Using the processor head to delimb leave trees on a thinning project to reduce ladder fuels

[Hddnis]

I'm sure I've seen this done. I'm pretty sure I've also seen a video of it on youtube. But a quick search just now didn't turn up anything.

My idea is to close the head around the leave tree lightly and lift up with the boom, don't close or use the feed rollers. A small percentage of scaring or rubbing on the leave trees is allowed and if it was bad that tree could be taken and another one left instead.

The goal of this is to send one machine through to thin and limb and then another to mulch the slash and be done. It would save the hand crews coming through between the processor and mulcher.

Any thoughts on this? This is private land and it is a pre-commercial thin, ninety percent or more of the branches are dead, very few live branches around the perimeter, the reason to remove them is ladder fuel reduction.


Mr. HE

 

[Hddnis]

I guess I should add more info here, it is a mixed P. pine and d. fir forest, trees are average 30' tall and 6" dbh.


Mr. HE

 

[1270d]

How high do they need to be limbed? How close to the ground do the green limbs start? A bar saw buncher head seems like it would work best if limbs only need to be broken off.

How would you expect to pay?

 

[Hddnis]

Minimum of 8' up, but if the dead branches go higher up to 20' at most on the tallest trees. Payment would have to be worked out.


Mr. HE

 

[1270d]

It seems like it would work as long as there is enough room to maneuver. It wouldnot be cheap though. Processor would want to get 150 an hour plus I'm sure. Seems like a labour crew might be cheaper.

 

[northmanlogging]

sounds like a great way to knock a whole bunch of bark off, but if you can make it work it should go fairly quick, surely allot falster then hand limbing..

 

[Gologit]

The operator will be the key to making this work. It would take a delicate touch to delimb and not tear up the tree.

 

[redprospector]

Hmm, I don't know about this one. This is similar to the type of work I do sometimes. I don't know how many acres the job is, but I think the hand crew will probably give the best results. But then again, I've never had to take off ladder fuel to a minimum of 8' high, I stop at 6'.
You're not going to be thinning 6" DBH trees with the processor are you? 6" DBH is a good size to just mulch where it stands.

Andy