[Scott G]

I’ve tried mtetal & fiberglass handled woods tool and dont like them. Hand tongs would be the only exception.

The feel, balance, etc.. always seems wrong. Maybe I’m just biased though towards wood..

Peaveys, 4 1/2 ft. Peaveys & pickaroons, Dixie Mfg., great quality.

[Scott G]

He came through my neck of the woods about 1 11/2 years ago or so, caught up him in LaPorte just before he was heading up to Laramie.

Was driving 3-abreast Suffolks. Chatted with him a bit and bought him a burger.

Glad to hear he is doing well…

[Scott G]

@Does’ Leap 23220 wrote:

My only complaint is that it starts hard when it is cold. My 365 (albeit a little old and tired) pulls easily and starts with a couple of pulls, not so with the 372. George

George, something is going on with your new 372. I have owned/own several 372s’ and they are by far one of the easiest cold-starting saws I have ever ran. You mentioned being harder to crank over; you are aware of the decompression valve on the side??

If it is still not wanting to fire easily you may need to tweek your low-end fuel inlet a bit…

[Scott G]

@near horse 23199 wrote:

…I thought it was pretty cool that the film maker identified the teamsters by name as they were hauling out loads..[url]http://www.archive.o…age/16/mode/2up[/url]

More awesome than that; the fact that the script was written for the narrator by Mr. Machias himself, the owner of the Machias Lumber Company . The fact that the “timber baron” had that much respect, admiration, and love for his guys is outstanding. Definitely not the norm back then & definitely not now, when workers are normally spoke of as human capital & human resource rather than family, friends, & co-workers.

[Scott G]

The Sparrows were pretty big in the revival of large hitches pulling circus wagons. I think the DHJ did an article on them not to long ago. I had no idea he had gotten that far up in age. Hats off for the passing of another proactive, sage teamster…

[Scott G]

This is truly a remarkable place and you folks are truly remarkable people. I came to a full realization of that when I had a chance to meet many of you at LIF.

We all lambast the technology age to some extent; it’s ills are often the subject of many of the threads here.

That said, technology (as well as Carl & Lisa’s tireless dedication & support) is what has brought most of us together here. A very small niche community literally scattered across the world. Pre-DAP most of us would not have known each other existed, not to mention the fast friendships that have been formed here.

With that, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to my DAP family, and yes, it is a very close family. And Geoff, there are tears of joy & love in all of our eyes. 😉

Winter well my friends,
-Scott

[Scott G]

@mitchmaine 23030 wrote:

…and pow, i got hit by a falling porcupine…
mitch

Drilled & quilled!!! I glad you’re OK, Mitch, but damn you gave me a great laugh this a.m., and yes, I’m sorry, it was at your expense…;)

[Scott G]

@Does’ Leap 23017 wrote:

Geoff, one fact that stuck with me from GOL training is that 70% of logging fatalities come from dropped limbs. Thanks for the reminder.

George

Everyone that I know personally that has been seriously knocked into tomorrow (including myself) or suffered severe injury/near fatality was wacked by something less than 6″ d. People tend to do two things, 1) take the small ones for granted, and 2) forget to look up…

A small fence post falling from the air can do a lot of damage…

[Scott G]

Awesome!!!!

[Scott G]

Found an experienced horse logger in Thunder Bay via two folks from a similiar posting on RH Front Porch.

The logger’s name is Larry Bockus and I will be adding him to the DAPF contact list.

Computer technology can be a good thing when it brings us closer together and allows us to share resources & information…

[Scott G]

@Does’ Leap 22894 wrote:

Scott, regarding the jack, I envision carving out a little cubby in the side of the tree to hold the jack. The top and bottom of the cubby, perpendicular to the length of the tree, would be parallel with the sides tapered toward the center of the tree (is this what you meant by “pie shaped”?)
George

George, a “cubby” could be a way to describe it. Your backcut would either be the floor or the ceiling of the cubby. Both floor & ceiling cuts need to be absolutely parallel & flat to seat the jack correctly.

You need to be 100% on your boring skills to attempt this.

I think you’ll find you can accomplish anything you need to do with wedges…

[Scott G]

Still looking, folks. Other than Art Shannon who’s booked…

[Scott G]

@bob h. 22862 wrote:

1984 Int. with a 7.3 liter

Damn, you sure like your juniper Mr. Platt!;)

[Scott G]

George,

I carry 5″ K&H and 8″ Steel caps in my wedge pouch. Both double tapered. I like the lift. I keep a few 12″ rifled wedges in the rig for special occasions.

Tree jacks rock but they are expensive. I’ve played around with bottle jacks some and they work, but after using a friend’s Silvey several years back its really hard to compare the two side by side. Someday I might buy one of their new minature ones. Don’t need a big one as I don’t fell much 8′ dbh, 200′ tall D-fir 😀 You can accomplish amazing things with just a stack of wedges…

You basically cut a large, thick pie slice out of the back cut to fit the jack into. Pretty easy to do, hard to visualize without a pic/diagram.

For hangers, cutting the majority of your hinge will often cause the tree to roll on its own, as has been mentioned. Otherwise, there is another reason I carry a 4 1/2′ peavey with me in the woods, usually pretty easy to roll them out with one after you’ve nipped the hinge.

If you’ve really stuffed it, pulling ’em down is the last option and normally there should be some time for pause after that, as your felling plan should be re-visited. Prior planning prevents PPP…

[Scott G]

George,

Definitely can (safely) increase your face cut to 25-30% of diameter. Pulling the fulcrum of your hinge in will make the tree easier to tip.

Don’t know if your wood is frozen yet, ours definitely is up at high elevation & on the north slopes. Using a textured/barbed wedge will help with “spit out”. Also, alternate tapping the wedges until they are set. Delivering the deathblows from the start will only result in flying wedges.

I also use a side-bore method of falling (aka GOL technique) for most of the timber I cut. Once the hinge is pre-set and I have backed out with just the latch (trigger) in place, I’ll tap/set a small wedge on both sides as far back as I can go without cutting the wedges when I open the latch (trigger). As soon as the latch is open I’ll set a large wedge in the back and once firmly set put another one next to it and alternate pounding on the back wedges. If I need more lift, I’ll then stack a couple on the back side once the kerf is opened up, alternatively pounding on each one to lift the tree over.

Your hinge thickness is going to be less on frozen wood, just like standing dead wood.

I really like steel capped wedges. They let you get after it without mushrooming the top and do not absorb as much of the energy from thumping away.

I always carry a full-sized single bit (6#) axe with me in the woods for knocking wedges. A full sized sledge/maul also lives in the truck and horse trailer for those “rare moments” when needed.

I wear a very large leather wedge pouch that contains minimum 4 wedges (2 small & 2 large steel cap), round file, flat file, scrench, tuning screwdriver and stump vise. This hangs on a separate belt that also has a pair of tongs, couple of blood-stopper bandages, leatherman, and logging tape. Sounds like alot but it really isn’t. Always a minimum of 4 wedges with me. If I’m in very large/difficult timber I’ll have 2-4 more stuck in my back pockets.

Out west, Madsen’s and Baileys are the two most common places to pick up felling gear/rigging. They’ll ship anywhere though…

In your part of the country I know that Labonville is pretty popular.

Be safe & come home…

[Author]

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