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Timber Harvest Methods & Equipment

Started by Ron Scott, March 24, 2002, 02:14:52 PM

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Ron Scott

Winter Harvest. White ash sawlogs bucked to length with hard maple sawlogs laying in the background waiting to be picked up by the forwarder. The sawyer's saw oil and gas containers sit on the cut stump as he works on another tree nearby. Nixon timber harvest; 2/08.

~Ron

Dave Shepard

How does the forwarder move amongst the saplings? Do you just pick the path of least damage?


Dave
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

rockenbman

 Most of the time I run my 87 Toyota 4x4 4cyl 4 speed truck for most cuting jobs,like hauln out fire wood, hedge post,brush.And my tools  8)
I love the smell of burnt fuel pouring out of my Jonesred early in the morning.

Ron Scott

The forwarder runs on existing trails and the paths of least resistence as you stated making effort to knock down the least amount of saplings and regeneration. Some future photos will show a Fabtek 344B forwarder at work.
~Ron

twobears


RON:thanks for the mule center section pic.

thecfarm

I kinda think what Dave means.I had my lot cut.It's alot differant than what was posted.I had a lot of old white pine,not much small stuff growing around the trees,like in the picture.He also had a graple,cable skidder too.There was some spots where they would use the skidder to bring the logs to the forwarder.I saw quite a few places where they would pull up along side of a tree that was not bucked to lenght and pull it to him on the forwarder.This required a guy with a chainsaw to be there to buck the tree to log lenght.I should of taken a picture of that.Looked real odd to see a 3 by 80 foot path in the woods.A forwarder CAN do a nice job.Depends ALOT on the operator.You still need trails to get the wood out no matter what.But with a forwarder the logs are being carried out,not dragged out.Alot less damage is done to the ground with a forwarder.I have a steep hill that is the only way across the bog.This hill would of been at the bottom if they would of been skidding the logs.There is less barking up of trees too.My land is kinda of a challange,big rocks,small mounds of dirt,trees I wanted left.I saw one spot where they had to stop and back up the forwarder to save a few trees and go around a big rock.I would not let just a skidder crew on my land.I watched this guy cut for more than 20 years.I do have pictures in my gallery.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

SwampDonkey

Well there is no blanket prescription as to what machine to use. The ground, local climate/season and the vegetation (trees and such)/available seed (good seed years) should dictate the proper system every time. Most of the time it's just $$ driven when you look out the door and see one lot after the other clear cut.  ::)

For instance, a woodlot that was picked through for firewood often grows back with beech in the understory. You could carry the dang firewood wood out by hand or use a machine, still beech regen on some sites. Up here, beech is about as bad as having pin cherry because it all gets infected with disease. I've had instructions from some woodlot owners who want PCT done to cut every one of those %$%$ beech and save all the maple and birch that you can, even aspen is better than growing junk.

Another scenario is cutting hardwood using a type of selection. But, the understory is overtaken by fir that is 40-60 years old, hollow butted and 8-15 feet tall. The S maple and yellow birch may have been very poorly regenerating. Not too hard to age fir if it's intact on the stump and not rotten, whack some off the stump and count rings throughout your work area. Now, you gonna save old suppressed trees about the end of their life? What machine do you use and what type of harvest do you used to help get S maple and Y birch coming?
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ron Scott

Fabtek 344B Forwarder. Works its way through a northern hardwood winter selection harvest. Nixon timber harvest;2/08.

~Ron

JLeBouton

Quote from: Ron Scott on March 08, 2008, 05:35:23 PM
Fabtek 344B Forwarder. Works its way through a northern hardwood winter selection harvest. Nixon timber harvest;2/08.



Looking good! 

Dave Shepard

Yeah, that looks like a nice comfy way to get the logs out! ;D


Dave
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

Corley5

Does that Fabtek have a squirt boom  ???  That's a feature I'd like.  It seems like the boom on Iron Mule is always just a little too short  :) :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Ron Scott

No its not a squirt boom, but it has more reach than the iron mule. Its a bigger machine than the iron mule and can also handle the heavy snow and hills much better. Of course it carries a bigger payload also.

A good operator is key to operating it in selection hardwood thinnings so as to damage the least amount of regen and skinning of the better quality leave trees.
~Ron

moonhill

A person could spend hours going through this thread!  Tim B.
This is a test, please stand by...

semologger

actually around 18 and a half hours. Slow reader. ;D

SwampDonkey

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ron Scott

Fabtek 344B Forwarder. The forwarder operator provides assistance to the  sawyer in getting the hard maple hanger safely down for bucking. He will then pick up the sawlog lengths for transport to the landing/decking area. Nixon timber harvest; 2/08.

~Ron

TeaW

Ron  does the sawyer have a machine (skidder ) with him or does he rely on the forwarder for that. How small do they take the wood down to.
TeaW

Ron Scott

The forwarder picks up the cut-to-length sawlogs that the sawyers have bucked at the stump. We usually take the wood down to a 4 inch top, but on this sale sawlogs to an 8 inch top were removed. The landowner wanted the pulpwood and topwood left for his own firewood use.
~Ron

Ron Scott

Fabtek 344B Forwarder. Unloads sawlogs at the landing/decking area. Nixon timber harvest; 2/08.
~Ron

Ron Scott

Western Star Woodhauler. The Western Star woodhauler arrives at the landing/decking area for a load os sawlogs. Nixon timber harvest; 2/08.

The woodhauler turns around at the end of the landing while the Fabtech forwarder continues unloading its bunk of sawlogs.


The woodhauler moves into position to the log deck for loading while the Fabtech forwarder is moving around behind it.


The woodhauler prepares to start loading while the Fabtech moves to unload its sawlogs on the opposite deck.
~Ron

rockenbman

 I sure wood like to have a forwarder ;D it make for a easy day in the timber. how long of saw logs does it handel ?
I love the smell of burnt fuel pouring out of my Jonesred early in the morning.

Ed_K

 I noticed orange & blue paint on one tree, is that the cut boundry?
Ed K

Ron Scott

Forwarders of this size bunk will carry 8-17 foot sawlogs. The shorter logs are placed on the bottom with the longer logs being placed on the topload.

The trees with the blue painted ring at breast height and stump mark are the trees to be cut. The orange spots are marks made by a timber purchaser while looking at the sale prior to bidding. Some timber buyers will place their own marks of another paint color on the trees while making their own volume cruise, designate veneer trees, etc.

Our cutting boundarys are marked with red painted line trees. A blue painted "W" on a tree is a wildlife tree not to be cut. A blue painted "X" on a tree is an unmerchantable tree that is not in the tally, but may be cut at the purchaser's option.
~Ron

Ron Scott

Western Star Woodhauler. It is loaded and the load chains are tightened. Plans are to move off 3 loads of sawlogs today. Nixon timber harvest; 2/08.


The Western Star is "ready to roll" with its sawlog load.
~Ron

Ron Scott

Daylight On The Landing. Nixon timber harvest; 2/08.

~Ron

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