alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description alt image description

Author Topic: The Mudding Adventure  (Read 21000 times)

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
The Mudding Adventure
« on: February 15, 2009, 12:08:58 PM »
I have orders for lumber backing up and with all the moisture we have had I cant move any logs. Thaw, freeze, thaw, freeze etc. making it impossible to get things done.  

I had 5 ash logs in front of the mill that had no special purpose other than they were in line to cut. Not having that lumber sold I chose to move them out of the way and put some oak in line to fill orders.

I thought last nights freeze was going to do the trick so out I went with my Clark 15K forklift and started to move some logs. 

Got the first 4 moved no problem. 


Had 1 more ash to go and a couple of T-poles. You can see to the right of the logs its getting muddy :(


Thinking I could get the last three pieces in one shot I went for it.  As you can see from the picture, it didnt happen!  This was the trail created after about an hour of rocking back and forth trying to get out on my own power. 


With the forklift stuck I thought I could winch it out by hooking onto this walnut log that was sitting behind a large pile of Cottonwoods.


Unfortunatly, it didnt work.  :o  The log litteraly was pulled from behind the pile and there was even enough force to move the pile :o


You can see in this pic on the bottom right another walnut log that was pushed from the back of the one I was hooked to.  The Forklift was so stuck my pulling with the winch moved this whole pile of logs!  Thats Stuck!  >:(


Time to for a change in tactics!
Forklift hooked with a chain from behind.


Snatch Block installed between the forklift and the truck.


Ready to start pulling!


You can see in this pic the tire tracks in front of the truck. That is why I had to install the bloccking.


I had tried to pull before and the truck slid so had to do some creative blocking! I used a 4x6 cross block from the T-poles I get and set it at a slight angle to lock into the ground.  It worked perfectly in stopping the truck from going anywhere when I pulled.



My beast now sits high and dry..................and wont move until I get a good freeze or lots of dry weather :(
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Stephen Wiley

  • Senior Contributor
  • ****
  • Posts: 217
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2009, 12:18:33 PM »
It never seems 'fun' to get into stuck situations :-\  But it sure is 'fun' to figure out the solution and to get it in pics...........wow ;D

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2009, 10:02:40 AM »
Things froze up enough that I could move the last of the logs and get the oak in place. 

The oak I need to cut is a Pin Oak and is a 46" diameter 18 footer with the small end being 36".  One minor problem ::)

The mill cant pick it up :o  Looks like I am going to have to parbuckle it up on the mill if I want to cut it.   ;)

Pics to follow!
« Last Edit: February 16, 2009, 05:49:44 PM by Kirk Allen »
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2009, 05:34:51 PM »
This is the pin Oak I had to move.  Now I have to figure out how to get it up on the mill. I may just end up splitting it with a chain saw as even if I did get it on the mill it would be a real pain trying to widdle it down to size.


This pic give a better perspective of the size of this beast.  :o :'(  ;D
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 1965
    • www.TanglewoodTimber@aol.com
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2009, 09:44:26 PM »
Now, this is where you need a MD mill for that size of log.

Offline Stephen Wiley

  • Senior Contributor
  • ****
  • Posts: 217
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2009, 08:56:16 AM »
Hmmm................surprised Steve M. has chimed in on this....

Offline Stevem

  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 1103
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2009, 09:41:10 AM »
Steve M. don't like mud.  Been there, done that.  Pass
Stevem
Because you can doesn't mean you should!

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2009, 04:21:15 PM »
I can roll the log under roof where its high and dry.   ;D
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2009, 05:33:57 PM »
Well the Mill wouldn't lift the log so I cut it in half!  Took about 30 minutes to rip through lengthwise with my 30" bar then another 30 minutes with wedges and a sledge prying the last 12" apart!






Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Stephen Wiley

  • Senior Contributor
  • ****
  • Posts: 217
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2009, 07:26:02 PM »
Still looks good, even if'n ya had to use the chainsaw ;D

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2009, 08:34:15 PM »
It was interesting hearing the wood fibers being stressed while I hammered in the wedges.  Slowly but surely it started to open up and surprisingly quickly it was about 12" apart on top.  Once I got to that point I took my 72" Log Rite Cant hook and started rocking on the half away from the mill.

A few rocks and POP :o  The side I was pulling on just rolled over. 

I went to lift up the half that is on the hooks and in my brillance the other day I left the key on so the battery was dead  ::)
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Frank Pender - AKA "Tail Gunner"

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 1965
    • www.TanglewoodTimber@aol.com
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2009, 06:01:51 AM »
Look at all the great experience you had out here with the 6' Sequoia, help you with this log.  You just needed to put the forks of your lift truck into the cut for splitting, like I did. ;D

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2009, 07:44:17 AM »
If I could have gotten the forklift to it I would have just picked it up and put it on the mill.  Way to muddy to get any equipment moved around here. :(
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Stephen Wiley

  • Senior Contributor
  • ****
  • Posts: 217
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2009, 09:01:36 AM »
I don't know if that Illinois soil is anything like Iowa's.

If it is nothing much gonna move in it.  I used to use drywall stilts to walk from one construction unit to another.

BTW, dead battery............. ;D

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2009, 08:24:19 PM »
Same stuff!  If it isnt frozen or dry we dont even try............anymore ;D
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline Buzz Sawyer

  • Global Moderator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 2193
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #15 on: June 14, 2009, 10:27:46 AM »
What did you eventually make out of the log.....did you quarter saw it since you were 1/2 way there?

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #16 on: June 14, 2009, 09:53:05 PM »
Deck boards for trailers!
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!

Offline greenpellet

  • New Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 2
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #17 on: June 27, 2009, 08:03:46 AM »
Hello all! You fellow Kirk Allen. Just a fascinating pursuit, but at the same time a useful and time-consuming. What kind of problems you encountered during your studies?

Offline Kirk Allen

  • Administrator
  • Old Timers Club
  • *****
  • Posts: 3281
  • In God We Trust!
    • Vindicator Nozzles
Re: The Mudding Adventure
« Reply #18 on: June 27, 2009, 12:48:39 PM »
Welcome to the forum Greenpellet.

What studies are you referencing?
Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching!