This tree processing machine is some piece of work! I have seen lots of huge machines that allow a logger to use a joystick in a air conditioned cabin instead of use a chainsaw to fall trees but I have never seen one that was this all encompassing. The only thing it is missing is a conveyor belt that would transport the tree sections directly onto a waiting trailer.
Via: Procrastineering
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The scary part is the technology wrapped up in this thing. I grow timber and have see a similar machine in action. Basically all the operator has to do is pick a tree, clamp the cutting head on it and press a button. The cutter has sensors that measure the diameter of the tree as well as the length of the logs it’s cutting. The operator gets feedback to group similar size logs in piles for pickup.
The “high-end” machines have an onboard computer keeps a running total of the board feet of lumber cut as well as the GPS location and can email the data back to the mills for pickup.
Truly a fine use of technology!
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If only this much effort were put into saving the planet. Spend some of that money on public recycle bins!
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I’m gonna have to agree with The voice in your head.
destroying the earth with kick-ass technology: check
saving the earth with kick-ass technology: please?
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Does this make anybody think of the movie adaptation of ‘The Lorax’? 😛
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Forestry management sustains a renewable product.
These trees are too young to be old growth forest.
What needs protection is the biodiversity of old growth forests.
Remember, people may have already exchanged the cure for cancer for cheap Macdonald’s burgers.
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big deal? that’s not anything new, i see those things a lot. I’ll just go to nearest forest and open my eyes and ta-daa. But i think those are not so common in usa and other countries then here in Finland.
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I would say that this is good for the environment.
This thing can’t take down large trees and would jam up if it hit a large branch. Meaning that it’s only good for a select size and species of tree. This forces people to farm trees instead of cutting virgin forests.
Also, felling, sectioning and arranging a tree would take a team of skilled loggers a few minutes with chainsaws and a truck all running together. This one machine can do all that and debark it in a matter of seconds. Sure it uses more gas per minute, but I bet it’s a lot more efficient per tree.
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That’s the coolest thing i’ve ever seen( a lot of time ago)
I’s still going at it hard
It was once an How Do They Do It on Discovery chanel.
I am amazed about the new improvements
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That rig has nothin’ on the Mackenzie Tree Crusher. Have a look at this beast! http://www.mackenziechamber.bc.ca/tree_crusher.htm
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Hi Rick,
That thing is huge!
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I saw one of these machines about 4 years ago, i was amazed by what it could do. I had a chance to speak to the operator and he showed me the head and went into a fair bit of detail in how it worked.
The one I saw used lasers to measure the size of the tree and other measurements. it also had a built in chansaw like blade to cut the logs. an onboard computer recorded the daily tally and details, as Sonny Hughs said.
The trees that were being felled were about 50 yr old pine trees that had been planted for this specific purpose. My dad said he had seen the same trees around 30 years before hand. Once the land was cleared i think they burnt the stumps and within a few weeks new seedilngs would be planted.
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http://www.ponsse.fi/
http://www.ponsse.fi/videogallery/moviereq.php?movie=60050000
Finnish company that builds those machines.
There are some fachinating information about those machines.
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The equipment I’ve seen used in the US was all built in Finland; actually it was Ponsse. I really think it the absolute best for working with managed/farmed stands of timber.
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It’s extremely efficient. You should see how mucked up loggers would leave a place in the old days. And all the vehicles stank of diesel. Replanting is done by a similar machine. That is fast, efficiency does not waste fuel, tear up the land and it’s impact is as minimum as you can get for that type of logging. It conserves resources. If you’re going to harvest trees doing it that way is a good way. I’m really impressed by the lack of damage to the area.
I’d prefer even less impact but we still need trees. Eventually we’ll come up with something better.