thanks for the humboldt

[hammerlogging]

Red and i spent Wed. and Thurs. cutting a very diffuclt SMZ to open a stand up so when everyone gets in there it'll be wide open for the falling. Tough falling, extremely steep down in there- periodic 10-12 foot cliffs too, and the 8 or so inches of snow on the ground doesn't help for your escape. 2 options for the falling- sidehill, or across the creek, we cant, of course, brush the creek. Cutting these tall poplars across the smz would leave the stems 40' above the creek, I was falling and Red was topping, I'd try and get the top to hit the otherside right where he needed to top them so it wouldn't be too dangerous for him. So I would have stems bridging the creek with 60' plus spans. I NEVER would have been able to do this without breaking stems without the humboldt so the butt hits first. Escape routes were so sketchy that I'd mostly still bore cut so i could just clip and run before anything was moving- more like reaching back and belaying myself from sapling to sapling, roll over on back and look up for falling debris!

Anyhow, thanks for the humboldt, and sharing technique. Merry Christmas.

 

[Metals406]

That would have made some cool video!

Merry Christmas

 

[056kid]

Mmm sounds like great fun! i gots the camera!!

 

[tramp bushler]

we need pics . What diameter on the stump ?.. Just kidding .. You guys got snow huh .. How cold ??

 

[hammerlogging]

average about 24-26" across the stump for the poplar, it doesn't have nearly the butt flare that the oaks have. You know sidesloping that super steep- On oaks to big to bore from one side I'd face them up from the uphill side but those I'd have to double bore, the downhill side would be about 8' off the ground- so not bore, more like cut from the back and let the tip graze across to make the hinge till I'd cut in far enough so my uphill side bore could meet for a complete cut-- thought about a springboard but seemed like overkill.

Snow, yes, we got a good one, a fast east coast dump. about 14" in 7 hrs. I drove through this storm on my way home the friday before last, my 2.5 hr drive took 12.5-- stupid semis couldn't get restarted on uphill climbs after the interstate was shut down from wrecks. More like I sat on the highway while the storm passed over. No, they don't carry chains in this part of the country. I just pushed on through eventually, I was well prepared given I have enough crap to outfit 3 fallers or so in the cab of my truck. Oh, and I'd filled up on coffee before I hit the storm just in case. And I do have chains, which rock!!!!

Lately we run mid 20s at night. mid to upper thirties during the day. Wet. Good temps for working though. Got my new slightly used pac calks in the mail, hooray.

 

[slowp]

Ahhhh, the vegetation belays. Unfortunately, in one area here, one needs to check the belay out carefully, or one grabs devils club.

 

[Burvol]

Red and i spent Wed. and Thurs. cutting a very diffuclt SMZ to open a stand up so when everyone gets in there it'll be wide open for the falling. Tough falling, extremely steep down in there- periodic 10-12 foot cliffs too, and the 8 or so inches of snow on the ground doesn't help for your escape. 2 options for the falling- sidehill, or across the creek, we cant, of course, brush the creek. Cutting these tall poplars across the smz would leave the stems 40' above the creek, I was falling and Red was topping, I'd try and get the top to hit the otherside right where he needed to top them so it wouldn't be too dangerous for him. So I would have stems bridging the creek with 60' plus spans. I NEVER would have been able to do this without breaking stems without the humboldt so the butt hits first. Escape routes were so sketchy that I'd mostly still bore cut so i could just clip and run before anything was moving- more like reaching back and belaying myself from sapling to sapling, roll over on back and look up for falling debris!

Anyhow, thanks for the humboldt, and sharing technique. Merry Christmas.

I was thinking about this last night, and if you're concerned for barber chair or not being able to keep up with it in time, take a scarf off the butt.

 

[tramp bushler]

Whats with these funny words .

What do you mean Burvol , take a scarf off the butt.....:deadhorse:opcorn::crazy1: What is a scarf ..???? A scarf is something a girl wears around her neck and head when it gets chilly outside ,

 

[Burvol]

What do you mean Burvol , take a scarf off the butt.....:deadhorse:opcorn::crazy1: What is a scarf ..???? A scarf is something a girl wears around her neck and head when it gets chilly outside ,

That's what guys use to call it when the political correct team got ahold of me. Snipe is in the stump (I thought it was a rare bird LOL) scarf is in the butt of the log. I call it "Cut the damn thing" probably from my Father's lack of patience for ####ing around.

 

[tramp bushler]

I,m slow , ,,,,,I still don,t see exactly a scarf off the butt is ?????

 

[tramp bushler]

I,m slow ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I still don,t see exactly what a scarf off the butt exactly is ...... And ?? political correctness ??????? I,m SSOOOOOOO CONFUSED now .......I know we are gonna need to get Hammer out here and learn him not to be poking the tip of his saw into every tree he falls ........ But I still don,t see any need for changing the falling cuts when bridgin a crik and runnin the butt down hill to save the tree ..... Now if he was quartering them down the draw of the crik , , or at least if I was quarterin them a draw , I would put in a good steep humbolt face and then cut a kind of a double gun off the low side of the face so it can slip down sideways kinda sorta ....... ..
. I don,t know how tight the canopy is where he is cutting . But running from the stump most of the time is an easy way to get hurt on steep ground ..... I have a tendancy to jump up on the stump as soon as the tree gets off it so I have a flat place to stand for a sec .... If nothing is coming back toward me .

 

[Burvol]

The "scarf" is a small piece cut off at a small angle on the log end, above the angled piece on your face. It prevents contact with the face when closing up. It gives you a little more time to keep sawing. It also makes the wood step off a the stump a little different in some wood. It can also be used to open your face up a little more when cutting really low stumps.

I think that they bore cut so much back there because of the wood. Heavy tops and leaners with poor wood fiber. You have to remember how much better balanced our timber is here. Especially Doug Fir. It is more balanced with better strength for holding wood, swing cuts, ect. It can also be fairly soft to cut, depending on how far east of the Ocean and Cascade Range.

I know they cut alot of Poplar, and I can imagine that stuff is much like our Cottonwood, fast growing in a humid climate with lousy holding wood compared to what we cut.

I know those guys are very interested in taking our Western ways and incorperating them into their opereations. Hammerlogging runs two Jammers and is pleased with them. Joe is a very smart guy. He will produce wood in areas that others can't back there.

I'm not looking down my nose, but we do things out here because they work!

Much like square chain for falling timber....DUH!

 

[hammerlogging]

####in barberchair, now I'm up after bed time.. I've had 3 small humbodlts barberchair on me despite a 1/2" hinge and completely cut done, they chaired once the face closed . The big timber, it'll chair waaaayyy before you get to the hinge... if there any head lean (or whatever you care to call lean toward the direction of intended fall)

Holding wood, I'd think its actually better than you softwoods- poplar probably similatr, still acts different but since its realtively soft and the growth fomr is more similar to your timber, its seems similar. But oaks, hickories, etc., pretty darn fibrous.

ANyhow, its just that darn crown weight.

Tramp- on the supersteep, I'll hang out more on a clearcut or shelterwood, but these suoer selctive heli cuts its falling damn big timber through close canopies so yeah... anything to get clear. Plus, I the recent head shot and the more recent leg shot... from not getting 45 degrees out of the way... far enough. or was it just bad luck.

Lots of opportunity in Appalachia. If you can deal with the BS. Great culture too- bluegrass, collards, pulled pork,and pleasant accents.

I'll take the camera tomorrow

 

[Gologit]

Hmmmm...pulled pork.

 

[Metals406]

####in barberchair, now I'm up after bed time.. I've had 3 small humbodlts barberchair on me despite a 1/2" hinge and completely cut done, they chaired once the face closed . The big timber, it'll chair waaaayyy before you get to the hinge... if there any head lean (or whatever you care to call lean toward the direction of intended fall)

Holding wood, I'd think its actually better than you softwoods- poplar probably similatr, still acts different but since its realtively soft and the growth fomr is more similar to your timber, its seems similar. But oaks, hickories, etc., pretty darn fibrous.

ANyhow, its just that darn crown weight.

Tramp- on the supersteep, I'll hang out more on a clearcut or shelterwood, but these suoer selctive heli cuts its falling damn big timber through close canopies so yeah... anything to get clear. Plus, I the recent head shot and the more recent leg shot... from not getting 45 degrees out of the way... far enough. or was it just bad luck.

Lots of opportunity in Appalachia. If you can deal with the BS. Great culture too- bluegrass, collards, pulled pork,and pleasant accents.

I'll take the camera tomorrow

Yes, video if you please. . . We will accept 20 minutes worth.

Damn I love watching timber fall. :drool:

 

[oregoncutter]

Barber chair.

####in barberchair, now I'm up after bed time.. I've had 3 small humbodlts barberchair on me despite a 1/2" hinge and completely cut done, they chaired once the face closed . The big timber, it'll chair waaaayyy before you get to the hinge... if there any head lean (or whatever you care to call lean toward the direction of intended fall)

Holding wood, I'd think its actually better than you softwoods- poplar probably similatr, still acts different but since its realtively soft and the growth fomr is more similar to your timber, its seems similar. But oaks, hickories, etc., pretty darn fibrous.

ANyhow, its just that darn crown weight.

Tramp- on the supersteep, I'll hang out more on a clearcut or shelterwood, but these suoer selctive heli cuts its falling damn big timber through close canopies so yeah... anything to get clear. Plus, I the recent head shot and the more recent leg shot... from not getting 45 degrees out of the way... far enough. or was it just bad luck.

Lots of opportunity in Appalachia. If you can deal with the BS. Great culture too- bluegrass, collards, pulled pork,and pleasant accents.

I'll take the camera tomorrow

I haven't cut that many poplars, but have dealt with my fair share of alder, maple, and oregon ash that on one job that on average was about 30'' d.b.h. I don't feel there is one fit all correct technique, but what burvol mentioned works, You gain a little room before contact is made in the face. also on heavy leaning heavy topped healthy diameter hardwoods I leave good holding wood but not so much as I would normally. Another thing is in my opinion running from the stump will get You messed up quicker than anything if I am worried about getting taken out by a barber chair I''l usualy step to the side a few feet, as You know it all depends on the situation, but I like to see where it's going so if I have to run I know where to go, if I don't need to run I don't. I brought in a guy on one job I sent home after a few hours he turned his back to escape!! enough that it was just a matter of time before he got himself hurt by one that changed direction.

 

[hammerlogging]

its a very select cutting and its crap thrown from the closed canopy that prompts the escape. NOT barberchair. That would be an extrememly rare occurence. Thats why we cut how we do.

Different situations call for different practices.

 

[bitzer]

####in barberchair, now I'm up after bed time.. I've had 3 small humbodlts barberchair on me despite a 1/2" hinge and completely cut done, they chaired once the face closed . The big timber, it'll chair waaaayyy before you get to the hinge... if there any head lean (or whatever you care to call lean toward the direction of intended fall)

Holding wood, I'd think its actually better than you softwoods- poplar probably similatr, still acts different but since its realtively soft and the growth fomr is more similar to your timber, its seems similar. But oaks, hickories, etc., pretty darn fibrous.

ANyhow, its just that darn crown weight.

+1 on chairs and leans and crown wieght in hardwood. I would also agree on holding wood. I've only cut a couple dozen or so decent sized softies (east coast size decent, 30"dbh 70ft. or so) and I like the holding wood in oaks and maples better. Hickories love to chair with only slight lean from my experience. Gotta bore em, pretty much second nature. I've tried some west coast methods and I can get em swingin too, they don't always like to co-operate though. Stepping dutchmen are fun when they work!

 

[tramp bushler]

Hammer, I hope you know I,m not getting after you , , just runnin my mouth .... A nice steep face helps the tree to keep falling until it tears free , nothing to stop it if the ground is steep . Also if you cut the heart when you are cutting in the horizontal face cut and only have a post of holding wood on the 2 sides , there isn,t much to make them chair .....

 

[hammerlogging]

A little handiwork..... These stems would have broken using an open face.

And....
Where's SLowP??? That was my second thought after "What the #### is that?" Its a littel slump that blocked our access into our current unit adding about 1000' to our walk in. No, we had not logged above this slip.