Logging California redwood in the 1940s - video

**Altair** · Feb 27, 2019, 12:21 AM

Logging California redwood in the 1940s. In the early days, the lumberjacks who felled these giants only used axes and saws. But shown at 3:09 and 4:25 are early versions of powered reciprocating saws.

Previously:

Tree climbing chainsaw trimming tool - GIF
Sliding-log trick for felling a hung tree - GIF
tree remover GIF
Log loading trailer - video

**Beserkleyboy** · Feb 28, 2019, 04:44 AM

Mate, thank you a thousand times for bringing this video to light once again. As a 3rd generation Northern California lumber yard owner (with 15 (working) years in AUS), I first saw this video from a 16mm projector at a HooHoo lumberman's meeting in the mid 60s with my dad. I've toured several norcal redwood mills and quite a few Oregon Fir and Pine mills, always a joy to see. At Miller Redwood Co in Arcata, Ca, they had a special headrig OUTSIDE the main mill, to break the biggest logs in at least half, as they could only cut logs to 6' diameter on the main headrig, go figure...another day it was. Cheers and thanks again!
Jim in sunny South Coast NSW AUS

**Beserkleyboy** · Feb 28, 2019, 04:44 AM

Mate, thank you a thousand times for bringing this video to light once again. As a 3rd generation Northern California lumber yard owner (with 15 (working) years in AUS), I first saw this video from a 16mm projector at a HooHoo lumberman's meeting in the mid 60s with my dad. I've toured several norcal redwood mills and quite a few Oregon Fir and Pine mills, always a joy to see. At Miller Redwood Co in Arcata, Ca, they had a special headrig OUTSIDE the main mill, to break the biggest logs in at least half, as they could only cut logs to 6' diameter on the main headrig, go figure...another day it was. Cheers and thanks again!
Jim in sunny South Coast NSW AUS

**hemmjo** · Feb 28, 2019, 07:01 AM

Amazing stuff!!!

**TSiArt** · Mar 1, 2019, 11:25 AM

National Lumber here in CT has a log that big next to their driveway. I don't know if it's redwood. but it's huge.
https://goo.gl/maps/bRWJfpLuX2C2 Check out the street view

**Beserkleyboy** · Mar 1, 2019, 03:43 PM

That's a good one as well! Those sort of logs were the backbone of sawmills before 1980. Anything that is now being sawn were referred to as 'pecker poles'...but the industry was forced to change when the raw material did...yes, the new, rapidly grown small logs, produce usable fibre for utilitarian use, but don't have the beauty and most of all, the stability of the fine grained old growth...Cheers
Jim in not so sunny South Coast NSW AUS