# A Thunderbird Swing Yarder



## slowp (Nov 29, 2010)

Here it is.


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## hammerlogging (Nov 29, 2010)

Beautiful again SlowP. You have some real cable logging talent out there.

I bet nobody is too keen on the early heavy snow though.


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## slowp (Nov 29, 2010)

hammerlogging said:


> Beautiful again SlowP. You have some real cable logging talent out there.
> 
> I bet nobody is too keen on the early heavy snow though.



It is annoying. You think you are ok when walking in it, then hit a deep patch and it is floundering depth. We are hoping it rains hard on it. I have 5 more corridors to mark tomorrow. Snow is good to play in, a pain to work in.

This yarder has a cheery whistle and full crew. A skidder is taking the logs down to a landing on the main road. The constructed road to this landing is too steep to use in the winter, without rocking the heck out of it.


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## coastalfaller (Nov 29, 2010)

Apparently, so legend has it, there's a Thunderbird Grapple Yarder at the bottom of Kinbasket Lake in the interior of BC. Brand spanking new, never yarded a log! Storm came up and the barge sank with the yarder on it!


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## schmuck.k (Nov 30, 2010)

good pics slowp


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## RPM (Nov 30, 2010)

coastalfaller said:


> Apparently, so legend has it, there's a Thunderbird Grapple Yarder at the bottom of Kinbasket Lake in the interior of BC. Brand spanking new, never yarded a log! Storm came up and the barge sank with the yarder on it!



I've heard that legend too .... 

Its a shame this one is running a carriage though as coastal noted its a Grapple Yarder. Mobile backspar, downhill yard to roadside, good deflection, and 500-600' max to the back line and a way you go .... and clear cut prescription of course!


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## coastalfaller (Nov 30, 2010)

RPM said:


> I've heard that legend too ....
> 
> Its a shame this one is running a carriage though as coastal noted its a Grapple Yarder. Mobile backspar, downhill yard to roadside, good deflection, and 500-600' max to the back line and a way you go .... and clear cut prescription of course!



Absolutely! You can really flog the wood in!


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## slowp (Nov 30, 2010)

The one in the picture is working in a thinning. Sorry. I'll have to ask why, but they have what looks to be a very new or recently cleaned up and painted Bowman carriage sitting on the roadside. Maybe they like to have a spare handy.


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## Humptulips (Dec 2, 2010)

slowp said:


> The one in the picture is working in a thinning. Sorry. I'll have to ask why, but they have what looks to be a very new or recently cleaned up and painted Bowman carriage sitting on the roadside. Maybe they like to have a spare handy.



Bowmans are made for speed but flimsy. Bump them against a tree and it costs.
Eagles are slower but tougher. You don't need speed when thinning and the eagle will be more durable.
Maybe they save the Bowman for clearcuts.


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## slowp (Dec 2, 2010)

Humptulips: Any ideas on what causes ghost whistles? They were having problems with that yesterday. The nearest other yarder was across the river and in a totally different drainage---miles away if it was running. Above the unit is a peak with a radio repeater on it. I have no idea what would cause the whistle to go off. Does it just happen sometimes?


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## Humptulips (Dec 2, 2010)

slowp said:


> Humptulips: Any ideas on what causes ghost whistles? They were having problems with that yesterday. The nearest other yarder was across the river and in a totally different drainage---miles away if it was running. Above the unit is a peak with a radio repeater on it. I have no idea what would cause the whistle to go off. Does it just happen sometimes?[/QUOTE
> 
> Someone somewhere may have a set of bugs that are off frequency and it is close enough that they trip their radio. Could be a long way away. One time we were working and a van with a radio direction finder drove up to where we were working and shut us down. Our bugs were off frequency and tripping someone elses radio.
> They could report to L&I but they will probably shut them down until they figure out who is off frequency or they could get their radio frequency changed.
> ...


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## Redwood Climber (Jan 2, 2012)

*Top of the Line Swing Yarders*



slowp said:


> Here it is.




Thunderbird made a fine bunch of swing yarders, top of the line in their day (they were done in the late 90's I believe) and still stand toe to toe with the very newest of the competetion. If they would have continued building and refining they would have wiped Madill off the map. Thanks for sharing the pic, beautiful machine!


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