Building a log ways

[tmbrcruiser]

Well finally I am getting the log ways built, ran for awhile on a temporary setup. My plan is for a three strand dead log deck and use the hydraulic line already on the mill (Baker 3650E) intended for the factory built log deck to transfer the log from the deck to the mill. As the pictures show I set 10"x10" salt treated post and 4"x4" steel post, will pour concrete later this week when the weather improves. Have feed arms that will set on the steel post similar to the factory built design. Will use two hydraulic cylinders and rotary flow divider to power the feed arms. 

  

  

 

Don't laugh at how tall the post are, my first plan was to cut 12' post in half and set another 10x10 on top as the runner. After a little math 6' post in a three foot hole wouldn't work. So bought a couple of 16' post cut those in half and finished up by setting the 12' post. Figured I'll cut all the post after concrete and use the pieces to set lumber on.

[WV Sawmiller]

   The height issue was my biggest question. What will be your final height on the back side? How steep will the deck be? I'd be afraid to get be on the downhill side right now. Good luck and be careful.

[fishfighter]

Yep, at first I was thinking down hill. :D Why 3' holes? Oh, you up north.

[AlaskaLes]

We're planning a similar design for our mill using the factory hydraulic loading-winch circuit to control a set of log feed thumbs.
It does look a bit on the steep side, but I wonder what the ideal angle is for an infeed deck.

[tmbrcruiser]

Had already picked up the post and didn't need to cut them off until ready to set finial height of the log ways. First intention was to cut the post in half but this would have been a little short on the back post, so I picked up more post. The mill is 37 1/2" to the top of the bed. Will set the feed arms at 8" above this and the end of the log strands with be 12" above the feed arms. This will place the end of the log strands about 5' above grade. Total length of the log way and feed arms will be about 22'. So the slope of the log stands will be 12" in 18' and the slope of the feed arms will be 8" in 4'. Hope this makes a little more sense out of the plan.

[47sawdust]

You certainly don't do anything half asked.The building is very handsome and I'm sure your log deck will be top notch.

[ozarkgem]

tell me more about salt treated post. Never heard of them. A with everything you do it looks excellent. How is the Baker doing?

[kensfarm]

I would question the height too..  dangerous if something goes wrong and you're between the logs and the sawmill.   Ramp the opposite way or flat even w/ the mill.. w/ hydraulic conveyor bringing logs up to the mill.  When logs are on rails like many setups.. the logs roll very easily.  The poles look beefy enough.

[longtime lurker]

Total length of the log way and feed arms will be about 22'. So the slope of the log stands will be 12" in 18' and the slope of the feed arms will be 8" in 4'. Hope this makes a little more sense out of the plan.

I think you'll find its too flat. I was always told a dead deck should fall at between a 10 and 15% grade: any more and they push too hard, any less and they take effort to move them/ irregular shaped logs get hung up.
12" in 18' is only 5.5% per this handy tool here: http://www.calcunation.com/calculator/slope-percent.php

I'd build it steeper, based on the simple theory that if its too steep you can just drop your "strands" further down post and chop a bit off the top. If you go the other way and its too flat and the logs wont run well... a great problem with wood is you can't just weld it back together.

Another thought is your strands are pretty close together: how will you unload it when required? For that day will come...

[tmbrcruiser]

Ozarkgem the post are loblolly pine (SYP) 10"x10" post pressure treated with ACQ Alkaline Copper Quarternary this deters rot. The Baker is a great machine, no regrets purchasing the mill.

Lurker thank you for your advice and observation. I will take you up on that advice as cutting the post would be much easier than trying to raise them. I have a Metavic log cart with an 18' boom that will load most of the logs or unload them if needed.

[fishfighter]

You sure you are not building grandstands for people to watch you saw? :D

[tmbrcruiser]

I've cut the grand stand down a bit, hopefully it work as a log way. Got the concrete poured, it took 16 yards for the pad and to fill the holes. The beams set on top of the post are oak 8"x10"x16' and will lag 2"x10"x16' hickory on top. This way I can replace the skid boards if they get chewed up over time.

Using 6" angle iron under each beam to lag the post and beam together. On the end of the beams I have a three sided steel box lagged in place. This will allow 4"x4" steel box tubing to be welded from the steel post back to the three sided box. Feed arm will work between the steel box tubing. Clear as mud I'm sure.

I'll post pictures as I get more done.

  

  

  

 

Hope the pictures help explain the plan. I will use the hydraulics already built into the mill for the log feed.

[longtime lurker]

What fall did you end up using? That looks about "right" to get them to (mostly) gravity feed to the stop and load.

Nice job!!

[Peter Drouin]

Hope it works for you the way you want it to. Looks too steep to me. 

[78NHTFY]

Good looking setup--mill, shed, wack of logs, etc.  Your log deck looks very sturdy, but have to agree with Peter, log deck looks too steep.  I went with roughly the same slope but then changed to make it flat.  Reason was safety.  As I add logs to the deck, tremendous pressure of stacked logs pushes forward. (I stack logs on the deck direct from the woods to save time moving wacks). See attached pic.   

  Toward mill-side, I stand to the side and just roll each log by hand off the end.  It bangs on the ground, knocks off some dirt/loose bark, and then I log-rite it onto my hydraulic arms.  Any logs with sweep, or that won't roll well, I load direct onto mill with tractor/forks or PATU.   Without a flat piece of land on my property the log deck nicely fit into the slope toward the mill.  The first 15 feet of the rails (telephone poles) are basically on the ground.  If I want, the mill is set so I can also put the mill's original steel rails onto the log deck and roll directly onto the mill.  I say all this but am just a small "homeowner" operation.  You are a much bigger, and production oriented, and your set up will help speed production.  Just be aware of the tremendous weight/pressure your logs can generate when they are all headed in the same direction.  All the best, Rob.

[Ron Wenrich]

When I saw it, I thought is was too steep.  You might have some success if the deck remains full and the weight of the logs push the others down.  But, rolling logs will bring in a new dynamic, especially if you are loading an empty deck.  Logs with any pronounced taper will not roll straight.  I've seen too many logs drop off of decks that way.  Also, logs that are crooked or have a flat spot won't roll very well. 

[Gearbox]

x2 what Ron said . Also those wide timbers are going to catch every knot and make rolling logs with knots in line .

[Jeff]

X3. Having loaded 10s of thousands of logs on a flat deck, I would be scared to death of one sloped to the mill.

[drobertson]

If it does not work, this deck was at a mill I was tweeking for an old friend a few years back, ( sure miss that 70 ) anyway the only slope was on the last few feet, worked good for them, 

 

[tmbrcruiser]

To everyone with concern thank you for your advice, you may very well be correct. Part of my reason for the steeper angle is I can cut the post off and lower the pitch easier than adding pitch. I will adjust the pitch if I have problems with the slope of the deck. My next chore is to install the feed arms, hydraulic cylinders and a rotary flow divider. The fin on the back of the feed arms should ensure that only one log at a time can enter the mill.

Rob I noticed the log cart in your photo, looks very nice. I have a Medavic cart and loader. What make is your cart? It may look like I'm setting up for production but I am not. I'm nearing retirement and have a large tree farm and want to play in the back yard. Started logging when I was fifteen and hope I have sawdust in my pockets on the last day.

[Ljohnsaw]

The fin on the back of the feed arms should ensure that only one log at a time can enter the mill.

I saw that, great idea.  I think that will work great for you.

[longtime lurker]

What you'll find with the declined dead deck is its perfectly workable and safe provided you use it right. It's not a hydraulic deck with infeed chains and you dont load it like one: You dont have logs piled three deep on the deck, just kinda roll the forks so they separate out as you load it so they lay flat. Take more care when its empty so the first ones dont get much speed up before they get to the stop and load. Try and keep it half full... instead of tossing up 12 logs and sawing 12 logs then reloading the deck when its empty, you learn to cut a few then jump on the loader and top the deck up. Because of the grade bent logs feed better not worse... they will mostly find a way they want to sit and then the weight behind them mostly makes them slide down rather then you having to manually roll them. If ones bent bad enough to hang up then stop loading behind him till he's close to the front.

Like a lot of things in this business it's about as dangerous as you make it. Me - I'd hate to be manually rolling logs off the front of a pile three deep like some of you guys do because I've seen what happens when one log shifts and the rest suddenly roll down and I'd hate to be in there on foot with a cant hook.  Truth is I'm just plain allergic to cant hooks - I get paid to saw not roll logs around.

[Sixacresand]

My Stepson designed a log deck using some I beams I had and used floor jacks on the outboard ends to create a slope.  I don't have the equipment to load a deck now, so I bring logs in one at a time with a log arch.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Good stout looking deck. Sounds like a lot of concrete. I don't use a deck per se but have a lot of experience on the slopes here on my place. I would want some kind of removable intermediate stops as I sure would not want to be at the bottom when you roll the first log on that deck. Maybe put the one with the most sweep you have so that it will slide instead of roll down. Then fill it up from there and never let it get more than half empty. Good luck and by all means be careful.

[tmbrcruiser]

I have mentioned that I have a Metavic log cart with and 18' bunk and 18' boom on the loader. I will use the cart to forward logs from the log yard to the mill. With this loader the boom will reach to the front of the deck, so I am not planning on turning logs loose to roll the length of the deck. Hope this added so reasoning to my madness.