What am I

[Born2clearcut]

I came across this little yarder sitting in a yard not sure what it is . I looked everywhere on it and couldn't find any kind of tag for make or model number . can someone fill me in please ?

 

[Born2clearcut]

a couple of more pic's

 

[7.82Warbird]

That would be a West Coast Falcon (think Rygaard Logging on Ax Men). See Rusty's (Contract Logger) site for plenty of picures.

http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/other_yarders

There's also some pitures and a brochure somewhere on this site, as well as on Rusty's Facebook page.

 

[Ryan Rønning]

Yup that is exactly what that is. Where did you find it if you dont mind me asking.

 

[Rusty Grapple]

West Coast Falcon- Brief History

Those are great views of that West Coaster!

These little guys were built in Portland, Oregon by an outfit named Interstate Tractor- Interstate was the Terex/Barko dealer in the 1970's. All were mounted on the Terex tractor bottoms. They were a clean, quick-rigging, fast moving machine compared to the big towers that were so prevalent in that era. They were introduced in 73'/74' and it seems like all the big loggers owned one at some point in the 70's. Weyerhaeuser even bought a few of them- 2 at Longview Operation that I know of.

I guess I should maybe 're-phrase' my opening line to 'These little guys were assembled by Interstate Tractor'.....I dont know exactly who built what, but Interstate assembled them.

The crawler tractor was provided by Interstate. I have been told that Chapman Industries in BC helped with supplying the drumsets, and that Jack Tillman of Tillman's Inc at Aberdeen helped by supplying the telescoping square tower (maybe it's a 'boom' rather than a tower?).

In any case and like so many other things in the timber industry, the machines were a collaberation by many talented and forward-thinking people. The real testament to this design is the simple fact that so many of these yarders still exist in working condition to this very day. Hundreds were built and sold, most were painted Terex Green, though I have seen several yellow ones, and at least 3 painted orange/white.

In 1986 Intrstate Tractor introduced a new yarder with 70' tower and called it 'The Hawk'. It was built completely by Chapman Industries, also on a Terex crawler. These 'Hawk' yarders were awesome machines but only a few were built. I think only 6 were built total, and most exist today as well.

The 'West Coast Falcon', once the 'young prince' of the Northwest Forests, has been relegated to 'Green Bean' status by the Rygaard's and the whole Axe-Men phenomenon.....

 

[Rusty Grapple]

That would be a West Coast Falcon (think Rygaard Logging on Ax Men). See Rusty's (Contract Logger) site for plenty of picures.

http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/other_yarders

There's also some pitures and a brochure somewhere on this site, as well as on Rusty's Facebook page.

I'm not getting any younger so I decided I'd better start taking steps to make things easier on myself as I start down this road towards being completely senile. I have about 6 website locations that I really enjoy (this is one of those) so I'm re-working things to use the same username and password for all the different locations related to the logging pictures and history. It's working better but some days I still have trouble remembering even my own name so we'll see.

I think the 'Rusty Grapple' analogy is great because it describes me and so many of you guys. That rusty grapple is tired of sitting and watching an waiting. It would rather be working in the big timber every single day, doing what it was built and programmed to do. It is ready and willing and very, very capable- but the state of the world just doesn't allow it to happen. Maybe someday, but not on this day.

That 'Rusty Grapple' isn't a yard ornament or a decoration or an object slowly growing old in the grass.
It isn't even a nickname, or a website, or a FB page.

The 'Rusty Grapple' is US- The whole group of us who would rather be in the timber everyday where we belong. We are cabable- we know where and how. We just don't know when.

Instead for now we just quitely sit and wait- knowing that with a couple days work all that rust would be gone and we would most certainly SHINE again!

The 'Rusty Grapple' web pages are geared toward not letting us forget who we are and where we came from. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing to pay the rent these days, the big iron and big timber is only an internet connection away. And I'll just keep adding so hopefully you guys can all keep looking and smiling.

There sure are some great people out there, and I smile everytime one of you posts your old pictures.

 

[Vigilant]

Well said, CL... uh, RG.... and thanks for all that you do.

 

[skadill]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/user/skadill[/video]

Agreed Eric, some of us to have stepped out "for a while" by choice gracefully,and not wanting to go down with the ship.Thankfully many hundreds have been fortunate enough to stay in,and hopefully can stay at it for generations. If our stepping aside has left a few scraps for the survivors to aquire and to add to their work,that is a noble thing.I've met tons of loggers who arent currently logging,and everyone will say it was the best 'job' or career they had,and all speak fondly and passionately about the memories,some wear the scars,and limps,bad knees,and missing fingers,or worse,and none curse the way they chose or the industry that hurt them unintentionally.Theres no other occupation I've seen people come from that sparks such a pride,and enjoyment for the job.This job for most is a chosen lifestyle,not a just a paycheck.How many other industries or'jobs' have museums built for them,sports shows,tv programs,endless history books,paintings,retaurants,and web sites like this.Most people want to forget about 'work' when they get home,us log guys set in for another shift here checking out all the other log gear and jobs.I've been hardly able to fall asleep hundreds of times at night from the anticipation and excitement of staring a new logging site the next day,or contemplating the best way to lay the job out,how to get some difficult ground cleaned up,or the arrival of a different piece of iron showing up,its not a nine to five only concern.Hats off and highest respect and regards for the loggers!When it's too hard for everyone else,it's just right for us.Some of us are in,some of us are out,but none of us are gone.Log on!

 

[gologit]

Skadill...that was very well said. I just turned 65 and I'm still in it. I don't know why I've stuck with it all these years...too dumb to quit I guess. Thanks for putting our thoughts into words. You got it just right.

 

[Born2clearcut]

Thanks for the great info on the West Coast Falcon it a kool little machine . Ryan the pic's were taken in Powell River B C Kip Browns rehaul yard on Powell lake . Rusty and Skadill alot of us know excatly what you guys are sayin and it was Very well said . Thanks for all your input to these pictures and to this site.
You can take the Logger out of the Bush ,But you can't take the Bush out of the logger

 

[Big Iron]

I'm not getting any younger so I decided I'd better start taking steps to make things easier on myself as I start down this road towards being completely senile. I have about 6 website locations that I really enjoy (this is one of those) so I'm re-working things to use the same username and password for all the different locations related to the logging pictures and history. It's working better but some days I still have trouble remembering even my own name so we'll see.

I think the 'Rusty Grapple' analogy is great because it describes me and so many of you guys. That rusty grapple is tired of sitting and watching an waiting. It would rather be working in the big timber every single day, doing what it was built and programmed to do. It is ready and willing and very, very capable- but the state of the world just doesn't allow it to happen. Maybe someday, but not on this day.

That 'Rusty Grapple' isn't a yard ornament or a decoration or an object slowly growing old in the grass.
It isn't even a nickname, or a website, or a FB page.

The 'Rusty Grapple' is US- The whole group of us who would rather be in the timber everyday where we belong. We are cabable- we know where and how. We just don't know when.

Instead for now we just quitely sit and wait- knowing that with a couple days work all that rust would be gone and we would most certainly SHINE again!

The 'Rusty Grapple' web pages are geared toward not letting us forget who we are and where we came from. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing to pay the rent these days, the big iron and big timber is only an internet connection away. And I'll just keep adding so hopefully you guys can all keep looking and smiling.

There sure are some great people out there, and I smile everytime one of you posts your old pictures.

Man do i miss my 2 moonlight rides and a picnic lunch everyday. All of you have provided this old timber rat with countless hours of the joy of renewed memories of the days long gone by.

 

[Hallback]

Very well said fellas.....I appreciate all you do and contribute so I can learn more on a daily basis. Thank you to ALL of you on here!!!

Darren "Hallback" Hall

 

[Born2clearcut]

little something i came across in one of my albums hope it clear enough to read . Ctrl key on keyboard and mouse wheel at same time you can zoom in and out .

 

[sliperytimberja]

hi skadill
Logging is like a drug. In fact, you have more chance of giving up drugs (if you are on them) than changing your job after you have got hooked on logging. We talk amongst ourselves this side of the pond and say once you have sap, hydraulic oil and sawdust in your blood you're stuffed. It seems it's the same in the UK as BC and all over the world; the challenge is to put man and machine up against all odds to get timber off the toughest mountains in the worst weather conditions. If you make any money doing it it is a added bonus (although you try convincing the family!!) If you don't, it doesn't put us off - we come back the next day and hope it will be better.

 

[sliperytimberja]

hooked on logging

hi skadill
Logging is like a drug. In fact, you have more chance of giving up drugs (if you are on them) than changing your job after you have got hooked on logging. We talk amongst ourselves this side of the pond and say once you have sap, hydraulic oil and sawdust in your blood you're stuffed. It seems it's the same in the UK as BC and all over the world; the challenge is to put man and machine up against all odds to get timber off the toughest mountains in the worst weather conditions. If you make any money doing it it is a added bonus (although you try convincing the family!!) If you don't, it doesn't put us off - we come back the next day and hope it will be better.

Agreed Eric, some of us to have stepped out "for a while" by choice gracefully,and not wanting to go down with the ship.Thankfully many hundreds have been fortunate enough to stay in,and hopefully can stay at it for generations. If our stepping aside has left a few scraps for the survivors to aquire and to add to their work,that is a noble thing.I've met tons of loggers who arent currently logging,and everyone will say it was the best 'job' or career they had,and all speak fondly and passionately about the memories,some wear the scars,and limps,bad knees,and missing fingers,or worse,and none curse the way they chose or the industry that hurt them unintentionally.Theres no other occupation I've seen people come from that sparks such a pride,and enjoyment for the job.This job for most is a chosen lifestyle,not a just a paycheck.How many other industries or'jobs' have museums built for them,sports shows,tv programs,endless history books,paintings,retaurants,and web sites like this.Most people want to forget about 'work' when they get home,us log guys set in for another shift here checking out all the other log gear and jobs.I've been hardly able to fall asleep hundreds of times at night from the anticipation and excitement of staring a new logging site the next day,or contemplating the best way to lay the job out,how to get some difficult ground cleaned up,or the arrival of a different piece of iron showing up,its not a nine to five only concern.Hats off and highest respect and regards for the loggers!When it's too hard for everyone else,it's just right for us.Some of us are in,some of us are out,but none of us are gone.Log on!

 

[Timbercruise171]

What am I in Forks WA sorry about pic quality

 

[skadill]

What am I in Forks WAView attachment 94338 sorry about pic quality

Looks Like a Tillman conversion,I had one.

 

[Timbercruise171]

Thank you Skadill enjoy your youtube post as well.

 

[Former Wrench]

It&e

Those are great views of that West Coaster!

These little guys were built in Portland, Oregon by an outfit named Interstate Tractor- Interstate was the Terex/Barko dealer in the 1970's. All were mounted on the Terex tractor bottoms. They were a clean, quick-rigging, fast moving machine compared to the big towers that were so prevalent in that era. They were introduced in 73'/74' and it seems like all the big loggers owned one at some point in the 70's. Weyerhaeuser even bought a few of them- 2 at Longview Operation that I know of.

I guess I should maybe 're-phrase' my opening line to 'These little guys were assembled by Interstate Tractor'.....I dont know exactly who built what, but Interstate assembled them.

The crawler tractor was provided by Interstate. I have been told that Chapman Industries in BC helped with supplying the drumsets, and that Jack Tillman of Tillman's Inc at Aberdeen helped by supplying the telescoping square tower (maybe it's a 'boom' rather than a tower?).

In any case and like so many other things in the timber industry, the machines were a collaberation by many talented and forward-thinking people. The real testament to this design is the simple fact that so many of these yarders still exist in working condition to this very day. Hundreds were built and sold, most were painted Terex Green, though I have seen several yellow ones, and at least 3 painted orange/white.

In 1986 Intrstate Tractor introduced a new yarder with 70' tower and called it 'The Hawk'. It was built completely by Chapman Industries, also on a Terex crawler. These 'Hawk' yarders were awesome machines but only a few were built. I think only 6 were built total, and most exist today as well.

The 'West Coast Falcon', once the 'young prince' of the Northwest Forests, has been relegated to 'Green Bean' status by the Rygaard's and the whole Axe-Men phenomenon.....

I worked at Interstate Tractor and Equipment in 1974. I remember seeing 2-3 of the Falcons being assembled. They started with a stripped, but rebuilt 82-40. Two guys, Don, the welder and lead, and a second mechanic would be in charge of the project. Gary the engine builder would provide a fresh 8V-71 with 75 mm injectors. They would do a lot of prep welding before hooking up the winches and controls. It would take weeks of work to get the things set up. Once done with the inside the shop work, they would move out to the yard and install the cabs and the mast. It was quite a process to watch from the next equipment bay over. I had almost forgot about this.

 

[ecologger]

westcoaster

Thanks for the great info on the West Coast Falcon it a kool little machine . Ryan the pic's were taken in Powell River B C Kip Browns rehaul yard on Powell lake . Rusty and Skadill alot of us know excatly what you guys are sayin and it was Very well said . Thanks for all your input to these pictures and to this site.
You can take the Logger out of the Bush ,But you can't take the Bush out of the logger

Do you or anyone know if the westcoaster (falcon) is still in Kip Browns yard How do i find him?
Know of any others in BC I found one in Washington but its overpriced
thanx Jay