Felling wedges

[Robin Wood]

No matter how good you are with your saw or techniques when bucking, there are times you need wedges.
Usually when the logs are on slope areas or both ends stuck in a awkward way i guess.

 

[garrettgirvin]

No matter how good you are with your saw or techniques when bucking, there are times you need wedges.
Usually when the logs are on slope areas or both ends stuck in a awkward way i guess.

Exactly


Garrett Girvin

 

[KenJax Tree]

For bucking logs anything will work....rocks,sticks,bark,little wedges i cut to direct limbs, they all work you gotta do is keep the kerf open

 

[garrettgirvin]

For bucking logs anything will work....rocks,sticks,bark,little wedges i cut to direct limbs they all you gotta do is keep the kerf open

Yea I just don't like getting rocks that close to my chain[emoji28][emoji28]


Garrett Girvin

 

[7sleeper]

I posted a pic before from a fellow in another forum, he cuts wedges out of the "spokes" of aluminum car rims! He comented that brand names have better quality aluminum than generic.
Cost was zero, from the scrap pile.

7

 

[slowp]

Pink ones are nice and if they mess with your equilibrium buy a blue one for the other pocket.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Seriously guys, instead of looking for the best price on disposable wedgea here, why don't you ask for better bucking techniques?

 

[RandyMac]

Seriously guys, instead of looking for the best price on disposable wedgea here, why don't you ask for better bucking techniques?

I agree with you, however explaining in detail proper bucking techniques here, would be tedious and most likely a colossal waste of time.

 

[garrettgirvin]

Seriously guys, instead of looking for the best price on disposable wedgea here, why don't you ask for better bucking techniques?

Obviously your not getting the point did I ask for your opinion on how I should buck logs. No I simply asked what the best wedges are for the money. I don't care if you can buck some dang log without using a wedge good for you your some real bad cat. If you have such a problem with it then explain to us how do you buck logs and be so cool at the same time?


Garrett Girvin

 

[BC WetCoast]

Seriously guys, instead of looking for the best price on disposable wedgea here, why don't you ask for better bucking techniques?

While I agree that worrying about saving a couple of bucks on wedges is an inefficient use of time and brain cells, I disagree that bucking techniques alone can totally replace the use of wedges when bucking. There are situations, where due to site conditions, log compression/tension wood or log size vs saw size that using a wedge is more efficient and more importantly safer.

One time I had a bull bucker (falling/bucking foreman) show me how he could get a log that was sitting on the ends (bowed in the middle) raise a couple of inches using wedges in the cut.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Wedges have their uses in bucking, of course. But if you're running through so many that you're worried about saving a buck or two, it ain't the wedges.

 

[StihlRockin']

Sooo... You're falling trees and looking to save a couple bucks on wedges? Hope you're not going cheap on ppe too.

The OP asks about getting good value for the money on wedges. This is your reply to help him?

Why do need wedges for bucking? Lookat your technique grasshopper.

Already got good answers why wedges are needed. And now without knowing him his techniques are flawed?

So what amazing wood are you cutting that requires wedges?

To further help the OP along, the sly comment really helps.

Seriously guys, instead of looking for the best price on disposable wedgea here, why don't you ask for better bucking techniques?

Here since the OP is looking for good value for the buck, your translation is he's looking for the best price, of which he isn't, then you again remind him his techniques need to be better. That's helpful.

Wedges have their uses in bucking, of course. But if you're running through so many that you're worried about saving a buck or two, it ain't the wedges.

First you say "Why do need wedges for bucking?", then you say "Wedges have their uses in bucking, of course." Which is it?

Then again without seeing the OP's flawed techniques, he's now running through many of them? LOL!

Obviously your not getting the point did I ask for your opinion on how I should buck logs. No I simply asked what the best wedges are for the money. I don't care if you can buck some dang log without using a wedge good for you your some real bad cat. If you have such a problem with it then explain to us how do you buck logs and be so cool at the same time? - Garrett Girvin

GG, trust me I understand your frustration here, although I don't understand his posts as an attempt to help you, rather than stir something up.

I've wrecked a few wedges by using them in smaller diameter trees while felling, no biggie. I use wedges frequently in bucking both 100"inchers & big firewood rounds. It saves me from having to do an undercut when there's no room, from having to roll a log over and they help me from the frustration of a pinched bar!

I usually don't pay much attention to brand names when it comes to wedges. Size, length and design interest me more and I pick them up at about any local saw shop. I've noticed with all of them the back end will mushroom a bit and some will have the wedge edge start to chip away. Had one finally break up into 3 pieces in sub-zero temp's, but was pushing it felling a large back lean oak.

Adios.

StihlRockin'

 

[garrettgirvin]

The OP asks about getting good value for the money on wedges. This is your reply to help him?



Already got good answers why wedges are needed. And now without knowing him his techniques are flawed?



To further help the OP along, the sly comment really helps.



Here since the OP is looking for good value for the buck, your translation is he's looking for the best price, of which he isn't, then you again remind him his techniques need to be better. That's helpful.



First you say "Why do need wedges for bucking?", then you say "Wedges have their uses in bucking, of course." Which is it?

Then again without seeing the OP's flawed techniques, he's now running through many of them? LOL!



GG, trust me I understand your frustration here, although I don't understand his posts as an attempt to help you, rather than stir something up.

I've wrecked a few wedges by using them in smaller diameter trees while felling, no biggie. I use wedges frequently in bucking both 100"inchers & big firewood rounds. It saves me from having to do an undercut when there's no room, from having to roll a log over and they help me from the frustration of a pinched bar!

I usually don't pay much attention to brand names when it comes to wedges. Size, length and design interest me more and I pick them up at about any local saw shop. I've noticed with all of them the back end will mushroom a bit and some will have the wedge edge start to chip away. Had one finally break up into 3 pieces in sub-zero temp's, but was pushing it felling a large back lean oak.

Adios.

StihlRockin'

Thank you someone is actually getting what I am asking. I made it very clear and there is always that one person who thinks they know it all.


Garrett Girvin

 

[GrassGuerilla]

Dunno. Never used no fancy plastic store bought wedges. They look cool and all. But, uh... Why not noodle up your own? I consider them consumable, as most have a relatively short life. A good set of Hickory or Oak can last a while. We aren't talking about furniture tolerances.

 

[garrettgirvin]

View attachment 378858 View attachment 378860 Dunno. Never used no fancy plastic store bought wedges. They look cool and all. But, uh... Why not noodle up your own? I consider them consumable, as most have a relatively short life. A good set of Hickory or Oak can last a while. We aren't talking about furniture tolerances.

Might have to try that!


Garrett Girvin

 

[Gologit]

Home made wooden wages are good, I use them myself sometimes. The only problem is that they won't stand up to hard driving if a tree stalls out on you. The wooden ones tend to splinter or break off if you really wail on them. They're okay if you need a wedge for bucking or a series of them for ripping a log or making fence posts but I wouldn't trust them for falling.

For falling you want a good quality plastic wedge. I've had good luck with these......http://www.khwedge.com/

 

[Robin Wood]

dude that wooden wedges look awesome !!!
anyway like Gologit said you dont wanna bet on it for felling
someone mentioned earlier you could tie across the wedge with
something so it wont split how do you do that btw ?

 

[GrassGuerilla]

I will absolutely defer to Mr Gologit. He's forgotten more about felling trees than I will likely ever know. Wooden wedges have served me well, but then again I'm not about to challenge monster old growth leaners.

Honestly I wouldn't worry about trying to keep the wood wedges from splitting. Expect them to, replace them accordingly. A couple minutes of noodling produced the handful above. Not rocket science.

 

[7sleeper]

@all,

I also make wooden wedges. I have the best results when using tree crotches. They are for me the toughest parts of a tree.

7

 

[Philbert]

I use basic plastic wedges from Bailey's, or wherever. They are important for bucking in lots of situations to keep your bar from getting pinched. The crosscut folks seem to be more concerned about this than most chainsaw users, but I think that it is good practice to use them proactively to control bind. Using them to keep a kerf open when bucking, they don't get hit as much as when driven to fall a tree against lean, etc., so I think you can be less picky when choosing. Some plastics claim to be better in colder weather, if that is an issue for you.

The plastic wedges clean up pretty easily too, if they get mushroomed or hit with a saw. Should last a long time, unless you lose them.

Philbert