Tractor Sizing Tractor logging 5.5A

[weesa20]

Hello All- Just put in an offer on a house with 6 acres today. It is almost all timber and I want to cut it and sell the timber. I currently have a GC2300 but don't think it is enough tractor for this project as I would likely have to at least pile them out the road for pick-up. So, my question is, what is the smallest tractor I could get away with for skidding and piling logs. Second, has any one cut their land and had someone else haul it to the mill? The lot is about 600 feet from font to back.The land is mostly flat with a very gentle slope.

Another option would be to cut and then rent a larger tractor for skidding and piling- looks like I could get a 35 or 40 horse from Sunbelt, of course this will cut into any profit.

Weesy

 

[Mudfarmer]

How big are the trees (logs)?
Mf

 

[creekbend]

Are your trees mature? What size are they? Are they mostly hardwoods? In the Piedmont region of N.C. where I live, many loggers have quit the business. When I sold my trees, the first logging Company quit because of equipment break downs. I realize that you are planning to log your own timber and have someone take it to the mill, but here are a few things you should consider. You may have difficulty in enlisting a Company that is willing to haul and contract your timber. Mill prices are in a decline and have been for sometime. A large amount of timber around here is being shipped to Red China. Another thing to consider is that many of the surviving mills only take certain varieties of trees. It is rare to find one mill that will take all the different varieties that most woodlots consist of. Haulers have to make a profit and the farther from your land to the mills, reduces their profit margin and yours. Plus there is the added expense of clearing the stumps and preparing your land for the use that you intend for it in the future. Perhaps it is different in your part of N.C. Best of Luck in your endeavor.

 

[creekbend]

Another thing to consider is that a lot of haulers will not even consider taking on a contact in regards to a job that is as small as the six acres that you are attempting to purchase. The larger jobs are what they look for considering the profit margin. Maybe due to these tough economic times, you may find plenty of offers. Once again, the best of Luck in your endeavor.

 

[scoutcub]

In your situation, I would consider renting an excavator and pushing the trees over. Definitely beats having a stump farm to deal with down the road.
I bought a stump farm, trust me.......

 

[treman]

are you wanting to clear the lot to make lawn or are you in it for the cash? If you want it cleared for lawn and for $ you could probably have someone pay you to come through and take out all the quality timber. I guess it depends on what your wanting as a finished product. while that massey is too small it would likely be a great maintenance tractor for 6 acres.

 

[Chilly807]

To the original question, unless you have timber over 2 feet in diameter, 35 hp would be fine. I'm using a 35 hp 4x4 for cutting firewood on a small scale using a 6500 lb winch. If you're not in a hurry, and the land isn't too rough you shouldn't have any problems.

6 acres is a small enough lot that a few months of cutting trees and burning brush will see it stripped off, getting it stumped and smoothed is another project.

Sean

 

[L3650]

Chilly807-
Your profile says you have a logging frame. What is that?

 

[Gobblin Tom]

I pull logs out with my 2520 and can move them around with the FEL to be cut up, you just have to be careful... Did you ever think about selling your timber for firewood? You will make a lot more than a timber company will offer, although you will have time and effort involved....

 

[Chilly807]

Chilly807-
Your profile says you have a logging frame. What is that?

It's essentially a steel frame shaped like a winch, without the actual winch mechanism. I built it to get the log butts up off the ground using the 3ph. I don't use it much anymore, the winch has taken it's place.

Sean

 

[Grandad4]

I have to agree with Creekbend and the others about selling timber... it doesn't seem to bring much return for all the hassle you go through. What few loggers there are want large diameter, healthy timber while much of what is on our place (Triad area) is the junk stuff... live and deadfall pine, small hardwood saplings, etc., that they won't bother with. Don't know if your place is like that also, but you'd either dispose of it on your own, as we are, or pay to have it hauled to a landfill.

If you have a defined area, say, an acre or so, that needs to be cleared to bare ground, you may find your best option is to just hire a track loader and operator, and a hauler to remove the spoils. These days there should be people hungry for that kind of work. If you plan ahead for it, you might be able to get all 6 acres cleared in stages as your budget allows. Clear-cutting all 6 acres yourself will be a really huge job and take a long time; hiring it done would be much faster.

At our place, we want to keep the healthy larger hardwoods, so clear-cutting is out. Like others, we're using a logging winch that greatly improves the ability to get down trees out of the woods safely. We have a 46hp compact that handles the winch and the logs easily, but in all honesty, any larger-framed compact with more than 30hp would readily do the job. My sense is the smaller compacts, even if they have similar horsepower, don't have the size and weight for such work.

Best of luck with your plans.

 

[IndyIan]

I'd first determine if your trees are worth anything, 5 acres of 2'+ diameter straight poles with 50' to the first branch Red Oaks are always good.
Do some surfing and asking on the forestryforum.com if you are unsure and your state or county forester. It would be a shame to sell a couple truck loads of veneer for near nothing, or have you think your wood is worth more than it is.

 

[jshwhite]

I'm no logger, but have some experience with tractors and firewood/logs. I have 37hp 4x4, and from my experience you can drag about anything, but lifting with the FEL is a different story. I had a poplar get struck by lightening last summer. I cut two 12 ft logs out of it and wanted to load them on the trailer to take to the mill. The smaller one was 14 in and it would lift that OK, but it just couldn't lift the bigger 17in log - I had to get creative to get that loaded. I can do firewood and drag trees and logs around all day, but the 37hp just doesn't have the hydraulics to lift heavy logs.

Interesting that you guys in NC say it's hard to sell timber there - we can still can get pretty good money for it here in KY. Even worth it to sell the logs out of trees that come down instead of cutting for firewood.

 

[Dr_Zinj]

A cord of wood here goes for about $200 if it's been drying for a year. But cord wood usually needs to be at least 4 inches in diameter to turn into split logs; anything smaller is chipper feed, i.e. wood mulch.

 

[creekbend]

I'm no logger, but have some experience with tractors and firewood/logs. I have 37hp 4x4, and from my experience you can drag about anything, but lifting with the FEL is a different story. I had a poplar get struck by lightening last summer. I cut two 12 ft logs out of it and wanted to load them on the trailer to take to the mill. The smaller one was 14 in and it would lift that OK, but it just couldn't lift the bigger 17in log - I had to get creative to get that loaded. I can do firewood and drag trees and logs around all day, but the 37hp just doesn't have the hydraulics to lift heavy logs.

Interesting that you guys in NC say it's hard to sell timber there - we can still can get pretty good money for it here in KY. Even worth it to sell the logs out of trees that come down instead of cutting for firewood.

Lumber prices started falling 2-3 years ago here. A large mill in Mebane shut down around 3 years ago. There are hundreds of apartments now on that former mill site. Logging is still going on, but in a lesser degree. Most of the logging companies are only taking the really large plots. The N.C. Game Lands here in Caswell County sold a selective cutting contract last year that encompassed 3 thousand acres. The yellow popular lumber is being shipped to Red China and being processed for "Chop Sticks". Seriously.

 

[creekbend]

A cord of wood here goes for about $200 if it's been drying for a year. But cord wood usually needs to be at least 4 inches in diameter to turn into split logs; anything smaller is chipper feed, i.e. wood mulch.

A full cord of firewood sells for $65.00 to $90.00 here and that is for split wood. And that is for a Full cord-4 foot wide, 4 foot tall, 8 foot long. It's hard to make a profit at those prices.

 

[jshwhite]

A cord of wood here goes for about $200 if it's been drying for a year. But cord wood usually needs to be at least 4 inches in diameter to turn into split logs; anything smaller is chipper feed, i.e. wood mulch.

WOW! That's amazing. Around here it's like $50-60/cord, split - if you can even sell it. Saw one person selling full truckloads, split, delivered, and stacked, for $50. Wood is just so common here. Good ol' law of supply and demand I guess - or climate

 

[Carykong]

I logged a portion of my 10acre home lot with a 15HP 1952 vintage Case VAC and milled the logs with my portable log mill. My old Case tricycle was able to skid diameters in excess of 24". If traction became an issue,I had to buck some of the logs into shorter lengths,but ,nothing under 8'.

If you have the time and desire, your Massey Ferg,will get the job done. Can you use the lumber? Consider contracting for portable log mill that will come to your site. Good luck.