# hook tender



## axemandave (Oct 25, 2014)

anyone here a "hook"? im interested as to know what your job duties are,what your day consists of,how high does the climber usually have to climb to set an anchor line?does a hook usually stay up on the landing just watchin everything goin on? so much i need to know.thanks


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## 2dogs (Oct 25, 2014)

As an axeman I would think you know the answers to your question.


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## axemandave (Oct 25, 2014)

im a hotshot/climber....just liked the way axeman dave sounded ...your answer doesnt help me


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## 2dogs (Oct 25, 2014)

What crew did you work on?

Are you asking about the guylines that anchor the tube? Those go to stumps, good solid stumps, at ground level. The skyline is anchored to a stump called a tailhold. It can not fail so stumps are often wired together or if a moveable tailhold is used it can be a big dozer. Trees might have an intermediate support strung in them or a block directing the skyline to a stump so as to maintain lift.


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## axemandave (Oct 25, 2014)

thank you....yeah i found a job hiring hook setters they said the job rewuires a biy of climbing..i was curious as to why.i assumed hooker was a lead guy on the logging crew...curious to know ones job duties"what they do all day"...ive been on s few crews...del rosa,heaps peak helitack,lytle creek,fawnskin...all socal


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## Gologit (Oct 25, 2014)

axemandave said:


> thank you....yeah i found a job hiring hook setters they said the job rewuires a biy of climbing..i was curious as to why.i assumed hooker was a lead guy on the logging crew...curious to know ones job duties"what they do all day"...ive been on s few crews...del rosa,heaps peak helitack,lytle creek,fawnskin...all socal


I've never heard of a hook setter. Hooktender, yes.
I've never worked in the rigging on a yarder side but I've cut for a few. From what I've seen the hooktender is like the foreman for the yarder crew. In the words of Findlay Hayes..."the hook is the guy that makes things jump". He probably started as a choker setter and worked his way up. He's usually been around awhile and he can do any job on the show. Any job. Climbing is a very small part of what he has to know and what he does. He runs the crew, lays out the roads, lays out the rigging for skidding, rigs the tailholds, knows how to splice cable and splice it fast so production doesn't suffer, can figure 20 different ways to rig twisters, can run a saw, is probably a fairly good faller and bucker, understands big timber, and can run any piece of machinery on the landing. He might be handy with a wrench and a grease gun. He's also probably a pretty good supervisor and teacher. He does a lot of both.
If he's lucky he can stay on the landing but it doesn't always work that way. He might spend a lot of time down the hill helping the rigging crew or he might be out on the back end somewhere when they're changing roads. He might be on the phone or the company radio a lot.
The hooktender can identify problems before they _become_ problems and he's usually the first guy there to start fixing them.
I've worked around quite a few hooktenders and the good ones don't stand around much. A good hooktender makes things look easy...especially when they're not.

If you're thinking about trying to work your way into a hooktender's job you'll want to spend some time in the rigging first. If you don't know enough about the hook's job to be asking the questions you're asking you don't know enough to do it. If I can see that you can bet the owner of a logging outfit will, too.

Being a tree trimmer and a fire line cutter is a decent start but it won't prepare you for actual logging.


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## slowp (Oct 25, 2014)

I believe Humptulips is a retired hooktender. He's probably out hunting, or battening down the hatches cuz I believe his area will get a pretty good blow, as are we more inland folks.

Hooktenders are guys who have worked their way up from the bottom--setting chokers. There's no way you'd get hired as a hooktender with no rigging experience.
Lives and production depend on how the rigging is laid out. He rigs up the trees, in advance so not much time is spent changing roads/settings. He is the final say in tail hold selection. I've had to hoof it down or up a unit to repaint trees to use for tailholds which were chosen by fallers or even the side rod, but the hooktender did not care for their choices.

There's also an ad for a mill electrician in our area. A comparison might be, I can plug in appliances and screw in light bulbs, I guess I should apply.


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## northmanlogging (Oct 25, 2014)

Most hooks spend several or more years setting choker or slinging rigging. About the only way to learn what the hook is doing is by being there and asking a lot of questions while changing roads or setting guys.

Do you know the difference between a shotgun carriage, motorized carriage, North Bend, haul back, Sky line, mainline, guys, twisters, snatch blocks, hay wire, strawline, mechanical carriage?

If you can't answer for any one of them think on that, cause every one of those requires a decision that lives depend on.

Otherwise Gologit nailed it, the hook maintains the rigging, and plots and sceems the next road or setting, along with general maintenance.


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## hammerlogging (Oct 25, 2014)

Gologit said:


> I've never heard of a hook setter. Hooktender, yes.
> I've never worked in the rigging on a yarder side but I've cut for a few. From what I've seen the hooktender is like the foreman for the yarder crew. In the words of Findlay Hayes..."the hook is the guy that makes things jump". He probably started as a choker setter and worked his way up. He's usually been around awhile and he can do any job on the show. Any job. Climbing is a very small part of what he has to know and what he does. He runs the crew, lays out the roads, lays out the rigging for skidding, rigs the tailholds, knows how to splice cable and splice it fast so production doesn't suffer, can figure 20 different ways to rig twisters, can run a saw, is probably a fairly good faller and bucker, understands big timber, and can run any piece of machinery on the landing. He might be handy with a wrench and a grease gun. He's also probably a pretty good supervisor and teacher. He does a lot of both.
> If he's lucky he can stay on the landing but it doesn't always work that way. He might spend a lot of time down the hill helping the rigging crew or he might be out on the back end somewhere when they're changing roads. He might be on the phone or the company radio a lot.
> The hooktender can identify problems before they _become_ problems and he's usually the first guy there to start fixing them.
> ...


beautiful.


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## bitzer (Oct 25, 2014)

I think I'd rather fall timber. So a guy with no experience should be able to waltz right into that right? Falling timber I mean.


And oh yeah Joe whats with the no topping? Or you just aren't topping.


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## axemandave (Oct 25, 2014)

no im not applying for that position..im getting hired on as s chokersetter..company is starting me @ 18.00an hour...i noticed they were hiring a hooktender as well.just curious to see what theyre job consists of..theyre offering 21$ an hour for that position...im green when it comes to logging.


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## northmanlogging (Oct 25, 2014)

Good, eyes+ears open maybe someday you can work your way up to hooktender... 

Its bloody hard dangerous work but you should enjoy it.


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## axemandave (Oct 25, 2014)

said they might try me out as a chaser if i can run a saw good enough..which i know i can.and she said they would train me on the rest...im no logger but i bust my ass ,learn fast,and im starvin here in socal,plan is my wife and lil ones will be here while i go try and establish a solid living..gonna take me a few months which is killin me.but i want to find solid work and make a living working hard...its a longshot but im thinking i gotta give it a try...besides im ambitious to log


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## Gologit (Oct 25, 2014)

[


axemandave said:


> said they might try me out as a chaser if i can run a saw good enough..which i know i can.and she said they would train me on the rest...im no logger but i bust my ass ,learn fast,and im starvin here in socal,plan is my wife and lil ones will be here while i go try and establish a solid living..gonna take me a few months which is killin me.but i want to find solid work and make a living working hard...its a longshot but im thinking i gotta give it a try...besides im ambitious to log



You'll find out what the hooktender does soon enough. Like Northman said...listen to what you're told, keep your self safe, hustle, do a little more than is expected of you, and keep your eyes open. Logging is just like anything else in that a guy who makes it to work every day, does his job well, listens more than talks, and makes a real effort to get along and share the work will stand out.
Who will you be working for? Some of us might know them.


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## axemandave (Oct 25, 2014)

im goin up there pretty much broke gonna buy boots,pants,rainsuit...theyre nice enough that theyre gonna pay my first week at the galaxy motel..ill be workin for emerald thinning...got offered a job at deans logging ..by allan dean..as a greenhorn chokersetter..he told me to stop by on my travels up there...


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## axemandave (Oct 25, 2014)

im buyin used caulks when i get there...which i know is a mistake..but i have to until i can afford new ones....


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## northmanlogging (Oct 26, 2014)

check C's list for calks, or ebay, just cause they are used doesn't mean they are junk.

Also the Viking rubber calks are like 150 or so new, they kinda suck more then a little in hot weather but are great for landing work. Any saw shop worth their salt should be able to order them in or I think Baileys has them. 

While calks are nice and all, you can get by with good sturdy work boots until you can afford a good pair of calks, but make it a priority. 

As far as rain gear goes... get the best you can afford... barring that a jumbo can of KIWI saddle soap, a hair dryer and a thick cotton (hickory shirt) works pretty damned good for rain gear, wore mine all day today, and only got a little damp in places. Read Filsons only 80% off sticker price...


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## bitzer (Oct 26, 2014)

Wow this is actually not bs. Cool. I hope you do well Dave.


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## axemandave (Oct 26, 2014)

yeah i found a decent pair of hoffmans on craigslist ..guy sounded nice..hes around my size and has a few hickory's an a few pairs of keys jeans and a set of suspenders haha figured id see what hes got...he works at a mill now so hes sellin me all his stuff...said i just need a raincoat.and to tape the cuffs to my boots s...im excited,besides the fact my family will be here and ill be far away....gotta pay these bills tho..


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## axemandave (Oct 26, 2014)

thanx bitzer!!!


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## slowp (Oct 26, 2014)

Can you pronounce Philomath?


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## axemandave (Oct 26, 2014)

(fa-lo-maath) lol


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## hammerlogging (Oct 26, 2014)

Good for you axemandave. keep your head straight and things will work out. 

Bitzer- the whole tree job, they're skidding whole tree to the landing for processing, that's why its no topping-- just that one job though.


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## bitzer (Oct 26, 2014)

hammerlogging said:


> Good for you axemandave. keep your head straight and things will work out.
> 
> Bitzer- the whole tree job, they're skidding whole tree to the landing for processing, that's why its no topping-- just that one job though.



Thank you sir. Those skidders are earning their pay on that one. Just a little friction there. Sounds like fun for you though!


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## bitzer (Oct 26, 2014)

axemandave said:


> thanx bitzer!!!


I'd thank the rest of the folks in this thread. I didn't do ****.


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## axemandave (Oct 26, 2014)

thank all of you for wishin me luck and helping me with some tips and gear


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## Humptulips (Oct 28, 2014)

Been hunting so missed this thread 'till now but Gologit came pretty close to the truth of the matter. I tended hook for like 30 years and glad I don't have to anymore. It seems the job gets more difficult all the time. More and more climbing required and bigger layouts with fewer logs on a road. Curse the person that thought up RMZs.
Anyway the one thing I will disagree with Gologit on is standing around on the landing. By golly that never happened with me. You take a hooking job you cover the ground. I used to wear out a pair of good caulks in 7 or 8 months. I'll tell you one thing they ain't going to get much of a hooktender for $21/hr.


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## slowp (Oct 28, 2014)

I'm thinking he's going to the Oregon coast range and according to an Oregon gyppo that logged here, pay is a lot higher in our state. The gyppo sure whined about how much he had to pay here. He also mentioned something about Oregon income tax deductions for bringing out lunches for your crew. I don't know if any of it is true.


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## Gologit (Oct 28, 2014)

slowp said:


> I'm thinking he's going to the Oregon coast range and according to an Oregon gyppo that logged here, pay is a lot higher in our state. The gyppo sure whined about how much he had to pay here. He also mentioned something about Oregon income tax deductions for bringing out lunches for your crew. I don't know if any of it is true.



A logger whining? Couldn't be.


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## 1270d (Oct 28, 2014)

Gologit said:


> A logger whining? Couldn't be.




You're right, must have been a trucker.


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## SliverPicker (Oct 28, 2014)

I'm going to leave that one alone 1270... or is it ScorpionKing now?


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## axemandave (Oct 28, 2014)

starting off at 18.50 an hour...i hear iys normal pay for setters up there....


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## hammerlogging (Oct 28, 2014)

I think its fair, especially starting out.


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## hammerlogging (Oct 28, 2014)

Bitzer- its all really downhill. whole tree is kinda nice on the skid trails too- raked over nice and smooth.


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## Humptulips (Oct 28, 2014)

slowp said:


> I'm thinking he's going to the Oregon coast range and according to an Oregon gyppo that logged here, pay is a lot higher in our state. The gyppo sure whined about how much he had to pay here. He also mentioned something about Oregon income tax deductions for bringing out lunches for your crew. I don't know if any of it is true.


I was making 22 for hooking in 1990. Sad commentary on where wages have went in the logging industry.


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## Gologit (Oct 28, 2014)

Humptulips said:


> I was making 22 for hooking in 1990. Sad commentary on where wages have went in the logging industry.


 Yup.


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## Sapo_feo (Nov 1, 2014)

These might be a little robust for you, but if you're heading up I-5 tomorrow they might be worth a look. You can't beat the price.

http://roseburg.craigslist.org/grd/4741288468.html


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## axemandave (Nov 1, 2014)

damn thats a hellof a deal..yeah 40in..way to big


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