Welp, It's official

[ndlawrence]

I got a call from my buddy that owns a small logging operation today, He said he needed a faller on the weekends clearing a track on land that he is doing as a side job. I had mentioned to him a few months back that I would like to learn to fall at a pro level. So of course I told him I was up for the task. The plan is for him to spend the first few weeks teaching my all the ropes then once I feel comfortable I will be falling while he is running the skidder.

The track we will be cutting is loaded with mostly 12-16" hardwoods, I am planning on running My Stumpbroke 359 with a 20" B&C for now.
It currently has a full wrap handle but he recommended changing back to a half wrap because he didn't think I could cut them low enough with it, any opinions are welcome.
I have a pair of Husqvarna full wrap chaps, And I will be picking up a hard hat/face shield this week. I also am going to need a new pair of boots.

Any advice for a florescent Greenhorn?

 

[lfnh]

Good axe. Wedges, good ones. not junk.
Spare parts, including another saw.

Steady pace. Think first. Above all, Listen

Falling alone, well, doesn't sound like you'll be doing that.

 

[northmanlogging]

calks? Rubber soled boots are fine and all, but nails on your feet make a big difference.

Learn to fall with a lay, E.I. all or most in the same direction, makes it easier to skid and causes less breakage.

Start at the bottom of any hill and work your way up it, logs roll and shift, so you want to be on the other side of gravity.

bring lots of water, and sports type drinks, and coffee lots of coffee... You start feeling funny and tired, take a breather, get some fluids in ya, wait a few minutes if you still feel a little off, the day is over.

If your not comfortable tackling a certain tree or situation its ok to walk away, better safe then dead. Let the boss man make the big decisions or bring in machinery to pinch hit, TNT is another option:msp_w00t:

Look up, and keep looking up.

This all pretty general stuff, are you bucking and limbing or just dump and run with the skidder pulling tree length. If your limbing you may want a little bit longer bar, all that bending over to limb can be murder on your back. And do you have a log tape? If your bucking in the woods guestimating is all fine and good for fire wood or pulp but with saw logs they get a little whiny when you start making logs an inch or two short... Good luck to ya.

And look up.

 

[ndlawrence]

Good axe. Wedges, good ones. not junk.
Spare parts, including another saw.

Steady pace. Think first. Above all, Listen

Thanks, Any Input on a Axe/Wedge? I've been looking on baileys, Seems there is an overwhelming amount of options. I think I'm going to get the Labonville Full wraps chaps(my huskys could use upgrading) and a Husqvarana Pro Forest Helmet.

Will do for sure, I've always been told you have 2 ears and one mouth for a reason.

 

[ndlawrence]

calks? Rubber soled boots are fine and all, but nails on your feet make a big difference.

Learn to fall with a lay, E.I. all or most in the same direction, makes it easier to skid and causes less breakage.

Start at the bottom of any hill and work your way up it, logs roll and shift, so you want to be on the other side of gravity.

bring lots of water, and sports type drinks, and coffee lots of coffee... You start feeling funny and tired, take a breather, get some fluids in ya, wait a few minutes if you still feel a little off, the day is over.

If your not comfortable tackling a certain tree or situation its ok to walk away, better safe then dead. Let the boss man make the big decisions or bring in machinery to pinch hit, TNT is another option:msp_w00t:

Look up, and keep looking up.

This all pretty general stuff, are you bucking and limbing or just dump and run with the skidder pulling tree length. If your limbing you may want a little bit longer bar, all that bending over to limb can be murder on your back. And do you have a log tape? If your bucking in the woods guestimating is all fine and good for fire wood or pulp but with saw logs they get a little whiny when you start making logs an inch or two short... Good luck to ya.

And look up.

Not sure what "calks" are but I will search and see. I believe I will be falling, bucking into sections and limbing... and no log tape... I will get one.

As far as the bar, I'm not sure my 359 oilier will handle a longer bar or not..? I have a 288 about finished up that I could run a 28" on or would that be overkill?

I also have a Dolkita 6401 as a backup right now.

Thanks for the input here guys,
I appreciate it.

 

[northmanlogging]

Used to like the el cheapo wedges cause they where cheap, but I've broke a whole pile of em this year, so I'm using the K+h red heads now and one of them blue double tapers, couple of 8's and a couple of 10's. Keep some 12's and 14's in the crummy for special needs.

As far as axes my trusty 3.5# craftsmen. Some folks have gone to using the larger framing hammers the kind with an axe head on one side. Other folks in these parts have been using a modified magnesium wedge (sounds like a quick way to get carpultunnel to me...) Other guys use a heavy hatchet. Some even use sledge hammers... Thats all up to you and what you want to drag around with ya. Whatever you use make sure the pounding side has a nice flat surface to it, rounded types tend to mushroom wedges and glance off and causing general frustration all around, wedging is bad enough without having to compensate for a crappy beating stick.

 

[northmanlogging]

calks or corks or caulks, spelling was never standardized... are the boots with the pointy bits of metal sticking out of the soles, providing superior traction on nearly every surface except steel plate, rocks, and fast food restaurant flooring, They where created for walking on logs, and beating through the brush. They can be expensive but worth every damn penny, baileys is having a sale on the reddawg brand right now in certain sizes. couple of other makers are Wesco, Whites, Viberg, Hoffman, Kullien, Hawthorn, Viking. Prices vary wildly but you get what you pay for with calks.

 

[mitch95100]

How about keeping a "emergency kit" on you at all times. (Cell phone, first aid kit, ect) Accidents do happen. Now im not talking a full paramedics bag but something sufficent.


Sent from me to you using my fingers

 

[ndlawrence]

How about keeping a "emergency kit" on you at all times. (Cell phone, first aid kit, ect) Accidents do happen. Now im not talking a full paramedics bag but something sufficent.


Sent from me to you using my fingers

Sounds like a solid idea.

 

[northmanlogging]

As far as overkill in the saw department, bring the biggest your comfortable packing all day. There have been times I thought the 461 wasn't enough saw, and times an 066 would have balked. More power for falling is always a good thing. At the same time I hate dragging an 066 all day, and after 8 hours the 460/461 feels like a sack of hammers. And after an especially long day the little ms 260 feels heavy. So its up to you.

 

[mitch95100]

As far as wedges, i really like those "hard head" wedges. Have a metal cap so you can beat the crap out of them and still keep going!

Sent from me to you using my fingers

 

[northmanlogging]

the hard heads are heavy... but you can beat the snot out off em, never needed one personally.

 

[mitch95100]

the hard heads are heavy... but you can beat the snot out off em, never needed one personally.

You probably got ALOT more experience than me! I can understand the weight concept though, i wouldnt want 10lbs hangin off of my belt all the time either!

Sent from me to you using my fingers

 

[lfnh]

Sticky up ^^ here Gypo started has got good stuff in it.
Back a year or 2 there was good threads on wedges and another on axes.
here in F&L forum.

what NM said. Look up

 

[bitzer]

Wedges? What the hell are those? Swing cuts... That's were its at.

Look up a lot and don't hang out at the stump.

Don't bore cut every tree. 99% of hardwood sawtimber does not need to be bored. Especially that size.

You will want a bigger saw if you are getting paid by volume. It doesn't matter what saw you are running. While you're hitting your peak for the day they are all easy to toss around and they are all heavy as hell for the last hour of the day. More cubes will put more wood on the ground no matter what. If you're getting paid volume, seconds count.

 

[bustedup]

NM kinda covered it ......and advice solid and sound ..........all I can add is ifn ya can go look at the track and identify any danger sticks and possible hazards......ifn you know the lay it could/might help ya in the end production wise.

Find out the lay .....don't assume they way you think they should go is the way they want em. In that vein find out again if it a clear cut (you may be said lol ) or if there are stick in there that are save trees (ie not to be cut or damaged) they should be marked in some way but it wouldn't be the first time they ain't been and it will save ya getting a talking to lol. Also find out where ya fall up to ie. the boundary again should be something marked but don't assume lol.


Are you gonna be falling alone or part a a pair of fallers??? ....If your part of a pair then know where your partner is. Ifn you falling solo then when ya go in let someone know (the boss or bull buck) so ifn you don't come out they can go looking for ya (I know sounds stupid).


Find out what stump heights are permissible, some bosses and um foresters get grumpy ifn ya cutting to high


Don't get to creative when falling keep it simple and know what you can achieve. Look at the terrain ifn ya falling a valuable stick look at the lay ie no stumps rocks or gulleys that are gonna bust it .......if there are adjust if ya can't lay some others down first that are going for pulp or are just scrag to soften it.



As far as saws and bars well NM covered it use what you feel comfortable with and what ya got .....earn some cash first and then go get the bigger and better kit ......we all gotta start somewhere.


Carry wedges bro they will get ya outta the crap at times ......stop ya saw getting pinched and are together with everything else a safety thing ...........your axe well guess that personal pref really .....mine is a 4lb kelly on a 28" (michigan patt....) but you'll find what suits you (hopefully ya won't have to beat the crap outta anything lol). Clothing lol well chaps .....pants.....shirt....caulks.....and tin lid ,types styles and brands each has there own pref there a whole load out there imo......don't go overboard some kit costs a lot get what ya need then again when your earning ....replace ....upgrade and get better.



Lastly enjoy yourself and look up ifn ya have questions ask on here .....there are top class fallers/woodsmen/foresters on here that will have the answer .....jump into the not so pro thread lol we do talk a load of bull at times but when asked something serious then the serious answers do come and there always some one around there lol and Dad keeps a eye to make sure it all good lol



Be safe bro and welcome to the world of falling

 

[roberte]

You probably got ALOT more experience than me! I can understand the weight concept though, i wouldnt want 10lbs hangin off of my belt all the time either!
Sent from me to you using my fingers

by the time you get all the little this and that as described by everyone, and all valid btw, its gonna be right around that weight. Maybe get a wide belt and bag to carry it all, just a thought.

Something else to consider, especially at the end of the day, get used to making two trips and leap frogging your gear. No matter what its going to be at the bottom or top of hill at quitting time.

 

[Gologit]

Whenever you don't have anything else to do, fuel your saw. Running out of gas in the middle of a cut is embarrassing...and it can get you hurt.

 

[ndlawrence]

Thanks fellas, I'm think about getting THIS axe for starting out.. :msp_unsure:

 

[lfnh]

Wider axe head be easier driving wedges and kinder on the wedges.
Lot spendier now. Maybe something used