6 minute read
Iron Triangle Logging LLC
Iron Triangle Logging LLC increases production, efficiency with TimberPro tracked feller bunchers
Russ Young, the owner of John Day, Oregon-based Iron Triangle Logging LLC, describes central Oregon as a “wood basket” with an abundance of trees available for harvesting. That makes it an ideal place for generations of family loggers, according to Young.
“Iron Triangle started in 1983, and I took over in 1997,” said Young. “I think once you’re raised in this industry, it’s always part of you. There’s a real sense of accomplishment where you can see the end result. Working in this rural area, you also work some of the same places again over the course of 20, 30 years. Our focus is perpetual landscape management so that those areas thrive and grow and continue to remain productive for the future. We have to be proficient in removing smaller trees and do it efficiently.”
Managing the woods and being proficient involves carefully planning each job to cut, process and ship logs from the woods to area mills. Iron Triangle has long been a proponent of using TimberPro (a Komatsu-owned company) tracked feller bunchers with saw and dangle-head processor attachments. It currently uses TL735D, TL755D and TL775D models that feature leveling cabs with large windows for excellent all-around visibility.
Leveling cab helps increase productivity
Iron Triangle uses each machine for particular jobs based on the timber size. It typically deals with trees up to 21 inches in diameter. For larger wood, it uses the 96,200-pound TL775D. Iron Triangle recently utilized it to process timber on the landing with a Komatsu harvesting head, producing 12 to 14 loads per day.
“The 775 is the first processing machine I have used with a leveling cab and counterweight, and it makes jobs a lot easier because you are level on all terrains,” said operator Toby Winegar, who has been with Iron Triangle for about 20 years and comes from a family of loggers. “That ensures you are always in a good operating position. It has good hydraulic power to pull the wood off the ground, feed it through the processor at a high rate of speed, and saw it quickly. It’s the most powerful machine I have run. It allows you to do your job more efficiently.”
As Winegar was processing, operator Jed Smith was cutting with a 75,940-pound TL755D equipped with a Quadco (a Komatsu-owned company) rotary saw. Once the timber was cut, Smith carried and piled the timber with the TL755D.
“I’m really impressed with it, especially the lift power,” said Smith, who has been with Iron Triangle for about six years. “Being able to swing large trees up a hill and onto your pile is a big plus. For the most part, I’m dealing with approximately 7-inch to 21-inch trees, with the occasional one bigger than that, and the 755 has no trouble handling any of it. It’s well-built, has plenty of power, and the leveling system puts you in a good operating position, and I think that increases productivity.”
Operator Bob McConnell is approaching 30 years of running equipment for Iron Triangle. He recently started operating one of the company’s 65,100-pound TL735D feller bunchers with a Komatsu harvesting head, utilizing it to cut timber on steep ground near Magone Lake in the Malheur National Forest.
“We need machines that run 10 to 12 hours a day cutting, climbing and doing anything else we need on all terrains,” said McConnell. “The TimberPros give us that. The speed of the machines is good, and you can fine tune them for your needs. The technology really stands out, because you can program it for the wood species — pine, fir, lodgepole and tamarack — and I can set the wood and the length, and the machine will cut it to that size. That makes it very productive, and we’re getting five to seven truckloads a day — 300 to 400 trees — in good timber.”
McConnell added, “Being in a machine as many hours as we operators are, comfort is important. The TimberPros are built for operators. They are quiet, smooth and fast, and the self-leveling cab keeps you from having to strain to see what you are cutting or processing.”
Progressed with Modern, Komatsu
Komatsu purchased TimberPro about five years ago, adding it to its lineup of Komatsu forestry machines that include forwarders, harvesters, log loaders and attachments, all of which Iron Triangle runs in its operations. Modern Machinery carries all products throughout Washington, Montana, Oregon and Idaho, and works closely with Iron Triangle to meet its equipment and service needs.
“We got into the cut-to-length logging about 30 years ago with a company that was purchased by Modern, and we’ve progressed with them and Komatsu since,” said Young. “We started using TimberPro four years ago and have been very pleased with the results. Komatsu was forward-thinking in its acquisition of TimberPro because Komatsu saw TimberPro’s quality products as game-changers. One of the aspects I really like about TimberPro is that it’s American-made, so we have the ability to talk directly with the manufacturer, if need be.” ■
*The opinions expressed here are from the end user as quoted. The results described herein are those of these end users under certain conditions. Individual results may vary.
