deck n
1 In logging:
a also freq log deck: The platform from which logs are loaded onto the saw carriage.
1877 Scientific Amer. 37.86/2, We illustrate herewith a reciprocating oscillating toothed bar that is claimed not only to turn the log on the head blocks, but also to grasp a log anywhere within its reach on the log deck, and turn or roll it forward on to the head block of a sawmill carriage. 1882 Muscatine Daily Jrl. (IA) 17 Jan [4]/5, It is known to all mill men that the chief end sought for in the log deck is the easy and rapid transfer of the logs to the saw-carriage. To prevent the logs rolling en masse upon the carriage from an inclined deck, a break or stop is necessary, which shall detach a log from its fellows and transfer it to the carriage without the others, 1887 Saginaw Weekly Courier (East Saginaw MI) [23 June 7]/4, The log is brought up by this chain on to the log deck which is provided with one of Hill’s patent steam, 3-arm log flipper or wench, which throws the logs on to the deck from which they are rolled on to the carriage of the band and circular saws. 1904 Tomahawk Leader (WI) [12 Aug 5]/3, The scaler will be king of the deck. Alone, he will scale the logs and, with the aid of the machinery, furnish them to the saw as fast as they can handle them. From the deck the logs will go to the big saw which will rip them into lumber. 1909 Bonners Ferry Herald (ID) 18 Dec 1/5, In the saw mill they make short work of the log. It is rolled down the deck and the nigger bobs up and bangs it onto the carriage. 1950 Western Folkl. 9.121 nwOR [Sawmill workers’ speech], Log deck. Space where logs are kept until they are loaded on the carriage. 1958 McCulloch Woods Words 109 Pacific NW, Log deck. . . The deck of a mill to which logs are brought for sawing.
b also rarely log deck: A stack of logs. chiefly Nth Cf deck v, cold deck n 3, hot deck n
1901 Morning Oregonian (Portland OR) 6 May 9/2, Arthur Bussear had a narrow escape at Galloway Bros.’ sawmill. . . He was working on a high deck of logs, when the bottom log gave way and started the whole pile to rolling. 1913 DN 4.2 ME, Deck. . . A pile of logs. 1920 Milwaukee Jrl. (WI) 12 Dec sec 4 1/3, Often along the path of a contemplated spur to the main railway line, one sees many of these huge “decks” waiting till the spur is built. 1929 S. Reporter 118.441/2 MS, As decker, it was his duty to pull the decking line out from the skidder and hook it to the log, for the purpose of piling or decking it into its proper place in or on the deck. 1939 Spokane Daily Chron. (WA) 2 June 3/3, Each deck of logs was held back lightly by a stake or smaller log. When freed, they took to the river with a rush. 1956 Sorden–Ebert Logger’s Words 11 Gt Lakes, Deck. A pile of logs in the woods, at a landing or at a mill. Same as log-deck. 1966–70 DARE Tape MI11, They discontinued the use of hemlock and the stores of hemlock—the decks of hemlock that were in the yard—were then hauled down to the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company sawmill and were converted into lumber; MI20, They decked the logs on top of that bar, that had quite a high bank, and then when they couldn’t log anymore, then they’d start the mill and break one of those decks and let the logs roll into the pond; MI56, That’s all you had to do was turn that jammer around and deck here, pile ’em [=logs] all up in decks. 1969 Daily Olympian (Olympia WA) 18 Feb 10/3, [Advt:] Notice of Sale of Valuable Material on State Land. . . The sale is composed of 32 decks of logs along the CF-C-1630 road. 1984 MJLF 10.149 neWI, Deck. Logs piled on skids, the deck. On the Thorpe farm, logs stacked at the mill, ready for sawing. 2008 Ravalli Republic (Hamilton MT) 17 July 6/4, The fire that started in a deck of logs Monday evening has been contained.
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