:49 PM
Puffergras  nice drag for that little horse. ;D  Are you gonna tell us a little more about your fancy front weight ?

That the "Back To The Future" device.. Time travel or what not..  :laugh:

OK, some of the tree ends up in the "fancy front weight" thingy and that fuels the engine. In other words it's a charcoal gasifier or I like the old term Gas Producer. I just can't say no to forestry products.....  8)

Thanks for asking.
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: lopet on December 27, 2014, 11:04:09 PM
Gotcha !!!      I remember my grandpa telling me as a kid a lot of the tractors In Europe ran on wood fuel during WW 2.
I always take my hat off for people who try to use renewable resources as a alternative. smiley_thumbsup 
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: Puffergas on December 27, 2014, 11:40:40 PM
Quote from: lopet on December 27, 2014, 05:47:06 PM
Thanks BT
I actually thought it puffs gas.  Interesting set up anyways.  Must have  missed that thread. :(

That's 50% of the name because woodgas has what is called "mild explosions", that's where the fill lid is opened and air mixes with the gas and the glowing wood below ignites the gas causing a large puff. Good way to burn your eye brows off if you stick your face in the wrong place at the wrong time. But no one has been seriously hurt from it and charcoal gasifiers don't do that to my knowledge.

The other 50% of the name puffer comes from the old time alchemists, they were called puffers because they believed that the hotter the fire the better and they where always puffing with a billows according to one of my books..  ;)


Thanks for the comments..
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: 101mph on January 03, 2015, 11:14:01 AM
I got the rest of the trees down that I wanted this past week before the snow & cold came. I bucked them up and stacked the rounds out of the way. I'll get to splitting them some other time

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/36572/Jewel-WheelBarrow.jpg)

That's my trusty helper running our skidder  :D

;)
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: lopet on January 03, 2015, 10:44:11 PM
Glad you got them all down and safe  smiley_thumbsup  And hang on to your skidder operator, it's a keeper !!!
Title: Re: My micro logging operation
Post by: g_man on January 04, 2015, 07:03:30 AM
X2
There is nothing like someone who works with a smile