Weekend logging

[Highbeam]

Just a couple of photos before leaving the jobsite after falling, skidding, and either stacking, or bucking and loading a good 10 trees with my CK30. Pushing 945 hours on her now. I use one of those drawbars on the 3ph with a grab hook to pull the logs with chains. Skid length was about 400 feet.

Tractor loves to work though the front tires are getting a bit worn.

This is some of us drive one ton trucks. Truck weighs 7500, no less than a ton of wet red alder in the bed, 2500 lb trailer, 4500 lb tractor, for a total of 16500 going down the road. Don't do this with a half ton pickup.

 

[IslandTractor]

945 hours clearing land over the past ?4-5 years. Wow, that is a lot of work especially without a grapple. Tell me it wouldn't have been worth a buck an hour to have a grapple too.:laughing:

As I recall you mostly are clearing trees. How much acreage have you cleared? Is it primarily used as a wood lot or are you clearing for some future dwelling?

Glad to hear the CK30 has been holding up well. Too bad you cannot leave her up there and save some of the hauling back and forth.

 

[Highbeam]

Oh, it would have been wonderful to have a grapple. We've talked about this for years, I agree. Cost would be more than 1000$ though, I would need to address the hydraulics too. I'm getting pretty good at picking up logs with the toothbar. I am now only getting about a foot long, 5' wide, strip of grass scooped up with them!

I'm really clearing everything from a parcel that was clearcut about 30 years ago and allowed to naturally regen so the timber species are junk instead of the nice fir that should have been replanted. I've cleared probably half of the 15 acres overall with a healthy 5 acre clearing out of the center. All of the background in these photos was dense jungle that could not be walked through.

The plan originally was to build a home out there but the schools are terrible so I now must hold onto the land until the kids grow up or unless I sell it if the market ever recovers. I keep it maintained and cut wood there. Lot's of big camping trips with 50 of my closest friends.

The looters would have stolen this tractor real quick. No title, no way to lock the wheels. It would have been gone. So I trailer it all the time. Not a big deal now that I have a bigger truck but the chains and binders are the worst part.

 

[flyingcow]

Nice pics. What yrs your pickup? Diesel? Tranny? Quite a load, but balanced good.

Why i'm asking is I'm planning on buying a 3/4 ton crew in the next yr or so. In the '02 to '06 vintage.

Had good luck with your pickup?

 

[Thomas]

Nice setup.
945 hours and still putting money in your pocket,now that's good deal.

 

[IslandTractor]

I trailer it all the time. Not a big deal now that I have a bigger truck but the chains and binders are the worst part.

I think I recall photos of your tractor on the trailer at home. Do you just leave it on the trailer most of the time?

Too bad you have a problem with looters. That sucks (and probably has something to do with the schools you noted.) Luckily for me I'm on an island and I can leave the tractor in the barn unlocked with no fear and implements scattered around in plain sight. Everyone knows my tractor and there'd be some tough questions for anyone trying to load it on the ferry without me.

What do you do about stumps? You don't have a backhoe so you are presumeably not digging them out. Are they small enough to pull out? I've been pushing over any tree up to about 5 or 6 inches and dragging them away whole. Bigger stumps I've mostly dug out with BH. I just had Michigan Iron fabricate a ripper attachment for the BH that I have only used briefly so far but I hope it will allow me to rather quickly rip up roots and then push over somewhat bigger trees to avoid the digging of stumps.

I'm still impressed with 945 hours of land clearing with just chainsaw, tractor, FEL and toothbar. I did that with my CK20 for about 30-40 hours before going to the grapple. I know they are not cheap but boy does it make a difference. From my experience I'd estimate that adding a toothbar doubles or triples the work of the bucket but the grapple is worth about a 10 fold increase in productivity. Allows you to stay in the seat too! I hate chains.

 

[magicheater]

Oh, it would have been wonderful to have a grapple. We've talked about this for years, I agree. Cost would be more than 1000$ though, I would need to address the hydraulics too. I'm getting pretty good at picking up logs with the toothbar. I am now only getting about a foot long, 5' wide, strip of grass scooped up with them!

I have cleared much the same as you and have relied on my Loader Buddy. I have found that for me a grapple gets in the way when I am in the woods and is a more use specific tool if you will. I relish the fact that I can lift, pry, dig, rake, carry, manipulate, smooth, contour, grub, and generally do all I need to with one tool. I rarely get sod when I pick up a log along with increased visibility and decreased turning radius as well. Great for working in a pile too, when you want that certain one. Really sorry to hear you have a theft problem there in Washington. Great state, I have visited a few times. It has it all in it's breadth. Good luck with your on going project!

 

[Highbeam]

Nice pics. What yrs your pickup? Diesel? Tranny? Quite a load, but balanced good.

Why i'm asking is I'm planning on buying a 3/4 ton crew in the next yr or so. In the '02 to '06 vintage.

Had good luck with your pickup?

The F350 is a 2000 with the 7.3 powerstroke and auto trans. I have lowered the rear end to the F250 stock height since I appreciate a lower tailgate height. Always always always buy the one ton SRW if they offer it instead of a 3/4 ton. The only difference is 1100# of allowable payload capacity. That's big, it makes my F350 able to haul 2400# instead of 1300# in the bed.

Since you say 02 to 06 you must be looking at dodges. I agree with your year range and shoot for the 5.9. That's what I initially wanted but the 7.3 was cheap, like half. It has never let me down. I really like the huge crew cab on the Fords.

I've put 20k on it in the last two years with about every tank of fuel including some towing or hauling. Makes it tough to measure mpg. It's not as good as people say, 12 towing, 15 short drives to work, and 18+ on long empty runs. I can acutally slide a full height 5 gallon bucket under the oil pan for oil changes. It's a real truck.

 

[Highbeam]

I think I recall photos of your tractor on the trailer at home. Do you just leave it on the trailer most of the time?

Too bad you have a problem with looters. That sucks (and probably has something to do with the schools you noted.) Luckily for me I'm on an island and I can leave the tractor in the barn unlocked with no fear and implements scattered around in plain sight. Everyone knows my tractor and there'd be some tough questions for anyone trying to load it on the ferry without me.

What do you do about stumps? You don't have a backhoe so you are presumeably not digging them out. Are they small enough to pull out? I've been pushing over any tree up to about 5 or 6 inches and dragging them away whole. Bigger stumps I've mostly dug out with BH. I just had Michigan Iron fabricate a ripper attachment for the BH that I have only used briefly so far but I hope it will allow me to rather quickly rip up roots and then push over somewhat bigger trees to avoid the digging of stumps.

I'm still impressed with 945 hours of land clearing with just chainsaw, tractor, FEL and toothbar. I did that with my CK20 for about 30-40 hours before going to the grapple. I know they are not cheap but boy does it make a difference. From my experience I'd estimate that adding a toothbar doubles or triples the work of the bucket but the grapple is worth about a 10 fold increase in productivity. Allows you to stay in the seat too! I hate chains.

I changed homes about 4 years ago and my current home has a tiny barn to park the tractor. Trailer stays outside.

Stumps and slash are the problem. Some I can pop out with the tree, some I cut real low to the ground and I can mow over them, and some have big butt ends that I leave tall enough that I can see them while mowing. I hate stumps. They are the worst part. I have had two permitted burns where I hired an excavator to pop, stack, and burn the slash. My permits were for 50 feet in any direction and boy were those fires big. I'm not even sure you can get those permits anymore and for the last couple of years I have been either brush hogging the slash or piling it into a huge heap. I figure I will either burn that heap someday or forget about it. I've even thought about getting a tub grinder out or burying everything. I don't know.

I can drag some pretty huge trees with the chains. Then dismantle them in the processing area. But there is plenty I could use a grapple for. I really do want one. I am happy now to be able to have a machine and enjoy this recreation. Once the economy rights itself I can look into it again.

 

[flyingcow]

The reason for the '02 was I am looking at the fords w/7.3 power. Just cruising the internet, learning prices, whats good whats not, etc. Looking in the southern eastern U.S. Would like to find a truck w/no road salt issues. i can Fly one way to Atlanta or Tampa for $100+/-. This will take a while before i do anything.

And yes, have been looking at the dodge/cummins power. Found one w/8ft bed, but time will tell. I presently have a '03 quad cab,4x4, 1/2 ton w/gas motor. like the interior room of the dodge.

Also part of the daydream is to but a pickup down south, swing into Kaufman Trailers and hook onto a 24ft gooseneck. just dreamin'