Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[fruitcakesa]

why such a small face? Looks like if you had gone deeper closer to 1/3 maybe 1/2 way I doubt you would of had to wedge and if you did it would go much easier.

I will give that a try next time out.

 

[Skeans1]

I will give that a try next time out.

Just make sure you know where the center of gravity is, when you start to do your back cut you’ll want to do a standard back cut vs back boring that way you know exactly what the tree is doing.

 

[Loaderman22]

I'm with you Skeans, I often wonder why some tree felling videos call for such a small face wedge. I typically go with 1/3 for a couple reasons, I can't tell you the last time I used a wedge to drop a tree, I've done it, just can't remember when. I also get a good idea of the condition of the center of the tree, yes I know a third isn't the middle, but its a lot closer than the 1/5 I've heard in some videos. Around here I have a lot of red/black oak, and am still surprised on how many have carpenter ants in the center. By going with 1/3, it gives me a good indication if the middle is riddled with ants, then I adjust my hinge accordingly.

 

[fruitcakesa]

Just make sure you know where the center of gravity is, when you start to do your back cut you’ll want to do a standard back cut vs back boring that way you know exactly what the tree is doing.

My initial wedging is to anticipate the initial lean.
A pinched bar is no fun.

 

[fruitcakesa]

Load heading out.
Grandson loves trucks!

 

[Skeans1]

My initial wedging is to anticipate the initial lean.
A pinched bar is no fun.

Try an indicator such as a wedge or axe head, I’ll use a wedge to just barely set it into the kerf. If you see the wedge set back you know that tree is starting to go, now if that wedge sits flat you know the tree is sitting onto the kerf. It’s also something you can do with a sight cut it helps a ton.

 

[John_Mc]

why such a small face? Looks like if you had gone deeper closer to 1/3 maybe 1/2 way I doubt you would of had to wedge and if you did it would go much easier.

I do have some luck with a deeper notch when cutting softwoods. They tend to grow against gravity (i.e. straight up), so more often cutting a deeper notch is enough to avoid having to drive a wedge.

Most of the hardwoods I cut are leaning one way or another. Just a couple degrees of lean, and the center of gravity is now outside of the stump. (Just 2 degrees of lean on an 80' tall tree translates to almost 3' off center at the top of an 80' tall tree.) Cutting a deeper notch just takes more time and doesn't really gain me anything if I have any back lean to speak of. It doesn't shift the pivot point relative to the center of gravity enough to make a significant difference, and the wedge is now pushing on a shorter "lever" at the back of the tree.

 

[Skeans1]

I do have some luck with a deeper notch when cutting softwoods. They tend to grow against gravity (i.e. straight up), so more often cutting a deeper notch is enough to avoid having to drive a wedge.

Most of the hardwoods I cut are leaning one way or another. Just a couple degrees of lean, and the center of gravity is now outside of the stump. (Just 2 degrees of lean on an 80' tall tree translates to almost 3' off center at the top of an 80' tall tree.) Cutting a deeper notch just takes more time and doesn't really gain me anything if I have any back lean to speak of. It doesn't shift the pivot point relative to the center of gravity enough to make a significant difference, and the wedge is now pushing on a shorter "lever" at the back of the tree.

A little deeper face changes the lever point at which your tree is past the hinge point. Take a situation where you’re jacking a tree with your 2 degrees of back lean over 200’ if I put in a face at 1/3 it takes that much more lifting to send the tree. Take the same tree that has a face closer to half way placement of the hinge that same tree lifts a little harder at the start, but it’s easier to get over once it’s started.

 

[A-P]

Very nice looking property mike69440. I see a ton of work has been done there !! Take care of yourself and get well.

I had a 2' dead maple that has been dropping branches on one of my tractor trails all summer. I decided to cut it and turn it into firewood. When the top hit the ground it shattered and there were broken branches scattered everywhere. Here it is after I cleaned up so that I could see what I was doing.

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I cut my firewood 18" long so I cut two 21' logs from the bottom part of the tree for the first hitch.

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The butt log was hiding behind the stump. Rather than just yank on it and hope for the best, or skid it from the top end which pulls much harder with a heavy log, I put the choker hook as low as I could on the back side of the log and brought the cable over the top in an attempt to make it roll up over the stump.

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Worked like a charm - a 180* roll and the log climbed right up and was sitting on top of the stump.

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Just need to pick up the saw and ready to head out.

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At the landing. They're not pretty but they should burn OK.

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gg

Hi Gordon,
Have you posted pictures of your tractor canopy. Looks like you did some more welding.
Do you have pictures of the tractor and canopy? I'd like to see what you did there.
Thanks,
Aaron

 

[Gordon Gould]

Hi Gordon,
Have you posted pictures of your tractor canopy. Looks like you did some more welding.
Do you have pictures of the tractor and canopy? I'd like to see what you did there.
Thanks,
Aaron

Hi Aaron. I made a thread on the project:

Roll Cage and Sweeps for the M5640

Somehow last winter I got it in my head that I should build a roll cage and sweeps for my woods tractor. I spent a lot of time thinking about it and before I knew it I got started. I've been at it for a while working in spurts. The first thing I did was to modify/enhance my grill guard to give...

www.tractorbynet.com

gg