The History Channel's: Ax Men, Pass it on...

Kevin · April 13, 2008, 02:33:33 PM

Getting my Stump-Branch attire ready for another episode of Ax Men,

now if I can only get Darrell Holthusen to send me one of those chinooker salmon fillets I'd really be log'n! ;D

Jeff · April 13, 2008, 02:45:02 PM

Hey, them suspenders look like good ones!

This week's contest prize is going to be a Stump Branch Hat Autographed by Melvin. 8)

Mindy · April 13, 2008, 11:58:58 PM

Hey Kevin,

How about pictures of you wearing Stump-Branch gear? What about pictures of other Forestry Forums members wearing Stump-Branch wear? You could be the trend setters, Jeff's on board now and has a pair of suspenders on the way. Forestry Forum members.... Please post your photos of you in Stump-Branch wear.

If you order it can take a while, but usually no more than 4 weeks. We are getting better on the ordering and shipping this is all new to us. we appreciate the support!!!

Have a good night,

Mindy

dmagnum · April 14, 2008, 12:31:43 AM

Quote from: Kevin on April 13, 2008, 02:33:33 PM
Getting my Stump-Branch attire ready for another episode of Ax Men,

now if I can only get Darrell Holthusen to send me one of those chinooker salmon fillets I'd really be log'n! ;D

If you were sportin Gustafson swag, maybe we could talk about salmon fillets... :D Stump Branch swag looks pretty good too though!

Jeff · April 14, 2008, 12:41:14 AM

Darrel, do you guys have gear on line?

dmagnum · April 14, 2008, 12:44:30 AM

Yes!

gustafsonlogging.com

Jeff · April 14, 2008, 12:45:22 AM

Lets make that link work then!

www.gustafsonlogging.com

Jeff · April 14, 2008, 12:46:43 AM

I'll swap ya a Forestry Forum hat for a Gustafson Hat ;)

dmagnum · April 14, 2008, 12:58:42 AM

Done! Pick one and we'll get it sent to you.

Burlkraft · April 14, 2008, 06:21:15 AM

We got all the gear...Now we need that 200 ft log for our world record board ;D ;D ;D

Got any of them layin' around ??? ??? :D :D

Mooseherder · April 14, 2008, 06:29:00 AM

Quote from: Burlkraft on April 14, 2008, 06:21:15 AM
We got all the gear...Now we need that 200 ft log for our world record board ;D ;D ;D

Got any of them layin' around ??? ??? :D :D

Ya lookin' fer work? I hear their looking for a rigger. ;D :D

Burlkraft · April 14, 2008, 07:54:15 AM

Quote from: Mooseherder on April 14, 2008, 06:29:00 AM
Quote from: Burlkraft on April 14, 2008, 06:21:15 AM
We got all the gear...Now we need that 200 ft log for our world record board ;D ;D ;D

Got any of them layin' around ??? ??? :D :D

Ya lookin' fer work? I hear their looking for a rigger. ;D :D

I got all the "work" I ~~want~~ need, that's not the problem...I'm short on 200' logs ;D ;D ;D

thecfarm · April 14, 2008, 08:21:13 AM

Melvin sure does like his grapple skidder.Looks odd not to see a skidder with no chains on it.

Rocky_Ranger · April 14, 2008, 10:28:07 AM

Yeah, but did ya see the tread on those tires???????

Jeff · April 14, 2008, 10:47:54 AM

Gustafson Logging has some pretty awesome photos on their history page.

http://www.gustafsonlogging.com/history

snowman · April 14, 2008, 09:20:16 PM

Good show last night but sad in a way. The guy that's 50 climbing a tree, pounding wedges, running out of breath, cigg in his mouth most scenes. Seems like a heck of a nice guy and a good man but a good reason for kids watching not to smoke. I'm noticibly older :D and can pound wedges till they smoke without running out of breath and my dad pushing 80 climbs trees still just to prove he can and doesn't run out of breath like that. Just something for kids out there wanting to look cool to think about.

Kevin · April 14, 2008, 10:10:25 PM

I'd like to see those climbers using pulleys to pass the gear up to them and rope safeties so they don't plummet to the ground when their fliplines get cut.
It looked like Levi went from using a linemans body belt to a split suspension type climbing saddle which is much better and it's made to accommodate a separate safety but he isn't using it.
One other added measure of safety would be a cinch strap below the cut to prevent the tree from splitting out and squeezing the life out of the climber.

Kevin · April 14, 2008, 10:23:33 PM

The rigging tree that Melvin was using broke last week, it appeared to have considerable sway in it and I was wondering what they used to tighten the guy lines?

Tillaway · April 15, 2008, 08:35:35 AM

Kevin
They usually tighten guylines by hand.
Regarding the cinch strap, you have to be kind of selective of the trees used. For the most part the tree species selected will not barber chair easily. There is very little risk of it happening if use proper cutting techniques are used. You have more of an issue with the top hitting you on the way down.

ronwood · April 15, 2008, 08:57:38 AM

Tillaway,

I have not watch the show in great detail but why do they have to cut the top out?

Rin

Kevin · April 15, 2008, 09:53:08 AM

QuoteThey usually tighten guylines by hand.

With a winch?

It's not the top barberchairing that's a concern to me although the cutting was slow on that top, it's the bottom that can split open trapping the climber in his strap.
As for the top they can always put a rope in it or cut the branches off one side in order to load it.
Ten seconds to cinch it would be cheap insurance.
It's not apt to happen but if it happens once it's over and it has happened before.

snowman · April 15, 2008, 06:30:08 PM

I think alot of people who have never been involved in high production industrial logging have a hard time grasping the pace, the attitude, the "get er done" mentality. Often times saftey takes a backseat to production. If you tried to do everything the safest possible way, you wouldn't get much done. A good example is cutters stacking. On steep ground it's stupid and I've done it. The yarder needs fed, the strips deep and the hookers are screaming for wood. You stack. You keep production going, thats just the way it is.

stumpy · April 15, 2008, 07:24:57 PM

I'm not a logger, but I've worked outside most of my career in different jobs. My impression is that logging, like Alaskan crab fishing are hazardous jobs. The hazards go with the territory and what seems like unsafe practices to most of us are routine activities that the men deal with daily. It's not that they don't care about safety, it's just that the hazards are the nature of the beast. As someone said, (in other words) if you apply the OSHA standards the way they do in other industries, you'd go out of business.

Now this is just a theory from a non-logger.

Tillaway · April 15, 2008, 08:26:29 PM

Kevin,
Sure a winch would work but ho one will pack one in. I assume the type used by arborists. They are just as effective using nothing more than two guys tugging and flexing the cable. Take a turn around a stump and pul out as much slack as you can, flex the cable by one guy pushing on it and letting it snap back. The other guy pulls on the end during the snap when thing are loose. It gets them tight enough.

There are other ways I'm sure but this is what I have experienced.

A cinch strap is not required by OSHA for topping as far as I know.

You have to cut the top out to meet OSHA regs in case the tree pulls. There is less of it to dodge. This usually applies to where the crew would be in danger if it fell.

Kevin · April 15, 2008, 10:37:35 PM

I agree that the cut has to be right but what happens if the saw quits half way through the cut and stalls the top?
The wind picks up and takes the top?
Usually all hell breaks loose. ;D
When the top isn't being pulled the climber hesitates and slows the back cut to make sure it's going over but that can be a bad thing if it stalls the top.
They could rig a line in the top of that from the ground before the climber ever reaches the top and pull it over for him when he's back cutting it.
No time lost and time better spent by the ground crew rather than standing there watching the guy climb the tree.
Now if the guy gets killed how much time and production is lost?