OT - Before Chainsaws

IrishDevl

Logging Monster TreesToday’s post is an amazing look at a period of our history that wasn’t that long ago involving the challenges loggers faced every day to earn their wages. Remember this the next time you think your job is demanding.Before chainsaws were invented, the logging industry in the United States & Canada was a seriously challenging occupation and we are only talking about 125 years ago. In the Pacific Northwest there were forests full of monster trees and cutting them down was done by hand. A friend sent me these photos and I had to share them with you.Look at the length of the two-man hand saw and heavy duty axes they used to drop these tremendous trees. It is almost inconceivable to think of cutting a tree this size with a hand saw.The work required very strong men (and horses) working long days for minimal pay. Could you imagine doing this to earn a living?After a tree was finally felled it took a week or more to cut it up into sections that could be managed (somehow) and transported by train to a lumber yard.Maneuvering the logs down the mountain to the train was a complex job. I didn’t do any research on this, but I would be willing to bet that many men lost their lives doing this dangerous work. One slip and a hunk of wood as big as a hotel is rolling your way! The other question that begs an answer is how did they get those logs onto the flatbeds of that train?Hollowed out logs became the company’s mobile office. Can you imagine stacking such logs to build a log home? Two courses would produce a 30′ ceiling. Maybe that’s why it was easier to hollow out a tree.A long time before anyone ever thought of a “mobile home or RV” hollowed out logs were also used to house and feed the logging crews.We are accustomed to our modern conveniences like electricity and gasoline powered chainsaws, and it is always such a mind-boggling experience to see how such monumental tasks were performed before these conveniences appeared on the scene.Share this with your friends, even those who don’t live in a log home will enjoy this ‘blast from the past’!

RLeeper

Very interesting

Chubbs

Fascinating. Thanks for posting. Those saws are unbelievable. I got frustrated the other day using a handsaw to cut little chunks of peach wood. I wouldn't mind having a man bunker inside one of those trunks.

IrishDevl

When men and women were real men and women.  I just fire up the Husqvarna and cut through anything, but would most likely drop dead if I had to use a handsaw.   

bigguy136

Just me or are images missing?

canegger

Ya I can't see them either

IrishDevl

Logging Monster TreesToday’s post is an amazing look at a period of our history that wasn’t that long ago involving the challenges loggers faced every day to earn their wages. Remember this the next time you think your job is demanding.Before chainsaws were invented, the logging industry in the United States & Canada was a seriously challenging occupation and we are only talking about 125 years ago. In the Pacific Northwest there were forests full of monster trees and cutting them down was done by hand. A friend sent me these photos and I had to share them with you.Look at the length of the two-man hand saw and heavy duty axes they used to drop these tremendous trees. It is almost inconceivable to think of cutting a tree this size with a hand saw.The work required very strong men (and horses) working long days for minimal pay. Could you imagine doing this to earn a living?After a tree was finally felled it took a week or more to cut it up into sections that could be managed (somehow) and transported by train to a lumber yard.Maneuvering the logs down the mountain to the train was a complex job. I didn’t do any research on this, but I would be willing to bet that many men lost their lives doing this dangerous work. One slip and a hunk of wood as big as a hotel is rolling your way! The other question that begs an answer is how did they get those logs onto the flatbeds of that train?Hollowed out logs became the company’s mobile office. Can you imagine stacking such logs to build a log home? Two courses would produce a 30′ ceiling. Maybe that’s why it was easier to hollow out a tree.A long time before anyone ever thought of a “mobile home or RV” hollowed out logs were also used to house and feed the logging crews.We are accustomed to our modern conveniences like electricity and gasoline powered chainsaws, and it is always such a mind-boggling experience to see how such monumental tasks were performed before these conveniences appeared on the scene.Share this with your friends, even those who don’t live in a log home will enjoy this ‘blast from the past’!

IrishDevl

See if this works, it was fine before

AleBrewer

no pics man.....

IrishDevl

Ahhhhhh.... Damn you egghead forum. It is there for like 5 minutes then disappears.

Chubbs

i saw them.

MrCookingNurse

:( cant see pics

bigguy136

No pics, didn't happen......

I always use Photobucket. Takes an extra minute to do but it's free and always works.

FanOfFanboys

I can't see pics but sounds interesting

MrCookingNurse

hate to hijack, sounded interesting to me so i google'd the topic

here is original article

good read

http://sbynews.blogspot.com/2012/11/before-chainsaws-logging-monster-trees.html

Skiddymarker

@MrCookingNurse -thanks for the link, couldn't view Devils pics either.

Impressive. 

Skiddymarker

Nothing like the monsters in Devil's post, This tree is over 250 ft high, located in Cathedral Grove on Route 4, Vancouver Island BC. 

Not sure who the couple is, just needed people to provide perspective. The lumber company left the grove of trees due to their size and age. 

IrishDevl

@mrcookingnurse - thanks for that. I was struggling. Pics would upload and the disappear.