Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

Few more BU-70 pics.

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[TorkelH]

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!

 

[catdw21e]

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

 

[525isx]

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.

Gene Rawson took it off that mack and put it on a 4 axle carrier !

 

[525isx]

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....

here is a picture of that 737 working in jan. of '01

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[Contract Logger]

Gene Rawson took it off that mack and put it on a 4 axle carrier !

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

here is a picture of that 737 working in jan. of '01

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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'.

 

[Contract Logger]

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

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!

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[TorkelH]

Nice machine

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.

What a dandy, as you say :cool2 but maybe a little dark Skagit blue...
Nice pictures!

 

[525isx]

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'.

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

 

[Contract Logger]

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.

 

[Contract Logger]

Cool cover shot of an SJ-4.