not much of a face cut

[redprospector]

Going to work without wedges (& an ax), would be like going to work with no sox.

Andy

 

[tramp bushler]

Since ya gotta have a tape , if nothing else than cause you need your tape nail to clean the bar groove and oiler hole when you change chains , and you need 2 wedges , or 3 . Me I use a 28 oz. Vaughn Riggin Ax for my fallers ax . I pack it in a hammer loop , or an upside down ax holder . And I usually pack a mountain stove fuel bottle w/ saw gas and a little one with bar oil ... That little trick usually makes me about 3 bushel by the end of the day ..... Any way , I,ve done plenty of the , (aint got nothin but my saw ) thing , Aint I fast .... But when you are getting your logs bucked clean off , you better be fast to run and get your wedges , and ax , and spare bar and chain , oh ya then your out of gas , better run and get that ... RUN RUN RUN .. While your runnin , I,m pullin chips and puttin numbers on my hat .......... If you don,t get pinched in a buck once in a while , you arn,t buckin your logs clean ..............No doubt Humptulips would want to have a talk with you with a club if he had to log your strip !!!!.
. One of the light weight nylon wedge pouches with a 12" and a 10 " wedge , on a leather belt , or your chaps belt . Or a light weight nylon belt will solve lots of trouble , and make for a smoother , funner day . with less foot raceing for the dollar involved ........... I,ve had plenty of bullbucks who would tramp a guy on the spot the 2nd time they caught a guy goin to the crummy for his spare bar , ect ect. Also a wedge pouch is good for packin your spare chain .. . Can,t be runnin a dull saw , easy to get in the dirt gettin your bucks clean off ........................

 

[056kid]

What I take out of the truck in the morning;

Lid, saw, chaps for good measure, wrench, bar groove cleaner/raker guage, flat & round files, carb screwdriver 1 gallon gas, 1 gallon oil.

the gas wrench, & flat head stay near me all day, the rest stays on the skidder which I get to see all the time.


If I where to find me a job out here, a little sack to put all that stuff would be imparitave to keeping things organized. Its gust a matter of where you work. Trees out East on average have enough lean that you really dont need to pack wedges, plus drivinig trees is lots more fun!

 

[Metals406]

Since ya gotta have a tape , if nothing else than cause you need your tape nail to clean the bar groove and oiler hole when you change chains , and you need 2 wedges , or 3 . Me I use a 28 oz. Vaughn Riggin Ax for my fallers ax . I pack it in a hammer loop , or an upside down ax holder . And I usually pack a mountain stove fuel bottle w/ saw gas and a little one with bar oil ... That little trick usually makes me about 3 bushel by the end of the day ..... Any way , I,ve done plenty of the , (aint got nothin but my saw ) thing , Aint I fast .... But when you are getting your logs bucked clean off , you better be fast to run and get your wedges , and ax , and spare bar and chain , oh ya then your out of gas , better run and get that ... RUN RUN RUN .. While your runnin , I,m pullin chips and puttin numbers on my hat .......... If you don,t get pinched in a buck once in a while , you arn,t buckin your logs clean ..............No doubt Humptulips would want to have a talk with you with a club if he had to log your strip !!!!.
. One of the light weight nylon wedge pouches with a 12" and a 10 " wedge , on a leather belt , or your chaps belt . Or a light weight nylon belt will solve lots of trouble , and make for a smoother , funner day . with less foot raceing for the dollar involved ........... I,ve had plenty of bullbucks who would tramp a guy on the spot the 2nd time they caught a guy goin to the crummy for his spare bar , ect ect. Also a wedge pouch is good for packin your spare chain .. . Can,t be runnin a dull saw , easy to get in the dirt gettin your bucks clean off ........................

I'd like to hear more about the above setup. . . Got any pics, etc??

 

[hammerlogging]

Yep.

For a while i cut, hooked, and drug to a "safe place" then the other dude would take it on..


If the skidder cant push pr pull it over, and I cant push it over with a tree, there are plenty of wedges in the skidder.

Good hickory saplings make good wedges & good hammers if things get hairy...

I remember the days, thats called hot logging. What you cut is skidded immediately, decked, and probably even hauled to the mill. What I cut is logged anywhere from about 2 days to 12 days after its cut-- we even have a new trick to fall ahead when the sap is rising and not have butt split problems.

We cold cut. There is no equipment to carry your stuff, pull over a hanger, or to hook to your log if you get hung. We are cutting strips often over 300' wide and 300' deep. Keeping trees in lay is cleaner, better for logging, nice and systematic, and butts aren't nearly as covered up, logs not all crossed up. You gotta have axe and wedges on our setup. When we try a new faller generally they ask "what if you get hung?" cause nobody else in the east cold falls timber away from equipment. Well, worst case radio another faller, they're going to be less than 1/4 mile away, ideally, take care of it yourself. Rarely do we find a faller we keep.

I've never had much luck getting a wedge to pound with a club or lifting a tree with a home made wedge. right now we have 3 fallers, I carry 3 12" wedges and a 4 pound axe, another may carry as small as a 2 10" and a 3lb axe, ok if it does the trick, I like my system and don't find it trouble- and I can pretty well take care of anything that sits back on me. I think the 12" drive far better- less taper.

I LOVE cutting away from equipment. Pace yourself, and no distractions. SLAM SLAM SLAM.

 

[hammerlogging]

1 1/2 gal. mix and bar oil in a tandem container (whats it called?). I attach one of my water bottles to my can, this floats around the strip with me.

In backpack: (left at "base camp")
1-2 gal. water
raincoat, spare sharpened chain, lunch, small coffee thermos, little bit of TP, salt packs (sometimes summer cramps you up) , spare Oregon tip, punch, star wrench, little kitchen knife (for cleaning bar rails), raker gauge, little rag, carb screwdriver. maybe a sweater and a cap for lunch time if its cool. Tobaccy and a lighter, sin sin sin.

Chest radio pack w/ radio

Tool belt: Leather belt w/ suspenders, leather wedge pouch, 3 12' wedges, double bevel flat file, saw wrench, Madsens axe scabbard and 4 lb axe, usually a 50' spencer tape.

Cutting pants, calks, shirts, gloves, and a dorky face screen helmet (like it)

Works for me. What about anyone else?

 

[RandyMac]

Any Pro who isn't prepared for every situation, should back sent back to the rigging. God made back pantspockets to put wedges in, He also made jacks, never leave home without one.
As for the history of the Humboldt cut, I'm doing some local research, I'll report back soon.

 

[056kid]

the only ones I like are the red top 12 inchers.

cant get any lift from the short ones, they just come back at ya.


Bout the only time i will carry a wedge is in flat stands, or small stands of poplar, they are really bout the only tree that will grow without any sort of crown lean, say there are 4 trees in a 30 spare foot area, usually all are destined for a different direction. Wedges help then but still can be avoided with a good driver tree.

I had never herd the term "hot logging" but I like it, seems fitting due to how hot you can become from the up & down & up & down & up & down... even on the coldest days!

 

[redprospector]

I'd like to hear more about the above setup. . . Got any pics, etc??

Not sure how trampbusheler's set up is, but I used to carry 2 of the mix oil bottles (for 5 gal. of gas). One with bar oil, the other with gas mix. I made a leather pouch that they fit snug in with a belt loop. I could cut till I ran outa gas, dump them in the saw and cut my way back towards my gas jugs. The other fallers would just walk back the their jugs. It does gain you quite a bit in a days time.

Andy

 

[Gologit]

Not sure how trampbusheler's set up is, but I used to carry 2 of the mix oil bottles (for 5 gal. of gas). One with bar oil, the other with gas mix. I made a leather pouch that they fit snug in with a belt loop. I could cut till I ran outa gas, dump them in the saw and cut my way back towards my gas jugs. The other fallers would just walk back the their jugs. It does gain you quite a bit in a days time.

Andy

Well said. A little juice bottle with mix in it works pretty good, too. Same for bar oil. If you're busheling, or even if you're day-waging for a picky side rod, taking time to hike out for stuff you should have with you is just a waste of everybody's time.

 

[fmaglin]

1 1/2 gal. mix and bar oil in a tandem container (whats it called?). I attach one of my water bottles to my can, this floats around the strip with me.

In backpack: (left at "base camp")
1-2 gal. water
raincoat, spare sharpened chain, lunch, small coffee thermos, little bit of TP, salt packs (sometimes summer cramps you up) , spare Oregon tip, punch, star wrench, little kitchen knife (for cleaning bar rails), raker gauge, little rag, carb screwdriver. maybe a sweater and a cap for lunch time if its cool. Tobaccy and a lighter, sin sin sin.

Chest radio pack w/ radio

Tool belt: Leather belt w/ suspenders, leather wedge pouch, 3 12' wedges, double bevel flat file, saw wrench, Madsens axe scabbard and 4 lb axe, usually a 50' spencer tape.

Cutting pants, calks, shirts, gloves, and a dorky face screen helmet (like it)

Works for me. What about anyone else?

I usually carry 1 gal of mix, 1 gal of bar oil, that goes wherever I go.

In my pickup: drinking water, my lunch, a first aid kit, roll of toilet paper, a complete tool kit, a cordless impact driver, a six pack of mix oil, a spare gallon of bar oil, a 2 gallon can of 93 octane gas, rain gear, some extra gloves, and various pieces of clothing should the weather take a change.

In my homemade wooden tool carrier:a spare chain, a carb adjusting screwdriver, a small adjustable wrench, a scrench, a swiss army knife I use to clean the bar groove, a roll of electrical tape, a can of insect repellent, Tecnu in case I come in contact with poison ivy,various files and handles, a raker gauge, file gauge, lumber marking crayons, and a red felt marker to mark and quickly identify which cutter I started to file (makes identifying it easier).

Worn on me: my old Mac T hard hat, ear plugs, safety glasses, gloves, my Nextel direct connect phone, my spenders, chaps, Danner boots, and a leather belt with my axe, and my tool pouch.

In my tool pouch: a K&H 10" triple taper wedge, 2 -8" double taper wedges, 1- 5-1/2" double taper wedge, a scrench, and my 50' Spencer tape.

 

[Taxmantoo]

I usually carry 1 gal of mix, 1 gal of bar oil, that goes wherever I go.

In my pickup: drinking water, my lunch, a first aid kit,

What good does the first aid kit do in your truck?
Could you at least stuff a bandage into your hat?

 

[fmaglin]

What good does the first aid kit do in your truck?
Could you at least stuff a bandage into your hat?

Actually, I do keep several bandages in my wallet. The first aid kit in my truck has all the bigger gauze and blood stoppers.

 

[tramp bushler]

1 1/2 gal. mix and bar oil in a tandem container (whats it called?). I attach one of my water bottles to my can, this floats around the strip with me.

In backpack: (left at "base camp")
1-2 gal. water
raincoat, spare sharpened chain, lunch, small coffee thermos, little bit of TP, salt packs (sometimes summer cramps you up) , spare Oregon tip, punch, star wrench, little kitchen knife (for cleaning bar rails), raker gauge, little rag, carb screwdriver. maybe a sweater and a cap for lunch time if its cool. Tobaccy and a lighter, sin sin sin.

Chest radio pack w/ radio

Tool belt: Leather belt w/ suspenders, leather wedge pouch, 3 12' wedges, double bevel flat file, saw wrench, Madsens axe scabbard and 4 lb axe, usually a 50' spencer tape.

Cutting pants, calks, shirts, gloves, and a dorky face screen helmet (like it)

Works for me. What about anyone else?

Similar . for wedges I,ve been packin the same 15" bannana for 6 of 7 years . It's for tappin . 1 12" and one 10" . The 10" gets 75% of the use . Then the 12 . and IF I have to use the bannana its because there are no other options . I usually have 2 spare wedges in my pack ..... 3 sharp chains in my pack , carefully wrapped up in chain rags . Spare spencer tape in the pack , one on my belt . I use a weight lifting belt that I trimmed down to about 3" wide . I put a couple brass halyard clips on the belt and snap the cap for the gas and oil bottles to them ... I keep a pistol on the hip belt of my pack . I keep a spare clutch bearing , E clip and washer and a spare drive sprocket .. spare spark plug , and any more a spare key back with a crayon and pencil on it in my pack .. had a D ring come off my suspenders and lost my crayon once and caught hell from the bull buck over it ... of course a spare bar . and If I,m in real big timber a long handled 5 lb rafting ax ....... for the run of my cuttin , if I need to pound over a tree , I cut a mallet . find a sapling with a good handle size limb where the trunk of the sapling is 5 or 6 " dia. . cut about a 10" long section and cut the limb 2 or 3 feet long ,and there ya go . you have a mallet that will usually lift your tree ....... for most things my Plumb or Vaughn Rig Builders ax is ideal ....... For one thing , you arn,t supposed to be beating wedges .. your sposed to be fallin timber ... that ideally entails a sharp power saw and a sharp mind ........................My ( hatchet's ) main job is getting my tip out when I get hung limbing . usually in the afternoon . but I,ve got so used to it , it is part of how I fall timber ... I saw my faces out , instead of beat them out .. I try not to use my dogs to knock faces out also .......... I don,t know if I have any pics of my wedge belt ....... I prefer to use gallon jugs for gas and oil jugs .. With the 044 / 372 / I never burned over 1 1/2 gallon of fuel in a day ....... With the 046 / 460 1 1/2 gal , maybe 1 3/4 on a good day ...... 064 and 288 2 gallons a day . 394 , 056 or 066 / 660 2 1/2 gal a day . 3120 , 3 gallons a day , and 1 1/2 gal . of oil ......Nuff to kill a guy off ........ 1 water bottle with water , 1 with Cytomax . and 1 with Whey Protein ..... gettin tired of typing ....

 

[tramp bushler]

Canadian Tree Spacers

Not sure how trampbusheler's set up is, but I used to carry 2 of the mix oil bottles (for 5 gal. of gas). One with bar oil, the other with gas mix. I made a leather pouch that they fit snug in with a belt loop. I could cut till I ran outa gas, dump them in the saw and cut my way back towards my gas jugs. The other fallers would just walk back the their jugs. It does gain you quite a bit in a days time.

Andy

I got the idea from when I was Pre Commercial Tree thinning . Chevron gallon jugs were the best . Then I met some Professional Pre Commercial tree thinners and they had these Canadian tree spacer ( what the Canadians aparrantly call tree thinning ) Fuel and oil carrying systems . It made sense , so I started using them . ..... By carrying a quart and a pint when I,m bushlin , I don,t have to baby sit the tank on my saw all the time .. Cut till I run out then do bunkers and cut back to my camp where my stuff is , or if I have a wide strip , my next set of jugs ..

 

[tramp bushler]

What good does the first aid kit do in your truck?
Could you at least stuff a bandage into your hat?

Maternity Kotex in the suspension of my tin hat sealed inside 2 zip lok baggies . And , most importand , a roll of BLACK TAPE . preferably 3M brand . It'll fix almost anything ..I keep it in a pants or shirt pocket .....

 

[coastalfaller]

I typically pack a 2 gallon jug of gas & 1 gallon of oil.

On my wedge belt I pack a saw wrench attached to the belt with a length of starter cord, 2 10" wedges & 1 12", and a pouch for my radio, plus the fire out powder in fire season.

On my suspenders are I have a small first aid kit ( I prefer it there rather than in my hard hat. If a guy gets wacked hopefully your suspenders are still attached! Sometimes the hard hat goes flying and you may not be able to reach it.) The mike for my radio (attached high up so it's close to my mouth, again in case I'm pinned or unable to reach it).

On my face I'll typically have a few sets of jugs placed strategically along the face for fuelling up, a tool cache with a spare tape, spare bar, 2-3 spare wedges, sparkplug, the ubiquitous black tape, allen keys, spare boot lace, various Husky screws, carb screwdriver, and various other goodies accumlated over the years. My pack also sits there with my water, sometimes with gatorade, my lunch, rain gear and a woolie sweater. My tools stay on the face at the end of the day so my pack is as light as possible, especially working on the low side of the road!

On the road or at the pad is a spare saw.

 

[056kid]

Yall tote ALOT of stuff around!!!!

 

[redprospector]

Yall tote ALOT of stuff around!!!!

That's because we're trying to get ALOT done without wasting ALOT of time going back to the truck.

Andy

 

[tramp bushler]

That's because we're trying to get ALOT done without wasting ALOT of time going back to the truck.

Andy

.

.

. I may make that statement my signature line ....... 056 , heres something to think about , if we all didn,t need it ,we wouldn,t be packin it around for fun ... I,ve seen guys tramped for stump wrenchin ,for not having a spare saw when they needed it , tho if they were a good cutter the bull buck would let them slide as long as they were ready to go in the morning ..... I won,t change a tip in the brush , just swap bars , no biggy,, fix it @ the saw shop after supper when I go to grind my chains ......
If my strip is big , I keep a spare saw , fueled up on my strip ..... Some cutting situations don,t require me to wear my fuel/oil bottles , so just use my jugs or a piggy back .. Thats what the gas/oil combo plastic jugs are called ...... In the variable timber we have in Southeast I keep 2 different size saws around ... If I,m in small junk or poles I,ll use the 372 or 460 , W/ 30" bar but keep the 90cc plus saw out of the way or by the big stuff . sometimes all set up with the long bar on it ..... I,ll do the swampin out with the regular saw , and spring board cuts , then use the Fallin saw to put it on the ground and take the butt cut off ..........