Fire and explosives

[tek9tim]

Had a good summer in the north woods of Idaho. Figured I'd post up a few videos of my exploits.

Started working on becoming a blaster. Got a few shots in on some hazard trees that an excavator was too scared to knock over.

#1: YouTube - Blasting a 28" diameter grand fir snag Roughly 28" diameter grand fir snag that was rotten and broken about 15 feet up. 2 shots, 3.3 pounds of MagnaFrac emulsion explosives per shot internally loaded, nonel initiator system, hence the sound of a shotshell primer going off a half second before the explosives.

#2: YouTube - Blasting a green lodgepole pine with 2 hangers Roughly 16" diameter live lodgepole pine with 2 dead hangups in it. 1 shot, 6 pounds of emulsion explosives externally loaded, EBC initiator.

#3 YouTube - Falling a 38" broken top burning Larch tree 38" diameter broken top Larch snag with fire in the top, middle, and bottom. The vibration of the chain cutting into it would cause a shower of embers to fall on me. Every time I'd look down while cutting I'd get embers down my neck. Running an early 440 (no decomp) with a max-flow and hogged out dual port muffler, 28" bar.

I have a few more that are from years past on my youtube, check 'em out if you want.

Enjoy! (or not, that's cool too.)

 

[Gologit]

Great stuff! That's the way to deal with snags.

 

[skooter]

awsom vids thats get it done

 

[Rickytree]

Great Job!!! I want in... Seriously that must require a special licence? Also looks like you could really give a really good trim with those things. I know just the guy. I take off just alittle around the neck line.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

man if you could just make all the firewood that way i wouldn't need a saw..:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[tek9tim]

Yeah, it does require licensing. Not certain on how to go about it in the private sector, but I work for the government and we have to be selected for training, go to the training, become proficient in blasting (usually takes a couple of years to get enough experience), get a CDL with hazmat endorsement, pass 2 different rigorous background checks, then go back through the training and pass a certification. As both a trainee and a qualified blaster, you have to be blaster-in-charge (or BIC trainee) on at least 3 shots per year, and then recertifiy every 3 years. Depending on where you're working and what department you work in, getting 3 shots per year can be kind of tough.

Making firewood? Sure. Cut and split all at once. Scatters it a long way usually, and a lot of the bits are pretty small. Presents a problem though, you can choose different explosives, one attribute is velocity of detonation. If you were to use a slow explosive, the pieces would be bigger, but the lifting/hucking power would be greater. If you were to use a fast explosive, the lift/huck would be less, but the fragmentation would be greater. So either you could pick up small splinters close by or large chunks all over the countryside. Maybe there's a happy medium. Personally, on trees I've only used ANFO, which is really slow and emulsion and water gel explosives, which are pretty fast.

Really, there is no better feeling than pushing a button to fall a tree. A buddy of mine asked me if I thought chainsaws were sad that I'm working on being a blaster.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Cool videos thanks for letting me know about em in that other thread. The son in law got in on a little blasting this past summer said it was a real kick even just as an observer. I like the first vid when the first shot leaves it staning but prolly not cool for the blaster. Glad to see ya post.

 

[tek9tim]

Yeah, that second shot was a little dodgy to set up. We wanted to get the powder as high up as possible, and we didn't have enough to do an external load. So I was the tallest/most agile/limby and had to stand up one foot on the stump, the other on a staub on the trunk and bore through the trunk 4 times to make a square hole with a 660, and then load the explosives into it. The tree was pretty secure at that point though.