By Tony Kryzanowski
Oregon ProductsOver the last 74 years, Oregon Products has built a legacy of innovation. That legacy traces back to its founder, Joe Cox, who was inspired by nature, the timber beetle larva, specifically, to design the modern-day saw chain. His design revolutionized the industry and continues to drive it today, says the company.
Since 1947, Oregon Products has become a precision cutting powerhouse with a portfolio of products that help professionals take on the toughest cuts. Its saw chains are created with a proven grind technology resulting in a burr-free cutting edge, consistent surface finish and even-shot peening that ensures a clean, quality cut.
Beyond chain, Oregon manufactures guide bars, harvester and grapple saws, sprockets, log splitters and more. One product that gets a lot of air time among woodcutters is SpeedCut (shown). SpeedCut requires less power, offers more efficiency and delivers faster cutting performance, ultimately making quick work of everything from cleaning up trees to cutting firewood, says the company.
Olofsfors/Iggesund ForestOlofsfors and Iggesund Forest are excited to introduce the Blue Line .404” with an Open End mounting system. The Open End system makes changing bars even quicker and dramatically reduces bar maintenance time.
The company’s most powerful ¾” bar to date, the new Vyking series can handle any and all conditions. It features an advanced metal alloy, HD power tip for optimal performance and lifetime, and revolutionary endurance rails with a 60-degree rail angle. All these benefits reduce downtime and increase productivity.
The Blue Line series continues to change the forest industry around the world, says the company. In addition to adding its most powerful ¾” bar to the line up, Olofsfors/Iggesund Forest introduces the brand new Blue Line Vyking slasher bar. Specially designed for ground saws, the Vyking slasher bar has proven to be a reliable and productive saw bar in all conditions, says the company.
www.iggesundforest.com/www.olofsfors.com
HusqvarnaHusqvarna is taking the next step in offering best-in-class cutting systems with the launch of the new Husqvarna X-TOUGH LIGHT lightweight bars through its partnership with Sugihara/Diatop Co Ltd, a praised and recognized manufacturer of chainsaw bars.
Made for everyday professional forestry and tree care work, the new Husqvarna X-TOUGH LIGHT bars offer a combination of lightweight, durability and cutting performance.
Husqvarna X-TOUGH LIGHT benefits from a solid, lightweight body with hard resin inserts that reduce weight, making it easy to maneuver. Additionally, the hard resin inserts make the bars robust, ensuring high productivity and improved straightness in the cuts. The three-rivet RSN mount and an optimized oil hole help provide reliability and performance during long workdays. These features, along with the rail hardness of the new bars, results in longer maintenance intervals. Also, the sprocket nose adds to the high performance of Husqvarna X-TOUGH LIGHT and the new premium design provides a distinct appearance.
With Husqvarna’s new 3/8” lightweight bars, Husqvarna X-TOUGH LIGHT comes in lengths up to 36”. The bars fit Husqvarna chainsaws from 60cc and up with a large bar mount.
HAIXFor a tough, yet comfortable, chainsaw boot, the HAIX Protector Ultra Lime Green fits the bill. These boots offer exceptional stability on any kind of uneven terrain and are built for comfort. The lime green suede upper works in conjunction with the reflective material at the heel and ankle for increased visibility near the chainsaw both day and night. The boot also features a soft close fitting sleeve at the top of the boot that prevents flying wood chips and debris from getting inside and causing irritation. The suede upper offers double stitched construction with minimal seaming to yield a longer wearing, more durable boot and less risk of seam failure out in the field. The two zone lacing of the upper allows individual adjustment of the upper and lower lace areas for a customized fit, while the roller ball style eyelets make the adjustment quick and easy.
StihlProfessionals can find the durability, dependability and performance they need in the Stihl MS 881 MAGNUM and MS 881 R MAGNUM chain saws, says the company. With an updated engine design, these models have the same power as the previous model while using less fuel and reducing exhaust emissions, saving time and money while also being better for the environment. As the most powerful saws in the Stihl line up, the MS 881 MAGNUM and MS 881 R MAGNUM are built for the most demanding tasks, including logging, thinning and land clearing.
“For the largest, toughest and most demanding jobs, professionals can find the performance they need in the MS 881 chainsaw,” says John Allen, product manager for Stihl Inc. “And with time-saving features like the simplified carburetor design for easy manual adjustment, a stop switch that automatically returns to the run position reducing the risk of flooding the engine and captive bar nuts to eliminate the risk of losing bar nuts on the forest floor, these saws are designed to work for you.”
Since 1955, Cannon Bar Works has manufactured saw chain guide bars for the worldwide forest industry where only the highest quality bar stands a chance of longevity. Cannon started with one bar—the SuperBar—a chainsaw bar truly made for professionals and grew their offerings from there.
Most recently, Cannon has introduced the Cannon DuraLite SuperBar. The DuraLite SuperBar is made from a virtually completed SuperBar. After the bar has been grooved and the rails have been flame-hardened, weight is eliminated by milling out pockets on either side of the SuperBar, leaving a steel core in the centre for strength. The centre section is then perforated with holes and Cannon then uses a special adhesive which not only bonds the steel to two flexible aluminum inserts, one on each side of the bar, but also creates a chemical bond or weld between the two inserts. The new DuraLite SuperBar remains ridged, durable, and tough and has the same quality characteristics as the traditional SuperBar, but weighs up to 25 per cent less.
TriLink Saw ChainTriLink believes that quality is the key to success. It carries a complete line of low kickback and professional full chisel saw chain, guide bars, cutting accessories, and safety items.
The company’s low kickback saw chain has been tested, approved, and listed by Underwriters Laboratories to meet all ANSI B175.1 requirements. Highlighting its saw chain line are the titanium-coated, full-chisel chains that cut 20 per cent faster than semi-chisel chain. Additionally, TriLink offers a 3/8” low profile full chisel chain providing faster, smooth cutting in clean conditions.
As a global leader in the saw chain industry, it has built a reputation focusing the company on providing the best quality, value, and service in the industry. TriLink Saw Chain says it is your link to quality.
GBFor decades GB says that it has continued to be a leader in manufacturing only the best and toughest bar available.
GB Group PTY Ltd., located in Victoria, Australia, concluded a new agreement with Wallingford’s Inc in 2015 to be the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of GB harvester and slasher bars.
Wallingford’s Inc. has been serving the logging community since 1975 and says it is committed to supplying only the absolute best products to their customers.
A unique blend of titanium and alloy steel on GB bars yields the ultra-high strength material which ensures trouble free performance in all cutting conditions. This military grade, bulletproof steel is the strongest steel available and is uniquely manufactured to withstand the harshest of conditions. Operators all across the world continue to find ultimate satisfaction in GB bars, says the company.
The Echo CS-7310P chainsaw has a high-power 73.5 cc 2-stroke commercial grade engine.
It features a three-point spring vibration reduction system for operator comfort. The air injection air cleaner uses centrifugal force to separate the dust and debris from air, resulting in longer air filter life. It comes equipped with an aluminum handle with rubber grip for strength and comfort, and chrome-plated cylinder for long engine life. The magnesium crankcase and sprocket cover delivers strength and is lightweight.
The pleated air filter with a large surface area ensures a steady flow of clean air to the carburetor.
JK BootsJK Boots’ great Inlander Boot, built by hand with the finest American sourced leather, is capable of withstanding the gnarliest conditions and roughest terrain, says the company. Its unique stitched-down construction provides all-day durability and support, to keep you moving even after the job is done. Family-owned and operated, JK Boots has been dedicated to producing high quality boots for the last 30 years. All of its boots are 100 per cent made in America, at their flagship store right in the heart of Spokane, Washington.
Customers will find the fit, service, and craftsmanship of the boots are second to none, it says. The family is proud to serve hardworking men and women around the globe, by transforming the way they walk, work, and live life. Customers are requested to visit the company website or one of its stores in Spokane, Boise, or Redding to get a pair of custom boots. Time to get boots that match your intensity, says JK Boots.
On the Cover:
The last 18 months have been challenging times, with sawmills looking to meet record-high lumber demand. And for a few firms that were expanding, such as The Westervelt Company, they faced the challenge of how to go about building a new sawmill at a time of COVID. But the company was able to meet that challenge, and in fact were able to finish building their new sawmill ahead of schedule, thanks in part to its project partners, such as B.C.-based BID Group, who built the new mill on a turnkey basis. Read all about the project beginning on page 14 of this issue (Cover photo courtesy of The Westervelt Company).
What’s next with the beetle in B.C.?
After a period of exponential growth, and then a slowdown, a big question lingers about the beetle situation in British Columbia—what’s coming next?
A more flexible Lakeview sawmill
Tolko Industries’ Lakeview sawmill in B.C. has completed an upgrade that will result in increased flexibility, while working with a changing wood basket.
Delivering the goods—ahead of schedule
The Westervelt Company was able to build its brand new sawmill ahead of schedule, thanks in part to its project partners, such as B.C.-based BID Group, who built the new mill on a turnkey basis.
Upgrading the family logging operation
Ontario’s Devlin Timber has a proud history—with the fourth generation of the Devlin family now working for the company—and has recently upgraded operations with the addition of new Kenworth trucks that are helping it tackle long hauls in northwestern Ontario.
Low grade wood = high grade benefits
Seaton Forest Products has a focus on utilizing low grade wood at its mill operation in the B.C. Interior, and it’s generating some high grade benefits from fibre that no one else wants—dry, decadent balsam.
Five tips on how to properly maintain your log loader undercarriage
Contractors can extend undercarriage life on their log loaders by following some routine maintenance procedures.
Tech Update:
We take a look at chainsaws, bars and chainsaw safety equipment in this issue’s Tech Update.
The EDGE
Included in this edition of The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry, are stories from the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) and FPInnovations.
The Last Word
Jim Stirling says there seems to be a misplaced calm in B.C.’s forest industry as the winter log harvesting season approaches, as there is no lack of concerns.
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