training for caber

hey guys. i want to start training to compete. how do you all train for the caber. how to find one? make one? use other objects?

any info would be great. thanks.

thanks man. i was thinking along the same lines. getting the longest 4x4 i could find and weight it some how.

I have used the 2*6 route.  But being OCD I wanted it to be more square than just three 2by's....so I added a 1*6 of decking wood in there.  That made it real close to a 5"x5.5" square.

I also tapered mine by cutting out the corners on the small end...so it is actually an octogon on the small end.

My 12 footer was about 80lbs.  The 16 footer is right at 90lbs.  They both have been drying out in my garage for the whole winter, so they have lost a bit of that water wieght they will come with from Lowes/HD.

The way the weight seems to be going...each 4 foot 'appears' to add 10lbs.

Keep in mind, unless you make a really really big cut on the taper, these will be harder to turn than similar weight in a competion.

 

I used Gorilla Glue to glue the three pieces together.  Just be cautious if you use it.  A little goes along way.  It foams up and will come oozing out of the cracks but not instantly.  It takes a few seconds.  I had mine in my yard across two saw horses.  I gave it at least 24 hours to dry and cut off the excess glue before I started shaping the narrow end.

Good Luck.

t-money wrote: thanks for all the responses guys. sounds like the 2x6 thing is the way to go.

Or you can just go cut a tree down, I do this every year since they dry out make great camp fire wood

You say that like some one may have a problem with it

Duncan McCallum wrote: If you have to use a chainsaw, wear some hemp clothing or something...maybe they will let you slide since you are doing your part for the environment.  And make sure your chainsaw runs on solar or wind power. Oh, and be sure you carpool in an ethanol vehicle to get there...

sounds good. i was just going to wear a hockey mask. your idea might be better.

 

I get mine from a log cabin builder, I use a power planer, to smooth out the sides and round off the small end. Send them a framed photo of the boys holding the caber with there logo on a sine and they will give the cabers to you. We also post them as a sponsor on our web site.  Paint the cabers with wood glue and rap them with linen and paint over the linen with the wood glue as well, this will stop our cabers from braking.

 

RJ