Big tree removal with the pro logger bunch

[jamesp]

Nov 24, 2018 15:07:41 GMT -5 pauls said:

The tree fellers that did my trees hired a crane with a 100 foot boom, they attached a platform hoisted it to the top of the tree so the feller can attach chains, lower the platform to the ground put tension on the crane so its lifting the tree and then just saw it off with the crane supporting it, then they lifted the whole tree right over my shed to an open area to cut it up. Very wierd and scary seeing a huge tree cruising over your shed.
Considerably safer than just dropping them. That particular tree was about 4 foot from my workshop and about 4 foot thick, it had already split in half in a storm a few years back and the half that was left was leaning towards the shed, it was a huge tree before it split and it was still a huge worry.

Lots of loggers and tree surgeons in this county pauls.
I can count on every finger a serious injury or death of one of the locals in the past 35 years.
My next door neighbor had a now outlawed 'bow saw' catch his pants cuff and climb his clothes to his head area.
He barely dodged bleeding to death. 11 hours and 1100 stitches...

A chain saw, a man way up high, and a heavy chunk of wood is a daily recipe for disaster.
The climbers are mad men.
Logging is by far #1 cause of occupational injuries here in Georgia.
I believe Georgia ranks #2 in the US in tree production.


"Logging and Tree cutting is America’s deadliest profession. Common logging hazards are falling objects, typically tree limbs, debris, falls, crane accidents, fire/explosions, heavy equipment/ misuse of equipment. These hazards often cause injury or death. Tree falling is the most frequent cause of death from logging. Unfortunately, workers can have injuries from head to toe. The most common injuries are on the lower body parts and hands. Injuries can range from, brain, back, neck, fractured bones, paralysis, amputation, disfigurement, and even wrongful death."

Bow saw. Never ever should have been sold

[jamesp]

Nov 24, 2018 16:16:41 GMT -5 toiv0 said:

Nov 24, 2018 13:15:28 GMT -5 jamesp said:

I believe you have forgot more about cutting firewood than I ever cut. Heating Minnesota weather, brrr.

How many cords for a winter toiv0 ?

10 to 15 cord as year. When I had a greenhouse and nursery it as heated my from Feb to May 35 cords. We stretched plastic across and opened it up as season progressed. 

You must exercise extreme caution Billy to not have been hurt badly if you cut that much wood for so many years.
We are getting older and a bit slower. Stay safe brother.
One reason I quit heating with wood regularly. Not willing to have a saw in hand any longer.

[toiv0]

Never seen a bow saw before. My brother got whacked by a widow maker and just knocked him out. No one I know wears all the protective gear like chaps,gloves,hard hats. Seen two serious accidents and had several close calls myself. We started in the woods when we were in grade school. Paper industry wanted  aspen logs without bark. The loggers would fall the trees and delimb them. We would come along behind them and strip the bark with peelers made from old leaf springs.

The best loggers paid us 10 cents a stick.(100 inches) so I could make 5 to 10 dollars a day. When I got into high school I made up to 40 if the bark was slipping good. Popple or a aspen was nice. If they had a contract for Balsam Fir you days were pretty miserable. You came out of the wood looking like you had been tar and feathered. Your clothes you had to wear the next day could stand up by their self. Clean up was with a kerosene bath.

[fernwood]

toiv0
My G-Grandfather was a logging camp foreman in the early 1900's. I still have much of the equipment from the camp. Utilized one of his bark strippers to work on some Walnut limbs from a tree taken down by a tornado at the homestead. Was 13 years old at the time.
My G-Grandma's diaries tell of accidents at the logging camps and in the woods falling trees. Some entries about new and improved techniques used to increase safety. The one I found most interesting was hooking teams of horses up to large trees. A two man, cross cut saw would be used to cut a notch in the tree after the horses were hooked up. When the notch was correct, the men would scatter and signal the team driver to engage the horses in a certain direction to perfectly fall the tree.
They must have used a very long rope/chain to do this. Many of the trees being logged then had trunks of 3' to 4' and were hundreds of feet tall. They had a few loggers who specialized in climbing the trees and attaching the rope to them. They had hand made spikes that were pounded through the soles of their boots. A rope tied around their waist and the tree. Hammer and nails to use if needed, ensuring the rope did not slip. No mention of widow makers in the dairies.

I compare use of horses to modern day methods of hooking an ATV winch or truck up to a tree being fallen. Or should it be felled? Cannot imagine how so many survived the techniques used in the 1800's to early 1900's. But in some ways, it was a lot safer to not have high speed power chain saws.

[woodman]

I recently gave a a cross cut saw that my Dad used in the woods to a great nephew. I have a few photo's of logging back in the day and you do not see any fat loggers, maybe the bosses but never someone who uses a misery whip! My wife late husband was killed in the woods falling a large pine, nobody knew what went wrong but he ended up under the log. It is still a dangerous job.

[woodman]

This how logs were loaded onto rail cars here in Oregon back in  the day.

talk about climbing skills, How would anyone today like to rig that spar pole.

[jamesp]

Shear mad men climbing/falling those tall west trees woodman.
Here is the south they got clever and grow crops of manageable 12 to 22 inch trees in 10 to 15 years.
Ours grow so darn fast production is high.
No one wants big logs around here anymore.

[jamesp]

Nov 25, 2018 7:51:41 GMT -5 toiv0 said:

Never seen a bow saw before. My brother got whacked by a widow maker and just knocked him out. No one I know wears all the protective gear like chaps,gloves,hard hats. Seen two serious accidents and had several close calls myself. We started in the woods when we were in grade school. Paper industry wanted  aspen logs without bark. The loggers would fall the trees and delimb them. We would come along behind them and strip the bark with peelers made from old leaf springs.

The best loggers paid us 10 cents a stick.(100 inches) so I could make 5 to 10 dollars a day. When I got into high school I made up to 40 if the bark was slipping good. Popple or a aspen was nice. If they had a contract for Balsam Fir you days were pretty miserable. You came out of the wood looking like you had been tar and feathered. Your clothes you had to wear the next day could stand up by their self. Clean up was with a kerosene bath.

A bow saw is much less likely to get pinched by fallen logs in a bind and falling a standing tree Billy.
I seen them as kid but they be long outlawed now.

Sounds like work debarking. Resin ? he he, tar and feathered and sap does NOT wash off.
Do ya think this new generation of kids would scrape bark off trees for a few dollars ?

[jamesp]

About 50% cleaned up, bout 40 man hours and body sore head to toe.
Waterfall about 100 yards back in center of photo.
5 miles of forest with no humans in direction of photo. True backwoods.
This is an Indian campsite. And future site of house addition. Nice scenery on this ridge.
Will rake rocks to a pile for a future chimney and then hire a track hoe to dig those 36 inch stumps and grade flat.
Solid bedrock not 3 feet down.

The fire and it's coals will be slowly pushed down the hill with tractor to burn the tops of the trees left that are not so visible.
The tops must be sawn into smaller logs before fire can advance down hill. A process. the wood is totally green and needs a lot of heat.

[woodman]

Nov 27, 2018 9:49:19 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Shear mad men climbing/falling those tall west trees woodman .
Here is the south they got clever and grow crops of manageable 12 to 22 inch trees in 10 to 15 years.
Ours grow so darn fast production is high.
No one wants big logs around here anymore.

Very few mills around here want the big logs either, We have a lot of private timber land along with the State and Federal forests.  I got a 5 acre plot that was logged before I purchased it, replanted and some natural grow back and now 45 years later it is just the right size to log, but I will not cut them. Bought the adjoining 5 acres and it has 25 or so teree that are 4 to 5 feet across at the butt. Nice to walk among those big ones!

a friend of mine was injured using a bow bar, kick back, he batted it away from his head but it got him in his shoulder. that was probably in the early 70's. He liked them for cutting small lodgepole pines for poles. After that he got into cutting bigger trees and I don't think he ever used a bow bar again.

Like the looks of your place, enjoy!

[jamesp]

Nov 27, 2018 10:32:58 GMT -5 woodman said:

Nov 27, 2018 9:49:19 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Shear mad men climbing/falling those tall west trees woodman .
Here is the south they got clever and grow crops of manageable 12 to 22 inch trees in 10 to 15 years.
Ours grow so darn fast production is high.
No one wants big logs around here anymore.

Very few mills around here want the big logs either, We have a lot of private timber land along with the State and Federal forests.  I got a 5 acre plot that was logged before I purchased it, replanted and some natural grow back and now 45 years later it is just the right size to log, but I will not cut them. Bought the adjoining 5 acres and it has 25 or so teree that are 4 to 5 feet across at the butt. Nice to walk among those big ones!

a friend of mine was injured using a bow bar, kick back, he batted it away from his head but it got him in his shoulder. that was probably in the early 70's. He liked them for cutting small lodgepole pines for poles. After that he got into cutting bigger trees and I don't think he ever used a bow bar again.

Like the looks of your place, enjoy!

My BIL worked at a high tech Oregon saw mill. He said the same thing about the big logs.

Why log your place, not worth the damaged look for the return. Live in a heavenly and naturally beautiful place.
I remember a photo of your large trees, incredible and awe inspiring.
Best to cut trees down here where they grow so fast, they don't get so large here. Save those big western trees.

The bow saw story, heard it too many times. Hope your friend healed well.

Thanks for the words. Not far behind the few tall trees in the background you see another set of trees on horizon that seem shorter.
They are mature but on a 40 foot lower level where a granite bedrock plate falls off.

[jamesp]

Week 3 of long days doing tree removal. 61 years old. Muscle soreness starting to slow down and sleeping better.

Week 5 of opiate withdrawal.
The first 2 weeks were total hell. sleeplessness, stomach ailments, cramps, fever symptoms, mental attacks, etc
This is the period of time people fail in stopping opiate use. Professional rehab/detox treatment hospital a good idea.
The vigorous activity and noise from chainsaw is masking the diminishing withdrawal symptoms and increasing sleep.
Loading up on proteins, fresh veggies, wild fish, omega 3's, Bolthouse vitamin and protein drinks. Tons of exercise.
Still using but weaning off with small doses as needed for sleep.

The main problem with opiates is that it increases dopamine production in brain.
Stop taking and the dopamine production in the brain sharply decreases.
Dopamine supplies the 'feel good' side of life. No dopamine makes life miserable.
Basically the brain is damaged making you feel bad in many ways and unfortunately heals slowly.

I feel for those who suffer from pain and it is an unfortunate situation for those that depend on opiate based pain killers.
Opiates certainly have a place for those with chronic pain. Many abuse like I did though.
When the present administration is claiming we have an opiate epidemic they stand correct because of the tortuous withdrawal effects when quitting.
Most will fail miserably during withdrawal and understandably so. Don't go it alone, have a good friend or spouse to help you.

Feeling so much better now. At about 80% back to normal.

Usage started about 2 years ago when i asked doctor for pharmaceutical pain management.
Starting a year ago I was making my own opiates from legally grown Papaver poppy seed pods and taking it orally.
Growing is legal, processing pods is illegal...Never used street drugs or needles.

[jamesp]

An ARCO steel building will be ordered and erected on this site. Cheap and super low maintenance. www.arcosteel.com

It will serve as an add-on to the small 1200 sq ft cabin and built in the rear of the cabin.
The front section of the new building will be stud framed internally and serve as added living space.
The rear section will be divided off as a shop for making income producing products but climate controlled(key point after working outside for 29 years).
My school buddy had a 40' x 70' unit built, am sorta following his lead but smaller scale.
It will all be on floor level with the existing cabin and hopefully used thru retirement years. No more stairs !

Still have about 4 more giant trees to remove that would threaten the new building.
Looking forward to reduced leaf clean up. Big deciduous trees generate incredible amounts of leaves.(damn the leaves)

This has been our 1200 sq ft cabin for 35 years. Truly in the forest. This is the side to be connected to.



This link is the area west and south of the newly added space. A piece of Appalachia.

www.flickr.com/photos/67205364@N06/albums/72157635007491760

View to the west, creek about 100 feet away in small gorge. 4000 acres of uninhabited forest owned by plethora of owners.



walking down west side creek




Sitting drinking coffee w/rifle at west creek waiting for a deer to come around the corner of the farm. Low bush cleared for ambush hunt.
Opening caused by twister taking large trees out about 15 years ago, yes sounded like a freight train, scary stuff.

Note tall white oak in center of photo with nary a limb 60 feet up and a perfect choice for 4 months full time burning in a wood stove.
High heat output and slow burning the white oak.
That tree can be felled and sawn in 10 inch logs and split with a hand maul in 1/6ths and 1/8ths in a couple of hours because of lack of knots.
Splits easy. Probably take 3 long days to haul it to the wood pile...



East side creek to back of add-on getting ready to drop 30 feet off granite exposure.
During heavy rains the granite is covered completely by water and creates serious sounds as water falls off drop



View to south west. down ridge. About a 100 - 120 year old hardwood forest surrounding us here.
Totally humid and shady. Too much so actually, removing trees will dry the new building with increased sun exposure.
Reduce claustrophobia lol. We do supply habitat to 100's of trees that do not get cut down.



Looking north from proposed add-on at back of pole barn/in-law suite/studio building which will also block view of add-on form front yard.
This area is where tree removal is commencing. Roof at top of photo is 56' X 32' and slanted perfectly for solar energy collection since cutting trees.
May do a water heating system up there.



Thanks for looking.

[HankRocks]

jamesp Very nice! Is this the same piece of property that you been living on, the one with all the old greenhouses? Maybe I missed some of your description somewhere.

Henry

[jamesp]

Nov 29, 2018 8:38:24 GMT -5 HankRocks said:

jamesp Very nice! Is this the same piece of property that you been living on, the one with all the old greenhouses? Maybe I missed some of your description somewhere.

Henry

Yep. Been home base for 35 years. Same home same bossy wife. All heavenly. Am happy here though.

[miket]

Beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. I love forests and mountains. My son (who is my rockhounding companion) cut trees here for several years, it is very dangerous.
The guy that he worked for seldom got his equipment inspected and they worked year round.
Thankfully he now works for a guy doing construction, mostly remodeling work.

[NRG]

I'm envisioning the mushrooms. That forest is fungal heaven.

[jamesp]

Dec 1, 2018 0:08:03 GMT -5 NRG said:

I'm envisioning the mushrooms. That forest is fungal heaven.

"At ease disease, there is a fungus among us"

[jamesp]

Nov 29, 2018 10:16:16 GMT -5 miket said:

Beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. I love forests and mountains. My son (who is my rockhounding companion) cut trees here for several years, it is very dangerous.
The guy that he worked for seldom got his equipment inspected and they worked year round.
Thankfully he now works for a guy doing construction, mostly remodeling work.

If your son does tree and construction work he must have a great work ethic. Thumbs up to him.

Some folks like living in open areas and some like being under the trees.
Interesting subject.

The long horizontal limbs of the live oaks along the southern coast shade large surface areas.
The steep hills of Appalachia can hold dense forests because of the larger surface area of hilly land.

Interesting fact about the Appalachian mountains is the extreme changes in forest diversity as the altitude changes.
A 12 mile hike in the Smokies can traverse 2000 feet too 6000 feet and back down to 2000 feet in altitude.
Add a north facing slope and a south facing slope in the hike to increase habitat variety.
Such a hike would allow about the most vegetative variety in the world for such a short distance.

[fernwood]

What a beautiful setting.