For y'alls viewing displeasure. A Black Birch

[twochains]

That Critical Thinking course at University wasn't a waste of time after all. :msp_wink:

How come every time a statement like this is made...it comes back to bite them in the ass! I promise you that this is a Woman, I have spoke with her in the past.

You should check out her firewood stacks called "hermit huts" I think it was. One heck of a job!

Are you using a safety chain? If so, it's going to cut slow...heck, you're not racing. It went where you wanted, so good on ya!

 

[griffonks]

Nice job Storm. I knew you could do it, make a video of a good job I mean.

I could feel your tension when you were running out of wedge on the tip over. I vote for bigger felling wedges and a heavier ax, maybe a boy's ax.

Thank you for sharing dudette, LOL

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

Nice job on the drop Storm. I've seen worse drops by so-called tree professionals in my area. That was nothing to be ashamed of. What chain were you running on your 5020? I'm partial to the Oregon LGX myself...

 

[Marine5068]

I was definitely fighting a back lean as well as a side lean. It was also heavy one the back left side (if you were looking at it from where I made the notch) Add to it being on a healthy slope! :msp_scared:

I think I picked up that poulan 5020 back in February for $175 on Amazon. I was tempted recently to pick up a rebuilt Husqvarna 61, but really I'm glad I passed on it. It would have been to heavy for me to control n for some reason that poulan felt really heavy today.

Oh well, I don't do too awful bad for an old lady! :msp_biggrin:

I've got the same saw

 

[Marine5068]

Nice drop on a not-so-nice leaner.
The only thing I would have said about it all is that your felling cut could have been a bit higher. Like about one third up from the bottom of the hinge cut.
It just makes a possible kickback fall less....well...possible.
Thanks for the video. It makes me want to go out now and cut some trees...lol.
Thanks for sharing

 

[knothole]

Nice job on the drop Storm. I've seen worse drops by so-called tree professionals in my area. That was nothing to be ashamed of. What chain were you running on your 5020? I'm partial to the Oregon LGX myself...

That LGX is good chain. I use that and a 16" Oregon Power match bar on my 5020.

 

[Red Amor]

Ha ha only gripe I have about the video is the camera moveing about so much
Ive had a fet attitude adjusters at the golf club, just finished me tea and watchin the vid made me feel sea sick
other that the job took a little longer than most as the saw was wee I though a good steady careful job that ended well
62 year old lady
put some blokes I know to shame
good on ya mate
stay safe yeah

 

[knothole]

Very nice job Storm. I too have the 5020. Looks to me like you had all the angles covered. Just a suggestion but get yourself a good 16" bar and a good loop of chain for that little beast. It will come alive. Thanks for sharing!

 

[blacklocst]

Storm, I cut down a 12" at the base black Birch this weekend a man did it smell good, reminded me of Wrigley spearmint gum. Mine had a lean also and made a deeper face cut to off set a barber chair. I used a 361 with a fresh chain and it really sent the chips flying. Storm I see a lot of saw dust on the ground and it usually means a dull chain or really hard wood, also i think your face cut is a little too steep. Hope you don't mind the critique from a hack. Chains & leather in a video always gets my attention.:rolleyes2:

 

[Gologit]

So, what's your opinion on my felling that tree? (you have way more experience that I do) Go ahead, be critical, I kin take it! :msp_biggrin:

:msp_biggrin: I'll have to watch the video again. I'm headed to the woods this morning but I'll take time this afternoon.

 

[lone wolf]

Hell with critic of the video. Storm I give you a lot of credit for just posting it with all the know it all jackwagons here!

 

[rarefish383]

Yeah, good job. If I can go a little off topic, you might get a little laugh out of it. The camera angle when you were driving the wedges brought back the picture, in my mind, of my daughter, when she was about 5 or 6 years old. I was building a shed and she wanted to help nail the plywood to the floor. She grabbed the biggest hammer she could find and got down on her knees and started driving a nail. She never missed a swing, but the claw was coming mighty close to her forehead. Just as I was about to say "Watch Out", she hit herself. As any parent knows, when a kid sucks in that giant breath, and then holds it for what seems like an hour, there is a giant scream coming. I jumped up and asked if she was "All Right?" Instead of screaming, although the tears were running down her face, she stood up and yelled, "I Just Hit Myself In The Head With A Hammer!! Do YOU THINK I'm All right?" then she grabbed a smaller hammer and went back to work. She just graduated with a MS in Occupational therapy, and a BS in health biology, and her first job is making more money than I do. Yeah, Chicks Rule!! Joe.

 

[nomad_archer]

I think you did a fine job. Good job being extra safe on an ugly tree. Taking your time and going slow kept you safe. Rushing or being in a hurry can get you hurt of dead when working with trees although at 62 strong you already knew that. Keep up the good work.

 

[HuskStihl]

Pretty solid execution of GOL short bar falling. This technique is better suited to forward leaning trees. Boring out the heartwood first puts all the back pressure on the back strap and side wedges, which aren't optimally positioned to propel the back of the tree up. If the wedges aren't really pounded in the sides you'll pinch the bar or lose the tree cutting the strap. With this tree I would have put in a face, started a back cut with decent hinge wood (as you left, good job), and gotten a wedge or two into the back cut as soon as I had room. Keep them nicely snugged in as you advance the back cut, and watch the top for forward movement. Just make sure to not cut through the hinge. If you don't own a 12" wedge, they are useful for lifting larger trees.

I'm sure Bob has been waiting for my input on how to properly fall these:jester:

 

[twochains]

Pretty solid execution of GOL short bar falling. This technique is better suited to forward leaning trees. Boring out the heartwood first puts all the back pressure on the back strap and side wedges, which aren't optimally positioned to propel the back of the tree up. If the wedges aren't really pounded in the sides you'll pinch the bar or lose the tree cutting the strap. With this tree I would have put in a face, started a back cut with decent hinge wood (as you left, good job), and gotten a wedge or two into the back cut as soon as I had room. Keep them nicely snugged in as you advance the back cut, and watch the top for forward movement. Just make sure to not cut through the hinge. If you don't own a 12" wedge, they are useful for lifting larger trees.

I'm sure Bob has been waiting for my input on how to properly fall these:jester:

I sure have have! opcorn:

 

[slowp]

Storm, come over to the F&L forum.

Yes. That's where some genuine production fallers hang out. You might not hear much until the weekend cuz they are working. You got it to go where you wanted it.

I'm not a faller--but, here's what I noticed. GOL does not emphasize looking up very much. You will hear advice to look up when falling. If the camera was on your head, I didn't notice that...or did it not show it? I am not comfy running a saw sideways so can't look up enough so I try to really scope out the tree beforehand. You'll hear about that from the production guys. Now, I am comfy bucking up stuff so can take my eyes off to watch a rootwad or wandering cow. I think that's just it, lots of time getting used to the saw going a different way.

Thumb. You were OK when you switched to the left hand, but at the start, your thumb was not wrapped around the bar very well. I feel funny saying this stuff cuz I am not a faller, but thumbs are important to keep the saw away from one's body.

Everything went as planned. That's always a good thing. :msp_thumbsup:

By the way, RandyMac already put this on the F&L forum, but I think it is buried in the BS oops thread of too much information.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Are you using a safety chain?

The chain I was using is the Oregon D72 low kickback chain. If that's a safety chain, well, then I was using one. But, I am of the belief there is no such thing as a safety chainsaw chain. They will all cut into you in the blink of an eye if you let them. Anyway, this was a new chain and had never been into wood until the moment I put it to that tree.

 

[FLHX Storm]

What chain were you running on your 5020? I'm partial to the Oregon LGX myself...

The chain I was running was a new Oregon D72, but in reading the rest of the thread, I think I'll order myself a couple of the 72LGX loops.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Storm I see a lot of saw dust on the ground and it usually means a dull chain or really hard wood, also i think your face cut is a little too steep. Hope you don't mind the critique from a hack. Chains & leather in a video always gets my attention.:rolleyes2:

Since the chain was new, that would mean the wood was pretty hard or at least the heart wood was. The face cut was "open faced" with a total opening of 90 degrees. (I did 70 on top due to the flare at the butt, 20 for the bottom cut) I was lead to believe that was the minimum opening for precision felling.

I don't mind constructive criticism. As a matter of fact I appreciate it because it forces me to look at my technique a lot closer.

 

[twochains]

I figured it was. I still say good on ya for posting your video! Have ya been riding a bunch this year? Have a good one and stay safe out there! :msp_thumbup: