# log tape repair



## goatchin (Apr 15, 2017)

Cracked my log tape yesterday when I released it and caught sideways between two logs, gave it a tug and pop it went. Caught the slack b4 it could unwind. Around 16" from hook. Racked my brain rest of day on how to fix for time being, thought I had small rivets but didn't.

Ended up finding a pack of small fold over brads like what's on the back of yellow manila envelopes. Overlapped tape an inch, drilled two small holes through tape, 2nd smallest bit in your typical set, can't remember exactly. Slid some heat shrink tune over one end and then out together with 2 brads, folded flat then hammerd flat. Slid tube over and heated it. Low and behold it still rewound! But noticed overlap edges would wear through so gave a light wrap of electrical tape and still reminds. Marked the 8'-7", 9-7", 10-7", 11-7", and 12-7" marks with sharpy to remind it's a inch short and marked case too.

I know most won't mess with splicing but figured I would share bc of being only an inch off


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## northmanlogging (Apr 15, 2017)

they used to sell new ends for just such a purpose.

However you can get the whole tape bit fer like $9, held in by a screw. I think the new ends where around $7?

Spliced ends can lead to messed up lengths so be very careful.


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## Westboastfaller (Apr 15, 2017)

I have an extra tape in my back pack.
Its handy for me to keep a few lengths of a broken tape so the splice keeps the measurement true. Then I still have a back up. I learnt my lesson the hard way. Like what northman is talking about. IDK
..maybe they will call me back this year...haha


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## northmanlogging (Apr 15, 2017)

I just keep finding tapes in the crummy... not sure how since i have no employees... but i can think of three in here right now... and a 13" end on the dash...should probably throw that away...


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## Jhenderson (Apr 15, 2017)

The lost time repairing a tape costs more than the $10 replacement. I keep several in the forwarder. I have found that the first 2ft of tape takes the brunt of abuse. A lot of the guys around here, including me, put a single wrap of electrical tape around those 2ft the same as you would wrap a baseball bat. It also keeps the nail pointed in the right direction and out of my butt when I get in the machine.


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## bitzer (Apr 15, 2017)

I tape the first ten inches and it works fine. That way I can still get a quick measurement on the small end of small logs (10" min at sawmill). I used to try rivets and even pieces of saw chain to fix the tape. Turns out just a few wraps of electrical will hold a busted tape for months. I usually start at the break then go four inches or so either way. I run a tape on each hip to save time reaching around and getting tangled up.


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## goatchin (Apr 16, 2017)

Worked out Well today. Only pain was that when I start walking out and am not past the tape it catches just enough to spring the hook loose, fine as long as I remember to draw it out some before I go. I may wrap it heavier there to make it stay out like a few of ya's have mentioned, definetly be quicker to grab. 

Any idea if husqvarna or true blue Spencer tapes will fit the woodland cases? May end up getting one when I order from Bailey's next anyhow.


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## northmanlogging (Apr 16, 2017)

the spencers just hang off their own swivel hook, no real need for a case.


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## Jhenderson (Apr 16, 2017)

The woodland appears to be a shameless copy of the husky tape. I've used spencer refills in both husky and spencer tapes. The only difference I know of is the husky brand tape comes with its own end nail. It just so happens I prefer a horseshoe nail myself so I always went for the spencer.


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## madhatte (Apr 17, 2017)

I don't bother replacing busted refills since we have so many. I just grab a new one out of the cabinet and rebuild a pile of tapes when I have enough. I think we have about 40 but I haven't counted. We chew up the gears at least as often as we bust the blades.


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## bitzer (Apr 18, 2017)

The only time I've wrecked gears on a Spencer is when the tape breaks and I don't grab it in time. For me the casing gets so beat up the spool gets caught and won't turn in anymore. Yes I've bent them out but eventually they are a lost cause.


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## madhatte (Apr 19, 2017)

Weird. I'd bet that half of our failures are the gears. I wind them to come up tight at 70 ft so the operator can't walk off of the end of the tape pulling out to a chain for height measurements. I wonder if dudes are just leaning on the gears until they break? I'm gonna have to pay attention to the next few that come in, see if this isn't a training deficiency rather than a manufacturing one.


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## Jhenderson (Apr 19, 2017)

It's more likely free spooling on retrieval. Over speed on return plus that hard stop at the end. Particularly with the spring extra tight. It's another reason I tape the last 2ft. It slows the return and doesn't allow that slam stop at the nail.


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## northmanlogging (Apr 19, 2017)

Can't see how unwinding would hurt the gears, only going to coast to a stop, or hit the spring backwards. Mine have always sorta half unspooled.

Think ya might be on to something with the leaning on em, though a chain is only 66', you'd think that the extra 4' would be enough to back track a wee bit.


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## madhatte (Apr 19, 2017)

I can only get away with taping maybe 6 inches because I need to keep the zero uncovered on the D-Tape side. The spring isn't really *that* tight, it's just tight enough to protect the tail of the tape.


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## Jhenderson (Apr 19, 2017)

I've only broken gears twice in over 30 years. Both times, I unknowingly lost the first few feet of tape and it retracted uncontrolled.


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## northmanlogging (Apr 19, 2017)

madhatte said:


> I can only get away with taping maybe 6 inches because I need to keep the zero uncovered on the D-Tape side. The spring isn't really *that* tight, it's just tight enough to protect the tail of the tape.


wonder if folks is grabbin the case and tuggin on it to unseat the nail, rather then grabbing the tape, or walking off the end and letting it pull the nail, can't be good for the gears to slam on em like that.


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## madhatte (Apr 20, 2017)

One thing you old-schoolers need to remember is that prior to about 2000 or so (I'm not sure when the change happened), the gears were made out of stamped steel, which sort of peened to sharp points as they aged. Newer units have sintered gears which break off with a sharp, clean brittle fracture, which immediately spin with spring tension into the next tooth and so on and so forth until you've chowdered the whole works all to hell. I've got a fleet of the new ones now as all of my old ones wore out years ago. I have discussed elsewhen having the middle gear 3D printed out of Delrin which I will do as soon as possible. 

Meanwhilst -- good suggestions, all. I'll watch my guys and see if I can't figure out an operational way to prevent gear failure.


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## Gologit (Apr 20, 2017)

madhatte said:


> Meanwhilst -- good suggestions, all. I'll watch my guys and see if I can't figure out an operational way to prevent gear failure.




Like maybe no more tape races at lunch time?


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## madhatte (Apr 20, 2017)

Gologit said:


> Like maybe no more tape races at lunch time?



I can not make that promise with any confidence.


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## goatchin (Apr 21, 2017)

28" on the butt after trimming 6" of flare off. Didn't measure further out but 24" bar was eating a full lunch. Black cherry. 3 10.5' logs. 50 logs within 100yd radius, hard+soft maple and b.cherry today, older stand, maple in the low wet ground had rotten butts but cleaned up once up hill into the harder/dry ground.

Part time gig on weekend's to supplement milking cows during week on our family farm. Boss deals with mill's and skidding, I just fell and buck. He wants tops down low so takes time trimming those up. 6Am to 2pm generally so leaves me time to keep my share of chores at home up to snuff


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