Cool old Aussie logging video

I love the portable (well, at least moveable) steam-powered reciprocating saw. I've never seen a set up like that before. The guy doing filework on the big circular saw made my forearms twitch a bit though. I'm guessing that job had a steep learning curve. Great vid!

Anybody know what species they were logging down there? Their government timber site makes mention of eucalypts (that's how they spelled it) and acacias.
 
That was an awesome video. Like alocksly said, super intrigued by the steam saw. They look like Kauris. They are in New Zealand north western parts of Australia. They fall under some sort of conifer from what I understand.
 
Interesting to see axes being used this way in a historical video, instead of in the typical still photograph.
 
I enjoyed the Video too peg. Years ago I watched two old guys building a bridge in the Aussie bush. All hand tools. Even used horses to drag the logs from bush to site. They burnt bark from a 'Paper bark' tree to blacken their string line.

Currawong (Now there's a real Aussie name) is correct. Kauri grows in the North of New Zealand and Karri in West Australia.

I think the tree the guy in the video barked for his humpy was Jarra.

regards...Frank
 
Great video. Those were some guys that earned a paycheck. Imagine OSHA getting ahold of a situation like that now.

Interesting to see the cutter out in the bush fending for himself. Talk about self reliance. That would be one hell of a job.

Also notice the chips flying in the video. Those guys had some serious axes. Contoured and profiled right, sharpened well, and great balance I am sure. Those guys falling the big tree at the start - imagine swinging that axe - all day. All day. Those were some men.

Great video.
 
I have read many books about the NZ bushmen back in the day.

They worked up to 12 hours a day, 6 days a week in remote camps. Sunday was for tool maintenance and laundry.

I agree with 'Op' some men alright. I admire them.

regards...Frank
 
Pretty sure that wasn't a"'steam saw." I've never seen one of those. I think it was a version of what was called a "drag saw" in the Northwest woods. One lunger gas engine. I bought a relic one for a late uncle of mine a few years ago because he loved getting things like that restored to like new condition. A few week later it was up and running to include replicas of the original Portland Oregon engine stickers. It bucked firewood for steam donkeys at shows all around his area.

Growing up on a farm, we used those ancient gas one lungers to pump water, lift hay, dump corn etc for most of the 20th century. Wish equipment lasted that long today.
 
Thank you for sharing Square_peg.

Incredible skill, strength and endurance. Though I must admit, there's something sad about a tree like that coming down; the men were just making their pay, but there's far fewer trees like that on the earth now than there was 150 years ago, and it's hard to imagine many more given the chance to grow like that again.
 
Absolutely agree with WDMN. Although I admire bushmen of the past, I do regret the felling of millions of acres of virgin bush.
Thank goodness much of what we have left in NZ is now protected.
It saddens me to think of what is happening in many parts of the world. All in the name of greed, disguised as progress.

regards...Frank
 
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