Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[Skeans1]

We are a timber oriented state, and there are yards where I can haul just one or a few logs in. Hence it always makes me a bit sick when I see a nice sawlog go into the firewood pile.

As my old mentor use to say it’s just a hardwood just chair it up anyways.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Today was another sunny 70's day, and I decided to run the BSM. Remember this "big ugly" cherry? (the very top log)

I milled it today, once I got the slabs off it, I made several cuts at 5/4,

and this is what the average board inside looked like,

It's better than I thought they would look! lol

Anyway, went out to one of my food plots, and this wasn't there yesterday!

It's only about 50 yards from my deer blind.

SR

 

[BnRidge]

If I sawed logs into cabinet grade planks, I would need to find an additional market for it. I wouldn't want more wood in my house, and relatives only need heirloom quality - it ends up less is more. Average here would be $100 maybe $200/year for purchased quality hardwood. Where is your market for sawn logs. It is tempting to start bandsawing, but, I have pallets of hickory planks in the shed that never have found a home. 45yrs, still there.

 

[Jstpssng]

If I sawed logs into cabinet grade planks, I would need to find an additional market for it. I wouldn't want more wood in my house, and relatives only need heirloom quality - it ends up less is more. Average here would be $100 maybe $200/year for purchased quality hardwood. Where is your market for sawn logs. It is tempting to start bandsawing, but, I have pallets of hickory planks in the shed that never have found a home. 45yrs, still there.

I'm not sawing them, just selling the logs. There are several yards around which buy many products, then resell them when they get a load. As I said, we are timber oriented and right now the mills are hungry for just about anything.

 

[BnRidge]

I'm not sawing them, just selling the logs. There are several yards around which buy many products, then resell them when they get a load. As I said, we are timber oriented and right now the mills are hungry for just about anything.

But sawer Rob has a bundle ready to go. But where too?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

But sawer Rob has a bundle ready to go. But where too?

It's all already sold, to a private party.

SR

 

[Jstpssng]

But sawer Rob has a bundle ready to go. But where too?

I believe that Sawyer Rob has spent a LOT of time building up his clientelle.

 

[Gordon Gould]

A wind storm we had a while back uprooted three white pine. Yesterday afternoon I started to salvage what I could from them. The easy one first. The smallest too, and the root ball right next a tractor trail.

I cleaned out a spot to work in and assess what to do.

The top was laying pretty much flat on the ground and looked stable with no forces on it from big branches under it or sticking out that might make it want to roll. And it was not pushing against other trees causing a bind. So I decided to cut the butt first and not have to deal with a heavy log falling at my feet if I cut the top first. It looked like the root ball wanted to lay back down where it came from.

I started with a cut straight down around 1/2 the diameter deep. At the bottom I started a short up cut the full diameter. I drove home 2 wedges on this side.

I added another wedge in the bottom cut I made on the other side.

I started the final cut from the top down trying to sense any movement. I started to feel slight pressure on the bar so drove in another wedge.

Then finished the cut. To my surprise the root ball stayed put. That's the thing - you never know what will happen. The butt moved towards me a little and down but stayed up off the ground. You can see the two cuts.

I cut the top just below a weevil bend and fork. 20" at that cut.

Set up a snatch block to get it across the trail.

Pulled it out and then to the tractor straightened out in the trail.

Just under 16' so it will make a nice 14'er. The rest of the tree is pallet wood and pulp which no body local to me wants. That's why I don't cut pine on my lot - it seems so wasteful.

gg

 

[Skeans1]

A wind storm we had a while back uprooted three white pine. Yesterday afternoon I started to salvage what I could from them. The easy one first. The smallest too, and the root ball right next a tractor trail.

View attachment 769078


I cleaned out a spot to work in and assess what to do.

View attachment 769080


The top was laying pretty much flat on the ground and looked stable with no forces on it from big branches under it or sticking out that might make it want to roll. And it was not pushing against other trees causing a bind. So I decided to cut the butt first and not have to deal with a heavy log falling at my feet if I cut the top first. It looked like the root ball wanted to lay back down where it came from.

I started with a cut straight down around 1/3 the diameter deep. At the bottom I started an up cut the full diameter. I drove home 2 wedges on this side.

View attachment 769082


I added another wedge in the bottom cut I made on the other side.

View attachment 769083


I started the final cut from the top down trying to sense any movement. I started to feel slight pressure on the bar so drove in another wedge.

View attachment 769084


Then finished the cut. To my surprise the root ball stayed put. That's the thing - you never know what will happen. The butt moved towards me a little and down but stayed up off the ground.

View attachment 769085


I cut the top just below a weevil bend and fork. 20" at that cut.


View attachment 769087


Set up a snatch block to get it across the trail.

View attachment 769088


Pulled it out and then to the tractor straightened out in the trail.

View attachment 769089


View attachment 769090


Just under 16' so it will make a nice 14'er. The rest of the tree is pallet wood and pulp which no body local to me wants. That's why I don't cut pine on my lot - it seems so wasteful.

gg

Only suggestion I would make is put a small face into something like that to allow the kerf to stay open easier.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I can't remember if I posted this, sorry if I have already.
Bobby Branson with a NICE load of free maple.

 

[Skeans1]

Some of the blow down I’ve done in the past, one I can think of was higher stacked than this and it’s a good reason for a longer bar. For most of this stuff I seem to remember dragging out a 42 not because of the size, but just for safety of cutting only from one side and being able to be away from the log.

 

[oldtimer 66]

FYI, the weather has been good the last couple of weeks so I have worked on next years wood. This is what I have cut and skidded to my landing at the top of the hill. My woods is maybe 20% on flat land the remainder on a sidehill. This is all wood from the hillside. It will set there until spring. This is so the rain and snow will wash off a majority of the mud. Then in the spring I will cut / load onto my hay rack with my grapple/ and then take to my garage and split and stack. It is mainly dead ash.

 

[Gordon Gould]

All borer killed ash Oldtimer??

gg

 

[fruitcakesa]

The 450 is operational again 1 month later, after a lot of running around, 2 remanned starters and some struggles with the starter mounting bolts.
I brought it back to the homestead to help get down a large, partially broken at the stump maple tree that is hung up in its neighbors arms.
I rode my ebike up to the landing to get the dozer and found it had a bike rack to haul it home on.
Forgot the pic, here it is.

 

[Hoobie]

A wind storm we had a while back uprooted three white pine. Yesterday afternoon I started to salvage what I could from them. The easy one first. The smallest too, and the root ball right next a tractor trail.

View attachment 769078


I cleaned out a spot to work in and assess what to do.

View attachment 769080


The top was laying pretty much flat on the ground and looked stable with no forces on it from big branches under it or sticking out that might make it want to roll. And it was not pushing against other trees causing a bind. So I decided to cut the butt first and not have to deal with a heavy log falling at my feet if I cut the top first. It looked like the root ball wanted to lay back down where it came from.

I started with a cut straight down around 1/2 the diameter deep. At the bottom I started a short up cut the full diameter. I drove home 2 wedges on this side.

View attachment 769082


I added another wedge in the bottom cut I made on the other side.

View attachment 769083


I started the final cut from the top down trying to sense any movement. I started to feel slight pressure on the bar so drove in another wedge.

View attachment 769084


Then finished the cut. To my surprise the root ball stayed put. That's the thing - you never know what will happen. The butt moved towards me a little and down but stayed up off the ground. You can see the two cuts.

View attachment 769085


I cut the top just below a weevil bend and fork. 20" at that cut.


View attachment 769087


Set up a snatch block to get it across the trail.

View attachment 769088


Pulled it out and then to the tractor straightened out in the trail.

View attachment 769089


View attachment 769090


Just under 16' so it will make a nice 14'er. The rest of the tree is pallet wood and pulp which no body local to me wants. That's why I don't cut pine on my lot - it seems so wasteful.

gg

I always admire how you work Gordon.

 

[BackRoad]

^^^^ I pay attention to Gordon, Sawyer Rob, Jstpssng...well, actually to most of the guys posting on this thread!!!

Haven't heard from Mr. Hunt in a while though....

 

[oldtimer 66]

Gordon, yes all ash borer killed.

 

[shooterdon]

^^^^ I pay attention to Gordon, Sawyer Rob, Jstpssng...well, actually to most of the guys posting on this thread!!!

Haven't heard from Mr. Hunt in a while though....

There are a number of talented and knowledgeable people posting on this thread.

 

[Skeans1]

Can I ask why most of you are using a conventional face with a tall stump?

 

[Loaderman22]

There are a number of talented and knowledgeable people posting on this thread.

Then there's me, just a shlub cutting some firewood for heat.