Overcoming limitations of the "little guy"

[Treehack]

I run a manual mill mostly for personal use.  I live in town and am set up behind my workshop in back yard, so space is pretty limited.  When I built my mill shed, I made the bay for loading logs just over 12' since I am limited with space and would be unlikely to mill longer stuff on site.  We also have family property with over 100 acres of timber where I eventually be milling logs for a cabin and other fun stuff, so I want to build a nice sized drying area up there. 

I have a friend that is a contractor and was removing some nice sized spruce trees on a job sight so I had an opportunity for free logs to use for the new drying shelter.  Problem was it was short notice and I didn't have the time to bring mill and cut on site, so had to grab them and go.  That is where opportunity meets limitation.  I now had some 17+ footers on my site that I couldn't drag in and load normally.

When I built the mill shed, I doubled the tie collars in case I needed the extra beef.  So I mounted my 3000# winch up on the collars in back of the shed and invested $12 for a sheeve block from HF( I know, big spender, right).  Here is the first log ready for the unconventional loading.


I wrapped a log chain around the collar closest to front of mill, attached the sheeve to it, and ran the winch cable through it to the log and started winching it in.




After I got it lifted and pulled in to each collar, I set it down and moved sheeve to next collar back until I finally got it loaded to mill my long dimensional lumber that came right up to the capacity of my mill.


Lots of work, but a tough day making saw dust still beats a good day at work every time.

[Percy]

Good thinking 👍👍

Where there is a will, there is a relative....wait!! A way. Ya that's it :d

[Peter Drouin]

If you cut the limbs flush to the tree it will help a lot. And maybe cut a small flat face with your chainsaw too, 2" wide. You could then push it in a with a PV on the rolls.

[drobertson]

nice set up,  but I have to admit, as soon as I read the topic title,, I started breathing heavier, like I was working and handling logs :D  there are no icons for aannd- III- finallllly got it loaded,,!! wheeww,  but, the stack of lumber is there,, and  that's what counts for sure,  Nice shed,, I agree with P,  trim closer for ease of many things,

[4x4American]

Now I'm not telling you how to do your job, but, I see a trampoline out there don't ya think it'd have been much quicker to stand the trampoline up 90 degrees and used it like a slingshot to fling the logs in on the mill?  lol

[Treehack]

Yeah, I figured out the flush thing the hard way on that first log as the stubs began catching on the front bunk and trying to pull my mill through the back wall of the shed.  Maybe next time I get ready to blaze new trails for me, I could set up a couple of lawn chairs and invite some of you more "seasoned" fellas to visit.  You could sit with a cool beverage and tell me all the dumb things I'm about to do .

[Treehack]

Now I'm not telling you how to do your job, but, I see a trampoline out there don't ya think it'd have been much quicker to stand the trampoline up 90 degrees and used it like a slingshot to fling the logs in on the mill?  lol

Now why didn't I think of that, could have used the winch to pull it back to get enough tension to make the shot. :D

[Sixacresand]

Build or buy a log arch.  You can move your logs, slabs and lumber with it.


  

 

[drobertson]

that almost sounds tempting,, but really way to painful to watch, :D   all kidding aside, if it works man, it works,, there are many things I've done sawing I should not have done, but did it not only twice but more,, so my thing is stretch and be flexible, its a learning thing, some come easy, while others come not so much,,the bottom line is quality stacked and drying at the end of the day, with a good feeling of a good thing done,, that's a fact,  I'm happy for you,, and now its cooling off! hard to get much better than this!  (till the snow flies)  ;D

[Peter Drouin]

With a tall log arch you could roll the log over, around, the mill and set it down on the mill,  roll out, and start cutting. 

[bandmiller2]

A mill in a cramped space can work well, think railroad. Wheels on angle iron track with a carriage same height as the mill bed. Logs can be loaded where you have a machine and space pushed to the mill and loaded. Slabs and waste can be relocated, finished lumber can be removed all on the same carriage. Frank C.

[Treehack]

Here is a pick of the finished lumber headed for our farm.


And the storage/ drying area I used it for.