How Close Is Too Close?

[VERTICAL REF]

Yea give her a whirl. You can then compare note with 407.

You will notice the initial lack of downwash effect (no pun intended) on the burn. But is really a non event as we usually rip her up when we are at "cross over" or beyond. Hoover if ya half too kinda thing!

Looking forward to the feedback!

 

[JaJR]

Vertical ref: how do you keep the torch from spinning on the end of the line? Or do you just let it fly where-ever? Seem like a pretty good idea.

 

[MagSeal]

ever seen those hawaii dancers with the stick on fire, twirling it like a baton....

 

[VERTICAL REF]

JaJR,

On the end of a longline ever load will find its happy place!

So 407 or DW, any of yours boys try it yet?

 

[dammyneckhurts]

In 97 we did a big perscribed burn with a torch. It was a massive cutblock overrun with some kind of weed they wanted to kill off. It took 5 hours of continous torching the get the whole thing lit up. Started with a hotspot in the middle and then ever increasing lines expanding out from the center.....had the perfect convective colum up through the middle, fire laying horizontal across the ground from the full 360 degrees sucking into the center. It was pretty amazing!

Anyway....torch was on a longline and it worked out real well. It just made sense to have it on a line for many of the reasons in the previous posts. We had heli fuel on board to last a few hours, but were going through a lot of torch fuel....so it made the "Pit stop" for more gel much faster. Didnt even land...we were in and out of staging in about 45 seconds, which was crucial for the torch team in the initial stages so they can steer the fire by adding more heat on the upwind side etc....

When we did land the machine is well clear of the ground crew, and away from the mix site. Far enough away from those accidental little spills and fires that seem to flash up when they are testing the torch or making adjustments...Also enables you to keep your heli fuel and torch fuel seperate, and of course less people working under the spinning blades.

It also enabled us to light up some areas that needed a bit more heat, but would have been a bit too hot to get to with the torch on the belly, along the edge of the cutblock for example.

Was the first time the torch team had used it on a line, and they loved it....

Another two cents worth for ya!

 

[VERTICAL REF]

Neck Bender!

Excellent, I say again, Excellent!

VR

 

[downwash]

Haven't really had occasion to wet a bucket yet, VR. I'll keep you posted. How about you 407? B)