Forestry Relaskop

[westbranch]

My wife found this in the woods yesterday when we were out walking around. I had to Google to find out what it was. Based on Onx the area had been logged in 2011, so probably sitting there since then. Windows are fogged up, but can kind of see the measurement scales.

I am sure some forestry guys here are familiar with these. Looks like the cost $2k new, so I am sure someone was kicking themselves that they lost it.

 

[BuzzH]

Yep, exactly what it is.

If the scales still work (swivel) its totally usable. Should be a brass colored button on the front that you push while looking through it...the scales will swivel. You can tap the button to slow the scales from swinging until they come to rest.

Havent looked through one for a while, use lasers or clinometers for tree heights these days, and don't do variable radius plots anymore...all fixed distance.

There should percent scales, topo scale, and also BAF. You can use them to find tree heights using either the % scale or topo scale. Topo you need to go out to 66 feet (or 33 and divide your measurements by 2). The percent scale you can go out any distance, but I usually go out to either 50 or 100 for easy math.

Useful tool if you're into measuring trees, determining basal area of a cutting unit, etc.

 

[westbranch]

I frequently do look at a tree and wonder how tall it is

 

[TheTone]

I remember my first season using one and thinking it was a weird contraption and being a little lackadaisical with it. Then I found out what they cost and started treating it a lot better. Cool find!

 

[Lasiocarpa]

Good find. I've lost a few things in the woods but always tried not to lose one of those!

Buzz is spot on with his description.
I will add that yours is most likely an American scale, but they also made a Wide scale and I think 2 metric scales.

I have tuned up and made minor repairs to quite a few of them. Atterbury will fix them up as well.

 

[1_pointer]

Very cool find! I'm always impressed with mechanical devices were developed to collect pretty darn accurate data before we went all electronic/digital.

 

[westbranch]

I was messing around with it more yesterday afternoon and it seems like it works. Pushing the little button lets the scales swivel and I looked at some trees through it. I found some instructions online but it was a bit over my head. Something to mess around with a bit more this week while staying at home.

 

[BigHornRam]

Very cool find! I'm always impressed with mechanical devices were developed to collect pretty darn accurate data before we went all electronic/digital.

I'd rather use my range finder and a little math to estimate the height of a tree then with one of those contraptions.

 

[hank4elk]

I'd ask my neighbor to estimate,he is well versed in usage as he has one and a lot of other FS gadgets he used in his 35 yrs.
Cool find!

 

[jumpshooter]

As a forester, we still use them a lot. They are very handy tools. And as you saw, they are expensive as hell. There is a company in Or. called atturberry which fixes them.

 

[Northwoods Labs]

Neat find, I used one of those in college....brought back some memories

 

[wytex]

Haven't used one since college. I always enjoyed the various tools we learned to use for timber estimation.
On that note, where did all you foresters go to school ?
Stephen F Austin , BSF '87 for me, Game management.

 

[BuzzH]

University of Montana B.S. Forestry...a long time ago.