Felling

[knucklehead]

Chuck - you mean like this? The Husqvarna site recommends this method to keep a leaner from falling before the back cut is finished, and splitting. They say it is used when dropping a leaner in the direction of the lean.

 

[knucklehead]

Gordon - those are great links. I couldn't get the first two to come up, but the "logging advisor" one on the bottom (OSHA link) was really good. Thanks. I hope OSHA gets that wedging table working soon, it seems like something valuable (amount of lean overcome by a wedge).

I'd appreciate any comment you more experieinced guys would have on tethering trees as I mentioned. I know it's not done much in logging; it seems more like an arborist function. Some people have the willies about it, and I don't know why, other than maybe they imagine someone pulling a tree onto themselves, or perhaps overloading the line they are using.

 

[beenthere]

The main reason to use the wedge is so I don't have to play "catch-up" when the tree starts to lean back. By then it is really too late. Just a fraction of lean back translates to many pounds of wood in the top of the tree that has moved, and you have to move it back. Using a wedge is smart, and smart loggers use them. Most of the times, the wedge just lays there, and the tree falls without ever setting back on the wedge. But you are thanking your lucky stars when the tree sets back onto the wedge that you have in place, and not still in your back pocket.
I was told once that in Sweden, (Think that is the country) their liberal safety laws require a wedge bar (the one with the handle) be used in the back cut of every tree being felled, for maximum safety. Carrying a wedge bar around from tree to tree is not as convenient as a wedge in the pocket, but then the bar offers more leverage when tipping the tree that doesn't want to tip (in the preferred direction) on its own.

 

[beenthere]

You explained that technique well, and it is mainly for trees with a lot of lean. New safety chains that were designed to protect the weekend chainsaw user have anti-kickback teeth that almost prohibit the user from making a plunge cut. This procedure leaves wood that acts as a wedge (tree cannot set back on the cut) but the tree should be leaning when you remove that wood (or your saw bar will be pinched AND the tree will set back on the back cut. If the tree has a lot of lean, then all the cutting (undercut, and back cut) are finished before you cut that remaining bit of wood which is in tension (a lot of tension) and when released will allow the tree to fall quickly. The conventional method on a leaning tree may allow this tree to split up the center when making the back cut, sometimes causing the split piece to swing up quickly (called barber chair), and taking the head and/or chin of the saw operator with it. Many deaths and severe injuries over the years from this happening. An old timer next to me taught me how he drops a log chain around a leaning tree above the saw cuts, just to keep the tree from splitting. However, I use the plunge cut method you so aptly described to cut all my leaning trees.

 

[Chuck52]

KH & BT,

That's what I read all right. As I recall though, the article said this was the best method for most felling. I'll have to dig it out. It does seem to me that one could drive wedges into both ends of the plunge cut to prevent the tree from setting back on the saw during the final cut if it wasn't leaning too far back. If it is leaning too far back, why the heck are you cutting that way? Where do you place a wedge in the old method?

Chuck

 

[beenthere]

Under most felling, likely the tree would be leaning in the direction you want it to fall. You are right, that putting a wedge or two in the plunged back cut (as far away from the hinge as possible) would be the best. Wedges are used to "raise" or attempt to "raise" the tree and open the back cut, causing the tree to move in the direction of fall.
As tall as trees are, it usually doesn't take much when opening the back cut with a wedge, to move the top of the tree several feet. A 1/4" movement at the back cut is a lot of movement at the top of a 100' tree.
The reverse movement at the top is what happens when no wedge is used, and the tree sets down on the back cut. The top of the tree has moved in the wrong direction and all that weight and movement has to be regained before the tree will move in the right direction. While doing all this, one then hopes that the hinge is solid (not in the often-rotted wood at the center of the tree) and that it doesn't pull apart before one can open the back cut so the tree will move in the right direction. Or their can be big problems

 

[Rowski]

I got my wedges this afternoon. I ended up with the plastic kind, the only kind they had. I did do about 4 hours of cutting this past Sunday and fell about a half dozen 8ish inch trees. I didn't have much choice on which direction to fell them because the tops of the trees were very close together (growing in groups). Took my time and sized up the multi tree fell in proper order... It worked well. Most of the trees were spruce. I do need to fell a big Tamerac (sp?) that became dead this summer. This will be a good test for the new wedges. This tree needs to be fellen on the log road or it will make a mess out of the other trees and possible get hung up.

It sounds to me like the wedges are more used to prevent a pinched chain than help fell a learner the opposite direction?

Also does anybody know of a good reference book to buy regarding tree cutting and chain saw operation. I would like to have one a reference and someday my son could use it too.

Thanks everyone for the info.

 

[knucklehead]

I thought that OSHA link at the bottom of the page Gordon linked us to was a pretty good resource - I don't know of any books, but I'm sure they are available as we have wood cutting classes at some of our tech schools. The manual that came with my Husky is pretty good - I assume other saw mfr's have similar manuals. Sorry that's not a more detailed answer. An Amazon search didn't turn up much, Barnes & Noble had a couple, but very little info about them - I searched on "chainsaw". Is there a dealer nearby where you could look at something? Our State Library has a huge amount of info about subjects like this, too.

 

[Boondox]

Derek -- Check out Professional Timber Falling. Much of it deals with dropping the huge softwoods out West, but the technical stuff is great! If you get down to the Waterbury/Stowe area I'll loan you my copy for as long as you need it.

Pete

 

[bgott]

http://onlinestore.forestindustry.com/cgi-bin/baileys/92?mv_session_id=RSWzTgCy&product_sku=17309