New Wallenstein logging winch

[Gordon Gould]

How does selling the logs to the mill work? Do they give u a price for each log, etc? I'm very interested in doing something similar one day.




Thank you for the excellent explanation!!!! I appreciate it greatly. :thumbsup:

Have you ever explored milling your own lumber and then selling it? I heard somewhere that adding an additional step to a product really increasing your profit.

If I was younger that is exactly what I would do.
Another option is to have someone with a portable bandsaw mill come to your place and cut your logs into boards or lumber. We have several guys around who do that and they are quite reasonable in what they charge.

 

[Stewie1]

Post some working photos when you get a chance.

Has to do some more work to post more pictures:thumbsup:

Got another productive day in last weekend cutting and winching with the FX65 - still really happy with it. Used a snatch block for the first time to extract logs from less accessible spots. Working with a well positioned spotter it was really straightforward to pull the logs into an open space and then winch to the landing. Not a self releasing block, but works well all the same. Also did some winch assisting whilst felling trees. Some practice with the brake needed here to avoid slack, but we were still able to pull in the direction we wanted much more easily than the manual methods.

These two pictures were taken once I had tension on the cable but before the cut (i.e. everything was stationary!)


Back at the log landing - when we started everything was frozen, but skidding the last batch of logs out was a muddy affair....


Here are some of the results of the last 2 weekends (the softwood is elsewhere as is the firewood...)


End of an enjoyable day at the log pile


There seems to be a lot of interest in what people do with the wood. For me, I have a friend with a sawmill (he has a friend with a tractor so it works out) and so we separate out what we think are good sawlogs and then will be sharing the lumber. I make furniture and intend to use this as my source. We also both heat with wood. So far we have birch, red and white oak, maple, ash and beech. The oak will be going into a kitchen for my friend in his new home.

Craig

 

[Gordon Gould]

I like your pictures. Looks like you are doing really well there. You have gotten out some nice logs. Sounds like a good arrangement with your friend. If you are like me you will use that snatch block alot. I try to keep my tractor in the tractor roads rather than driving thru slash or over stumps or on steep side hills. It seems pretty handy for me to hook a block directly behind the tractor then run the cable into the woods at an angle. You can pull several trees to the same place at the road edge on the same skid path or at various angles and never have to unhook the snatch block or move the tractor. Sort of like a yarding operation.
Yes, having a winch to aid in felling a tree leaning the wrong way is a great benifit as you found out. That is another place a snatch block can be used. Keeps you out of the line of fire. I usually put my choker high as I can in the tree then put pressure on the tree with the winch as close to the felling angle as I can before I cut. Just enough pressure so you see the top start to move then set the brake. Make the cut leaving a good healthy hinge to direct the fall then go back to the tractor and winch the tree over. Once the tree comes over dead center and starts to fall on its own the cable goes slack but the hinge keeps it in the proper line.
Keep up the good work and stay safe.