Tractors and wood! Show your pics

dragoneggs · Mar 8, 2016

Luke'sScreenName said:
2/3 is one heck of a face cut!

Hmmm... I'm no professional but have downed more than a few firs/cedars/hemlocks in my time and this is my 'formula' if I understand it right.

motownbrowne · Mar 9, 2016

dragoneggs said:
Hmmm... I'm no professional but have downed more than a few firs/cedars/hemlocks in my time and this is my 'formula' if I understand it right.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, that's for sure. Ever since I took a full day chainsaw class (I know that doesn't make me an expert) I started using an open face notch like this:

The goal is for the length of the hinge to be 80% of the diameter of the tree. This can usually be achieved only a few inches into the tree. No need to cut such a deep face cut. Follow this with a bore cut to set the hinge at the right thickness (10% of the diameter in most cases) and you're making good progress. Move the bar back away from the hinge leaving a small "trigger". Set a wedge in the kerf for good measure. Double check the landing zone, cut the trigger, tap the wedge if need be, and there she be.

LouieJunior · Mar 9, 2016

motownbrowne said:
The goal is for the length of the hinge to be 80% of the diameter of the tree. This can usually be achieved only a few inches into the tree. No need to cut such a deep face cut. Follow this with a bore cut to set the hinge at the right thickness (10% of the diameter in most cases) and you're making good progress. Move the bar back away from the hinge leaving a small "trigger". Set a wedge in the kerf for good measure. Double check the landing zone, cut the trigger, tap the wedge if need be, and there she be.

Same here. Notch 80 percent of the width (diameter) followed with a bore cut.

dieselcrawler · Mar 9, 2016

I'm sure there's lots of room for improvement in my saw skills, and lots of better ways to do things I need to learn...

First, a bigger saw... the ol 025's I have do well, but are just not enough saw.

Longer bar... I had a 16" that day, I do have a 22" I use on special occasions when planned. Not the case that day, spur of the moment.

No wedges with me...

I'll get there, but it's a learning curve.

farm boy00 · Mar 9, 2016

dieselcrawler said:
I'm sure there's lots of room for improvement in my saw skills, and lots of better ways to do things I need to learn...

First, a bigger saw... the ol 025's I have do well, but are just not enough saw.

Longer bar... I had a 16" that day, I do have a 22" I use on special occasions when planned. Not the case that day, spur of the moment.

No wedges with me...

I'll get there, but it's a learning curve.

Thank goodness I'm not the only one here on the learning curve. No 24in saws but a cheap polun 14 in and 2 18 in huscqvarna and shil

Gordon Gould · Mar 9, 2016

farm boy00 said:
Thank goodness I'm not the only one here on the learning curve. No 24in saws but a cheap polun 14 in and 2 18 in huscqvarna and shil

Actually the learning never stops. The more trees you cut the more you realize that there are way to many situations for just one formula to be the answer. It is very very easy to totally miss-judge the lean and/or head lean and thus the natural direction of fall on a side hill. The important thing is once you realize the mistake you know how to get out of the situation safely like Greg did. One thing to keep in mind though is to be suspicious of your judgment if you think a tree is leaning uphill. Double check yourself. Trees lean up hill for sure but most trees want to fall down hill.

Sticking a wedge in the cut on any large tree is a good habit to have.

gg

s219 · Mar 9, 2016

Yep, I always slip a wedge in whenever possible.

dieselcrawler · Mar 9, 2016

I only have one wedge... somewhere. Need to toss it in the tractor tool box. Need to buy a few more too...

I got that poplar cut into 8' logs, 2 nice ones, about 20" diameter, the other 2 are not so nice, hollow in spots, and crooked. They might not make it to the mill.

MossRoad · Mar 9, 2016

Where to buy a decent couple/three wedges on-line? We have absolutely no place with wedges here locally. Big box stores don't stock them and its too urban so even the few lawn and garden shops that sell chainsaws don't carry wedges. When you ask, they all take you to metal splitting wedges.

PSEbowhunter · Mar 9, 2016

MossRoad said:
Where to buy a decent couple/three wedges on-line? We have absolutely no place with wedges here locally. Big box stores don't stock them and its too urban so even the few lawn and garden shops that sell chainsaws don't carry wedges. When you ask, they all take you to metal splitting wedges.

TreeStuff - TreeStuff Felling Wedge

I picked this pack up a few weeks ago. I ordered on a Wednesday night and they were delivered the next day with standard shipping. I haven't put them to work yet, but they appear to be as good as the rest. Otherwise I would recommend amazon.