when does Axe Men air

[windthrown]

Amusing show this week. My brother and I went online after the show and posted a few questions. Seems that they avoided answering our question about if they are working now, so I presume that they are not. Most of my friends around Banks and North Plains are not working as fallers; one is driving for my brother's pizza place and another is doing pressure washing. One got his 'card' and is, well, growing rope, legally.

The next show will get into it, as the mills slow down and the economy tanks. Then in December the hurricane hits, and hits hard. Then in January it all flooded out up around there, Vernonia, Banks, the whole Tillimook area. The Wilson River took out the rail line. It is still a mess (I was up in North Plains last week, looking at some flooding along some friend's creeks). I have to wonder how many shows thay are going to have. They had to have stopped all logging in early December. The roads were closed until after Christmas.

We shall see...

 

[2dogs]

He was saying make sure the tree is committed to the fall so you know its not gonna come back over on ya. If ya think its gonna fall one way so ya start focusing on where your going and something like a wind gust tips it back yur screwd. Do you get a tree to the point of teetering walk away and find out its not falling? Now walk back up to the tree and finish he job?

That paragragh gave me a shiver. I have walked away from a tree too early and watched it teeter-totter for half a minute. The wedge fell out and the tree settled on the stump sky bound. If I could have I would have left it overnight and hoped it came down. As it was I wrapped it with a choker and pulled 45o backwards till the hinge broke and the tree spun ff the stump. It fell the opposite way I was pulling and got hung up, but since it had a choker on it I was able to pull it free. Lots of bad things can happen between the stump and the ground. Especially if you do stupid a thing like I did

 

[Gologit]

I understand that the ground is covered in debris and it's hard to get away from the falling tree, but I can't believe this guy survived 30 years of falling trees standing at the stump as it's going over.

He's survived 30 years in the woods doing things his way. I'd be inclined to give him a good leaving alone...he's getting it done.

 

[big daddio]

You're gonna get hand felling wherever the land is too steep and/or rocky and the timber is all running big. PNW, Appalachians, for example. Or where the productivity of the crews is too low to get the utilization required to pay for the tracked or wheeled fellerbunchers or processors.

Other than being harder and not as cool, I've wondered why the newer guys will get stuck with limbing topping and bucking. I've always considered that more dangerous than felling. Statistically, I've heard 85% of cutters deaths are within 15 feet from the stump, not limbing, etc. I don't know. Maybe those deaths are fellas like the one "expert" in CO "felling" christmas trees without PPE- he could've been limbing and less than 15' from the stump.

my first job in the woods was topping. got knocked down a couple of times and had one stem whiz by my face before i started seriously paying attention. thank goodness the timber cutter watched me and gave some good advice on tension. like you said, in this area most of the deaths are close to the stump, mostly widowmakers, but a lot of injuries from limbing and topping. [yeah, and i've still seen guys lay the saw into a tree without even looking up first]