DJ Down Under
04-13-2006, 09:55 AM
That pic on my Mt Buller ride..the big steel ball.....just found out what it is.
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2237.JPG
Myself, Dave and a few others thought it may be a buoy or a mine (bomb).
Mick (MIXR) got me thinking...with his pic.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-7/1051575/Ball.jpg
This 5 tonne steel land clearing "high Ball" was constructed from 19 mm mild steel plate in 1953 by Hume Steel Pty. Ltd. It was brought to the Heytesbury Forest in 1956 and was employed in all timber clearing operations on the 50,000 hectares project until completion in 1971. In operation the ball was pulled by two, 180 kw tractors one attached to 60 metre chains on either side. A tree pusher tractor followed to assist the pulling of larger trees
When I saw it it did look very 'agracoltural'..as in farming....and that's what it is for...Clearing the land for farming....It's called the "High ball".
http://www.fao.org//docrep/x5397e/x5397e0d.jpg
http://www.fao.org//docrep/x5397e/x5397e0i.jpg
They used to (in the old days) get two big tractors and have a big chain between them with this big metal ball in the center..and drive through the bush (scrub) and the ball would just roll and the chain would pull down the trees,tree stumps and bushes.
FIGURE 13. - The high-ball.
The object of the high-ball is to keep the chain well off the ground and so obtain a greater leverage on large trees. With this device, trees up to 100 feet (30 meters) high have been removed. The high-ball, however, has some disadvantages. The initial cost is quite high owing to the great strength that is required. Also its weight makes it difficult to transport from one area to another. Experience has shown it to be costly equipment on all but very heavy timber covering land of high production value.
It's not just a crazy Aussie thing either... http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:4_kLYvrMbbMJ:www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/hungryho.html+high-ball+for+clearing+trees&hl=en&gl=au&ct=clnk&cd=10
It appears they use bigger balls in the US...8' balls....that's a big ball..:icon_eek:
The two contractors started their new sections in May 1950. They used tractors to pull eight foot diameter steel balls attached by cables through the trees and brush. Workers used the balls to keep the cables clear of stumps left from logging operations. The balls also prevented the cable from sliding up and over small, more flexible trees. Workers soon nicknamed the process "Operation Highball". The two firms' combined acreage to clear a total of 14,695 acres. Both firms continued clearing operations through 1951, closing down in October for the coming winter with approximately 15 percent of the work left to accomplish. Wixson & Crowe finished the work September 25, 1952, and Trisdale completed his section September 30.(18)
I know you guys were dying to know what is was...well now you can sleep well knowing what it is...and that it's not a bomb...:)
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gifhttp://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gifhttp://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gifhttp://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gif
btw...My first attempt to climb on top failed...the timer went..tic,tic,tic...Click!..(as I was sliding back wards down the ball)..:icon_redface:
DJ
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2293.JPG
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2237.JPG
Myself, Dave and a few others thought it may be a buoy or a mine (bomb).
Mick (MIXR) got me thinking...with his pic.
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-7/1051575/Ball.jpg
This 5 tonne steel land clearing "high Ball" was constructed from 19 mm mild steel plate in 1953 by Hume Steel Pty. Ltd. It was brought to the Heytesbury Forest in 1956 and was employed in all timber clearing operations on the 50,000 hectares project until completion in 1971. In operation the ball was pulled by two, 180 kw tractors one attached to 60 metre chains on either side. A tree pusher tractor followed to assist the pulling of larger trees
When I saw it it did look very 'agracoltural'..as in farming....and that's what it is for...Clearing the land for farming....It's called the "High ball".
http://www.fao.org//docrep/x5397e/x5397e0d.jpg
http://www.fao.org//docrep/x5397e/x5397e0i.jpg
They used to (in the old days) get two big tractors and have a big chain between them with this big metal ball in the center..and drive through the bush (scrub) and the ball would just roll and the chain would pull down the trees,tree stumps and bushes.
FIGURE 13. - The high-ball.
The object of the high-ball is to keep the chain well off the ground and so obtain a greater leverage on large trees. With this device, trees up to 100 feet (30 meters) high have been removed. The high-ball, however, has some disadvantages. The initial cost is quite high owing to the great strength that is required. Also its weight makes it difficult to transport from one area to another. Experience has shown it to be costly equipment on all but very heavy timber covering land of high production value.
It's not just a crazy Aussie thing either... http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:4_kLYvrMbbMJ:www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/hungryho.html+high-ball+for+clearing+trees&hl=en&gl=au&ct=clnk&cd=10
It appears they use bigger balls in the US...8' balls....that's a big ball..:icon_eek:
The two contractors started their new sections in May 1950. They used tractors to pull eight foot diameter steel balls attached by cables through the trees and brush. Workers used the balls to keep the cables clear of stumps left from logging operations. The balls also prevented the cable from sliding up and over small, more flexible trees. Workers soon nicknamed the process "Operation Highball". The two firms' combined acreage to clear a total of 14,695 acres. Both firms continued clearing operations through 1951, closing down in October for the coming winter with approximately 15 percent of the work left to accomplish. Wixson & Crowe finished the work September 25, 1952, and Trisdale completed his section September 30.(18)
I know you guys were dying to know what is was...well now you can sleep well knowing what it is...and that it's not a bomb...:)
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gifhttp://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gifhttp://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gifhttp://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2294.gif
btw...My first attempt to climb on top failed...the timer went..tic,tic,tic...Click!..(as I was sliding back wards down the ball)..:icon_redface:
DJ
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2293.JPG