One of "Those days"

Bobus2003 · March 04, 2011, 08:52:15 PM

Have you ever just had one of "those days"? I did today, a Friday that felt like Monday. Woke up to 3" of new snow, Get too work, Dead batteries on the Skidder, Jump-start the skidder head to the woods to cut and skid a new Section of Wood that is at the edge of a meadow.. So i have to deal with Deep snow. (Up to or deeper than the belly pans in places). Fell my first tree, (26" DBH 67' Tall) Whole tree skidding, Hook up the choker Start to winch in and BOOM!! Mainline breaks, and sliders fly..UGH!! Finding 6 sliders in 1.5' or better of snow sucks. Go to the truck grab the New mainline out of the tool box, put it on the skidder and then go back too get the tree. Went great for the next 2 drags.. Stopped to take a pic (On in this thread) and i realize I'm Short one chain.. Again.. Finding lost crap in the snow sucks! Found my chain, it was actually hung up in the Limbs of the last drag.. Put the chain back on and called it a day.. I'll deal with it again tomorrow. As i leave I slide my truck into the ditch.. Not a good day

sandhills · March 04, 2011, 09:05:26 PM

Sounds pretty much like my day on the farm today, just don't have to deal with the new snow until first of next week :

. Hope tomorrow is better for both of us.

chucker · March 04, 2011, 09:06:59 PM

no one said its a easy job! but we all know that instead of seting behind a warm desk that you would rather it be a repeat day again tomorrow just the same... this is what makes you and a lot of us, the envy of the arm chair warriors....

tapper2 · March 04, 2011, 09:09:13 PM

Seems lately, every time I want to accomplish something, I get a case of the Mondays regardless the day. I just do it for hobby though. Some days I'll be in the middle of a big ordeal, just look up, and say,"why am I doing this again?"........Of course, I'll keep working, taking my punishment, as if I deserved it.
Fun huh?
Don't let it get to ya', just roll with the punches. By the way, nice skidder pic.

tyb525 · March 04, 2011, 09:09:54 PM

Like many of us, I just got inside and got to sit in a chair for the first time since 5:30am. Would definite take this over any kind of office job!

Jasperfield · March 04, 2011, 09:29:15 PM

Well, at least you didn't get any certified mail.

Tom · March 04, 2011, 10:00:30 PM

I think, if I had opened the door and saw three inches of snow, I would have built a little snowman and gone back inside. ;D

Bobus2003 · March 04, 2011, 10:50:22 PM

Well i have too agree with you guys.. Bad day in the woods is better than anyday in a office

thecfarm · March 05, 2011, 06:59:11 AM

Lucky you found everything.I still have 2 chains in the woods.One I think is in the twitch trail the other I think I left it when I bought too many chains when I was hooking up.I can count my chains every time after I hook up and the first time I don't I loose one. I only have a tractor 3pt winch and they were my short chains,4 feet,but still will cost more than $40 to replace.I lost one years ago and knew right where I lost it too.Never did find it.I call them my Sundays days.Things break,but can't get parts because it's Sunday and they are closed.

treefarmer87 · March 05, 2011, 01:11:18 PM

thats all part of logging, especially with big timber, you better believe something is going to break. i have had a bunch of "those days", but i would not have any other job.

Maine372 · March 05, 2011, 01:33:05 PM

wait, did you loose a choker chain, or a tire chain?

Bobus2003 · March 05, 2011, 03:07:01 PM

Lost a tire chain. Im running tractor chains cause I'm skidding across a paved road and a cattle guard and they don't tear up the road or the cattle guard, but they sure don't hold up to stumps and rocks like skidder chains

Woodhauler · March 05, 2011, 05:33:18 PM

Quote from: Bobus2003 on March 04, 2011, 08:52:15 PM
Have you ever just had one of "those days"? I did today, a Friday that felt like Monday. Woke up to 3" of new snow, Get too work, Dead batteries on the Skidder, Jump-start the skidder head to the woods to cut and skid a new Section of Wood that is at the edge of a meadow.. So i have to deal with Deep snow. (Up to or deeper than the belly pans in places). Fell my first tree, (26" DBH 67' Tall) Whole tree skidding, Hook up the choker Start to winch in and BOOM!! Mainline breaks, and sliders fly..UGH!! Finding 6 sliders in 1.5' or better of snow sucks. Go to the truck grab the New mainline out of the tool box, put it on the skidder and then go back too get the tree. Went great for the next 2 drags.. Stopped to take a pic (On in this thread) and i realize I'm Short one chain.. Again.. Finding lost crap in the snow sucks! Found my chain, it was actually hung up in the Limbs of the last drag.. Put the chain back on and called it a day.. I'll deal with it again tomorrow. As i leave I slide my truck into the ditch.. Not a good day

This is why they make beer!

BOBWOOD · March 05, 2011, 07:09:50 PM

that's right....cheers everyone!

thecfarm · March 05, 2011, 08:01:10 PM

Wrong chain. :-[

Bobus2003 · March 05, 2011, 08:03:22 PM

Quote from: thecfarm on March 05, 2011, 08:01:10 PM
Wrong chain. :-[

How well do chains hold up compared to cable chokers? I have seen a few Skidders with Chain Chokers and i'd think they'd last longer, not tear up your gloves like Cable Chokers..

Mark K · March 05, 2011, 08:14:02 PM

Never see cable chokers around here. Everyone runs chain chokers. Gloves still get tore up from dragging the mainline but probably not as bad. Probably easier to feed a cable choker under the log. We use snow hooks to pull chokers under. Do cable chokers stay with the line or do you have bells? I have six sliders on my line and carry 3/8 chain chokers. Have had the same chain chokers for 7 years. Break a hook once in a great while but no complaints.

Bobus2003 · March 05, 2011, 10:08:36 PM

My chokers are on Sliders on my mainline, I can take the choker off the Slider if need be.. Was thinking if i could run chains if i break one, i could go to the local TSC and buy some bulk chain and make new ones, instead of ordering and waiting for a cable choker

Mark K · March 05, 2011, 10:27:55 PM

Only complaint I have about chain chokers is they tend to slide off frozen wood. The blow down I'm cutting has a good ice layer on it. Have to keep the chains as tight as possible to the slider or the log slips out when i round a corner or it gets slacked. They make square chain chokers that is suppose to work better. I made up two sets so when I do have a skidder operator I can fall and set chokers while they are skidding. Saves a lot of time.

a old timberjack · March 06, 2011, 10:02:00 AM

Quote from: Woodhauler on March 05, 2011, 05:33:18 PM
Quote from: Bobus2003 on March 04, 2011, 08:52:15 PM
Have you ever just had one of "those days"? I did today, a Friday that felt like Monday. Woke up to 3" of new snow, Get too work, Dead batteries on the Skidder, Jump-start the skidder head to the woods to cut and skid a new Section of Wood that is at the edge of a meadow.. So i have to deal with Deep snow. (Up to or deeper than the belly pans in places). Fell my first tree, (26" DBH 67' Tall) Whole tree skidding, Hook up the choker Start to winch in and BOOM!! Mainline breaks, and sliders fly..UGH!! Finding 6 sliders in 1.5' or better of snow sucks. Go to the truck grab the New mainline out of the tool box, put it on the skidder and then go back too get the tree. Went great for the next 2 drags.. Stopped to take a pic (On in this thread) and i realize I'm Short one chain.. Again.. Finding lost crap in the snow sucks! Found my chain, it was actually hung up in the Limbs of the last drag.. Put the chain back on and called it a day.. I'll deal with it again tomorrow. As i leave I slide my truck into the ditch.. Not a good day i agree!!!!!!

This is why they make beer!