This is amazing, a one man wrecking crew !

Holy Cow !!!

-- If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a darn fool about it.

I wonder how many “Ax Men” that thing put out of work?

-- Growing older but not up!

TOOLZ: I would say the whole state Washington, and Oregon.

Dave

-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com

Thanks Dave.

They’ve come a long ways in developing these machines. I seen the first machine, the prototype, like this back in the late 1960s, or early 1970s. They have these type of machines right by our lake place.

It was invented up here in northern MN. The guy that invented it used to manufacture Pickeroons that the loggers used.

The short Cedar leftover logs are what my neighbor at the lake, hauls in with his ATV, so I can make Cedar benches.

-- Dick Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

I’ve seen those on Modern Marvels on the history channel. Amazing machines!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

That is one serious logging operation. I would love to see a close-up of the blades on the saw.

Thanks for the post.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I saw them back in the 60s too. They called them tree farmers, in the Lake of the Woods Ontario. mike

-- Mike. Profisher50@yahoo.com

Here is a link that shows the blade used on this type of Feller Buncher.
http://www.vannattabros.com/iron44.html

-- Frank Auge---Nichols NY----"My opinion is neither copyrighted nor trademarked, but it is price competitive."

They have a new machine they they have been testing around here in the piney woods called a hydro axe…...uses a very thin stream of high pressure water carried in a tank on the back of the machine.. Once the machine latches onto the tree the stream of water & (aggregate) cut through the trunk like butter.

Modern technology sure is incredible.

I’ve heard about these hydro cutters. I know they use it in cutting granite, so I guess wood is a piece of cake.

Neat machine David, thanks for posting it.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

In North East Oregon where we used to live these types of machines have put the chain saw boys out of work. At least on flat ground. A friend of ours has a hillside version that will work on a pretty steep slope much like a hill side combine. I think this is the first one I’ve seen which combines felling and limbing. Most of the Feller-Bunchers leave the limbing for a separate machine.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

This particular machine uses a chain saw type system except that every tooth is sharp unlike a hand held model. To go even further, this machine has an onboard computer that knows the length of the tree by its species and diameter. It uses this information to calculate the best lengths then automatically cuts it to lengths. They can easily cut 400 to 600 trees in an 8 hour shift.

Amazing stuff.

JC

-- Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -Carl Sagan

Paul Bunyan eat your heart out! A few weeks ago I cut down some of next years fire-wood, and it sure would have been easier using one of those.

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

This is a processor/harvestor, they differ from a fellar buncher by cutting up the whole tree instead of just falling it. The operators sort as they cut so the guy skidding behind them have an easier and more productive load out to the road. They can either cut at the stump for behind a fellar buncher off the ground. Usually these machines work in tandem or more together. If you have alot of timber to cut they are the way to go, and you have to have alot of timber to afford the half million plus for one. The only downfall is they leave roller marks in the jacket boards off the log. Depending on the head size these machines can cut usually up to a 28” diameter tree, or could be outfitted wiht a large head for bigger trees. Many sawlogs are still cut by piece cutters do to there size. An excavoter can even be turned into a processor with the addition of the right plumbing, a computer, and a head.

-- barlow

Pretty cool machine, but let’s give it up for the operator.

-- Jason, AL

Man, many years ago I used to fell, limb and the haul wood and still ache when I think how heavy the chainsaw was by the end of the day. I don’t know how many BF or cords that machine can cut in a shift, but I bet it approaches what my yearly best was. What a way to harvest.

Great post thanks for bringing it to our attention!

-- ....next big purchase is wood for the next project, Mark

OK…How much? Amazing machine too!

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Dadoo;
I don’t know,but someone commented in the write up that it could be rented for $11,000.00 an hour.

Dave

-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com

Oh My God!

-- Billp

I have seen these machines in real life. After all the trees were removed they mined the sand underneath. Thanks for the blog Dave.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

that is too scary to me…maybe all the ex-loggers will be on the picket lines with the environmentalists…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...SING WITH ME: "Sum...sum...sum...summ...summ...summ...summertime..."