Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

[tyee33]

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.

 

[tree farmer]

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?

Yes it does have an adjustment bolt opposite the actuator.

 

[tree farmer]

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.

 

[bitner1970]

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

 

[trakloader]

This Skagit is looking rather sad....

 

[Born2clearcut]

This one lookin alittle better then the one above picture taken in 1996 Vancouver Island

 

[Ryan Rønning]

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.

Funny you posted this photo. My dad currently logs for Mark III

 

[TorkelH]

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

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

 

[TorkelH]

This Skagit is looking rather sad....

Is that a BU98, with the movable cab option?

 

[TorkelH]

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.

 

[TorkelH]

Skagit BU98 - Sproat Lake 1997

Fate of a BU98 -here https://www.heavyequipmentforums.co...nd-Present....&p=294389&viewfull=1#post294389

 

[tree farmer]

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.

 

[TorkelH]

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!

 

[BDFT]

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.

 

[tree farmer]

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!

`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.

 

[JeremyM70]

Hey Tree Farmer, is it possible to see this machine in person and get some video?

`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.

 

[old scaler]

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

 

[JeremyM70]

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!

 

[furpo]

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?

 

[tree farmer]

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.