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Washington Iron Works and thier machines

Tugger2

Tugger2

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Mar 22, 2018
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1,379
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British Columbia
Ive never seen it ,but heard guys talk of line shorteners or some kind of slack puller to open the grapple when the machine didnt have 3 drums. Anyone been around that type of system?
 
camptramp

camptramp

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Aug 13, 2013
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6,302
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The warm land on Vancuver Island
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Retired Logger Retired Part time pebble hauler
This Northwest had a split "Drum" . The right drum was divided in the middle , Main line was on the right and Opening line on left . The left drum was attached to a block purchase in the "Boom" . When you pulled on left lever . the grapples went up as they opened . In that position when you "cast " the Grapple , they stayed open . Just as the grapples hit the log , you released the left "shortening" line enough to allow the Grapples to close on the log . It worked really well unless you got to much slack in the Mainline . Then all hell broke out as the cable got caught up in the guards and what ever else it could get hooked on . You still needed three drums to make it work , you can see the rigging in the boom . I came across a Skagit that was rigged up similar to this NW in my travels scan046.jpg
 
camptramp

camptramp

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Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,302
Location
The warm land on Vancuver Island
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Retired Logger Retired Part time pebble hauler
camptramp

camptramp

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Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,302
Location
The warm land on Vancuver Island
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Retired Logger Retired Part time pebble hauler
BCFP Renfrew Div. #309 Washington TL6 Trak Loader The #309 arrived at Renfrew Div. about 1958 Alex Malahoff who had previously operated the #95 TL15 a tong machine , I don't know if he had operated a loader with a grapple before the #309 . He didn't like the way the Mainline and Opening line brake pedals were situated , so he had them moved so the mainline pedal was in front of the opening line pedal . That way he could "rock" his foot back and forth to control the Brakes . He didn't like the Washington Scissor Grapples , so he worked with a Welder Fabricator (Lefty Marsh) to modify them to his liking . The first picture shows a set of the Grapples that were still being used until the mid 1980's when the TL6's were retired . scan326.jpg scan328.jpg scan331.jpg scan336.jpg
 
camptramp

camptramp

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2013
Messages
6,302
Location
The warm land on Vancuver Island
Occupation
Retired Logger Retired Part time pebble hauler
BCFP Renfrew Div. #319 TL15 Washington Trak Loader Late May early June 1986 I was issued a new P510S Pacific the #6-284 . I had driven it about a week . I had it home on the weekend and had washed and waxed it . Monday morning I was asked to stop in camp and go to the office . As there had been an unfortunate event over the weekend , they were short of operators and needed me to run the #319 . I ran it for a couple weeks , then we went on strike until December . I hardly got to drive the new truck for six months , and got it back dirty ! scan576.jpg
 
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