Forced into being a newbie logger

[Woody65]

So, a couple of months ago a tornado microburst with 80mph winds touched down on my property. This type of weather doesn't happen often in these parts. It landed in an area on my mountainside that is thick with 100' tall Hemlock and Pine trees. It also took down a stray tree here and there on the property. Probably 60-70 trees in all.

I surveyed the damage and conceded that it was probably a little much for me to handle. I can cut down the occasional tree and firewood but these massive trees averaging 24-30" in diameter and 100' tall laying over like you threw a box of toothpicks is a bit much. That in itself is hard for me to say cause I will and have tackled many a job when I was young and didn't have the funds to pay someone else. I start asking around for loggers to go in and cut it all up into logs and skid them out to a landing where I would deal with them. Around here, loggers only want hardwood. Pine and Hemlock are not worth their time. At least they would be off the ground ( no worms eating them) and the mess would be gone. Well, no takers. I was willing to pay them whatever they wanted within reason but could not get anyone to even look at it.

I didn't want them to go to waste. Didn't want it turned into firewood, and wanted the mess gone. So, I decided that I would carefully cut them into 12' logs, skid them down the mountain ( had to make a totally new trail) stage them on a landing near my barn and mill them into boards and beams for the many projects I have on my to do list. ( lean too's for both sides of the barn, pavilion with roof for picnic tables, elevated hunting blinds etc. )

Mind you, I live 250 miles away and still work M-F 9-5. So, I purchased a Woodland Mills 30" mill with extension to accommodate 16' logs and a MUTS trailer for all the firewood. I am using my JD 4300 to skid the logs with the 3pt and the grapple to move em around. If I need some extra muscle I use my mini ex, a Bobcat 331, to move them. I will say, it has been a lot of work. But rewarding. I have to look at the situation a couple of ways before I decide on a cut because the pressure and tension on these downed trees is quite substantial.

Enjoy the pics...

Some pics of the trees


























Logs at the landing and getting milled.

















I got 11 1x10's and 4 1x6's 12' long out of the first log.

The equipment

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Dang man! Be careful pulling those trees!

 

[Woody65]

More pics I just found on my phone

 

[kthompson]

Are there no loggers who chip the wood? Those are big trees. You may find people who buy such trees to cut for lumber also as you are. You do have a time limit before the wood will I think it is mold. Well in our weather it will mold and when it does loose value.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Good job trying to save as many as you can...

I hope you are getting that milled lumber on dry stickers and covered ASAP, or is will mold FAST...

Wood boring bugs will get to those logs in no time, even if they are off the ground! Best way to make those logs last, is to cut them into cants, stack them on thicker stickers and get them covered.

Bugs don't like it when you take the bark and early wood off.

SR

 

[Woody65]

Good job trying to save as many as you can... I hope you are getting that milled lumber on dry stickers and covered ASAP, or is will mold FAST... Wood boring bugs will get to those logs in no time, even if they are off the ground! Best way to make those logs last, is to cut them into cants, stack them on thicker stickers and get them covered. Bugs don't like it when you take the bark and early wood off. SR

What I milled up is stickered and covered. I spoke with a forester friend who told me that in our part of the country at this time of the year we don't have to worry about the bugs getting into the wood. They fell in August, which is the time of the year they are most active according to him. I milled two logs and no worm holes so far. I like your advice about getting them into cants. I can get a lot more logs processed now, before the winter hits, and finish milling them in the spring. Thanks.

 

[Woody65]

Are there no loggers who chip the wood? Those are big trees. You may find people who buy such trees to cut for lumber also as you are. You do have a time limit before the wood will I think it is mold. Well in our weather it will mold and when it does loose value.

I had about 60 acres of woodlot logged off a few years back. They only wanted the red and white oak along with the occasional maple. No mold issues in this area.

 

[Rustyiron]

That will keep you busy for years between cutting and then using the lumber. Good, highly rewarding therapy:thumbsup:

 

[oosik]

Years ago when I burned firewood - I handled Ponderosa pine that were 28" to 34" on the butt. It was a real learning experience - cutting a 34" pine and having it fall somewhere near where you want.

I think you are doing a fantastic job. Just be careful and don't continue to work when you become too tired. That was my problem - "just a little more and I will be all done for the day" - unfortunate things can happen when you are tired.

 

[CobyRupert]

Wow! What a project. I know how hard and time consuming that is.

In the tradition here of "Suggestions that spend other people's money": A 3 point hitch logging winch would be just the thing for yanking intertwined logs out from a safe distance.

 

[forgeblast]

How do you like your mill. I am thinking of getting a woodland mills 30, or a wm 15 go.
Great job on the milling and logging. Now you need to take a few timber framing classes

 

[crmorse]

Keep up the progress reports! I have something of a similar situation with red oaks but unfortunately my woods were mostly logged about 10 years ago so I have to fish them out of thick growths of tiny trees and the oaks have been on the ground a couple of seasons already... bugs aren't eating them but they're getting harder by the second.

I ended up building my own hydraulic log winch (I'll create a build thread on that once I get it working) but haven't gotten a chance to try retrieving any yet.

 

[Stimw]

The cant suggestion is a great idea! Will give you more flexibility.
Have you found The Forestry Forum yet? www.forestryforum.com
A great website that covers all areas of wood and a great sawmill forum!
I bought a HF sawmill about 3 years ago and it works GREAT!! There is a learning curve but it's not that steep.
While it is work, it is also fun.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I was given some beech, and i'm milling them into cants now,

I have several more to do, as time permits...

BTW, I gave up on the forestry forum years ago....

SR

 

[Woody65]

Years ago when I burned firewood - I handled Ponderosa pine that were 28" to 34" on the butt. It was a real learning experience - cutting a 34" pine and having it fall somewhere near where you want. I think you are doing a fantastic job. Just be careful and don't continue to work when you become too tired. That was my problem - "just a little more and I will be all done for the day" - unfortunate things can happen when you are tired.

Thanks. And I know only too well the desire to finish something when you should stop and pick it up tomorrow. You are correct sir.

 

[Woody65]

Wow! What a project. I know how hard and time consuming that is. In the tradition here of "Suggestions that spend other people's money": A 3 point hitch logging winch would be just the thing for yanking intertwined logs out from a safe distance.

Believe me, I looked into them. Just can't justify it right now.

 

[Woody65]

How do you like your mill. I am thinking of getting a woodland mills 30, or a wm 15 go. Great job on the milling and logging. Now you need to take a few timber framing classes

I did a lot of research before purchasing. I had time to cut up 2 18" diameter x 12' logs. Once I got it together ( by myself ) and tweeted the tracking and blade it was effortless. Very sturdy and powerful. I scrambled together a base for now. I will put it away in the barn when the winter hits and in the spring build a more permanent base.

 

[civilian]

I did a lot of research before purchasing. I had time to cut up 2 18" diameter x 12' logs. Once I got it together ( by myself ) and tweeted the tracking and blade it was effortless. Very sturdy and powerful. I scrambled together a base for now. I will put it away in the barn when the winter hits and in the spring build a more permanent base.

Think about a lean-to on the barn to store it in and be able to use it there. Then it is always set up and level ready to be used. Jon

 

[Ron50]

Probably the reason you got no bids from the loggers is that storm damage can be very dangerous. Be Carefull. I got hurt a couple years ago doing this, yet I've never been hurt falling. I am not a pro, just grew up in timber country.

 

[newbury]

Good job trying to save as many as you can...

I hope you are getting that milled lumber on dry stickers and covered ASAP, or is will mold FAST...

Wood boring bugs will get to those logs in no time, even if they are off the ground! Best way to make those logs last, is to cut them into cants, stack them on thicker stickers and get them covered.

Bugs don't like it when you take the bark and early wood off.

SR

How long a period of time can you wait to slice up a pine and a red oak before they are not good for lumber (assuming they are off the ground bark stripped and the ends are sealed?
I had one pine I didn't get to for about a year and it was buggy when I got to it. Now I've a pine (19" DBH) to take down but I won't be able to mill it until probably December. I've also a 31" red oak but probably won't drop that until December anyways, I need to move the pine first.
But I don't want to drop the pine and have it "go bad" by December.

I also dropped the Forestry Forum, the owner is eccentric.