Hemlock Logging

[PA Plumber]

I'm jumping the gun, but here it goes:

In a few weeks I am planning to start felling, limbing, bucking and staging Eastern Hemlock. I have a small track loader (931 C with a 4-1 bucket) I'm planning to use as a skidder. My access road runs right down the middle of the Hemlock grove to be harvested.

Largest trees 32" DBH (Maybe 20) down to 10" DBH (In the Hundreds).
I have the requirements from the mill on DBH and Lengths.

I am planning to purchase a 441 for this (I know there are lots of saw options) with a 24" bar (according to Stihl 25"). Conventional notch, plunge to hinge, then cut the backstrap as standard procedure. I have an 026 for bucking and limbing.

Will RSC3 do the job for me or is another chain recommended?
Is there special saw and chain maintenance for cutting Hemlock that wouldn't be required for hardwoods?
Finally, am I crazy for eagerly looking forward to doing this by myself? I will have help somedays, but not very often. I will keep my cell phone close.

 

[tawilson]

The mill isn't interested in all those small hemlocks, are they?
I have to deal with hemlocks quite a bit, and I don't do anything special. It is actually a "hard" wood, even though it is classified a softwood. Drive a nail in it and you'll see. Sounds to me like you're set up pretty good.
Sounds like fun to me. This is the first winter I've worked a regular job in the last four years. Needless to say, the last three winters were spent in the woods. Now it's just the weekends.

 

[PA Plumber]

10" DBH is the smalles size and 8'4" is the smalles length.
I'm planning on seeing how this goes by taking out the larger trees first. If I enjoy it enough, I'll keep working my way down to the smaller DBH stuff.

Tom, you are right.
Correction: The smallest diameter they will take is 10".

 

[stihl 440]

I would just run regular RSC, really impressive chain, I love it. Or you could run RSLK(square ground square tooth). That 441 will handle it with ease. I would get some cat chockers for that 931. Or get a clevis and 2 mainline slides and 2 chockers of the length you choose. Put the mainline slides in the clevis and it will be like a skidder.

 

[PA Plumber]

I would just run regular RSC, really impressive chain, I love it. Or you could run RSLK(square ground square tooth). That 441 will handle it with ease. I would get some cat chockers for that 931. Or get a clevis and 2 mainline slides and 2 chockers of the length you choose. Put the mainline slides in the clevis and it will be like a skidder.

Okay, the whole skidder rigging suggestion went whizzing over my head about 8'. A picture would sure help.

I was planning on using a log chain around the bucket on the larger logs and just grabbing and picking up the smaller ones.

 

[stihl 440]

cat chockers.

The cat chockers are a regular chocker on one end with the cable made into a loop on one end so you can use it with a hook. You can find them at your local franklin dealer, or skidder dealer, and baileys. Go on bailey's site and look at the chockers and you will see what I mean. Are you taking them out tree length(no limbs, topped not bucked to lengths, bucking at landing.) That is what I do IF I can.

 

[PA Plumber]

Yes, if the machine will move them I plan to top at 10", limb and then drag the rest of the log out. If they are too big, I'll have to buck them where they fell.

 

[Urbicide]

Don't forget the camera! We expect to see some pics!

 

[Frank Boyer]

Yes, if the machine will move them I plan to top at 10", limb and then drag the rest of the log out. If they are too big, I'll have to buck them where they fell.

Your 931 should be able to pick up 20' to 30' logs of the size that you are cutting. I am assuming that you have a 4-in-one bucket. My 125 is the size of a 941 Cat and it will lift 8000 pounds and a 30" to 36" diameter log.

 

[PA Plumber]

Your 931 should be able to pick up 20' to 30' logs of the size that you are cutting. I am assuming that you have a 4-in-one bucket. My 125 is the size of a 941 Cat and it will lift 8000 pounds and a 30" to 36" diameter log.

That's good to hear. I am only needing to drag these logs. Some of the larger diameter ones will be pushing 70' in length.

I did pick up a 14' section of a 32" DBH Red Oak. The machine was riding on the front idlers most of the time. The hydraulics are way stronger than the stability when you get that much weight up high.

I believe these logs only need to be lifted high enough to keep the butts from plowing a furrow? If i roll the bucket, the machine shouldn't get too front heavy?

 

[perchhauler]

Hemlock

Sounds like fun to me!! I'm new on here from Pa. also.. I'm getting ready to start cutting monday, white, and red oak.. Having someone come in and do the felling for me and leave (a little at a time), I'm doing all the limbing, bucking, skidding with horses.. I can relate to the working by yourself thing, I love it.. Have fun, and be safe!! Steve

 

[stumpjumper83]

there is a hemlock log for ya. Saw is a 460 w/ a 24"

 

[PA Plumber]

Perch & Stump, What part of the state? I live near Harrisburg.

Nice log Stump.

 

[stumpjumper83]

I live in lancaster, be happy to swing by and make a few stumps sometime. That particular one is off my dad's farm up in Potter co

 

[perchhauler]

I'm in Clearfield county, not far below the Elk county line, about an hour north west of State College... I was just in Harrisburg last week, hauled some horses to a sale at the farm show complex... Steve

 

[PA Plumber]

Give me a few weeks to get a shoulder surgery a little more healed up and I'll be making a go at this. I'll plan to post on this again when I'm getting started. If there are a few folks out there who want to give their saws a go, maybe this can be coordinated to be safe and fun.

 

[stihl 440]

paPlumber, I would swing by if I weren't so far away(champion, PA)Westmoreland county. I do go to the farm show complex to the farm show and the horse show though. Long ride. Like I said I would swing by and help you out if I wasn't so far away.

 

[PA Plumber]

No Problem Stihl 440.

Off Topic here: Can you believe we actually had nice weather for the Farm Show? We have lived in this part of the state for nigh on 15 years and this is the first time we had decent farm show weather.

 

[perchhauler]

It was warm for once this year.. I used to work for one of the draft horse exhibitors at the farm show every year, and it was always cold... Hey I know where Champion is, been through there different times.. Bought a truck in White, and bought my Cummins dually I have now at Balsley's.. Steve

 

[woodhog]

Perchhauler, I am just down the road from you. Half way between, Dubois, and Punxsy.