I have a few thousand old Skagit yarder and loader pics. We can all post pics of Skagits here in this new thread dedicated to them........... Here are some from 1969.
Modern pics of older Skagit swingers.
Here's and old 1960's era SJ4-RT yarder-loader rusting near Haines Alaska. What a beast she must have been to run. I asked the owner if he would sell at and he said 'absolutely not', almost offended. He is in his late 90's, lol. I guess he may log with it again soon......
A few 100+ foot Skagit tower-type yarders.......
Skagit random.
Great set as always.I bet there are not many readers on here, who have heard of Sedro Wooley!
know it well, my first set of drums was a skid mount set of BU15's we stole cedar with. when we went legal we had a set of BU30's and then we went big time with a set of bu80,s (boy we were loggin then!!!) of course when we went pro we bought an old SJ4RT with a tommy moore fairlead, a set of buttriggin and a christy carriage. unfortunatly we ran out of money and couldn't afford loading grapples, but had an old set of tongs that worked just fine. i'll see if i can find some photos of the old girl and scan them in. i think i may evan have one of the old girl on her side (she was just resting after a hard pull on an old fir log):drinkup
Here's a neat old advertisement from the late 1950's regarding the SJ Series machines you mentioned. I collect this stuff and have alot of old Skagit items around-- hats, mugs, belt buckles, even a pocket-knife. I'll post some pics of all that crap here at some point later......for now I'll do ads ans brochures, etc.
Here's an old brochure for the SJ4-RT that was given to me years ago. It's dirty, a mess, and was when I got it, but it is very neat and lots of details.
Here's a Sept 2009 pic taken here in Alaska of one of these creatures, alive and well. There are quite a few of them around in the weeds yet.
SJ2's and SJ3's were popular also, and still are with some of the thinning contractors. Here are some SJ2 pics for your enjoyment. Thes machines have straight yarding booms, but they came manydifferent ways.
Skagits new and old......
That machine on the bottom is mounted on a tank, as many were in those days.
1966 Magazine Advertisement.
1964 Magazine Ad. 'Ben Thomas uses 4 Skagit towers'.....
1953 Magazine Advertisement.
1963 Magazine Ad. '8 Skagit BU80 Yarders for Portable Spars at Vancouver Island Operations'. Outfit was MacMillan, Bloedel, & Powell River, Ltd. Very cool indeed. As you can cearly see, only the hoists were Skagit. The trucks shown are military surplus (M26's?), and the towers/guyline drums are Madills.
Clipping from a 1961 magazine shows a tank-mounted Skagit, designed to work with a wooden spar tree. Cool pic, with operator, or 'donkey puncher'.
Magazine Ad, 1967. What a neat shot, I had to crop and enlarge for a better look at that Skagit slackline machine- with 110' tower and on a tank! Boy, I'll bet this one would pull! Looks like maybe a MacMillan Bloedell operation.
Oh- I forgot to mention that that's also a Skagit machine loding the truck- an SJ7 it looks like. What a great shot with the HDX Hayes truck on the landing!
Skagit was really going at this time in the late 60's! Here are some GT type grapple yarding machines they were producing along with the towers.
Old magazine clippings, scanned......
More treasures from 1966 ads.
Skagit BU199 Yarder. By the late 1970's, the loggers were getting into the bigger old-growth and long-span sales. Skagit designed and built some big machines to attract this business. The BU199 was a large, self-contained and self-propelled 110' setup that would deal well with these conditions and requirements. 13 were built, and I believe all still exist today. I have personally had the opportinity to see, touch, and photograph 10 of them. I have also added the original 1976 factory spec sheets for the hoist. Jay Browning's Skagit 739 on Axe Men is a much smaller machine than this. I'll scan some 739 spec sheets later, as well as a few pics of Jay's actual machine being built.
1953 Advertisment, and an SJ-8 picture that appeared in a wire-rope ad in the same magazine.
Blown-up shot of the SJ-8 above, and a couple magazine ads from 1950.
Magazine ads from 1947. Skagit nearly survived a century of logging tool mfg.
Skagit SJ-7R Brochure from the 1960's,
well heres some photos of the old girl in several different positions. we replaced the v-8 gas in the upper with a 4-71 Detroit. she yarded a lot of timber for us in the years we had her. the photo laying on her side was the result of a pulled guy line stump (this was where i learned if you think its big enough go find one about twice that size!) the loader was an old 600 Prentice it think it was more work to run than the old Bucyrus friction rig we had.:drinkup
Wow, great pics! That 1st pic she looks new. Not sure what to say about the second one....other than, been there, lol. Things like that always make me sick to my stomach for a dew days. There used to be some SJ-4's and an SJ-7 down around Nehalem there on that back loop to Garibaldi, been years since I was down there though. Got any more pics? And throw in a few of the D-600 if you can. Is it on a truck or carrier? I had one on a Lanco that was a great rig for years.
PS- Id love to see the Bucyrus too if you have any pics!
A few Skagit pics from the web to keep the thread moving forward.
BU-737 Self-Propelled.
In Alaska, 2001, in an old rock pit near White River, sat this Skagit BU-739 Slackline yarder, Mounted on the Heavy-Duty T110 Self-Propelled Tower/Carrier with 8 Guylines. Thie hoist is the same as JM Browning is using on Axe Men. Jay's is trailer mounted however. I dont know if machine lived to log again, or if it still rests there. Owner at the time was Ludwickson and Davis, of Ketchikan.
How do they anchor the guy lines to those towers?Ron G
That is a awesome looking tower in my eyes. Eaton clutches, NICE!
All of the later model Skagit 737's, 739's, and Thunderbirds used the Eatons. The Madills used Wichitas, but the Eaton was a better product in my humble opinion.
Like he said the guyline drums are right at the base of the tower. The guylines run up, through the block at the top of the tube, and out to a big stump. Occasionally, no stump is available, so a Dozer or extra shovel will work in a jam. This is a Thunderbird TY90 yarder, however the tube was built by Skagit, so we can post it here in the Skagit thread suppose........ Here a strap is run through a block to each corner of the blade.
Found this Skagit pic and thought it was cool. Yarder is a Skagit BU-98 Slackline machine. There was a serious drop off way out in the unit, so a tree was rigged with guylines and an intermediate support. The big Boman passes it just fin, and down over the hill she goes. This type of logging was popular with a few contractors, but is difficult and requires a very competant crew- hard to find these days. Grim Logging out of the Sandy/Estacada Ore area used to do alot of this. I'll find better pics to post of the operation when I can find them.
Not tryin' to one-up Humptulips here-- he has the brains, I just have the pics!
One up away! I thank you for the brains compliment but if It was really true I'd be able to get a few pictures up for you. Problem with my computer a guy is working on for me so maybe someday. I've got a few nice pictures of supports but none with anything as big as a 98. Nice picture!
I see 739's everywhere I go............. Well since I'm posting Skagit crap, here is another BU-739. This was in Ketchikan 3 weeks ago and belongs to Evergreen Timber. Same setup as the previously discussed 739, different machine. I know of 2 others in Ketchikan as well, one is a nice yarder and is for sale. More on the for sale rig after while- I'm still working on getting pics of that one. Anyway- check out the jewelry (yarder bling) on this one! Everythingfor a couple layouts hanging right there on a piece of bent drill steel-- gotta love it! Also got a decent shot of the hoist tag...... tower tag was missing. Serial Number 739A1-41. Date of Manufacture: 2-82. But you can see that. Humptulips-- Moe had at least 2 739's, I'll dig up pics of them next week when I come down to Washington. I got good pics of all the yarders when they brought everything in to Chehalis. You'll like it!
For those who haven't worked around these, here are some other items to note: Pic 1: You drive it looking out this window. Notice steering hoses outside door, steering wheel inside. That is the windshield while driving. Pic 2: The raising line for the tube, and telescoping line for the upper tower section, are run from winches located obove the steer axles, below the fuel tank. Lines run under the hoist to tower end of the frame, inside the rails. The 8 guyline, 1 raising, and 1 telescoping winches are hydraulic. The 5 yarding drums are chain/clutch driven. They are: Slackline, Mainline, Haulback, Strawline, and Tagline.
Awesome pictures keep em comin!
Skagit Skagit really did have the best advertising! I have the brochure on the 444,555, 777, etc. and it's enough to make any logger want one. Their exclusive "astronaut cab" with Skagit's exclusive "astronaut air controls"..... "built using the same technology used by NASA to build space capsules!" Too funny! Seriously, though, their mobile loggers changed the industry, they were way ahead of their time. My friend, 90 years old, worked at Franklin River way back when, and he told me that the top producer at that division was a little SJ-4RT. Skagit produced some of the most unique machines ever used in the woods, they probably tried more new ideas than all the other manufacturers combined. Many of their machines may have not been the best, but they certainly got the ball rolling, encouraging others to develop new machines. Does anyone have the records on their production? I've often wondered how many 555's were sold in BC. It seems like there were at least ten TL-6's for each 555.
Bu-80 This plate came from one of the early Madill spars. Madill only built the spars in those days, the yarders were often Skagit or Tyee machines. I replaced the paint as it originally appeared on the Skagit logo, but I must admit, I'm puzzled by the colours.
Man does this bring back memories.This is what my dad had in the late sixties. The sj4 (one of two that he owned) was traded off for a Lorain grapple loader soon after this pic was taken. He was kind of proud of the little yarder mounted on the tracked carrier. I believe it was cummin's powered and was always bragging about it. Scott
Skagit of Canada This decal is on an old M&B BU-80 yarder, on a Madill steel spar.
Here's one from our back forty, SJ2 ? not sure.
I am looking for the specs for a gt3 skagit rubber tyred swing yarder, can anyone help? and if anyone has run them are they any good? looking at buying one to run with our 123 madill. any info is greatly appreciated
There are lots of them around, and they are cheap! For what they were they are heavy- 90,000 lbs on 3 axles is alot. Line speeds are very slow compared to your 123. Notice the sales brochure wont even offer them. No water brakes- frictions only. No live boom, and difficult tomover over the highway. I never owned one but worked around a few. in the late 70's and early 80's they were OK- even desireable. In today's world they are really slow. I have attached the spec sheet for you and a few pics.
As long as we're on the subject of Skagit GT-3's, Ihad better post some track mounted machines as well.
First Grapple yarder This is what I was told (maybe from a book?) the first grapple yarder ever, anybody know something? And trakloader, was this the library you had lost the link to? http://digitalcollections.library.u...wer&DMTEXT= yarder&REC=8&DMTHUMB=1&DMROTATE=0
That appears to be a 222.
Yes, that was the link. I don't think that's the right picture, though, as it shows a "snapple yarder"....:tong That was certainly one of the first in BC, if not THE first. However, Cypress was selling a GY built around American components in 1968, and grapples were used on steel spars even before that, so it's hard to say. It is much like Madill claiming to have invented the steel spar, when in reality, it is almost impossible to pin down the first one. If I ever find out for sure, I'll let you know!
Is this thread for Washington Yarders as well, I have a 78A & 78SL that work for me currently, wondering if anybody had any info on these models?
There is a thread especially for Washington.
So I have been reading James LeMonds excellent book "Deadfall" on logging families in SW Washington and he talks about Weyerhaeuser using GT or Guyless Towers or Grapple yarders for smaller yarding. Does anyone know if they were using the Skagit GT swing yarders, any pictures? Thanks!
The guyless tower was the GT-5, it had a jill-poke on the front of the boom, which supported the boom for yarding. I have the brochures, etc. but I'm not going to scan them until I'm sure Contract Logger doesn't have them. Better him scanning, than me! :tong
Looking forward to seeing that. Kind of curious what Weyco runs for yarders in this area these days, if they do at all?
Skagit BU-737 at JM Browning yard in Astoria, Oregon with a cool old truck.
I am looking for help with a Skagit TC-100 transmission mounted in an SJ4-RT. Also interested in finding SJ4-RT that are for sale. Small log
What help do you need? I have the manual for the SJ-4R and RT, if that helps. I know where there is a SJ-4, the old one with mast and partial swing, but it's pretty much junk. There was a later version of the SJ-4, too, the one with a regular rubber mount instead of a truck carrier. Not sure if it's been torched or not. I can check next time I'm in the area.
I have all the books, Thanks. The transmission runs fine in low, however when i shift into high it locks up. I just purchased the machine and havent had time to monkey with it and hoped someone might have experienced the same problem and could give me a head start.
These guys have a SJ4, not sure if it's for sale or not. But it has been sitting for a while near Woodland, WA and these days everything is for sale for the right price. http://www.chiltonlogging.com/equipment/
Sj-4-rt -f Thanks, but what i am looking for is the the older machines. I have and will send a picture of it as soon as i am off probation and figure out how, a Machine built around 1956 and was the 51st one off the line. It is a Skagit Model # SJ-4RT-F. I would like to purchase another one in good shape. Hard to find i know but worth the hunt. Thanks for looking!
self propelled BU98 with HD tower This yarder operated in MMB Sproat Lake Division about 1997. Anybody know where it is now?
Fine looking yarder, must have been custom painted right from Skagit, too!
It was an MB re-paint. Blue was showing under the orange in 2004, the last time I saw it at an RB Auction in Chemainus BC.
Skagit BU-739 Yarder on Skagit T-100HD SP Carrier This one was purchased new by the Ketchikan Pulp Company, and still resides in Alaska today, though the current owner hasnt used her in several years now. This is a nice yarder, and mechanically in excellent shape. She could use a coat of paint. I hadnt seen this machine lately, and made a trip out there about 3 weeks ago to see if anything had changed..... and it hadn't.
Skagit BU-737 Yarder on Skagit T-90 Trailer I rounded up some pics I took of this machine in the 1990's when Mike Pihl (yes, Axe Men) owned it. He ran this BU-737 (on a T-90 Trailer) for several years for Longview Fibre around Vernonia, Ore. First 2 pics taken near Scapoose on Lv Fibre ground. Last 3 pics were taken at Mike's yard outside Vernonia.
Skagit BU-737 Yarder on Skagit T-100 Trailer This yarder was purchased and re-painted in 2001 by Parker-Pacific at Buckley, Washington- and I got some quick pics off before they moved it to the woods. The tower is a T-100, 10' taller on this machine and it has the 7th guyline, as opposed to the T-90 (90' tower, 6-guylines) in the previous post. Parkers sandblasted the machine prior to painting, and at one point Weyerhaeuser Cosmopolis was considering purchase of this machine, but opted not to because it was percieved that the sandblasting weakened or fatigued the metal. Aaron Weaver of Cle Ellum owned it for awhile (logging near Hoquiam in 2005) and I lost track of it after that.
Lulay Timber Co.- Skagit BU-737 on T-90 Trailer In 2003, Lulay Timber (of Scio, Oregon) landed a big job near Timber Junction (West of Portland on Hwy 26). It was a thinning job in nice 2nd growth fir, yarding 2,000 foot corridors inside the standing timber. Corridors were kept down to about 35' wide, with herringbones coming in from both sides at 45 degree angles. Sky car was a big Bowman with lots of dropline --as you can imagine it was needed here! Couple of things to notice- the gooseneck has been lengthened substantially to work with Lulay's lowbed jeep (far forward kingpin setting), and the tube cradle is adjustable for lower settings on the highway, and higher settings when moving behind the D8 Cat (the tower has to clear the canopy with room for the belly of the guylines). Also there has been a 7th guyline added above the strawline fairlead on the right hand side. Strange place for this, and it looks like a hydraulic drum maybe off a Madill. The loading shovel used with this yarder was a Thunderbird 838 on tracks.
Skagit BU-737 on T-100 SP Here are some shots of a Skagit BU-737 taken near Enumclaw Washington in 1997. In the 4th and 5th pics, the steer tires have been readied for removal, as a gooseneck must be pinned on and the machine towed (by truck and jeep)over the highway for moving. to get the tube underheight, the front is dropped too low to accomodate the tires. The pin bosses for the gooseneck are visible. Also, all 4 axles must be pulled from the rear planetaries for highway moves, allowing the rear hubs to freely roll, like a trailer. Then a 2-axle booster must be pinned to the rear. Machine belonged to Gene Rawson of Rawson Logging at Buckley. The 'Skagit' and 'BU-737' stickers look cheesy and are obviously not factory....
Skagit BU-737 on T-100 SP at Hofenbredl Logging In 2002 Larry Hofenbredl of Grande Rhonde Oregon had several sides running, including this Skagit BU-737 on a T-100 Self-Propelled carrier, with 7 guylines. It was a nice machine, and I ran across it often for a year or so, as I was working in the area. This one is also set up with the cab that slides to either side for the operator. Had the opportunity several times to slow down and get some decent shots.
Larry Hofenbredl, BU-737 SP, round 2. Here we can clearly see the sliding (side-to-side) cab option, and the attached gooseneck (left pinned-on, because it was a small job, close to the highway).
Moving the BU-737 (off-highway and under its own power) to another job. The gooseneck isn't on the yarder, and the crew is discussing an upcoming steep few miles of road- that will require some assistance. It is very important that both yarder and dozer operator are on the same page.
The big Terex/Skagit push..... Notice for this the operator moved the cab to the uphill side for safety reasons. Maybe too many similar pics, but I like this stuff!
All right, last round, then on to something else. Anyway, it was a steep push in places, and went like this for several miles.
Shaan Seet BU-739 Skagit BU-739 yarder on Skagit T-100 HD Self-Propelled carrier. In 1993, Shaan Seet Native Corporation (Craig, Alaska) sent this BU-739 to McPaul Machine (Chehalis, Wa) for a complete re-build. The completed machine was gorgeous, and before it went North again I got a few pics of it. Sadly, after spending several hundred thousand dollars, the machine was pulled over in Alaska soon after, and was wrecked for parts. A friend of mine in Juneau put the 2 front stabilizer cylinders under his lowbed trailer gooseneck, and the radiator is on another yarder I know of. Many of the pieces still rust in Craig. I saw them last week, 17 years later......
beautiful pics, My family had a number of Skagits when we were logging a couple gt3's on rubber, and a big 110' tube with a 12v92 detroit.
Skagit swing yarder running grapples! This is an interesting yarder, I was heading up to go fishing and spotted this swing yarder with a grapple set up in the middle of a pasture between Battle Ground and Yacolt, WA last week. So I made a trip back with the camera to get a closer look and see whose it was. Thought it was a T-Bird by the color scheme, but it was a Skagit. It was on private property so I only took pictures from afar, and couldn't get any serial # plate tags
More pictures of the Skagit swing yarder Didn't think it was very steep here, but I guess the pasture drops down to a creek/swamp and then back up the hill to the patch of alder on the other side.
Too funny, it went from one Axemen to another Sounds like at least Pihl and Browning are on board for another year of Axemen according to their Facebook pages.
Skagit GT-3 on tracks painted Thunderbird colors: In the mid 1980's, watching the success of Ritchie Brothers and others, Ross Murray (CEO of Danebo, Ross Equipment, Ductr Manufacturing, and Thunderbird) formed Pac-West Auctioneers, and did very well for a 10-year run. They hosted auctions for some of the Northwests biggest players- Ben A. Thomas, Jensen and Grove, to name a couple. Anyway, having ample supply of Thunderbird paint, lots and lots of yarders went through thier auctions and were painter these colors- no matter what brand. Spread around the globe now are lots of Skagits, Washingtons, Madills, and Bergers are painted tan and orange. There's a Washington 137W in the Washington thread painted tan for a Pac-West auction that's in NZ now- and boy it looked great with the fresh paint. The Madill 009's looked great painted this way also. (Jay Browning liked it so much he has painted 2 Skagits tan in recent years- one a restored BU series on a big wooden sled, sits at his house). Anyway, the GT-3 was purchased by Gould Sunrise (Castle Rock) at auction in 1993, and they logged right above I-5 at Headquarters road with it for a summer in 1994, very visible from the highway. I hadn't seen it since then, and he sold it shortly thereafter. GREAT find Jeremy! Cool thing about old logging gear, it pops up when you least expect it. The days I go searching I come up blank, then I forget about it and boom, there it is!
Nice danebo carriage on the grapple yarder. Axemen, is so edited and BS it makes all of us in the logging industry look bad. I know a number of people on that show and even they say its a bunch of crap, but cant turn down the money. in these hard times
Axe-Men is here in Alaska now and has been for several months-- filming the Papac crew at Craig. They have some GREAT old-growth logging footage from up here, and I had a few beers in Craig last week with the filming crew. They seemed alright, and boy, are they having a blast in Alaska! Bears, Halibut fishing, 10' spruce, they have it all. The editors will have thier way with it, so hard to tell how it will come out, but the filming crew has done a great job, and not been in the way too much I was told. I am anxious, but apprehensive, on how it will turn out.
I knew you would know it's history CL The rest of the equipment was Levanen Logging out of Battle Ground, so I assume the yarder is theirs as well? They were featured in Loggers World last year and they mentioned having an Edco yarder, not this one but maybe they upgraded or added? I would love to get some video of them grapple yarding! BTW which Gould has the shop just south of the school in Castle Rock? I have seen a 172 there once and I believe there is a Skagit back there as well? Gould-Sunrise or Gould & Sons?
Skadill Yarder. Skadill Yarder. (Madill 009 hoist on Skagit T-90 trailer). Due to the reliability and simplicity of the Madill 009 and 046 hoists, loggers loved them! But the one-piece tower, and heavy, difficult-to-move Madill carriers were just too clumsy and time-consuming to deal with over the highway. Of all the towers, the Skagit telescoper was the fastest to rig-up and easiest to move over the road. Many loggers bought Skagit tower/trailers, and moved thier Madill hoists over to them for this reason. Here is a Skadill 009, as they were called, that was painted TB colors at a Pac-West auction in Eugene in 1991. Trailer/tower is a Skagit T-90, so it's good for this thread and fits with Jeremy's theme of TB paint scheme Skagits too! I took these pics at Oakville Wash, at Boyd Zepp's place in 1998. Don Zepp owned the machine at the time.
Thats what I understand the film crew is nice to work with but the editing sucks. hence why a few outfits that used to be on there no longer are, told them where they can stick it. ha ha. I bet those guys are having a great time up there!
I agree! I just DVR it, skip thru commercials and aqua logger stuff, and then mute alot of the dialog. Just watching for the equipment.
Downtown shop there is Bill Gould's (Gould and Sons Logging). His brother Allen Jr, or 'Whoop' as they call him, owns Gould Sunrise, now runy his son Ed. Both were big loggers through the 80's, but have slowed now to just a few sides. Hobby or retirement logging, they call it. Just cause its fun! At one time Gould and Sons (Allen, Sr, with both Bill and Allen Jr involved) was one of the bigger contractors in the area, running a dozen Skagit sides or more. That was the late 1970's, before the mountain blew. Dad retired, and the boys each ran a few sides, then split them up with different companies to involve thier own kids in the businesses. Works good.
Thanks for the history. When I came down Signal Peak last week on the way back from looking at Castle Lake I saw the Gould and Sons lowboy hauling a Linkbelt shovel up the hill. Lots of logging going on in the state land now.
Skagit GT3 Thanks for taking the time to scan all the fantastic pic's of the 737's and 739 CL, and thanks also for all information! Here's a quite rebuilded GT3 for sale now at ForesTech Equipment Ltd in Vancouver BC complete with wc brakes and Cummins engine! The BU98 (i guess it is) with original MacMillan-Bloedell paint scheme in my pictures also have the shifting cabin. I think this machine now is in work somewhere between Cowichan lake and Port Renfrew on VI. I was so lucky to meet Larry Ramsey in May, he probably knows what is worth to know about tower yarders, and he told me the big Skagits (98 and 199) with it's very wide drumset and hence had long shafts on the gears which tended to snap off pretty often. He meant the 737 and 739 was of a much better construction. If I didn't understand him wrong the TY90 is more or less an improved copy of the 739. Just feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!
Nice GT3 And wasn't the GT3 here a nice little machine, maybe even suitable for Norwegian logging?
Certainly, or a dandy little grapple machine too- minimum invenstment against a Madill 120 or newer machine. The Thunderbird TY-90 is a maximum 1 1/4" Skyline machine- a much improved Skagit BU-737 type yarder. The 739 was much larger (Skyline up to 2,000' of 1 1/2") and after Skagit went under, no one has attempted to build such a large machine. There are lots and lots of 739's still working, however, with Jay Browning's machine being the most recently re-built one. Attached somewhere in this thread is the BU-739 line spec sheet, for reference. I think you have the TY-90 already, much smaller lines.
Yeah, I also see the difference between 737 and 739 now. What about the BU98, 99 and 199, was it something called 198 also? What is the difference between these machines? I have probably lost the TY90 brochure, only thing I have is a scan of the front page blown up to poster size in my office, been there for 14 years!
Skadill Yarder at North Fork Timber, Chehalis Wa. North Fork Timber used several Skadill combinations over the years, including an 046 on a Skagit T-110HD, but I never took pics of it, bummer! It was painted orange with the white cab. Here is a Skagit T-90 trailer with a Madill 009 hoist on it they were using through the 1990's. First 2 pics taken at NFT shops in 1993, last one at work at Vail for Weyerhaeuser up the Skookumchuck River in 1999. Also, in the last pic the machine had been recently re-painted.
Drove by NFT last year on the way to a Ramsey visit, took some pictures as I went by. Last time I went by the NFT yard looked pretty empty, looked like they might have been moving somewhere else? Not sure if your Skadill was there in the pic?
I'll dig up all those brochures and scan them one of these days. The BU-98, BU-99, BU-199 etc, were all big big yarders- bigger that the 739's drum wise, but with less horsepower and less brakes, lol. They had frictions with primitive water brakes, and more line capacity, but far less line speed. In other words, those machines would yard much bigger wood, only slower and with less operator control! Sounds like fun eh? The 737 and 739 were really fast, had great Eaton water brakes, and big horsepower with the KT Cummins. Transmission was Allison or Twin-Disc, and they were easier to move and/or haul. Overall, just what a logger wanted! The grand-daddy of the later Skagits was the BU-199. Only 13 were ever built, and they were big big yarders. 3 made it to Vancouver Island, Fred B. Moe at Chehalis Wa. had 2, Simpson Timber in California got 2, and the rest were scattered to various contractors around the NW. One BU-199 even came to Alaska (Mike Graves Logging of Mollala, Ore) where he logged with it at Hobart Bay for Klukwan Tribal. He was bidding against Columbia Helicopters with it, and winning! He worked it there until they logged out, and the yarder went into a BC rock pit to dragline.... I got alot of pics of the Fred B. Moe machines, after they moved them off the Clearwater River (South of Forks Wa) and into the Chehalis yard. Fred B. Moe ran a huge operation up the Clearwater River (logged right up against Olympic National Park on the West boundary) for years, and ran 15 Skagits out of that camp including both his BU-199's and 4 739's. He had a bunch of Washington's in there, too.
Wow Jeremy, cool shot!! I dont see it, but this is an interesting picture for several other reasons! 1. Yarder at far left is all Berger, looks like and M2. NFT had several of these. 2. Yarder second left is a Skagit T-100 trailer with Berger hoist-unkown model, I havent seen this before...? 3. Yarder 3rd in (no Tower) is a Berger M2 on Cat D8 bottom, NFT had 3 of these. 4. Yarder (tower pointed toward us) is a Madill 071, NFT had 2 at Vail, maybe a 3rd elsewhere. 5. Yarder next (blue and white) is a Skagit T-90 with a Washinton hoist- either 127W or 137W, can't tell. 6. Last machine is a Berger trailer/tower with a Berger hoist, cant tell model #. The 2 really cool things here are the Skagit/Washington machine and the Skagit/Berger, which is very uncommon. NFT also had a late-model Berger T-23 hoist mounted on a Skagit T-90, a rare combo and maybe the only one ever built. I have pics and will post when scanned. It was built for Weyerhaeuser Cosmopolis new in 1988 and still has the Weyerhaeuser logos in my pics. This is cool stuff Jeremy, wish we had more pics of it! NFT (Gordon Pogorelc) was a big logger in the day, and no doubt is bored with today's little wood and lots of hassle. He may have decided to retire...I never spent alot of time around his crews, and didnt know Gordon at all.
Big Skagits Thank you very much Contract Logger to clear out a little more about the big Skagits. Very interesting indeed. What's also interesting is how many of these really old machines that still excist and even are in daily use. Even if I have seen a bunch of them parked around and for sale or just rusting away, it must be a good many still working in the woods. Many of these machines where produced in the late 70's, that's amazing and impressive. I bow my head for both the engineers that built'em and the operators of these yarders!|
I could not agree with you more! Madill survived the longest, but produced lower production levels than Skagit or Washington during thier prospective runs. Skagit, Washington, Berger, and Madill each produced between 1,250 and 1,400 diesel yarders, respectively, by 1990. Thunderbirs was young, so only about 250 at that time. Washington produced hundreds of steam machines prior to this also. I havent heard any figures since then...
Skagit BU-739 and Skagit BU-199 at Chemainus BC Skagit BU-739 and Skagit BU-199 at Chemainus BC, 2004 Your timing is good. Last week I ran across a few pics I took od a BU-739 and BU-199 parked side-by-side in 2004 at Chemainus BC (RB auction). Both are mounted on Skagit T-110 SP carriers (the 739 on a T-110 Std, the BU-199 on a T-100HD ). The size and weight difference is visible, and the scans are decent.
More of the Same.... BU-199 is huge.
Skadill Yarder at Pacific Lumber and Shipping, Randle Wa. PLS had a Skadill 009/T90 as part of its company logging operation at Randle, Washington for years. I saw this machine all over, but never thought to take a picture until the PLS closing auction, held at Randle in 1997. They had damaged the tube, and aquired a Skagit 90' tower tube from McPaul machine, who had rebuilt one as a spare, (McPaul painted it TB colors, thinking it would likely wind up on a TY-90). At the auction, Ritchie Filla (Toledo WA) bought the whole machine for $6,500.00, because he wanted the tower tube as a spare for one of his Skagits. Can't buy/build one that cheap very often! The hoist and trailer was sold or given to Jerry DeBraie (Cathlamet WA) as a parts machine. Jerry was running 4 TY-90's on Skagits T-90's at the time, so guyline drums, etc had some value to him. Pic 1 was taken at the Randle auction in 1997. Pic 2 was taken at Debrie Cathlamet in 2003. Also seen in pic 2 is a Skagit T-90 trailer poorly painted TB colors. The blue 'Skagit' on the tube is starting to show under the peeling 'Thunderbird' paint, lol. (Thunderbird only built 2 90' towers themselves, the rest were re-paints).
That is pretty impressive id'ing those yarders with a low resolution picture! I was up that way last month and saw some equipment in the yard, but no yarders. I still see their log trucks on the road alot down this way, so they must be working. Next road trip up that way I will do another search. Tomorrow roadtrip is to hike the Coldwater Lake trail and check out the equipment finally after 15 years of wanting to get up there.
They were a big outfit- with some really cool yarders over the years-lots of Bergers. Whenever we worked near them, they used Madill 071's and small shovels (Cat 225's and later Cat 320 and 322's). They had at least 2 071's and probably 3 or more. The big yarders were scattered statewide. I wasnt into little equipment, so didnt pay much attention to that stuff back then. I do now, but too late
Big yarders are inefficient at small corners, so everybody who had multiple big yarders had 071's to clean up the corners behind them. They were considered cleanup yarders, not production yarders. Boy, how times have changed, huh?:drinkup
So I am assuming Fred B. Moe went the way of the Jensen & Groves and Ben Thomas's? Sold out when the going was still sorta good? Looking forward to seeing his pictures.
Skagits at Auction These 4 pics were bad to begin with, and the scans seemed to worsen the issue. Pic 1: Skagit BU-99 Slackline on Skagit T-110HD SP. Eugene Ore, 1987. Pic 2: Skagits Lined up at Eugene 1987 Pac-West (Ross) Auction. Pic 3: Skagit BU-94 Slackline on Skagit T-110 Trlr, Ben Thomas Auction, Woodland WA 1989. Pic 4: Skagit BU-94 Slackline and Skagit BU-80C on T-90, Ben Thomas, 1989. Sorry for the pics, enjoy the Skagits anyway if you can!
Skagit Yarders at Auction, Hoquiam WA 1989 Thes 3 pics came from the big RB Auction at Hoquiam Washington in 1989. The Skagits all came from Willapa Log of Raymond, with yarders from Don Bell, TJ Spradlin, Anderson-Middleton, and many others. Notice the Bergers, Washintons, Thunderbirds, and Madills also visible. I'll scan all those someday and post to the appropriate threads... Pic three (on the left) shows a Berger tower with Skagit BU-80C yarder, and right of that is a Madill 009 hoist on a Berger tower/trailer. To the right of the Skagit BU-94's is a Washington 208, then 3 Madills- a 009, an 046, and an 052.
Skagit BU-80C on T-90 Self-Propelled at Canyon Creek Log, Amboy Wa Canyon Creek Logging of Amboy Wash logged for Plum Creek Timber through the late 1980's until 1995 or so. Howard Rogers was the owner then, I think he moved to Idaho or someplace to retire now. Anyway, here is their main yarder, a nice little BU-80C self propelled machine. The Skagit T-90 SP carriers had 6 guylines, a little cab up front for driving/moving the machine, and a fixed, non-removeable gooseneck. to move over the highway, you just drop the steer tires, pull the drive axles, ans go. Pretty slick one-piece move. These pics were taken in 1989 and the loading shovel was a shiny, new Cat 229 with Pierce boom and grapple. These were popular around that time. Last pic shows Howard himself moving the yarder one Saturday near Elochamin Lake. Logging was in the Germany Creek area West of Longview.
I remember them, they had a radio repeater at our Davis Peak radio site at least up until the late 90's.
Skagit BU-90 on Tillman Power Trailer In the late 1960's and early 1970's, many loggers were making the transition from diesel yarders on wooden sleds (used with wooden rigged trees) to steel towers. Most loggers were broke or near broke most of the time, so they were looking to take thier diesel yarder off the sled, and mate it to a steel spar- Skookum/Madill and Berger were the most popular option. They would build a steel tower and carrier to fit your yarder, whatever it was. On Grays Harbor, at Aberdeen Washington, a machinist/fabricator named Jack Tillman cashed right in on this, and soon was building steel towers and carriers for all sorts of yarders people had locally. And Jack wasn't scared, either! He built some of the biggest yarders ever, and added drums or whatever was needed to your yarder. Or Cat- he added lots of steel towers to Cat D7's, D8's, and D9's with Carco or Hyster drumsets on them. Or IH, Allis Chalmers, or whatever you had around. One of Jack's specialties was a self-propelled tower, with a gooseneck and dolly, like a trailer. The rear axles were driven, and the dolly was steered hydraulically for off-road moving. On the highway, the drivelines were disconnected, and the dolly removed for towingby gooseneck with a lowbed tractor. These were often huge monstrosities, and Jack liked building 120' towers with 10, 11, and 12 guylines. Super heavy, super clumsy, super Tillman! Below is a good example of a Tillman! Skagit BU-90 standard highlead hoist, mounted on the Tillman power-trailer, with big STEERING rear axles. Jack like steering on both ends of the rig for tight corners. Hyd steering removeable dolly seen also. The tower wasn't around, but was a 110' telescoper with 10 guylines as you can see. What a beast! Photographed at TJ Spradlin's place in the late 1980's.
Skagit BU-94 Slackline-Plus on Tillman Power-Trailer Skagit BU-94 Slackline-Plus on Tillman Power-Trailer-- I say BU-94 Plus, because Jack Tillman added a 2nd Skyline drum to this machine- a HUGE drum that held 6'000 feet of 2" skyline. He also added a 2nd large capacity strawline drum, so this machine had lots of drums and line capacity. In these pics the big drum had been removed (to increase the shaft size!), but it sat right above the tandems (which were chain-driven Timken drive axles) in the drum cradle seen there. The tower was designed like a Berger- stood on the ground, guylines built on the tower base. Tower was 120' tall, and sported 12 1 1/2" guylines, as you can see in the pics. There are 14 drums on the tower (7 per side) but the top drum on left was the raising line, and top drum on the right was the telescoping line. Guylines, as you can see, were double-block type, for added strength! This yarder was built for Merrill and Ring of Physt, Washington, and someplace I have a picture of them moving it IN ONE PIECE!! Quite a feat, the tower itself weighed nearly 200,000 lbs. It is seen here resting at its current owners location, with 30+ other yarders. He would kill me if I posted it, lol. I dont know if she'll ever log again.
Skagit BU-50 with Tillman Tower on Mack DM800 Truck Here is another very popular Tillman/Skagit comination. A Skagit BU-50 yarder that started its life on a little sled. Tillman built a 75' tower and truck-mount for it, and put the works on a used Mack DM800. Guylines (6) are on the truck, and tower raises to stand on the ground. Add a raised yarder cab, and you have a dandy little contractor rig here. Weyerhaeuser even had a few of these rigs.
Skagit BU-80 and Madill Tower, on a Truck Here's a Skagit BU-80 yarder on an old truck, with a Madill spar. Another popular contractor combination here. Also, like the brand-new 80's vintage Kato HD1220 log loader! This was Keith Rogers 'Cowlitz Logging Co' operation in about 1985, and logging up the Coweeman River.
Skagit MYS-50 with Skagit 50' Tower, on KW C500 Not all Skagit yarders on trucks were shop-built, aftermarket, custom contraptions. Skagit did build a few factory truck-mounted yarders. This MYS-50 was a great example of a small slackline truck-mounted yarder. I'm not sure how many were built, probably 35 or 40 of them. Some were trailer mounted as well. 60' was an option for tower height, and the MY-50 was the highlead version, lacking the skyline drum. This machine was uded for many years at Enumclaw, Washington by Kelly Kahne Logging. If the name sounds familiar, his son Kasey Kahne races NASCAR now, so Kelly quit logging 5 or so years ago to do the racing gig full time. The yarder belongs to Mark III Logging (Bart Kilgore) of Longview WA now, and is for sale currently (see My Little Salesman). Lee Cook Logging at Kelso also had an MYS-50- on an Autocar truck, it was a great little yarder. I have a ton of pics of that machine I'll post eventually.
Skagit BU-70 and Skagit T-70 Trailer/Tower One day going someplace out near Carbonado Washington, I ran across this clean little BU-70 slackline yarder between jobs. Owner was White River Logging in 1996 when I took the pics. Also getting more rare is the Skagit T-70 (70' tower) with 6 guylines. The skyline drum on this machine was added aftermarket, and not factory. This was a popular conversion on these machines. The yellow color was factory until the late 70's when blue and white took over.
Few more BU-70 pics.
Skagit BU-80C Slackline on T-70 Tank Mount! Even more scarce than the T-70 trailer is the Skagit T-70 tank mounted version. And, I haven't seen many BU-80C slackline yarders either-- most all of them were highlead machines, usually on trailer mount. This is a neat machine, freshly painted, looks great! Machine belonged to Stacey Hurlburt Logging, Eugene Oregon, in 1990.
I understand if you getting tired of scanning mr ContractLogger, but please keep up. This is great! Thank you very much, also for the huge 199 between the 739!
Skagit BX 500 Hello CL and all, I was wondering if anyone has any pictures or info on the very rare Skagit BX 500 yarder. I grew up in Naselle, Wa near where Deep River Timber logged the North Fork of the Naselle River valley. My Uncle Bill Wirkkala spoke often of the BX 500 he "punched". It was mounted on a huge sled with 2 fir at least 5 feet diameter on the large end and about 60 feet long. This sled minus hoist sat by the river without the hoist up in the North Fork country and I last saw it about 1963. If I remember correctly there were only a few built. Uncle Bill spoke of how once when moving across country on top of the logs the yarder got to an extreme angle as it was pulling up the final incline onto a new landing and began to suck air causing the Cat engine to overspeed. It ran long enough to jump unto the flat landing and then the engine died. Deep River cut long logs up to 60 feet long in old growth fir and as told by the rigging crew this yarder could tightline 2 big fir simply by standing on the haulback brake. I have seen where this beast yarded and the skidroads were evident for many years even after new growth took over. Please keep the pictures coming and thanks. catdw21e Logging Junkie
Gene Rawson took it off that mack and put it on a 4 axle carrier !
here is a picture of that 737 working in jan. of '01 [/URL][/IMG]
I'd love to see pics of that if you have them! Here's another conversion Rawson made: Started with a Skagit BU-70 Highlead machine mounted on a T-70 tank mounted tower. I have a pic somplace of this machine, painted yellow, still on the tank and logging on the Snoqualmie River. Anyway, he pulled the tank bottom out of it, and put Clark planetary drive axles under it, Schuller steering axles, and added the gooseneck. Looks great, and works great! Gene told me once where he got the axles (I think he said out of a scrapped 108 Washington) but dont recall for sure..... Enough BS, here are some pics of it. Last 2 pics were taken same day as the BU-50 Till/Mack. Last pic shows the tank bottom, pulled out off the tower. In the background is a Washington 158 Slackline on big Berger trailer. We'll address that one later over in the Washington thread.
What a beautiful pic! This is how these machines are supposed to be shown off, right in front of Mt Ranier no less. He must have repainted the machine, as the "Skagit"on the tube looks perfect, and the black stickers are gone..... Mor pics would be awesome if you have em'.
I'll keep my eyes peeled for some BX-500 info. I have seen some somwhere, and I think Simpson had at least 1 (I'm thinking 2 tho-) at Camp Grisdale in the late 1950's or early 60's. As soon as I find pics I'll post..... I have some someplace, but oh, to find them...... PS- Enjoying all your reading material up here. You're one of my regular searches!
Yarders near Mt Rainier. On the South side of the mountain, near Mineral Lake, this little Skagit BU-70 on a T-70 trailer sat all alone in 1992. It was owned for many years by Dennis Hadaller (of Ethel WA), then sold to Castle Rock Stihl (Castle Rock) in the mid 1980's when Denny Hadaller bought a newer, larger Berger T-23. Hadaller logged all over the Cinnabar- Bear Valley, and Newaukum Lake country with this little rig. Wish I had pics of it logging, but I dont, only in my minds eye.......She's probably scrapped by now Heck, the pics I do have arent even any good, but they're all I have.
Skagit BU-70 and Skagit T-70 Trailer/Tower Identicle machine, but in great shape! This one I found for sale (Eugene Ore) on the amazing world-wide-web awhile back. BU-70 on T-70 trailer.
Nice machine What a dandy, as you say :cool2 but maybe a little dark Skagit blue... Nice pictures!
the reason the paint looks good is becauase he pulled the tube over about 2 years ago ! I think McPaul fixed it, I'm not sure. he finished logging the setting with a rigged tree! no pics , I wasn't hauling for him then. my caption is wrong, it was 2010, not 01
Here's a Skagit SJ-7R working the Comox Lake sort area for Crown Zellerbach in 61'. I'll post more pics from the article in the CZ thread when I can scan them.
Cool cover shot of an SJ-4.
Hello my name is Larry I am looking for a service-repair manual for a skagit GT-3 do you have any idea's? if so could you let me know? please.E-mail me at [email protected] Thank You! Larry O.
Has the back end of that yarder been extended or was this an option? My father had one of these machines and the back was much shorter to clear the tower. I'll dig some photos out one day of the SJ-4 and SJ-7R.
tracks bottom For Contract logger again, Post number 12 and post 52 do you know where any of this type of exuiptment it? Russ at modern machine has nothing that I can use..... do you have another name or number [email protected] thanks
Boy, I'm not sure then.
Early Skagit Yarder/Loader Not sure of the model number on this baby, very very early version of the yarder/loader. I especially like the counterweight- looks like stacked plate.
Skagit SJ-7-R Here are some good shots of an SJ-7-R loading an early Mack. Appears to be overseas someplace. Notice this machine has the grapple and grapple rise as opposed to the tongs above. Also, raised cab, enclosed cab, and enclosed drums, shafts, and clutches/brakes not seen above.
This baby is on the road to Port Renfrew on its way to work. I think its a Skagit GT5 ??
Isn't the cab on the wrong side to be a GT5?
That machine is a Washington 118. The only thing out of the ordinary is that someone has installed a hyd winch to give her a live boom. Other than that, standard 118.
That's awesome. Who was selling it?
Thanks gents !!! I took a stab in the dark didn't have time to crawl around on it.....
I used to work with a 777 nightmare of a machine only have seen one and it was on a carrier, had a habit of breaking the steering spindles off, great fun, had an 8v 71 under the hood pulled really good but mechanically and moving cat logging was easier and faster. you may wonder how is cat logging easier id rather long line off a winch with three quarter line than fight inch and 1/8th and get just as many or more loads a day and not have to fight moving the triple 7. those times are long gone though.
Coulson Machine Here's a restored Coulson loader of Skagit manufacture at the B.C. Forestry Museum in Duncan, B.C. Can anyone tell what it is and what year it was manufactured?
Skagit 555, and it's a shot in the dark, but I'd guess 1965-67 vintage.
Skagits at St. Regis New Skagits at St. Regis, Mineral Lake Washington, 1965.
These are pretty cool pics. As soon as i get these mandatory post's out of the way I'll get some pics up. I have a little yarder we use now and then that is mounted on a huge timberjack skidder, it has a tillman modified bu70 drum set, with a 55ft tillman tube. I'll get some pick's up as soon as allowed.
That machine was in our yard for a while. It was sold to Buck's logging in Onalaska. Back to work!!!
Gt-5 Hi All I am hoping someone out there can run through the GT-5 history. Contract Logger has posted pictures of a GT-5C and GT-5D in the Alaskan thread and I have attached them. Hope you don't mind CL. If there was a C and a D, was there an A, and B? I am also wondering what the machine is in middle picture of the second post? I can make out the GT on the boom and the rear raked cab is a bit different for the Skagit. Thanks in advance
In the late 1950's and early-to-mid 1960's Skagit began to experiment with swinging 'Guylineless Towers', or GT's. (Later the term 'GT' was adopted as 'grapple tower' and Weyerhaeuser Longview reffered to all thier grapple yarding equipment as a GT). The early machines had a 'Jillpoke' stiff-leg that ran from mid-boom back to the ground. As with the early Madill 'Yarding Cranes' (which later became the 044) guyline drums werent added or even recommended. The idea was that the weight of the yarder alone would be enough to suffice. It really wasn't. As loggers always do- they hung out too far, hooked turns way to big, and then complained that the yarder broke or tipped over. All the usual logger stuff. The machines were developed, tested, redeveloped, and finnaly by the early 1970's Skagit was building 3 grapple-yarding models- The GT-3, GT-4, and GT-5. All were available on tracks OR rubber tires, and were top-of-the-line in the 1970's- which isn't saying too much given what we have seen since. In the late 70's they re-designed and released the 2 newer models- the 'SY' (swing yarder) series machines. There were 2, the SY-717 and SY-747. The SY-717 was a smaller machine, available on M4A3 (Tank Chassis) or Chapman hyd tracks. The SY-747 was big and only sold on a Skagit 4-axle SP carrier. Skagit was constantly experimenting and redesigning, hence the A,B,C, and D versions. There was never a GT-5E machine, but lots of D's still do exist. Mike Walch converted an SY-747 to hydraulic D9G sized undercarriage (using the bottom half of a P&H 2500 130,000 lb shovel I used to own) and had it dredging rock near Wenatchee last I knew. That machine is another story all its own! Hope this helps some- I'll attach some pics of the jillpoke outfits. I know I have them.
PS- I've said this before here too- All my posted pictures are for you guys, feel free to save, print, post, repost, etc. Just PLEASE continue to take and post pics too, or all this history will be lost on the next generation. I like to print everything, write a note on the back, and file for later or whatever. Someday we will have good records put together.
There is a gravel dredging operation just south of the town of Rock Island, when the snow lets up I'll check it out to see if it's that machine. Outside of that I don't know of any other dredging operations.
These are some awesome pics you all are throwing up. I am learning a lot about these variants that I never knew and I especially love the pics from the old days. Keep 'em coming.
Hey CL, big fan, but do you have pictures of this machine in transport, like you said with the 2 axle booster and jeep with truck and the front wheels off?? i would love to see that as i am wondering what the size would be. It would be cool if you could post pictures of that, it would be greatly appreciated. Nigel
Bu-99 BU-99 dismantled from trailer/110 ft HD-tower. Centralia.
739 yarder/110 ft HD tower Very nice looking 739 yarder/110 ft HD SP, BASCO logging in Sutherlin.
More 739 More...
737 more
More 739 120 ft HD trailer mount, Oregon I think Jeremy have posted some pics of this machine, here's some more
More 739/120 more...
Skagit high lead yarder on tracks Skagit yarder on tracks, Centralia
Cool pics TorkelH. I have seen that Basco yarder when we down to California a few months ago. I see the TBird and Skagit from Wallace Sand and Gravel are still alongside I5. Are the others from Ramsey or McPaul?
Bu-80 BU-80 logging west of Junction City
JeremyM70: McPaul! But all these pics are from may, so I have no idea if the TBird and Skagit from Wallace still are there. I have some pics from Ramsey too, I'll try supplying yours with'em, but it will be tomorrow! Merry Christmas!
is the skagit and T bird behind it the ones along I-5 near the truck stop that have been sitting there since the earth was made?
They haven't been there that long! The BU-739 belonged to Dan Sandy (DaPaul Inc) and I have lots of pics of that machine working at Weyerhaeuser Vail in the early 90's. It was a dandy machine in the old-growth fir when long-span was necessary I also have lots of pics of the TY-90 working for both Jensen & Grove, then Hamilton later when they owned it. That TY-90 is a good machine and still worth alot of money. The BU-739 is tougher due to the fact that the tube was shortened from 120' down to 80' now when fully telescoped (shortened by McPaul around 1995) in order the better drag a gravel bucket. it needs brake and valve work as well......
Do any of you yarder guru's have any information about the 444 Skagit swing yarder? Buddy Matt was bucking poles under one this fall and early winter and was telling me how powerfull and awesome the thing was. Of corse he didnt take any pictures, and this being the only yarder that wasnt a 98 Link Belt he'd ever been around, Im sure a team of horses rigged up to some drums would seem powerfull! Thanks.
Nice pictures! Which outfit was this?
I last went by there in late October I think and they were still there. Never did make it to Ramsey or McPaul this year unfortunately.
JeremyM70! I don't know the name of these loggers, they where logging on the neighbourhill of Deans Mt logging, and we just looked at it when we bypassed.
The TY-90 went to Canada a year ago, that is the TY-80 still there. The only thing wrong with the Skagit is that it hasn't been worked in 10 years. The orignal tube is still at the rock pit, the shortened one was a spare purchased from McPaul.
The Skagit 444 was designed as a loading shovel and there were 11 total built. All 11 were on Skagit-built early hydraulic track undercarriages. (These same hyd track undercarriages were also used under some Skagit T-90 towers in the early 1970's). The first 444's were sold to Mayr Brothers (Hoquiam), Miller Shingle (Granite Falls), and Weyerhaeuser (Cosmopolis), Crown-Zellerbach (Seaside Oregon) to name a few. They were sold with a Skagit-built heel-boom (with grapple riser) that looked alot like the TL-6 Washington boom or an earlier Young heel boom (the wider ones). Weyerhaeuser realized they worked well as a combo loader and short-distance yarder, so the last 3 were built with a straight yarding boom (around 40') and Weyerhaeuser bought 2 of them for thinning- one at Raymond and one at PeEll. I dont know where the 3rd one went or who bought it. If you guys can find the Mayr Brothers book ('The Cinderella Tree' by Marzell Mayr) there is a great full-page picture of a brand new Skagit IJ90 /T-90 tower with the brand-new Skagit 444 loading under it. Both these machines were delivered new (to the Lake Quinalt area) the same day. Naturally I have some good 444 pictures as well as the sales brochure and I'll scan and post these for you when I get the chance. If anyone is interested, there is a Skagit 444 with heel boom for sale today in NW Washington State. PM me for details and pics. (He wants alot of $$$$ but its a REALLY nice machine!)
Mayr Brothers book ('The Cinderella Tree' by Marzell Mayr) Werner Mayr wrote that book !! gotta keep it accurate !! brent
You're right- I had the wrong brother. I am getting old and was up too late. Friends came over and we had a few coctails. THEN I looked at the HEF. Bad combo! Don't drink and HEF. I looked everything else over and am surprised at my spelling- usually I can't spell but last night I managed it OK it looks like. At any rate, I found a couple pictures last night of the ex-Mayr Skagit 444 that I took in Darrington when Finley Logging owned it in 2001. You can see the heel boom, drum arrangement, and hyd crawlers (D7 size pitch) clearly.
Thanks for the information. As always you are a wealth of knowledge! Matt and I were just talking about the 444. Now hes cutting under another 98 and was saying how slow it was compared to the 444. The one in question is owned by Barham Logging out of Lewiston, Idaho. He dosent know to much of the history of it, but says its got a straight boom with a Maki style gantry on it. Also Barham has stuck a 500 horse Cummins and a 6 speed Allison in it.
Oh- and another thing- when this machine was new it was yellow with back trim along with the IJ90 yarder it was with. The blue/white combo was an early 1980's re-paint. Skagit didnt switch their paint colors from yellow to blue/white until the mid-1970's.
I was typing while you were posting! He said your pictures look just like Barham's, execpt it need a boom and gantry with bigger drums. Thanks for the pics!
Cl. I caught you on the Skagit page. Is the photo on the Ross brochure circa1994 for the 3 swing yarders (155 says Bighorn on the side) mine? Do you have that brochure in color? Mine is black and white
I wonder if it's one of the original straight booms or an aftermarket boom? Also- if I remember right even the factory straight boom machines did not have a gantry. I may be wrong on that and will try to find an old pic of one (I know I have somewhere but......). The original lines were small and the drums were narrow-- but this could easily have been re-worked. And 500 hp seems huge for a machine this size! I'll bet the rigging really flies. Skagits were always simple and could be supported in parts by any decent machine shop. If your bud could come up with some pics they would be a cool addition to our Skagit information collection here!
Yes, I do have it. And yes- it's you're machine in the cover! I'll scan it today to a pdf and email it to you. (Actually, I'll try. the pdf files have been to large to email for some reason lately and that brochure I think is 6 pages.) Funny you should ask cause I just noticed that yesterday (before the coctails started).
We just delivered it yesterday for it's repower. I spent 3 weeks totally refurbishing the cab ( rewire,replumbing,paint,& insulation). It should be finished in about 3 weeks
This picture was emailed to me at least 2 years ago by someone asking if I knew this machine. The boom and gantry are obviously aftermarket, and I wondered where this came from and which 444 it was....COULD THIS BE THE BARHAM MACHINE??? What a strange coincidence. He found the pic on the net and new nothing about it. I had never seen it before. It looks like a nice machine.
Is the repower to make it CARB compliant?
Cool! I can't wait to see it! I'll post some quik-pics right now in the TB thread of the brochure for you!
Yes. It will be tier 3 compliant. We are putting an 11 liter QSM Cummins 300hp 1050ftlbs. The repower includes all cooling systems and a tranny rebuild. It was funded by a CARB grant
I just showed Matt the pic. (We are sitting here havin coffee and telling lies! Beer tonight!) He says Barham's machine has three guyline shieves on top of the gantry and it has a longer boom. It also dosent have the log gaurd in front of the cab. The guy line drums are mounted right on top of the counterweight. It also says Maki Built on the counterweight. Now hes kicking himself for not getting any pictures of it. Hes going back to work under it this spring so we'll have to wait till then for his shots. Thanks for the picture!
Well then, there are at least 2 that have been converted! The emailed pic will stay in my 'mystery machine' category for now. Any information will be helpful. Funny how 11 small machines built in the later 60's can spark conversation in what will soon be 2011. I never thought the 444 was as big as an LS98 but maybe I'm wrong.....? We will have to do some research!
Sj7r Here is a photo of the SJ7R driving over a bridge made from two old railway wagons. This was near the end of Waimakarari rd, Putararu, circa 97 - 98. The machine moved about 50m after this photo was taken. It sat there for about 10 years and has recently been cut up for scrap. The machine was one of two brought downunder new buy KLC in 65 and 66. KLC sold them off in the late 70's. I don't know how owned this machine until it was pulled out of a forest behind Wairoa in the early 90's to be rebuilt. Sad story I also have photos of some RB22 cranes. Is there a thread for logging cranes?
I remember seeing that machine parked in Patanamu Forest early 90s then it disappeared . It looked fairly tidy from memory back then.
Dear catdw21e ... , I was scrolling through here looking for BX 500 photos...maybe I can help. I have connections to two BX 500's and a BX 2000. In 1975-76 my father, brother and I operated a BX 500 in Fairbanks, AK in a grave pit off Peger Road. This machine had been owned by the Reddicop (sp) brothers out of Ketchikan and was bought by one of the owners of LTI and rigged on a wooden spar on Peger lake to drag gravel with a Sauerman bucket. We took the machine over in '76 and pulled 200,000 yards of gravel out of that lake. We had purchased a square Berger tower and set it up. This was powered with a D 397 Cat that had a 6 cylinder Chrysler for the starting engine. We spooled 2200' of 1" haulback and 1200' of 1 5/8" main, though we seldom did. Gravel is quite different than logs. ;0 We spent an inordinate amount of time and money to make this work and needed a 'seed' machine for spare parts. This is where the other BX 500 came in. We purchased another machine from Ross in Chehalis and parted it out for the gears; mainly low on the main shaft. We also broke the main drive chain, a 12" wide Morse "Silent" chain, and had to have new sprockets hobbed to accept the newer Morse "Hy-Vo" (high velocity) chain as the "Silent" chain was not available and had apparently been special made by Morse for Skagit. Dad had friends in Woolley at Skagit and was told that this machine was built for Deep River Logging. I believe it was SN 15. In the winter of 1976 I was contracted to oversee the building of a Sauerman for a construction job in Anacortes, WA. This was to move bay dredgings and level them out. The base machine was a BX 2000. Mostly just like the BX 500 but with water cooled Wichita brakes. I powered this with a 16V71, Allison Transmission, 988 planetary unit for additional reduction and mounted it all on a 190D Northwest to be portable, similar to a dragline; but the cost of operation was much more than a dragline ... This machine was later put on the Toutle River after the eruption of Mt. St. Helens on an Army Corps of Engineers job. After this it was sold to some folks in Fairbanks Alaska and I believe that both machines are still there. I punched this machine for many hours and worked on it for many more. One night, while in a particularly hard pull, I broke the main. I have operated cranes to 400 T, but the parting of that 1 5/8" line was one of the most memorable events in my life. The 16V was horse, but the D397 was a very different horse indeed. (; I have some photos to scan that have recently been brought out. Kind regards, jcurtis4082
I am currently in Juneau and Nate Reddecop has a bunch of pictures of this machine yarding both logs and gravel on the Mendenhall Valley near and under the Mendenhall Glacier. Nate is currently digging out pictures of all this, including the delivery of the machine to Juneau when it was purchased from Munn Logging out of Granite Falls apparently. Nate also tells me Mr Munn came up and helped them set the machine up. Nate was very young at the time but remembers everything vividly! Fortunately as well- he says many picture were taken and still exist! It will be intreresting for sure- and the coincidental timing of all this is just crazy!
I talked with my brother this morning and he said that the BX 500 is still sitting along the Richardson Highway between Fairbanks and North Pole with the Berger tower. I think the BX 2000 is in that area too. I'll work on getting some scanned photos posted. Interesting timing for sure. Regards, Jeff
Jcurtis, Thanks for all of your info. Sn 15 BX 500 turns up. I recently aquired a Cat brochure showing the Deep River 500 on site when it was near new. I did not know about the 2000 Skagit. I am anxious to see the pics as they turn up. Catdw21e
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcurtis4082/with/5343346707/ Here are a couple to start with.
catdw21e, I put a couple of scans up in my photostream here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcurtis4082/ I would like to see a copy of that Cat Brochure. (; Jeff
skagit 444 Our family yarded logs with a 444. It's serial number was A1. We purchased it at the CZ Rainier OR. auction. It was first owned by ITT Rayonier. We sold it to some retired loggers in Enterprize OR in the mid 90's. It had the heel rack boom on it.
Ha! I got some GREAT pics of that machine at the auction (cant find them), and then Loggers World had a gorgeous color pic of it on the front cover shortly thereafter. My great uncle lived just down the road from you there and I took alot of TL-6 and Drott 80 pics at your place 10 or so so years ago. Welcome to the forum!
Thank you. I visited an SJ 5 yesterday. It was parked in the late 80's, and has not moved since. Did not have time or proper clothes for inspection. Will get pictures of it posted as parked. Forgot to ask owner if he had pictures of of it in action.
This picture if from my grandfathers collection . I'm only guessing on info from his background . It looks brand new in full size picture ( 60's - 70's ? ) . I would say its BCFP's around Caycuse area on Vancouver island hard to make out the # on carriage guessing #794. any extra info on this machine would be great .
Sj5 Resting peacefully, running when parked
Teevin Bros Skagit GT-3 Couple pics of a Skagit GT3 owned by Teevin Bros in Knappa, Oregon.
Skagit SY-717 In the later 1970's Skagit developed a smaller swing yarder about the size of the GT-3 in terms of line sizes and capacities. It was faster, lighter, and just more modern compared to the slow and clumsy GT-3. There were 12 SY-717 yarders built- 6 on M4A3 Tank bottom and 6 on Chapman hydraulic crawlers. Machine used a running skyline and double mains for grapple and dropline work. Later most were modified to a lager brake on the haulback so you could run a standing skyline and single main for use with the smaller slackpulling cariages. A larger swing machine was also built at the same and called the SY-747.
Olstedt Logging Skagit SY-717 I have been around several different SY-717 yarders over the years. These pics were takes in 2002 at Gnat Creek Oregon (Wauna Mill/Knappa area between Clatskanie and Astoria) and the owner is Herb Olstedt Logging. Lots of people in my home area owned them over the years including Gould & Sons at Castle Rock and Jerry Debriae at Cathlamet. These pics do show decent detail of the overall machine.
Skagit SY-717 spec sheet 1979 more info
717 Down under 1999
Skagit GT-4 Some pictures before the move. I will post more later when it is home.
Skagit GT-4 two piece move, 150,000 lbs roughly. Top of the hill HWY 30 W. of Rainier OR. First Truck, Next the second truck, Then at the Grange hall by the marble orchard. Next On Apairy Rd.
Moving GT-4 Stopped to drop the Jeep, Then oh my another yarder on the move.
GT-4 unloaded and ready for assembly Notice the boom logo
Nice pictures in not so nice weather Pictures of machinery on move is interesting, the GT4 is huge enough, but maybe someone have pictures of a BU199 or Washington 208...
Nice pics tree farmer, I hardly ever get to see a yarder on move, and you get to see two! I actually saw an 071 heading south on I5 near Woodland this afternoon. No chance to get a picture though, was going the opposite way. The one going by looks like a TSY255, do you know whose it was?
The trailing flagger pickup has" Fudge " on the door.
Is that GT4 one of the Huffman-Wright units out of Canyonville? They've been for sale for a few years, and I think his asking price is down to $25,000. Didn't look like bad machines when I saw them.
Thunderbirs swing yarder possibilities..... TSY-255's left in the Longview/Ranier area these days are few- there were alot more of them in the early 1990's. Fudge did pick up a used TSY-255 last year- I suspect this is the machine as Joel Olson is moving it here, and the pics are taken at Aipary (Fudge logs for Fibre who owns all the timber ground right there- with the exception of tree-farmer and the Evenson's). Other TSY-255's in that area: 1. Holce at Vernonia has one purchased new and logging for Fibre at Vernonia its whole life 2. Evenson at Clatskanie has one (they move thier own and wouldn't used Olson) at Clatskanie its whole life 3. Browning (Astoria) has one (that came from Weyerhaeuser) and moves it himself 4. Art Ragsdale has one he bought new -often working in the Vernonia area 5. Lundberg at Knappa had one but I think it's been sold now- usually worked up Big Creek at Knappa 6. John Barndse (Knappa) has one also- and Olson moves for him. It came out of Whitestone's Alaska operations 7. Chilton Logging (Woodland) has one I have seen logging at Vernonia several times. Not sure where it came from... Also- TSY-50's look identical and this machine doesnt say what it is: 1. Rick Gwin (Vernonia) had a TSY-50 but sold it a few years back I believe (he upgraded to a new Madill 120) 2. Nygaard at Warrenton still has a TSY-50 but also moves all thier own equipment. Sorry for the rant- back in the day there were 30+ of these machines in this area.... I do have working pictures of all these machines and will post to the Thunderbird thread eventually....
Allright I hijacked the thread for a second so here are some Skagit GT pictures from Ross's used equipment catalogs in 1984.
Yes it is one of the 4 that H&W used. Only a few small things need repair, one clutch activator cylinder return spring plus a couple brake band return springs. A few small air leaks and a few semi-rotten airlines. Anybody got a shed full of skagit parts?
Herb Olstedt bought Holces's machine last month. Gwin's 120 is in New Zealand now.
Wow. Things change all the time. Herb is always buying and that Holce 255 was a nice tight machine. No real surprise there. I guess the next questions then: What are Holce and Gwin yarding with today, or did they finally give it up?
CL Holce is done. Gwin's are now ground loggers. The REITs (Real estate investment trusts) that manage timberland around here are nearsighted. They lay out yarder sales with no shovel ground to help subsidize the yarder or make the job worth moving to and from for the bid amounts. REIT's have to maximize ROI so they shovel logs everything possible cause its cheap. The yarder sales are often poorly layed out, and more complicated because of Oregon's 120 acre clearcut law. The longterm results are that yarders and their trained crews are vanishing. CL you get around, do you know where one might find a large johnson yarding grapple for a GT-4
I am also looking for a large yarding grapple if you can find enough to go around.
I saw the Fudge pickup, didn't realize that had a swing yarder, do they still have the old Weyco Madill 172 #238 as well?
GT-4 partial assembly Boom and gantry cribbed and blocked in place waiting for yarder to drive right on up. Then line up the pin holes and your ready to raise this machines folding gantry. Normally this boom would have been on a 40 foot flatbed trailer making assembly easier.
Skagit 444 serial A1 Here is a late 80's picture
Lookin good! Stupid question though. Are you going to be logging with it where you are putting it together, or plan on doing a midnight lowboy trip to the job? And, you wouldn't happen to have any more pictures of that 444 would you?
I prefer the dawn assault on Sunday mornings. (joke) It will stay on the tree farm where it may ride cross-ways on a 70 ton off road General lowboy pulled by a M911 Oshkosh. In the process of assembly we are planning more modifications to the boom and gantry in order to make future in-field pin hole line up simple. I will inquire about more photos of the 444.
I know where there are 4 or 5 of them- all right here close in Alaska but for whatever reason thier owners will not even think of discussing selling them. I would suggest putting an ad in the Loggers World and My Little Salesman mags and see what happens. Wish I could help. I had a nice 72" MAR off a 108 Washington I was saving (in Longview actually- to mount my mailbox on) but sold it in 2002 for an insane price. Picked it up for $50 at an RB auction in Olympia in 2000...I replaced it with a big ESCO 84" loading grapple for that same mailbox project.......
Skagits at Crown Zellerbach Auction - Rainier Oregon June 1989 Here's a shot I took at the auction that does in fact include tree-farmers Skagit 444 in the lineup there. A bunch of Skagits went through that day and a bunch of Washington stuff too. Also can be seen at left- a Skagit PT-4Y Yarder with 70' lattice boom, Skagit 444, Skagit SJ-5, etc. I have a box of detailed pics along with the auction brochure with all the serial numbers, etc someplace but havent run across it yet. I found like 20 of the pics in a random album and this is one of those pics. None were great and show any detail. Tree farmer- my uncle (and a neighbor of yours out there- R.C. Calvert) purchased a dandy little Garrett Model 15 skidder at this sale that day also. I am sure you remember RC and maybe even remember that little skidder. Someone came along and offered him big $$$ so he sent them away with that skidder one day and bought a nice little dozer- a TD-9 I think.
Does anybody have the overall dimensions for the BU-739 self propelled yarder? The basic dimensions in the brochures would be nice, as well as tube diameter etc. This is for a future scratch built model in 1/25th scale, as soon as I finish the Washington TL-6 I'm building now. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers: Bill
GT4 gantry raising Used one of the main drums to unfold and stand up gantry. Then you sort out the guylines and raise the boom.
yeah to bad all true timber companies are now gone, land is now managed by wall street and timber is being cut far faster than its growing, by default it will just give the State more control since they will have the majority of the timber left standing for the next 40 or so years. ointhead
CL: RC Calvert and his wife Hazel were longtime family friends, dating back to during WWII. Hazel was my second grade teacher at the Apairy two room school house. I do remember the garret 15 and a couple different little dozers over the years. We often stopped to see if he had something new for sale. Our current stock trailer was one of his roadside deals.
Rockhaul and Tree farmer what part of oregon are you guys in??? im in salem.
Tree Farmer resides in central Columbia Co. RockHaul: Our neighbor the late Roger Nichols who bordered some State forestry land had a property line dispute. He went to the assessor's office and discovered that Columbia Co. actually owned the land labeled Clatsop State forest here in CC county. In Tillamook and Clatsop counties the case is the same. There were three different contracts entered into by the the three counities over a period of a decade. Basically the counties deeded the management and fire protection of the bare tax foreclosed forest land to the Oregon Dept. of Forestry in exchange for revenue from future timber harvests. The ODF did a great job replanting the Tillamook burn, now the "Tillamook State Forest". Their former policy of falling every snag (potential roman candle) in the former burn, plus requiring loggers/ timberland owners to do likewise has caused problems for the cavity dwelling birds. The USFS also cut everything flat leaving no bird perches. No place for Hawks, owls ect.. Since there was a lack of natural rodent control the small reproduction got munched. One of the solutions tried was the placement of rat poison in the clearcuts. This was done in the Sweet Home Oregon area and maybe elsewhere. So what owl do you think suffered from this starting in the 1950's on. Since I am on the subject of forestry and wildlife, lets talk about what happened to the fish streams. In 1949 the States of Oregon and Washington got a 250,000 dollar Federal pass-through grant to clean logjams, woody material, and large rocks from fish bearing and spawning streams. The Master Fish Warden and later the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife cleaned streams with bulldozers from 1949 until 1981. In 1982 I worked on a International Paper job near where I live. The ODF still required at this time snag falling, and all woody material removed from the seasonal 2 foot wide stream channel. For example, I spent two days pulling rotten second and old growth logs out of the riparian area. Then the Bosses daughter threw every limb longer than 3 feet and bigger than 2 inches in diameter up onto the bank. Failure to comply would have resulted in a fine or worse, no operating permit issued for the next job. By 1987 the various agencies of the State of Oregon considered streams Holy, and actively placed the blame on the land owners, farmers and of course the logger.
Sure!! What ever costs the contractor, purchaser more time and money at the time is protocol, and if it creates a do nothing government job, even better!!! We have let the insane operate the levers of power and it is going to be an uphill battle to throw em out!:Banghead
Has anyone seen my old yarder? It was a Skagit Hoist BU-30 mounted on a 668 Clark skidder.
Pics 2 and 3 Wayne Stone Logging, High Ball crew BU 98 logging for Hampton:cool2
Thanks all for the 717 info, much appreciated. Do you guys know where in NZ that 120 ended up which was mentioned?
The 120 first went to someone in N.California without the 116 inch Johnson yarding grapple. When things changed in California, the machine was sold overseas. The new owner went to Vernonia and got the grapple. I do not know if the Gwins know who has it.
Hazel is my grandfather's oldest sister. Don and my dad are close, and I believe Don may still be running a few cattle on the homeplace there. I spent many summers of my youth cutting firewood on that farm- and setting chokers behind whatever RC was yarding logs with on that particular day...... Seems like yesterday I was sitting at the dining room table eating Aunt Hazel's fried chicken and listening to RC and my dad tell Weyerhaeuser stories..... Don was at Wauna and has to be close to retirement now if not already. I came to Alaska and have sure missed alot the last few years. Funny how this forum brings people together like this.
The BU-739 was sold as a hoist only. There were 4 Skagit Self-Propelled mounting options for the BU-739. The Skagit T-100 SP and T-100HD SP were the lighter 100' options, and the T110 SP and T110HD SP were 110' bigger towers. Naturally the HD versions had longer, wider frames, heavier steer and driving axles, etc. I have all the literature and will need to dig it up. Here's a used equipment ad showing the lighter 7-guyline T-110 SP version of this combo (with Schuller steeing axles also). The BU-739 hoist seen here also has the optional slackpulling drum which is cool looking. I have often considered building a BU-739 SP. I would personally build the most common version- the T-100HD SP with the Anderson Bolling steering axles (duals all the way around) and 8-guyline option. These are awesome, versatile, easy-moving machines and there is one here in Alaska (see post #75 in this thread) I would like to model. Actually there are lots in Alaska but most are mounted on T-110HD SP carriers and are very difficult to move over the highway (hoist and tube have to come off- so you have a 3-piece pain in the ass to deal with and need assembly shovels, etc on both ends of the move).
Skagit T-100HD Tower Info Here's some useful info on the T-100HD. These were custom units and the spec didnt mean too much- loggers could order carriers spec'd whatever they wanted. The width and tower tube spec will be pretty standard, everything else was up for grabs......
Skagit T-110HD Tower Info Here's the same info for the Skagit T-110HD. As you can see this one will handle mainlines up to 1 1/2" so the Tower/Carrier will support a highlead hoist much larger than the BU-739, understanding that a 739 is a slackline hoist and is capable of 1 1/2" skyline, though most guys ran 1 3/8" skylines on them (for reach) anyway.
Skagit BU-739 Slackline Yarder - Hoist Here's some good modeling info on the BU-739 Hoist.
Here are a couple of BU-739 shots- one is a Brand-New BU-739 on T-100 Trailer at Ross Chehalis Wash in 1979. The other is a BU-739 on a T-100HD SP (new also) out of a Ross catalog from 1983. The SP machine was sold to Shirley Laird at Gold Beach Oregon and eventually the 739 Hoist came off and a Thunderbird TY-90 Hoist went onto this carrier/tower. Either way good photos for modeling.
The BU-739 / T-110HD SP is my all time favorite yarder. On of these perched on the top of a mountain surrounded by felled and bucked old growth was truely a sight to behold. One would have to go back to the days of the steam skidders to match such a scene of power and glory. It is unfortunate that in this day and age both have been retired to the dinosaur file. I agree..... this would be a great model project. Thank you for the inspiration and the memory. Any ideas on where to find the last remaining units; spring and summer make great seasons for field research.
Clean BU70 trailer mount Eugene This BU70 has been re-powered with what looks like a Cummins in-line 6, replacing the original Detroit 6V71. This is a radical conversion requiring re-locating fan and radiator. The entire engine enclosure under the cab has been re-configured, but looks clean. Since this was done I wonder did she go over on the radiator side? If you know, I hope the operator survived the ride.
Was there any bu-80c's made with water brakes? And what would the line capacity be? S/N c-211 if that helps. if anyone can help let me know.
Crown Operation, Nitnat. That's my grandpa's truck #1. My dad saw the picture and recognized the equipment, and of course the truck.
Skagit clutch actuator First an example on the machine Then a repaired one on a set of parallels to insure proper alignment of mounting ears. Otherwise you will have to fix a broken mount. This device had a broken return spring. The air cylinder contains a 4.5 inch OD polypak which is .5 inches wide and .4 inches deep at the flair.
Broken actuator return spring The spring was broken into 5 pieces and had screwed itself together. It would normally be about 8 inches long, by 1.75 inches OD, by 1.25 ID, with a wire thickness of .25 inches.
Tree Farmer, these appear to be the same unit as that on a PSY200 main pulling clutch. This is the clutch under the cab. One detail is different though. The PSY200 unit has an additional fitting on the top of the cylinder so it is a two way ram. Air pressure is applied to the top to dis engage the clutch. This would be better than broken springs. It is important that these clutches are adjusted correctly. Does your clutch have an adjustment bolt on the dead end of teh band?
I have worked around a couple of Bu84s and I am not sure but think they were the upgrade with water brakes over the bu80. I think it held 1600 feet but we had bigger mainline on it. Short yarding pollocking, didn't need much.
Yes it does have an adjustment bolt opposite the actuator.
Guyline drag brakes The shaft and the shoes had become one with the world and bent to boot. A varible speed Sawsall and cutting oil severed the hard shaft. Drilled through for some torch action. Then the remaining pieces almost fall out. The repaired assembly.
Anybody got any pics of the cab interior on a 739? I'm building one right now on the SP chassis and need pics of it. Cheers: Bill
This Skagit is looking rather sad....
This one lookin alittle better then the one above picture taken in 1996 Vancouver Island
Funny you posted this photo. My dad currently logs for Mark III
I have been looking through my pictures, I was sure I had a picture of the Basco yarder, but I can't find... It is some parked around in Oregon, I don't know if the 739 SP of Basco still is parked there in Sutherlin along the highway, but that is a very nice machine. Maybe you need to make a trip up there? Here is link to some pictures of the Basco machine and from a scrapped BU199 cab. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8809686/BU739SP/BU739SP.zip
Is that a BU98, with the movable cab option?
Skagit 739 cab Here is some (bad) pictures from a 739 trailer cab, inside and outside. I put the originals and some more in the dropbox. Serial B-739-A102.
Skagit BU98 - Sproat Lake 1997 Fate of a BU98 -here HeavyEquipmentForums
GT-4 Grapple yarding After hours of splicing eyes and casting knobs on guyline extensions, the rigging is ready. I will post pictures of a MSP carriage with this machine later. I owe thanks to Murk100 and others who have posted videos showing grapple yarding. It has made the learning curve much shorter.
Wow, impressive! Are you planning on using grapple a lot, didn't think that was too common in the US? How is speed on the GT4? Try making a video if you get the chance, very interesting to see!
Hook one chain on your grapple one link short so one side of the grapple hangs lower than the other. It makes hitting the tree much easier. Especially on flatter ground.
`I hope to use a much larger grapple where vision/spotters and topography allow. Otherwise I can quickly switch to the MSP and draft a choker setter. Some settings will dictate a shotgun carriage, then the 400 HP turboed and twisted up Cummins 903 with a Twin Disc 5 speed can display some line speed.
Hey Tree Farmer, is it possible to see this machine in person and get some video?
Hi Contract Logger My name is Ed Elliott. I live in Boring Oregon . I make logging models out of Myrtle Wood. I found you site on the Skagit towers and under carriages, lots of information that I can use. I'm looking for information on the Skagit 98 yarder that I will put on the T110 tube , like the drum sizes and any other measurements. Thank you for your help. Ed
A few days ago I got to meet up with tree farmer and get some pictures and video. First video has been posted to YouTube, more to follow along with pictures here as I sort thru them. http://youtu.be/vrci279bepM Thanks again Tree Farmer for allowing me to come up and observe, had a great time!
Just watched the videos Tree Farmer, you have a neat old machine. It reminds me of the GT3 I worked with. The controls are slightly different. You were after a few tips. From what I noticed you should try keep your ropes on the drums nicely. Particularly with the grapple having the ropes out of time due to a cross up is a pain. In the low lift stuff I like to do roll closes. If you have the grapple sitting back on the log you hold the slackpuller on the foot brake and go ahead on the main. This snaps the grapple closed while lifting it and pulling forward. You can open the grapple at the landing using a similar technique. I.e. Knock the clutches out, hold the main brake and spool the slackpuller out. I like to run the slackpuller with three more raps of rope on the drum to the main. This picks the slack up as you inhaul. On the Madill we can declutch to pick up slack but this is quite harsh and it is just something I have picked up to try minimise declutching. It may help with the side by side main drums on the Skagit though I notice yours has a large seperation. Have you looked into converting to a single lever control?
The machine came with a 4 way for the mains,-- in, interlock out, open and close. Someone in the past modified it for use with a MSP, maybe to avoid tennis elbow. Neatly spooled lines make a significant difference concerning the slack in the slackpulling line. The extra wraps on the one drum makes sense. I did inquire about a joystick/computer/electric air valve upgrade with radio remote control potential. The cost of writing the software would be over a 100,000 dollars by itself. Thanks for the operating advice.
Does anyone have the brochure on the Skagit SJ-2H Hydraulic Earwig loader? I have a few pics, but little else. I'd like to see the AT-13 Squirmin Vermin, too.
Heres our Skadill got parked 3years ago . The $17 a cube log costs were to high. Now no crew left to run it even if we wanted too. Came from Oregon 15 years ago.
Did you get a serial # tag off this one 075? Thanks Jeremy
Some one came and took all the ser# number plates off it not a one left, but will check in the shop they should have record there.
Nice yarder and nice pictures 075 and nice for our 046 project Jeremy70! I guess (maybe a shoot in the wild) - this is 10027 or 10030, one of the last one built. On Madill 079 trailer?
I really could not tell you I only loaded put of it once in 15 years, so was never around it much, but I will look up what they have in the shop. Wish someone would buy it as it is in good shape and nothing has been striped off it yet, but the longer it sits the less it will have .The shop starts it up every couple of months just to keep it from seizing up.
Thanks for checking, maybe CL knows which one went north?
Boy you are good SN10027-A35 built 1981
Big Machines.......Awsome Power! I worked on and around 2 BU 199s out of Klamath California in the 70's and 80's. One was bought new in 1974 and the other in 1977. I started my real yarder logging career on the new 77 machine. It had a big Cat.......believe it was a D398? Inch &1/2 Skyline 1 inch skidding line and 5000 feet of 1 inch haulback. Man would she pull! We were logging old growth Redwood and Doug Fir, 1 & 3/8 bull chokers by the truckloads until we finally learned the ropes. Alot of good memories.....
I graduated High School at 120 lbs...by the time I was working on the 199 I was up to 130.......man what a workout! My only other experience with yarders was about 15 days highleading with an old Washington TL 15 with an old Cummins. The learning curve was real steep. As was the ground.......sure miss those days...
So, I have a question about guyline knobs/screwy bells vs. eyes......is it just a preference? Or is it handier to just have eyes. You can splice an eye much easier than pouring new knobs. Eyes are probably easier to inspect than knobs when lookin for wear. Also, do you have special shackles for adding guyline extensions? All the machines I worked on had knobs & double enders for extensions except the old Washington TL 15. We just had a 20 foot section off the gantry we hooked to a D8 winchline...our mobile guyliing stump.
Another thing I found in Valemount BC, the interior, about 300KM's south of Prince George. Now from what I remember it was an SY-3, but I couldn't get out and take any pictures, I will next time.
In the NW, Weyco forbids screwy hooks on guylines. It is a safety concern relating to alignment of the bell to the yarder. The bell can cutoff the guywire at the stump if placed wrong. Integrity of the cast knobs is another concern. If they are done correctly and relubed to prevent rusting of the strands where they enter the casting metal in the knob then they are fine. Done correctly means that you do the following: clean 6 inches of the cable end where the knob will go with a solvent (like gasoline) and a paint brush. Also clean the knob and place it on the cable correctly. Next clamp the cable vertical in a vice so you can easily fray out the strands and the core for 3 inches or so. Remove from vice and clean the frayed ends of all cosmoline and oils again and allow to drip dry. Slide the knob up near it's final location and Submerge the end of the cable and knob in muriatic acid for 30 sec. Next you neutralize the acid by submerging the end in water and place it back in the vice without clamping completely. With a wide face hammer, tap the frayed ends into the knob until they are nearly even with the outer end of it. Raise the cable an inch or so and clamp the vice. Wrap plumbing oakum or fiber glass insulation around cable at base of knob, secured by small wire to prevent socket metal from running through knob and falling on your foot. Once the socket metal is freely molten in the crucible, preheat the knob and then the frayed wires contained within the tapered section of the knob. When you are sure that everything is just toasty, slowly pour a small amount into the knob. Let the small first pour solidify for a few moments, then fill it up slowly while tapping knob to prevent air pockets. Allow knob to cool, rinse in water, air dry with blow gun, soak with WD 40, dip in thin oil and smear with cosmoline. Eyes are harder to drag around with the pokey/stab you strands protruding. I use both knobs and eyes with shackles and a combo of both sometimes on 1 1/8 guyline extensions
You're exactly right about how the knobs go on. Ive worked at both rigging shops in the Eugene/ Springfield area and it's a long drawn out process. Quicker to throw the line in a vice and throw a three tuck in it.
That GT-3 was formerly owned bu Ladimer from Randle. I have cut wood for that yarder for both owners.
That is Eddie Gould (Gould-Sunrise) that ownes it now but it was bought from Bill Gould (Gould & Sons). Space is rented to Billy Gould,Joe Inman and Justin Pitts also there.
I worked under this tower in '93. "Spermin' Hermin" was the engineer and Howards son Beau was on that side also. Dennis Messner was hooking and Tom Ross was running that 229. Tom passed in 95 in an ATV accident near headquarters weyco camp. The last job this tower did was Donkey creek outside humptulips.
This 737 was previously owned by the Grim brothers out of estacada oregon before Mile Pihl bought it in 2000. I think the pic is off of the scappose/vernonia highway on a private 160 acre piece bought by Fred Bender (Pihl's backer) that Jack Trimmer,Kevin Wisdom and myself cut. It was very steep (70+%) just off the landing and there was an old crown z road below it with houses across it. The timber was 38-50" on the stump and we were getting 3-4 long logs and a chunk out of it. After that private piece was finished we cut the fibre job that bordered it. That is when Fudge got their first feller buncher.
Aaron weaver had this machine and logged for Olympic Resource managment in the harbor and morton areas. He fell off of his shovel and hiyt his head in 05 and wasn't found until the next day by his crew. He had to sell all of his iron except the yarder as he went thru rehab and doctors treatment. He is doing better as I cut with him in 07 and wasn't passing out randomly anymore.
Most of the towers I've seen had knobs on the ends of the guylines, and the stubs had a knob on one end with an eye in the other. The knob end connected to the guyline with a screwy hook, and the eye end went around the stump with a guyline sleeve shackle in the eye. They used to do knobs the old way here, as well as using them split spiral things that I'ANCO sold. They put the knob on the line, then spread the strands and put the spiral thing in, and hammered the knob over it. Can't remember what them things are called!
We just called them quick knobs.......we used them on bull lines, chokers, droplines, but never did use them on guylines. All our guylines and stubs had poured knobs. I never saw one fail......of course you had to keep track of all your double enders and screwy hooks when setting up & tearing down like everything else.
Actually the guyline and stub are connected via "Double ender". The Screwy hook is for fastening the stub to the stump.
Quickfix knob ?
Quickee knobs are not code for guylines, or skyline extensions. There are two sizes of double-enders, The larger one will handle the larger knobs designed for the screwy hooks.
It would be interesting to get some feedback on set up time for eyes vs knobs (furrules). Down here for guylines pressed eyes are used pretty much exclusively. Our guylines must be replaced every so often and the date is pressed into the tellerate for the pressed eye. There are special shackles available for choking guylines to stumps but most just use regular eye pin shackles. Most of the time my guylines are shackles direct to the blade of a bulldozer for quick rope shifts, however, this is not always possible.
I agree with you 100% Tree Farmer...........I've never seen a quick knob used for a guyline. Only poured knobs & double enders. I've seen quick knobs fail........never had a poured knob fail. I've used both sizes of double enders & screwy hooks. Never had one cut a guyline.....but one always has to check guyline stumps once they are all tight to check for any in a cutoff situation. Guyline anchors need to be checked periodically. Too often they are negelected........the results can be catastrophic.
Anyone have any pictures of a BU95? I worked on one in 1989 & 1990. I only have one picture but it is not very good. It had a Cat D343 for power, a 90' nontelescoping tube that once laid in the cradle had a hydraulic motor that would rack the tower back about 12-15'. It was trailer mounted with 6 guylines. Each guyline drum had its own hydraulic motor. This machine had its drawbacks, but we still got a lot of logs with it. It was sold in the mid nineties after I had left the company.....I heard it went to someplace in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Ok Gentlemen...........how on earth do you load pictures onto a post? You guys must be geniuses.......Not only can you guys get logs, load logs, truck logs, but you can also operate a computer!!! Give me a saw or a cat or yarder & I can get a lot done, but trying to figure how to load a picture from a disk takes at least a masters degree........I don't got one....any hints? I stuck the disk in the thingy.......it makes a whirring sound & I can get pictures on my screen.........the thread asks for a jpg or a puc or something number...how the heck should I know? I know I'm a dipstick when it comes to computers, but geez........I'm like way lost...
So I have never worked on or even been around a BU-739 though I'd sure like too........So I've not been able to locate the tagline (or utility) drum on the 739 from the pictures on here. On the BU-199, the tagline is on the side opposite the haywire (strawline) drum. It makes for a real wide drumset. When moving over the highway it takes up all of one lane plus some. If memory serves me right it was close to 16' wide. We used the tagline drum alot for storing extra haywire...........If the chaser was hanging out on that side of the yarder he can use the haywire from the tagline drum to make his coils. It was also quite useful for pulling guylines & extensions up the hill. 1 & 1/2" cable gets real heavy.......
Tag on the BU-739 The optional tag on the BU-739 is placed in front and on the top of the skyline drum. I know how to get the pic's out on the net, but not how to sort them... Pic 1 shows straw on BU-739, on the left side. Pic 2 shows drum capasities, pics 3 and 5 show's the optional slackpulling drum and pic 4 shows left side of BU-739. Pictures are of Basco's yarder, it have not the optional tag drum.
Some more BU-739 and 199 It's some pretty wide drums on the BU-199 - specs on top. Compare with the BU-98! Mid pictures show the tag on the right side of yarder and straw on the left.
I struggled for 2 months before I found out I needed to resize the pic's to max 640 pixels on one side. This you can do by opening the pic's in the program Paint. If you are on a little more basic level than that, you can send the pic's to me, and I will put them out. I'll pm my email. Or you can try getting some help, people under 25 is usually pretty good on managing pictures. I really looking forward to see some of your pictures!
By the way, here's a BU-739, with slackpulling drum (not mounted) for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/Skagit-739-slac...573?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35b3128325 . It has been some pic's of this machine in this tread before, tower is shortened to 70' but machine comes with an 110' or 120' spar included. For that price, if I had the money, I should have bought it, brought it to Norway and parked it just outside town with the tower rised as a tourist attraction!
I am friends with the owner of that machine and am considering purchase of it. I just need a certain timber company to commit to 1 year of yarding and I'm on it.
That's the one up next to exit 57 on I5 right? Next to the TY80 formerly owned by Weyco-Raymond.
Thats the one.
I've got some heavy blocks you could hang on it that we don't use in the rock pit anymore. Couple of full-framed Skookum 2216s, a Lamb 320, some other old blocks made out of Hoquiam with what appears to be a stamped frame. It could look pretty cool.
You wanna sell any of them...????
If you wanna buy the yarder I'll throw them in
Get ta work John!!! And I am waiting on a verdict from the timber company before saying "Yes" to the old girl........lol
Kiwi BU737 Very nice old girl.
This Skagit 739 (as featured in post #168) has been saved from the torches, a buyer was found. Tom Arnold Logging is buying the machine for use in the upcoming Condit Dam removal project. Says they're going to ferry 20,000Lb loads across a distance of 600ft. He's taking it with the 75ft tube that is currently mounted, Ed didn't want the taller tube or the conventional axles that I had included in the auction.
Skagit SY2
Anyone have any info on the 739 that was owned by "Gilkenson & Dad" (D!ck Gilkenson) from the springfield oregon area...????
Bu-99 hoist at McPaul's in centralia
I hauled logs for the Gilkison's and I want to say their Skagit was a 737. I haven't been around them since they got their Thunderbird, but next time I see Bret I'll quiz him about their Skagit.
It was a 739 as I was interested in it when they were selling, The reason they sold it was that the TY-90 was a one piece move and they didn't have to yank the hoist. It was a really clean and nice machine that was going for a great price. Just curious where it may have gone or if it was even a logger anymore. Thanks!!
The GT-3 in this picture does belong to Levanen. They bought it from Buckhorn Logging in Kalispell, MT. Buckhorn is who painted it TB colors, the machine was original Skagit colors when it came to Montana from northern California.
tes
Wow that's an old thread Eric, forgot about that one? Where does Levanen usually work? I see your machine from my house with binoculars.
BU80 parked at rest stop This evening I was headed home from work and spotted this beaut parked in the rest stop just north of Vancouver, WA.
More pics
That is Canyon creeks old yarder. The operator "Hermie" used to think it was funny to bounce soup cand,banana peels,soda cans,ect off of my hard hat when I was chasing. He didn't do it anymore after I hung the lock thru the hasp of his door and filled my 064's muffler with bar oil and smoked the cab out from underneath. He couldnt get out and the guarding on the windows prevented him from getting much air. He nearly died in there as I burned a whole muffler full of oil into the cab. Needless to say the lil b*****d quit screwing w/me!! BME from Lacenter owns that yarder now and it is pretty rough shape from when Howard Rogers had it. Blake Lampert of BULL-IT logging had it after Howard and gave it to Bill Paulson for his bill when he shutdown his outfit. Blake works for B&M now.
Note to self: Don't screw with Hallback. ROFL. My favorite 'harmless' prank back in the days of manual oilers... was to shoot several squirts of bar oil on to the chain as the saw idled, then aim it at the backside of an unsuspecting coworker, and goose the throttle. I could lay a mean oil slick down with a little practice.....
As of this morning it was gone. Oh well no more pictures, at least we know whose it was and who has it now.
Check out post #118 on this thread for more pictures of that machine.
Skagit SY-717 Finally able to post this pic,after being told is for sure a SY-717,didnt know what it was till now.Thanks to "Rusty Grapple" telling SPMiller telling me.
I didn't realize you were looking for info on it until he mentioned it to me last night. :beatsme I have always been told that they only built 6 of these on that Chapman crawler. You have one of those here! Also, I've seen most of the SY-717's and never seen one with the high cab like yours- it's probably the only one like this around. You have a really neat find here and nice clear pics too! Most of the SY-717's I've been around were on the tank bottom. The Chapman-mounted machines I've seen are in much rougher condition than your machine too. That's a great find indeed!:notworthy
Another Skagit SY-717 on Chapman I just found these and they're lousy shots compared to yours Skadill. I had to clean them up bigtime and added my logo for later, not realizing I'd be posting them here tonight. It shows the factory cab configuration if nothing else. This machine was in the Palmer, Washington area on the Green River around 1993.
Skagit SY-717 on the Tank Bottom Here's the tank version of that SY-717. Tank was heavier- a good thing for stability, but bad mechanically. Hard to steer and always having track problems.
Cecil Walker's machine. isx
Cecil Walker's machine isx
Here is an old Skagit on a truck thats at Brooks, Oregon at the Pacific Northwest Logging Museaum.
SY 717 Skagits Simpson had 2 SY 717 Skagits on tank bottoms here in northern Cal out of Korbel in the 80's. They've been traded off years ago......don't know where they went. They ran both grapples and msp carriages on them.
Love the pictures sure brings back some memories. I had a BU 30-F it was a little different, the haywire drum was on the main drum shaft. Made the haywire really slow,took forever for a road change. Dad also had a GMC truck of the same model that this yarder is mounted on, he repowered it with a 4-71 and it was yellow. Wow I had better not sit around too much or somebody will stick me in a museum.
I remember both of those machines. After the auction they were shipped to Eugene where Ross did some mechanical work and painted them both. They had operator's cabs on them a little different than all the other SY-717's I've been around. Sadly, Wershow-Ash-Lewis didnt ever publish details or serial numbers in thier auction brochures, and I wasnt smart enough to get them myself either.... They were auctioned at Arcata with all the Dutra trucks in a monster-sized truck sale. Lots of gear in that auction! Sorry for the quick-pics here, I'm off to a meeting and didnt have time to deal with the scanner!
Skagit SY 717 Yarders Thanks for the clarification on where the two 717's went Mr Grapple, I assumed they were traded off. I spent hours and hours chasing those yarders around. I was facinated by these small, agile, "super fast" (I was comparing them to a Skookum Tyee and 199's I was on at the time) Yarders. Every yarder I had worked on was big and heavy, not fast at all by todays standards. I had never seen grapple logging before that time. They were learning at the time, they had just moved Korbel from old growth to a second growth operation. Cool stuff.......
Well, other than saving the auction flyer and noticing the machines at Eugene, I didn't do you much good. I suspect the big auction was a trucker's affair, and the logging machinery wasn't bringing any money at the sale. I suspect Ross saw this and snapped those machines up cheap thinking cleanup and resale would be quick and profitable. This was about the time Ross was selling overseas hot and heavy, and because I've not run across these yarders again or since, I suspect they went down under to Australia or New Zealand possibly. If yarders were in the Pacific Northwest somwhere I usually knew about them through my natures of work and travel. I have recently seen many machines on this 'Forum' currently down under that I last saw at Ross in Eugene being painted and prepped, so maybe and hopefully they will turn up again and we'll finally solve another 'mystery of the disappearing yarder' case! Fingers crossed!
Bu 70 Layed up during a downturn. Tidy BU 70 with 50' tower
Clean little yarder I like the looks of that BU70. I've never worked on or around one, but it looks like it is a quick one piece mover. Lay the tower in the cradle, drop the outrigger pads, back the truck under and go! I suppose the top half of the cab has to be removed for highway transport, but still quick to move. With the tower being one piece (non-telescopic) your guylines stay spooled much better. It looks like 6 guyliines? With a telescoping tube it's much more difficult (time consuming) to keep guylines spooled correctly. You gotta work at it. Thanks for the pictures, you have any of it working? Do you (or they) Highlead or skyline with it? If so, what kind of carriage? Is that an 1 & 1/8 machine? What's the reach on her? What she have for power, the tranny? You see, I have lots and lots of questions..........thanks for the pics. She's so sweet.
Hey R C wasn't there a 70 or 80 parked at the old gas station by murphys about 6 years ago or so.it was on the other side of the highway by hoovens yard for a while
Sorry RC, thats all I know, other than she is owned by a gent up Gisborne way, and leased to a contractor in Masterton. Will take a closer look, next time I pass by, and report back.
The owner is a family friend and yes from up Gissy way. He was the polytech tutor. This machine sat for a long time before coming down to the Wairarapa. It is powered by a 6V Detroit. I suspect a 71 and has a two speed trans. It is a highlead machine but has the mounting on the tower for skyline sheave. Was it just a matter of changing the rear drum rope to go skyline with these machines? From memory it had an inch main on it.
The only 717 that came to New Zealand had a hydraulic undercarrage. Sorry you have drawn a blank with us as well. Kiwi Logger was going to get us some current pictures. It is freashly painted Thunderchicken Tan.
Disappearing 717 Skagits Thanks Mr. Furpo, you are correct, that is not one of the 717's from northern Cal. Both of these were on tanks, and the cab was much like, if not exactly like the standard Skagit cab with the leaned forward front windshield. The search goes on.......... On that BU70, that "back drum" being your haulback would become the skidline if you were to skyline with it. If it had the skidline fairlead in the tower, just thread the haulback through and you are in em! I ran a BU90 like that for several years. I can't see from the picture if the haulback drum is over or underwound, probable over. It makes a difference, in a hard pull there was a good chance it may lift the back outrigger pads off their blocking. The BU90 did this quite a bit, not enough weight and too much leverage. Anyway, she sure is a sweet looking tower. Half a world away, and I'm drooling........
Hi pal! Thank yoy for all your interesting posts! Only wish someone could teach you how to post pictures, I know you have some!!
Howdy there my Nordic Friend...... Thank you for your nice compliment......my crew thinks I just babble on & on too much! Yes, if you could teach my low tech mind to high tech picture post, I'd love to share the pics I have. Some I do not have permission from the machines owner, so out of respect for them, I will not be posting those. I have pictures, the quality is poor on most of them, ( high tech camera, low tech operator). But I'll still share them. I have pics of a BU95, Washington trackloader, 717 Skagit, and one I think will test everyones yarder I'ding ability. I got some of my pics on disc, but ran into difficulty sizing them. I read the "help" thread, but don't quite get it. My hat is definetley off to you high tech dudes out there.......
High tech and high tech... and what's that to know the rigging of a BU199?... I'll drop by next time I'm in California (not too often, but was there last year...) and teach you!
Last I knew a guy out of Libby Mt. had 4 717's (I know the guy personally but don't know the serials of the machines he had.) I have "Lucky number 13" sitting in my shop lot and know for a fact they only made 15 of the 717's. The original build sheet for mine was for Stimpson down in California.
When i worked for B&M we rigged alot of them i only seen one on a road and a tail tree, but they always told me a story about 3 intermediates and 1 tail tree. I have never seen a Bowman that could go over one we always had to use and Eagle.
Welcome to the Forum Shawgo12! Howdy Sir, and welcome to the forum. After five or so posts, you can post pictures if you have any, or borrow! We'd love to see'em... got any of their yarders? I believe they have or had two 739's and a 737 or two? Or how about the intermediate support systems? Take care.
I was ther on a training tour in 1962 was a aprentic meckanic for finning who was a skajit dealer. latter years overhauled a few of the ford (lincon) y blocks from sj4s,usually due to over speed,.cliff
I accually worked under this yarder i am pretty sure before it made it to New Zealand. It use to be yellow and black as are all of B&Ms skagits, this was a real nice yarder i believe it was bought from weyerhauser. It even had A/C i dont think it ever worked but it had it. This is by far the best Butt rigging machine i ever worked on. Just querius have you guys had any problems with it?
Hi, Stumbled upon this site by accident. My dad worked at Skagit (weld shop) for many years (all the way up to when the plant closed). Nice to see a large collection of pictures of Skagit equipment! If anyone has photos they would like to donate the Sedro-Woolley Museum would take great care of them for you! Sedro-Woolley Museum
I have.... Life member!
Ooops I thought I hit quote... Last post was in response to a post on the first page. "Great set as always.I bet there are not many readers on here, who have heard of Sedro Wooley!" :Banghead
Bu-90-cu This one is located in Deming Washington at the Logging Show Grounds.
Thank you WrzWaldo........ I love the pics of the BU 90, she is a real beauty. I worked on one here in northern Cal for a couple of years. It did not have the telescoping tube, it was a two piece 90 footer. There's an article of it in Loggers World, I don't remember the date, been a few years ago. CL would know. It logged what was known as the Basin Tree. There was an argument around this country for years of the Basin trees actual diameter at breast height. Old growth Redwood has alot of butt swell due in part to the massive weight, trunk taper needed, and the extensive root system required to support a huge tree. Anyway, the argument was whether it was 22-28 feet in diameter at breast height. The tree was left in the north fork drainage of the Mad river as the rest of the area around it was logged. It was assumed it was rotten and would splinter into a mountain of kindling. It blew down in a big windstorm years later. It actually saved out pretty well. I would suggest reading the article, you'll like it! To the story of the BU 90....... The timber company decided to harvest the windfall and get what they could out of it. If you can get your hands on the article, you really should read it. It is so cool........ The BU 90 was set up and logged this huge tree. Many of the cuts had to be quartered to be yarded. Some cuts were too big to load with the log loader, so they loaded them with the yarder. My Son works for the timber company and recently had to work in the basin, he had to work at it, but he found the root wad to the tree, as you can guess, it was huge, even though it split in pieces. I was not working for this outfit at the time they logged the Basin Tree, I came along years later. It is astounding what loggers can do when they are challenged with HUGE tasks. Loggers are some of the finest men on the planet. Read about it in Loggers World!
Another BU 90 Found this near Peaceful Valley WA. It was in some kind of loggers park that had seen better days. Is the loader a Bantam?
Yep, looks like a Bantam 366, it has the dual stacks for the 6v53 series Jimmy. They were a good little loader at the time. There were half a dozen in use here in northern Cal. that I know of. Haven't seen any in years. Most were on tracks, one company had a couple on 4 axle carriers. I think they were Pierce carriers. I still haven't seen any towers that were similar to the BU90 I worked on. The tube was two piece and had two large pins that held the halves together. You could knock one out and swing the top end of the tower around. The top of the tower would rest on the cradle. Each guyling had it's own large hydraulic motor and there was another motor to rack the tower back. There was no hydraulic winch to raise the tower. It had a hyd. gantry setup which lifted it to 70 degrees or so, the guylines lifted it the rest of the way. It was a good yarder for it's age. Thanks for sharing, brings back lots of memories........
That tower you speak of was a very early Skagit- only about 10 of those were built and sold. I have alot of pictures of that early tower-style but few scanned. This is an earlier machine (roughly 1962) than the one you are talking about and is still on the Skagit steel wheels. The tower and guylines- as you described are clearly visible. Photo is from my 'Skagit Collection' and one of several hundred old black&whites given to me by a friend who worked in 'Product Development' for Skagit. I am holding these pictures back for a future 'Skagit' book project and have put very few of them on the internet (just 5 or 6) for that reason.
Yep, that's it, all except the steel wheels and the booster setup. Big hyd. motors, twin lifting cylinders to lift the tower, and the squared off hinge pin at the base of the tower which allowed it to be racked back. That worked great for getting around switchbacks, it reduced the length of the pole out front. We moved ours with either a Pete or an old Mack on the front and an old HD21 Allis chalmers with a Buda diesel and later with a Komatsu 155. Both were set up to hang the skyline off the bellypan with a notch cut into the top of the blade. The logger I worked for had 2 BU 90's and one BU 95. I ran the 95 out of Klamath, Cal in 1989-90. We had a block purchase setup on the haulback as our skidding line. The Skid drum on the 95 was not well suited to doing what it was meant to do, so we used the haulback. It pulled well and was fairly fast. The main problem was with the haulback drum so far aft on the machine, we could lift that end of the machine in a hard pull. You had to have an experienced yarder engineer. The BU 90 spent quite a few years logging out of Korbel, Cal. I knew that you would know exactly the machines I was sharing about, I figured you had pics too. Glad to hear about the future book, I'm on the list of buyers, keep us posted. Thanks
Did I hear the words "Skagit Book"??? GREAT - I'll definetely buy one!
Me too where do we sign up
Older Skagit Carriers & Towers Thanks for posting a pic of this machine (carrier & tower), I knew at the time it was much older than the T110HD's that the 199's had that I'd worked on, but it really worked well. It was way faster to set up & get on the wood, no telescoping, just pull onto the pad, level it with the jacks, rack the tower ahead, then the tower raised very fast, pull 'er up with the front two guylines and go logging!! When I first started with this machine, I was nervous about only 6 guylines. This meant there was 60 degrees of separation in a perfect setup. I was used to 45 degree separation with an eight guyline tower. But as with any new setup, ease in to it, figure it out....... and then it's time to load her up boys....lets get some wood!! I absolutely loved the skidding line sheave mounting. As your picture shows, it is way down on the tower which meant lots of separation between the skyline and skidding line = very few wraps. The few times we did wrap the skidding line it takes some doing to get it straight. If you were using the motorized carriage, we'd just stop the carriage, clamp the skyline and pull gently on the skidding line. With the drift carriage we had to drop the turn on the ground, go ahead on the skidding line easy & she'd clear...........guess you can see I still miss the old girl...........20 years later. Mr. CL.......er......Mr. Grapple, do you or anyone out there have any history on the BU95? I have never seen or heard of another one. The owner I worked for bought her used. She was a good machine for her age, she had her issues, but she got the wood. Thanks again for the pics and all the history...... By the way, I've spoken to my old boss, the owner of this machine, he's got pics he said he'd share.... he's now 93.......so hopefully I'll learn how to post'em to share
Skagit GT-3 Shared photo
hi new guy on here. i've been on this site so much since i found it my wife of 35 years is threating to leave me over it. i grew up in a 950 gmc in the late 50's riding with my dad. all i wanted to do was truck one thing lead to another and by late 80's i was logging to truck. wish i would have payed more attenion to some of the old equipment back in the day. anyway have any of you heard of a skagit bu 101. thanks for all the great stuff on here brings back a lot of memorys.
Welcome and glad you registered. Nice to see someone from the harbor on here. I spent my high school years in Ocean Shores.
Skagit BU-101 Hello kw60- I haven't been on here in a bit due to traveling alot but just got on and saw your post. Skagit built only 2 BU-101 winches- both were built for Simpson Timber to use in the Olympics- I believe one went to Grisdale and the other to Govey. These were amazing machines, and FAST- designed for shotgun yarding long distances. They were only 2 yarding drums- a Skyline drum and a skidding drum, and not only did these machines have a full transmission, but they had water-cooled 2-speed drums on them. The technology built into those drums was amazing in itself and a friend of mine owns what's left of one of the drumsets today. These yarders were sold by Simpson at the big Ritchie Bros auction when Grisdale closed, and Ross Equipment wound up with them after the auction. They were mounted on Skagit T-110 8-guyline trailers and Ross split the trailers/hoists up and sold them all seperately. Sadly, these machines are gone but will never be forgotten. I have a few pictures of them around someplace- I'll see what I can find. I dont think any brochures/promotional material was ever published by Skagit for these yarders, at least I've never found any (and I've looked hard). I last saw the bones of the first BU-101 (Serial Number A1) in September of 2011- here's a picture I took that day of the 'builders plate'.
BU 199's...........Where are they all now? So I was wondering if it were possible to learn where all of the BU 199's (all 13) went when they were sold new, and where they might be now. Mr. CL. posted a partial answer on page 7 of this thread....3 made it to Vancouver Island, Fred Moe from Chelalis, Washington had 2, Mike Graves of Mollala, Oregon had 1, the 2 that Simpson had were originally bought by Arcata Redwood Co. of Arcata, California. These were the two I worked on in the 70's and 80's. Simpson bought Arco out in 1989 I believe and the towers went with the deal of course. Louisiana Pacific also had 1 out of Big Lagoon, California. That makes 9.....anyone else out there know about any? Mr. CL also said that the Mike Graves machine is (or was) in a BC rockpit now dragling. The 2 Fred Moe machines are (or were) looking for work in high grass at the Chehalis shop....you can see pics of these 2 on Rusty Grapples web site. I believe I read somewhere that Mike Walch also had 1. Correct me if that is not the case. I am still working on getting pictures of the two 199's that I worked on, haven't had any luck yet. I know they are out there, you can't spend $400,000 in 1974 dollars and $600,000 in 1977 dollars on a machine that beautiful and not take pictures. Just because I wasn't smart enough.......someone else had to be!! As soon as I locate them, I will hire someone above the dipstick intelligent level to help me put them on here! They drug way too many huge turns in to not be documented here. I would appreciate any and all help to fill in the huge blanks to the history of these magnificent machines.
I rembember 1 at auction in eugene belive murrey auction was originaly owned by christion bros.i think the story was they sold out and the people who bought them went under. several yarders of theres were there even a skideel.
Redwood Climber regarding 199 Skagits: I remember three 199's in the Eugene area at one time. One was owned by TM&R, I don't know any history of where they got it or where it went, only that it was powered by a 16V71 detroit. Two others were owned by Clausen Christian, Future Logging. One was bought at the Laird Logging auction in Lakeside by Clausen, it was powered by a V-12 Cummins and was yellow. The other one came from John Tack it also had a 16V71. I have a picture of the engine and trans when it was overhauled for John Tack, at that time twin turbos were added. I hope this might help. Sorry I can't figure out how to erase my brother from the picture!
I wish I knew exactly where these machines went, and where they are today. We have struggled to come up with Skagit's records and serial number lists but so far not much luck. I've been asking people these same questions since about 1985 and everybody has a different answer and admits they don't clearly remember. The general consensus is that there were 13, and at one point in the later 1980's I was standing on what was supposed to be the first one built (near Scappoose Oregon and in a rock pit with blackberries growing over it). The drum arrangement and line capacities were a little different on this machine and I cannot remember the details and like a complete moron I did not take pictures or write anything down. I was in a hurry moving something and told myself I would go back on a better day. I did, but was unable to find the place and have not been able to since. There were 3 big Skagit's there rusting in those weeds that day. I have scoured Google Earth and see nothing out there now (was between Hwy 30 and the river, out on a big flat plateau- it was a very inconspicuous spot). Probably a housing development by now. The Fred Moe machines were scrapped, and I recently heard the big orange/white machine that I saw auctioned at Chemainus about 2004 was also scrapped. I hope this information is incorrect. I wish I could be of more help. I have been told there are 2 BU-199's working on the Southern Oregon Coast, but I have requested pics and none ever seem to arrive. We'll see. If not for these mysteries, then what would keep us going? Sometimes it's fun to still be curious and wonder- at least for me it is. Like I've always said, for every answer I can give I have a hundred questions to follow it with....I'm counting on all you guys to help me learn! Sometimes one picture will answer 10 questions. Other times, it just raises 20 new ones. I still have lots of questions.
Skagit BU-199 at Mike Graves Sorry if I've posted this before, but this is the last picture I took of Mike Graves' Skagit BU-199. It was taken in 1988 near Randle, Washington on a USFS sale Mike was logging for Stimson Timber of Forest Grove, Or. Not long after this yarder came to Alaska (Hobart Bay) where Mike was working for Klukwan Forest Products. When Mike quit the yarder went to Canada and Mike went back to Oregon.
Skagit BU-199 at Louisiana Pacific- Big Lagoon, California This is the LP machine as seen in 1975-
Skagit BU-199 at Chaemainus Auction (2004, TimberWest) Here's the orange/white machine that was auctioned at Chemainus, BC. I heard recently that this machine was scrapped but don't know for sure. That smaller machine to the left is a Skagit BU-739 on T-110HD Self-Propelled.
Skagit BU-199 for sale at Ross Equipment Eugene, 1991- I caught this machine at Ross in Eugene about 1991 and I took a whole roll (roughly 24) of pictures but cannot seem to find them. I remember it clearly, and had just 2 of these pics in a Skagit photo album so for now that's all I have. This machine was featured in many Ross ads that year in the various magazines. I'll be somewhat frustrated until those other pics turn up. They're in a file-box here someplace I'm sure......
Skagit BU-199 Spec Sheet I guess I'll close the evening with this- the Skagit BU-199 Spec Sheet. The most impressive statistic of course is the ability of the hoist to spool and store 2,800 feet of 1 1/2" skyline on the drum- that's big line! Also- the footprint of the hoist itself: 25 feet long and 14 feet wide. Nearly 80,000 lbs without line, fuel, water, etc- good times. As a logger knows, you can hang as far as you need with extensions and hanging distances with this machine is limited mostly by tailhold ability.
Still missing them 199's Thank you kw60, lg junior & Rusty Grapple for the input on the 199's. Thanks for the pics, I have seen all of them before, but I don't tire of seeing them. When I was working on them back then I knew they were huge, some of the largest yarders made. We had to tear one of them down to move from Redwood Creek to Klamath, Ca. The US government decided that we needed to lock up all the old growth Redwood in the Redwood Creek drainage so they spent $600,000,000 dollars (yes that's 600 million dollars) of OUR money to put US out of work. It's called the Redwood National Park. Aka the unemployment park. Funny, almost 30 years later and I still can't let it go..... anyway we had to slide the hoist off onto a lowbed, pull the guyline blocks, jerk the tower off. It went on a long logger with a bunk load of logs, pinned the gooseneck onto the carrier, (this was a self propelled carrier), pulled the steering tires, hook it up to a truck and away we went northbound to Klamath. Crossing the Klamath river bridge the utility drum (extra haywire drum on right side) nearly scraped the bridge railing the whole way. It looked like that thing was 16 feet wide... but I believe it was 14 foot. We got to Klamath and put her back together. It joined the other 199 they had bought new and was delivered there. Had I been smart enough to take pictures I could have shared many many amazing things with you folks. Sure wish I had. Keep up the search boys, we may just find some of them yet, hopefully they aren't all doomed to be Chinese steel......
Wonderfull! So now we are at least 4 or maybe even 5 people on the earth's surface looking for BU199's! Like Rusty Grapple I've also been trawling Google Earth looking for some of these machines! I'we also been looking for the Arcata/Simpson Madill 044 with no luck. OK - what I do now is making a list of all known observations of BU-199's and we try filling it out. Rusty Grapple - the 199 in Chemainus is NOT the same as the scrapped MMB BU-99 I have brought some pictures of. I have also some some specs on what I believe to be the Timber West Chemainus yarder from a source in Campbell River, it seems to have been overhauled in the US pretty close prior to the auction. May this machine be the same as Mike Graves? Did you search for a production list in the Skagit archives - do you think it would be possible to find?
I found the paper on the BU-199 from Campbel River. It was earlier than I thought, from october 1999. It also had a sliding cab and must have been in fantastic condition: This machine was MacMillan Bloedell Eve River J104, BU-199 Skagit Longline. According to the MMB Eve River shop it was stripped bare and rebuilt from the ground up by JD & Sons Heavy Equipment Repair in Eugene, Oregon just before it was sold: Tower rebuilt and magna fluxed. Fairleads rebuilt. New hydraulic motor for guylines Guyline block pennant lines replaced New tension meter (skyline) Winch: Haulback shaft replaced (Mermos machine shop) Skyline shaft replaced Skid line shaft replaced PIP shaft replaced 2 new brake flanges All clutches rebuilt All brake bands relined HB upgraded to 324 Eaton (new) Remaining water cooled brakes rebuilt (Eaton) gears rebanded and rehubbed as required New winch drive chain New down drive chain Engine replaced, new Cummins KTA600 Trans rebuilt, DDA, Campbell River New radiators All hoses and valves replaced on winch All wiring and electrical replaced all hoses and valves replaced in cab Cab modified so it can be moved to either side of the pipe. Cab windows replaced. Carrier: New tires Diffs and planets rebuilt all brakes done Steering axles rebuilt All air and hydraulic plumbing replaced All air valves & boosters replaced Angle drive rebuilt Air schedule updated to BC standards I can try finding out where this machine went when it was sold.
I'm trying to make a little table of the info I have found on 199's: 1 Lousianna Pacific, Big Lagoon, CA #385 - same as in ad and maybe the first built, (same as RG saw in Scapoose?) 1 Eugene Ross 1991 picture in #387 may be same as lg junior mentions owned by TM&R - 16V71 ???? 2 Fred B. Moe, Chehalis - these are scrapped - Pictures in Rusty Grapples pbase-galleries 2 Arcata later Simpson 1974 mod and 1977 mod Cat D398? May these still be stored there at Simpsons? 1 Chemainus Auction, Timber West 2004 #386 1 Mike Graves, Randle, #384 first Alaska and then went to BC Rock pit (where?) 1 MMB Ever River Vancouver Island sold 1999 (I'll try contact seller in Campbell River about this) 2 Clausen Christian, Future Logging. 1 bought in Laird Lakeside auction, 1 from John Tack. Both yellow, 16V71's (lg junior) maybe working SW Oregon? 1 unknown in BC - MMB? 1 Mike Walch? This is 13 tough some machines may be mixed up. I guess Future Logging exists in Springfield, so it should be possible to get some more information about these two machines, and they may also be the ones RG have heard rumors about working on the South Oregon coast. I don't know Redwood Climber, if Simpsons could "store" these machines somewhere - Google Earth is very useful if we have some ideas where to look. Else the most probable fate for these yarders, if not scrapped is as dragline excavators. Hope to get some comments on this list.
This is good Torkel, the more info we can gather the better. There were many big Skagits that made thier way into Canada and at one point I was told that at least 4 of the BU-199's made thier way onto Vancouver Island. That BU-99 you have pics of is a different machine entirely and I suspect there were several of those up there as well. The orange/white BU-199 at Chemainus was reportedly bought by a scrapper at that auction and scrapped on-site several weeks after close of auction. Sad and hopefully not true. The machine Graves had was sold to the rock-people while still in Alaska and went straight from Hobart to the quarry where it supposedly still resides (again, heresay and without pics to substantiate that....) I was aware of Laird and TM&R having BU-99's but not 199's- I wonder also if there is some confusion among folks mistaking a BU-99 for a BU-199? They are both monsters but are designed quite differently and the BU-99 is an older and actually heavier machine than a BU-199- the 99 is much stouter and with larger gears, shafts, and frame design. The BU-99 is a much more desireable machine for the rock/dredge crowd due to the sheer ruggedness of the frame and size of the mechanical works. As for the Skagit Archives it was very disapointing in terms of build lists and serial number information- some early records (handwritten) but nothing at all from the era of the 1970's. I still do encourage you and/or Jeremy to have a look if the opportunity arises. The biggest eye-opener for me was that logging was a small segment of Skagit's business and that archive is full of more marine and oilfield equipment than anything else. In terms of logging, 90% of what was there I had actually already seen elsewhere and most of it I also have in my own collection... So, the search continues- BUT after all the search is half the fun, right? I was lucky to find all of you guys in my searching- and for that reason alone I am better for the search! The more I learn, the less I seem to know. Here are a couple more shots of the LP Big Lagoon machine for you guys-
Thank you TorkelH my Norway friend, lots of good Info there, I love the rebuild info on the 199 MMB had. I'll bet they spent a pretty penny on that! It must have been a later model, it had Eaton water cooled brakes. The two California machines both had Wichita brakes. I do remember we always had a rebuilt set ready to go as they needed repacing fairly often. CL informed us that the later models had the Eatons. As for Simpson "storing" the machines, extremely unlikely, it would be well known around here. My Son works there now and would know. Their history is that they use the machines until no longer needed, then either trade them in or Auction them. I do also know of a BU 99 here in Humboldt County that has not been used for a number of years, I have pictures of it, but I have not gotten the owners permission to post them yet. It logged all over the county here mostly on the Forest Circus. It also spent a couple of years logging in Klamath for Arcata Redwood and Simpson after they bought ARCO out. It was a HD110 self propelled machine also. I don't know what she had for power. There's not much paint left on her now. I believe the current owner bought her new.
RG has now found out that the Louisianna Pacific BU-199 is the same as Mike Graves and the same as the Timber West in Chemainus auction 2004! So the machine in post #384 to 386 is the same and probably also the same as in the Skagit BU-199 ad in post #393 (I see the ladder probably was rebuilt)! Redwood Climber, is it possible for you to contact someone at Simpson that may know something about what happened with their 199's? Ask at the same time about the 044 grapple yarder they had! Ask also if they happen to have some papers or books on some of these machines! I'll checked a little around and will hopefully get back with more info about the Vancouver Island big Skagits.
BU 199 History Search This is great guys, slowly maybe we can piece the picture together. I will check with the logging Super to find out what happened to the ARCO machines. I don't know many people from LP, but I'll check that also. So Mike Graves must have bought the LP machine after the Government took the last of LP's old growth in the Redwood National Park expansion. They were already moving into their second growth timber and expanded it after that. Simpson bought the last 50,000 acres of LP's timberland and the pulp mill was sold to someone else. LP is no longer here on the north coast of Cal. So now we know the LP machine went to Mike Graves, who took it to Alaska, then it went to rock pit in BC where we believe it is still. Anyone from BC have pictures or knowledge of this machine?? If any of this is incorrect or incomplete, please fill in the blank spots or line us out.... Cool. 12 more to go. I'm not positive, but I had also heard that LP had a Washington 217.......detective work to be done on the Washington thread.......Yes!
I wonder if this 99 is the one that Wayne Stone just brought up to Oregon and rebuilt? It came from somewhere in Northern California.
same BU 99 JeremyM70. Was owned by Bill Wold from hoopa, ca. he bought it around 1973 from E.E.(chic) Lucas from seiad valley, ca.
Skagits I set chokers on the J-104 at Eve River in 1997. Don't have any pictures of it though sadly enough. What about the Skagits that were at Kelsey Bay? The J-20 has been well documented on here, Kelsey Bay to Sprout Lake and then to The Duke. How about the J-23 and J-22?
Interesting post on this thread. Chic Lucas took over the contract logging for Hy Ridge Lumber Co in Seiad Valley, CA from my Dad and his partner (Anderson and Neuenschwander) somewhere around 1960? as best I can recall and from talking to my brother who lives in Yreka, CA. I can recall seeing a high lead tower at the Lucas shops on the East end of Seiad Valley and later he moved his shop operation out to Yreka where Lucas got pretty large and my brother tells me he might have had three towers near the end. He was running so many sides that he had a helicopter to go back and forth. Unfortunately he was a bit over extended when the log market dropped off probably around 1973 or so and a lot of equipment was being sold to try and keep afloat. My dad started logging for J.F Sharp Lumber Co in Yreka and at one time had a Skagit machine, either a J4, or a J8 but they had a lot of trouble with it and didn't keep it long. After that he never bid on a high lead sale and I know that at one point down the Klamath River up on Cade Mountain on the Seattle Creek sale an outfit from Medford named Klein was operating a tower because I watched them a few times. Don't have any pictures and don't recall what make it was, this was about 1960, or 61 This didn't really add anything to the thread, but it brought back some memories of when the Klamath River country was really booming with logging activity. I have some photos of the Skagit yarder and someone may be able to tell what model it was, although the photo does not show the entire machine.
Bu 99 No, it's a different machine. The Wayne Stone machine is a BU 98, an 1 & 3/8 inch machine, it is now for sale, it is a beautiful machine. There is an article I read in timberwest magazine, (you can read it online) that said they purchased it at auction for $500.00!! They spent big bucks getting her ready to log. The California machine was still there in August 2011 when I got the pictures. The BU 99 was a bigger machine, but they used the same carriers and towers.
Here's a picture of the Bill Wold BU-99 in California taken the first week of February, 2012. Lines have been removed, and by the end of this day the yarder was in several pieces headed North in it's own 'convoy'. It has since had some work done, been stripped and repained (blue/white) and was reassembled on it's first Oregon job just this week. I'd say by Thursday she'll be yarding logs. The machine looks absolutely fantastic and I know a bunch of us hope Jeremy can quickly get some Youtube action for us! This was a real find, and the machine was purchased in 2011. Just took him some time to find a job big enough to use her! Pic shared with permission.
The Bit Iron WINS!!! I am happy to say I was incorrect on the Bill Wold machine. This BU 99 had logged all over northern California and I'd gotten to see it quite a bit. It had been parked at Bill's shop in Hoopa for a number of years and I worrried it would end up as Chinese steel in Japanese cars driving American roads. YES!! The Big Iron Wins!! This tower logged at Klamath, Ca. for Arcata Redwood Co. in 1989-92 or so. He had a big Cat 245 loading under it. They made quite a pair. Big machines, Big wood. Steep ground. Long spans.....this machine has seen it all! During that time Simpson bought ARCO and this machine logged for a few more years for Simpson. So they had two BU 199's and a BU 99 and a Big Skookum Tyee logging in the same country. Many times from one spot you look out and see at least two sometimes three towers working at the same time. The machine was looking pretty tired sitting at the shop all those years. I had pictures sent to me of this very machine and didn't know it. She was all painted up, Blue & White, getting ready to head back out to the brush where it belongs. I wondered if it could be Bill's machine. Boy is she a beauty....can't wait to see her in action. Sure do miss the Big Iron.... Many times it is discouraging news on here when so many of the machines we grew up on are being scrapped, but here is some Great news. My hats off to those who are not afraid to step out there, purchase an old (50 plus years) machine put new life into her and put her out there getting out the wood! Not many of us are willing to take a risk like that especially in this economy. Pictures and videos please!!
Rumor in our area is Wayne Stone is putting it too work.
Bu 99 bu98 So is that why he has the BU 98 up for sale? I see it in My Little Salesman. Replacing it with the BU 99? Why just have a BIG yarder when you could have a HUGE yarder.......big toys are cool.
I wouldn't say you were incorrect Redwood, just alot happened since you last saw the machine! That machine was nearly scrapped and we're just plain lucky that Wayne found it when he did. It is safe to say that today Wayne Stone owns 2 of the nicest vintage big yarders in the PNW and he isn't afraid to use them either. He's got some of the best people in the business to rig and run these machines and really that's the tough part- finding people that good! As a self-proclaimed 'amateur wannabe logging historian' I am just tickled to death over the re-life of this yarder! There are lots and lots of eyeballs watching this queen so pics and video should be plenty over the next year or so- Just so veryone knows how smart I am, I just had to go to http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amateur to determine the spelling of 'Amateur'....boy that sucks. At least I can add the correct spelling of amateur to the list of things I've already learned today!
^^^ In the South, we use the term 'shadetree'. Easier to spell, therefore less work.
Big Iron Excitement! I 100% agree Mr. Grapple, I am thrilled that this machine did not get scrapped. There is way too much history with these machines to just melt them down. There is still a need for long span skyline logging, perhaps not near what it used to be, but when the market picks up, and the economy booms again the need will be there. Yes, on a much smaller scale, but there will be a need. I refuse to be a doomsday down in the dumps it will never get better life just sucks boo hoo boo hoo person. Yes things are tough, I'm living and surviving by the hand to mouth financial system right now too. No one can afford to log real expensive timber right now. But when things perk up.... and I believe it will....there will be more long span work done. I've been called a fool many times....no problem I've been wrong....no problem, time will tell. I do have to admit that I have thought of this machine nearly all day, I am an addict....a Big Iron addict...there I said it. Perhaps there is a 12 step program for that too. I REALLY look forward to pictures and videos. It's going to be really cool. By the way it is also cool that you learned how to spell amateaur...amatear...ameratur...amateur!!
Here's my 12-Step Program: 8 Guylines, 1 Skyline, 1 Haulback, 1 Skidding Line, and 1 strawline. How's that sound? The only thing better is 2 haywire drums.... I agree things will be better and the environmentalists will be the ones who bring back big yarders and long-span sales. Riparian zones, fish streams, creek crossings, all are making it more expensive to build road and therefore will force the big yarders back into action. There are only 2 ways to log steep ground: Lots of road and short yarding, OR Lots of yarding and less road. More and more we see less roads and bigger landings again. This is good- requires big yarders and lots of quality crew. This forum has demonstrated that there are thousands of us with this same addiction to big longspan gear!
Speaking of Long-Span Gear I might have posted this before but it is worth looking at again- Skagit BU-94 highly modified by Jack Tillman. Tillman built the tower and carrier (powered axles and a hydraulic steering dolly under the gooseneck) and also added the massive skyline drum ahead of the Skagit hoist. Scanned from a 1989 magazine ad.
Skagit 739 cab I have tried to look through some pictures for the LP/Mike Graves/TimberWest BU-199's cab, instead I found the cab from the 739 parked beside it (Chemainus auction 2004) in Lemare's yard... One other thing: In 1977 Denis James Van Winkle at Oregon State University wrote "An analysis of road changing on several cable logging operations" analysing four different cable systems by four different contractors. It seems to be two Washington 108's, one GT3 and one BU199 in the study. It seems two of the yarders where in Pansy Creek Basin (Mt Hood) and two in Klamath. The following four contractor participated in the study: E & A Logging Company, E. E. Lucas Logging Company, Flying Scotsman, Inc. and Van Der Beck Logging Company. I know from above that Lucas had a BU-99, did they even have a BU-199 also or may one of the other contractors have had one?
torkelH you have jogged my memory and I have confirmed this with a guy I know. E&A( eastlick and atterbury) happy camp, ca did have a 199 thought they sold it in mid 70s the yarder parked at bill wold shop in hoopa that redwood climber saw is not BU99 it is a 1964 trailer mount BU90 that he also got from chic lucas. lucas did have 108s at this time.
BU 99....BU 90 big difference. Sorry Mr. Bushman1, the yarder I saw and have pictures of is most definetly a Skagit BU 99. I'm not wanting to start an argument, just trying to make sure we keep the history and facts clear here on this thread of the HEF. No personal assault here at all. It's the same one that Bill took to Klamath, Ca along with his Washington 188 rubber mount to log for Arcata Redwood Co. The machine that was parked at Bill's shop was a HD 110 self propelled unit. There is a HUGE difference in a BU 99 and a BU 90. Not very many if any BU 90's were ever put on the HD 110 carrier. The pictures I do have are only partial pics of the machine, it was parked partly in his shop. It was an eight guyline telescoping tower. Big square (rectangular actually) fuel tank butted up against the cradle, two hudraulic winches just below the tank... I spent several years working on a BU 90 trailer mount here on the coast, so I am pretty familiar with them. If somehow I am wrong, I'll be happy to fess up. I am glad you joined the HEF, please continue to post any history and pictures you have. Thanks. First name Mike?
it is rocky. when bill moved 99 from forks of salmon to klamath in 1989 it never went back to hoopa.closest it got was bald hills where they took it apart.that bu90 is on hd 110 trailer... does look kind of like it with dollie under it
redwood i may have also misunderstood post #403 on yarder being at bills shop! I do know you know the difference.
Bu 99........bu 90 Thank you Sir, I went back & had a look at my camera, but the screen on it is quite small (it's about a 10 year old digital...ancient by todays standards). I can't quite make it out. You may be correct, I've been wrong many times. I didn't know Mr. Wold had a BU 90. I only knew of the 99 as far as towers go. It shows to go you how much I do not know. Very basic mistake, I still make 'em. Anyway I will get this photo card put on a disc so I can see it and the other yarder pics I've taken. If I am wrong, I thank you for setting me straight. If you are who I think you are, there's no better man to do just that. Do you have any other pics of his equipment? How about the Klamath yarders? All those years and I only took a few........bad mistake. I really regret it. After 5 or so posts you can then post pics, don't ask me how, dipsticks like me with computers do not make good teachers. There is a place on the main HEF menu that can help. Take care, and again welcome to the forum, the place where some of us come alive....
I started looking at this site a few years ago thought i might post 2 years ago so became a member but did'nt do anything until 199 and 99 talk came up. I started digging yesterday and found picture of E&A 199 in early 70's out of orleans,ca. also 199 picture unknown where it was . 1973? picture of 199 at olc plus countless others including wold and klamath. even have some video . I have spoken with R.G. about what happened to all the yarders(where they went) I have some calls in trying to find out what happened to South Coast lmbr. (brookings,or,)BU 199 it was a later model than arcatas.also forgot about bill leasing shop in klamath if thats where your pic. is you are correct
Ok - this is exciting - bushman1 I'm looking forward to see your pictures and videos (as well as Redwood Climbers, maybe you can cooperate?). I haven't yet heard anything from my contact in Campbel River on Vancouver Island, so I'll try calling them again tonight. When we find out some more I'll try setting up a new list of the 199's. It's certainly enough to do, when we finish the 199's we'll need to find out of the 99's as well... LOL Eventually it will hopefully be lot's of pictures of Wayne Stone's "new" BU-99 BTC - do you recall what kind of yarders the MMB J-22 and J-23 was? By the way - it was lot's of problems with damaged wires due to the sheaves/fairleads in the spartop on J-20 in Sproat (BU-99), any know if this was a common problem on these yarders/towers?
I know a guy that as a hook tender for arcata redwood at the time of the 199s,I'm gonna see him in a few days or a week.he probably has a clue on what happhappened to them.
as i said in a previous post i had told rusty grapple where they went and and was going to let him mispell the names.I'll give it a shot. the 1974 one went to B.C. guy i know saw it up there later on i think he said it was sitting next to two washingtons and a madill.heard later that it got scrapped.the 1977 one was sold to dminimini(spelling)around coos bay they later sold it to millicoma in same area.millicoma was in loggers world 4years? ago there was a picture of it or their other one i think R.G. told me they were using 1977 ARCO for parts
BU 199's Oh Man that hurts! I hate to think they were scrapped.....parting one out is not quite as bad. Thanks for the info Mr. Bushman1. So did either tower get pulled over while they were in Klamath? I'd heard years ago that one got flopped. I just cringed....It was just 23rd hand information, I never did try to verify it. I know the Skookum Tyee got flopped several times, the two piece tube kept breaking. Any Idea where it went? There is a thread on here for it. Any pics? Inquiring minds want to know.... Also if you have any info to share about the 044 Madill they had early on, you might share that on the Madill thread. It is so cool to have people join and the pieces of the puzzle come together. And the pics and videos are coming? Hoechucker, any info you have would be greatly appreciated, does he have any pics or video? Thanks.
the oldest one tipped over. Bill Mcpaul came down and put it back together. skookum did have tower problems. lower part of one is flag pole at wes green(101/ mad river) it burned up in blue creek in 1992. will go to madill thread for 044
Sorry no pics or videos red,I have no idea how to size them.anyway, he said something about a box of photos but that's over the hill in feeding somewhere.I did however see a really cool home movie of simpsons old skookum/madill tower from the 60's just last week.
We do Like Pics and Videos. Mr. Hoechucker...It is quite comforting to know that I'm not the only person on here who is pic and video challenged. Some of these guys are absolutely brilliant at this stuff. You can get them do do it for you simply by asking. These guys are all hungry to see more iron. torkelH, JTL, jeremey70...these are some smart dudes that can help us challenged guys. About all I can do is to hold the picture up to the screen.....here, can you see it? Sumdey i'll be gitten meself smartined up an bee lerned how ta do it...
More....tell us more... Wow....tell us more, what happened, how much damage, everyone escape unhurt? That made me smile about the lower part of flagpole, on the Skookum thread can you tell us about the fire? Thanks for all the info!!
Another BU 98....Where'd She Go? In the early '80's a fellow brought a BU98 into Klamath I believe his name was Marvin O'Connell. I'm not positive but I believe he may have been from Hoopa, or Orleans, Ca? Mr. Bushman1 can you fill us in on the machine and where it may have gone? I have'nt heard of Mr. O'Connell in years, did he call it quits? He only contracted for Arcata Redwood for 1 or 2 years, it's been so long ago I can't remember. I remember thinking it was a small machine compared to the BU 199 until I saw it getting out the wood. It was a nice machine and did a good job. I was just a kid and my ego caused me to have to eat my own words many times. I'm down to eating my own words only a couple of times a week now..... anyway, anyone know of the machine and where it went? Any pictures out there?
I am new to this forum and I have to say this is a great thread. I read the whole thing over the past couple days and it brings back a lot of memories, a lot of the companies and folks mentioned are people I have met or dealt with over the years. I was at Danebo and then Ross Corp from 1979 through 1989 and during that time there was a lot of evolution in the organization Skagit used to be. Ross made a play for the whole thing in the early/mid '80s but the financial gurus said they would want to see $16 oil and it was hovering around $8. So, the Skagit yarder line sort of ended there. Ross picked up a few truckloads of machine shop equipment, Howard Cooper ended up as the"official" product support agency, and the Berger/National outfit in Rosegurg ended up with a lot of the prints. The original machine records went to Howard Cooper I was told, and they are God only knows where now. Meanwhile, we at Ross worked hard on the Thunderbird line and lot of product was delivered in a relatively short time frame. Of course we all know how that turned out. Still it is good see a lot of the big old yarders are going to be around for a while longer!
That is some more information. Was this Howard Cooper in Roseburg? Somebody know what happened to this company? If we are lucky the records still exists! The 199's: According to Bushman1 an RG's information I wouldn't be to surprised if Knutson (Norwegians...) Marine/Millicoma logging in Coos bay have one or two of them. Anyone nearby care for calling them and ask?
Howard Cooper was the Linkbelt dealer for Oregon and Washington. It went into receivership and was liquidated in the mid 90s. T he former owner was operating Cooper Tractor in Portland last I heard. I have no idea if the roseburg outfit is still in business. Someone could look up a guy named Larry Stockton, someone in the Washington section would probably know him. Knutson Towboat would be a good bet for old and big iron!
I used to contact these folks pretty regularly in my business as a Deere Construction & Forestry dealership parts manager but the last couple years I have been a couple thousand miles away (thank you Mr. President). Down here there is a pretty good sized forest of oaks but they are only about 4' tall. Anything bigger is growing along the banks of the Pecos and they pull them out because they suck out all the water!
BU 199's Mr. Bushman1, did South Coast Lumber have a 199 in addition to the 739? I didn't even know they had a 739 until I saw it on Mr. Rusty Grapples website. It's 3/4 the way down on the Skagit (of course)page. It's a really nice machine, it has the tagline drum on it too. Judging from the looks of the paint and the tires, the picture must have been taken when it was new or near new. It's on the T-110HD self propelled carrier. I worked for part of a summer up on the Winchuck River when Arco had the Skookum up there logging for South Coast, but we were not around any of their operations so I never saw any of their (South Coast Lumber) machines. Speaking of big Skagit towers, anyone know how many 739's were built, and how many carriers? T-100's, T-110's? Mr. Bushman1, any luck on posting those pics or video? Some of us would REALLY like to see them! I sure wish I'd been smart enough to have taken some. Amazing stuff we got to do.......
Hehe... hope you guys eventually before or later will find out the magic about electronic pictures!
south coast BU 199 sat at ross for a few years before they bought it making me think it was last one built. it had a different cab interior also.739 burned up 2 years prior(in same area) to ARCO logging there.pictures?i dont even own a scanner.been looking at them(good news)college student will be home for summer(better news). Marvin Oconnell sold his BU 98 not long after ARCO job Simpson klamath had one in 1989 auction Rellim Redwood had one when they quit.Foley Roads had one in orleans ca in 1980.
Hey red, that 739 is right here in humboldt co.I think its been here for a long time.its owned by rick eslinger,I think he was a logging boss for south coast,I'm not sure of the specifics but he started logging the longspan stuff for palco and then went to green diamond and been there for several years,
Found a little BU-20 this weekend here are a few pictures.
I am new to the forum but had to join up when discussion about my neck of the woods came up. Never hot to work on the big towers (was born thirty years to late) but my grandpa was E E Lucas' side rod for his whole run. They started with an Sj 4 in1958 out of seiad valley CA. Had an sj7 at some point and then the bu 90 and the bu99. In 72 or 73 they sold the towers and got two brand new 108's with matching 235 shovels. Grandpas got lots of pictures of all that Klamath river country being logged for the first time. Man I wish I had of been there! Now days we just have to pretend with these little swing yarders always moving logging small wood with bad layouts. Love all the pictures. By the way I always heard that Fred b moe bought E & A's BU 199. Don't know if that is true or not. I thought it was A2 but not sure.
Welcome Logger7x! Hope we will be fortunate enough to see some of your grandpa's pictures here on the forum before or later. And you probably filled us in with some more usefull info in the jig-saw puzzle about the fate of the BU199, even a serial nbr!
I Stand Corrected.......BU 90 It Is"!! Thank you Mr. Bushman1, you were correct, I was badly in error, it was a BU 90 with a telescoping tube on a trailer. Though I didn't have a good view ( the yard was full of Iron and I was outside the fence), It's humbling to know that one can make that big of mistake.......oh well....I'll start eating my own words....let's see...I said "I know the difference between".....munch, munch, munch.... Anyway, we had a job in Hoopa on Monday, and I just had to see for myself...I knew you would know if anyone could know....but I just had to see.......and I did see...clearly this time.... That is mounted on an old trailer, it only has six guylines and is just a highlead tube, (no skidding line fairlead mount). It also has the outside mounted walking beam on the axles. I couldn't see how the tube was raised, although I did notice no winches under the fuel tank as usual......... Another thing I noticed is the tower I "thought" I saw was quite rusty and missing of paint "I thought". But again, this one looked good. I still haven't got my pics put on a disc so I can view them, I will at some point. So do you know the destiny of the BU 90? She looks good, not too many of them were mounted with the big heavy tube. "I think". Thanks for all your accurate info Mr. Bushman1, as you can clearly see, "what we think we see clearly is not always what we really saw at all" I need to remember that....
1976 Skagit Promotional Booklet I have scanned another lengthy brochure, and this time with the Skagit yarder guys in mind. This is a 22-page promotional booklet was printed in 1976 to promote Skagit in it's 75-Year Anniversary. It was printed on odd-colored dark tan paper making scanning difficult but if you care enough to deal with that then there is some GREAT history in there for you. I'll keep working on it and maybe we can get it clear enough one day to make a re-printing possible for those who would like to own a physical copy. I scanned the pages as images so I could use photoshop to eliminate the tan color and make reading slightly easier for you (I hope so anyway!) Skagit produced a whole bunch of promo items for the 75th Anniversary- everything from frisbees to drinking glassware with the logo! Enough B.S.- here's the link! http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/skagit1976
9800 feet of 3 inch...... WOW! can you imagine the long span possibilities??? Let's see.....16 guylines.....lots and lots of deadmen.....I wonder where they found a chokersetter to pound on the line as they spooled the new THREE INCH line on? D'he use a 16 pound sledge? Can you imagine splicing an eye in that? The strands must have been 1 inch..........Each!! Alot of bleeding during one of those....no doubt you'd be needing stiches.... I wonder what the weight per foot of three inch line is? Try hauling a spool of that in the back of your 3/4 ton truck! All I can say is that's BIG!! Thank you for the history lesson, I had no clue that Skagit was up to anything like that! So I guess logging machinery was just a little sideline hobby for 'em huh? Very interesting company and history. That is real Big!
Hello Redwood Climber! Look here for todays "Skagit" products: http://oilstatesintl.com/_filelib/F...log_6-07.pdf?FileName=Skagit_Catalog_6-07.pdf !
S&R Logging and Cutting Inc's Skagit Yarder
I was wondering what size grapple you guys might recommend for a Skagit SY717 running 5/8" lines? I'm a little worried about the weight of the larger grapples. The machine typically runs in smaller wood that is bunched or in medium sized wood that is hand felled. Was thinking of 96" Johnson, but the 2000lbs weight is my main concern. Thanks for any insight...
From what I can make out the 96" Johnson grapple comes with a toothed jaw. I have used the 76" version of this on the 120 and found that it did not like holding more than one log unless they were small. The main grapple I use is an 88" Johnson which has the more rounded jaws. This will hold any number of logs you can fit in it. So for bunched wood go for the rounded jaws. Some operators like heavier grapples. One plus is that you get less slack on the slackpuller which you may find to be an advantage for the side by side mains on your machine. Personally I like the lighter grapples because they are easier to chuck around. BTW the 717 I have been involved with runs 3/4 ropes.
Skagit GT3 Yarder Getting a new cab.taken a couple weeks ago.Video at: http://youtu.be/J7vnTYdDml0
Yup. The BU-99 is working. Doing some major long spanning. I think they said they were out 4800'. If the boss is ok with it (I'm not on the crew), and I actually figure out how to post a photo I'll show you the operation. Anyone know the trick?
/Users/none/Pictures/Pomeroy 2012/web/IMG_3087-copy.jpg
Well, sorry boys. I guess you'll have to wait until I'm more than a probationary member to see photos of Wayne Stone's BU99 in action. You can see a short video of the beauty on YouTube. My handle there is adbombphoto1 and the video is titled Skagit BU-99 yarder 2012. They are using a Boman MK6 car if I remember correctly and it was having a little trouble, so the turns were not what they could have been. Either way, it was a huge treat to see this monster logging, and am indebted to the hooktender for having me. Thanks John!
Skagit Yarder in Whatcom County, WA. I believe its Van Dykes.
Looks like the old Mantle/Cypress/Wajax shop on river road.
Great video, I am still trying to make time to go down and see that side. Took lots of pictures of their BU98 parked a few months back, and saw the BU99 tube in the shop being cleaned up before painting. One of these days.
Found this 717 sitting on a road in between Forks and Port Angeles this morning. Looked like it had been sitting there awhilem judging by the stumps that were in the unit just down the road from where it was parked.
Monday morning I am heading down to catch up with this one!
Skagit 717, still pulling in daily turns monday to friday. 555 cummins power.
Sad to see it sitting, they're a pretty stout yarder, pretty good speeds too. There's work out there for it, would be interesting to find out the story
Skagit SY-717 working daily in Southeast BC. Runs grapple, dropline and motorized carriage.
This is probably the most famous Skagit there is but it was mentioned only once in this thread,so here we go,JM Browning's Skagit BU-739 on a Skagit T-100 trailer in summer of 2009 on the Kalina site:
JM Browning round 2:
JM Browning round 3,some Ax Men air shots:
Made a mistake :Banghead its a T-110 trailer.
Videos are being uploaded to Youtube for the Skagit BU99 now, pictures coming. Had a great visit down there!
Skagit BU99 pics-1 Finally made a trip down to see this BU99 in action. Downhill logging with Boman from the ridge across the way and landing the turns down in the valley below.
Skagit BU99 pics-2 More pics
Skagit BU99 pics-3 And a few more
Skagit BU98 pics Skagit BU98 at rest, currently for sale.
What is the block that is attached to the guyrope near the top of the tower for?
To keep the haulback away from the mainline and the skyline.
Hard case way of doing it. Makes it hard to switch sides if you ever want to flip the tail rope. Could you use this North bending or will it load the guyrope too much?
Zender Bros and Wilburn's BU 94
Another closer picture
This is an old post but I got some pictures of a Crown Zelebrach (or how ever you spell it)auction but this auction was in 1986 and there was a Skagit PT-4Y Yarder with 70' lattice boom, Skagit 444, Skagit SJ-5, etc.AND I CAN'T UPLOAD IMGES:dizzy:cussing:deadhorse:duh:shf:soapbox:Banghead:bash FOR SOME REASON IT JUST SAYS INVALID FILE!!!!!:bash:idontgetit I got pictures of a Skagit 444 555 and a PT-4Y.
I scanned that auction brochure- here's a link to it: https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=b65e...#cid=B65E7D5E9159A16C&id=B65E7D5E9159A16C!173
Thanks for the link do you have the brochoure from that auction in BC where there was that red Skagit BU-199?You posted some pictures of it in this thread.
Skagit Corporation, Skagit of Canada Ltd Needless to say, I am very impressed by all this. Many of the fifties and sixties literature I haven't seen for decades. For those interested I donated the complete Skagit Corp. Film and slide library to Museum of Science and industry in Seattle. Most of the work done by Ken Schell. Also evokes memories of Jack McIntyre, Jim Carlson, Harry Sanford and others at the Company in the fifties and Sixties. Jim as head of Skagit of Canada was involved in reinforcement of the SJ-7R in an attempt to make it suitable for the big timber in BC.
Here are the pictures that I was talking about
Here's a pic of those machines I took at the auction; not great quality sadly.
Abandoned Skagit SJ-4RT Here's an interesting one for you: I first saw this machine at that same RB Auction- Rainier, Oregon in June 1986. During my visits into Haines, Alaska I had seen a machine several times from the air over a span of years, and finally got in there for pictures in 2008. In 2009 a contractor from Oregon arrived and did some demo work nearby, and the machine went South as scrap with them when they left.
Skagit GT-5D on Crawlers Somewhere in Alaska on a cold winter day, a Skagit GT-5D (S/N D-20) stood still long enough for me to capture a few images...
Skagit GT-5D, Continued- A few more pictures. I took just over 300 shots over 4 days and several visits- morning, night, etc. The trouble with these machines is the photo opportunities are getting less available every year. If you're into this sort of thing, treat every visit as if it's the last. It very often is.....
"If you're into this sort of thing, treat every visit as if it's the last. It very often is....." That's some good words Eric! But we must remember, just 8 years ago it was no digital cameras and I personally allways tended to make some few good pictures and save film... But with nowadays posibislities for taking pictures I hope everybody interested in machinery take Eric's words to mind. And don't also forget to get the serial number!
I love the looks of those old Skagit swingers. No frills, pure function.
Hey that reminds me too- we don't have a good historical record of Skagit 'Serial Numbers' and we'd love to have one if anyone knows where we can find that info! Sadly only these last few years I have been tracking/recording machine Serial Numbers and it horrifies me to think of all the yarders I took pictures of and neglected the Serial Numbers and other info. So many of those machine have been scrapped I'm afraid we may never find those numbers anywhere. If you can, please record numbers with your pics- we are trying to piece a list together now. A little (OK ALOT) off topic but we're also seeking Build Lists for the Berger machines. We have a partial Washington list and have a good handle on Madill and TBird now. Lastly- my pics with the name/website on them are always still free to keep, save, and/or share as you like! Just trying to draw folks to the website as they circulate, so dont be afraid to circulate them as you like! Thanks TorkelH and JeremyM and all you good folks sharing pics, I think right now there's more info available and flowing than ever before and it's fantastic!
I'm hoping for the contents of box 29 - description "Papers - Purchased Components list; serial number record; project list; oversize advertisements." in Seattle, Eric!
I happen to know that Robert S. Miller donated a rather extensive library of negatives, 16mm films and slides to the Museum of Science and Industry in Seattle.
Looks like some of the Simpson shows I saw in the early 70's. This might have been one of their lariger landings!
Skagit 444 in St. Maries
Finally!! Someone got a picture of it! Thats Barham's old machine that was converted by Maki into a yarder. Contract Logger/ Rusty Grapple had some pictures of one, but not quite the same setup. I know quite a few guys who have worked under that machine in the past and say it will flat smoke any other yarder in North Idaho, which wouldn't take much considering a 98 Link Belt is the norm up here! Nice find! And I see its sitting on one of Buell's many lots
There is another one at a shop on highway 6 just north of Potlatch. Haven't gotten a picture of it yet.
I love all the great pics and info on the Skagit stuff. Is there anyone with more info on the Skagit sy 717, I just purchased one and I'm trying to learn all I can about it.
I think the tower says BU98 on it. I was unable to get any daylight photos before the yarder was removed from the tower and trucked off a few months ago. At Cadman Rock, Sky River operation in Monroe Wa. This machine has been in this pit for many years. The cat D8H has an old Weyerhaeuser Longview sticker on it. Tag says: Total Weight 139,040 Model number T-110 Serial number A90 Type 8GL Weight 89060 Haulback 7/8 Skyline 1 3/8 Skidding 1 1/8 Min of 6 guylines Raising line 3/4 209' Telescoping line 7/8 162'
I think the other yarder you are talking about up hwy 6 just out of Potlatch is the one I just bought. It is a Skagit sy 717, and has been upgraded and put on a Linkbelt undercarriage. I will get the serial number for it and post it, I would like to know the history of the machine.
What do you need to know about the 717?
Here's one that's so far eluded the scrappers... Anybody know what model it is? It is a Skagit, but that's all I know...
Looks like a Sj-4rt (like on the previous page) possibly.
Found and purchased this today, anybody have an idea of when it was built? Scott S
737 in good shape, Dexter OR
Same yarder, different view
You visited ZBW eh? Did ya visit any other SPI operations?
I don't know why I haven't taken pictures of these yet, drive by them all the time. I believe its what left of a Skagit drumset. I can remember when there used to be a few towers here, but when the scrappers got to em a few years back. Belong (or used to) to Dills Creek Logging. And here is one of their towers that is still whole. Also unsure what it is, I know it looks to be mounted on an old truck chassis powered by a 2 stroke diesel of some sort.
Some old Skagit SJ series, circa 1962
Thank you, everyone, for an excellent thread! May I ask an 'beginner' question? Back about the 300th post, there was mention of "screwy hooks" and "cutoff situations" in the talk about guy line rigging. What are they? Or what do they refer to? Thank you, Jim D
BU 199 in a Rock Pit Somewhere in BC? Do any of you north of the border boys know which rock pit in BC the Mike Graves 199 ended up at? Mr. Contract Logger reported that when Mike Graves finished up in Alaska with the 199 it went into a BC rock pit to dragline. I believe this is the same yarder that LP bought new and logged with in Big Lagoon California. Feel free to correct me if you have any other info. I'd still like to hear anything anyone knows about the very few that might remain of the 13 BU 199's that were built. Thanks.
Screwy Hooks and Cutoff situations Howdy Jim D. I will see if I can explain "screwy hooks and cuttoff situations." Sorrry if I yap too much trying to explain..... Screwy hooks or screwy bells as we always called them are much like a choker bell on a choker except that you can insert the knob into the bell, and because of the way it was manufactured give it a slight twist and wa lah! you now have a choker. These were very useful for the big yarders as the screwy bells were used on guyline stubs, the extention that was wrapped, (or choked) around a stump. The guylines being the lines which keep the towers vertical. On the big towers that used guylines with knobs you could pack the screwy bell separate from the guyline extention. This helps as everything is big and heavy on these large towers. Also the bell has a tendency to hang up on everything in the brush. The down side is they are easily lost, toss them down the hill enough times and you'll lose one sooner or later. So basically they are just a removable choker bell. Now "cuttoff situations".....a cuttoff situation is when the cable which makes up a choker (it can also be a guyline) passes through the bell at a severe angle. On a light pull, no big deal, on a harder pull you just put a kink in the choker (or guyline). On a real hard pull POW!!! You just cut that choker (or again it can be a guyline) in two. Breaking a choker usually no so big a deal. But the purpose of a guyline is to keep the yarder on it's wheels or tracks. When one guyline fails it puts tremendous stress on the other guys. Many times it causes other guylines (or the stumps) to fail. THUD!!! the tower hits the ground. If no one is hurt it is just a really really bad day. When the tower is up and ready to log it is always a good Idea to check for cuttoff situations on all your guylines. Hope that helps you understand........
Redwood Climber, Thank you for the explanation! It isn't a "yap too much" thing at all; everything that you guys are writing about yarders and logging is interesting to me. The twist-to-lock choker bell makes sense now that you explained it; I was imagining some sort of lag-screw hook screwed into a stump. Duh! The cut-off situation make sense now, too. That you want the tensioned line thru the bell to be closer-to-straight, not pulled back against it self at a sharp angle. Thanks again!
Just thought I'd add a picture of a screwy bell or screwy hook so everyone can see what they look like.
What do you want for the rigging hook? Scott S
lg junior, the picture is worth a thousand words. Push the knob thru the hole and twist the bell, and the line lays into the saddle part of the bell, "...and wa lah! you now have a choker." as Redwood Climber said. Thanks!
Scott S Sorry but I think loggers are a lot like women, they can never have too much jewelry.
I was thinking of using it for a watch fob.. Scott
have one like that on my drop line at wheeler logging. under a 6255
[video=youtube;DyHcldfv_Dw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyHcldfv_Dw[/video] Only cost 1400 new!
Bu739 This is BU739 A130. I now little about this machine other that it has just been sold and the new owner is Alan Sinton.
BU99 June 2012 Here are a few shots of Wayne Stone's BU99 from June 2012.
A Fine Looking Girl in Her 50's Thanks for the great shots of a BEAUTIFUL machine! She's somewhere around 50 years old and she looks so good! You have to look twice at her or you'd be thinking your looking a much newer machine. I wonder how many millions of board feet this yarder has brought in. How many thousands or tens of thousands of houses were built from logs she pulled. She is truly magnificent!
Interesting details in factory photos. The photo showing the 555 with a bohemian boom in the snorkel as an interesting detail. Behind the machine to the right is Skagit's then new nondestructive testing laboratory. Because they had naval contracts or shipboard material handling systems they were required to test castings using nondestructive methods such as x-ray and ultrasonic testing. The main lab had walls 9 foot thick and in the middle was a Cobalt 60 radiation source. The radiation source and a tube running out of it and you could crank out and thereby expose a cobalt. This presented intense radiation that was in fact lethal if you ever saw it. You put the source in the middle of the casting or any other convenient place and put photographic sensitive materials on the other side of the casting you are x-ray. Void or cracks or other structural defects in the casting were immediately visible even though they might be 10 inches under the surface of the casting. If the casting at a defect I was close to the surface, it could be repaired by the fabrication shop. If the casting was not repairable it was recycled and replaced by another. Okay very interesting, but what does this have to do with me as a logger. Well, since they had facility in place to do naval contracts was a small step to putting drums, sheaves, and other highly loaded components to be tested. Suddenly, Skagit had a method of making components that were stronger than could be produced by anyone not having this capability. I know for a fact having been there at the time that the foundry and the nondestructive testing laboratory work very closely at this time to improve the product particularly mobile loggers and loaders. Ray Bowby, the foreman of the equipment test site was particularly pleased at the increase in equipment performance after these components were installed. The salesman at the time were talking about the best logging machines in the world without the slightest doubt in their minds. It's funny, but the weakest point in the big yarders w became the shafts h that held the drums and drove them. The people who listened to John Goodall and his marketing department and understood what he was saying tended to maximize production by taking advantage of this. Those days in the mid-to-late 60s, were the halcyon days of the big Skagit shows. Not everything my recollection was a raging success, I've particularly remember some discussions about varying successes with the big interlock yarders like the IJ-90 for example. Some of those machines ended their life operating as conventional yarders.
Bu-199 I have tried to find some more information about the BU-199's, and have found some. With help from Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Sophie Frye Bass Library and their Skagit collection I will first bring some pictures from october 1973 of BU-199 A101 (property of pictures is MOHAI):
BU-199 cont Chain housing at transmission looks different from other pictures of BU-199's so we may not have seen pictures of this machine here before.
TorkelH..............Salute!! Thank you Sir! These pictures are just magnificent! She is amazing...the serial number is 101, I'm guessing this is the first BU 199? It looks like it has the same Big Cat D398? I believe it was as the two I worked on had. I can't tell about the transmission, the ones I worked on had a big Allison tranny. I don't recall the different looking drive chain box, it has been 23 years since I last saw the two old girls. I did notice the hex shaped guard over the haulback clutch is raised, the two I knew were just flat bar with the screen welded right to it....the haulback drum is closest to the engine. After looking at it numerous times, the drive chain box only looks different from my memory in the assembly picture, the photo of her ready to sell looks exactly as I remember it. Arcata Redwood bought their first 199 in 1974 I believe I don't remember what the serial number was even though I remember looking at the ID tags hundreds of times over the years. I don't know who got the first one, it is possible that this is it. Someone out there knows, time will tell. I will say that nothing on the machine looks out of place, from the air tank to the downdrive to the guards and hoses for the Wichita brakes. The utility haywire drum, and even the forked guard for the exhaust pipe on top of the hood.....wow! Man what I would give to hear that BIG Cat roar again.....I can still smell the unburnt diesel when Hooter threw the skyline clutch in and pulled the throttle back!!! ROAR !!!! Still can't believe I wasn't smart enough to TAKE PICTURES!!! It is safe to say that I sure do miss those days....Thank You again, my friend these pictures are just awesome....I will spend many hours in the next however many years I am given to live viewing them...
what is the biggest all out Skagit made
Largest Skagit Yarder The largest tower yarder Skagit made was the BU 199. The spec sheet is posted earlier in this thread. It was an Inch and a half skyline machine. The Skidline was inch or larger and the haulback was one inch. It was not the largest tower yarder ever built, Berger and Washington both built some larger ones, but she was a mighty machine. She pulled some of the biggest wood on the west coast. She could pull an inch and three eights bull choker in two if your not quick on the whistle. The largest swing yarder Skagit built was the GT5. It wasn't the largest swing yarder built either. Madill built a much larger machine. Skagit also built some huge single and double drum hoist sets that were used on ships. One of them had something like 9000 feet of 3 & 1/2....Yes that THREE AND ONE HALF INCH!!!!! line on it. Check out Rusty Grapple.com for much more info.
Looks like a D348 V12, forrunner to the 3412. A D398 is a massive V12 which was a forrunner to the 3512 class of engines. D348s were roughly 700-800 hp and used in D10s, 992 loaders and 777 rock trucks among other machines.
thank
It's definitely a D348.
Brian Brown's BU-739 Skagit on a T-110 SP working in Alaska,he still has 3 739's working up thre.
took this pic in the Sedro-woolley museum
V 12 Powered BU 199 Are we sure it's a V12 that is in that 199? Well I guess the two 199's I worked on didn't have the D398 engine. But it WAS a D something.....I think... I'm sure that they had a BIG Cat, but it was a V8, not a V12. Maybe we could get Mr. Bushman1 to chime in, he worked around them as long or longer than I did. Back to the V12, don't most V12's have dual air cleaners? I'm only seeing one. That one doesn't look big enough to handle 12 cylinders, They usually have twin turbos, one for each bank. I don't remember if they had twin turbo's or just one. I believe these yarders were around 600 horses. They had plenty of power, you never stalled her, something always gave way.....POW!! I may be wrong......if so, just correct me and give me 50 lashes....I still refuse to believe there is anything wrong with my memory....
My fault... BU-199 has a D346 V8, not D348 V12 Hello Redwood Climber! It was a little hard to see, but you are of course right, it's a D346 V8 on the picture (enclosed is one from the other side which clearly shows this is no V12) Specs from 1974 say: POWER PACKAGE: Caterpillar D-346 engine ... Allison CLT-6061/TC-680 electric shift transmission ... optional packages available.
One of Fred B Moes BU-199 new at Oregon Logging Conference in 1976 These pictures is taken by Skagit now poperty of MOHAI. No serial, but I think with a little luck I may be able to get that later. Also a couple of happy guys there at the Ross stand that day.
For those who want to know whats what on a Skagit BU-199 - serial A111 and A109 This is from operators manual serial A111, "BU-199-RS-CU" seems to have been produced in july 1980. No indication of owner or place of operation other than customer is Ross. In 1979 - 80 Skagit moved the operators cabin to the left hand side and redesigned the controls for their big yarders, this operator manual indicates that A111 though still had the old style control panel and right hand side cab. KT1150 engine. Operators manual for A109 indicates that machine belonged to D&H Logging (Coos Bay) at some time, no build year. Cat D-346 engine. I will assume this machine belongs to Milicoma Logging today and is either in full operating conditions or used for parts (they own 2)
G & D Logging (Summit Timber, Darrington, WA) BU-199 SR This is probably the same machine. Nice booms on the loaders.
What type of shovel boom is that on the first photo? Looks like a variation of Roberts Bros' Scissors boom (Montesano, WA) with air tongs. Interesting.
Shovel itself looks like a P&H?
Bu 199 So I can see on the G & D 199, it looks like the utility drum is missing or it never came with one. The utility drum is on the right side of the machine, same side as the cab. I have no knowledge if all 13 199's came with a utility drum or if it was an option. We used ours alot to store haywire. The chaser could make coils from the utility drum if he was working from that side of the machine, we used it to rig up guy lines on that side of the machine while the haywire drum (on the left side) was being used there for that side. Worked really well, sped things up nicely. Yarder engineer had to split his eyeballs....one on the right drum, one on the left...... TorkelH.....I must say your investigative talents are absolutely amazing, I tried (with my admittedly poor computer and internet skills I must say) to do some of my own research on 199's. I got nowhere. I checked out MOHAI.....I got nowhere. Checked out Millicoma...same thing...only found what you and others have already posted. It is because of Gentlemen like you and others on here that we are preserving more and more of the history of logging machinery. Thank you. You shine DUDE!!
Thank you, Mr Redwood! It have actually been exciting trying to dig some more into it. But when it comes to what existing today the only thing I have made sure is that Fred B. Moe may have had 3 and have scrapped them and Millicoma have two and are using one, the other is a parts machine. I can see the axle for the right utility drum on the first picture, so maybe they took it off to get acess to the down drive chain? I have also tried to compare those two G&D pictures and I'm not at all sure it is the same machine. It is two different shovels that seem to have the same type of boom. May the last one be a Washington?
Skagit BU75 Skagit Trailer, no ID plates
Here is a picture of Eslinger's 739.
South Coast/Eslinger 739 I don't think this is the same machine as the South Coast Lumber Co.BU 739. Or maybe did they own 2? Mr. Rusty Grapple has a pic of a South Coast BU 739. If you look closely the South Coast Machine has the T110 HD carrier,the outriggers on the steering end are behind the steering axles. The Eslinger machine has the shorter wheelbase T100 carrier,the outriggers are in front of the steering axles. Also the South Coast 739 has the tag line drum, the Eslinger machine does not. The T110 HD had eight guy lines, the T100 came with seven with an option of eight. I can't tell in this photo how many guy line drums this machine has. I'm not bashing the Eslinger machine at all, she is an absolute beauty. It is a much more desireable machine to have in this day and age, much easier to manuver and move than the larger T110HD. I do not know the serial number of either machine, but this does not appear to be the South Coast machine in Mr. Rusty Grapples photo. Mr. Bushman1 indicated in this thread that the South Coast machine burned in a fire. All I can say is they look similar, but they are so different. Thanks Mr. Johnson for posting the pic, I have been around this machine for several years but hadn't seen it yet. Am hoping to run into it this summer. This machine replaced the Three Point Logging towers, (BU 90, and BU95) doing the long span work when Ernie retired. Nice machine.......I'm drooling again.
I don't know that much about the history of this yarder either maybe South Coast had 2 739's maybe Eslinger has 2 739's.I just noticed the name and rememberd this picture.I have one in better resolution that I can send you if you want. I agre on the T-100 HD SP is much esier to move and with the timbersales you have today its easier to find work for it too. I hope you get to run this yarder this summer if you do,get us some pictures and a serial number.
Skagit BU-739 SN A-129 before and after a rebuild at Active equipment curently owned by an outfit called Skyline Harvesting. More pictures here http://activeequipment.co.nz/rebuilds/skagit-739/
Good pictures of a nice machine you are posting, mr Johnson! What do they actually do with the towers and guyline arrangements on such rebuilds, do they totally rebuild them or is it other ways to ensure all welds and parts will be good as new? In 1979 Skagit redesigned their cab controls and moved cab to the left hand side of the machine on at least their big slacklines, which was the BU-737, BU-739 and the BU-199. I have some pictures of this control design on the last two 199's A112 and A113, and on the first 739, which I think maybe is the A129. I will post as soon as I have time. Skagit seem to have based their serial numbers on model number and a serial starting with A101 and also on month and year machine was finished at the works, so this actual machine is manufactured in december 1979 and is BU-739 number 29. New cab is as I can see mounted so it can slide from one side to another, which giver the operator better visibility.
I have by the way uploaded some videos of a BU-199 working on the Oregon coast: [video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHUwvApRKFo[/video]
Awesome! Wish I was there.
Excellent video, but it breaks my heart to see PNW loggers having to log dog hair for a living. I was born back in the days of old growth, and BIG second growth. Unfortunately, life goes on.
Excellent My Friend....You Shine DUDE!!! Thank you Mr.TorkelH my friend, you really know how to help a bunch of big yarder addicts (I'm including you in here) out. She looks absolutely amazing! She is one of only 13 made and probably the only one that is still logging! That had to be a special treat for you to video and hang around this one. To know that at least some of the parts of a 199 that I worked on may be working there makes me smile.... Ok....now it's time for questions and answers! I'm sure you got lots more video and or pictures.....? And you had to of gotten the serial numbers.......? The history of the machine? How far out are they hanging? I'll stop there for now....expecting a full report soon..... I see they are using the haulback drum as their skidding line, good move there, I don't know the exact line speed of the drums, but the haulback is much faster, and has lots more line capacity than the skidding drum. I can totally relate to your comment Mr. Vigilant, she is logging dog hair in the video, but hey, she is logging!! Logging second, (or third)growth timber is definitely different than logging old growth, your turn weight is much lighter most of the time. You can almost log with your skyling semi-standing most of the time. For speed, you will lower your skyline when sending the carriage back. When logging real heavy timber, the engineer is on the skyline friction alot as the turn comes in. You don't try to fly a 15 or 20,000 (or more) pound log, you just lift one end off the ground.....let some of the weight of the log drag, it takes a lot of the strain off your skyline and guy lines. It does mean the rigging slinger has to be quick on the whistle, as the turn climbs the hill, he has to signal to raise the skyline as needed to keep that end of the log up. There you go Mr. TorkelH....you got me logging on Sunday morning!! Thanks again for the video....you shine DUDE!!
ZBW's BU-94, Whatcom County, WA. Taken today.
Skyline Harvesting is one of the crews that belongs to the company I work for. Haven't seen the new hauler yet but apparently Actives did a nice job. It was imported from Tasmania, Australia.
Do you know where their TY-90 came from?Here is a picture of it https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1288003217609_1392089931_n.jpg&size=2048,1536
I have been meaning to go get the number off it for a long time now but have not done so. One of the records has it as a Washington base but I know this not to be the case. It is a Skagit. My forman operated this machine for a number of years so he is a good source. The machine was imported by the current owner.
If the records say it was on a Washington Carrier than it is probably 9042 bought new by Bill Bremyer it was on a Washington carrier and was painted yelow , it got fliped and put on a Skagit carrier and repainted the usual Thunderbird tan-red paintshame (before going to New Zeland).and if that is the case now I'm only mising 9054 and 9058 and I have completed the TY-90 buildrecords.
Negative on that. 9042 is still on a Washington carrier. I have posted photos of it and it is owned by Alan Sinton. This is the same person that has 9046 which is on the Skagit carrier. Ive also posted photos of that machine. The Olsen (Skyline Harvesters) machine is supposed to be 9048. I.e. the Fred Moore machine on the Washington 208 carrier. This is obviously not the case unless it was converted. 9054 is Peter Molds machine and 9058 is Colin Roseware's. I have no photos of them.
This is a particularly wonderful picture in my opinion. In the white coat at the front of the machine's left side in the white coat is Dave McIntyre, former Pres. and CEO of Skagit Corporation. With him is Fred Klein who would shortly be joining the Skagit Corporation management team, also there was Russ Hedden, the president of Bendix Automotive Group. They were obviously on a tour of the facilities of Bendix-Skagit Corporation. When I talked to Fred he told me stories about his participation as a manager in the Apollo transporter vehicle design and build. He obviously was very used to large machinery and being a with the BU 199 – T110 HD might have impressed them. This picture was taken about the same time as the one in the Skagit 75 brochure showing my dad and the two gentlemen from Bendix. The year of course was 1976. Dad was four years president of Bendix-Skagit Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bendix Corporation. I was very happy to see that picture with my dad who left us in the early 1990s. Those were great days in the little town of Sedro Woolley. The best line that I heard came from the Bendix people: "Machine shops and foundries are a dime a dozen, we wanted your people."
There are at least three binders of photos (negatives) of people working at the factory in the "Skagit collections", you should absolutely pay the collection a visit, but bring your own scanner ($139 at Staples) and be prepared to spend some days...
My recollection is that the machine is an SJ – 7R, sold by Jim Carlson, manager of Skagit of Canada Limited. That was an early machine that I believe needed to be modified to handle big timber in British Columbia. While he SJ – 7R was the largest mobile logger Skagit built at the time, the machine would just not heavy enough in the standard configuration to complete the mission intended. The reinforcements reportedly allowed the machine to do the work. A mobile logger is really a combination yarder and loader and were developments of the concept started by the SJ 4, and SJ 8. About that time Skagit Corporation purchased Bull Moose Limited, a manufacture of load carriers including travel lifts and forklifts. Later Jack McIntyre became President of Bull Moose Limited. And held a position until the acquisition of the company by Bendix Corporation.
ZBW's BU-94 rigged up in Whatcom County, WA.
Skagit PT4Y logging yarder. 50 foot tower, 2 drum with a hay wire 4 guy lines, powered by cat diesel. And 3 speed allison transmission. All line is brand new, 1500 feet of main line 2500 feet oc hb Of haul back and alot of hay wire and brand new guy lines and comes with a cristy carriage. Was working daily. saw this on portlands craiglist, If someone knows how to get the pictures here do it or let me know how and I will get it here............theironoracle
http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/grd/3946841436.htm Welllllllll... nice try anyway.
Was that John Schnabel?
ZBW's BU94, Whatcom County, WA
Just have to keep this alive....
Skagit BU199 - Coos Bay I agree - here's the other BU199 belonging to Millicoma Logging. Just found and borrowed these pics from Facebook. This machine is being used for parts.
I just got home from a good afternoon chat with Bill Paulsen. We sat on the deck of his lowbed and talked about yarders until I bored him to death. lol That made my sunday for sure.
nice picture here! I think this machine is great. It just needs some upgrades to make it new again.
Guess I never posted this. The talk about the BC equipment left to rust thread got me thinking about it. Here is an old Skagit Skycar. Was told it was used by Pugh Ridge Logging near Darrington, WA in the early 60's.
Contract Logger, do you know what model of grapple carriage is used in the picture of the GT-5 (post #159)? I am looking for any information/pictures/memories on the Skagit RCC-24. Looks like it could be an old Washington Shriver as well, by the size and with the grapple hung from the back?
Thought I posted these.... June 2012 Wayne Stone BU99
Just to give a sense of scale to these big beauties!
This one was one that Jeremy also went to. Also June 2012. T90 with WIW 127 or 137. They were running butt rigging on a crappy looking unit between Battleground and Yacolt WA. Very brushy!
BCFP Renfrew Div. #762 Skagit 120 ft. slackline steel tower trailer mount . The steel tower was new spring 1966 , the winch was originally on a wooden sleigh
BCFP Renfrew Div. #762 Skagit tower awaits its future at Honeymoon Bay DLS mid 1980's , having become surplus as the B.C. Forest Industry change from steel tower logging to grapple yarder logging . The original Skagit winch had been replaced by a Madill slackline winch in the mid 1970's.
BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit 120 ft. tank mount steel tower with IJ80 interlock higu lead winch ,new late 1960's
BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit tower operator Mike Green standing by cab first operator was Steve Young
BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit tower parked in camp note Skagit grapple yarder in back ground
BCFP Renfrew Div.#799 Skagit grapple yarder parked at Renfrew camp new around 1970 first operator was Steve Young
BCFP Renfrew Div. #799 Skagit grapple yarder
BCFP Renfrew Div. #665 Skagit 110 ft. trailer mount with IJ 80 interlock high lead winch
Pacific Logging Sooke Div. Skagit tower tank mount with IJ 80 interlock high lead winch. moving and towering up
tw Timberwest HBO Self propelled Skagit longline tower being moved by P16 Pacific logging truck
tw Timberwest HBO Bomen Sky car
That blue & white Skagit being pulled be the P-16 looks like a BU99. ??? Any history on that one?
I'm just posting pictures for a friend but I think its a BU98 maybe Rewood climber can confirm it , picture was taken at Port Renfrew B.C. Timberwest had three longline yarders in the 1990's the first one to arrive came from New Zealand the #51-54 that might be it in picture but I'm don't certain.
wm Fletcher Challange Caycuse Div. 1991 Our first motorized sky car Deno Boy "Dany Boy"
Sj4... Couldn't make out what she was exactly. In good shape though. Not sure who owns it. Soulsbyville, CA.
Truck mount BU20? This is also in Soulsbyville. Same day as the previous post of the SJ4. May 2013. Neat little rig. A-frame on the ground attached to the end of the truck.
Tower ID I believe that is the same tower as in post # 1011 in the Vancouver Island BC thread, if you look closely it looks to be the same BU 98...yarder # 51-54. Drums look the same, air tank is mounted in the same place, toolbox looks the same...... I was surprised to see the yarder being moved fully assembled with the gooseneck on a fifth wheel. I had never seen this before. The only times I saw them moved with the fifth wheel and gooseneck, the hoist had been slid off onto a lowbed. I had no Idea that the gooseneck was built stout enough to support the strain of hauling 100,000+ lbs of yarder. Amazing, we learn something new each day. I thank each and everyone of you that post pictures and info on here, I really enjoy this forum.
So I do have a question about this BU 98 being moved with the Pacific P16. in the first picture I see exhaust coming from the stack of the 98, at first i though maybe they left it running to keep air in the system for brakes and tooter. Then I looked at the drive axles and they don't look oily. Normally when you tow these self propelled carriers you pull the axles out of the rearend so it will then tow just like trailer axles. But these do not look as though they have been removed. usually there is gear oil all over the rims. So.....next question, are they "driving" the yarder while it is being towed? In other words, is the yarder operator providing power to the yarder drive axles while the P16 is also pulling?
that's the 51-54...pic taken at old Renfrew camp
There's no way that the P16 pacific logging truck could tow that yarder up some of the grades that it went up with out help, it could be pulled but some of the corners are fairly tight and being towed pulls the truck to the inside of corner . The yarder wasn't ment to be pushed . So they used the power of the yarder to help it up the hills ,then kicked it out of gear where the P16 had easy pulling and could make better time than the yarder moving it self. I don't know if anyone was told they were suppose to pull the axles when moving it in that manner but the P16 only does about 43mph flat out top road speed .
wm Timberwest HBO #5154 Skagit BU 98 110ft. longline tower on Spur 10
wm Timberwest #51-54 Skagit longline tower on Spur 10
wm Timberwest #51-54 Skagit longline on Spur 10 logs are lowered down to landing in Hemmingsen Cr.
wm Timberwest HBO #51-55 Skagit 110ft. longline towered down
wm Timberwest HBO #51-55 Skagit tower towering up
Camp Govey had both of them.Nice yarders and Fast!
This is a picture of the Skagit BX-185 when it was new in 1958. I didn't run it until several yrs. later.
The Steel Wheeled Monstrosity! Welcome to the Forum Northriver69, that is a great picture of a powerful machine in her day. I was only 3 or 4 when she was built, so I can't say that I know much about her. I'm always interested in learning more about yarders, so here goes with the questions.... I believe I'm seeing two oil bath air cleaners, is it powered by a V12? It also looks to have 3 air jams, 1 for each, skyline, haulback and skidding drum, so it is a slackline machine? That's a pretty good size haywire drum out front, so I'm guessing she had lots of line capacity. What size lines? I love the steel wheeled undercarriage on her. It looks as if it were built by Skagit too! If you look back in this thread to post #371, Mr. Contract Logger posted a picture of a Skagit trailer which also has steel wheels. This yarder looks real heavy. Any idea of the weight of this machine? How was it moved, towed/pushed, Lowbed? I'm assuming the old Chevy in front of the yarder was not the machine to tow it.... You said you ran this machine, was this a Simpson machine out of camp Govey? Last question for this post, do you have any other pictures of the machine or machines you worked around? Please post them, you have a piece of the history of logging in the northwest puzzle, we would enjoy seeing or hearing any and all of it. Thanks, and again welcome to the forum!
Yes it had a V-12 and was a skackline. I can't remember how much haywire it held i chased on it for a year and ran it for 9 years starting when i was 22. it had inch and 1/2 skyline, inch and 3/8 skidding line and 7/8 haulback. No idea how heavy we moved it with 2 dozers they were TD-25s back then. one pulling and one pushing and snubbing down the hills.the story was when it was new they took it down Vance creek which was a short distance from where this picture is with one cat. on the first corner it pushed the cat over the hill. they had to build a road down to get them out. it wasn't hurt and you could still see where they built the road for yrs. after. I should have taken more pics. but i have a few one that i will find of pulling it across a cement bridge after we were over it we looked at the bridge and big chunk of cement fell out of the bottom of it. We had 2 skaigit 101s that i ran alittle and other big skagits and bergers. thanks for asking!
Yes simpson out of Camp Govey
Cool we would love to see any pictures of logging equipment you have. My father worked for Simpson out of Korbel and Klamath. California for 36 or so years, I worked for a company that was bought out by Simpson, and my son works for Green Diamond (Simpson). I now do some contracting for Green Diamond. As a kid I used to read "The Simpson Diamond" company magazine cover to cover numerous times. In that were many articles... Camp Govey and Camp Grisdale were read about in nearly every issue.....sadly none of them were saved, all were tossed out as trash. So please post pictures of yarders, cats, loaders, trains off highway logging trucks etc.........any logging equipment. Thank you Sir!
I retired from Green Diamond 2012 with 41 yrs 39 running yarder.Does your son work in logging or mill?
Forester/logging 39 years sitting in the seat of a yarder.......and your still sane? Tell us about the yarders you ran, model, year, tracks or tires, swing or tower, grapple or choker, carriages etc........... and pictures!
Running a yarder is like playing a guitar any body can strum the strings , but it takes a master to play it classical. Its what you make of the job , a good yarding engineer can make the whole crews job easier and save a lot of broken timber , its just a case of how you approch the job . A good slackline operator is a treat to watch.
Ever hear of a gent named Ira Blackwell from Grisdale? His nickname was Hippo. He looked the part, from all those years pulling a misery whip. I believe he also played Santa Claus for the kids every Christmas at Grisdale. My dad was with Weyco Twin Harbors, and we lived in Central Park back in the Sixties, right behind Mr. Blackwell. He was a cranky old gent, with a heart of gold. He tolerated me and the other snot-nosed neighborhood kids, even let us climb his apple trees, eat his apples, and play in his barn. I loved to watch in total fascination when Roberts Brothers logged the Central Park Swamp. From a distance, of course. Been up North River a few times as well. I used to fish Fall River with my dad, and have been inside the Brooklyn Tavern once in recent years. Bought a round of beer, and left while they still thought I was a pretty nice guy. Remember Milton Benedict in Monte, and his yard full of log shovels? I sure wish I had a few photos of that place. I also attended school at Central Park School. Caught my first fish at Lake Sylvia, and still have the photo.
I started at 22 on the BX-185 skagit slackline on the wood tree for 9 yrs, but i would run big towers from time to time Skagit 101, 99 self propelled, other big Bergers. Then i gor on a PSY-200 swing yarder that we ran grapples and dropline carriage thhia was all at Camp Govey near Shelton for Simpson timber. When the camps shutdown in 1985 i went to low lands for Simpson and started running a Washington 118 grapple yarder, then a New Madill 123 swing yarder we ran doulble shifts for the last 27 yrs that i worked in 2000 we got a 124 Madill that was the best swing yarder that i ran, not the easiest the 118 was. I will find some pics but i never took enough. This is a pic of the 124 crossing a culvert they were putting in on the mainline right by Grisdale. Culvert was 24 ft could have fit yarder and lowbed in it.
Skagit BX yarders Brochure first 3 pages
Skagit BX yarders Brochure pp 4 - 5
Skagit BX yarders pp 6 - 8
Thanks for putting this on i have never seen this brochure before. i always wondered how much they weighed . Looking at this just the wheels weighed 67,000 don't know what overall weight was. Simpson Timber Camp Govey had 2 of the slackline BX-185s. I ran it for 9 yrs. Where did you find these?
Skagit Production records - BX185 Sorry for the barely readable copy, but you find your yarder down there on the ones produced in 1958 i guess... Seems that a good part of those big Skagits went to BC. This list is not complete, it's a couple more single records for BX185's. Thanks to Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library in Seattle (also the pictures of the brochure)
Here is the tag off the BX-185 i took it off before they junked it out. It is on the post above that you sent . It is A9 there is a small dent right where the A is but it is it.
Here is a video you guys might like I know it's kiddie but has some rare footage of a skagit tower yarder working beside a 345CL long reach about 15:00 mini inMighty Machines - Laying Down the Pipeline - YouTube ► 27:01► 27:01 www.youtube.com/watch?v=e10tPPjiC6E Dec 25, 2013 - Uploaded by Seth Armstrong Mighty Machines - Laying Down the Pipeline. ... Mighty Machines - Making A Roadby Seth ...
Super-duper on the edge of my seat intense
Post 19.I have a larger print of this picture.It is a Crown Zellerbach setting,Yarder is Slagit Slackline,Loader is a SJ7,the log truck is an Irvine Olson HDX with 4640 rear ends,Cummins 335 with 5&4.In the blowup the drive is under the truck just back of left steer tire.The setting is on Branch 10C in the Nitinat Valley
As for the Yarder,it was a real chore to move it as tracks were worn out so we hauled it to camp,cut all the travel gear train off it ,put wheels under the back end,put a 5th wheel pin under the front and hauled it with a Preloader.It would move once a year.Had to snubbed off hillside when being moved.
-------------------------------------------------------------- Another interesting picture. Standing at the rear the tower appears to be a very young John Goodall, an executive salesman for Skagit. I expect that the gentleman with some could very well be a representative from the customer. It could very well be that this machine as suggested was a limited run prototype. It wasn't until engineering improve the rating mechanism by literally "raising the flag pole". I recall the John Goodall and some senior engineers would meet with the big companies over dinner and sketch ideas on the tablecloth when talking about the timber companies requirements. The story goes that a tablecloth with drawings and other material on it had to be purchased from the restaurant so that the material could be transmitted back engineering. If the date of the post is correct that would be at approximately the end of the tenure of Syd McIntyre as president, a job he had held since the early 30s.
Wooden Skagit.
That is a great piece of work,something to be proud of!
SDS lumber of bingen WA has a Tsy 50 still it's siting in there mill yard now
interlocks Interlock machine. Brakes only used for stopping. Most operators in the day didn't understand how to run them. You could get these to run fast and smooth if you knew how.
Here are some pictures from Korbel in 1982!
Nice pic of the 717 ForestEng. Looks like they are cutting the slackpuller back. The 717 was a neat little swinger. It is a shame that we are only just picking up on the efficiency of these smaller swingers down here and your photo shows how long it has been happening elsewhere. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks furpo! Too bad none of them made it into NZ, most Skagits shipped over were towers. Did you ever happen to see Barne's Skagit swinger in the central N. Island? My records indicate he had a GT3 and/or and SJ7...
I worked on barnes SJ7 and SJ4, after that he had a GT3 X2...
NZLOG Very cool! What happened to Barne's machines (SJ's and the GT3's) are they still working?
had no loader...had to clear the landing with the clappy old skidder
Nice looking Skagit!
Hi Forest Eng I can help you out with that one. I'm Don's son. NZLOG should remember me. The family had a few SJ series swingers. Granddad was involved with the two SJ7 swingers that went to KLC. One was then purchased back by Granddad and run by him and then my uncle Andrew. The second was purchased by Dad in the 90's from Patanamu way. I posted a photo of it in this thread. Dad also had an SJ4 RT. Both machines have since been scrapped. The SJ7 was cut up by thieves which is a shame because the idea was being bounced around of giving to the timber museum. Both his RB22 cranes went at the same time. Andrew sold hos SJ7 to Jacob Kajavala who logged with it for some years and it then sat in the back of the KFL yard. Im not sure when it was cut up. Dad's SJ4 was sold to a tribe who run a crew to train bushmen, it has since also been scrapped. Later on Andrew imported two Skagit swingers. First a GT3 and then a 717. Roadswitcher posted a photo of Andrew on the back of the 717 up at Woodhill. The GT3 was scrapped a few years ago and the 717 was sold to Harvestpro who I understand still have it up north. I have been trying to track down a photos of the log cranes. Dad had two RB22s and Andrew had Prestmens. There was a photo on the wall at the mount QM scaling shed of Dad's long and wide RB22 logging in Garves forest just before cyclone Bola went through.
Hello Furpo How is Don? Man O Man your old man could operate that cable crane... Good to hear you are following on with a career in the same field, I must admit cable logging is kinda addictive. Anyways say hello to Don for me please, cheers.
Dad is his usual happy reclusive self. He is driving the old Kenworth for Gordon Dahm now. 60 + and still flat out carting mostly out of the Kinleith system. I had him in the cab of the 120 and he loves the grapple. I have found memories of watch him with the crane. Digger operators these days have no idea. All three of us boys are in the logging game now. Dad is in Rotorua still and remembers your parents yacht.
Thanks Furpo, I appreciate all the information about the family's Skagits. Too bad they got cut up, otherwise I'd bet they'd still be pulling wood today. Great to hear your still in the game.
I saw Deatleys (Mineral Creek Logging) 737 today in Kelso at a truck parking lot. Looks like it was getting some repairs done.
Skagit T110HD Sad to see the Skagit thread buried so many pages back. Anyhow, there is a Skagit T110HD Self propelled yarder for sale on Craigslist. I believe it is a BU 99. Year model 1973. It must have been one of the last 99's built. I've not read how many BU 99's were built.That's just about the same time as Skagit started production on the BU 199's. The 199 was a newer model of the 1 & 1/2 inch slackline machine. Lots of changes, updated controls and dash, internal clutches on the drums..... Nice to see another one in working condition and not in pieces. There aren't enough of them left. It was used as a dragline in southern Cal.
Happy New Year Mr Redwood! Good to bring up the Skagit tread again, yes! I searched for Skagit yarders at Craigslist and found a BU98 with a 110 ft tower, may you have mistaken that for a BU99? I know only of the Wayne Stone BU99 in logging operation today (the one picked up in California), then it is 1 at McPauls in Centralia (think it was 2 some years ago), I think it's one dredging a little outside Centralia and it's some remains of 2 up on northern Vancouver Island, one is the same I filmed operating for MacMillan Bloedell in 1997. Just east of Chehalis it's 2 large Skagit yarders stored, I have heard rumors they are 199's, but they may as well be BU99's or 98's. I would think both 99's and 98's have been popular for draglining. We should have had a production record from Skagit, but it has been hard to find, still I suspect Modern Machinery to have it, inherited from Pacific Manufacturing. Apropos machines stored away, did you hear about the Arcata Madill 044 suddenly showing up in Chehalis last year? Torkel
Believe it to be a different machine. Howdy there Young Man!! Nice to hear from you! If you hit craigslist portland (Oregon), it was posted yesterday. Jan. 4. Do a heavy equipment search (Yarder) in the Portland Craiglist & you should be there. We may be looking at the same machine. I'm not sure if it is a 98 or 99. I was guessing. If I knew how to cut & paste & email & the rest of that stuff. I'd be pretty sharp. I don't....my axe is dull I guess..The map shows it to be near Laguna Beach in Southern Cal. The paint on this machine is not nearly as sharp as Wayne Stone's machine. I've seen quite a few of it. NICE machine! I hope things are going well for you on that side of the pond. Take Care. Happy New Year to you Sir!!
Looks really out of place, needs a better greener home.
BU98 in Hello Young Man! Me not beeing very young any more, but thank you! It has for sure nothing to do with beeing sharp not knowing how to get stuff from Craigslist and into here, I can do but don't feel too sharp... But I'm pretty sure we have been looking at the same machine, here's couple of pictures of it. Either undercarriage or winch have serial A102 (it's two ads for the same machine). Enclose also a picture of a BU99, it has some bigger skyline drum as you can see.
I made an offer on that BU-98 the day before yesterday. I know Waynes BU-99 real well as I helped rebuild it and also painted the cab & tube of it.
Anyone have any info on BU-98 hoist # A-25?
I have no info on BU-98 A-25. The one in Laguna Beach looks good taken care of, I don't know if dredging affects structural wear more or less than logging?
Thanks Tork. Dredging is harder on gears & bearings due to the abrasiveness of the material. I think that 98 would work well for us though.
What do they use for dredging just NE of Centralia beside HW507, is that a 98 or 99?
It is a BU-99 owned by Sterling Breen. They own the spare BU-99 drumset at McPaul's also.
I am looking for drum capacities of the BU-50. I have one and want to see what the drums will hold before making my decision on lines. Thanks guys!
Your friend and mine, Rusty Grapple, aka Contract Logger, should have all the info you need.
Yessir, He said most were custom built to order so I guess I will have to just measure the drums.
Bu-50 capacities Specifications for the B-45 and BU-50: Main: 1" 1050' 7/8" 1375' Haulback: 5/8" 2250' 1/2" 3500' Strawline: 3/8" 3050' 5/16" 4450' Yarder arranged as Skidder. Typical power Caterpillar D-318, GM 471, or Wauk MZA. Estimated weight 8600 to 11800 pounds. While there is quite a number of optional features that could be added or deleted depending on customer requirement, Main, Haul Back, and Straw were consistent within the Model Numbers. If you needed more cable capacity you could go to BU 75 or BU 100. I’m going from memory but that should be pretty close.
Thank ya sir!
Showed up a picture of a MacMillan Bloedell BU-199 on Facebook today, with left hand and new style cab. I have not seen pictures of this particular machine before. Pictures by Mr Battistuz of Facebook.
Mazz spent the first part of his career from roughly 1980-2002 at Kelsey Bay Division MB. I'm not on Facebook but the machine your referring to would have to be either MB unit number. J-22 or J-23. Mazz has some awesome pictures from his years in the woods
Eatons or Wichita's Newer vs Later Are those Eaton water cooled brakes? That would tell us it is a later machine. The early machines had Wichita's. The guards over them make me think Wichita's, many of the Eaton equipped machines had only a roof over them. Also notable is the hood, it seems to drop sharply down to meet the cab. I'm not sure of the engine in this machine but the exhaust seems small diameter too.
I talked to the former director of mfg. He said when it came to things like engines, clutches, brakes, etc. you could specify what you wanted.
The "Big" side Hahaha. It is a very nice and tidy lil machine.
What a nice machine! Is that a BU-50? Please bring some more pictures of it!
Thanks Tork! I will take some more this week. It says BU51 on the drums themselves. The I.D. plate is long gone unfortunately.
Your facts regarding this machine are substantially correct. The story that I have is that one large timber company purchased a BX 500 which had two Cummings NHBIS engines in it. Weight of the machine was between 62,000 and 67,000 pounds depending on configuration. Baseplate was 20' x 11'. Main drum would hold 1 5/8 to 1800 feet, haul back was 7/8 inches to 5600 feet. Straw drum 5000 feet of 7/16. Diesel horsepower up to 500 could be had. There are epic stories about this machine. In one case the woods boss was skeptical about the ability of the machine to pull as advertised. They hooked the mainline around a fairly substantial fir and yanked it out of the ground stump and all. Another case, a foreman was informed that the boss was tired of buying rigging and if the operator ever put that thing in low gear again he would be fired. For most applications the BX 300 was more than adequate. That was why so few BX-500 were built.
Would that be the famous (or infamous) Black Panther? I heard many stories of it in the 50's and 60's. Mostly, as indicated, regarding tearing up rigging and pulling stumps.
Good Afternoon. My name is James and I work for a company called Conmaco. We are dealing with a customer who has a Skagit BU-65L yarder. I can't find any type of specifications or performances in regards to this machine. If anyone has any kind of information, it would be greatly appreciated. For a quicker response, my fax number is (504) 393 - 8715. Thank you for anyone that can help.
Rob N. Timberwest HBO Div. The #51-54 was the first Skagit Longline yarder to arrive at TW HBO I'm pretty sure it came from New Zealand it had a Skyline Drum that held about 1800-2000 ft. of 1 3/8 power pack cable , our question is what Model is it , BU 98 ? It is self propelled .
Rob N. Timberwest HBO Div. #51-55 is a Trailer Mount Skagit Longline Yarder . What Model is it ? A BU 739 ?
Rob N. Timberwest HBO Div. #51-56 Skagit Longline Yarder , self propelled , this is the Skagit that came from Alaska , it has the big Skyline Drum which holds about 5000 ft. of skyline , would it be a BU 199 ?
Camptramp, you are correct on your Skagit model designations, according to your pictures HBO #51-54 was a BU-98, #51-55 was a BU-739 and #51-56 was a BU-199.
Oh how we all need more Skagit in our lives.
Lucas Logging Yarder As a kid growing up in Seiad Valley, it was pretty exciting seeing E.E. Lucas' equipment go by on the Highway. In fact, must have been '72 or '73 that they parked one of his Yarders out on Hwy. 96 next to my parents place for a couple of days...and to a youngster like my brothers and I...it was cool!
This picture was taken at Nitnat division of Crown Zellerbach , they got two yarder from Skagit and one had a tyee winch which was smooth compared with the Skagit winch, the truck being loaded is a 1954 HDX owned by Irvin Olsen
Welcome Keith. Perhaps you can post more info for us. I was at Nitinat for 13 yrs. Hope to hear more from you. Bp
Boulder Bill .
Boulder Bill . Not sure if this is a Skagit or a Tyee Tower , but its interesting . Theres a scab line block over the Haulback and it looks like a Strap from a Butt Rigging Plate that the Main Line & Scab Block are attached to , with a Block on it with the Bite of what looks like the Back line in it . I'm wondering if they are Respooling their Haulback by hanging a Block on the Back line between the Tail Blocks , using the Mainline to pull the Haulback off the Haulback Drum to Respool it .
Skagit TT-10 Hustler tracked multipurpose vehicle
Skagit 555 loader brochure October 1965 (?)
Skagit 777 loader brochure
Skagit SJ-4R mobile logger
Skagit 444 mobile loader brochure
Skagit series IJ interlock yarders brochure
One more IJ-yarders brochure
Anyone have info on BU-94 serial number A-10?
Hallback, how are you doing with the BU-94? The only info I can give you is more of historic value: BU-94 A7 was delivered in august 1968, had a 12VA71 and A8 was delivered in january 1969 with a D343 engine. That is so far the written Skagit records goes! Have you asked Rich Lennox?
Here's BU-94 A20 as shown on Eugene Log Show 1979!
Thanks Torkel!! I should have photos of it yarding soon!
looking at buying a Skagit GT 5. would it be advisable with todays newer technology.
Does anyone have any information on "Circle G Logging Co." from Orleans California? My BU-94 was ordered new by them & delivered in November of 1969.
I learned more history on this yarder today. It was owned by Richard Oatfield of Willapa Log and sold at the RB Hoquiam auction in 89 to one of the Harkness' from up north here. Barnhart bought it from him right after buying it at auction.
What are you after?
Well, BU-94 #A-10 has found it's way back into the woods.
That is good news. Been awhile since any of these old jewels were shown pulling wood. Hope to see more posts. Great
Good to see you putting wood over the "Brow Log" , what ever was holding you up must have got sorted out . Sometimes the hardest thing on these good old Yarders & Loaders is sitting around collecting rust . Like the old saying goes "Use it or Lose it". Keep us informed .
A bit more modern Cleveland Logging
That is a very nice lil GT!
I hear ya Tramp! I've had to replace tons of items in the air system and just little things like that. Now the Haywire drum has no power as it is probably full of grease so I need to pull the drum clean it out and reseal it so in the meantime we're going to run the layout around with the cat or use the shovel to pull it around so we can log.
Sounds like your "dealing" with the glitch's . May the snow line stay high , the load count be many and the "hang ups" be few .
Update, The "former" engineer burned up the harness to the twin disk 5 speed. That kept the trans in neutral but enough drag to pull on the drums and act like bad frictions. New harness to install in the am.
First turns on Tuesday.
Skagit, we're pulling for You!
Looking at post #696. Last time I was under a shotgun carriage, was 1977, we flew three skidder tong lines each with 4 or 5 (I forget which) 5/8" X 10' skidder chokers. It was the only time I ever saw it done, it was highly successful, we were under a 208 Washington. Has anybody done anything like that since?
Jumbo, I have done that lots and thought that I was one of the only ones left that knew what that was. The last time I did that was in 2015 on my little BU-50 but we did it a lot in the early 90s under a BU-84. We called them frog legs.
I was Chasing on the #762 a 120 ft. Skagit Slackline tower on top of Garbage Cr in BCFP Renfrew Div . Summer of 1970 . The tower was rigged up on a landing over looking a large "Draw" full of old growth timber . It was rigged up for Shot Gunning with maybe 3-4000 ft. of Skyline reaching across the Draw to the far side . A turn of logs had just been pulled into the landing , the skyline was slacked , the logs were laying on the ground . As the Skidding line was slacked to put slack in the chokers , I was already running towards the logs to unhook the chokers . As I unhooked the first Choker , I heard something over my head . Just reflexes I guess , but I turned around at a dead run . 20 to 30 ft. away I turned around to see 150 plus ft. of Skyline pile up on the ground where I had been standing , then disappear over the edge of the landing , at the same time the carriage swung across the landing crashing into the side of the Guyline drums at base of the tower . Some how the end of the Skyline had come off the drum end on the Yarder .
Yowzas! That is never good when you hear a foreign sound around a yarder. Glad you escaped medusa!
This was sad to see....
That looks like one of the yards down in South Bend, Washington.
Yes it is. I was there to look at some 94 parts.
I worked on that yarder out of Granite Falls, WA in 1988.
She's starting to get fixed up pretty nice now. New Mainline frictions, just picked up a new Mainline for it today, lots of little things happening with it.
Not sure of you guys have heard or not but rumor is that Wayne Stone bought Millacoma's two 199's.
Damn twindisk shifter is giving us fits and only allowing 2nd gear.
It's a long way to the top.
Just curious are you required to leave all those rotten snags standing in the clearcut for wildlife habitat? d.d,
How far out are you reaching?
No they're not merch so no reason to spend the time and money to cut them. We have 2,000 feet of skyline out right now.
Was it sufficient stumps for guylines at the clearcut or have you buried deadmen?
Yes, I heard he got an 199, so I thought it may be Millicoma's. Wayne Stone have quite a collection of huge Skagit slacklines now. Are you going in the same direction?
Hallback, sure good to see you got things sorted out on the machine and are getting to put the machine to work, and start paying for it's self. If you want to put more pictures on the site we sure will be happy to look at them.
We had to bury deadman for the front quarters. The other five were good stumps. I would like to get another large Skagit but Wayne has the three I would want most. I would like a 98 or 99 and the 199 for a show piece but most likely will build a 739.
Once this ice cube thaws I will try to take more photos!
Great, the brand really need some enthusiasts . I think maybe the BU98's is the easiest to find (do Wayne Stone still advertising his?) but both them and the BU99's are used for gravel. And of course, production numbers were way higher on the 98's. Have you ever been thinking about going for a Berger, according to Pete Dahlgren it was extreme difference in the milling accurancy of the gears on the Berger in disadvantage to a Skagit they had!
I have spent some time trying to find out what happened with th BU199's and the only two I found was Millicoma's. I know at around end of the nineties it was at least 3 machines in very good order working for MMB on Vancouver Island. Additional also one of the oldest for BCFP (the Tasmania one) was sold for scrap on an auction in Chemainus. The other three I don't know, I am very sure two of them had left hand cab like the BU739 and was the last two built. They may be stored in some gravel pit in interior BC or farther east or they may have been scrapped as well...
I would love to have a 199. Bill Paulson said they were a bad hoist though, he would know as Moe had either 2 or 3 of them. I really want one to restore though.
The Bergers were a great hoist but I have been team Skagit since a kid.
Hallback,I sent you a pm. With the new format I am not sure if it sailed off or where it is. Let me know if you have received. I wish the icons were much simpler. Bp
I don't see one, not sure?
Problem with pm is I cannot find the send icon. I hit what I think is send one hope for results
How about now?
Received & thank you!
Here is a photo of a BX500, that was originally sold to Deep River Logging, in Fairbanks, AK. It was purchased from Reddicop in Ketchikan by LTI/Knick in 1975. My family and I operated it in 1976/77 on Peger lake. This one had a Cat D-397 and a Chrysler flat head industrial engine for a starter. The tower is a Berger: https://flic.kr/p/99b3Pn 16 yard Sauerman bucket: https://flic.kr/p/9ahnSj Me working on the haulback: https://flic.kr/p/99edZ1 It was later sold to H&H Construction in Fairbanks and scrapped. They also had a BX 2000 that I set up with a 16V-17, Berger tower and a Northwest 190D as the tower "older/mover", while at M.A. Segale Construction in 1977. It was scrapped as well.
It was later sold to H&H Construction in Fairbanks and scrapped. They also had a BX 2000 that I set up with a 16V-17, Berger tower and a Northwest 190D as the tower "older/mover", while at M.A. Segale Construction in 1977. It was scrapped as well.[/QUOTE] Before what I assume was the scrapping date, it sat alongside I5 at the Toutle river after dredging Mt. St. Helens. I remember seeing it in Mario's Tukwila yard for a few years.
Before what I assume was the scrapping date, it sat alongside I5 at the Toutle river after dredging Mt. St. Helens. I remember seeing it in Mario's Tukwila yard for a few years.[/QUOTE] We set the BX 2000 for a job at the Port of Anacortes. When St. Helens blew, they set it up down on the river. I saw it set up near North Pole, AK for the last time in the summer of 1987. I may have seen it when I visited again in 1997, but... (-; I operated and worked on the BX 500 all the way down to the main drive shaft and Morse "Silent Chain" when it broke just before the Forth of July, 1976. We bought the only hulk BX 500 we could find in Eugene and shipped it to Fairbanks for spares. The new chain, Morse Hi-Vo, needed to have new sprockets hobbed to install along with a new chain. This time consuming, expensive operation consumed much of our season that year. The BX 2000 (16V-71, not 17) occupied a winter and spring for us to setup. It was an interesting project where we used quite a few pieces from the boneyard. We hired Skagit Engineer, Lyle Cheldelin to design a new skidding fairlead, under the main to accommodate a skyline. This was fabricated by Petersen Brothers in Bellingham. The Skagit transmission behind the V12 Cummins was trash. The engine was "tired". So there were a couple of the 16V's on site and I went to Vancouver BC and bought a couple of 6061 Allison transmissions. We engineered a 4:1 planetary wheel end off of a 988 loader to accept sprocket to get the right drum speeds. Seen here: https://flic.kr/p/9aedDM The original "carrier" was to be an 80D Northwest, but that was too light, so Breezy Johnston found a 190D that was adequate for the job. I never personally operated the BX 2000. I saw it in operation and studied the per/yard costs of this and other Sauerman drag scraper systems. Draglines produce gravel from a pond more efficiently than a high-lead yarder re-purposed for a Sauerman. IMO (-;
Bill has an old BX sitting in his yard still.
By the freeway? I haven't stopped in there for 35 years... What's the last name? Is it the same guy all of these years? I see all of the iron there when I drive by... I stuck with draglines, cranes and shovels when I worked for Seattle Tractor. Then I moved on to teaching HD/Truck for 24 years in Bellingham, so I'm behind on my hoist experience.
Working in the Fairbanks area in 2014 on one of my visits. You may recognize this machine as one of the units used in several of the locations you mentioned including the dredging in the Castle Rock area after the eruption of Mt St Helens. It is still going today and runs whenever they need it too. Interestingly enough, there is the carcass of a BX2000 laying on this same property.
Some more pics of that machine working
Here is the Skagit BX2000 hoist in parts at a location outside Fairbanks Alaska. This is on the same property as the Skagit/Northwest combo unit posted above, and there are many other neat old-growth era yarders working in that same area. Several Bergers, lots of Skagit (BU-98's are especially popular around Fairbanks), at least one Madill 046, and several big Washingtons. All are dredging aggregate up there.
Using a 16 yard sauerman bucket on a yarder would have to be moving a lot of gravel in a short time. There is a fellow using a couple Linkbelt draglines pulling gravel with a sauerman bucket. I told him a few years ago that he should be using a yarder, but didin't know that it would handle a 16 yard bucket. I will have to share that fact and a few pictures, too.
The Madil and A frame arrangement was setup by LTI/Knick in '76. I left in '87, so I've not kept up with it. I don't recognize that 2000 hulk...I think that the interlock brake system is different that what was originally on the 2000/NW setup. But that's been a long time ago. (; Thanks for the discussion!
Well, the upgrade to 315/80/22.5 tubeless radial tires on our T-100HDSP carrier made all the difference on our last move. Goodbye 12.00/20 tubed bias! Only cost $5k to do.
Hallback,what problem did you have with 12.00/20?
Being 40 y/o tube type bias tires we just kept blowing them out on our moves across the pavement. We keep t at 38mph or under also.
I received the manual yesterday, all I can say is THANK YOU! Please let me know where to send the reimbursement. Thank you again!
What did you work out with Hakan? Glad to help. May look for you one day. Bp
Just another afternoon of Skagit production. This was after the last string was loaded.
I can't wait to get it to the shop & freshen & paint it!
where ya logging at now ?
Just outside Raymond.
Is this the one with the D343/1693 you were looking for a crank pulley/damper for?
Yessir. I still have not found one either.
Easier to find than Ardenvoir
Making me homesick now...
How about Vernonia. I've been there and ran a Grapple Yarder.
You mean Vernowhere
Ahhh, many of millions cut over there. I sure miss the tree farm and cutting a steady diet of 42-50" fir.
And how many of you have drank beer in the Lester tavern when Scott Paper was operating?
By the time I got to Lester only the school teacher was left. Now there is nothing. How many of you made it to Grisdale?
Didn't make Lester... Hamilton though.
Never made Grisdale... I would have liked to have seen it. Lake Sylvia is as close as I got. Lived in a company town in AZ for sometime. It was a great place to live and work.
Never made Grisdale, I was pulling rigging at Lester (1972) If you could fog a mirror, they would hire you those years, I ended up pulling rigging because I had been on the payroll at least 8 weeks....
Halloween came early
<<<<My little picture is from up by Lester in the watershed. Spent quit a bit of time working up there in the '90's.
Which watershed? I spent alot of time in the Tacoma & some in the Seattle watersheds.
I moved a lot of iron in an out of Cedar River and the Tolt over the years.
Green River. I was with TPU out of the Enumclaw shop. Bremmeyer?
Bill is a really good guy.
Bill is top notch. Thinks his iron is top tier price too! Lol We did alot for Anderson, Canyon Creek & a few others in the Tacoma Watershed then Columbia Helicopters & Westek in the Seattle Watershed.
When I was there they had a really good relationship with the Watershed Inspectors and seemed to do a lot of the "bid" work for the city. OK, they did pretty much all the work.
You need to get one of those haywire stringing drones like they had at the OLC this year, put a camera attachment on it; dual purpose.... Good aerial photos.
Mark Standley that builds those used to be our safety coordinator. At $38k, I will keep making them string by Hand! Lol
He is our safety coordinator, he said when he can fly a line 5000 feet across a hole and drop a line in some fatass's hand they would buy one, not sure about that but it is pretty impressive. Where is that side?
We are just outside Raymond at the moment. We will be finishing up tomorrow or Thursday though.
Pacific UAV running some line
Was that thing pulling haywire or just carrying an extension? That looked like a long way.
The angle of attack towards the end makes me think it pulled haywire the whole way.
At the OLC this year, it was explained to me that they use 10,000' of double braid polyester rope in 2 - 5000' reels. Make two flights out and whomever is in the backend clips them together and start reeling in the "real" haywire. I have hand strung 9000 feet of 7/16 haywire once working for the bull gang eons ago. That UAV or whatever they call it sure looks nice to me. They claim was they could have a layout up and running in an hour using the UAV. If you are out 3000' or more I could see it. Of course, they push the safety features as less people in the brush fighting hangups.
Wondering if someone is working on a bot that can set chokers?
The hard part would be designing the software that bitches about the sun, mud, rain, snow, dust or price of gloves, shoes and beer. The mechanical working part that actually pokes a choker (with a $15,000 add on that straightens each choker) should be pretty simple. It is just the basic personalities that recline in the crummy on a rainy day that get expensive... I drove by a setting last summer, I stopped to watch them work (one of my hobbies since I retired.) I ended up chasing for an afternoon as the rigging crew didn't show up and the chaser was in the brush setting chokers and the yarder engineer was chasing. I got a free beer out of it and a bit of exercise, it also confirmed that I am pretty worthless when it comes to work these days.
I am sure that the yarder hand probably still thinks of you as the cool chaser who just did it cause he saw a need. Just right! That is the sort of thing that we all have a story or have heard one about. "One day the riggers didn't show up and I running the yarder and chasin' cause the chaser was in the brush setting... and this guy just driving by, stops and jumps in for the day chasin'!" Craig and Terry sing about guy's doing things like that.
You are a good hand Jumbo.
Not too sure about that, I am a 66 year old who still knows what a bell and knob are, and can stumble around a landing for a few hours. I was probably comic relief for the landing crew rather than real productive.
Handly & Phillips 737 older pics were on the OP, now its in south island NZ
I hate seeing them cross the pond.
View attachment 186719 View attachment 186720 View attachment 186717 View attachment 186718 Those are not the same 2 Skagit 737's although they did both belong to B&M Logging at one point. Both were painted yellow and black when B&M owned them. The machine shown in blue/white in your pics is currently owned by Ken Risseeuw at Willamina, Oregon and is still B&M colors, yellow and black. The machine that went to NZ with Gale's was a 737 that B&M had picked up much earlier, and sold to Gales about 2012. Gale's painted it orange/black/white once they got it to NZ. Here a couple of pics of the machine currently owned by Risseeuw on the move in Oregon last winter. This is the blue/white colored machine in your pics above. I'll dig up some pics of the machine Gale ended up with (the orange one in your pics above) and post those for you here when I can.
Here are some pics of the 737 B&M ended up selling to Gale Contracting in NZ. This is the machine seen in the orange/black/white paint in your pics. These pics are not great quality and were taken at Chehalis, Washington when the yarder was in for service at McPaul Machine. This was a nice yarder when it went to NZ and with Gale taking care of it, I'm sure it still is today.
Sorry for the double post of 1st pic, this site is quirky with pics. Tried to delete but that isn't working. Here's a pic showing that same 739 behind the C500 lowboy truck at B&M when the yarder is looking fresh and clean. The Gale boys do look at the forum here from time to time so hopefully they can add details about this yarder that they might share with us. I didn't get the serial number of the machine that Gale got but they may be able to reply to this and add at some point.
oh wow i was way off, must have got my wires crossed with Matt. thanks for clearing that up Eric.
Its all good mister, just a little confusing as they had 2 of the 737's that they have reworked, repainted, and then sold. This was mostly just a great opportunity to share some pics I had of both machines when B&M had them. I also figured if you had a connection to the Handly & Phillips machine you would be happy to know that she is still here stateside and working full time in Oregon, so I could offer a smile for you in that regard. B&M sure have owned some dandy yarders through the years. They still do own a bunch and are using a pair of 739's daily as well as other yarders too. You have a happy Sunday and I hope you enjoy the pics and misc tidbits as much as I do.
Here's a Skagit BU-80 at B&M Logging, pics taken as the yarder was parked at Mineral in the later 1990's. Painted yellow/black in the B&M color scheme.
Here are some pics of a Skagit BU-94 they own and are using as they need it. This one is mounted on a Skagit T-100 self-propelled carrier.
Great photos as always!
I hope all is well, post more of your yarder mister.
I will as soon as we get it to another setting. We are just running the Westcoaster right now but that will probably change next week.
Anyone have access to a 737 operators manual?
have looked at most of the pictures from pg1 to here` some awesome machinery. am curios though how long does it take from the time you get to the site to setup and be ready to pull wood?
Lots of variables to answer you. Are the guylines already in place, has the layout been made? Working for Weyerhaeuser in the 60s and 70s, we had a "bull gang" who went out with a line truck to string guylines and make the first layout. (two old broke down experienced hooktenders to do the thinking and the operating and a pair of young guys to do the running.) With everything in place, we could be filling the landing with logs in four hours at most. If nothing is ready, it might take days. I have heard of Simpson on the peninsula having to stretch 3000' of guyline, that is a lot of work. You had to pack out into the brush 2 or 3 16" Ropemaster tail blocks and the associated straps. then you need to string haywire. With a bull gang, everything went much smoother.
It usually takes us about 6/8 hours from driving on the landing to rigged & logging.
thanks for the replys guys I was guessing a full day at least
My son and I have both been smitten with the inherent spirit of Skagit iron. We have read a few stories of outfits that started out with SJ series mobile loggers and how much they loved them.We were considering an SJ4 for doing narrow roadside work in our small outfit to compliment our TMY45. The only part that worries me as far as parts/reliability go is that power divider/downdrive piece.I have studied the brochures Rust Grapple put up for hours.Any other knowledge,wisdom,stories of these rigs would be greatly appreciated.Thank you guys for all the great photos,stories,and hard won wisdom.The photos of those restored big tube yarders fill me full of awe and desire. Grapplewrench Sr.
grapplewrench. I started out on wrenches in 1967. We had only the SJ7. We did not have any issues with downdrive at all. The swing shaft was biggest issue and could replace that in 10-12 hours. One contractor had a SJ4 and it just kept going. All of these were loading in landings. Later one SJ7 was used to log small corner patches. Not too much help I know
Thank you,it does help. Looking at all the other parts of the machine,it looks like most of it can be off the shelf stuff,including the transmission.That little 4cyl CAT seems to be the predecessor to the 3304.I love the idea and operation of a machine like this,and given that it's purpose built with strawline drum and all,I'd rather run it ,than a brand new yoder complete with bluetooth DEF injection and zero character. If I get an SJ4,I intend to spend my winters making it nice in the same spirit as Haulback did his beautiful rig.Some folks might criticize us for denying a museum it's iron,others might criticize us for not having enough business sense because we're "playing with old junk". The satisfaction of taking a beautifully engineered piece of iron from a better era and putting food on a bunch of dinner tables with it can't be beat though. Grapplewrench
GW, Thank you for the kind words. In regards to the down drive I had the one in our BU-94 rebuilt and it only cost twenty-five hundred bucks and that was a shop doing it. In all reality it is not that bad. The biggest thing to watch out for with those down drives is water getting into them. Change the oil in them every spring and if you're going to be moving that much in the winter time after it sits on a landing for a while pull the plug and drain any water out of it. If you have a hard pull up a hill assist it with a skidder or something so you're not putting all that weight on it. You won't break it down drive you will break an axle or a U joint before that. Good luck in your search and make sure to post up photos for us to see. PS, what area are you from?
There is currently a 737 of unknown ownership at Modern Machinery right now getting some work done to it and a 737 owned by ENB logging at Way Machine right now.
Thank you for the info and reply there Hallback. We are right near the foot of Mt Lassen.My son and I are starting in on yarding as soon as the snow lets us get in the haul road. I've been running hotsaw (buncher) for 20 years and we are both sick of mechanical logging as it's becoming more and more like a factory job. So we got yarder work offered to us by a land owner and we are jumping in with both feet for something that feels more like logging used to when I was in my 20s.If we get the SJ4,I will document it's return to it's full glory right here. Long range planning,I'm thinking about a rig that will hang out a ways with a decent sized skyline. I like the looks and feel of the 3 drum BU84's but a 737 might be better. Either way,I hope to have many empty blue and white paint cans around my shop here on the ridge. GW
How far does the roadside logger need to go out on the slope? Probably be the workers compensation people and the like that insist that modern diesels are used one day in the old haulers like the Skagit SJ4R. There are known health risks from the diesel fumes "Diesel Exhaust Associated With Higher Heart Attack, Stroke Risk In Men" Depending on the size of the wood, the Skagit GT3 might be a better starting point for a $$ upgrade (new cab etc) for the end result wheeled out of the shop. Summit's H100 tower yarder started from a Skagit frame but a total rebuild for all hydraulic winches, 750 hp cummins etc. Old Yoders - probably the more than 15 year old madill 3800 or similar if you don't want a def yoder. The 3800 still had a simple old detroit engine in it, good level of cab protection, generic track gear. and can also use it for a fairly able log loader when not been used hauling wood up slopes. Also has the space to retrofit a modern bs compliant engine if necessary.
GT3s were common here 20+ years ago,but moving them around here on the highway can be a pain these days,where as the SJ4 will be our secondary "corner getter" where the TMY45, abeit a slightly smaller tower will be our main production machine.Our shovel has a grapple processor and I intend to put a pullmaster drum or two on it at some point.The SJ4 was purpose built,smaller by a ways than a GT3. I looked at a 3800 madill,but the TMY 45 as a main rig was a better choice as on the first job we have a couple 2500'+ hangs,and It would be hard to get a large tube in there,so for the cost,speed,and drum size the TMY also won the battle over all those rigs with WW2 tank carriages (78sl, 071 etc.). For a main carriage,and long hangs,I have decided on the Eagle V with the drum. I think it would serve us well for a long time.Some of the slopes where we'll be logging haven't been touched since Cats were skidding right down the draws back in the 50's or before,so we have to be able to yard everything from toothpicks to 6' 16s. It will be something different almost every day.
Just my two cents here but I would go with a Boman Mark V over that eagle internal drum Carriage as they are nearly twice as fast and are lighter on your Skyline. Yes they will bend up easier if dropped than an eagle but in all reality if you drop a motorized Carriage with an internal drum from any height it is going to get damaged. Also that yarder that Eric crume built at Summit does not work. Those hydraulic winches build far too much heat and it is an ineffective machine. If you are looking to get a big yarder I don't care what anybody says the old style cone frictions like the 94 has are way more reliable and better performing hoist than a 737 or an 84. A 737 is a little faster but when you are out over six or seven hundred feet just thread your haulback through your skidding boss and you will have all the speed you need.
I was wondering how that hyd tower works our EMS harvestline on the tigercat carrier burns a huge amount of fuel for what it does.
I used to work under and around a tmy 45 that had the frame stretched to accommodate an Alison transmission and that thing would pull like a striped ape. We ran it with a Bowman,acme,eagle and a maki. Definitely liked it with the Bowman the best.
From the perspective of the type of wood and distances you guys are probably going after up there,the Boman is the tool of choice.Seems like all the big tubes up there run 'em,especially the TY90s. The Eagle V may be slower but,with 32,000 lb capacity and 700' of line it is purpose built for the crazy terrain I will have to navigate with cable. There will be some 3 log loads along with everything else. A BU94 would be ideal,but our roads have a lot of steep grades and tight switchbacks,so I have to be mindful of the size of iron I try to drag into a job. The size and weight of something on a T90 trailer I think would be on the sane side as far as moving it in goes. I've cut very challenging jobs with a hotsaw,crawling through the brush with a flashlight at 2 a.m. looking for marked trees,under the gun to "make my loads". I think this first cable job will be the most challenging thing I'll have ever done, but we'll get 'er,and we've got great help. Thanks a bunch for the help and advise guys. GW
Where in the state of Jefferson are you located? Try and get some pictures, if you have time in between working.
Yer down there in Robinson's country.They lowbeded my first Timbco 445 to it's first job back in '97. I'm up here by Lassen. When things get rolling,I will bring my daughter out to catch the action with her camera.She is a great photographer,loves logging,and makes the best spicy beef jerky in the State of Jefferson.
My grandfather may have been the first cat skinner that worked for Robinson. Not quite sure about that story. Right after the Empire mine closed. The main shop is 5 minutes from my house. Their fuel is in my tanks and their oil and tires are on my truck. Maybe after the secession, I will come look you up if you are needing help wrenching. Have your daughter make some youtube videos if you can.
I know I'll need a good wrench pilot.I won't have much time myself. Yeah,some videos would be cool.That one of the Chilton's TY90 is just about my favorite.Something like that with Lassen as the backdrop.
While going through some pictures I think they are Skagit log loader from the 1960's here in Princeton. If not sorry for posting in wrong place.
Great photos,thanks for posting them. Thats an SJ2-R "mobile thinning machine" ,1000' of 3/4 and 1000' of 5/8. Three guys could have gone out and made a living with one of those. That little 50,000lb rig brought 'em in the landing and sent 'em out on a truck. Very cool.The "R" meant fully rotational upper as opposed to the SJ4 (no R) and the SJ8 that had 180 degree upper turn via a ram.
SJ-4-RT are the line specs correct? 840 ft - 3/4" mainline, 1900 ft - 1/2" haulback, 2090 ft of 5/16" strawline. 2 guylines (Just put on an extension for more distance)? Is there any state/ authority assistance for engine upgrades? ------------------------------ Small comparison with super-yoder. Alpine super-yoder excavator conversion (300 hp/ 90K lb excavator) requires brand new excavator for best warranty. (doosan dx300LL-5 266hp and 82K lbs or Doosan dx380LL-5 - tier 4 312hp, 114K lbs or Kobelco 350 high and wide 270 hp, 88K lbs, Madill 3000 etc ) drum specs 1740 ft - 3/4" mainline, 3444 ft of 5/8 haulback, 3280 ft of strawline. Hydraulic and mechanical interlock. German winch components. (weight after conversion @ 111K lbs with lines on & if any $ left for a full tank of diesel) --------------- swing yarders TB tsy 6140, 230hp - 63K lbs and the T-Mar LC550 - 105K lbs (one truck shift) (Will there be a market to go back and make a new 6140 weight swing yarder again for steep tree farms - small trees?)
Those specs are correct,and I love those 6140s,for 1500' swing grapple rigs. If I ever work just clearcuts like I did in my hotsaw days Id buy one...or a 255. Our tmy45 and an SJ4 with rigging and carriges together will cost half what one of those machines will and don't have the planned obsolescence built in. These newer machines are good for a year or two and then the cost of maint. curve gets steep fast. That 550 is a nice rig on paper,with reputable engineers behind it,but the CAT engine and electronics IMO should be pulled out ,just like CAT pulled out of logging.The last CATs worth owning had 3304s or 3306s in 'em. The cost of Tier 4 maint. parts in one of those Doosans would pay for a rebuild of the Allison transmission in the SJ4. Like the 1951 Maytag Model J I wash my gloves and rags in,Skagit products were built for the long haul,because in that time,a manufacture's reputation depended on that,not government manipulating the market.
I have to agree with you! Our swing yarder is a 1991 model and what an expensive sumbitch to maintain! The Skagit and westcoaster are reliable, run everyday machines. You can get parts for them at any local Napa and they are simple to work on. The Thunderbirds, not so much.
Yeah,I was pleasantly surprised when I started doing a parts rundown of the SJ4. Clark rear axles that are still made,same with the shular front,and an Allison transmission that I could have a new one in a couple days. Rebuild kits for the Cat 330TA are reasonable. Timkin seals and bearings all over. Napa indeed, and you know the guys that designed these Skagits, knew that a logger appreciated that in no small way,especially in the days before cell phones. You didn't have to wait for some technician to show up days later with a $8000 aluminum case with an lcd screen to plug in and send you a bill for a software update.
im currently looking for a dragline sauerman if you know anyone im from illinois
Picked up another Skagit this week. Photos coming next week from its job.
I've posted this machine before while it was towered down , found a picture of it towered up the other day
Such a beautiful 739!
My Skagit knowledge is basically zero, so someone please help ID. Also : wishing I stopped to photo it, but I'm pretty sure there is a SY-717 right next to the road off of 101 near Neilton / Quinault WA in a literal (front) yard full of other old cool cars, trucks, equipment. Impossible to miss. Ramsey yard in Chehalis, 739? There was a Skagit tube / Madill 046 combo machine as well plus a very large complete drum set off of an other Skagit, I think a 739. Healthy size and good shape. Cascade Trader yard B&M Logging had both of their 739s parked up in the yard
Ramsey yard. Trailer had goofy axles on it, don't think I've seen this type before.
The first photo in Ramsey yard is a 7:39 that has been sitting since the owl crisis-hit. Jim Ramsey went around and bought every large yarder he could at auction and for pennies on the dollar. He has made a fortune converting them to rock drags. The B&M yarder, one of them is a 739 the other one is a self-propelled bu 94 on a T100 HD carrier.
Kenworth W990 & a BU-737
Did those 737s come with the option for the cab to be on either side? There's a self-propelled 737 down here and im almost positive that the cab is on the other side. Im probably wrong.
And yes, many of the later models gadgets like the 737 and 739 had the option to be ordered with a sliding cab. You are probably talking about Larry hoffenbredl 737 down in Grand Ronde, it has a sliding cab on a self-propelled T100 HD carrier and has the optional Slackline skidding drum on it.
No im further south than you might think. I don't think it's a sliding cab but I didn't look that close. It's not ours it's a contractors so he probably wouldn't love someone crawling all over it.
I drove by the old Skagit Iron & Steel yard yesterday and once again wished I would have been able to see it when it was running in it's hayday. It must have been a pretty impressive sight. Have there been any books written on the actual sight? I understand picture books real well.
gotta look 3 times where you go with that rig
Hi chopper95 and thank you for bringing up some new photos in the yarder threads! I think Skagit changed the standard location of the cab from right to left side at most of their yarders around 1980. Something with bigger radiators, I would say. They also modernized cab and control panel at about the same time. Though, I have never seen a 737 with left hand cab, so a picture should be highly interesting! Torkel
737
Hallback,You're like the buddy I had in high school who's hard work in the summers got him both a sweet Camaro, AND a 427 Chevelle.(That was back when you could buy either for 2k ;-). Our little SJ4 will be down here just in time for winter ops, dragging 40 in. dia. Sugar Pine and White Fir out of the draws.Our creativity will have to be much larger than our margins,but not owning or making payments on iron with data cables thicker than the motor mounts ,helps. It frustrates me to no end that a big Skagit tube will not get up in on our spur roads where they would need to go. There's that 3 drum BU84 on tracks running around up your way.One of those would work,but they didn't exactly crank 'em out like they did VW Bugs. Nice 737,thanks for showing it. Please update us on how well your planned system for it produces. Grapplewrench (2 years clean from a 20 year feller buncher habit this month,and feeling good!)
I had a 67 427 powered camaro & a 68 chevelle in high school too! Thank you, the yarder is a dandy.
Our new to us SJ4 came home down from Or. a couple days ago. What a different technology Skagit iron is compared to the John Deere, Cat,and Timbco I've Known the last 30 years. It was custom rebuilt in the early 2000's with a turned up Cummins 4bt,hydraulic tower raising,and cab lowering,a custom tower and much taller gantry with a center dead guy added. The port side swing gear wedge brake clutch rigging was completely torn away at some point,so we are taking the identical one from the old boom topping drum shaft.We are going to use a pair of chain hoists on both the tower and gantry to lift the whole swing gear assembly up far enough. This yarder reminds me more of the destroyer engineroom I ran for six years in the navy more so than logging iron. We have to have it going at the 1st landing in early May.
Our 737 doing some shotgun duty.
What, with the SJ4,the 1980 Barko 450,and the 67 1 ton,I could get away with telling someone that it was a quality photo from around '82. This is just the other day in our first landing getting our start.Now there is a healthy deck of Sugar Pine,White Fir,Doug Fir,and Ponderosa ringing that shovel.That little yarder has some pull! Could someone tell me where I could find some clutch piston seals? The main drum seal leaks some and was full of dirt from Oregon when I pulled it apart.We were handed a 17k acre tract to log,and while that yarder looked huge in my front yard,it seems tiny out there. Grapplewrench
Call Chuck at Modern Machinery in Rochester Wa.
Here is one of two Skagit deck winches on the Palouse. I am using 1.5" poly braid to straighten things up a bit, driving steel cans with a diesel hammer. We did not use the Skagits for the anchor lines on the jobs I did, we had a tug and spudded down or did spud spins to walk the jobs.
Like that wack from a diesel hammer,Always wanted to make it the ring tone on my cell phone.
Usually my hand is on the kill rope but that one needed tweaking so I was tailing.
I loved that little yarder.I enjoyed wrenching on it,doing the morning maintenance,and feeding my family with it.It had a unique spirit to it created by engineers from a better time. This Dixie fire,started (yet another) by the board of directors at PG&E,came and destroyed all of my iron including the SJ4 in a fast moving blow up. Were getting a lot of support from the owners of other local outfits.Once again,a good reputation born of hard work and honesty pays off. We've been offered a skidder and shovel on time to log our area of the burn (17,000 acres).All of that timber was going to last us 10 years of logging. Next up,we hope to find another Skagit yarder. A BU 70,MY 50, Or even a BU 84 with a 46A Cat could be shoved around this country with some gumption.I'm looking forward to that. It's the only direction to look.
Damn, that is tough. Hopefully insurance will get after ya quickly.
Now that's a lowboy truck
Put on a new skyline today & hung the new Boman.
I used to love working under bomans. I don't think I'd like it much anymore
Me either, I am too old & fat now! Rigging a big fir tomorrow, gotta go about 90' up.
Once I hit my 40s I just don't seem as interested in setting chokers but my fat ___ could use some rigging work
That's me!!
Well, no tree rigging today. Strung another 1200' extension and got another 60' of lift.
Only another 1200 ? That makes me sweat just thinking about that much haywire
Not bad, one leg & use the winch on the 8k.
We are going to be out between 3000-4500' this whole job.
Mt.Rainier in the background.
Nice Picture hallback. I miss being out there sometimes.
When we first started yarding,my son who had never climbed,was doing the tree rigging.Last week he told me as stressed out as he was thinking ahead about it,especially the time it would take,it turned out to be a non issue.We had to go up at least 40' on the tail trees.No big deal for you guys,but doin ok for us guys new at it.Thank you for the great photos,they take the sting out of missing my SJ. We were able to get another shovel and a skidder to clean up the burn (cream actually,going to 10 inch tops!And the mill isn't taking shorties either.) ,all 17,000 acres.The forester said in 2 years we'll be needing another yarder. It will probobly be a GT3. Esco Grapple Wrench these days
You're getting some great photos from that landing
I will have the loading operator send me the ones he took yesterday morning of the sunrise. Absolutely phenomenal as you could see Mount Rainier, mount Saint helens and mount Adams all together
This is at the Port Clements museum on Haida Gwaii.
Good ol 009. Back when compact & yarders were not used in the same sentence.
That yarder is as big as one of our landings that we occasionally get the chance to work on
I can't say I miss getting up in the middle of the night to load under lights on the first round . But I truly do miss those occasional gorgeous and brilliant sunrises that we were so privileged to view in the Pacific Northwest .
Those are great
I wish you guys could see it in person it is absolutely phenomenal. I will try to grab a good camera from home when we're gonna have some clear weather and get some good shots.
I love seeing those incredible sunrises from the landing in the morning, what sucks is watching the sun set and you still have to get home and do it over again the next day. "Two moonlight rides and a picnic lunch!"
Hi, can anyone id the model or year of this Skagit drumset?
Hard to tell without having hands on it but it appears to be a BU-30 hoist by the Lack of roller bearing shafts.
Manual frictions/brakes are another sign. Hopefully you are not in Washington State with that as as labor and industries would have a field day with it.
Brent Roland photo's #797 120 ft. telescoping tower IJ-80 inter lock winch on tank carrier new spring 1969 at BCFP Renfrew Div.
That is awesome! The Ford Galaxie makes it even cooler!!
Looking at the photos, I thought Bendix took over Skagit by then (late '60s) and turned them blue and white. Googling around, I don't see any date for the Bendix takeover.
Bendix took them over in 74 IIRC
BCFP Renfrew Div. 797 Skagit 120 ft. tower
Steve Young photos BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit 120 ft. tower
Absolutely love these photos! Thank you!
Mike Green photo's BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit tower . This picture was taken fall of 1981 , there was a lot of uncertainty about our the company's future , as all the camps equipment was moved to camp and put to bed .
Great photos from that period,thank you. What about the IJ system didn't work out? My love of Skagit iron comes from how much consideration and engineering went into every thing they built. That snow covered landing,yep..It's that time of the year. We've got a warming fire next to the truck slip everyday now.
The IJ just didn't have the speed and was an interlock yarder. The majority of Skagit hoists were going to skyline operations and they wanted to get a good foothold in that market which they sure did.
Tom Worth photo
Love these photos Camp! That T-110HDSP carrier & what looks like a BU-98 hoist is one heavy unit. Anderson-Bolling steer axles & jacks behind the steers are a dead giveaway.
Wes McKechnie photo's
"The IJ just didn't have the speed" Apparently they had that ironed out with the GT series. High speed gears were Washington's angle I guess. A hypothetical little Skagit MY50 two drum with interlock would follow me home though.Small enough to fit on my roads yet could still make a good show out on the ridge points.I have absolutely zero interest in these new hydraulic yarders. Maybe work okay when new,but 20 years in Timbcos,Timber pros and all the rest showed me that a high strung hydraulic machine is good for about 3 years before turbulent flow from wear eats the machine up with heat damage.
Pleasant Valley Wa, 1981 BU-84 highlead machine.
BU84 on a T90 with the CAT engine is my dream machine. Any given day of the week: Son(CEO): Sorry dad,but we couldn't move one around in our woods. Me:We could buy matched pair of 46A's and straighten all the roads on Saturdays,and then we could put that yarder anywhere! Son: Then it'd all be flat and you could get everything with that skidder of yours. Me: You know that BU would be a log getting sumb"""". Yer just afraid of pullin some real rigging,that's all. Son: Just watch the road Dad.
Stay away from those 84's. If there ever was a shaft killing Skagit, those were it
Dave Whisken Photo's
I wish I could "love" those photos!
BCFP Renfrew Div. #663 a 120 ft. Telescoping Skagit tower mounted on a lowbed style carrier with a Tyee Slackline Winch .
BCFP Renfrew Div. #762 a 120 ft. Skagit telescoping tower on lowbed style carrier . The Skagit Slackline winch was originally on a Wooden Sleigh , the winch was sent down to Skagit's assembly plant to be mounted on new carrier . This tower was new March 1966 , this picture was taken late Summer 1967
BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 120 ft. Skagit High lead telescoping tower with IJ-80 winch , mounted on tank carriage carrier .
BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit tower on lowbed at Renfrew shop .
Mike Green photo's BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit yarder on lowbed in trouble on "Green Grade"
I don't miss those issues a bit......
BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit 120 ft. Telescoping tower , on a Winter's day . #16-39 a Northwest log loader .
Just thinking about how nice it is to sit at my desk in a 68 degree house, not having to think about feeding the burn barrel. I enjoy the photos and they really make me appreciate not having to be out in it anymore. And my toes don't get numb anymore either.
BCFP Renfrew Div. #665 110 ft. Skagit telescoping tower with an IJ-80 Inter lock winch . Mounted on a lowbed style carrier .
Fond memories . Soaked to the skin , but as long as you were reasonably warm , one could keep going . Paying to work out in a Gym was unheard of . The good old day's , and when the rigging comes back , you don't have to run , you don't have to walk , you don't have to crawl , fly you ba****ds , fly .LOL
Run in for your job & run out for your life!!!
BCFP Renfrew Div. Summer 1980 #797 Skagit tower . There was an operational fire on this side .Mars Water Bomber on its way to help put out fire .
BCFP Renfrew Div. #799 Skagit Grapple yarder . The first Grapple Yarder arrived about 1970
BCFP Renfrew Div. #799 Skagit Grapple Yarder parked at Renfrew Yard . #799 Skagit loaded on barge leaving Renfrew Div.
BCFP Renfrew Div. #762 Skagit 120 ft. Telescoping Slackline Tower . This Tower came to the division new with a Slackline winch that had been previously been mounted on a Wooden sleigh in 1966 . Sometime in the mid 1970's the original Skagit winch was replaced with a Madill Slackline Winch . This is a picture of the #762 parked at Honeymoon Bay DLS Shop in the mid 1980's . The tower had been sold to an American Company and was waiting to be moved to its next operation .
Bob MacMillan Photo BCFP Renfrew Div. #663 Skagit 120 ft. telescoping tower with Tyee Slackline winch . Summer 1970 , I remember this setting , it was a high lead setting we put a full long splice in the haulback . The loader is a model 6 Northwest grade shovel converted to a log loader . I was Landing Man (2nd loader / chaser) , it was the first time I had a day on my own running the #79 Loader .
Bob MacMillan Photo's BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 120 ft. Skagit telescoping tower with an IJ-80 winch , attempting some early "Grapple Yarding"
Bob MacMillen Photo's BCFP Caycuse Div. #798 Skagit Grapple Yarder
Bob MacMillen photo's BCFP Cayuse Div. #798 Skagit Grapple Yarder
Ernie Harrison photo BCFP Renfrew Div. #663 Skagit 120 ft. telescoping tower with a Tyee Slackline winch .
Dave Whiskin photo Timberwest HBO Div. Skagit telescoping tower
What a beautiful machine. Sadly I believe it was scrapped.
Mike Green photo's BCFP Renfrew Div. #663 120 ft. Skagit slackline telescoping tower with Tyee winch
Randy Thompson Photo PCB ( Pat Carson Bulldozing ) Skagit grapple yarder .
John Walker photo's Carley Logging Skagit Log loader
John Walker photo M&B Shawnigan Div. Skagit Grapple Yarder whick was sold to Carley Logging .
John Walker photo former M&B Shawnigan Div. Skagit grapple yarder after it was purchased by Carley Logging .
John Walker photo Carley Logging Skagit SJ-5 Log Loader .
John Walker photo's Carley Logging Skagit Grapple Yarder
Funny how fallers never used to flush the butts on the first log.
The earlier SJs like mine had those hook rolls and the air brake operated swing gear setup.It looks like the later ones they had been maybe a redone design with the rotek and hydraulic swing. That swing gear setup on my Sj4 took a lot to maintain and getting used to operate with that thumb valve brake.I had heard many bad stories about hook rolls from old timers, but I liked that setup on my machine.It was easy to adjust and grease. Getting a faller to flush the log ends seems to be going out of fashion again -and is an "added cost" to help offset the cost of new 41 foot camp trailers with "three tv's and two bathrooms". That's how it was put to me anyway....I don't know where he'll go next season....
Wes McKechnie photo Timberwest HBO Div.
What a beautiful 739.
Wes McKehnie photo's Timberwest HBO Div.
I would love to have that tower. What a beauty!!
Brian Dickson photo's Timberwest HBO Div.
Brian Dickson photo's Timberwest HBO Div.
Timberwest HBO Div. Skagit Longline Yarder after rebuild at Gordon River Shop
Timberwest HBO Div. Gordon River Shop Skagit Longline Yarder after rebuild
The Skagit BU-199 is my dream yarder. I know of only one left in running existence and Wayne Stone in Sandy Oregon has it.
Brian Dickson photo's Timberwest HBO Div. Skagit long line yarder
That BU-739 is a beautiful yarder. Lots of line capacity, power & speed.
Dwayne Larson photo's Carley Logging . Skagit Grapple Yarder's
Bruce Wilson Photo's BCFP Renfrew Div. #799 Skag it Grapple Yarder
Bruce Wilson Photo's BCFP Renfrew Div. #797 Skagit tower
BCFP Renfrew Div. #799 Skagit Grapple Yarder crossing the Gordon River bridge
Where was that 737 photo taken? Looks like an old forks truck.
RB auction pic from mid 80's
Pacific Logging Sooke Div. 120' Telescoping Skagit Tower with IJ-80 winch on Tank Underc arriage
Rob Norman Photo BCFP Caycuse Div. #798 Skagit Grapple Yarder .
Dave Whiskin Photo's Timberwest HBO Div.
Dave Whiskin Photo's Timberwest HBO Div.
That's an odd rigging assembly running through the front of that carriage with all those tires and such. Also the drop line on that carriage has an odd rigging to it also. Anybody know why it was done this way?
50 years ago or so, we used them as a "cushion" so we wouldn't pound steel to steel. When it was foggy and you couldn't see the top of the tower, (or tree) you could still snuggle it up tight. Especially handy on a small landing where space was at a premium.
I understand that but if you look at the photos closer it doesn't just have tires on the end of the main line to the front of the carriage. There's a block system there and same on the other end of the carriage.
s
1988 sales listing
Looks like the mainline constantly will wear on the tires around the block that is inside them? Using the utility line to separate main from wrapping around sky maybe needed a double line due to small line diameter, (or just the block purchase?), that way it is easy to adjust the distance compared to using a fixed line? And btw Darren, to few pictures of the yarder, but it really looks a lot like the 199, dont't you think...?
Yes it does. Good hoists for long span. Good but not great.
Closeup of carrier of Sparmatic [VIEW Sparmatic mobile steel spar]; Skagit BX-200 yarder [labeled Douglas Veneer Co.]. Roseburg Lumber Company, Roseburg, Oregon, 1963. (via Forest History Society)
Well, this is the first time in my logging career that I have not had a Skagit yarder. I sold the 737 a week before last.
Was it complete with talky tooters and butt rigging? lol
How is the market for yarders and towers now days? I suspect it didn't take a long time to sell.
It's crap. I coulda pulled $250k in 2016/17 but was lucky to get half that & only because I put 100k in it last year
Yup, even had bugs!
Tank mounted Skagit BU50 with steel spar - 1965. Madill 72-foot steel spar is mounted on tank undercarriage with Skagit BU50 yarder. BCB Logging, Ltd., contractor for Crown Zellerbach Canada, Ltd. Nitinat, British Columbia, 1965.
1988 sales listing
I'm a Skagit guy no doubt about it but gosh dang they made some ugly swingers!
There were a bunch of those around here. Up until 10-15 years ago then they started to disappear. I think there might be one still logging for our northern division. And yes they are ugly
Washington Yarders were ugly as all getout also.
There are still a couple of those around here. First yarder I ever worked under was a 108 and that thing scared the crap out me. I was only 16 and just knew I wasn't going to see 17 unless I stayed way out of the way
Pat MacMillen Photo's Timberwest HBO Div.
Why did they stopsunning the big towers and standing skylines up there?
Might be that no one wants to set chokers on stuff with 4" butt . From my armchair it looks like grapple yarders and tethered hoechuckers doing lots of it.
Nobody logging decent timber anymore?
Mostly cut n run here now . Followed a load of pecker poles the other day ,i dont think half the tops would make 3" .
One of our contractors down here has 6 gt 3s currently. He buys them up and parks them in his yard. I think he only runs one or two of them
This is our BU50 mounted on a 77 kenworth currently for sale
That's my old 50. That thing yarded a lot of logs. It still have the 472 Cadillac engine?
No we swapped it to a cummins
Here is some pictures of the Ben Thomas BU199 yarder that I loaded under in the late 70s. I was running a really nice 30B Bucyrus Erie and later a Lima under this same yarder. These BU199s were an amazing machine.
Gosh what I'd give to have one of those 199's. Sadly I believe there are only two left in existence and only one yards logs.
Is it the cost that prevents these machines from still being built?
And the lack of need for a big skyline machine like that anymore. Three-piece move on the highway and honestly I don't think they're enough good men to put under them anymore either.
what replaced the skyline machines? Tether assisted Feller buncher?
Oh no you will never replace a true skyline yarder with air frictions by trying to use one of these hydraulic yoyo gizmos. You just don't need a 260,000 lb 110 ft 8 guyline machine anymore that has the capability to spool 3,600 plus feet of 1.75" skyline. Most operations have moved to using a 70-ft tower or a 50 ft swing yarder with 1.125" skyline. Speed and quickness for moving and rigging up is the name of the game these days
Of course the trees nowadays are smaller, and the size of the cut blocks is now in the dozens of acres instead of the whole landscape like the good old days. Plus there is just not that much that gets cut any more. Different type of logging for a different era.
If anyone is interested in Friction blocks for a BU-84 shoot me a message. Not sure that’s what they are called but I spent a few hours chatting with a guy who is retiring last week and that’s what he called them. He told me that his wore out he found a spare set before the new ones arrived. Been on his shelf ever since. told him that not many guys are running the 84s now but I would put it out there for him. Everyone needs spare parts! I didn’t measure but they appeared to be maybe 4”x4” and 6-8 inches long. Had to be 8 or so of them. Hopefully that helps narrow down what the hell I am talking about. I only know the internal expanding friction!
A-1 in Yamhill has an 84 still & so do a few up north around Sedro area.
It's too bad they went away from that cone style friction, those were the best pulling frictions ever. Even covered in grease those things would pull like the Dickens. The BU94 was probably the finest high lead hoist ever built.
That would be the bomb if those got into the right hands. So much junk gets tossed out.
I spotted this Skagit at the top of the grade going up to Lake Cushman.
That's actually Madill 009 hoist on a Skagit T90 6 guyline trailer with the option to spike a 7th. That was originally assembled by Ramsey Brothers out of eatonville then it went to Joe Inman logging out of Castle Rock and then Adams Timber service from Longview. From there it went to Craig Baar excavating out of Port Angeles and now it is sadly awaiting It's final destination
I knew you'd tell me all about it I saw "skagit" painted down that tower and I was all done. That made it skagit.
What can I say, I'm a yarder nerd!
I know enough to try to stay out of the way .
Went on an excursion today and found this gem still intact. I can remember this yarder sitting there when I was a kid. Glad to see it’s still together but would’ve loved to see it set up
Looks like an old IJ 90.
It was brought to my attention that I made a mistake identifying that yarder. It's actually an IJ80, I don't know if I was just delirious or fat-fingered it while typing as I started work at 3:00 yesterday morning, put the day in and then drove seven and a half hours home so I really shouldn't have been typing anything technical!
It's a 1964 B.U.90
There was only that tag on the tower. The rest were torn off. I was really curious what it was and you guys didn’t let me down!
New on here. Just happened upon some old posts from 2010, 2012 about a 444 Skagit that Barham owned. I know this mache inside and out. I worked under or around it for 16 years. Gave it up and started a new career in 2007. Started out chasing on the landing, then graduated up to hookin'. Later on, i ran it for almost two years. Spent many many hours around it, mechanicing and I even painted it a few times during the spring layoffs. Awesome machine. Any questions hit me up
welcome!
Thank you. I'll throw out a couple corrections and fun facts about Barhams old Skagit 444. It did not have a Cummins in it. It had an 8v-92 Detroit Diesel around 500 horse in about 1100 foot pounds of torque, with a 6-speed Allison behind it. It held 2600 ft of 7/8 swedged skyline and 3200 ft 5/8 swedged main line. You would always start out pulling in third gear anything lower than that would just snap chokers or mainline. Had two sets of frictions on the main line drum pull with the one set of frictions most the time if it was a hard pull you'd have to dog in both of them and it we just told her it broke something
There was a picture in one of the first posts in 2010 of a similar Skagit and it is the same machine it was before the first wreck. Machines been wrecked three times after the third wreck everything was upgraded , with the rops around the cab the new style boom and three guidelines instead of two which is what caused all the other wrecks
All the rebuilds were done by Bill Maki owner of maki manufacturing. Of course we used a Maki intermediate support carriage
She was 123,500 lb 12 and 1/2 ft wide 14 ft 2 in on the lowboy