TreeDimensional's set up

TreeDimensional · 22nd December 2007, 03:00 PM

I am going to attempt to post a pics on here, I have to admit I am a better arborist than I am a technogeek, so here goes, The first one is of our mill.

azrael · 22nd December 2007, 03:05 PM

Hey where are all the trees..........have U milled them all.

Like trying to find stone to throw...at the top of a lookout....NONE AROUND. (PS I would NEVER do that...throw stones...that is).

JayD · 22nd December 2007, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael

Hey where are all the trees..........have U milled them all.

Like trying to find stone to throw...at the top of a lookout....NONE AROUND. (PS I would NEVER do that...throw stones...that is).

I was thinking the same thing, Great mill, But it seems there's nothing to mill...Good stay in side it looks darn cold there!

Ekka · 22nd December 2007, 03:14 PM

Crikey, I thought that was a shot of Lake Eyre.

Which is a salt lake in the middle of Australia for setting land speed records like Bonnyville.

TreeDimensional · 22nd December 2007, 03:17 PM

I expected that response, Just to further clarify, I live in West-Central Saskatchewan, CANADA...eh!!!! We are primarily(sp) an agricultural community, the soil type is a dark brown, heavy clay-loam soil. Per capita we are the largest special crop area in the world. This year ALL we seeded was Canary seed, go figure, we can make more money selling bird feed than we can growing PEOPLE food.

On another note, we can grow tree like crazy, but a tree nursery would be counterproductive, Who would what a 3 foot tall tree witha 600 lb root ball?

Seeing that my first attempt at addind pics worked I'll post a few more!

JayD · 22nd December 2007, 03:55 PM

Nice set up, TreeDimensional, We weren't having a crack at you it just seemed odd a mill and no trees for miles, If you dont know your market you wont stay in the game for long and you seem to know your's.
All the best JayD.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contest.
BOT, I'm in, but John's just about finnished ours, So if we win you's can both tweak it up, If that's OK

newguy18 · 22nd December 2007, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael

Hey where are all the trees..........have U milled them all.

Like trying to find stone to throw...at the top of a lookout....NONE AROUND. (PS I would NEVER do that...throw stones...that is).

Its a snow mill.

TreeDimensional · 22nd December 2007, 09:34 PM

Thanks for the comment guys, I thought long and hard about the need for a mill in this part of the country. The deciding factor occured early in August, 2007. At about 1:00AM there was a plough wind blow througt our area, the north edge was 6 miles south of us and leveled crops and tree in a 7 mile swath, right down to the south Saskatchewan river. As we do quite a few hazard removals at a regional park in the path af destuction, our phone began ringing at 6:00AM. We spent the first day removing trees from inside roofs of cabins, day 2 and tree were clean-up and retoration of surviving trees, and the fourth day we brought in a 106 foot/ 40 ton crane. We ended up removing 5 90' poplars from one lot. These were all in the 30" DBH, and were removed with 1 cut about a foot off the ground. The last day was spent bucking all the logs into 18" lenghts and were given away for free to three people.

The wood discibed here was hauled away in six three ton trucks (heaped). As we live in an area that doesn't have a lot of trees, fireplaces are rare. The logical use for the wood is a mill, and even though the wood is poplar, the ranchers keep phoning for slabs for porosity fencing. It didn't take long to find out that 5" and larger slabs 8' long sell for $800.00 Canadian dollars/cord.

The mill was not purchased as seen in the picture, it came with the complete head and two 7' sections of track. I priced out another section of track, but opted to build my own so I could cut 20' lengths. The dealer wanted $600.00 for a 7' length of track with a log dog on it, and I wanted an extra log dog which would have cost me about $320.00. I went to the local welding shop and bought all the material for the track and the dogs for $221.00. The trailer that is under the mill was home built from scrape iron from John Deere rodweeders from abandoned farm sites (free for the taking with permission).

The total cost for a mill that will cut a 30"diameter log 20' long, was under $9000.00 CD. By the way the reason we have made the mill mobile is logistic, the question around here is do you haul the wood to the mill or the mil to the wood? One way or the other you always have to haul wood. In my defence, the mill is a machine that is used to deal with our scrape that is too large to go through our chipper(12"), and we chip our scab material, and sell the chips. You might say we are mini recyclers.

It has been a vertical learning curve with how to maximize the boards from a log, but I should add that we are much more aware of the number and damage that insects do to live apparantly healthy trees.

Feel free to make comments or constructive criticism, I AM a farmer and an arborist, who lives in the frozen north

shaggs · 23rd December 2007, 03:49 AM

Hey TD, cool pics from a cool country.

I like your set up with the plant trailer etc.
Any pics of some milled timber??

Around here our climate is that different that to survive, the femakes have to wear safety clothing called a "bikini"!!

Very distracting to the worker!!! I take it bikini sales are down this time of year in your neck of the woods??

Keep the pics comin'

TreeDimensional · 23rd December 2007, 09:08 AM

Yea Shaggs Bikini sales plummet this time of year, the only thing that rymhms with "Thong" is "LONGJOHN". I have to get to Australia, I haven't learned to tell if the temp is hot or cold by looking at a photo yet,

We are relieved today, the temp last night was -27C with a good breeze, today it is -10.6C and calm. It going to get even better for Christmas, -2C with snow.

We are going out after lunch to mill some more poplar scrap, There is no BIG hurry today, so I'll take the camera out and get some shots. On another note, not having tree around does have advantages. When my daughters first started dating, their boy friends ALWAYS respected my wishes for returning them home on time. You See, I have a large rifle, and can hit every corner of the home section with one shot.

TreeDimensional · 23rd December 2007, 03:01 PM

A couple shots of the mill in action.

Ekka · 23rd December 2007, 04:52 PM

What stops the log moving or turning etc?

shaggs · 23rd December 2007, 06:41 PM

Nice shots TD.

Do you find the ice blunts your machines faster??

I like your take on "bringing my daughter home"

Amate of mine would date a girl who's father would always "happen" to be practising his .22cal shots in the rear yard (in country Australia where at the time he was a professional rabbit shooter).
The father never missed.....and needless to say the daughter was never late home!!!

TreeDimensional · 23rd December 2007, 08:49 PM

The mill ahs 4 log locks on it, and they may be configured into 7 different locations. When you put the raw log on the bed the locks canbe pivoted up to the centre line of the log and are locked in on the oposite side. Once you have cut a 90 degree corner the locks are dropped down, and the locks are used to secure the log to a series of bumpers that arewelded to the crossmembers. I will post some pics tommorrow, cause its dark here now.

As far as firearm selection goes, I found the Browning 22-250 to work the best on boyfriends. I have never had to squeeze the trigger because of my rep as a traditional Karate instructor.

The blades are an interesting conversation piece. The mill came with a band that was supposed to be the best on the market. I guess it might have been, I believe that I may have made some errors is cutting, heating etc.. The first band cut about a cord of poplar slabs 1"X 10"X 8', a couple 16"diameter green ash, and about 6 pressure treated douglas fir power poles 24D X 18'. The ash and the fir were compairable to sawing concrete. The first band broke in two places as the clutch was engaging and no where near the log. The second band cut about 6 power pole and became dull, it was put away until I buy a sharpener, which will cost around $1250.00. The jury is still out on whether or not to sharpen bands as they can be custom built for $35.00 each. This option also allows me to use different tooth configurations to match the materil we are cutting. I don't think the snow is an issue, but the junk like gravel that sticks to it does dull the bands in a hurry. On a side note, MOST of the commercial mills in Saskatchewan run at capacity in the winter, it has nothing to do with the logs being frozen, but if the bush trails are frozen that eliminates the need to dig logging truck out of the muskeg

TreeDimensional · 18th February 2008, 07:19 PM

Photo of Log grapple

newguy18 · 18th February 2008, 07:22 PM

where'd you import that log from?

22nd December 2007, 03:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
azrael Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Earth Australia Posts: 340	Re: No Website? Enter draw here then for free one built by Ekka Hey where are all the trees..........have U milled them all. Like trying to find stone to throw...at the top of a lookout....NONE AROUND. (PS I would NEVER do that...throw stones...that is). Last edited by azrael : 22nd December 2007 at 03:08 PM. Reason: more comment

22nd December 2007, 03:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,669	Re: No Website? Enter draw here then for free one built by Ekka Crikey, I thought that was a shot of Lake Eyre. Which is a salt lake in the middle of Australia for setting land speed records like Bonnyville. __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors Last edited by Ekka : 22nd December 2007 at 04:35 PM. Reason: Explanation of Lake Eyre

22nd December 2007, 03:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
JayD Astronaut Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 821	Re: No Website? Enter draw here then for free one built by Ekka Nice set up, TreeDimensional, We weren't having a crack at you it just seemed odd a mill and no trees for miles, If you dont know your market you wont stay in the game for long and you seem to know your's. All the best JayD. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contest. BOT, I'm in, but John's just about finnished ours, So if we win you's can both tweak it up, If that's OK __________________ Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory

22nd December 2007, 09:34 PM	#8 (permalink)
TreeDimensional Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 381	Re: TreeDimensional's set up Thanks for the comment guys, I thought long and hard about the need for a mill in this part of the country. The deciding factor occured early in August, 2007. At about 1:00AM there was a plough wind blow througt our area, the north edge was 6 miles south of us and leveled crops and tree in a 7 mile swath, right down to the south Saskatchewan river. As we do quite a few hazard removals at a regional park in the path af destuction, our phone began ringing at 6:00AM. We spent the first day removing trees from inside roofs of cabins, day 2 and tree were clean-up and retoration of surviving trees, and the fourth day we brought in a 106 foot/ 40 ton crane. We ended up removing 5 90' poplars from one lot. These were all in the 30" DBH, and were removed with 1 cut about a foot off the ground. The last day was spent bucking all the logs into 18" lenghts and were given away for free to three people. The wood discibed here was hauled away in six three ton trucks (heaped). As we live in an area that doesn't have a lot of trees, fireplaces are rare. The logical use for the wood is a mill, and even though the wood is poplar, the ranchers keep phoning for slabs for porosity fencing. It didn't take long to find out that 5" and larger slabs 8' long sell for $800.00 Canadian dollars/cord. The mill was not purchased as seen in the picture, it came with the complete head and two 7' sections of track. I priced out another section of track, but opted to build my own so I could cut 20' lengths. The dealer wanted $600.00 for a 7' length of track with a log dog on it, and I wanted an extra log dog which would have cost me about $320.00. I went to the local welding shop and bought all the material for the track and the dogs for $221.00. The trailer that is under the mill was home built from scrape iron from John Deere rodweeders from abandoned farm sites (free for the taking with permission). The total cost for a mill that will cut a 30"diameter log 20' long, was under $9000.00 CD. By the way the reason we have made the mill mobile is logistic, the question around here is do you haul the wood to the mill or the mil to the wood? One way or the other you always have to haul wood. In my defence, the mill is a machine that is used to deal with our scrape that is too large to go through our chipper(12"), and we chip our scab material, and sell the chips. You might say we are mini recyclers. It has been a vertical learning curve with how to maximize the boards from a log, but I should add that we are much more aware of the number and damage that insects do to live apparantly healthy trees. Feel free to make comments or constructive criticism, I AM a farmer and an arborist, who lives in the frozen north __________________ West Central Saskatchewan ISA Certified Arborist

23rd December 2007, 03:49 AM	#9 (permalink)
shaggs Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: May 2007 Location: sydney Posts: 459	Re: TreeDimensional's set up Hey TD, cool pics from a cool country. I like your set up with the plant trailer etc. Any pics of some milled timber?? Around here our climate is that different that to survive, the femakes have to wear safety clothing called a "bikini"!! Very distracting to the worker!!! I take it bikini sales are down this time of year in your neck of the woods?? Keep the pics comin'

23rd December 2007, 09:08 AM	#10 (permalink)
TreeDimensional Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 381	Re: TreeDimensional's set up Yea Shaggs Bikini sales plummet this time of year, the only thing that rymhms with "Thong" is "LONGJOHN". I have to get to Australia, I haven't learned to tell if the temp is hot or cold by looking at a photo yet, We are relieved today, the temp last night was -27C with a good breeze, today it is -10.6C and calm. It going to get even better for Christmas, -2C with snow. We are going out after lunch to mill some more poplar scrap, There is no BIG hurry today, so I'll take the camera out and get some shots. On another note, not having tree around does have advantages. When my daughters first started dating, their boy friends ALWAYS respected my wishes for returning them home on time. You See, I have a large rifle, and can hit every corner of the home section with one shot. __________________ West Central Saskatchewan ISA Certified Arborist

23rd December 2007, 04:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ekka Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 5,669	Re: TreeDimensional's set up What stops the log moving or turning etc? __________________ Remember to use the "search" function, if you have answers/questions post them so everyone can benefit. Free Tree and Green Industry Link Directory Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping Brisbane Tree Care, Consultations and Arborist Reports Forum Sponsors

23rd December 2007, 06:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
shaggs Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: May 2007 Location: sydney Posts: 459	Re: TreeDimensional's set up Nice shots TD. Do you find the ice blunts your machines faster?? I like your take on "bringing my daughter home" Amate of mine would date a girl who's father would always "happen" to be practising his .22cal shots in the rear yard (in country Australia where at the time he was a professional rabbit shooter). The father never missed.....and needless to say the daughter was never late home!!!

23rd December 2007, 08:49 PM	#14 (permalink)
TreeDimensional Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 381	Re: TreeDimensional's set up The mill ahs 4 log locks on it, and they may be configured into 7 different locations. When you put the raw log on the bed the locks canbe pivoted up to the centre line of the log and are locked in on the oposite side. Once you have cut a 90 degree corner the locks are dropped down, and the locks are used to secure the log to a series of bumpers that arewelded to the crossmembers. I will post some pics tommorrow, cause its dark here now. As far as firearm selection goes, I found the Browning 22-250 to work the best on boyfriends. I have never had to squeeze the trigger because of my rep as a traditional Karate instructor. The blades are an interesting conversation piece. The mill came with a band that was supposed to be the best on the market. I guess it might have been, I believe that I may have made some errors is cutting, heating etc.. The first band cut about a cord of poplar slabs 1"X 10"X 8', a couple 16"diameter green ash, and about 6 pressure treated douglas fir power poles 24D X 18'. The ash and the fir were compairable to sawing concrete. The first band broke in two places as the clutch was engaging and no where near the log. The second band cut about 6 power pole and became dull, it was put away until I buy a sharpener, which will cost around $1250.00. The jury is still out on whether or not to sharpen bands as they can be custom built for $35.00 each. This option also allows me to use different tooth configurations to match the materil we are cutting. I don't think the snow is an issue, but the junk like gravel that sticks to it does dull the bands in a hurry. On a side note, MOST of the commercial mills in Saskatchewan run at capacity in the winter, it has nothing to do with the logs being frozen, but if the bush trails are frozen that eliminates the need to dig logging truck out of the muskeg __________________ West Central Saskatchewan ISA Certified Arborist

18th February 2008, 07:19 PM	#15 (permalink)
TreeDimensional Afterburner is shakin' Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 381	Re: TreeDimensional's set up Photo of Log grapple __________________ West Central Saskatchewan ISA Certified Arborist

18th February 2008, 07:22 PM	#16 (permalink)
newguy18 Tree World Icon Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Live Oak Florida home of the crapiest trees you will ever see. Posts: 2,192	Re: TreeDimensional's set up where'd you import that log from? __________________ Have your say join us today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzkd_m4ivmc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzfzb...eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-OqK...eature=related