Looking for good wood

[Kevin]

Here's a picture of a notch.
Reading the notch will tell you whether the hinge wood is good or --Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!--.com/photo/74882584/123488883pNhEiD]
The Notch[/url]

Here's the tree at rest, and me too!
This tree was damaged by a skidder many years --Photos MUST be in the Forestry Forum gallery!!!!!--.com/photo/74882584/123814414UalyVq]Hemlock[/url]

[Ed_K]

 Don't cha just love it when they go where their supposed to  8).

[Frickman]

Looks like a lot of rotten wood in the hinge area. Well made, accurate hinge though. We avoid scraping residual trees with equipment and logs for the reason you showed here. Occasionally you do need a "bumper" tree where a trail turns. For this we pick out a lower grade tree and beat the heck out of it, removing it at the end of the job. I've found that if I carry a tape measure and buck the logs to their merchantable length at the stump it is much easier to skid the logs out without damaging other trees. I'll measure up the log to the first cut and fasten chokers to each side. Cut the log apart and pull it out.

[Jeff]

I'm really impressed on the quality of photography that yeller dog has achieved. ;D

[redpowerd]

save a few steps, eh frick?
man i love them snowy quiet days in the hemlock hollow.
makes me wanna make some more sidin'

[Kevin]

I had a pretty tight window to drop that hemlock so I used the gunning sticks and wedges.
One light tap on the wedge and down she came.
The tree was leaning away from the lay and in the picture you can see where I took the corner off the hinge to turn the tree.

[Kevin]

Jeff;
The dog is spoiled.
He won't go in the water unless he's riding in the Argo.  :

[Frickman]

That's right redpowered, save a step where you can. I'm doing all the cutting, in the woods and at the landing both. If I can determine in the woods where the log will be cut I do it there. Saves cutting dirty logs at the landing. This is similar to the expensive cut to length systems, only I use a chain saw. Much of the time a log coming out of the woods is ready to go on a truck. This saves me alot of time on the landing.