First Time Clearing - Could use Some Advice / Direction

[slowp]

Time for the real solution.

Muddy ground? Not a problem. Get a yarder and rig up a high lead system. :msp_smile:
Yup, they work well on flat ground and you won't need a carriage--butt rigging will do. You could even turn your tractor into a yarder with the additional purchase of blocks and line. You should have a spar of some kind in order to get a tiny bit of lift which we call in contractual language, "One End Suspension". That keeps the log from plowing ditches in the dirt.

High Lead Cable Logging

 

[hardpan]

The landowner is getting a screaming deal. I'm guessing he got a quote and was shocked at the price and was lucky to find you, but he will not tell you. I think Nathon has a great plan to do it like a logging operation but you must have the trees marked completely. I immediately saw a red flag when you mentioned 8" of standing water and then Philoshop confirmed the wet hazard until mid summer. Plan on staying out of the wet spots. You are not in terrible shape unless you hoped to pay for your equipment with this one job. My strategy for buying expensive tools is always to depreciate it over time and take good care of them to maintain a lot of their value, and of course it is much easier to clear with the "boss".

Keep an eye open for the next cutting area as the landowner may continue to be unreasonable and eventually squeeze you out. As already mentioned a tree service company is always looking for a place to dump closer to their jobs.

 

[old_soul]

Wow that looks like an acre (or more) to clear. That job would run 3000-5000 dollars minimum depending on stump grinding and access to the site. Even more if he does not allow any heavy equipment. Right there is $ left on the table, that he should be paying YOU!

Now you see why everyone else didn't want the job. Run away run away, you are getting major screwed over here.......

That said, you are after free wood, and you have a tractor on site.

fell tree, hitch up to back of tractor, drag out to area where truck is. buck until you get into the muddy part of the log, push tops into pile with back blade. repeat. Try to stay in the same tracks back and forth so that you don't do extra damage to the "lawn"

I don't understand the wasted time in bucking to 4 foot lengths in the woods, all that does is make more trips in and out. Why must they be loaded in lengths? Those rounds are small, once bucked they should be easy to toss into the truck. No need for winches, cranes, all that bs. Only takes a few minutes to buck up on site.

IF the owner fusses about tracking, take your tractor and head on down the road. A better job will be on the horizon.

Not busting your balls man, good on you for trying to make some extra cash for your family. If you were closer I'd send a couple dump truck loads of logs over and drop them in your driveway. Peace

 

[FLRA_Dave]

fell tree, hitch up to back of tractor, drag out to area where truck is. buck until you get into the muddy part of the log, push tops into pile with back blade. repeat. Try to stay in the same tracks back and forth so that you don't do extra damage to the "lawn"

I don't understand the wasted time in bucking to 4 foot lengths in the woods, all that does is make more trips in and out. Why must they be loaded in lengths? Those rounds are small, once bucked they should be easy to toss into the truck. No need for winches, cranes, all that bs. Only takes a few minutes to buck up on site.

Well… if the truck is parked out by the road, then that’s probably around 500’ to be carrying blocked wood out by hand. If I park on the tracks, then that’s closer… closest would be 20’ or so and up to about 300’. I don’t have a bin for my tractor to carry to the tracks… but I was thinking about getting a pallet to stack rounds on to carry to the truck on the tracks. I was thinking that 4’ could be placed on the carry all forks.

The 4’ with the skid steer was because it gets tight in some spots where existing trees are. I’ve been back and forth in my head about blocking everything up vs logs… I’ve done both and am not sure if one is that much better than the other.

 

[zogger]

Well… if the truck is parked out by the road, then that’s probably around 500’ to be carrying blocked wood out by hand. If I park on the tracks, then that’s closer… closest would be 20’ or so and up to about 300’. I don’t have a bin for my tractor to carry to the tracks… but I was thinking about getting a pallet to stack rounds on to carry to the truck on the tracks. I was thinking that 4’ could be placed on the carry all forks.

The 4’ with the skid steer was because it gets tight in some spots where existing trees are. I’ve been back and forth in my head about blocking everything up vs logs… I’ve done both and am not sure if one is that much better than the other.

I just built a big box that you can back into with normal rear hay forks. Basically a big pallet with sides. Works great. No need to buy one, should only take you one evening to make it, its just a box.. Made it with a removable back panel, just slips in and then a hinge and pin to lock it. I can carry big weight with it, limited only by the fork rating, which in my case is one ton even, box plus cargo. . Going uphill I go backwards. Left and right brakes are your friend in deep mud. You can adjust the height level, to the ground, roll rounds in, then later lift to suit and roll the rounds right into your trailer. Top point you want angled in a little of course once you go to move, mine is hydraulic, but the manual adjusters are fast enough. I use this a LOT to get to areas where it is impractical to go with a trailer. The most useul tool I have on this whole farm. Its in this thread, and other guys 3 point lifts.

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/202030.htm

The pics of your terrain, meh, baby mud...get trailer attached to truck close as possible, go get tractor with tote box..go get mass quantities wood, bring to trailer, fill up, go home, dump, go back. Or just use the tractor box and get as much as you can to your staging area as possible, then come back later and fill a big dump truck or something, whatever.

With the box on the back and full of logs and rounds, you got serious dig in traction. Just dont overload it, you can tell when you go to start pulling away, the front end will lift. Go real real slow the first few times you use it until you get used to it. Take some off if it is too full. Youll learn real quick how much you can tote.. Better extra trips than overloading.

edit: I would NOT try climbing up and down that railroad embankment, thats just too steep and gnarly. I would just go through the woods, thats it. And joe homeonwer is gonna have to get real on the ruts, or walk away from the job. Im serious, sounds like he is turning into an unreasonable ####head about it. Easy enough in the spring, at the end of the job, to scrape it flat and throw some grass seed down.

 

[Patrick62]

I just went down that learnin' curve

My problem was a little larger at 12 acres, and several thousand trees to be removed. I had essentially 5 months to move 140 some cords of wood. I did it, but with a few interesting twists.

First thing was to borrow a honking big trailer. Second thing was to get a tractor to load the logs with. Next I needed a skidder, and improvised with a jeep and a winch rigged up on the back. Then it was simple, drop and limb them and skid them into a deck. Load the decks onto the trailer and it is outta here! Slash could have been piled up and burned like you are doing but with my cut it was lop and scatter.

What would I do in your situation. Could that tractor run a front lift? That would have been my choice. Second would have been a decent used skid loader. That trailer is pretty small, but with the hard wood you got the pickup would not wanna pull it...

If it was easy.... someone else would do it!

grin and bear it.

 

[reaperman]

Well… if the truck is parked out by the road, then that’s probably around 500’ to be carrying blocked wood out by hand. If I park on the tracks, then that’s closer… closest would be 20’ or so and up to about 300’. I don’t have a bin for my tractor to carry to the tracks… but I was thinking about getting a pallet to stack rounds on to carry to the truck on the tracks. I was thinking that 4’ could be placed on the carry all forks.

The 4’ with the skid steer was because it gets tight in some spots where existing trees are. I’ve been back and forth in my head about blocking everything up vs logs… I’ve done both and am not sure if one is that much better than the other.

If you do end up renting a bobcat, I'd most definitely drag a entire tree from the woods with it. Thats how I cut all of my firewood. I cut down the tree, chain the entire tree to the bobcat and drag it to where its continent. Believe me, all of the bobcats mentioned above will drag out an entire sized tree anywhere you want it to. Even weaving between trees is possible.
Here are a few photos of trees and logs all dragged by bobcat to a central cutting area.

 

[farmer steve]

i havent seen this question& and not to be a smart a##. was this a "free firewood" on CL? also the 3pt. carryall will not handle more than 4-500 lbs. 3 pt forks would be better if u are doing 4 ft. lenghts.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

i havent seen this question& and not to be a smart a##. was this a "free firewood" on CL? also the 3pt. carryall will not h
andle more than 4-500 lbs. 3 pt forks would be better if u are doing 4 ft. lenghts.

Sure was...

I wanted forks, but I couldn't find any in my budget at the time. I think that the 8N is only rated for 800 lbs or so on the 3 point, so I thought that a 1000 lb rated carry all would have worked.

 

[farmer steve]

Sure was...

dolp

 

[FLRA_Dave]

I knew I had a better picture somewhere from the first week or so...

This past Saturday was mostly cleanup... My son helping to keep the fire going:

I started cutting some wood up to take home for the day:

Here I got the rented Colorado (our truck is getting body work done from deer accident) up on the tracks:

The carry all (minus pallet) was working great to consolidate the burn pile:

My son trying to show off his muscles. You can see the truck up on the tracks in the back ground:

Not the most productive 3 hours on the lot (never really is when I bring the kids with me), but we get some family time in which is good.

 

[blacknightwolf]

good to see your son helpin out,,, the tractor seams to do a good job with the brush.what are the stakes next to the tractor for?

 

[FLRA_Dave]

good to see your son helpin out,,, the tractor seams to do a good job with the brush.what are the stakes next to the tractor for?

I believe that they burn all of the yard waste on top of their garden (seemed like there was a rectangle outline in the grass). Stakes are only on one end though... Not really sure.

 

[Cheesecutter]

As far as burning brush piles...that is the one thing I will never do on someone else's property. Personally, I don't want the liability for it and it eats up a lot of my time. I make it very clear up front...I'll pile it, but will not burn it. Most landowners understand.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

As far as burning brush piles...that is the one thing I will never do on someone else's property. Personally, I don't want the liability for it and it eats up a lot of my time. I make it very clear up front...I'll pile it, but will not burn it. Most landowners understand.

Boy does it ever... Probably have 8-10 hours into just burning so far.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

Ok... I did some figuring (I've been keeping a spreadsheet of most of my time). This is my 24th week at the lot and I personally have 156 hours into the entire project... which includes lot work and splitting back home / delivering. On the lot itself I have spent 75 hours.

So 75/24 = ~3 hours per week spent at the lot itself.

And (156-75)/24 = ~4 hours per week doing everything else.

I think I have 15-20 more hours on the lot left to rid myself of this project... Looking forward to it!

 

[hardpan]

I also see a young man enjoying the outdoors and learning how to work - priceless.

 

[blacknightwolf]

also think it is great son is out there helping and learning,,, the lessons learned there will certainly carry on with them all though their lives. never know some day they maybe talking and refer to that time dad and son spent in woods!!:msp_smile:

 

[hardpan]

also think it is great son is out there helping and learning,,, the lessons learned there will certainly carry on with them all though their lives. never know some day they maybe talking and refer to that time dad and son spent in woods!!:msp_smile:

I guarantee it.

 

[autoimage]

thanks for sharing the story and pics...cant say anything thats already been said