Trying To Get Going

[Bushler]

That's good about the line speed to get rid of tension. I was picturing slow...

Are you getting air in your hydraulics? The plugged filterscreen and milky fluid would indicate that. Can you hear a cavitation noise from the hyd. pump?

This is interesting. Don't get mad.

 

[captainsteep]

That's good about the line speed to get rid of tension. I was picturing slow...

Are you getting air in your hydraulics? The plugged filterscreen and milky fluid would indicate that. Can you hear a cavitation noise from the hyd. pump?

This is interesting. Don't get mad.

yes might not be air but water, joe sat in forks wa. for two years before i bought him then we had to disasemble the machine to truck it here,we did chance the fluid but still must of had water from condesation from sitting plus trucking in the rain the pump dose cavitate and wine a little. joe needs some T.L.C. to bring him back to full power. were going to do that he has a lot of potential. could be air too.

 

[Bushler]

Air makes hyd. oil look milky. Have you taken a sample and let it settle out? Its pretty hard on pumps when they cavitate.

I'm enjoying the pics. I thought I was looking at an old growth windfall, then realized it was a rock.

 

[Humptulips]

Not 2 bad 4 2nd day of dragging, (ever!) literally flying blind and learning as we go. Made bout 13 turns yesterday, avg 3 sticks @ 23min. per. better than a skidder (which is unusable in this area). We will b playing around with different guyline options, going to try a lift log, almost limitless in options.

What can I say, couple dum azz loggers willing 2 go broke, 2 make a difference, at least we gots balls!

Stay tuned 4 some more pics, I might even show u a pic of the south face (were working over the north face) that was done with conventional dozer trails and skidder, makes me sick every time I see it.

Please don't get mad at me either but 23 minutes to a turn. Man, that is slow, slow, slow. Is it the line speed or are you just learning.

Might I suggest a guy line as big as your skyline. Even that would get you a ticket from L&I with only one guyline and please keep it directly in line with your corridor. Busheler already went into that so I won't repeat.

What exactly do you mean by lift log?

I can see the timber looks like crap so I don't estimate you'll set any records but I imagine you'll do better as time goes on.

Wish I was there to really see what it looks like. Probably kibbitz you to death.

 

[slowp]

It is their DAY 2, completely new experience, nobody around to learn from, unlike here, give them a break! Some skidder guys here bought a koller and it took them a little bit but they got quite proficient. It'll take Pennsylvanians longer as they don't have the WCLA or any locals to come up and show them. I hope you guys can handle it financially to learn. After watching the guys learn here, I'll offer some encouragement. But, don't let off the brake at the wrong time or you'll have a big tangle of line to reel in. Also, make sure your tail tree is secure. The guys here had problems with the tree pulling over till they figured out you run the line through a block and anchor it around a stump.

Good luck.

 

[treejunkie13]

Please don't get mad at me either but 23 minutes to a turn. Man, that is slow, slow, slow. Is it the line speed or are you just learning.

Thats pretty much already been answered.

Might I suggest a guy line as big as your skyline. Even that would get you a ticket from L&I with only one guyline and please keep it directly in line with your corridor. Busheler already went into that so I won't repeat.

The guyline is in direct line with the corridor. If U gots some extra laying around send it our way, LOL.
Ticket? U don't seem 2 understand...this does not exist here, how can u get a ticket when no one knows right or wrong?

What exactly do you mean by lift log?

Lift log - put under the front of tracks 2 lift front of machine. This puts the boom and stick more over center. It's a leverage thing.

I can see the timber looks like crap so I don't estimate you'll set any records but I imagine you'll do better as time goes on.

Now that were moving, there is only room 4 improvement. The current market holds us down from setting any records. And yes the timber is crap, take the garbage leave the good, it's a pulp wood sale, u know the stuff we all wipe our butts with, well it's pretty much in everything except dollar bills.

Wish I was there to really see what it looks like. Probably kibbitz you to death.

Whats stopping u from heading this way?
Kibbitz? WTF?
well my answers r in the quote also. oops

 

[treejunkie13]

I must mention that it is currently just the 2 of us, hopefully have another guy around soon, yet have 2 learn everything before we can teach it.

I love the toot toot, only the carriage has a horn, we use the Peltor Power Com Plus (hard hat style) (can't wear my tin hat :rant: ) so we have constant communication. I'm a winer about them, but they r unbeatable, & $pricey, got a couple sets 4 sale, ha ha.

 

[treejunkie13]

Air makes hyd. oil look milky. Have you taken a sample and let it settle out? Its pretty hard on pumps when they cavitate.

I'm enjoying the pics. I thought I was looking at an old growth windfall, then realized it was a rock.

Believe it or not we do actually have a couple tracts of old growth (protected) left around here. Mostly huge hemlock. If I may mention a book The Agony of an American Wilderness, explains alot about the area and how we got the hardwoods by accident. 100 years ago the old timers took it all, (Hemlock and Beech)well let there be sun and whamo we ended up being the Black Cherry capitol of the world - deer don't eat cherry it's to bitter. That's what the enviro's want it 2 be again Hemlock and Beech natural, well u can't just do that, it is what it is. When the market comes back around I'll be able to show some pics of some real trees being logged out.

I like the air idea and we will b further investigating into that, we r aware of a leak, but just haven't found the darn hose yet.

 

[Bushler]

More pics of the ground if you get the chance. I haven't seen anything I couldn't run a shovel over yet. I'd go through there with the machine swinging as many logs as I could get, and THEN rig the tackle and yard the ones that were out of reach.

The beauty of the shovel is you can build brush roads with the tops and chunks and clean up afterwards, (easy on the ground). If you need to remove a stump, pull it with the grapples and stick it back in the ground upside down and run on it. Works good.

 

[treejunkie13]

Here's the corridor. This is already cut, the snow is covering the product... even though running a shovel is not an option, try fitting through all those trees, where there might b room there is rock... o yeah the corridor is pretty much a ravine.

 

[Bushler]

 

[hammerlogging]

< again, my support fellas. Considering a similar system down here, or a yarder and a shovel. How? Working on that.

So, what length of skyline could you/can you have? Could you have a haulback for downhilling? How much wood can you swing/deck before you have to go to shovel mode? How hard is it to switch between yarding mode and shovel mode? Who dozed your landing?

On another note, and I suspect you'll have to agree as we are all seemingly forward thinking Appalachian loggers, anything can be dozer logged. Should be and can be being vastly different concepts. And maybe it could be partly shovelled, but way below optimum, might as well yard it. Again, way to go.

 

[Burvol]

Thank You God for planting my roots out West!

 

[Bushler]

 

[treejunkie13]

Thank You God for planting my roots out West!

no doubt there is a difference. Guess it's a matter of what 1 gets used 2.

 

[treejunkie13]

Here's my log dog & spare saw
Her name is Jade & we have countless memories in the woods 2gether.

 

[treejunkie13]

some past pics...more 2 come!

 

[treejunkie13]

whacking a fork, as 2 not split her in the cold...

OOPs! my calks were wore out, working in the rain...

1988 Timberjack 240, hands down this was and is my favoritest machine 2 work with, best $ I've brought in logging, I have this skidder 2 thank, I miss it bad, sob.

I guess that would b me, couple yrs. ago.

 

[treejunkie13]

DBH

Avg. size Red Oak approx 50+yr. old. Yes there r bigger ones.

Faced up, ready 2 launch. No pic of the lay, that went on a video I think.
Yes that is an east coast face.

 

[treejunkie13]

< again, my support fellas. Considering a similar system down here, or a yarder and a shovel. How? Working on that.

So, what length of skyline could you/can you have? Could you have a haulback for downhilling? How much wood can you swing/deck before you have to go to shovel mode? How hard is it to switch between yarding mode and shovel mode? Who dozed your landing?

On another note, and I suspect you'll have to agree as we are all seemingly forward thinking Appalachian loggers, anything can be dozer logged. Should be and can be being vastly different concepts. And maybe it could be partly shovelled, but way below optimum, might as well yard it. Again, way to go.

I appreciate your being able 2 c the light...Thanx much!

Skyline: currently 1150' and that is max 4 the drum, that puts us with approx. 1000' 2 work with. use up some footage from drum 2 block and also @ tailhold.
Haulback: yes that is also an option, yet u need double the cable.
Decking: well that depends on where the machine is set up and the room u have. Currently that is a small area 4 us right now.
The switch: swing 2 side and set down carriage, undo the cable from the blocks, lay it 2 the side, start shoveling. If u want 2 b optimal u need a shovel sitting next 2 the yarder, the yarder yards, the shovel grabs and sorts.
The landing: Joe is sitting on the logging road single lane, immediate drop off. The trucks just have 2 keep it clean.

If this is something u end up doing, and I have learned some more, u want any help, let me know, I'll come down ur way 4 a bit, I aint scared.