Power Line Logging Project

[timster2]

The plan is to lift one end of the log with the tractor prop it up and back the trailer under the log. Once the log is on the rollers winch it up and roll it to one side. My tractors don't have the capacity to lift the whole log, however, they can lift on end. Other methods are under development . I should be able to get three or more logs on the trailer depending on size and weight.

They should be laying the roadbed by the end of this week or beginning of next week, then the fun starts :thumbsup:

 

[Terry1040]

Tim - keep working and keep us posted on the progress !!

 

[MossRoad]

The plan is to lift one end of the log with the tractor prop it up and back the trailer under the log. Once the log is on the rollers winch it up and roll it to one side. My tractors don't have the capacity to lift the whole log, however, they can lift on end. Other methods are under development . I should be able to get three or more logs on the trailer depending on size and weight.

They should be laying the roadbed by the end of this week or beginning of next week, then the fun starts :thumbsup:

The reason I'm asking is because I have to bring home firewood quite often. We heat with wood. It would be less handling for me to bring home long logs VS cutting them there, and I don't particularly like chainsawing alone VS at home where someone is around if things go bad. I have telephone pole sized logs cut into 20' lengths and a car hauler trailer. The plan is to mount a winch on my trailer as you did, but use it to parbuckle the logs onto the trailer from either side. Its half the load on the winch and doesn't require a tractor or re-positioning the trailer (my tractor is at home and not at the woodlot as yours is). Anyhow, that's the plan.

Enjoying your thread. Good luck with the timber sale.

 

[timster2]

Had some fun learning how to get logs on the trailer. Lifted one end used an old aluminum rim and the winch and the logs rolled up nicely onto the trailer. Seems that the carry all can just get a log high enough to load on the trailer as well.



Here is a look down the road and some of the timber.



Still learning what the mill wants and how they want it. Took a load of six logs to the mill and was a bit disappointed with their value, however, I now know more of what they want and the size to cut the logs to. Also learned which logs to concentrate on rather than loading all that is easy to get to. Surely more fun to follow.

So far I have paid for about one third of the new chain saw, Stihl 211.

 

[MossRoad]

The stories I hear about the prices mills or loggers pay for logs always amaze me. Is it worth it? Pretty much the majority of people that I hear about selling logs generally feel like they got screwed in the sale, or got significantly less than they thought they should have once the entire thing is over and they see the bottom line. At least you're dealing with the mill directly.

I figure a cord of firewood saves me about $200 in heating bills. How much will a mill pay for logs that would have made up a cord of firewood if split? Are the logs good species for firewood, pulpwood, saw logs, veneer? Are the logs of any quality and how do you know they are telling you the truth about if your logs are pulp wood, saw logs, veneer logs??? Will they pay you for pulp wood and turn around and sell it for saw or veneer? That's why its important to get someone who isn't going to profit from the sale, like a consulting forester, that will evaluate the wood and tell you what its worth.

I'm managing a small plot for veneer timber, only about a thousand trees. It won't be ready until 2040 or 50, or longer. Its for my kids or their kids if they ever have any. But I have not looked into pricing in 25 years. I get calls from loggers and lumber companies once in a while asking if we want them to manage it for us. My friend, a forester, tells me to just keep doing what I'm doing and don't let them in, but we really haven't discussed how to sell it off in the future. Anyhow, the way things look, I may not have to deal with selling it off. I'll be well over 80 when that happens! :laughing: But I want to become more familiar with the process, analysis, estimation of board feet, pricing, etc... in the near future.

Thanks for the pictures. That rim looks to be a good tool. I see you have tongs on your winch. I just bought some tongs a couple months ago and have them hanging off on an eye on a quick attach plate on my FEL. They work great for dragging stuff out of the woods. :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

The stories I hear about the prices mills or loggers pay for logs always amaze me. Is it worth it? Pretty much the majority of people that I hear about selling logs generally feel like they got screwed in the sale, or got significantly less than they thought they should have once the entire thing is over and they see the bottom line. At least you're dealing with the mill directly.

I figure a cord of firewood saves me about $200 in heating bills. How much will a mill pay for logs that would have made up a cord of firewood if split? Are the logs good species for firewood, pulpwood, saw logs, veneer? Are the logs of any quality and how do you know they are telling you the truth about if your logs are pulp wood, saw logs, veneer logs??? Will they pay you for pulp wood and turn around and sell it for saw or veneer? That's why its important to get someone who isn't going to profit from the sale, like a consulting forester, that will evaluate the wood and tell you what its worth.

I'm managing a small plot for veneer timber, only about a thousand trees. It won't be ready until 2040 or 50, or longer. Its for my kids or their kids if they ever have any. But I have not looked into pricing in 25 years. I get calls from loggers and lumber companies once in a while asking if we want them to manage it for us. My friend, a forester, tells me to just keep doing what I'm doing and don't let them in, but we really haven't discussed how to sell it off in the future. Anyhow, the way things look, I may not have to deal with selling it off. I'll be well over 80 when that happens! :laughing: But I want to become more familiar with the process, analysis, estimation of board feet, pricing, etc... in the near future.

Thanks for the pictures. That rim looks to be a good tool. I see you have tongs on your winch. I just bought some tongs a couple months ago and have them hanging off on an eye on a quick attach plate on my FEL. They work great for dragging stuff out of the woods. :thumbsup:

I always hear the same thing. Cutting wood off other people, clearing blow downs and such, sometimes we run across nice logs. Ask the landowner who is equipped with trailers, skid loader, etc if he wanted to save them to take to the mill. His answer is always the same....not wiorth it. While I have never dealt with a mill, and cannot speak to the accuracy of prices, looking here Object moved shows that the best quality of white oak, walnut, and cherry only bring $1 per board foot.

Using the example on that website of a 12" diameter and 12' long log yields 48 BF. That would be at best #2, and the highest paid #2 of anything is 0.20/BF. So that log would only bring $10 at best.

It would take 10 of them to make a cord of wood figuring a cord is 80CF accounting for air spaces. So to sell that cord of wood in log form to the mill would be $100/cord.

So it seems the only real way to make any money would be larger stuff and higher demand stuff, like the wanlut, cherry, etc. And even then, you still have to load it and haul it to the mill. And if you only have a log or two, just aint worth it IMO

 

[timster2]

Well hauling the logs to the mill is over. All the hardwoods that could be sold are gone. Mother nature was kind to me and let me work all winter. Just about forty loads on the car trailer. The actual value ended up being thirty percent lower than loggers and the arborist projected. Glad I hauled it off myself.

I was left with a lot of beech, white pine and hemlock, stuff the mill did not want. It seemed a gross waste to just let them sit on the ground and rot. I came up with the idea of getting them sawn up for siding etc on my garage extension project that has been in my in the planning stages for a while. I started gathering and stacking the logs that were left. Lots of smaller diameter cherry, hard and soft maple, beech and birch. I stacked the hemlock and white pine and I have over 120 good size logs enough to really do something with. There are also five piles of smaller hardwoods, and lots of firewood.

Looked into getting someone come and saw up the logs but did not have an idea of just what lumber I needed. I decided to use the funds from the logging to buy a mill. Another toy for the tool shed :cool2: Now I have to build a bigger tool shed, however, I know where I will get the lumber.

Log loads to the mill one of many.


Pulling logs off the piles to buck and haul.


Whats left behind to mill:

Smaller hardwoods one of four stacks


White pine and Hemlock




One of the last loads dragged from the right of way.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Most folks would have just buzzed them up for firewood, glad you decided to NOT do that.

There will still be plenty of firewood in the slab wood ect...

SR