How do you run your woods operation?

[B&BLogging]

So let's see how everyone's operations differ or compare. Doesn't matter if you log, do firewood, tree work or run a mill. How many employees do you have, what do you use for equipment, how long have you been in business, what is your ultimate goal for your company and anything else you'd like to add.

I'll start. We're a 2 man logging operation, father and son. 2 skidders one grapple one cable, a log truck and we fell everything by hand. We run husky, j-red and dolmar saws. Looking to add a small cut to length machine for firewood polls and tie logs.
My goal for the company is to grow but still remain at a smaller scale. Maybe add another employee. I have a son on the way, April 8, 2016. I would like to pass down the company to him if this is something he wants to do. I don't need to be a millionaire, just comfortable with steady work.

I look forward to everyone's stories.
Stay safe , trees fight back!

Rob

 

[Kozak Logging]

Father and son operation, I'm the son. Been running a saw since I was 10 yrs old. Started with a jonsered 630 super and my dad ran a jonsered 670 champ. We hand cut everything from falling, limbing, 8ft sticks, winching up into bunch piles and picking up with the skidder forwarding to the landing. We run a JohnDeere 350 Crawler with 6 way blade and a steiger winch. We skid with a Prentice trailing skidder. Our production is great. One summer day we cut a truck load, 13 cords worth. Winter months slows almost everybody down. Recently we switched saws to a jonsered 2159C modded and my dad is trying a husky 460 rancher. Seems a little on the low power side. We are very production as a team and know each others body language as its always challenging with saws running and a dozer running to hear each other. Most important part is being safe and making smart choices and thinking. A persons worst choices are made when their mind is cluttered and not clear.
Hope you all enjoy.
Craig and Keith kozak
Team Kozak Logging since 1995
Kozak Logging since 1969

 

[B&BLogging]

Thanks for the reply @Kozak Logging I always like to hear how other guys operate their business, especially when it is another father and son company! Sounds like you have a good thing going!
Stay safe out there.

 

[Kozak Logging]

Thanks for the reply @Kozak Logging I always like to hear how other guys operate their business, especially when it is another father and son company! Sounds like you have a good thing going!
Stay safe out there.

No problem and your welcome. I always asked my dad about processors and such. But its pretty clear when it comes time to price, there wouldn't be much money made until its paid off. I personally know a guy who would sleep in his processor and stay out for a few days at a time just to make head way. Have a safe one

 

[Ronaldo]

Family operation here too, but its just for firewood. My Dad, brother and me all burn wood. Use the tractors to pull and haul trees from the edges of fields and have borrowed a local loggers skidder several times. We run Husqvarna, Jonsered, and I've just tried a couple Dolmars lately.
The last pic was helping a local logger buck up trees to length; a lot of trigger time and fun if you like to run a saw.

 

[so il logger]

Hand falling here as well, mainly just run one skidder at a time. Unless we have a large amount already dropped and topped then the cable tractor comes out to help. Currently using a TJ 450C single function grapple skidder. I started out working for my dad skidding, logging is the only job he ever had. His family was deeply rooted in the industry. C.O.P.D. forced his early retirement and i kept his operation going until he decided to sell out to me. He still get's out and skid's now and then, some time's family can't work together. But logging together as a family seems to bring you closer together IMO.

Oh and stihl saws primarily, 661 in particular

 

[B&BLogging]

Hand falling here as well, mainly just run one skidder at a time. Unless we have a large amount already dropped and topped then the cable tractor comes out to help. Currently using a TJ 450C single function grapple skidder. I started out working for my dad skidding, logging is the only job he ever had. His family was deeply rooted in the industry. C.O.P.D. forced his early retirement and i kept his operation going until he decided to sell out to me. He still get's out and skid's now and then, some time's family can't work together. But logging together as a family seems to bring you closer together IMO.

Oh and stihl saws primarily, 661 in particular

You're right about working with family and logging together! My father and I butt heads, sometimes more often than not. But I'd have to agree that logging together has definitely brought us closer together. I don't think I could do it with any one else!

 

[KiwiBro (deleted)]

Zero staff or helpers. Trying to keep it that way. Learning more, building capabilities, slowly getting the right gear after a few false starts. Aiming for that niche of woodlots and one-off stuff the big guys don't want to be messing with or charge an arm and a leg to do.

Saws, tractor, winch, splitter (SS), firewood processor for thin wood/mill waste (up to about 6"), portable sawmill/slabber (only just been sorted after a nightmare purchase).

Four more equipment purchases are on hold until I see how this season goes, but they will open up significant thinning and light harvesting options. Again, all with a view to staying either a one-idiot-logging LLC, or working alongside one other contractor (health and safety peeps don't like me working alone). There is a fair bit of gear now that allows a single operator to be fairly productive, and frankly, hiring anyone in this dangerous industry scares me more than dropping a big heavy leaner hovering over something of value.

Besides, the saying "doesn't play well with others" fits me perfectly.