I hereby declare the start of Chainsaw Season!
From the beginning of September till the end of March, it's chainsaw season in the woods.
The wildlife have had their time to raise their young, and now it's my turn to log for milling and fuelwood.
This season, I plan to clear most or all of the forest trail paths in Deerwood as the main development project.
First order of business is to get a store of wood cut for the office heating this winter. I'll cut mostly standing deadwood for this as it has already dried some.
Showing posts with label logging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label logging. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The Forestry Forum
I was considering the issue of skidding trees out of the woods the other day and visited The Forestry Forum on the interwebs for some skuttlebutt.
I find the sort of chatter these good 'ol boys type up both amusing and compelling. I knew (sadly?) that these were my kinda guys when I got into the 'growing mushrooms' thread. Forestry, mushrooms? Yaup.
Here's a sample of the thread titles...
Haven't tried that yet.
I find the sort of chatter these good 'ol boys type up both amusing and compelling. I knew (sadly?) that these were my kinda guys when I got into the 'growing mushrooms' thread. Forestry, mushrooms? Yaup.
Here's a sample of the thread titles...
- Boot break in...
- Intermitent saw head with rotation
- Skidding under powerlines
- Women in logging
- Smuggling problem??
- Log prices
- One of my crazy equipment ideas
Has anyone ever taken a backhoe boom and stick and put a grapple on it to use for a log skidder? I would think that it wouldn't work good on a backhoe, but a different tractor for a carrier. Maybe a way to convert a cabble skidder. I'm sure that backhoe attachments are pretty easy and cheap to get.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Shack Attack
Karen kindly sent along some photos of yours truly cutting a tree at The Shack.
It's nice to see that orange goes with everything, but those trou just don't flatter my girlish figure. Better go back to the chaps....
It's nice to see that orange goes with everything, but those trou just don't flatter my girlish figure. Better go back to the chaps....
Skiddin'
Yesterday I bought some chain, a cleat, hook and did my first log skidding operation.
Thought I'd first try to solve the old Pine Logs Issue by hauling away some of the logs dumped on Deerwood. The piled logs still threaten to seriously hurt someone and it preys on my mind.
My first skid log is chained and ready to slide.
And it worked! I was able to drag it to the mill site.
Though, the 40 grade 3/8" chain didn't like being dragged under the log for a quarter mile of pavement.
I could have bought some tougher 70 grade chain at double the price, but thought the 40 might do. All in all, I don't think any chain does well when ground into pavement. Better that I stick to gravel or dirt trails for dragging chain. I cut the damaged chain links off and started again. That chain was too long anyway.
Thought I could help solve mom's high gravel/dirt mound problems on the Deerwood road by dragging logs down the centre.
This really did help to smooth out the high middle of the road in a bunch of places. Bonus!
Next, I tried to skid a log over a bumpy forest trail using an old plastic barrel cut in half with the skid chain through a hole in the centre.
The rounded barrel ends did work to get the log over bumps instead of getting the end stuck. This is the way to go, baby. Dragging logs down the new forest trails helps to clear away vegetation to better establish the trail path. Though, it's probably best that I don't use this barrel 'cone' apparatus on gravel as it would destroy it pretty quickly.
Finally, I chained four logs and saplings together for a skid try and it worked too!
Below is a photo of a small toad at the mill site. I almost stepped on it. They're hard to see on the forest floor with a toad's natural colouring. Glad it didn't end up like the chipmunk.
A small toad rests on the sawmill's blade guard.
Thought I'd first try to solve the old Pine Logs Issue by hauling away some of the logs dumped on Deerwood. The piled logs still threaten to seriously hurt someone and it preys on my mind.
My first skid log is chained and ready to slide.And it worked! I was able to drag it to the mill site.
Though, the 40 grade 3/8" chain didn't like being dragged under the log for a quarter mile of pavement.
I could have bought some tougher 70 grade chain at double the price, but thought the 40 might do. All in all, I don't think any chain does well when ground into pavement. Better that I stick to gravel or dirt trails for dragging chain. I cut the damaged chain links off and started again. That chain was too long anyway.
Thought I could help solve mom's high gravel/dirt mound problems on the Deerwood road by dragging logs down the centre.
This really did help to smooth out the high middle of the road in a bunch of places. Bonus!
Next, I tried to skid a log over a bumpy forest trail using an old plastic barrel cut in half with the skid chain through a hole in the centre.
The rounded barrel ends did work to get the log over bumps instead of getting the end stuck. This is the way to go, baby. Dragging logs down the new forest trails helps to clear away vegetation to better establish the trail path. Though, it's probably best that I don't use this barrel 'cone' apparatus on gravel as it would destroy it pretty quickly.
Finally, I chained four logs and saplings together for a skid try and it worked too!
Below is a photo of a small toad at the mill site. I almost stepped on it. They're hard to see on the forest floor with a toad's natural colouring. Glad it didn't end up like the chipmunk.
A small toad rests on the sawmill's blade guard.Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Timber!
Deerwood owner - mom - asked me to fall (cut down) a maple tree which had recently lost a large limb and was a hazard to her house. The tree's Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) was 17". I believe that's just over 1,000 board feet of wood.
I had some time on the morning of the 15th to fall and cut most of the tree before heading out to help reshingle Dave and Karen's roof in Burk's Falls.
Here's a series of photos showing the falling and cutting of the tree and limbs for winter fuelwood.
The Stihl 08 was used.
A lucky fall - right where I wanted it.
I had some time on the morning of the 15th to fall and cut most of the tree before heading out to help reshingle Dave and Karen's roof in Burk's Falls.
Here's a series of photos showing the falling and cutting of the tree and limbs for winter fuelwood.
The Stihl 08 was used.
A lucky fall - right where I wanted it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
