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  1. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    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...
  2. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    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...
  3. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    "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...
  4. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    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...
  5. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    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...
  6. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    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...
  7. grapplewrench

    Christy Carriage

    I'd like to make it worthwhile for you to hang on to it for a little bit till we get our next yarder that can run that carriage.The SJ4 is just a two drum rig.Also I'd like a chance to come up and see your Skagit iron if I could,and pick up that carriage.Very cool,Thanks again.
  8. grapplewrench

    Christy Carriage

    Thank you brother! Could you please tell me which one it is. Been running that yarder and camping on the job,so that is why the slow reply. I found the edge of power in that yarder today wrestling a fat 16' Doug fir into the landing.Reminds me of them ocean sport fishermen wrestling one...
  9. grapplewrench

    Christy Carriage

    Thank you for your help,Jumbo. For now we are going to try wedging the ball at the tail of the toggle,using the holding power of the quick-nub to help in the effort.We'll keep an eye on the health of the toggle partially going over the shiv in the carriage. I might get with an old machinist...
  10. grapplewrench

    Fir Friday

    Yeah,and affirmative action type side rod with an attitude.Just a whole can of worms. A good ,hard working outfit is appreciated. An outfit that tries to get by on anything else is pushed out. The only thing a guy owns is his reputation,and many don't give a $!it,and become the unwanted clown...
  11. grapplewrench

    Fir Friday

    It depends on location.Just a mile difference can send you out on steep ground with volcanic karsts. Roseberry was on pretty good ground.I was asked to run hot saw for them,but their company politics quickly gained a reputation and I stayed away. Incense Cedar...every shovel operator,and truck...
  12. grapplewrench

    Christy Carriage

    When we bought our SJ4 it came with a Christy Carriage,and until we can buy an Eaglet or like motor carriage, we are stuck with the Christy. The ball that came with it is some obsolete wedge type that uses wedges to intersect the skid line in a perpendicular fashion.We have tried all manor of...
  13. grapplewrench

    Fir Friday

    Yeah,Roseberry came rolling into this area like they were going to take over this country.They hired everyone the could and then found out this country ain't like back home.Logging here is very area specific and tribal because of the geography and climate. You don't own this country,it owns...
  14. grapplewrench

    Fir Friday

    The big problem around here is that with the big burns last year,SPI wanted 500 loads a day off just one burn. That didn't work out because the roads couldn't physically handle the traffic,but still,log trucks are hard to come by so much so that on our green sale,under a different land...
  15. grapplewrench

    Fir Friday

    The trucking company that hauls for us sent out a (new to them) truck the other day with a (new to them) driver that upon leaving the landing,forgot to pull his bunk pin. He missed a slow right hand turn with a load of nice Doug Fir and harvested a snag with his left fender.He tried telling his...
  16. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    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...
  17. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

  18. grapplewrench

    Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

    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...
  19. grapplewrench

    Nineties Logging

    Thank you for sharing that video.Can anybody tell which BU that Skagit yarder is? I worked around Timberline strokers and then Waratah dangle heads for years,and given the same operator the dangle head would way out produce the stroker,but in a 16 load a day and less situation,I prefer the...
  20. grapplewrench

    Yarders & their drum guarding.

    Tuesday,when we head for the job,there will be a spot in our crummy for Robbie. With every "big turn" that comes in and "nice load" we ship,He'll be right there taking part in spirit.Yeah...and we'll get logs. I've always liked you brother,and the way you go about logging. Yer the real deal and...
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