Axe Men

[Kogafortwo]

more falling and more saws

Yeah, I also wish they had more tree falling and saw work. I was impressed last night with that perfect plunge cut where the tree went over and snapped about 6" of bark right at the bark side of the backcut.

I also liked the one-handed guy's technique of setting up a tree to fall, then knocking another tree into it to take them both down.

Maybe this is routine stuff for you PNW-ers, but us weekend tree-warriors get pretty impressed by all that.

Anyway, Axmen is a perfect ending to a weekend of buying new workboots with some of my landscaper $$$ and taking my boy to a hockey game. We actually have minor league pro hockey here in the South, believe it or not.

 

[slowp]

We don't use cables and yarders around here. It looks like this show is going to be about the same few crews every week, they aren't going into the logging of other places like the Big Thicket of Texas or the huge logging operations in places like Georgia or up here in NY. My father was a logger and I grew up logging, did it for 20 years, not working now since Ticonderoga paper stopped buying hemlock (summer wood, and I refuse to work snow season). I can tell you, the type of logging on on this show has nothing to do with logging around here. We don't use cables and this is the first time I ever heard the word "yarder" in my life of saw anything like that. Where are the skidders and logging trails?

Butch

They're down on the flat ground, what little exists and waiting for it to dry out. Use a skidder out here in the Winter, Spring, late Fall and you'll have ruts at least half way up the tires. It isn't cool, with all the fish issues, to do that anymore. We get enough grief when a spur road has to be put in. Cable yarding is a lot easier on the ground and can go in pretty much any weather except too dry when it gets shut down for fire danger. The ground on the coast doesn't freeze or if it does for long enough to log in the winter. So, it is helicopter or cable and guess which one is usually cheaper? The show is hitting pretty much right on, carriage breakdowns are the most common breakdown. Did everybody notice the duck tape? The only strange thing I noticed, and they may have their reason, is that the hooktender will usually rig the tail tree up while he's still up there after topping it. Looked like they had somebody top it and then they went back to rig it.

The competition aspect kind of ruins it. There's no way they could ever have a legit competition on loads with the difference they have in equipment. That is a pretty stupid part of the show. The mentioning of "the season". I'm thinkiing they mean the time allowed on that particular timber sale. If the market was good, these guys would have jobs lined up to go to after they logged here. Can't afford to let that equipment sit idle for very long.

Using another tree to drive or knock over another tree is common out here. Using a tree jack in that size timber would be odd. Notice they are not having to buck the trees much, if at all down in the brush. Here, they'd be bucking the logs up prior to yarding. We like the slash to get left out in the unit so it'll break down and make nutrients. opcorn:

Day 14 and still horkin'. Nobody to play with cuz they're all sick.

 

[rmihalek]

It was interesting to see Jay Browning describe how he lost most of his hand. He showed a big block that I guess they run a large cable through and somehow he was still holding the cable as it got pulled through the block and it just pulled his hand off (the thumb is still there).

Still, he's a master with the chainsaw even though he needs to use a claw to hold the top grip. He did a triple falling with having two trees set up with notches and then dropped a third tree right onto the two and they all fell right where he wanted them to.

They also showed a nice drop by the 30 year veteran faller (anyone catch his name?) who did a plunge-cut behind the notch and then sawed backwards. The tree fell and just pulled a little tab of wood off the back side.

I agree that the "competition" thing they have going where the show's producers tally up the number of loads is pretty fake. There are crews all over those hills doing the same thing and I don't think they are in a race with each other.

However, it's amazing that the Browning crew got 64 loads whereas the other guys couldn't even do 20.

 

[smokechase II]

Falling

We got more falling.
Show is not the technique discussion we wanted but its getting better.

That Jay Browning might be the class of the show.

Although I noticed he was:
1) Walking away from trees he just cut, that were going to be dominoes, without glancing back.
and
2) He didn't look at all as the last tree of the domino group came over. It was separate from the main group and you never know.

His artificial hand being used to tap a wedge was an absolute classic.
Plus he was taking good care of that equipmant by wrapping it with some electrical tape.

Refusing the workmans comp checks.

Independent Oregon Loggers can be classics.
That was why Kesey wrote about them.

**********************

Regardless of us armchair evaluators sitting in a living room watching this being so picky about artificial competition and a few safety issues, you have to admit these guys can run a saw.

The cutters look smooth.

************************

They replay that buck where the log jumps with real power a lot.

Anyone want a short bar in that world now?

 

[nepmgmt]

AX men

anyone been watching that new show it is pretty cool. it is on Sundays at 10 i would def recommend watching it they shaw sow pritty cool equipment and the ways that they log.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

How many of you would make a guy gaff up a spar with tape holding the gaff on?

Geez Louise! At least they could have duct taped it around his ankle!

I could do most everything I've seen there better, except run the chokers. Well, yarder/Yoader operations too but I've not been all that impressed so far.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Mostly Husky's last night, and a JohnnyRed (2186?) last night.

Of course the 460 Stihl is so smooth you can run it with one hand...

 

[HUSKYMAN]

How many of you would make a guy gaff up a spar with tape holding the gaff on?

Geez Louise! At least they could have duct taped it around his ankle!

I could do most everything I've seen there better, except run the chokers. Well, yarder/Yoader operations too but I've not been all that impressed so far.

Yeah that tape job was a complete joke. Dont be so cheap, and get some duct tape man.

AS far as that chokers job, they can have it. I would kill myself running and jumping around on small logs like that.

 

[PB]

Mostly Husky's last night, and a JohnnyRed (2186?) last night.

Of course the 460 Stihl is so smooth you can run it with one hand...

Thought it might have been an old Dolmar or gray top Husky.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I agree that the "competition" thing they have going where the show's producers tally up the number of loads is pretty fake. There are crews all over those hills doing the same thing and I don't think they are in a race with each other.

On several shots you can see another carriage off in the distance. So much of it is overblown.

I did like the one where "sparky" saw the fuel cap fall off earlier in the day and did not say anything till they ran out of diesel :O

 

[smokechase II]

Get yer will in order

Picture being on the filming crew.

You don't know much about Hi Lead Logging.

But you do do understand duct tape and gas caps.

******************

Now do you feel comfortable going down over the hillside with these guys?

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

Watched " AXE MEN " for the 1st. time last night. Best described as CHILLING, DANGEROUS, LIFE THREATNING & AWAKENING . The opening back injury. Tape up the broken strap of right spur to make a 40 ft. climb. Looked as though the young logger was doing his 1st. climb ever. The next injury, his dad falling in a hole & wrenching his knee. The setting of the high-line by helicopter. The guy almost had his leg ripped off during this operation. The helicopter & cable becoming tangled in the top of the tree ( lucky they got free). Driving of the wedge w/ artificial limb, to fell the tree. I enjoyed the show,but think they should have edited a lot of the action.

 

[AngelofDarkness]

I enjoyed the show,but think they should have edited a lot of the action.

WHAAAAAAA! Thats the best part! The guy standing by the cable being unspooled by the helicopter was freaking nuts!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

WHAAAAAAA! Thats the best part! The guy standing by the cable being unspooled by the helicopter was freaking nuts!

Walking up to it to flake a loop out was insane!

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Walking up to it to flake a loop out was insane!

I keep hearing something on the show a lot that sounds like "safety first". But I'm not sure how much safety can come first, unless companies like that are willing to slow down the pace of the operation more.

Safe work conditions often require a slow pace with precise and deliberate movements. Some of these workers are moving from place to place sometimes, it looks like they are exceeding their natural ability to remain safe.

An ad for the show just ran this moment.

It's main points were the loss of part of a hand, almost had a face ripped off, danger, etc..

So if History Channel filmed and edited to meet expectations people have from the ads, it seems they might be getting selective about the danger elements, and skipping plenty of technical aspects.

Last night, some point in the show introduced that 1 logger in 1000 dies from logging - did I hear that right?

Seems then, that the likelihood of serious injury is somewhat likely. And the likelihood of injury in general, would be alarming.

Anyone know what the death or injury rate is among the loggers that are using those mechanized machines that walk like a spider? Or the ones that grab complete trees, strip the trunk and cut it with the giant chainsaw near the grabbing device?

 

[CLEARVIEW TREE]

The guy that spiked up that tree at a snails pace had no place doin it in the first place. It should have been someone who was versed in that element. Really there should've been a second TIP for him too ya know man. And last, the guy that put him up to it using faulty equip should be let go, he could've gotten really hurt slidin down 70 ft at about 60mph on his forearms! I still think that arborists have the ruff work, even though we make it fun! You don't see any loggers speed linin over houses ya know.:monkey:

What if that rt gaff would've kicked loose and went thru the calf on his left leg? He couldn't have got down and unless they had another set of spikes(they didn't or they would've used em in the first place) no one would've been able to reach him and render a tourniquet and blood stopper and try to get him down.

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

I sure hope OSHA or our insuranca agent was't watching. They'll think we work the same way & be raising our rates !!!!

 

[windthrown]

Yah, I shook my head at the guy with the broken buckle in his spikes. I have a set like that. You would think that they would have more than one set of spikes handy on a crew like that though? Seems that the one team prides themselves on breaking stuff, and/or using broken and limited equipment.

I was amused also with the domino tree falling that the guy with one hand did. He cut and left a leaner, and then cut and left what seemed to be the tree it was leaning onto... and then cut a third tree to knock the other two down with. Eeeeeeeeee.... maybe he was TV audience happy or something, showing off? Or it was really staged, and there was more going on than they showed there on TV. Or maybe they are goading these guys into taking more risks than they otherwise would, to get the TV shots.

Seems that the main reason for injury so far on the show is stepping into holes in the ground. One back and one knee injury so far that way.

 

[OLD CHIPMONK]

Did you ever wonder what they did EDIT OUT ???

 

[windthrown]

They should edit the swear words out with cable yarding whistles.

As for what they removed from the show, who knows. Gobs of dull stuff probably. Seems they are focused on the yarding. I would like to see them to follow a trucker off the hill, and maybe a log through the mill and onto a store shelf, and see a sawyer really do a good tree drop or twelve, and see a spar tree topped, notched and set up correctly. Watching people jury rig tools and equipment just goes against the grain. Bubba forgetting to put the gas cap on the gas tank in the skyline carraige is just too... common!