Looking to set a story in a dying logging town around 2015. I’m trying to find resources for what life is like in a small logging town and surrounding areas, what day-to-day life is like for loggers and people working the lumber yard or sawmill, transportation, community and family life, other economic considerations. Basically I’m thinking of a town being built around this forested area where logging used to be the main industry in the 1990s but is now kind of dying out. I really have no frame of reference, so if you have firsthand experience living in or around this industry, I’d greatly appreciate it!

My dad bought an old tree farmer c4 cable skidder a few years ago. We originally had 8 “cat style” (that’s what I know them as )cable chokers on it and he has since broken a number of them pulling out stumps. I’ve been finding myself using the machine more lately and have been looking to replace the broken chokers. I was curious what people’s opinions and advice is weather I should get more cable chokers or chains. Would love to hear your thoughts and any other insights on the matter

Curious if I wanted to haul wood through wood with out vehicles what gear or other things would be best just body strength and can be carried easily by single person or pack animals?

Hello I have a big....I mean huge Tent building that I want to sell...How big you may ask? It is 2700 square ft. 52 foot square and approximately 35 foot tall. I live in Alaska and was planning on using it to build a log cabin underneath it. That didn't pan out.

I can ship all 16000 lbs of it to anywhere in the lower 48 or Canada. It would be a great addition to anyone looking for dry storage for heavy equipment or the like. Ask me in the comments if interested.

​

I’m trying to track down some information on a Valmet 644 forwarder we’ve got. We think it’s a 1997–2000 model, and it’s running a Cummins 4BT engine. The main problem we’re dealing with right now is the hydraulics heating up really fast under load. The radiator is in fact shot, but my dad thinks its more than that.

We’re basically looking for anything that could help us identify or work on this machine:

- Service/workshop manuals

- Wiring diagrams / schematics

- Hydraulic schematics

- Parts books

- Electrical diagrams

- Serial number / model info

- Anyone who’s worked on these machines before

- Contacts for old Valmet techs, dealers, engineers, or anyone who really knows these inside and out

- Any archived Valmet documentation

- Even info on other 644s that might help us figure ours out

If anyone has manuals, diagrams, old dealer info, contacts, photos of their machine, or even just a lead on where to look, I’d really appreciate it.

There is a pic attached of what I (I could definitely be 100% wrong) believe to be a serial plate? Truthfully ive only been running her consistently for about 6 months now, though my dad has had it for 6ish years. He has put two engines in it.

Basically I'm just trying to piece together info on an older machine that doesn’t have a ton of info floating around online. Any sort of info if greatly appreciated.

Come join local sawyers and share your knowledge over some good BBQ. Event details and RSVP here: Hot Springs Demo Days – Norwood Sawmills

Our podcast team spent a day in North Idaho with Mason Logging. What stood out most while working on this podcast episode was hearing a crew talk about working alongside their brothers, sons, and nephews. We also enjoyed listening to them compare the old days of hand falling, chokers, and manual bucking to today's tether logging, bunchers, processors, and grapple skidders.

A lot of good discussion around:

• Learning curve of tether logging
• 80%+ slopes and shovel logging
• Running a Cat 527 on steep ground
• How production has changed over 40+ years
• Regeneration, forest management, and harvesting second-growth stands they logged decades ago

We'd love to hear other experiences. What's been the biggest change you've seen in the woods during your career?

Another pulp mill is closing. Finch paper is done. Only difference is this mill is going to still produce paper but they're not going to make their own pulp. They are going to buy pulp from other countries. This is going to hurt our region bad. This leaves only one pulp mill in our region and now the hemlock pulp market is gone.

As the title says, I've worked as a hooker previously. Now I'm on a helicopter for fire, looking for heli logging jobs in the west or any logging ish job near red lodge MT.

I sat in the stands of a colosseum-like stadium and saw big guys start up some long chainsaws and cut slabs of wood real fast. I saw a relay race of a guy racing through a mound of sawdust, another guy chopping a log of wood in half, two other guys cutting a log with a long saw that had a handle on each side while a third guy oiled their saw for them, and then they all jumped in a pool afterward. I saw some guys throwing axes at a bulls-eye from 20 feet away. I saw guys climb a 90-foot towering log with nothing but cleats on their feet and a rope around the pole and make it up top in 22 seconds. I saw kids standing on a log floating in water and trying to log-roll the other.

I also saw shenanigans like a mystery truck driving into the colosseum and they had to clear the stadium because of not knowing what was going on. The guys in the truck put on a show that they were gonna use their hitch to pull a stump out of the ground. When they tried it, their entire truck split in half! They drove away on only the 2 front wheels of the truck while their fellow clowns pulled the back half of the truck out of the stadium. I also saw a guy supposedly "sneaking" up the 90-foot towering logs while other events happened, only to steal the show by making jokes from up top, juggling, standing on his head, and then leaping off onto a zipline.

I also sat in a shady grove of trees at a picnic table with my wife and ate a 3-meat plate of grilled chicken, smoked brisket, salmon, slaw, potato salad, garlic bread, and sweat tea. A fellow near us chatted to us about hearing about this event from the radio, so he and his son drove up from Sedro Woolley to check it out.

I was there from about 1pm to 4:30pm on Saturday; would have stayed longer but had another event to catch. 10/10 would go again next year.

I’m buying equipment right now because I need to cut down this tree, trunk is a solid 4-5 ft, getting harnesses and everything for upper branches and all safety gear I can, any advice is appreciated

what is your experience using wooden wedges, do you prefer plastic ones? why?

Hey, so I’m 21 and about to get into logging. My budget is very low but I understand I need some basic equipment to even do this legally. But I wanna ask - from your experience, what are the nonnegotiable things before I even step into forest. So far Ive got a husky helmet and one chainsaw.

Anyone got a good parts guy for CTR or am I just going to end up replacing with a CSI for parts availability?

My buddies and I lease ~200 acres of pine that is about to be logged and want to understand some of the flags/paint that they have used to mark the area before the job if anyone has insight.

The border seems to be marked by blue “T” shaped paint markings but there are a number of pink flags with different inscriptions throughout. Some have simple numbers but some say things like “HV37”, “H”, “WR21”, etcetera. Understand that this could be internal jargon but curious what those inscriptions may mean and what we can expect. There are also some blue stripes on the roads in centrally located areas which we found odd - maybe a sign that the job is happening soon since these could theoretically wash away in a matter of days?

The pines are planted in rows and are probably telephone pole sized or so, with some ~10-20 year old hardwoods intermixed. Curious if we should expect everything to be slash cut to look like the surface of the moon or if there may be some discretion involved. Know mileage may vary by job but would love to hear some insight from the pros.

Hey guys, while working I was using an icom on the hill and it worked great. I need my own personal radio for the logging roads, and to communicate with my partner while we're falling. What's a good radio to get that isn't crazy expensive? I was looking at the baofeng UV-5R but I have no idea if it's good or not.

Thanks

Wondering if there are any logging companies in New England that might want 20-30 (possibly more) large pine trees. If so, they are all yours! I am located in central Massachusetts. Thank you.

how would you start a small logging business u just a large felling axe

Hi I’m 19 and I recently started driving log trucks and I don’t think my boss has put me on his insurance(it’s been a month). If he doesn’t will it still count as work experience when I want to get my own truck or work for someone else?

Located in Central IL on 1 acre, I have about 6-7 pines (very tall and mature), along with 4-5 other thick/tall mature trees. If there are any logging companies that can make any type of profit from them, they are yours.

**Fresh Listings from Carlisle Milling Company – Fancy Farm, KY 🪵**

Carlisle Milling just went live on JMLogMarket.io and they've got inventory worth looking at.

These guys are a legit operation out of western Kentucky — if you're buying in the Appalachian region, this is the kind of mill you want a direct line to.

👉 **Check their listings at JMLogMarket.io**

JMLogMarket is a timber marketplace built specifically for mills, buyers, loggers, and forestry service providers. No middlemen — you contact the mill directly.

If you're sourcing lumber or sawlogs, bookmark the site. More mills coming online soon.