How much logging with how little a tractor

JP11 · Mar 23, 2004

Ok. Thanks for all answers.

We shook on the price and particulars for the land today. Just gotta get the surveyor and lawyer in on it.

FYI.. after taking a look at some of the trees, and talking to the owner. The oak is due to be cut. The tops had some ice storm damage. Saw some real good size oaks. I measured one at 6 feet of circumference.. and looked to be over 100' of which the first 40 or so would make a great verneer log.

I plan on letting the pro's cut and haul that out after an uncle of mine picks the trees.

I was thinking of something like a HST 40 horse NH. Maybe that is a bit more than I need. Looking at about a 1000' driveway. The only "logging" I would do is cutting up the smaller stuff.. maybe 10 cords a year max for home burning. I want a power feed chipper to clean up

Lot is mostly level, no hills to speak of.

Ideas? I was going to say is 40 horse too much.. but I know there is no such thing as too much. Could I get by with less?

JP

zuiko · Mar 23, 2004

Diameter is going to be your big limitation. Diameter adds weight a lot faster than length. Most of the logs that I pull are pretty big around (20+ inches) or I would pick them up with the loader (easy with the 4-in-1 bucket). So far I've only done 20" diameter 12 feet long or so hardwoods but I could probably go bigger. Traction would be the big issue. The ground is really soft now so its not a really good time to try.

MossRoad · Mar 23, 2004

If I was going to cut firewood, I'd drop the tree, saw it into 16" sections and split it right there. I'd dry it in the woods. No sense in moving it twice. Then use the FEL bucket and/or a cart or trailer to haul it out of the woods to the house. That way, all the sawdust and small stuff stays right in the woods to rot into new soil for the woods. And the mess stays away from my house and yard.

If I was going to log for my own lumber, I'd look into a logging arch. Our woods are not too steep and I can get in there and tow it out pretty easy. I haven't heard of too many here on TBN using logging arches. Any of you loggers out there have any reasons not to use them, VS winches and tow chains, other than steep slopes? Just asking, as I plan to get a small arch when we move to our property in a few years. From everything I've read, the arch bears the majority of the logs weight and really takes the wear off the tractor. I've seen several models that are reasonably priced and it also looks like it would be easy to make your own.

Egon · Mar 23, 2004

If the real timber logging is outsourced there are many different ways of getting firewood in with a smaller tractor. It will just take more time but you may also travel where a larger tractor cannot. For pulling HP is less of an issue than weight and traction. Pulling with the three point and filling the bucket with rocks can make a big difference in traction and pulling ability.

Egon

theonlybull · Mar 24, 2004

try this site, it's all about forrestry
http://www.forestryforum.com/cgi-bin/board/YaBB.pl

tcmike · Mar 24, 2004

Jp11,
We bought 62 acres 1 year ago. I am buying a Kubota L4330 and a Farmi 351p winch as I write this. I will be buying a small mill soon to cut lumber to build a house. I need at least 40 hp to drag logs out. You may not need that much to bring firewood out.
That 6ft oak veneer log should just about pay for a smaller tractor! Healthy down payment any way!
Have fun looking for a tractor, I don't think I have ever spent as much time researching and deciding which product or machine to buy.
Now to decide on a sawmill...........

Boondox · Mar 24, 2004

JP11 -- I heat exclusively with hardwood harvested off my land. I use a Kubota L3010HST with a Farmi winch. A lot smaller than the 40HP beast you're looking at. I've never had trouble bringing home maples, ash, birch, beech or cherry logs. I cut them to 16' lengths only because it makes it simpler to bring them home around corners, boulders, etc. There are few straightaways in Vermont. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I haul three logs at a time and the tractor has never had trouble with the weight; the limiting factor is the size of the butt plate on the winch. If I try to haul four logs one invariably slips off the butt plate and chafes against one of the rear tires.

I find logs much simpler to move than cutting and hauling rounds, or worse yet, splitting it in place. I drag them home, then use chains on the FEL to lift them one at a time to waist height so I can cut them into stove length rounds right next to the splitter. The rounds are then split, and the splits tossed into the firewood storage area where my bride stacks it. Works well, and in a month of weekends we can process enough firewood to supply two homes through the worst winter has to offer.

Hope this helps. Pete

JP11 · Mar 24, 2004

Thanks

Thanks again everyone. As usual, more than one way to skin a cat.

The season to do this is going to be limited. Looks like a couple good wet spots to cross. BUT.. I could drag along the high ground.. happens to be a power transmission line.

After taking a quick walk along one side of the land (and it is very cool to go from a two acre lot.. to having a half a mile along one side of the new lot)

.... looks like a lot of blow downs, and dead falls. Think I could get in there with my dad's Artic Cat 500. I could play, and get some exercise this summer just plain cleaning up that stuff. I'm sure I could get a couple of cords of that stuff. Then.. during the dry part of the year.. I'll have the pros come in and get the big oaks, and clear the spot for the house. I'm sure to get a couple of cords of limbs and such from that.

SO.... Plans to start building in about a year and a half. I just bought a 20HP cub cadet for lawn stuff. I don't think I can talk the wife into a new tractor much before we have a 1500' driveway to plow.

I guess the new tractor to shoot for would be a 30HP. That'll run a power feed chipper ok won't it?

JP

Old_Hickory · Mar 24, 2004

I have taken in 25000 board feet with my JD 4400 since last August.

Slamfire · Mar 25, 2004

I've got 32 acres of pretty steep mountain land where an 18" DBH is a big tree, and an 18 horse Mitsubishi tractor. The picture shows my solution to the steepness of the ground and provides better traction as well. I'm not taking anything commercially, just pulling out blowdowns for firewood and milling lumber for projects. I'd like to get a winch as there are plenty of trees I can't get to, but I can't justify the expense. Sooner or later I'll have to get something as I've got a lot of dead SYP the pine bark beetles killed during a dry sumer a couple of years ago. It is getting dangerous just walking around in the woods due to all the dead wood still standing. I can pull one tree length log unless I have to pull it up an embankment, which is all I need. Good luck, and let us know what you decide.