Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[goeduck]

I had to look it up, but while ours is a shrub called speckled alder https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/publications/handbooks_guides/forest_trees/pdf/speckled_alder.pdf; theirs is a different species; Red alder. Red Alder - Alnus rubra - PNW Plants

Correct, we have what we call red alder. Not the best tree, but it populates easily from seed, yet dies off when cut at the stump (Does not send up shoots like our Big Leaf Maple),

 

[Skeans1]

150' must be where they grow up in a stand of trees? That makes sense.

Mine grow on the edge of a stand where they are subject to leaning and then wind blow down. I am on the saltwater so we get good winds off the water.

Yeah in an unmanaged patch of mainly Red Alder with a little bit of fir and cedar mixed in. The largest one I’ve cut was close to 40” on the butt so far.

 

[fruitcakesa]

I just cut a 24" DBH cottonwood a couple of weeks ago, here in Vermont

I have a few of those, they are dying and shedding their tops. I will just let them rot in place.

 

[fruitcakesa]

With the AC working again, I have been rapidly finishing up my firewood hauling for winter 2022-23.
Been cutting mostly blighty beech .
The first shot was taken amidst some of 2021-22's supply.
2nd shot looking back at the stacks.

 

[Yogi05]

I've been watching this with interest.
I have access to a portable sawmill that hadn't been used in about 5 years. The owner said if I can get it running, have at 'er.
He also said I can cut and mill all the red pine I want. He has about 50 acres of nothing but red pine and he is convinced that wood
is not good for anything.
I need about 1000 BF of timbers to replace a retaining wall so I started reading about mills and wood.
Opinion may differ, but i think this wood will be fine for my needs.

Engine and clutch was seized and he said he's not putting an engine on it.
I decided to buy an engine and clutch from (in Canada, Princess Auto - like Harbor Freight in the US)
$500 ~ for both.
It's someone else's mill, but still a fraction of the cost of buying lumber. Around $3-4k.

I've got it running and (I think) set up to cut in the next week .
I grabbed part of a fallen tree and ran it through the mill just to learn how it all works.
I have no idea how long that tree was on the ground. It just fell over because of where the roots were, and I
didn't care about the quality since I was experimenting.
I was kind of surprised at what came out. I may be able to just use stuff he's knocked down with his excavator during other projects
and save felling them myself. Pre-dried naturally??
I didn't care to measure that test piece, but I am planning on cutting 8"x8" for my wall. I also have access to a telehandler or tractor to
move the wood to the mill and load for taking it home later.
This same guy gave me a Foton 504 a few months ago with a FEL and 3pt snow blower. Also a finish mower that needs lots of work.
I have the tractor at home to use on that end.

Can anyone identify that saw? I see no markings on it whatsoever.

 

[Jstpssng]

It looks similar to this; Saw Mill with 301cc Gas Engine

 

[Gordon Gould]

Sounds like a good deal to me and a reasonable size project to start with. Plus you will learn a lot about milling. If you ever want to buy your own you will know some things to look for. Good luck with it.

gg

 

[Yogi05]

It's pretty basic. And I'm assuming old!
The current owner's father bought it used and I'm sure he wouldn't have paid much for it. Never used it much either, and it sat out in the weather for at least 5 or 6 years.
Between us, the owner has no use for it, and no desire to use it, so I'm hoping he tells me to keep it once I'm done cutting.
That's how I got the tractor. To him is was just junk laying around he'll never use again. (fingers crossed).

 

[A-P]

Down the hill my neighbor has an old Quality sawmill. The problem with some of the older mills -when the companies close, it can be difficult to source parts, or determine what is supposed to be where. Is that a battery to power the head up and down? Have you pulled the band wheels to see what type of bearings they have? What kind of tensioner? The log bed and rails look well thought out and pretty rugged. That's helpful and will make it easier than the lighter mills that require leveling the bed frequently. If you can source parts for it you may have stumbled into a worthy (long term and fruitful) project.

 

[Yogi05]

That battery is beyond dead. but it's for the electric starter on the engine. The engine starts great (new) so pulling it to start is fine for now.
Head raise/lower is done via a chain that looks like a bicycle chain on sprockets (1 each side). It's actually quite a contraption.
One end of the chain hangs loose, and tension to keep it from rolling under itself is bungee cords. If there's no danger of the chain
end swinging into a moving part I might hang a small weight on them instead.
I did have to replace a couple bearings used as a blade guide. Not a problem sourcing them except the hour drive to the city.
Called a bearing shop.
As I showed, the engine was generic, as well as the clutch.
Blade wheel shafts are supported on standard pillow bearings. Available for $12 ea
All looks like easily sourced stuff. The wheels the blade runs on even looks like new ones I saw in some video I was learning from.
It has a yardstick type measuring thingie on it for carriage height that I will lean to use next week.