Moving The 470 Hitachi Line Machine To Its First Job, The Summit Conversion Is Complete!

Moving day this past Monday in the drizzle. Lon showed up with the 12-axle setup and we got her loaded up. First time for an unusual machine is always a little bit of an experiment but Lon had it figured out so with some care and patience it fit well. We'll have to do some adjustments to get the height right and still don't know exactly what it weighs but all in good time. So after about 30 miles of rock and 4000' of elevation, it's on the job. Still hoping to have a video approved for you all of me getting going and what it was like but I can tell you now that tether with it exceeded all my best expectations and I'm completely stoked. Thanks for watching.

[@Hennes003]

Hey, haven't seen anything new. How is the tethering going? When will you post again? Stay safe!

[@PelletierRene]

Happy new year and i hope to see you again with your Feller buncher in action ,have a good season😊

[@thedailylogger]

Thank you sir! Hopefully we can get something out this year. Happy New Year to you as well!

[@user-rc5xp6rj4m]

New equipment always looks better in the brush. Congratulations on completing the set-up.

[@thedailylogger]

Copy that. She's a beauty. Although I'm sure at times it will be a bit tricky to shoehorn it into tight spots I'm very happy to be outweighed by the Line Machine! Thanks for the interest! Be safe.

[@Hennes003]

Awesome, can't wait to see her run. There will be a learning curve for sure.

[@thedailylogger]

Yeah, I hope the powers that be will give us the ok on a video. I've cut some on the line and it's great. I felt much more comfortable right from the get go than I could have hoped for. I can see that the learning curve will be more in planning and layout so as to be as efficient as possible when on the line. I've felt comfortable in the 870 for quite some time on ground that I didn't feel comfortable on, if that makes sense. Being on the line changes the dynamic completely, I feel comfortable on ground I couldn't consider before. The capability of the tethered Buncher goes up exponentially. We also took delivery on a 635H swing boom and I tether skidded a unit with that too. What an animal. I still have reservations as to how much we will be able to untilize it in the winter rains but it is very impressive on the dry. Thanks for the comment, hope you aren't being impacted by all the fires up north. Be safe!

[@astro1218]

Amazing!! Congratulations on pulling this off ! Hope it services you well.

[@thedailylogger]

Thanks, I've got my feet wet so to speak and the line machine is working great. We'll try to get a video together as quick as possible showing what it's like to get started. Hopefully it will be approved!

[@craigtjen9130]

Wow so exciting, I look forward to seeing this all work Jason

[@thedailylogger]

Hi Craig, yeah it's awesome. You'll be happy to know that we added a 635H swing boom skidder setup for tethering too. I was over the hill with that this past week. The consensus was that I was too far ahead on my cutting. We started on a tough block of yarder ground, logged it in 2 days, probably would have taken the yarder a week given the difficulty and logistics. Awesome! We had the 855 bunching the handfall wood up for me as well as the out of reach wood that I had cut. Then at the deck I pulled into either a 568 shovel that decked up the turns and some I was able to pull directly to the processor. Worked great. It will be interesting to see how much we can use the skidder as the rain sets in, but it is an animal for sure. We're working on a tethering video for approval. Cutting on the line is unbelievably comfortable. I've been comfortable in the machine cutting with the LX870D on ground I'm not comfortable on for quite some time now, tethered up I feel comfortable on ground I couldn't consider before. It's amazing. Hopefully the powers that be will allow a video, stay tuned!

[@craigtjen9130]

Wow@@thedailylogger

[@craigtjen9130]

Wow great news. I think you with love the 635H on the tether…it can move a lot of wood this way. If you bunch it right the production is awesome. I sure hope we get to see it some day…so nice to hear from you Jason! I bet the 470 is a fantastic anchor for everything. Safety is always first and with this system you are proving it….I would hope they are funding you for this as the cost is higher. Thanks for the message Jason most likely you will be off for heat. We are coming down and staying in salam Oregon for a week AUGUST 24 to 29th we have a 30 foot travel trailer should be fun@@thedailylogger

[@thedailylogger]

@@craigtjen9130 Hi Craig. Yeah, the 635 is an animal for sure. We'll have to have another line machine right off for that cause I can't cut for 2 big shovels, the skidder, the 855 and the yarder and still keep a buffer behind me. So far what we've been doing is working the 635 in front of the 855, using that to grab tough stuff or handfall and pulling to a big shovel decking for the processor. Once we get a dedicated tether for the skidder I can cut with that in mind. From my experience in the past, I think correct bunch size is a key element. Would be glad to hear any suggestions you have for me though. Since it's me hanging on the line I'm pretty touchy about anyone else getting in my big old red-headed girl. Did you hear what the line machine said to her husband? Does this drum set make my butt look big? Glad to hear you're taking some time off. Are you being impacted by the fires? We're going to take a week off in September and do a road trip up north, we actually were figuring on taking the Coquahalla up to Kelowna maybe. Just saw that it's burning again there so we'll have to adjust. The fires seem really bad. Good to hear from you as always, be safe!

[@craigtjen9130]

Right now no one is Allowed in to the area. Everything is on fire up here highway 1 is closed maybe Sept will be better Looking forward to watching you use the machine @@thedailylogger

[@Stormdodger]

Lookin forward to the new adventure. 470 looks amazing. I’ve never been hooked up to the teather line…… never really wanted to be either.😂

[@thedailylogger]

Hey thanks. We're working on a video of me getting dialed in on it. I've been interested in the winch assist idea ever since I saw that Climbmax video from New Zealand of that machine sliding down the hill in a flood of soil and stumps. Not quite sure how they can get away with that much disturbance but I liked the concept. I'm just now getting my feet wet with it but I have to say I am completely stoked about being on the line. I've spent so many days free styling, especially in the winter, all puckered up and using every trick I have to get around and not fall off the hill that for me from the first trip over the hill I felt completely comfortable cutting with that positive connection to the ground. For quite a few years now I've felt that my Buncher was capable of operating on ground that I wasnt confident about my ability to hold on to. To feel comfortable working on that ground cutting all day is to me the best thing about tethering. Cutting above a road cut bank, on rock or above a creek and being able to get the wood and not be stressed about breaking free is more productive and way more enjoyable. The thing I realize is that the key to working with the system is tuning up the technique of using the line effectively, cutting layout and working the tough spots efficiently. I'm no line guy so that will take a while, but it's coming along. Thanks for the comment and the interest, stay tuned for the video! Be safe

[@Stormdodger]

Absolutely agree with you. Smokie days where I am in Campbell River. B.C. Stay tuned I will…..😁

[@thedailylogger]

@@Stormdodger Copy. We're coming into the thick of the season now, aren't we? So far down here fire season has been pretty good but that can change quick. You guys are getting hammered. Good talking with you, stay safe out there, and good cuttin to ya!

[@alanb9337]

@@thedailylogger The New Zealand Forestry companies/ loggers do not get away with excessive environmental collateral damage (search keywords Gisborne Forest Companies slash fine) The environmental authorities are forcing change. The production forest cutting area permitted in one place at one time is likely to be further reduced, the stream side buffer zones widened and full size log debris left behind and birds nest tree limb stacks will have to chipped and dispersed as much as possible. There are more and larger sediment ponds for runoff water from logged areas entering larger streams. In places, the very steep terrain production forest is being converted back to no-cut very slow growing permanent forest after this production forest cycle. New replacement production forest has being planted on easier terrain in medium rainfall areas.

[@bearbait2221]

The day>> THE DAY IS HERE!!!! :0 wooooooooOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! I can't wait to see her in action.

[@thedailylogger]

Copy, it will be a while before we can get the video together, it's going to be a long one. But it's working great, I've been cutting and also tethered skidding. Exceeding our expectations! Thanks.

[@bearbait2221]

Thx be safe and keep her rippin sticks@@thedailylogger

[@thedailylogger]

@@bearbait2221 You bet, will do!

[@wantowski987]

Well Jason I wanna hear what you think about hanging on the line! I know this video is a week or so behind since u got the machine delivered! Enjoy the new adventure!

[@thedailylogger]

Hi Josh, yeah, it's awesome. I felt comfortable immediately, I was surprised. Thought I might feel the same trepidation as when im free styling on real steep ground. It's is completely different, the control is apparent from the get go. The concept is pretty straightforward, just like all the rest of logging the nuance of getting skookum will take some time, efficient layout and figuring out lines of cutting and how to get to the stuff I can't go over. I picked out some bunny slope to get started with, good soil, later moved onto some rocky soil. I was impressed working over that too, the control is phenomenal. We hope to get a video together and approved, we'll see what happens. Thanks!

[@Stormdodger]

Any new videos on your steep slope machine coming out soon? I’m falling some blocks that are machine assist, and it’s steep. Gotta be 100%….. I’m only able to climb until I can’t with the 870 LX with basic single grousers. I’m guessing 55-60%. I could be out to lunch though. Just goin by what the map says.. There is a timbermax that they use with a new LX870D for the machine assist, I haven’t seen it work yet. Looks scary…..

[@thedailylogger]

Hey, thanks for the note. I am tethering quite a bit, but it seems like the videos aren't really going to work. I'm disappointed to tell you the truth. The tethered cutting is interesting. I like it a lot, I know just what you mean when you say it looks scary, but I actually feel a lot more comfortable and less stressed on the line than off. Especially now, winter and fully saturated ground, when it gets steep and all you're thinking about is holding on and not breaking free, and if you're cutting down into some draw or hole if youlll be able to get out again. The Summit system is great, it works easily, no problems and simple to work with. I've found that the details of cutting a block are the most important and where I'm feeeling the most learning curve on. Opening a block up, and how I'm going to move through it efficiently takes more time than freestyling. And just working with the line is quite an issue to work with. So I'm trying to get more efficient and productive each block I move through, kinda picking up tricks and ways to make myself more productive. I don't know if other guys feel this way or not but I feel that my piece count when I'm tethering goes down significantly versus free styling on reasonable ground. But I'm really increasing logging production on tough ground. For the shovels even on the real steep ground, and doubling or even tripling the production for the yarder. So that bites me in the ass a little, I'm used to burying the crews behind me, now I'm struggling to stay ahead. Another thing I've found is there's a lot more to deal with, another machine to maintain, quite a lot of moving two pieces plus cutting gates and my truck. A setting where I can place the line machine well back from the break and sit there for multiple roads, particularly when I can reach out 800 to 1000 feet is the cats pajamas! Short, tough pitches into a draw directly below a road are really tough and time consuming. But I like it, and I'll get better as I go, I recommend it to you, I think it's the way we're going and I think you'll like it when you get going on it too. Thanks for the note man, be safe out there!

[@bobmartin6055]

Great! Seeing the video must mean you got permission to film on the corporate ground huh?

[@thedailylogger]

Unfortunately no. We'll have to get the tethered video approved, hopefully that willl work out. There is a strong push towards no boots on the ground so hopefully the "how to" message will allow it to get posted. Thanks, stay tuned.

[@bobmartin6055]

Hey there, haven’t seen anything from you in a while, hope you’re doing well! Stay safe!

[@oldtimerf7602]

Big iron

[@thedailylogger]

Copy that. Did you hear what the Line Machine said to her husband? Does this drum set make my butt look big? Thanks for the comment.