For y'alls viewing displeasure. A Black Birch

[slowp]

Storm, I think a cross country bike trip to Norcal is in order so you could attend the GTG that they have coming up. I'm sure some of those pro loggers could give you some private lessons.

Dunno about the private lessons. The GTG is at the Napa Bothe State Park which is in the Napa Valley. The fallers fall hazard trees in the campground and the rest of us buck the trees up for firewood to be sold at the campground. The firewood sales go back into the campground.

We get to stay there for free except the showers are very spendy because "everything costs more in the Napa Valley"--campground host.
I went to a smaller version in February and got to see the sun. If there are no snowstorms to mess things up, I shall return to the November gathering.

 

[FLHX Storm]

It's a Stihl 440 with a 28 inch bar. I believe I got the bling at Michael's which is a craft supplies store and it comes with adhesive on it. The stickers come from there or the WalMarche. I'll take a picture if the sun ever appears today.

The little stick on trees were too fragile and did not last.

As far as chains go, when I bought the saw and also for the saw at work, I went into the saw shop and said I wanted the same type of chain that is used on landing saws. I got round file, full skip and have been very happy with it. I'm cutting some filthy wood and have bucked up logs that were pulled out of a mud slide with it. I did not have to file it nearly as much as I thought I would.

This might not work everywhere. Our saw shops are oriented to supplying fallers and loggers.

See, I wasn't too far off the mark. (Stihl MS440 = 70.7cc's) :msp_smile: N really, with the bling, that is my kind of chainsaw! I have a lot of the Swarovski crystals in various sizes and colors but most either have to be used with a glue or with rims.

The only chainsaw place I know of in my neck of the woods is a lumberyard/hardware store that does carry Stihl's. But their selection of chains is very small and only the size for the bar already in place on the chainsaw. But, I could order whatever I wanted from them at highly inflated prices! I can go to the town about 35 miles away and get what I would need though.

You really have peaked my interest in the full skip chain, but then too, I've also been checking the specs on the various Stihl chainsaws. More for weight than anything and really I'm seeing a bigger saw in my future! WITH a full skip chain and longer bar! :msp_biggrin: Especially since it seems to handle some dirt. When I cut something that's been on the ground in mud, I end up having to sharpen my chains like every 10 minutes of use.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Storm, I think a cross country bike trip to Norcal is in order so you could attend the GTG that they have coming up. I'm sure some of those pro loggers could give you some private lessons.

Really, I am interested in going to one of their GTG's but I do need to plan in advance. I think it would be nice to see how the Left Coast gets things done. I don't know about private lessons though. That might be scary!

 

[FLHX Storm]

Back to the tricky felling. Lately I've been having really good luck with the 25% face, 25% hinge wood, 50% back cut, and then pull it down. It's worked so well for me that I can't see changing my method. Unless the other more seasoned fellers can find problems with my technique!

I'd have never thought to tie the ladder to the tree without seeing Daniel Murphy show it on YouTube. Any other time I cut from the ground, but I'd like to put a carving on this stem.

With that ladder thing, I've understood long ago that was a dangerous thing to do regardless of if the ladder is tied or not. I also read on here that cutting from a ladder is like Russian Roulette, or just plain suicide.

In the video, I don't understand the use of the ladder anyway. Why not just cut it from the ground either a little above or below grade and if he wants to use the 25/25/50 method and pull it over, whatever works. Since it was open ground, I would have practiced directional felling without the tree being tied off.

 

[FLHX Storm]

I don't know what I like more, splitting wood or noodling! but I got in a bit of both. The splitting is still wicked even with the noodling. Maybe if I stop thinking of one post I read not that long ago "whack whack whack, wiggle wiggle wiggle, whack whack whack wiggle wiggle wiggle" I was kind of doing that and then add giggle giggle giggle!

 

[knothole]

Barbie.

View attachment 315616View attachment 315617

Nice machine. Seriously. I like the scabbard too.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Here is my test video so that I could adjust the camera angle and to see what the camera would see in this type of setting. This was felling a young Poplar about 10" across at the base. I used the 4620. I guess I'll go clip my lawn hopefully the last time this year. Then it's back to work on the Black Birch.

[video=youtube;KssnDgkAibw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KssnDgkAibw&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[Gologit]

Back to the tricky felling. Lately I've been having really good luck with the 25% face, 25% hinge wood, 50% back cut, and then pull it down. It's worked so well for me that I can't see changing my method. Unless the other more seasoned fellers can find problems with my technique!

I'd have never thought to tie the ladder to the tree without seeing Daniel Murphy show it on YouTube. Any other time I cut from the ground, but I'd like to put a carving on this stem.

[video=youtube_share;ypkNy3pTFRQ]http://youtu.be/ypkNy3pTFRQ[/video]

I can't figure out why you're using that particular method. Why use the ladder? You're not leaving yourself any room to get out of the way...except maybe straight down...if things go wrong.

Maybe you could start a thread with this video and let everyone see what you're doing. I think the comments would be interesting.

 

[BrokenToys]

Did anyone say anything to you about it?

Yea but nothing bad; they know my kids. My son and daughter decorates my truck all the time too. Their favorite is washing all the mud off of the truck and trailer though!

 

[Blazin]

I can't figure out why you're using that particular method. Why use the ladder? You're not leaving yourself any room to get out of the way...except maybe straight down...if things go wrong.

I think he answered that. What happens when you're tied and spiked on a tree and things go wrong? ....Right...you MAKE sure they don't.

Back to the tricky felling. Lately I've been having really good luck with the 25% face, 25% hinge wood, 50% back cut, and then pull it down. It's worked so well for me that I can't see changing my method. Unless the other more seasoned fellers can find problems with my technique!

I'd have never thought to tie the ladder to the tree without seeing Daniel Murphy show it on YouTube. Any other time I cut from the ground, but I'd like to put a carving on this stem.

 

[XSKIER]

I can't figure out why you're using that particular method. Why use the ladder? You're not leaving yourself any room to get out of the way...except maybe straight down...if things go wrong.

Maybe you could start a thread with this video and let everyone see what you're doing. I think the comments would be interesting.

I was too afraid to video the felling of the first stem that the ladder is setting on. It was leaning over top aerial power lines and the house. I knew that if a camera were rolling it would for sure go against my hinge and pull rope. The first one went off without a hitch and made a much more impressive thud when it hit the ground. The first one fell at 135* to the lean, the second 90*.

 

[7sleeper]

I can't figure out why you're using that particular method. Why use the ladder? You're not leaving yourself any room to get out of the way...except maybe straight down...if things go wrong.

Maybe you could start a thread with this video and let everyone see what you're doing. I think the comments would be interesting.

He sure can be happy that no wind came up and 1. nocked the tree on him or 2. used him and his tractor like a fishing hook getting flung out into the woods.... The only thing that would have saved him is the tearing of his , under high tension standing, rope but who knows if that wouldn't have Nr. 3 of things that would habe ruined his day....

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[Gologit]

I was too afraid to video the felling of the first stem that the ladder is setting on. It was leaning over top aerial power lines and the house. I knew that if a camera were rolling it would for sure go against my hinge and pull rope. The first one went off without a hitch and made a much more impressive thud when it hit the ground. The first one fell at 135* to the lean, the second 90*.

Okay, that tells me everything I need to know. Thanks. Good luck.

 

[7sleeper]

Here is my test video so that I could adjust the camera angle and to see what the camera would see in this type of setting. This was felling a young Poplar about 10" across at the base. I used the 4620. I guess I'll go clip my lawn hopefully the last time this year. Then it's back to work on the Black Birch.

[video=youtube;KssnDgkAibw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KssnDgkAibw&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Video is privat !

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[FLHX Storm]

Video is privat !

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Oh poop! I was playing with the settings and I turned all my videos private instead of just unlisted. Try err again and it should be good to view.

 

[Cfaller]

Nice job on the second tree. A couple of tips for you. Swamp out the brush behind the tree, it will make life easier and it will make seeing the top of the tree easier. One more thing, you are left handed correct? Unfortunately saws are made for right handed people. Try operating the saw with your left hand on the handle bar and the right on the throttle. This will set the saw to the right side of your body, so when the saw kicks back it has less chance of hitting you. The way you're running it now it is lined up with the center of your body. Hope this helps.

 

[FLHX Storm]

Nice job on the second tree. A couple of tips for you. Swamp out the brush behind the tree, it will make life easier and it will make seeing the top of the tree easier. One more thing, you are left handed correct? Unfortunately saws are made for right handed people. Try operating the saw with your left hand on the handle bar and the right on the throttle. This will set the saw to the right side of your body, so when the saw kicks back it has less chance of hitting you. The way you're running it now it is lined up with the center of your body. Hope this helps.

Yep, I'm left handed n you know lefties are the only ones in their right minds! :msp_biggrin: Believe me, I do know this is a right handed world and it's dang near impossible to find things made for left handed people. That is unless you would have something specially made n then you'd be paying through the nose for whatever it was. I'll switch hands and see how it works out.

Though I've had a few times when the saw tried to kick back, it always failed. But then I always keep both hands on the chainsaw and always pay attention to what I'm doing. I had an acquaintance have a bad kick back though. But he had been drinking and from the way I understand it was doing the one hand thing, The saw went across his abdomen. So anything I can do to avoid a possible kick back is always a plus.

The second video was more or less to get the camera set for when I was going to fell the Black Birch. Not the other way around. I did the open face more for precision, adjusted the face, and then did the back cut.

 

[nomad_archer]

Im a lefty as well and it took a little bit to get used to running the saw as a righty but saftey first. Plus running it as a righty gets you out of the way in case of kickback or anything else that may cause the saw to go where you dont want it to