Forced into being a newbie logger

[forgeblast]

How do you like your mill. I am thinking of getting a woodland mills 30, or a wm 15 go.
Great job on the milling and logging. Now you need to take a few timber framing classes

 

[crmorse]

Keep up the progress reports! I have something of a similar situation with red oaks but unfortunately my woods were mostly logged about 10 years ago so I have to fish them out of thick growths of tiny trees and the oaks have been on the ground a couple of seasons already... bugs aren't eating them but they're getting harder by the second.

I ended up building my own hydraulic log winch (I'll create a build thread on that once I get it working) but haven't gotten a chance to try retrieving any yet.

 

[Stimw]

The cant suggestion is a great idea! Will give you more flexibility.
Have you found The Forestry Forum yet? www.forestryforum.com
A great website that covers all areas of wood and a great sawmill forum!
I bought a HF sawmill about 3 years ago and it works GREAT!! There is a learning curve but it's not that steep.
While it is work, it is also fun.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I was given some beech, and i'm milling them into cants now,

I have several more to do, as time permits...

BTW, I gave up on the forestry forum years ago....

SR

 

[Woody65]

Years ago when I burned firewood - I handled Ponderosa pine that were 28" to 34" on the butt. It was a real learning experience - cutting a 34" pine and having it fall somewhere near where you want. I think you are doing a fantastic job. Just be careful and don't continue to work when you become too tired. That was my problem - "just a little more and I will be all done for the day" - unfortunate things can happen when you are tired.

Thanks. And I know only too well the desire to finish something when you should stop and pick it up tomorrow. You are correct sir.

 

[Woody65]

Wow! What a project. I know how hard and time consuming that is. In the tradition here of "Suggestions that spend other people's money": A 3 point hitch logging winch would be just the thing for yanking intertwined logs out from a safe distance.

Believe me, I looked into them. Just can't justify it right now.

 

[Woody65]

How do you like your mill. I am thinking of getting a woodland mills 30, or a wm 15 go. Great job on the milling and logging. Now you need to take a few timber framing classes

I did a lot of research before purchasing. I had time to cut up 2 18" diameter x 12' logs. Once I got it together ( by myself ) and tweeted the tracking and blade it was effortless. Very sturdy and powerful. I scrambled together a base for now. I will put it away in the barn when the winter hits and in the spring build a more permanent base.

 

[civilian]

I did a lot of research before purchasing. I had time to cut up 2 18" diameter x 12' logs. Once I got it together ( by myself ) and tweeted the tracking and blade it was effortless. Very sturdy and powerful. I scrambled together a base for now. I will put it away in the barn when the winter hits and in the spring build a more permanent base.

Think about a lean-to on the barn to store it in and be able to use it there. Then it is always set up and level ready to be used. Jon

 

[Ron50]

Probably the reason you got no bids from the loggers is that storm damage can be very dangerous. Be Carefull. I got hurt a couple years ago doing this, yet I've never been hurt falling. I am not a pro, just grew up in timber country.

 

[newbury]

Good job trying to save as many as you can...

I hope you are getting that milled lumber on dry stickers and covered ASAP, or is will mold FAST...

Wood boring bugs will get to those logs in no time, even if they are off the ground! Best way to make those logs last, is to cut them into cants, stack them on thicker stickers and get them covered.

Bugs don't like it when you take the bark and early wood off.

SR

How long a period of time can you wait to slice up a pine and a red oak before they are not good for lumber (assuming they are off the ground bark stripped and the ends are sealed?
I had one pine I didn't get to for about a year and it was buggy when I got to it. Now I've a pine (19" DBH) to take down but I won't be able to mill it until probably December. I've also a 31" red oak but probably won't drop that until December anyways, I need to move the pine first.
But I don't want to drop the pine and have it "go bad" by December.

I also dropped the Forestry Forum, the owner is eccentric.