Felling Technique

[dimanager]

I just saw one of the local tree trimmers taking down a tree that they have just topped. All of the branches were off and it was just a log left, about 20 feet tall. He was in the process of cutting the notch and he was going to take about 70% of the diameter of the tree for his notch. I know this is not usually right for a whole tree. But is this correct for just taking the log?
Just wondering

Sam

 

[ShoerFast]

Spot on!

But if there were any defects or back lean that he saw, he may have been compensating for them? How did the log hit?

Taking a huge notch is the wrong way to work, it leaves way to little wood to wedge, but a lot of people will, and sometimes luck wins over skill.

 

[dimanager]

I'm pretty sure the tree was straight, if it had any lean it was not much. I did not stay long enough to watch it fall, lunch time was over. If it was not 70% it was close. I could see his first cut and it was WELL over half, and the second cut was going to come about dead on the first. I did not see him finish the second cut but he was over half way and still had a good 6 inches to cut to meet the first cut. The spar was about 24" dbh. The notch was going to be very wide, close to 60 degrees, which I can understand. But the depth had me concerned.

Sam

 

[Industry]

Maybe he was a new guy?

 

[dimanager]

I think he was the owner or owners son. Been cutting for some time.

 

[Husky137]

Lots of stupid people get lucky doing stupid things for years.

 

[rbtree]

If the spar is perfectly straight, a notch of over 50% will allow the spar to fall all on its own, no wedges, no ropes,as the center of gravity will be in your favor. I've used the technique often. But it ain't for novices.....

 

[ropensaddle]

May have been putting a rope on it to pull it and in that case not quite as critical. Or maybe he as I have done just got a little carried away with seat cut and cleaned it up, them huskys will cut fast lol. Back cut slow on these saws they take meat when sharp! Hey at least he notched the tree, I had a guy once said he was a pro logger, and watched him stick saw in tree and walk around in a circle cutting until she fell; landed on saw. Good thing; he barely had enough sense to get out of the way !!!! He told me his dad taught him how to fall a tree, I took a chance and told him someone needs to teach your dad. That was very early in my career and tought me to never listen to anyone, even though I went over the way I wanted; he did it that way, that time and lost his saw privileges for a good while after. The company hired him as experienced hand, so I assumed he was did not want to insult him! After that day I vowed to go to human resources and check references myself, people lie to get ahead faster and I now work for myself, but you had to be careful in big corporations on this. :rockn:

 

[John Ellison]

If the spar is perfectly straight, a notch of over 50% will allow the spar to fall all on its own, no wedges, no ropes,as the center of gravity will be in your favor. I've used the technique often. But it ain't for novices.....

Righr RB, its the only way that works to fall those West co traffic cone shaped snags. Especially red cedar. Ones that are only 15 to 30 ft tall, twice the dia. on the stump as at the top. Rotten on the outside and solid shake or ring seperation, so wedges are usless. Even when they are solid, if it is shaped like that with no weight at the top to carry it over it can be almost impossible to wedge. You have to take the first cut of the face in until it starts to set down on the bar. Always over halfway. I have never ran into anything that I had to do that on around here. It was just in AK.. but I am sure the rest of the west co. has those kind of snags.

 

[dimanager]

If the spar is perfectly straight, a notch of over 50% will allow the spar to fall all on its own, no wedges, no ropes,as the center of gravity will be in your favor. I've used the technique often. But it ain't for novices.....

They are an established local outfit, so I thought there was a reason.
I have some trees that were blown over and snapped about 15 feet off the ground. They are still connected. Would you use this same technique or just a normal notch and back cut with something to help pull them over?
Thanks for your response.

Sam

 

[geofore]

Not for novices

If the spar is perfectly straight, a notch of over 50% will allow the spar to fall all on its own, no wedges, no ropes,as the center of gravity will be in your favor. I've used the technique often. But it ain't for novices.....

I agree with rb on this. I use a similar cut to walk a tree off the stump by cutting different angles in a deep notch to get the tree to lean forward then spin (walk) sideways off the stump. It is not the cut a novice should try.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i like how the CG is expressed not just as a balance point here; but also as a source of usable power to target. Rope pull/ wedge push are added powers, but CG inborne. So CG can be used to flex stronger hinge too!

You have to undermine the Center of Gravity to put more of the tree weight in front of hinge pivot than the ballast behind + enough of that weight farther in front to flex the wood hinge.

A few potential problems besides leaving enough wood to hold and release properly. For 1, the farther we bring hinge back; the less leverage a wedge would have from it's lift on the rear circumference to the hinge pivot if it was suddenly needed.

Also, if we (under normal circumstances) place hinge a bit before the center; the tree is still growing wider after the hinge. This gives good side to side stability; from the compression point at front of hinge to the extreme rear field of hinge. So, i try to make hinge where the widest diameter of tree is the extreme backfield of hinge-normally. But, placing hinge at or after center, gives backfield of hinge, narrower than hinge; with less side to side control i think.