# Trying To Get Going



## captainsteep (Dec 4, 2008)

Well we got everything down to the job, Got all the cable on (skyline 1150 ft of 3/4) (1450 ft of 5/8 skidline) Than Tracked 2 miles to where we want to get started,ran skyline down the hill (pice of cake cable pushed me down the hill) at this point i was grinning thinking we will start pulling wood now,(dont forget we are newbys at this kind of logging)tail tree and anchor good,sweet i thought. well think again had trouble holding youder boom still kept wanting to swing down the hill, We did get that fixed, tried to move Joe (that the name we gave the youder) up out of the ditch and on to a level spot and broke the right side track chain #$#&$#%%$# spent all day beating a pin out and put it all back together, and we did get done. Know we will try this again, I think we got it right now. also the carriaga i got is a eagle eaglet talkie tooter control, I bought this used from wayne at ACME CARRIAGES man it works sweet, pretty dam neat, great people very helpful there. well i hope to make product to the landing to make some money,running out of money driving back and forth and no loads going out also not making us look good to the mill i just got in with. I will let everyone know what happens.


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## John Ellison (Dec 4, 2008)

Hey Capn. its neat to see some cable logging going somewhere else besides the west co.
I have seen yoader mentioned before and am not familiar witht the term. Is it a combo loader and yarder? Like a swing yarder and then you will put on graples to load with?
If its anything like an old Washington TL6 that I worked on it had to be set up pretty level.
Pics when you get time please.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 4, 2008)

Yoader. Yes much like a swing yarder set up. It's a modified Komatsu PC400 with dual pullmaster winches and a Pierce boom and stick. A shovel or loader with yarding ability.


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## palogger (Dec 4, 2008)

what part of pa r u located in, i'm in the northwest corner


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## captainsteep (Dec 4, 2008)

palogger said:


> what part of pa r u located in, i'm in the northwest corner



i live in pittsfield just west of warren pa we are working in cooks run area


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## 056 kid (Dec 4, 2008)

We where using an old madill with an eagle car that belonged to my bosses friend. When that 6-71 opened up you could hear it for miles All though the yarder scene was new to me all the fun was less fun due to the hot heat last summer. I wish i had that job all over again with my mexican buddy. i dont know what kind of eagle the car was but it was about 4' by4', loved eather, and acted different nearly every week. once running it would not die though. even a a 60 foot plunge to the deck or a zip line to the tail tree!


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## palogger (Dec 4, 2008)

oh i'm located in sheffield just a little ways from u, whats ur name if u don't mind me asking, and was wondering how long u'll be on that job


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## slowp (Dec 4, 2008)

You might have a twin going out here. Melvin's owner is bidding on a yarding job. Sounds like Melvin's owner is getting the same carriage. It'll be steep nasty ground and we'll all love it. But there's a road at the bottom as well as at the top, or near the top...I better check and see it there is downhill yarding. Seems to be a thing about naming yoders. 
I hear there are also 3 drum Yoders.


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## PB (Dec 5, 2008)

Just curious why you spend money on that type of equipment? The Alleghenies do have some steep hills, but I am assuming that you are not clear cutting. Couldn't you do just the same with a skidder and be just as productive with less overhead? What mill are you going to? Just curious, NW PA is not known as a high production timber area, more for specialty hard woods. What are you logging, white pine, hemlock, hardwoods?


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## Mike Van (Dec 5, 2008)

How about some pictures to go with the story????????


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## slowp (Dec 5, 2008)

Here is PNW Melvin. Melvin has been used for bunching logs. Anybody know whether a yoder can use guylines when yarding? You can see one of the drums on the left side of the picture.


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## captainsteep (Dec 5, 2008)

PlantBiologist said:


> Just curious why you spend money on that type of equipment? The Alleghenies do have some steep hills, but I am assuming that you are not clear cutting. Couldn't you do just the same with a skidder and be just as productive with less overhead? What mill are you going to? Just curious, NW PA is not known as a high production timber area, more for specialty hard woods. What are you logging, white pine, hemlock, hardwoods?



WELL, To start with,this area is steep, wet and you cant build roads, the reason i spent time and money on this type of logging is 1 no roads(no envio.impact, no permits needed. no e.n.s. plans,) it is cheaper,and cleaner. We are not clearcutting,thinning for black cherry.as far as production you cant even compare the too. We are cutting hardwoods Logs and paper wood. Also the only thing left here with any good size is hillsides.


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## Bushler (Dec 6, 2008)

Seems like yarding with a shovel without guylines would put a lot of stress on the boom cyls. and pins. I've been thinking about it. 

Is that a Young logging front on Melvin? Who installed the drums?


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## slowp (Dec 6, 2008)

Bushler said:


> Seems like yarding with a shovel without guylines would put a lot of stress on the boom cyls. and pins. I've been thinking about it.
> 
> Is that a Young logging front on Melvin? Who installed the drums?



You'll have to wait for your answers. Melvin was bought second hand and came with the drums on. Melvin will be yarding some good second growth so that's why I was wondering about the guylines. Melvin will be set up on some steep ground and I wouldn't want to see it go over the side.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 6, 2008)

Joe just doesn't seem to want to hold his own weight, while the car is out there a bit, the hydraulics sag and bring the boom down to a very tippy point. So with further digging for info we found that Joe never would, even new, and you have to put a block up top of the stick, with one cable in a y pattern tied off @ 2 points behind you, so you can still swing side to side.

pics r on the way soon, but b patient!

I'm in Sheffield PA.


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## slowp (Dec 6, 2008)

treejunkie13 said:


> Joe just doesn't seem to want to hold his own weight, while the car is out there a bit, the hydraulics sag and bring the boom down to a very tippy point. So with further digging for info we found that Joe never would, even new, and you have to put a block up top of the stick, with one cable in a y pattern tied off @ 2 points behind you, so you can still swing side to side.
> 
> pics r on the way soon, but b patient!
> 
> I'm in Sheffield PA.



We call those guylines out here. You either fasten them around a good solid stump, a piece of equipment, or a stout tree. The tree has to be located where if it pulls, it won't hit the landing. Sometimes deadmen anchors are used but that can get spendy. You might want to reasearch what stumps have the best roots, and are the soundest. Gotta notch them too, so the line won't pull off. That's all I know. Sounds like Melvin will need to be guyed back then. What are you using for a tailhold or tail tree?


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 6, 2008)

guylines... roger, we say roger for yes or okay here. Tailhold, currently going through a snatch block about 12 - 15' up a Hickory then down around a double Maple stump bout 40' from the Hickory.


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## slowp (Dec 6, 2008)

Here's the tippy top of a Madill 071. It uses 3 guylines. There's a gory story that goes with this one. There were fingers sucked into the blocks and lost.


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## 056 kid (Dec 6, 2008)

Looks like the one we used except it had a cab that was held on by random punches and a old saw wrenches.


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## slowp (Dec 7, 2008)

056 kid said:


> Looks like the one we used except it had a cab that was held on by random punches and a old saw wrenches.[/QUOTE
> 
> The cab comes off for transporting on the lowboy.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 7, 2008)

The blood adds a bit of character. Will we see that guy on T.V. bragging about sending comp checks back?


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## slowp (Dec 7, 2008)

treejunkie13 said:


> The blood adds a bit of character. Will we see that guy on T.V. bragging about sending comp checks back?



No, he's a pretty good "kid" and that kind of blood does not add character, just a maimed hand for the rest of his life. Just took his eyes off the business at hand for a moment, to yell at the crew and got his hand run up. Then he had to stand there, for 20 minutes or more, while they walked the shovel (loader) up from another landing. He was standing on the carriage and carriages don't lower slowly enough. They got the shovel up, untangled him, and lowered the carriage. He was supposed to take 10 weeks off, but could only stand it for half that much time and went back to work. Let me see, he's the hooktender who hasn't dropped a tree my way yet, but he did ask me to help and grab the haywire so I did and immediately had to let go cuz I was heading up into the air (going up the tail tree). He's a guy that is pretty calm and goes about his work. Probably wouldn't want to be on TV.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 7, 2008)

Just poking a little fun, like most loggers @ sight of danger & dismember. If it were my blood (which I'm glad it's not) it would stay there till it wore off.


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## Bushler (Dec 7, 2008)

You gotta be tough to live out west.


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## slowp (Dec 8, 2008)

Bushler said:


> You gotta be tough to live out west.



I'm not. Whining is an art.


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## slowp (Dec 9, 2008)

UPDATE. After my mud treatment, I started asking annoying questions to the owner of Melvin. He says that Melvin will yard without guylines. He'll just put a log underneath somewhere in the front and when Melvin starts to go over, he'll drop the carriage. Stay tuned, they might be yarding next month if the snow isn't too bad. 

He said he really really wanted to try throwing the line out like on tv. But he'll be logging in a thinning.


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## Bushler (Dec 9, 2008)

I'm seriously interested in how this works out. I have some corners that would be perfect for that...if it works. I'd like to know his line capacity on the drums. And when they get yarding I'd like to know what kind of production, and how big the turns are.

Thanks, SlowP, apprecitate the time and effort you put into this site.


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## slowp (Dec 9, 2008)

Bushler said:


> I'm seriously interested in how this works out. I have some corners that would be perfect for that...if it works. I'd like to know his line capacity on the drums. And when they get yarding I'd like to know what kind of production, and how big the turns are.
> 
> Thanks, SlowP, apprecitate the time and effort you put into this site.



I do know that they plan to go out 700 feet which is maximum for that machine. I told him I did not plan on being anywhere under or in front of Melvin when he was bringing in a turn. There's some nice second growth in that unit so I guess we'll find out some things. 

I have fun on this site. You're welcome.


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## Humptulips (Dec 9, 2008)

Bushler said:


> I'm seriously interested in how this works out. I have some corners that would be perfect for that...if it works. I'd like to know his line capacity on the drums. And when they get yarding I'd like to know what kind of production, and how big the turns are.
> 
> Thanks, SlowP, apprecitate the time and effort you put into this site.



Once we were logging across the canyon from a cat 235 with drums. I don't know what kind of drums. I was hanging pretty close to them so got a good look at it. I have to say it was pitifully slow and couldn't take much of a turn either. They were shotgunning and it didn't take much to pull the boom down. I was not impressed. I was working on an 071 so it wasn't like I had high expectations.

Might be OK for cleaning up a few dribs and drabs but serious day in and day out logging I would say no way.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 10, 2008)

here's Joe


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## captainsteep (Dec 10, 2008)

Well it looks to be going better now that we got the bugs worked out of joe, had to put a guy wire from the stick back to a tree, made it work so you could turn to the side,feels better with it up there,but i dont think you need it if the boom and stick would stay up.treejunkey took some pictures maybe he will post them tonight, if not taking mine tomorrow,getting logs to the top now, working pretty sweet, i like it ,electric choakers work great(a little bit aukward at first but worth it)working so good yesterday ran joe right out of fuel (shut down). until next time be safe cut smart.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 10, 2008)

*Joe*


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## hammerlogging (Dec 10, 2008)

Way to go fellas. But, a question... if the hydraulics aren't holding so well, are all the forces ending up on that guyline? Is it set up for that? Best of luck.


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## Bushler (Dec 10, 2008)

That doesn't look safe.


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## Humptulips (Dec 10, 2008)

Do the cylinders bleed down from all that down pressure?
Are you able to keep one end of the logs off the ground?
How big a turn can it take?
What kind of line speed?
I think I read that you are using 3/4 skyline. What size the skidding line?
Does it have free spool or is it power off slack?

I hope you have a good sized guy line. If it ever breaks the engineer will be eating dirt in a hurry.


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## Bushler (Dec 10, 2008)

Seems like if you were pulling out of lead it would flop the shovel on its side. One guyline....


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## Bushler (Dec 10, 2008)

One thing I was warned about when I broke in running shovel was not to get the boom and jib too high.

You're putting a lot of faith in babbit.


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## Bushler (Dec 10, 2008)

'Nother thing, whats the rating on those fairlead blocks on the heel rack? They look tiny.


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## captainsteep (Dec 11, 2008)

hammerlogging said:


> Way to go fellas. But, a question... if the hydraulics aren't holding so well, are all the forces ending up on that guyline? Is it set up for that? Best of luck.



no , all the guyline is for to help keep it up when i am waiting for the setter to hook up, then i lift it back up and take off it works great the counter weight is 18 ton the machine is 60 ton i need to get a tech out to the job a ajust the pump and hydralics to the spects. soon


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## slowp (Dec 11, 2008)

Melvin's guy said it is important to have a big log in front of the machine. I'm not good at picturing stuff so will have to wait and see how he does it.


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## Bushler (Dec 11, 2008)

I guess I'm confused. You aren't pulling against the guyline when you are skidding the turn?


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## John Ellison (Dec 11, 2008)

It would not seem right to me either without two or more guy lines. These guys are asking some valid questions, be cautious.


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## hammerlogging (Dec 11, 2008)

I think its supposed to work with no guylines, and they're expiramenting to help their hydraulics between turns. I believe they are intending to have the pressure on the hydraulics during the haul. But thats why I asked, cause if the tension is on that guyline, then, well, not as its designed.
Safety is always excellent advice especially from experienced yarder dudes, but I commend these fellows for applying technology that is lower impact than a bunch of skid trails, they're not likely getting any higher rate for it.


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## slowp (Dec 11, 2008)

I am sorry to announce that it looks like Melvin will not be yarding here. Circumstances beyond my control. We will have to rely on Joe.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 11, 2008)

*some pics of JOE*


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 11, 2008)

*couple more*










8 ton


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 11, 2008)

*and more*


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## Bushler (Dec 11, 2008)

Good luck.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 12, 2008)

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.


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## captainsteep (Dec 12, 2008)

Humptulips said:


> Do the cylinders bleed down from all that down pressure?
> Are you able to keep one end of the logs off the ground?
> How big a turn can it take?
> What kind of line speed?
> ...



Yes keeping logs off the ground no trouble. Can pull four at a time, but for now just running 2 or 3, Line speed low 250' min. high 800' min. Skidline is 5/8 swedge. No freespool both have power out. Guywire is 5/8 swedge and the cheap pin at the hook broke yesterday,(that scared the #### out of me) But did not tip just noisey.


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## captainsteep (Dec 12, 2008)

Bushler said:


> One thing I was warned about when I broke in running shovel was not to get the boom and jib too high.
> 
> You're putting a lot of faith in babbit.



No babbit, Good hard pins and spherical bearings treejunkie and i replaced them all.


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## captainsteep (Dec 12, 2008)

Bushler said:


> 'Nother thing, whats the rating on those fairlead blocks on the heel rack? They look tiny.



They are Mckissick 8 ton


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## captainsteep (Dec 12, 2008)

Bushler said:


> I guess I'm confused. You aren't pulling against the guyline when you are skidding the turn?



It did not seem to be, but if you dont lift it back up from bleeding down then yes you are pulling against it, like i found out yesterday,broke the pin, will be putting a nother one up using a 5/8 sand line cable for back up,till i get tech. there to ajust the hydralics.


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## Bushler (Dec 12, 2008)

I hesitate to pee in your wheaties, but I see some serious potential for disaster.

Think about the compound leverage you are exerting on the jib with the jib and boom at full extension. 

Without free spool how can you release tension in an emergency?

The Mckissic is a good block, but the diameter of the sheave looks too small. This will put a lot of stress on the line, eventually you may see jaggers and wear, prematurely.

Shovels are stiff legged. You have no jacks, and a single guyline in direct lead only. If a turn were to hang up, and endo out of lead the guyline would not help, the machine will flop. If the machine flops it breaks, and they don't fix easy.

The bleeding down of your hyd. cyls. may be caused by the extreme pressure exerted when yarding. Machine wasn't designed for that. You fix the cyls. and then they may fail again.

What happens if you blow a hyd. line to the boom or jib under extreme load?


And finally, just for curiosity, why not just grapple log it with the shovel? Doesn't look that steep, and the shovel will not damage the ground like a skidder or cat, (because you are swinging the logs rather than dragging them.)

I applaud your pluck, but be carefull, you really are pushing the envelope.


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## captainsteep (Dec 12, 2008)

Bushler said:


> I hesitate to pee in your wheaties, but I see some serious potential for disaster.
> 
> Think about the compound leverage you are exerting on the jib with the jib and boom at full extension.
> 
> ...


The bleeding down is caused from plugged filter and screen in tank pluged also milkey fluid, changing it all tomorrow(thats what the tech said)also the blocks maybe to small getting bigger ones. joe was made for this by jewell manufacturing they said he has to be all the way up.to rockey to shovel and wet, as far as the winches you just touch them and the cable is out faster then you can react.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 12, 2008)

This is by far Joe's first attempt... he was custom built in 99' (just for yarding) and has succeeded the first years of his life in Forks WA. Now he is in a colder climate, dealing with our puny hardwood. Joe is more then capable, this is only the beginning. And if I may emphasize in the last week or 2 we have learned so many new things without barely any help especially from other loggers (huh)... new carriage, how to work the bugs (Talkie Tooters), rigging, electronic choker bells, etc. and 152 ways of how not to do it that way!!! This does not exist here or any where near by hear, so we can't just go see how so and so does it.
As for shovel logging it...not an option - NO Way! even if so, not With Joe He has to much weight, oh yeah cause he is set up to yard. The internet is littered with pics of other yoaders doing it up all the time, were not far off. This is by far nothing new.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 12, 2008)

I agree that the block dia. is smaller then perfect, and we are aware of that, but it is what we got for now, their strong enuff, we'll have the cable f-ed up on our own (learning to deal with that much cable) before the blocks.

That's good, keep the thoughts flowing, good or bad, I'll still read it. If you make me mad I'll just take it out on some poor tree!


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## slowp (Dec 12, 2008)

What do the neighbors, if there are any, think of the whistle noise?


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 12, 2008)

slowp said:


> What do the neighbors, if there are any, think of the whistle noise?



no one for miles, well other loggers if they count... and the interest level out weighs the toot toot.


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## slowp (Dec 12, 2008)

I've always thought it to be a cheery sound, except when standing next to the yarder without earplugs. Owie.


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## Bushler (Dec 12, 2008)

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.


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## captainsteep (Dec 12, 2008)

Bushler said:


> 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.


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## Bushler (Dec 12, 2008)

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.


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## Humptulips (Dec 13, 2008)

treejunkie13 said:


> 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.


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## slowp (Dec 13, 2008)

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.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

Humptulips said:


> 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.
> 
> ...



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


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

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.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

Bushler said:


> 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.


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## Bushler (Dec 13, 2008)

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.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

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.


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## Bushler (Dec 13, 2008)




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## hammerlogging (Dec 13, 2008)

< 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.


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## Burvol (Dec 13, 2008)

Thank You God for planting my roots out West!


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## Bushler (Dec 13, 2008)




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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

Burvol said:


> 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.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

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


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

some past pics...more 2 come!


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

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.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

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.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

hammerlogging said:


> < 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.


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## Mike Van (Dec 13, 2008)

treejunkie, nice pics - Thanks


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

Mike Van said:


> treejunkie, nice pics - Thanks



Absolutely... now that I got it figured out, more to come.


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## WVwoodsman (Dec 13, 2008)

Cool pics, thanks for sharing!


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## PB (Dec 13, 2008)

God I miss PA. I hiked all over those hills for years. Thanks for the pics.


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## Humptulips (Dec 13, 2008)

treejunkie13 said:


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



To long of a crew bus drive or I would stop by. You probably hauled that shovel right by my house if you got it at Forks.

Kibbitz is kind of like second guessing but involves more BSing.

One more question if you can stand it. If they want the hemlock back why don't they have you clearcut and replant.

Boy, after looking at that last picture it really is crap.
I too am glad I live out west, well most of the time.


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 13, 2008)

Humptulips said:


> To long of a crew bus drive or I would stop by. You probably hauled that shovel right by my house if you got it at Forks.
> 
> Kibbitz is kind of like second guessing but involves more BSing.
> 
> ...



I learned me a new word mom!

They... r the ones that don't know. Planting doesn't exist here, only enviro's want the Hemi's back and of coarse no logging just scenery, of the woods rotting away.

That crap is worth $ all the same, easy whacking, easy moving, and I'm sure alot of firewood guys would drool 4 it. I know it's keeping my family warm. Keep in mind as I have mentioned b4, were working over the north face right now and it just does not get the light, hence why were thinning it out. It will make 4 a sweet cut when my kids r older.


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## TDunk (Dec 14, 2008)

You got [email protected] Andy, that's for damn sure. Hope everything works out. Where in Cooks Forest are you guys working in ???


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## treejunkie13 (Dec 14, 2008)

Thanks.

It's Cooks Run area, Between Clermont & Emporium, private land.


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## hammerlogging (Dec 30, 2008)

So I'm curious about how its going. What kind of production are you getting? (mbf/day and tons per day, perhaps, given the prescription which is....) What carriage do you run? All uphill yarding? 900' realistic max? lbs. or mbf/ turn?

How is it without a seperate shovel to clear the chute? Are you swinging to another landing with a skidder, or loading at the yoader with the yoader? How hard to disconnect the cables to go onto loader mode?

Hope your mechanicals are sorting themselves out. Happy holidays.


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## captainsteep (Dec 30, 2008)

hammerlogging said:


> So I'm curious about how its going. What kind of production are you getting? (mbf/day and tons per day, perhaps, given the prescription which is....) What carriage do you run? All uphill yarding? 900' realistic max? lbs. or mbf/ turn?
> 
> How is it without a seperate shovel to clear the chute? Are you swinging to another landing with a skidder, or loading at the yoader with the yoader? How hard to disconnect the cables to go onto loader mode?
> 
> Hope your mechanicals are sorting themselves out. Happy holidays.



Well, I am back at it, It would be nice if all the snow would melt. I would say right now i am getting a load of wood (27 ton) and not quite a load of logs (4000'mbf) still learing. the carriage is a eagle eaglet works nice (1500lbs) got a newbe in the machine taking time to learn to run, i am hooking up, It would be nice to have a shovel loader to clean the chute (i will have one soon) but for now i have to do it this way,It only takes 5 minutes to take the cables off and start cleaning,its takes longer to try to get the carriage to set on the ground flat what a pain in the ass to do, found its easer to put a chain on it and set it down that way.I know in the future it is possible to get 3 load of wood easy,it is the way to go fast (newbe is still in snail mode but getting faster and better. I have to cut more trees down mostly logs this time pretty good size trees this time, so i will let you know how it goes with the logs. the log trucks made it to us the other day(its about time)s the loads are going out.(I am starving and all the payments are due)Got to keep at it at least i am workin (thank god)first job 247 acres.


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## slowp (Jan 17, 2009)

How is Joe doing? Melvin had to go away.


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## treejunkie13 (Jan 18, 2009)

The weather got to be too much, add a crying truck driver to the mix and well were working over skidder ground and Joe is sitting, patiently waiting for the weather to break. Will keep you posted. Thanks!


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