luvthetrobag
ArboristSite Member
Could someone explain the role climbing played in logging. Why were some trees topped and others just dropped. What kind of gear and methods were used? Any pics of old time climbing out their?
Climbing for lumber?
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Trees were and are still topped where cable logging was used. I'm not an expert on the early days but I imagine for the same reasons as they are now topped. Originally, a tree was used for a spar. This was on the landing. When you hang blocks up high in a tree and yard in logs, a lot of stress is put on the tree. It tends to sway a lot despite having guylines attached. Topping is a way to take off some of the stress by taking off the extra weight above the block, that would make it sway more and possibly pull out the roots and collapse the spar. Some old timey spar trees were cut off and moved and set up in a hole and then guyed up. Topping is and was a safety measure.
Currently, yarders with tubes that extend up are used in place of a spar tree.
It is still necessary to use a tree at the end of the yarding/lines for a tail tree.
Blocks are hung up high enough to get enough lift, to get the logs up. The skyline is run through the block on the tail tree and tied off at stump level to another tree or stump, or piece of machinery. When you are bringing a turn of logs in, it is desirable to get the front of the logs off the ground...one end suspension. This causes less ditching and is also easier on the machinery...less drag. The higher you put the blocks, the higher the lines are, and the more lift you get. The same is true of the spar tree or yarder. More lift = more payload. Often an intermediate support tree is needed when the ground roman noses. Some operators like to top these trees also, for the same reasons. I've put some pictures on this site called "topping the tail tree". The hooktender was explaining all this as he worked. He was able to get "full suspension"--the logs were not touching the ground, over part of that skyline road. And that really puts stress on the tail tree. Here's a picture of an intermediate support being raised..they are also called jacks. Took this last winter.
Currently, yarders with tubes that extend up are used in place of a spar tree.
It is still necessary to use a tree at the end of the yarding/lines for a tail tree.
Blocks are hung up high enough to get enough lift, to get the logs up. The skyline is run through the block on the tail tree and tied off at stump level to another tree or stump, or piece of machinery. When you are bringing a turn of logs in, it is desirable to get the front of the logs off the ground...one end suspension. This causes less ditching and is also easier on the machinery...less drag. The higher you put the blocks, the higher the lines are, and the more lift you get. The same is true of the spar tree or yarder. More lift = more payload. Often an intermediate support tree is needed when the ground roman noses. Some operators like to top these trees also, for the same reasons. I've put some pictures on this site called "topping the tail tree". The hooktender was explaining all this as he worked. He was able to get "full suspension"--the logs were not touching the ground, over part of that skyline road. And that really puts stress on the tail tree. Here's a picture of an intermediate support being raised..they are also called jacks. Took this last winter.
Good discription and pics, Slowp. Here are wood spar trees we used in the 80s in SE AK. One is the hooktender hanging the main block in the second tree back and the other pic is the first tree up from the A-frame on the water.
Also, some huge 200-300 footers are/were sometimes topped, when even the best lay would have resulted in a broken tree, if dropped whole.
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