[Carl Russell]

Figure eight knot is a very good mid-line knot. A double bowline also will work, but creates two loops instead of one.

I usually just tie the rope off on the tree using a cow hitch. Wrap the rope around the tree, loop it around the working rope, then back around the tree the other way. When you get back the the working rope tie it off with half hitches. This knot can be set up to provide a rolling hitch, and it can ALWAYS be untied.

Get two snatch blocks while you’re at it. The added mechanical advantage will be well worth the cost. This way you can also hook high and low leads, and re-directs easily for more functionality. This will be especially important as it requires a lot of room to use ropes in the woods.

I also spent the extra $ for 5/8 or 3/4 rope(I forget). Heavy pulls can be very stressful on ropes, and there is a big difference between breaking strength measured when holding a static load, versus the shock load of a snubbed up log with horses pulling on it.

Just my two cents.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Originally Posted by lancek
But if we want to expanded and encourage are craft we also need to be teachers ! And to do that you cant hide your head in the sand you must engage in these conversations and no you wont be able to convince everybody but if you just convert a few then you have a better chance of keeping the craft alive!
Not only that but the real problem is that corporate America has done such a good job of desinforming everyone that draft power is out of date that people feel that this is true because so many of them have no idea of what we do!
Do we not owe it too our craft too despell these misconceptions and hopefuly get more usefull knowalge out there

goodcompanion;24003 wrote:

I feel like this is a “both-and” thing. I don’t think anyone here is against teaching the craft to those who are truly motivated to learn it. Nor do I think anyone here would be against a practitioner devoting time to promoting the craft in the wider world. But the caution is that you can deplete a huge amount of time and energy trying to convince people who often have deep-seated reasons to need to believe that you are wrong. Such an audience is very difficult to teach and to reach out to. The best argument would be a critical mass of people leading by example.

I admire those who want to take up the argument, but it just feels futile for me.

I have no problem with you or anyone else taking that approach Tim, I only meant to share my personal experience that I felt my time sharing with the uninformed was not nearly as effective in furthering my goals as doing it.

I understand how attractive it is to go after the uninitiated, and there are folks out there who enjoy that, and are good at it…. that is not me.

As far as the people who think machinery logging is satisfactory, and that animal-powered harvest is inadequate and potentially just as destructive….. I think they will eventually find the failure in their own ways.

Our craft is growing in capability, and the ranks are beginning to swell…. we don’t need to try to win an argument to know what we know. Let them continue to make their foolish mistakes… it can’t hurt us, and probably will actually help us in the long run.

Gotta go shoe some horses!!:D

Carl

[Carl Russell]

jac;23992 wrote:

Sometimes I feel I gain more “kudos”.. {if thats the right word ?} if I just shut the hell up and get on with it.. it took a long time for the farmers on our road to accept the fact that I could get my hay done and done well using my team.. now they think its great.. I used to preach that horses were a truely viable option and got laughed at.. now I find a lot more folks are genuinely intersted and will come round to my idea… other point is.. do we want folk involved that only see horses as a tool ?..
John

EXACTLY. In the mid 80’s I had all these enthusiastic insights that I felt compelled to share with people. I tried to convince people, and engage them, and eventually realized I was spending time, often frustrated by arguments, that I could otherwise use more effectively by setting the examples I felt were important….

I truly believe in sharing my opinions, but I find much more value in bolstering relationships with folks who are truly likely to share the perspective, and work to advance our community….. Thus NEAPFD, DAP.com, and DAPNet…..

The rest can go f….ishing, as far as I am concerned. I admire those who want to take up the argument, but it just feels futile for me.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Loading the next load…..

[Carl Russell]

I was just fooling around with I-photo. After I took the pix I went to the print shop to make some xerox copies and saw an old painting of a farmer feeding stock from a sleigh with a team on a day just like yesterday, so I thought it would look cool to make them look old timey.

Here are a few more from today.

[Carl Russell]

Mark Cowdrey;23969 wrote:

….
(How do you guys do the “quote from other posts” thing??)

There are two ways.

1) Click the quote button at the bottom right of the post. That will provide a quote like the one above.

2) Highlight the text in the post, copy, then click on the insert quote box at the top right center of the dialogue box (the icon that looks like a cartoon comment bubble) then insert the copied text between the

s, which will make the style as below.

(How do you guys do the “quote from other posts” thing??)

You can scroll down below the dialogue box to see all previous posts in the thread.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Also, it is over-simplification to see Low Impact in terms of soil disturbance. The real impact is on the ecosystem from cutting cycles and marking/harvesting methods that are designed to facilitate the operation of machinery.

If the forestry/silviculture is guided by principles that protect, enhance, and accommodate ecological factors, there is absolutely no comparison between machinery and horses. Not that using machinery is inherently destructive, or bad forestry, but there is no way to assert that any machinery operation is low impact…. That is why McEvoy chose toe coy title of Positive Impact, because the forestry industry needs to try to make excuses for the impact they can’t seem to avoid making.

😡 It irks me when foresters make those kinds of ignorant statements. They are entitled to their opinions, but when they dress their opinions up as if they are absolute facts, it is absurd.

Sorry, I just have a bit of a chip on my shoulder about Thom, and the ilk of modern foresters who promote their views in Northern Woodlands Magazine. They’re not bad folks, kind of likeable actually, and not ill-intentioned, just too firmly rooted in assumptions based on a predisposed notion that machinery is king in forestry.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

George is referring to a special type of rope made of extremely strong nylon fibers. I have some of this 3/8″…. made for ATV winches to replace wire cable…. and it is every bit as strong as similar sized steel cable.

I have a 5/8″ braided nylon Bull rope that was designed for heavy loads, pulling trees and lowering. It is also very strong, and when doubled up through a snatch block it is plenty strong enough for moving any tree like what George is describing.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

A few pics of Brad’s team on the landing today…. Carl

[Carl Russell]

I took the liberty to copy and paste photos from the gallery that were posted by Mark and Tristan….. go back to their posts to review the pics.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Mark, for me it usually comes down to slope.

I use the scoot for uphill work, and the single bunk for downhill skids.

Another aspect is maneuverability. The short runners of the bob turn easier under the load than the longer scoot runners. If there are a lot of turns, and obstacles, I will use the bob. The longer runners are more difficult to turn the larger the load, so when the chance allows for big loads, I tend to use the bobsled.

I will also often use the scoot when I have really big logs within reasonable distance from the landing, because they move really easily on the scoot, and it is a bit easier to load and bind than the bob.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

I have been testing the points with the hammer. I also have found that by heating the metal to a point where I can make a small pool before applying the Drill-tex. I have had pretty good luck so far, and the stuff wears really hard too. The rest of the caulk wears down around it.

Yes Bill, I tell Lisa that all that Sh– is my “Gold Mine”. She isn’t so convinced:eek:, but I did show her the video of Ben’s Mill. At least she understands theoretically now anyway.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

near horse;23932 wrote:

My problem would have been FINDING said pulley/snatch blocks and rope. So I, more than likely, would have gone your route Carl. Hitch ’em up and pull her out. And then put the pulleys where I could find them for next time!

I have said equipment all together in the workshop. I have them for tree work. It just didn’t occur to me, as I had pretty much used up my mental capacity for the day……

No offense to Erika, but I was on my way back from chores and was already thinking about taking off my boots, eating a little bit, and shutting down, so it was all I could do to think where my chains and towing strap were.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

Tim Harrigan;23917 wrote:

Well, this is a good example of where a draft buffer would come in handy. Carl, what would you have done if you had thought to use your tackle? Redirect the line of pull to take advantage of the downhill run, a multi-part line, or both or something else?

There actually was a really good tree about 30 feet uphill, and on the other side of the road from where the truck was. I could have tied off on the tree, attached a snatch block to the bumper, another back at the tree, and then pulled downhill. With the 2:1, the nylon bull rope, and the downhill advantage….. I actually am even more bummed now…. man it would have come out really slick I bet.

Carl

[Carl Russell]

This winter I am trying another method. I used the brazing rod with Drill-tex and put some gripping points on the caulks of pulling shoes.

Carl

[Author]

Posts