Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

[Hallback]

Anyone have any info on BU-98 hoist # A-25?

 

[TorkelH]

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?

 

[Hallback]

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.

 

[TorkelH]

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?

 

[Hallback]

It is a BU-99 owned by Sterling Breen.
They own the spare BU-99 drumset at McPaul's also.

 

[Hallback]

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!

 

[Vigilant]

Your friend and mine, Rusty Grapple, aka Contract Logger, should have all the info you need.

 

[Hallback]

Yessir, He said most were custom built to order so I guess I will have to just measure the drums.

 

[Factory Kid]

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.

 

[Hallback]

Thank ya sir!

 

[TorkelH]

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.

 

[BTC]

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

 

[Redwood Climber]

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.

 

[Factory Kid]

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.

 

[Hallback]

The "Big" side Hahaha.
It is a very nice and tidy lil machine.

 

[TorkelH]

What a nice machine! Is that a BU-50? Please bring some more pictures of it!

 

[Hallback]

Thanks Tork!
I will take some more this week. It says BU51 on the drums themselves. The I.D. plate is long gone unfortunately.

 

[Factory Kid]

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

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.

 

[Jumbo]

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.

 

[jellis]

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.