Another great video Thomas and man I’m still praying for you and I hope everything is going good for you so y’all stay safe out there and keep the videos coming my friend
In central Michigan where we cut only beautiful red pine harvesters and forwarders make sense. We do cut to length and the truck has its own loader and loads the wood himself.
You are right as far as what a harvester would produce per day, and also that the underbrush would be a production killer. However, I wonder what the actual cost per ton difference to put wood on the truck would be. I'm not sure that the smaller timber you tend to cut would be a good place to run harvester and forwarder, but in a bit larger timber I think you would start to close the production gap. Also one of the things southern logger don't seem to realize with CTL systems is the amount of sawlogs that can more easily be merchandized vs delimber/loader set up. I am hearing reports of tracts that were not worth sorting sawlogs out of yielding 60% sawlogs (chip n saw or whatever you call it) Another option is to fell the timber with the cutter and run the harvester and forwarder behind it. That would pick up production 30-40% in the type of wood you're in.
We have the same issue in our state. South Carolina is full of underbrush in pine stands because people don’t do controlled burns anymore. We have 4-5 chip markets as well so we chip all the underbrush that’s worth cutting and not running over with the rubber tires. We also have an 855 track cutter for the wet ground because we cut hardwood swamps from time to time. Big markets here in South Carolina for hardwood as well.
Great video, but the audio on my tablet is awful, my ear buds can't pick up your voice and some of the background noise is overwhelming and gives you no voice, but I am still watching!
In Newfoundland back in 2007 a Harvester Processor was going for 750,000 buckaroos... I remember walking the dealership in Corner Brook and being shocked at the sticker prices, I bet the fancy models are over 1.2 million now!
I did first thinnings with a cut to length setup in the 80's. We were cutting everything 8ft 4 for fence post. The southern underbrush was very hard on the processor and really slows production. The stem count you run, a harvestor would be lucky to cut 2 to 2 1/2 loads a day of 18ft wood. I would get 2 loads a day with the fowarder operator also driving the truck on 0-40 mile hauls. In the South your method is still the most cost effective and productive! Keep at it!
Not a logger but enjoy your channel. My dad loged here in Alabama for several years he mainly ran the loader and hauled loads to the mill sometimes. Keep it up great job.
As a forest owner from norther Europe all those draging trees on ground, doesnt seems efficient, but regional how hole systems from standing trees to how trees prosessed in factory and distannces, in europe ctl is norm and you have your style. Here logistick between harvester groups, lorrys and papermills, saws, are hole and own level of know how. faktory knows online what harverster doing and what is coming (example, logs for plywood, logs for paper, and biomass) And all go hand in hand. Tree of biggesr end wood machin faktory is few 100km between here JD Ponnse and Komatsu, all CTL models from those. Still intresting to see your work
Wish my pay would increase like these new tractor prices lol I ordered a 822e and 620h that’ll be here in 6 months. 350to360k on skidder and 550tp560k on the 822. Good video
You are right, but in Europe you are just not allowed to do clear cut, except for bark beatle felling or so. So you would never ever have enough work to keep a feller buncher busy, most of logging in Austria is in quite steep terrain, were it is often no place for a real landing, so thats why harvester and forwarders are more common here. And of course there is a lot of cable logging.
I think harvesters and forwarders are primarily designed to work in regenerative forests with logging trails which are as far from each other as possible. For example for our forest, which is dominated by spruce, we bought a harvester-forwarder-combination with 10 meter boom reach (32 feet), so that our logging trails could be apart by 20 meters (64 feet). This gives us a large space in between the trails which is not compressed by the machines, where new trees could grow as soon as possible. In a scenario, where you would just eliminate the forest, i don't see a purpose for those kind of machines.
Couple of things I'm curious about. What excuse does the mill give for wanting the tops cut off and do the mills take cut to length or non tree length pulp anymore?
Has anyone tried a Timberpro 630 (6x6 wheel, buncher boom with a quadco hotsaw) in flat ground Southern pine thinning? (youtube has a few videos in hardwoods, keywords Timberpro 630 quadco or 830 (8x8 wheel) tds22). A Tigercat or JD version (with Tigercat or JD bunching head) might be preferable.
I have driven Forwarders for others since 2001 then I brought my own a few years later and I ended up being owed £7,000.00 plus in wages and I lost everything I had worked to buy inc my home.
I'm 15 and I'm really interested in getting in to operating logging equipment how would I recommend me going about it and is there a school for learning to operate the cutters
I guess the main reason why your style of logging isn't done in europe and most other places is the high initial setup cost. Moving all those machines to site for 1-2 days of work would cost way too much, meanwhile just 2 machines are much more manageable and flexible even for tiny patches
No one size fits all, look up Bjarne Butler, on TH-cam, and see how I feel trees, worked with his dad for years, our logs are over 1/2 removed from the woods by Helicopter. Just repaired a Cat 518C transmission in a grapple skidder, but it to has it's purpose too, , British Columbia is not all sidehills, heli jobs, we harvest toothpick too. Very little hardwoods, but we could.
I get a kick outta watchin yall with all the fancy equipment rippin trees. Im up here in VT on the Canadian border still using chainsaws and johnd deere cable rig. Man, I need me a nice big feller-buncher so I can sit my big ass in a heated cab! lol
Another great video Thomas and man I’m still praying for you and I hope everything is going good for you so y’all stay safe out there and keep the videos coming my friend
In central Michigan where we cut only beautiful red pine harvesters and forwarders make sense. We do cut to length and the truck has its own loader and loads the wood himself.
Great video Thomas. There's a place for everything. Just gotta be in the right place
We use a forwarder when 3 skidders get jammed up it helps out a lot great videos bro
That wide mouth on that delimber is a loader man’s best friend!! Keep up your awesome work!!
You are right as far as what a harvester would produce per day, and also that the underbrush would be a production killer. However, I wonder what the actual cost per ton difference to put wood on the truck would be. I'm not sure that the smaller timber you tend to cut would be a good place to run harvester and forwarder, but in a bit larger timber I think you would start to close the production gap. Also one of the things southern logger don't seem to realize with CTL systems is the amount of sawlogs that can more easily be merchandized vs delimber/loader set up. I am hearing reports of tracts that were not worth sorting sawlogs out of yielding 60% sawlogs (chip n saw or whatever you call it) Another option is to fell the timber with the cutter and run the harvester and forwarder behind it. That would pick up production 30-40% in the type of wood you're in.
One problem is that they are usually paid by the ton so getting small sawlogs out of a tree isn't a concern. It just slows them down.
We have the same issue in our state. South Carolina is full of underbrush in pine stands because people don’t do controlled burns anymore. We have 4-5 chip markets as well so we chip all the underbrush that’s worth cutting and not running over with the rubber tires. We also have an 855 track cutter for the wet ground because we cut hardwood swamps from time to time. Big markets here in South Carolina for hardwood as well.
It's like trying to talk to a lad in a nightclub, hearing every 2nd word😀😀
Great video, but the audio on my tablet is awful, my ear buds can't pick up your voice and some of the background noise is overwhelming and gives you no voice, but I am still watching!
You’re the only one to complain about audio, you probably need to watch on a different device
It was difficult to hear you talking when you were by the feller buncher.
Audio was terrible. Hear nothing you speak.
In Newfoundland back in 2007 a Harvester Processor was going for 750,000 buckaroos... I remember walking the dealership in Corner Brook and being shocked at the sticker prices, I bet the fancy models are over 1.2 million now!
I did first thinnings with a cut to length setup in the 80's. We were cutting everything 8ft 4 for fence post. The southern underbrush was very hard on the processor and really slows production. The stem count you run, a harvestor would be lucky to cut 2 to 2 1/2 loads a day of 18ft wood. I would get 2 loads a day with the fowarder operator also driving the truck on 0-40 mile hauls. In the South your method is still the most cost effective and productive! Keep at it!
Cost effective? With the operating costs now nothing is going to be cost effective for very much longer.
@@ironmule Hey Ironmule 2004, I had a 5050 Ironmule with the 3 speed funk power shift.
Not a logger but enjoy your channel. My dad loged here in Alabama for several years he mainly ran the loader and hauled loads to the mill sometimes. Keep it up great job.
Thanks for watching
As a forest owner from norther Europe all those draging trees on ground, doesnt seems efficient, but regional how hole systems from standing trees to how trees prosessed in factory and distannces, in europe ctl is norm and you have your style. Here logistick between harvester groups, lorrys and papermills, saws, are hole and own level of know how. faktory knows online what harverster doing and what is coming (example, logs for plywood, logs for paper, and biomass) And all go hand in hand. Tree of biggesr end wood machin faktory is few 100km between here JD Ponnse and Komatsu, all CTL models from those. Still intresting to see your work
Wish my pay would increase like these new tractor prices lol I ordered a 822e and 620h that’ll be here in 6 months. 350to360k on skidder and 550tp560k on the 822. Good video
Still love your videos great job 👏 👍 Mr
You are right, but in Europe you are just not allowed to do clear cut, except for bark beatle felling or so. So you would never ever have enough work to keep a feller buncher busy, most of logging in Austria is in quite steep terrain, were it is often no place for a real landing, so thats why harvester and forwarders are more common here. And of course there is a lot of cable logging.
I think harvesters and forwarders are primarily designed to work in regenerative forests with logging trails which are as far from each other as possible. For example for our forest, which is dominated by spruce, we bought a harvester-forwarder-combination with 10 meter boom reach (32 feet), so that our logging trails could be apart by 20 meters (64 feet). This gives us a large space in between the trails which is not compressed by the machines, where new trees could grow as soon as possible. In a scenario, where you would just eliminate the forest, i don't see a purpose for those kind of machines.
Couple of things I'm curious about. What excuse does the mill give for wanting the tops cut off and do the mills take cut to length or non tree length pulp anymore?
Cool video!! Hot saws bang out wood so much faster..😎
Has anyone tried a Timberpro 630 (6x6 wheel, buncher boom with a quadco hotsaw) in flat ground Southern pine thinning? (youtube has a few videos in hardwoods, keywords Timberpro 630 quadco or 830 (8x8 wheel) tds22). A Tigercat or JD version (with Tigercat or JD bunching head) might be preferable.
I have driven Forwarders for others since 2001 then I brought my own a few years later and I ended up being owed £7,000.00 plus in wages and I lost everything I had worked to buy inc my home.
I'm 15 and I'm really interested in getting in to operating logging equipment how would I recommend me going about it and is there a school for learning to operate the cutters
Just curious, why don't yall run a harvester with a delimber combo?
You need to come check my crew out. I run Ponsse and we do around 400 tons a day
I guess the main reason why your style of logging isn't done in europe and most other places is the high initial setup cost.
Moving all those machines to site for 1-2 days of work would cost way too much, meanwhile just 2 machines are much more manageable and flexible even for tiny patches
How do you even break even with all that iron and such small diameter wood?
Your definitely right that youpon would ruin one of those harvesters for sure.
No one size fits all, look up Bjarne Butler, on TH-cam, and see how I feel trees, worked with his dad for years, our logs are over 1/2 removed from the woods by Helicopter.
Just repaired a Cat 518C transmission in a grapple skidder, but it to has it's purpose too, , British Columbia is not all sidehills, heli jobs, we harvest toothpick too. Very little hardwoods, but we could.
Most questions of "why do it that way " in logging are easily answered ........Cost Per Ton
Does anyone use delimbing gates anymore?
All depending on what the mill takes
I get a kick outta watchin yall with all the fancy equipment rippin trees. Im up here in VT on the Canadian border still using chainsaws and johnd deere cable rig. Man, I need me a nice big feller-buncher so I can sit my big ass in a heated cab! lol
How much money do you make? What is your gross income per year?
After equipment payments, fuel, maintenance, and payroll, these guys aren't making crap for profit.
And the forest after your work looks like shit!
No enviroment thinking at all
And how does it? Lol