# How to get a log out of a ravine. Redneck style.



## Blakesmaster (May 9, 2010)

The problem.






Our first attempt.





Our second attempt.





I think we need a winch. lol


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## Blakesmaster (May 9, 2010)

Our third attempt. Success. Maybe we just needed a 'yota!


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## Blakesmaster (May 9, 2010)

*There had to be a better way.*

Our solution.


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## Blakesmaster (May 9, 2010)

Now we're talking.


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## turnkey4099 (May 9, 2010)

A snatch block or two and some cables would have worked.

I pulled an 8ft section of green willow over 2ft diameter outof a ditch with just my F150 2x. Rigged for 4x ma.

Harry K


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## Blakesmaster (May 9, 2010)

A yota still doesn't hurt though. lol


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## Blakesmaster (May 9, 2010)

A nice little pile of soon to be siding.


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## Blakesmaster (May 9, 2010)

turnkey4099 said:


> A snatch block or two and some cables would have worked.
> 
> I pulled an 8ft section of green willow over 2ft diameter outof a ditch with just my F150 2x. Rigged for 4x ma.
> 
> Harry K



We only had one block, no cable but some real good rope. It took a few Coors Lights but we figured it out.


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## ents (May 9, 2010)

Before I got my 933 I used my 40hp compact tractor as a skidder. Trying to pull felled trees uphill didn't make it. Instead I'd chain up to the tree (log) so the chain was draped over the bucket. Back up (with the bucket in the dump position) until you start spinning your wheels. Now brake (and chock those wheels if need be) and rotate the bucket up. Lot's of leverage there and you'll inch that tree up hill. Once you run out of bucket, back up and lower the bucket back into the dump position. Brake and chock and rotate and repeat until the tree can be moved with just the tractor. Of course, this doesn't work if the tree hangs up on a stump or rock or digs itself into the ground.

Later,


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## treevet (May 10, 2010)

Getting it floating is why you had success. The hook up in the tree is probably gonna cause some damage to it. 

Pulled many a log up a ravine with my old 51 ford


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## ric5141 (May 10, 2010)

treevet said:


> Getting it floating is why you had success. The hook up in the tree is probably gonna cause some damage to it.
> 
> Pulled many a log up a ravine with my old 51 ford



Nice looking 51' Ford!


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## treevet (May 10, 2010)

Thanks....I sold it last year after having it for 25 years and it is killing me.

I know where it is and likely will try to buy it back when I get more room.


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## sgreanbeans (May 10, 2010)

Not to jump off topic, but Treevet, that truck is really cool, got more pics!


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## squad143 (May 10, 2010)

Good thinking Blakesmaster.

I have a block and a tenex eye sling that I've dedicated just for that.

Works great when you don't have a skidder.


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## Blakesmaster (May 10, 2010)

treevet said:


> Getting it floating is why you had success. The hook up in the tree is probably gonna cause some damage to it.
> 
> Pulled many a log up a ravine with my old 51 ford



I was aware the beech we used to hoist would not enjoy the sling. Had it been a customer's tree I would have taken extra precautions to cushion the bark more. I have a feeling that knocking out half the canopy with the hemlock I fell on it did more damage though. lol Had it been a customer they may have complained that half of their yard wound up on the hood of the dodge via the yota's mud slinging too. But we weren't really concerned about all that nonsense.


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## STLfirewood (May 10, 2010)

I have a Farmi 601 that would make short work of that. That is the ideal place to use one. Good work getting it done.

Scott


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## pdqdl (May 10, 2010)

What kind of weights do you have bolted on the front of that thing to keep the steer tires on the ground? Right now, that looks like a wheelie-mobile.



treevet said:


> ... Pulled many a log up a ravine with my old 51 ford


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## treevet (May 10, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> What kind of weights do you have bolted on the front of that thing to keep the steer tires on the ground? Right now, that looks like a wheelie-mobile.



It has more weight up front than you think but it has a spot where you can add some weight. If you don't the winch is strong enough to flip it over backwards like you said though. That piece measured out to 2k and it is nothing to drive around town with it which I often did. 

Wreckers are not a bad choice for a tree biz. I modified the boom on this one to load into my flat dumps.


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## Blakesmaster (May 11, 2010)

treevet said:


> Tough biz to be in if you don't give a schit about trees. Wouldn't let you work on mine. Fukking up a beech and lol ing about it.....sad.



Never said I didn't care about trees, TV, so you can knock off your high and mighty, condescending attitude right now thank you very much. Do I care about that specific beech I tore up in the pics? No. It's one of many on our 73 acre parcel which is mostly wooded. Like I said it's not a customer's tree, it's mine, and I was more concerned with pulling enough hemlock out of the woods efficiently to side the cabin than I was with saving each individual tree on the property. Could I have run up the hemlock, sailed the top and taken off each log section to avoid any damage to surrounding vegetation? Yes. But there was no reason to waste that sort of time or energy to save one measly little beech that was essentially worthless. Seriously, get your head out of your ass.


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## tree MDS (May 12, 2010)

Blakesmaster said:


> Never said I didn't care about trees, TV, so you can knock off your high and mighty, condescending attitude right now thank you very much. Do I care about that specific beech I tore up in the pics? No. It's one of many on our 73 acre parcel which is mostly wooded. Like I said it's not a customer's tree, it's mine, and I was more concerned with pulling enough hemlock out of the woods efficiently to side the cabin than I was with saving each individual tree on the property. Could I have run up the hemlock, sailed the top and taken off each log section to avoid any damage to surrounding vegetation? Yes. But there was no reason to waste that sort of time or energy to save one measly little beech that was essentially worthless. Seriously, get your head out of your ass.



Tsk, tsk, its all sawdust lust.. maybe you should've gone with vinyl on that badboy!


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## treevet (May 12, 2010)

Blakesmaster said:


> Never said I didn't care about trees, TV, so you can knock off your high and mighty, condescending attitude right now thank you very much. Do I care about that specific beech I tore up in the pics? No. It's one of many on our 73 acre parcel which is mostly wooded. Like I said it's not a customer's tree, it's mine, and I was more concerned with pulling enough hemlock out of the woods efficiently to side the cabin than I was with saving each individual tree on the property. Could I have run up the hemlock, sailed the top and taken off each log section to avoid any damage to surrounding vegetation? Yes. But there was no reason to waste that sort of time or energy to save one measly little beech that was essentially worthless. Seriously, get your head out of your ass.



Seems I hit a soft spot.

Poplar or some other rag tree I can see...but a nice beech....what's next? Baby seals? :greenchainsaw:


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## Blakesmaster (May 12, 2010)

tree MDS said:


> Tsk, tsk, its all sawdust lust.. maybe you should've gone with vinyl on that badboy!



What the hell are you on about? I either need more coffee or more beer to figure out what that means. lol Rain day for you too?


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## treevet (May 12, 2010)

Blakesmaster said:


> What the hell are you on about? I either need more coffee or more beer to figure out what that means. lol Rain day for you too?



so far dammit......don't even WANT a day off today.opcorn:


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## tree MDS (May 12, 2010)

Blakesmaster said:


> What the hell are you on about? I either need more coffee or more beer to figure out what that means. lol Rain day for you too?



Lol. Yeah rain day today. 

At least I get a break from Elgay.. I mean Eljay.


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## Blakesmaster (May 12, 2010)

treevet said:


> Seems I hit a soft spot.
> 
> Poplar or some other rag tree I can see...but a nice beech....what's next? Baby seals? :greenchainsaw:



So now you're the tree police? Determining which trees deserve a warning and which ones get hauled to the station? C'mon, chief, get real. It's just a ####in' tree. And I don't think I'd risk putting that kind of torque on a poplar. Assuming we had an available poplar, that is. The main reason I decided to fell it toward the beech was so I could avoid hitting a primo oak that was in the DZ, so nananabooboo, I get all gushy about certain trees too!


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## treevet (May 12, 2010)

tree MDS said:


> Tsk, tsk, its all sawdust lust..



mini Treeseer? lol


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## treevet (May 12, 2010)

Blakesmaster said:


> So now you're the tree police? Determining which trees deserve a warning and which ones get hauled to the station? C'mon, chief, get real. It's just a ####in' tree. And I don't think I'd risk putting that kind of torque on a poplar. Assuming we had an available poplar, that is. The main reason I decided to fell it toward the beech was so I could avoid hitting a primo oak that was in the DZ, so nananabooboo, I get all gushy about certain trees too!



You're ok then turn around and I'll take off the cuffs.


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## Blakesmaster (May 12, 2010)

tree MDS said:


> Lol. Yeah rain day today.
> 
> At least I get a break from Elgay.. I mean Eljay.



I didn't have much going on today as it was, a little landscrapin' gig that I AIN'T ####in' doin' in the rain, no way, no how. I do have to go get a permit from a local city to shut down a side street next Monday for the crane gig. First time with a NY operator. Mutha ####a says I can't ride the ball over the primaries. What a ####! lol


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## Blakesmaster (May 12, 2010)

treevet said:


> mini Treeseer? lol



Yeah, he's a hippy at heart. lol


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## Blakesmaster (May 12, 2010)

Blakesmaster said:


> I didn't have much going on today as it was, a little landscrapin' gig that I AIN'T ####in' doin' in the rain, no way, no how. I do have to go get a permit from a local city to shut down a side street next Monday for the crane gig. First time with a NY operator. Mutha ####a says I can't ride the ball over the primaries. What a ####! lol



Got the permit. I'm pretty sure they could give a rats azz about the street but god forbid they don't get my 5 bucks. Picked up some road closed signs too. We'll be looking like pros fer sure. Bought me and the boys some shiny new chaps as well. Let's just hope NYSEG gets the lines booted and the service drops down before the crane ( which is billing at $135 per hour ) shows up. Oh, and dear tree gods, please do not let it ####ing rain on Monday. Thank you. Chris


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## tree MDS (May 12, 2010)

Blakesmaster said:


> I didn't have much going on today as it was, a little landscrapin' gig that I AIN'T ####in' doin' in the rain, no way, no how. I do have to go get a permit from a local city to shut down a side street next Monday for the crane gig. First time with a NY operator. Mutha ####a says I can't ride the ball over the primaries. What a ####! lol



My first crane job the dude wouldn't let me ride the ball either. You wanna talk about annoying, try untangling a ratnested throwline, so I can do a 50' footlock (to remove limb from another tree to make room for crane boom), with a brand new 90 ton crane idling right there in front of you.. then having to spike all the way up the big oak that I had to kill! sorta wondered what I was paying them for during that deal!


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## Blakesmaster (May 12, 2010)

tree MDS said:


> My first crane job the dude wouldn't let me ride the ball either. You wanna talk about annoying, try untangling a ratnested throwline, so I can do a 50' footlock (to remove limb from another tree to make room for crane boom), with a brand new 90 ton crane idling right there in front of you.. then having to spike all the way up the big oak that I had to kill! sorta wondered what I was paying them for during that deal!



That sucks man. You didn't know about it ahead of time? That was the first question I asked this CO since I never worked with him before. I almost called the crane off and went old school at that point but decided to look over the job with him. Turns out my partner spars with him at the gym and never knew it. I have a feeling if I work with this one specific operator enough he'll let me ride eventually but this job is mad high profile, condemned tree, street closing, ####in' press release and all that jazz. Not gonna fly this time. You can bet I'll be there early and swinging from the tree at the first choke point before he rolls on site.


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## pdqdl (May 12, 2010)

I climbed a condemned tree once. Many years ago...

I haven't climbed one since. They are WAY too dangerous after the bark has fallen off.

Be careful. Find another way, if you can.


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## Blakesmaster (May 12, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> I climbed a condemned tree once. Many years ago...
> 
> I haven't climbed one since. They are WAY too dangerous after the bark has fallen off.
> 
> Be careful. Find another way, if you can.



Meh, the worst half already fell off, hence the condemnation. It's a pretty straightforward deal, especially with the crane.


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## mt.stalker (Jun 29, 2010)

Blakesmaster , I like the redneck towing ( reminds me of me ) 2 trucks and a tractor , brilliant !!! If you had a chevy it would've only taken 1 truck . Anyway, is that Delaware county in those pics ?


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## Blakesmaster (Jun 29, 2010)

mt.stalker said:


> Blakesmaster , I like the redneck towing ( reminds me of me ) 2 trucks and a tractor , brilliant !!! If you had a chevy it would've only taken 1 truck . Anyway, is that Delaware county in those pics ?



I always thought myself a chevy man too. Till I found yota's that is. All our work trucks are ford's, meh, they're cheap. lol It's Tioga County, PA. My grandfather's cabin, currently under construction. Should have it sided in a few weeks.


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## mt.stalker (Jun 30, 2010)

looks very similar to my area in Del. cty. ny Rocky and ledges
` peacefull ......and....high taxes.....


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