Diameter of trees in Sweden?

[Billy_Bob]

I have been reading about "Swedish logging techniques" and their use of a "felling lever".

In one book I'm reading, it mentions "pushing the tree down with your hand" if it will not fall after the felling cut...

The only thing I have ever heard of (around here) is using wedges or jacks.

So the question... What is the typical diameter of the trees in Sweden?

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

little known secret, but Swedish trees are about the size of old growth redwoods, with diameters averaging around 15-25 feet DBH. The swedes are just so big that the trees look small in comparison. . . . Actually, this post has some good pictures of swedish trees, in fact about 10,000,000 swedish logs, which should give you a good idea of average DBH (which im guessing is more like 15-25 inches, if that)

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=22283

 

[smokechase II]

As usual, sizzle has got it all wrong.
Any Norwegian will tell you that swedes are seldom over 3 feet in height and their trees can reach up to 55 feet tall.
This, of course explains why any sort of cheater bar is called a swede. If you're only 36" tall you'll have to come up with some sort of lever to get you through life.
It's not macho to talk about this publicly. But in Eastern Oregon we have substantial beetle killed Lodgepole stands. Look, somebody has got to drop this crap.
When an 80'- 125' tree is dead, and reasonably dried out, if you make your felling cut at the ground and leave appropriate holding wood, it is easy to hand push most of them over. Caveat; be cautious about broken tops when pushing.
In some instances, when working with green trees 12-16 " dbh, the back cut first - establish a wedge, then face etc is a good way to beat an undesirable lean.
When I traveled in Sweden many years ago I remember that they had wonderful 82nd growth forests. (European forestry). The trees were more small - mid - sized than Lodgepole minis.
I've never seen one of them there new fangled pry bars in anything but photos.

 

[CoreyTMorine]

When I traveled in Sweden many years ago I remember that they had wonderful 82nd growth forests. (European forestry). The trees were more small - mid - sized than Lodgepole minis.
I've never seen one of them there new fangled pry bars in anything but photos.

I bet them pry bars are like a bucket of steam, or a lefthanded smoke shifter, or 100' of shore line; just a goose chase for the old guys to send a noob off on

regaurding tree diameter; i don't know about Sweden but i have heard that the average DBH in maine is 7.5".

 

[scotchguy]

If I remember correctly the instruction book that comes with a Husky saw has a section telling you how to fell a tree. They call it a breaking bar. This picture is from their web site, although I must say that I've never seen one and I imagine that any tree small enough for it to be of any use can probably be pushed over by hand.



Forrests in Scotland and Scandanavia are harvested every 30 years or so using a mechanical harvister. They are small and of a uniform size and I would think they are used for paper.

 

[R Schra]

I got 2 those levers. They are handy for tipping over small lean in small trees. I do use them in ø 60 cm poplars instead of a wedge to keep the backcut open. Most i use them in trees like between ø20-50cm in forrest growth. The are also handy with a extra hook to roll logs over to clear the underside. When shortening logs i often put it in the cut also to prevent jamming the bar.

I believe forrest in scandinavia is logged like every 80 years or so. It grows very slow.

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

hey smokechaser, did you catch this picture i posted of one of your trees on fire? http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment_27921.php

 

[crimplene]

I got taught to use on when I did my felling course, useful for backward leaning trees and rolling out hung up trees.

You can also get baby ones for erm babies and using up a tree when you're sectioning it down.

http://www.afwarehouse.co.uk/acatalog/AF181S.jpg

Last time I used it was for prying ivy off a wall...

 

[smokechase II]

Sizzle:
A short story to go with the photo?
Doesn't have to be true to be a good story.
Falling trees that are burning or have just recently been burnt is a world of its own.
Not uncommon to damage a bar from excessive heat.
An actual technique, used occasionally, is to cut a couple vertical air flow spots and stoke the fire, step back and wait for it to go over.

 

[Sizzle-Chest]

Sizzle:
A short story to go with the photo?
Doesn't have to be true to be a good story.
Falling trees that are burning or have just recently been burnt is a world of its own.
Not uncommon to damage a bar from excessive heat.
An actual technique, used occasionally, is to cut a couple vertical air flow spots and stoke the fire, step back and wait for it to go over.

STORY:

Twer 120 degrees out if i is remembering correctly, and RH's were in close to zero, and that was on the west side. I was sawing some old growth timber up yonder in middlefork country when word came about some smoke seen down Lakeview, snag country. "There's so many hot sticks down there, boys wont fight the fire. Them trees is falling left and right, and boys afraid of gettin squarshed. Word is that your pretty handy with that old misery whip, and we got need for you something fierce."

So, I saddled up and headed out for the east side. Rode straight through, three days and two nights. Every day, as sure as the sun did come up, that plume of smoke down south looked more and more like the breath of satan himself, rising high over the plain. I made fire-side by nightfall that third day and got my first size up, probly close to a hundred-thousand acres by that point, and snags as far as the eye could see.

Straight off I grabbed my cuttin tools and went to falling a pondarosa 13 feet thick. Looked like a smoke stack, not a branch left on her. Just a broken top with billows of smoke pouring out. Feller there, looked to be the ranger, stopped me to say, "I dont how you boys run show back west, but you cant be falling no logs here at night."

"Pardon me, but I got to make way for these boys to work this fire. Dont pay me no mind, I'll work by firelight." And with that, I went back to cutting and worked all through the night. I reckon around 3:00am the wind picked up and the crews pulled out saying that conditions were too dangerous, and the ranger himself was urging me to leave. "She's blowin up Sizzle, get out while you still can!!!"

"Ranger, they don't call me The Sizzle for nothin." I kept working deeper into the blaze, and the firestorm was baring down on me like the army of the ????ed. Whirlwinds of super-heated air were tossing those massive pines around like straw, and the heat did pierce me to my very core. But I kept cutting and cutting until the sun was up trying to break through the thick smoke. THe fire grew overnight, so in the end I must have cleard about 200,000 acres of hazard wood. I came out, black as a coal-digger and folks believed they were seeing a ghost.

"We thought you was dead for sure Sizzle!"
"Its safe to lay some line now boys." I strapped my whip back on horse and was about to head out when a feller came up askin me to pose for a picture. I werent much for pictures, but obliged only cuz I saw one more tree needin to be fell. As I was riding out, I could hear them behind me saying, "Now there goes one fine saw slingin, firefightin sumbich. . . " They got the fire put out that same day, fire forever called "The Sizzler".

 

[smokechase II]

Sizzle:
Alright.
I was suspicious but not it’s obvious. If you can piece together a story that well, you've seen some time in the saddle.
Where did you do your fire fighting at and when?
{I started in '69 with the State in SW Oregon, then FS at Winthrop Wash (72-73), La Grande OR (74-79), Redmond (80-92)and Bend OR. (92-about now)}
For a few days now and tomorrow + we're pile burning. Good sport.