hammerlogging
Addicted to ArboristSite
coming clean
A t-shirt. A long sleeved t-shirt. If you win daily competitions, you could take home a non-PNW style helmet, chaps, files, whatever.
Its called game of logging because their strategy is to use a competitive based approach to encourage skill development and application. One may score stumps, release of spring poles, etc., and use this score to compete against themselves or others.
I have done all the game of logging, levels 1-4, I've never participated in any competition portion outside of the original portion. I did it as a part of an independent study on adult education and logger safety training programs. The competitive based approach is in fact a rather effective approach to advocate learning-- lets say its better than enterring your state logger SFI training lesson and every time the instructor starts by saying "I know you're just here so you can sell pulpwood, we'll try and get you out of here as fast as possible."
I was first a tree guy. I worked for a fellow who trained me in the basics of climbing, felling, and stuff. His greatest attribute was the plant care and proper pruning elements but he lacked some on the physical skills- limited climbing technique, felling, and the like. Good enough to remain safe and in work, but not great. By and by I started cutting for a GOL trained logger. He first taught me all the GOL stuff (in about 30 minutes), then said go on and get started and I cut for his skidder for a while, about a year and a half.
Any faller I bring on to cut with me I will see to it that they know these same skills, whether they are attributed to GOL or not- I know every faller has to know these things, left or right coast, and they are not GOL exclusive. But, you've got to see that a fellow has a foundation before you risk having to pack his smashed ass out of there! I also see to it that the prospective faller can produce, I don't want to cut with a mediocre faller.
The GOL stuff is good basics and helps keep a new guy safe. I was stoked about what it enabled me to do with wedges in terms of falling trees against the lean, etc. And you can essentially use the same technique for most any tree as long as you understand the physics of lean, crown weight, and so forth. And it is reassuring that the tree is not moving at all until all the cutting is done.
BUT BUT BUT BUT, I have had my career progress.. I 've now cut with many people from many parts of the country for many years. I've learned and adopted many skills from here, from study, and from experimenting. My capability now is FAR beyond what it was as a GOL limited faller. I fully understand why its so anoying to so many, it annoys me too, its a red flag that the person in question is, in short, a novice, as I was. But, its not a bad deal to get someone started safely.
I will say there is still plenty of timber I have to bore cut, though I do as little as possible, rarely do I want to fall a tree right with the lean, I'm always swinging them one way or another. My dutchman has developed tremendously lately, occasionally I won't get one to come all the way around and it ends up sitting back but all in all its been a tremendous development for me.
So you can expect a t-shirt. A long sleeved t-shirt. I hope you will tie the sleeves to a bamboo pole and fly it at the PNW GTG. I would not expect anything less than a ceremonial celebratory burn of this flag at some belated witching hour. I'd join in laughter, hell, I'd stoke the fire!
There, I'm clean.
A t-shirt. A long sleeved t-shirt. If you win daily competitions, you could take home a non-PNW style helmet, chaps, files, whatever.
Its called game of logging because their strategy is to use a competitive based approach to encourage skill development and application. One may score stumps, release of spring poles, etc., and use this score to compete against themselves or others.
I have done all the game of logging, levels 1-4, I've never participated in any competition portion outside of the original portion. I did it as a part of an independent study on adult education and logger safety training programs. The competitive based approach is in fact a rather effective approach to advocate learning-- lets say its better than enterring your state logger SFI training lesson and every time the instructor starts by saying "I know you're just here so you can sell pulpwood, we'll try and get you out of here as fast as possible."
I was first a tree guy. I worked for a fellow who trained me in the basics of climbing, felling, and stuff. His greatest attribute was the plant care and proper pruning elements but he lacked some on the physical skills- limited climbing technique, felling, and the like. Good enough to remain safe and in work, but not great. By and by I started cutting for a GOL trained logger. He first taught me all the GOL stuff (in about 30 minutes), then said go on and get started and I cut for his skidder for a while, about a year and a half.
Any faller I bring on to cut with me I will see to it that they know these same skills, whether they are attributed to GOL or not- I know every faller has to know these things, left or right coast, and they are not GOL exclusive. But, you've got to see that a fellow has a foundation before you risk having to pack his smashed ass out of there! I also see to it that the prospective faller can produce, I don't want to cut with a mediocre faller.
The GOL stuff is good basics and helps keep a new guy safe. I was stoked about what it enabled me to do with wedges in terms of falling trees against the lean, etc. And you can essentially use the same technique for most any tree as long as you understand the physics of lean, crown weight, and so forth. And it is reassuring that the tree is not moving at all until all the cutting is done.
BUT BUT BUT BUT, I have had my career progress.. I 've now cut with many people from many parts of the country for many years. I've learned and adopted many skills from here, from study, and from experimenting. My capability now is FAR beyond what it was as a GOL limited faller. I fully understand why its so anoying to so many, it annoys me too, its a red flag that the person in question is, in short, a novice, as I was. But, its not a bad deal to get someone started safely.
I will say there is still plenty of timber I have to bore cut, though I do as little as possible, rarely do I want to fall a tree right with the lean, I'm always swinging them one way or another. My dutchman has developed tremendously lately, occasionally I won't get one to come all the way around and it ends up sitting back but all in all its been a tremendous development for me.
So you can expect a t-shirt. A long sleeved t-shirt. I hope you will tie the sleeves to a bamboo pole and fly it at the PNW GTG. I would not expect anything less than a ceremonial celebratory burn of this flag at some belated witching hour. I'd join in laughter, hell, I'd stoke the fire!
There, I'm clean.
Ain't that the truth? You kids play nice, I'm headed for the woods tomorrow. See everybody later.
