Author Topic: On the road again (Read 61548 times)

backwoods sawyer · « **on:** March 30, 2015, 11:47:00 AM »

Spring has sprung the last of the daffodils are all but gone and the ground is soft, very soft and spring break is here, every time the weatherman shows rain customers were postponing so the back log was growing.

Been working a large timber frame project down south 160 mile round trip, he took a break to get caught up on stacking the timbers and lumber, and the weather turned good, had three boys as helpers for the week so I scheduled a full week. First up was a trip to the coast to mill a log truck load of decent Myrtle wood with an over night camp out. Then we headed north for a short day of Doug fir, then west to mill up a nice batch of Port orford cedar. We took a day off for a family get together BBQ.
Then we headed north 120+ miles with two jobs scheduled for the same day, both site unseen. First one was an over sized oak in the small back yard that had a chipper stuck up to the axles in the black clay a week ago, he has spread chips around to firm up but the ground was still soft from having standing water earlier in the week. In backing the mill into the back yard a right and left turn needed to be made. I stopped when it got tight and moved the mill the additional 25' with man power. We set the mill up on 12x12x1 oak pads, the first log up was more then the mill wanted to lift at 14' and 38", with assistance of the 13 hp tractor with loader a chain to the clamp and three pee-vees the log was loaded, octagoned and quarter sawn, finished the rest of the tree hooked on with the truck and headed 35 miles further north to more soft black clay. A 4' cedar with three tops, butt log needed split in half and some trimming, dozen logs need moved and turned 90* so the truck was need to assist, we finished up using headlights and made the 150 mile drive home.
Moving a bit slower this morning but still have a batch of saws to get sharpened up before hitting the road again all jobs on the list until Friday are outside the county (the size of Connecticut) Friday will be resawing more timbers from the Rainier brewery built in the late 1800's (need lots of saws)

4x4American · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2015, 08:08:35 PM »

Sounds good! You sure do put some miles on! What are you towing the mill with and how does it treat you/how do you treat it?

Mud season just getting started over here. Still snow on the ground, and where it isn't the topsoil is thawing. We are working in the shop at my regular job just pulling in all the machinery giving whatever they need for the new year. Trucks, excavators, dozers, skidsteer, backhoe, roller, chipper...all the bull crap associated with an excavation company!

How many miles you put on in a given year?

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2015, 08:59:29 PM »

98 Chevy, half ton, extra cab, 4x4, short bed, with the V-6, and manual trany with over 300,000 miles on it.
I use my trucks to get the job done, try not to abuse them and keep up on the maintenance as needed mileage per year has gone up the last couple years since going 100% portable. (read that as divorce, x got log yard, lumber yard and wood shop.

The truck is a bit lite for towing the mill over the mountains, many times I wish it was a 3/4 ton but I can't complain as this truck has put the mill in a lot of tight spots and handles the goat trails and get 20ish mpg.

furu · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2015, 01:48:06 AM »

Sounds like you have been keeping very busy. Busy is good.

4x4American · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2015, 06:06:36 PM »

Good! That divorce thing sounds awful sorry to hear that. That's taking away your livelihood!

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #5 on:** April 01, 2015, 10:30:54 AM »

Going on three years and still not done, looking forward to May 19th.
Bought the place 7 years before I met her, was together 15 years never even a late payment, 20 min to vacate, judge granted her temporary possession, now the bank owns the four bedroom home, shop, barn, detached office, complete self sustaining mini farm and the X continues to defy court orders to stop selling assets

I got the sawmill truck and a trailer load of automotive tools, the rest of the tools stayed.
So I hit the road and went 100% portable then met Little Jo while harvesting Juniper in the snow on the high desert. She had been operating potato harvesting and processing equipment for 15 year and took right to sawing and we have been traveling the state since...

4x4American · « **Reply #6 on:** April 01, 2015, 09:17:03 PM »

That is a rough deal.

They say everything happens for a reason but sometimes it's hard to see why. Little Jo sounds like a great find!

Side note:
Is your name by any chance Bill? If so, there's a theme song for you two by Charlie Daniels- Little Jo and Big Bill (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDSwmIiSBwE)

4x4American · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2015, 09:29:06 PM »

Did she get your other mill?

furu · « **Reply #8 on:** April 02, 2015, 12:52:35 AM »

Quote from: backwoods sawyer on April 01, 2015, 10:30:54 AM

So I hit the road and went 100% portable then met Little Jo while harvesting Juniper in the snow on the high desert. She had been operating potato harvesting and processing equipment for 15 year and took right to sawing and we have been traveling the state since...

Rough deal but sounds like you got a keeper now.

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2015, 10:55:06 AM »

Quote from: 4x4American on April 01, 2015, 09:29:06 PM

Did she get your other mill?

No but she is still trying to get both of them

All four kids have taken right to little Jo, even both stepsons who call her mom, (they don't agree with their moms tactics)

yeah she is a keeper

We are working on building a road into a new sawmill site but that has been slow going as it is two miles of BLM land, only a 1/4 mile to go however getting an environmental impact study for a creek crossing has been a sticking point as the best crossing is not the best place for the road, and the best place for the road is not the best crossing point $:-\$ as we need to get log-lumber trucks in and out and would rather not have more then one bridge to build.

We will be doing a lot of traveling with the mill until we get the road all the way into the new place which has highway frontage for the sawmill site but no highway access.

4x4American · « **Reply #10 on:** April 08, 2015, 08:21:10 PM »

Well good luck!

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #11 on:** May 03, 2015, 11:00:54 PM »

We made a trip up the coast 150 miles to mill cedar and redwood for a few days. Site unseen "Lots of room" When we arrived the loop driveway had different log sorts scattered around. Got the mill set up and the first log knocks the mill 18" out of position $:-\$ , reset mill and got started on the log piles. The space was tight to work in, handle logs and lumber.
The batch of "D" logs still had a dozen or so limbs attached so that was fun to untangle.
We found a yurt on the beach for the first night since it was late. Then tent camped the rest of the trip.
Then we dropped the mill off 90 miles out and milled up a batch of flooring and floating stair treads. She wanted counter tops as well however that log had three feet of fencing wrapped around it

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #12 on:** May 04, 2015, 12:42:21 AM »

mountainlake · « **Reply #13 on:** May 04, 2015, 03:28:50 AM »

Looks like you've been busy, good job Steve

furu · « **Reply #14 on:** May 04, 2015, 05:11:10 AM »

You have definitely not been letting the moss grow. Good job an staying busy.

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #15 on:** May 06, 2015, 12:49:37 AM »

We have a full schedule taking care of some small local jobs then headed south for a few truck loads of Doug fir then up on top of the Cascades for a house package.

4x4American · « **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2015, 08:11:43 PM »

How did the first log knock the mill out 18"?

Love the pictures!

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #17 on:** May 11, 2015, 10:26:22 PM »

It was still attached to the excavator when he gave it a shove

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #18 on:** May 11, 2015, 11:40:32 PM »

While milling a small project we has a few visitors stroll by
some old times watched over us
an Indian stayed low in the grass
and two bull strutted around the fair lady

4x4American · « **Reply #19 on:** May 15, 2015, 09:08:37 PM »

vedy nice

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #20 on:** May 18, 2015, 12:35:44 AM »

Milling up three decks of logs that were cleared for a write of way
First three pics are the first milling site and deck the last three are the next deck
No cell service and only a 120 mile commute, add in divorce trial is this week so trial prep has been a scramble.

4x4American · « **Reply #21 on:** May 19, 2015, 05:16:01 AM »

Looks good!

mountainlake · « **Reply #22 on:** May 20, 2015, 05:32:41 AM »

Looks like you have a 3 bedroom house set up, how many pounds will that excavator lift. I just got another skid loader that will pick up a 4500# stack of lumber vs 2500" for my other one. Not too many logs the new one won't lift.

4x4American · « **Reply #23 on:** May 25, 2015, 06:39:43 AM »

It amazes me how much weight a skid loader can handle. They can also be easily towed by a 3/4 ton pickup.

backwoods sawyer · « **Reply #24 on:** May 30, 2015, 01:09:23 AM »

No idea what it is rated lift.
The owner has only had it for a couple weeks, weighs 11,000 lb, wished they had a one ton to tow with, happy as hell with the machine.

We have the mill set up on one side of the road and working off a deck of tree length logs on the other side of the road, every so often a heavy one will tip him up if he reaches to far.
Took the day off today so the trucks that have been hauling on the road in between mill and the logs can lay the rock thru that section of road.

We have been working with just two logs in front of the mill to keep the road open.
Being in timber the tailing pile grew up next to a sapling, sapling got cut down, tailing pile stood 9' tall, excavator got buried in tailings, and the pile builds again

Next stop is over 200 miles north over on the coast, taking a few maintenance days before heading out again, lost a hydraulic pump Tuesday, got the spare into the shop Wednesday, picked it up today and will have it installed before the logs are in front of the mill. Even running with just one pump little Jo and I have made our min board footage rate for each day.

News:

Author Topic: On the road again (Read 61548 times)