How to buck horizontal hung up trunk

[Slickncghia]

Gray guys,

I'm a firewood cutter with my main saw being a still 034 (Chinese 360 top end) with brand new 20" Carlton b&c

I've come across a hung up tree that has been felled in my public wood collection area. Approx 18-20 inch diameter and 35 ft long. This would be a great hall in a slim pickings area which involves allot of driving and not much cutting.

Its fallen and been landed on a small rise that also runs along one side of the trunk. At the base the tree has wedged between the stump and embankment and the other is on the embankment with the majority of the log suspended in the air. See dodgy drawing.

Any ideas on how to best safely tackle this log and bring it from being suspended down to the ground for bucking? Keep in mind the tree is suspended but It runs parallel to an embankment at about the level of the embankment.

Thanks.

If this is an absolute widdow maker of a situation please let me know. But it looks achievable, just not sure the best way to tackle it.

Cheers

 

[Scablands]

Gray guys,

I'm a firewood cutter with my main saw being a still 034 (Chinese 360 top end) with brand new 20" Carlton b&c

I've come across a hung up tree that has been felled in my public wood collection area. Approx 18-20 inch diameter and 35 ft long. This would be a great hall in a slim pickings area which involves allot of driving and not much cutting.

Its fallen and been landed on a small rise that also runs along one side of the trunk. At the base the tree has wedged between the stump and embankment and the other is on the embankment with the majority of the log suspended in the air. See dodgy drawing.View attachment 495540

Any ideas on how to best safely tackle this log and bring it from being suspended down to the ground for bucking? Keep in mind the tree is suspended but It runs parallel to an embankment at about the level of the embankment.

Thanks.

If this is an absolute widdow maker of a situation please let me know. But it looks achievable, just not sure the best way to tackle it.

Cheers

My first choice would be to pull it down with a truck. Second is use a comealong or a winch of some variety to move the log. I just bought a chain hoist winch off Amazon for times like this. Cost all of $110 delivered and has enough oomph to pivot a log this size down for safe bucking.

If the butt is still attached at the stump, I'd chain the butt to another strong tree and buck from opposite the chain. You'll likely need to cut a small wedge out of the top then make a release cut from the underside to drop the butt off the stump.

You already see the danger, so just resist the temptation to be a hero and denergize the log from a safe distance, then whack 'er up.

Rolling with a peavey from the high side to get the log off the ledge could be an option, but it could be dicey.

 

[bitzer]

Can you get an actual picture of it? The drawing doesn't really suggest options. Tough to read binds from a sketch.

 

[northmanlogging]

take as much of the top and limbs off to reduce weight that you can, this will most times relieve enough stress from binds to make bucking the lower sections safe.

From there once you get it bucked off where the top meets the ridge, but leaving the butt end supported by the ridge, you should be able to start from the stump end, and work your way up, bear in mind that at some point it is going to roll off of said ridge so stay on the high side and keep an escape path clear.

At a guess once the top is removed there is going to be a whole bunch of underbucking, so carry at least one plastic wedge so you can keep the top cut open for a little while...

 

[Westboastfaller]

Can you get an actual picture of it? The drawing doesn't really suggest options. Tough to read binds from a sketch.

Ha-ha do you think

 

[capetrees]

Maybe I'm nuts but cut the top off at the embankment. Now all you have is the remaining log, the top of which is on the embankment but the base is still wedged at the stump.
Down toward the lower end of the log toward the stump, half way between where you have your arrow on the trunk and the stump, on top, cut a wedge. Now, from the opposite side of the wedge, down under, cut upwards toward the wedge. The log will weaken and slowly drop lower, reducing or eliminating the wedging at the stump which occurred as a result of the fall. 4' high at the high end of the logs isn't huge. You should be able to piece it out once on the ground with no jamming pressure.

 

[bitzer]

Ha-ha do you think

No kidding huh? Yeah I'll advise you on a possible life threatening situation from a drawing. Nope. I would probably feel better about giving advice without the drawing. We just need to insert little stick figures at all the "kill points" in the drawing. Maybe a little blood. A guy missing an arm or a head. "X" eyes on another guy.

 

[Westboastfaller]

No kidding huh? Yeah I'll advise you on a possible life threatening situation from a drawing. Nope. I would probably feel better about giving advice without the drawing. We just need to insert little stick figures at all the "kill points" in the drawing. Maybe a little blood. A guy missing an arm or a head. "X" eyes on another guy.

Lmfao
Got tears in the eyes.
No exactly. I cut here then here then here.
That a fail on the advice. Maybe in a perfect word. or the virtual world. That's what would be cool is a simulator. I see they have them for helicopters and loader operator training and such. Work all day and play all night..haha.

Northman's advice is sound for sure.
No need looking to lop off big weight when your slashing or blocking it.
If he can reach it comfortably then working the top back is safest and less chance getting caught in a side Bind if its sucking to the creek side..right?..see you learn something new everyday... Lol
I think I learnt something new. Don't listen to buddy with diagram #2's general cut proceders. in a non general job. I went outside..tried it and just about got it. Ha-ha. We call that a gun barrel. A short logs in the air; cannons.

 

[Slickncghia]

Thanks for all the replies. Totally forgot to take a photos.

I endedd up going something similar to what capetrees recommended but since the top pivot point wasn't as strong as my awesome picture suggested I ended up doing 2 top bind v cuts to lower not ends.

Worked pretty well but unfortunately after admiring my work for a bit I realised the termites has a bit of a field day on the log so I could only take some of it for the time being at least.

Thanks for the response. Next time a photo before I ask lol.

 

[Westboastfaller]

Just wait I'm not done...OK now in done.

Sort of.

I get the idea with the diagram. The first thing I get about the diagram and description is Iwould positively say not to going on the low side under any circumstances. Even with a pic we can't make perfect assessments. We are not perfect when we are doing it. Advice is guidelines much like capetrees cut proceders. I think he made that clear when he said "I may be crazy"... Lol.
Our general experience tells us that if you were limbing on the low side with the butt wedged in the bank then one limb may be the difference of the whole tree droping in ditch side. Top limbs and highside limbs are safe for you to cut.
Sometimes you may get multi top or huge abnormal branches and the trunks up in the air. Don't mess with the trunk weight Work the top back as Northman was saying.

 

[Slickncghia]

The tree is done anyway, plus some other dead fallen. Bucket to 24" and split by hand. The haul is 2' x 7' x 4.5' so just under half a cord in your lingo.

All went well bar the termite affected wood I had to leave cause I stack near my house and I touched my saw against my hatchet with the chain moving. Yet to assess the damage on that... time for some plastic wedges.

Thanks again all.

 

[Westboastfaller]

The tree is done anyway,

"Fools," said I, "You do not know.
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you.
Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence"

 

[bitzer]

You sure like that song...

 

[Westboastfaller]

It's good poetry, it keeps me mellow
Maybe I need some Churchill with my banner

 

[northmanlogging]

Go fer the queen, she's kinda cute... plus a bit of a 4'8" bad ass

 

[Dave Hadden]

"Fools," said I, "You do not know.
Silence like a cancer grows.
Hear my words that I might teach you.
Take my arms that I might reach you."
But my words like silent raindrops fell
And echoed in the wells of silence"

First heard that song on a jukebox in a pool hall on Market St. in San Francisco in 1965.
I was in the Canadian navy and hit the wrong numbers on the jukebox for the song I wanted to play.
This song came on and I liked it so checked out the names of the singers.

First time I'd heard of them.



Thanks for rekindling an old memory.


Take care.