few questions bout getting started in the logging business

[xalexjx]

I bought a c5 tree farmer with a bad 353 in it, put a rebuilt one in it, rebuilt the transmission and rebuilt basically everything else.. I am cutting on a 180 acre piece right now, its mostly spruce and balsam. Im in upstate ny south of lake placid, have few guys who can haul pulp wood for me but am looking to find some buyers for the logs. Also have been looking for some used tire chains with no luck. Been looking for new but they're awful expensive, any suggestions with the best ones to go with? theyre 18.4 26 chains

[Ron Scott]

180 acres is a good piece. Are you hand cutting it?

[xalexjx]

yes. Just cutting on the weekends and after my normal job.

[HiTech]

You could try Tire Chains.com, they have decent prices. I understand the ones painted green are the best and the ones painted blue are second best...no idea if that is true or not. I bought a set of 18.4 x 26 a year and a half ago for $950 from a local dealer, they were painted green. Didn't pay attention to the name on the sticker. You can use chains from 18.4 x 34 tires also...just take two rings out. For all around use I like the bear paws but on ice they can be slippery. lol

[Mark K]

You can check with George Kahler Sales. I just took a set of bear paws over, traded for a new saw. Chains had roughly 60 hrs. of run time on them. Came off my Timberjack that had 16.9-30. Tag on the drum said they'd fit 18.4-26 tires also. Reason I got rid of them was my skidder burned about six weeks ago. I bought a C7D treefarmer that has 23.1's on it.

[mad murdock]

Welcome to the forestry form xalexjx.  Do you have any species that are used in log home building? Sometimes you can seek out log home markets, and other niche markets for better $$ than pulpwood.  White Mountain chain co. Makes good tire chains as well. Problem with new of course will be $$. Price of steel is pretty high, goes with chain as well.

[Black_Bear]

One of the first conversations I ever remember about logging when I was a kid: Question - "How do you make a small fortune in the logging business?"
Answer - "Start with a large fortune."

I can't answer your questions, but if you are young the industry could use you in the future, especially if you decide to go full time. It's scary to think about what the logging contractor availability will be like in 10 years.

[xalexjx]

well, sat moved an excavator and skidder in cleared the header and cut and drug out about 19 cords, already sent one load of 12 cords. the area i started cutting in had a lot of pulp quality wood but i just got into some good spruce logs. At least i dont have to pay stumpage  ;D

ill get some pictures up at some point, my head is still ratteling from spending 12 hours on the 3-53

[xalexjx]

One of the first conversations I ever remember about logging when I was a kid: Question - "How do you make a small fortune in the logging business?"
Answer - "Start with a large fortune."

I can't answer your questions, but if you are young the industry could use you in the future, especially if you decide to go full time. It's scary to think about what the logging contractor availability will be like in 10 years.

well, id love to do it full time, but i work as a lineman during the week and am also part owner with my father of a small excavation company, so the logging just act's as a fill in for the winter basically. This last week the phone has rang off the hook for work

[JohnG28]

MarkK, what happened to your Timberjack? Did it literally burn? I noticed you have the Treefarmer there, wondered about the TJ.

[Mark K]

Ya she burned around the end of Febuary. Went in first thing in the morning and cut my days worth of hitchs. Made two hitchs, was sitting in my truck grabbing a bite to eat. My skidder was uphill from me, saw ambers dropping between the front tires. Grabbed my fire extingisure, by then it was a full blown blaze. Insurance company figured it started ontop of the manifold from leaves and dropped in the belly pans. Was suprised there was enough trash in there to burn as I kept it clean. Fire company put 4500 gallons of water to it.  John if you get down toward the Bridgewater area I can show it to you. Sold it to a guy for parts.

[beenthere]

Practically overnight a wren or a mouse could build a fair amount of nest in and around the engine, and enough to catch fire.
Had that happen with a tractor and while driving it down the road, kept getting whiffs of smoke. Couldn't see anything in the air as I looked around. Then it got stronger and finally visible. Turned out it was a Jenny wren had built a stick nest on the exhaust manifold. It was hard to get at with the shroud around the engine, but finally managed to get it out with no gloves, no water and very little available dirt.

[JohnG28]

Mark, sorry to hear it went that way.  At least you didn't end up hurt.  I'll give you a call here sometime soon, like to see how bad she ended up. Where did you get that C7? I remember there was a treefarmer on the side of rt12 up north last year that's not there now, not sure what model it was. Let me know when your not too busy. What saw did you end up getting for them chains at Kahler's? Happy birthday too.