Chris B. LeDoux

Performance of a cut-to-length harvester in a single-tree and group selection cut

Presents production and cost data for a mechanized and cut-to-length (CTL) harvester used in a single-tree and group-selection cut on the Groton State Forest in central Vermont. For trees whose average volume (size) was 7 to 18 ft3, production ranged from 464 to 734 ft3 per productive machine hour (PMH). The cycle time for processing trees into bunches to forward to a landing ranged from about 1 minute to 1.72 minutes per tree. There was little above-ground residual stand damage. The cost of the CTL harvesting system was

Comparison of Two Cut-to-Length Harvesting Systems Operating in Eastern Hardwoods

146.72 per PMH.

Cycle-time equation for the Koller K300 cable yarder operating on steep slopes in the Northeast

Abstract We compared production rates, operating costs, and break-even points (BEP) for small and large cut-to-length (CTL) harvesting systems operating at several machine utilization rates (MUR) in mixed hardwood and softwood stands in Vermont. The small CTL harvester produced 11. 08 m3 [391.4 ft3] per productive machine hour (PMH) compared to 14.83 m3 [523.80 ft3] per PMH for the large harvester. The impact of average tree size (volume) on cost was substantial but similar for both CTL systems. At a fixed stump-to-landing logging cost of about

Cost comparisons for three harvesting systems operating in northern hardwood stands

14.12/m3 or [

Estimating the Capital Recovery Costs of Alternative Patch Retention Treatments in Eastern Hardwoods

0.40/ft3], the BEP tree size was 0.14 m3 [5.0 ft3] for the small harvester and 0.26 m3 [9.33 ft3] for the large system at the 85 percent MUR. At an MUR of 70 and 85 percent, the processing cost for trees that averaged 0.08 m3 [3.0ft3] was

Log Damage and Value Loss Associated with Two Ground-Based Harvesting Systems in Central Appalachia

22.19 and

Cycle-time equations for five small tractors operating in low-volume small-diameter hardwood stands

18.28/m3 [

A Three-Dimensional Bucking System for Optimal Bucking of Central Appalachian Hardwoods

0.6285 and

Modeling and Validating the Grabbing Forces of Hydraulic Log Grapples Used in Forest Operations

0.5176/ft3], respectively, for the small CTL harvester. Results were similar for the large harvester. Either CTL system would be effective in helping managers meet forest management goals in eastern hardwood stands.

THINEX - an expert system for estimating forest harvesting productivity and cost

Describes a delay-free-cycle time equation for the Koller K300 skyline yarder operating on steep slopes in the Northeast. Using the equation, the average delay-free-cycle time was 5.72 minutes. This means that about 420 cubic feet of material per hour can be produced. The important variables used in the equation were slope yarding distance, lateral yarding distance, volume per turn, and stem volume. Cable yarding has an advantage of minimizing the impact on environmentally sensitive areas, especially when complying with Best Management Practices (BMPs) and other forest practices regulations.