What is "shovel logging"?

[Jasperfield]

Just exactly what is "shovel logging"? I've seen it mentioned occasionally but don't know what it is.

How is it different from other Eastern US methods of logging, and does shovel logging use specialized equipment?

Here in WNC, I've never heard the term.

Jasperfield

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Jasper Its when you use an excavator (shovel) with a grapple  to pick up the logs within reach  and throw it progresevly towards the landing it gets used in wet and steep country and by blokes who only have one bit of gear 

Regards Chris

[SwampDonkey]

In BC, it's also called "Hoe Chucking" where logs are chucked roadside by excavator.

http://web.cocc.edu/logging/szlinks/shovellog.htm

[Jasperfield]

OK, thanks.

I guess I do know what it is, just didn't recognize the operation by the name.

Thanks,

Jasperfield

[barbender]

Is this method just used to move wood short distances, or do they take care of long skids this way too? The reason I ask is that I was reading a western logging publication, and the shovel loggers said they had replaced all of their skidders because this way is cheaper. Just trying to get a better understanding of how this works.

[WDH]

In the US South, shovel logging is generally used where it is very wet.  The shovel loader "shovels" the wood to a shovel road that is laid down using logs so the skidders can access the wood.  As the operation finishes, the shovel loader picks up the shovel road logs as they work their way back to the landing.  The Discovery Channel has a show where shovel logging is used.  It is called "Swamp Loggers" and is set in Eastern North Carolina.  It airs on Friday nights at 10:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

[captain_crunch]

Shovel logging is about the Quickest and cheapest way to log there is. Shovels set up for this have additional armorment and Grouser Pads rather than street pads like on loading shovels. And it will Mortify you where they will get them things while doing this

[SwampDonkey]

Where we setup a shovel logging show on a cut block was always on wet terrain and it was either a part of the block or a small block to begin with. The wood was usually poor in there.

[Jeff]

Shovel logging is about the Quickest and cheapest way to log there is.

I would have to strongly disagree with that statement as a blanket statement unless you qualified it with the conditions and terrain the geographical areas the logging is taking place. No way is shovel logging quicker nor cheaper on flat level solid ground then a conventional skidding operation.

[SwampDonkey]

In my scenario it was always considered the cheapest set up because of the quality of the wood and the small size of the area it was applied. It wasn't always steep ground, but it was usually sensitive ground, where the "side hill gougers" or known as the grapple yarder were not allowed to yard.

Supersnorkel/grapple video. Supersnorkel is a loader with log extensions for further reach.

[stonebroke]

They sure like to cut high stumps out there.

Stonebroke

[SwampDonkey]

Those high ones along the road are for anchoring the machines when yarding and possibly help stabilize the road. Sometimes a support tree is standing as well to help in the yarding where deflection isn't that great from poor road location (no deflection lines run to profile the hillside).

[Paul_H]

The stumps aren't normally cut that high.What would have happened was the road right away was fell first and as the road was built,the wood,stumps and some over burden was piled on the bottom side against the trees in some places.If the right away wood wasn't loaded out before the setting was fell,then the fallers have no choice but to leave some high stumps.
Guyline stumps don't need to be high,usually you dig down on them to get the notch as low as possible.

[stonebroke]

Aha, Would it not pay to go back after the logs are removed and cut them down?
They look like they would be a pain to work around with those machines.

Stonebroke

[Paul_H]

They could cut them off but where they are doesn't interfere with the yarding because of the height of the machines,or "lift". Having a few good stumps to pile the logs against on a steep sidehill is handy sometimes too.

[SwampDonkey]

Google "grapple yarder supersnorkel handbook"

It'll be the first hit, pretty good reading.

[thecfarm]

Not a term that is used around here either.I get a free monthly magazine called Timberline.Keeps me up to date on some of the equipment. Axman and swamp logging showed it too.

[barbender]

If it was always quicker and cheaper I think people would use it around here too. So it must be a special application. I'd like to see that swamp logging show, I saw the previews and it looked pretty interesting.

[Ron Scott]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shovel_logging

[SwampDonkey]

Ron's link references the same information page as mine above. I think if you was to explore the BC Ministry of Forests and Range or Work Safe BC websites they would have a detailed explanation of Shovel Logging/Hoe Chucking.

"Silvicultural Systems Handbook for British Columbia"  has a piece in there about it.