Eco-logging with lo-pro

[mtngun]

Time to finish off the punky doug. Using injecta-sharp lo-pro ripping chain. This log was sliced into 2 by's.

The top most log was cut into an 8x8 post. Using the Alaskan rather than the mini-mill, because there was no easy way to elevate the log on the hilly, brushy terrain.

That took care of the punky log, now on to the next victim, a 17" doug blowdown just up the hill.

Rot in the butt. It went up the tree about 10 feet. By the time I got to solid wood, the diameter was down to 14".

 

[mtngun]

Last pass with injecta-sharp chain. This would be its 10th pass, logging 1.1 hours of run time. The cut speed had slowed noticeably, so I installed a freshly sharpened lo-pro ripping chain after this pass.

The next log was skidded up the hill, closer to the truck. It was cut into an 8x8. I'm guessing those semi-green 8x8's weigh around 300 pounds. It's all I can do to lift one end into the truck.

Eight boards, two 8x8's, and a little firewood. Not a big haul, but the steep, brushy terrain and sweltering 65 F heat slowed me down. The equipment worked fine, though.

After I unload the truck and inspect the saw, I'll have some data on cut speeds, and an update on the 3/8 nose.

 

[schmuck.k]

looks good i bet those 8x8 are heavy

 

[mtngun]

Eco-logging statistics.

I'd checked the carb tuning prior to this adventure, and found it spinning the 36" B&C to 13,000 rpm WOT. That seemed a little fast, so I richened it to 12,500 rpm.

As it turned out, that was a little too rich, and it was blubbering a little in the cut, and typically only pulling 7000 - 8000 rpm in the cut. Still, I ran all day like that, so today's speed tests speeds are probably not optimal.

Injecta-sharp pass #3, 15" wide, 0.41 inch/sec, forgot to turn on aux oiler.

Injecta-sharp pass #3, 15" wide, 0.47 inch/sec after turning on aux oiler.

I tried to do a speed test with the regular lo-pro, but the CSM kept hanging up on brush, and I fumbled the stop watch, etc., so it wasn't a valid test.

I'll retune the saw back up to 13,000 rpm WOT for next time. The BB seems to want to rev.

1.7 hours total CSM run time.

1 gallon bar oil and approximately 1 1/2 gallon fuel consumed.

The hour meter seems to be a pretty reliable guide for swapping chains. Both 3/8" and injecta-sharp lo-pro are ready to be swapped after 1 hour run time.

Too early to say how long regular lo-pro ripping can run before it's ready to swap.

 

[smokinj]

Thats awesome pic's if everything goes right I will be up and running in the a.m.

 

[HUCKLEBERRY]

You do some impressive work for a one man show. Looks like you've got everything dialed in. Thanks for sharing.

 

[betterbuilt]

awesome job. The 8x8's make my back hurt just thinking about moving them. I'm getting lazy since I found a winch for my trailer.

 

[BobL]

Looking good mntgun!

 

[BIG JAKE]

"The next log was skidded up the hill, closer to the truck. It was cut into an 8x8. I'm guessing those semi-green 8x8's weigh around 300 pounds. It's all I can do to lift one end into the truck."

Nice take MTN gun. I take the cant cuts and flip them over cutside up to skid the 8''x8'' cants on to move them by myself. Keeps the cants clean and the slide like they're greased. The cant in this pic was freshcut pine and very heavy. When I got the cants to the trailer this trip, I used two of the strongest rails as ramps to roll the cant up the ramps or just push and slide the cant right into the trailer. Even pushing uphill they slid easily and I didn't have to risk my back. This pic was taken 6 months after I had knee surgery so lifting and heavy dragging was not an option at the time and using the cant cuts as skids worked real good. I used a come a long to pull the cants. It took a little more time but at least it made it feasible given the circumstances. Shouldn't have been out there but I got it done safely.
Granted, your truck is higher and narrower but you might be able adapt a similar arrangement to slide the cants up two skids then push one side up into the truck.

 

[mtngun]

Big Jake, I always admire the way you take the time to set up a nice work area. Your posts and beams always seem to turn out perfectly square. No doubt it is easier to do quality work when you are comfortable, rather than when you are crawling on your hands and knees, as I sometimes had to do on this project.

Photos rarely do justice to the terrain. It doesn't look that hilly in the photos, but believe me, it was hilly. Here's one of the few pics (from a previous thread) that gives you a feel for the slope.

I used the truck to skid the first 8x8 up the hill, and then it was still a bugger to load. Even at the top of the hill, there was still some slope, so I'd set one end of the 8x8 in the truck, only to have it slide out and fall on the ground. Once I had it started in the truck, it was still a beech to push, because I was pushing it uphill. Grunting and sweating and cussing ensued.

A receiver mounted winch would be the cat's meow. If had a winch, I would have skidded the logs up to level ground, and then milled them on level ground.

Sometimes I am able to use the GMC skidder to drag logs up to level ground, like I did on the last log, but I didn't have a lot of room to maneuver the truck at this particular site -- it was hemmed in by stumps and blowdowns.

I'm afraid my next couple of days in the woods will be more of the same. I've already cherry picked this patch for the "easy" logs, now only a few hard-to-access logs remain.

But, that's real life CSMing, and the beauty of it is that a CSM does allow you to harvest these difficult blowdowns without damaging the environment. It's just hard work, that's all.

 

[smokinj]

Big Jake, I always admire the way you take the time to set up a nice work area. Your posts and beams always seem to turn out perfectly square. No doubt it is easier to do quality work when you are comfortable, rather than when you are crawling on your hands and knees, as I sometimes had to do on this project.

Photos rarely do justice to the terrain. It doesn't look that hilly in the photos, but believe me, it was hilly. Here's one of the few pics (from a previous thread) that gives you a feel for the slope.

I used the truck to skid the first 8x8 up the hill, and then it was still a bugger to load. Even at the top of the hill, there was still some slope, so I'd set one end of the 8x8 in the truck, only to have it slide out and fall on the ground. Once I had it started in the truck, it was still a beech to push, because I was pushing it uphill. Grunting and sweating and cussing ensued.

A receiver mounted winch would be the cat's meow. If had a winch, I would have skidded the logs up to level ground, and then milled them on level ground.

Sometimes I am able to use the GMC skidder to drag logs up to level ground, like I did on the last log, but I didn't have a lot of room to maneuver the truck at this particular site -- it was hemmed in by stumps and blowdowns.

I'm afraid my next couple of days in the woods will be more of the same. I've already cherry picked this patch for the "easy" logs, now only a few hard-to-access logs remain.

But, that's real life CSMing, and the beauty of it is that a CSM does allow you to harvest these difficult blowdowns without damaging the environment. It's just hard work, that's all.

Milling is hard work but thats a little extra......

 

[BIG JAKE]

Big Jake, I always admire the way you take the time to set up a nice work area. Your posts and beams always seem to turn out perfectly square. No doubt it is easier to do quality work when you are comfortable, rather than when you are crawling on your hands and knees, as I sometimes had to do on this project."

Yeah I don't get as much done either. I like your idea of just a mill and a truck. Must be a breeze to get on the road at the crack of dawn with a big jug of coffee.
If you were closer I'd let you take a stab at it with my Lewis winch. The only downside to that device is the operators close proximity to the cable should it snap. But there's things you can do to mitigate the hazards.
I may give the lo pro a try pending your results.

Nice work & thanks for posting

 

[mtngun]

If you were closer I'd let you take a stab at it with my Lewis winch.

A Lewis winch would serve me well, for both logging and getting unstuck. If a used one ever comes along for cheap, I'll probably snap it up. Ya, a broken cable might be painful, not to mention deadly.

Snowplow duty rules out a conventional front bumper mounted winch, so an electric winch would have to be mounted on the truck's rear receiver. Not there is anything wrong with that.

 

[smokinj]

A Lewis winch would serve me well, for both logging and getting unstuck. If a used one ever comes along for cheap, I'll probably snap it up. Ya, a broken cable might be painful, not to mention deadly.

Snowplow duty rules out a conventional front bumper mounted winch, so an electric winch would have to be mounted on the truck's rear receiver. Not there is anything wrong with that.

I have an old heavy duty boat wench mounted to my trailer it can be a pain but with some muscle that log is mine!

 

[BIG JAKE]

A Lewis winch would serve me well, for both logging and getting unstuck. If a used one ever comes along for cheap, I'll probably snap it up. Ya, a broken cable might be painful, not to mention deadly.

Snowplow duty rules out a conventional front bumper mounted winch, so an electric winch would have to be mounted on the truck's rear receiver. Not there is anything wrong with that.

If I was to mount a winch, I'd install a receiver hitch on the front of my truck, then mount the winch on 2"x2" square tube with small platform to mount the winch to. That way the winch can be inserted in either the front or back of the truck and removed at will, as the need dictates.
Thks for posting Mtngun. You keep the rest of us going when we can't get out to mill-I always enjoy your adventures.