plasticweld
ArboristSite Member
After reading all of the pages of the post What Wedges to Use I figured that I am not the only one who has something different to offer, many guys had different rigs and set ups to get the job done, there were also some other cool gadgets that some of the members had. I had at one point mentioned a Sampson for tipping over trees that could not be wedged over I had offered to take some pictures to how what it was. The thread is now so long and contains so many different things that I thought a new thread based on things we as loggers have made to either save money or time or just always used. For the guys who posted up some of their gear I would ask that they post up again in this thread so that someone not interested in the banter going back and forth and see some of the things we all use. So post up your tools that you have made
The Samson, I was shown this method more than 30 years ago by a 70 year old logger this how he tipped over trees that were too small to wedge and it was a way to get your saw out of a tree that had tipped back if you did not get a wedge in before it leaned back on you. The trick is to make one before you need it and you will be surprised at what you can actually get to go over when it is used.
The Sampson consists of a a small tree normally about 4 inches at the base, you cut one section about 6 to 7 feet long the other about 10 feet On the base part you notch it in a couple of places to give you different contact point so that it is adjustable depending on the slope of the ground.
You notch the tree as high as you can reach with your saw this is to prevent the pole from slipping off of the tree
You then lay the handle on the ground and push the pole up into the notch grab the handle and get under it and push with your legs, a simple fulcrum and lever.
The other topic mentioned was wedges, I have always used a combination of wood and plastic just because I am really cheap and they work really well. Using a dead piece of hardwood that has aged they will not pop out of the cut, they work really well on windy days and when the wood is frozen, takes less than a minute to make a couple and costs nothing when you wreck them
You can make any taper wedge style you like and at any size
The other thing mentioned was ways to carry your axe and wedges. I use a tool pouch with a hammer holder that orginally comes on a leather belt holder. I cut the rivits off and then attach them to the tool pouch and re-revit it back on this give me a wedge pouch and a axe holder all in one
I bend the hammer holder up and over to hold on tight to the axe that and a combination of tape on the end of the axe keep it from coming out without me pulling on it; it beats searching through the brush in the last top if nothing else.
So post up yours..Bob
The Samson, I was shown this method more than 30 years ago by a 70 year old logger this how he tipped over trees that were too small to wedge and it was a way to get your saw out of a tree that had tipped back if you did not get a wedge in before it leaned back on you. The trick is to make one before you need it and you will be surprised at what you can actually get to go over when it is used.
The Sampson consists of a a small tree normally about 4 inches at the base, you cut one section about 6 to 7 feet long the other about 10 feet On the base part you notch it in a couple of places to give you different contact point so that it is adjustable depending on the slope of the ground.
You notch the tree as high as you can reach with your saw this is to prevent the pole from slipping off of the tree
You then lay the handle on the ground and push the pole up into the notch grab the handle and get under it and push with your legs, a simple fulcrum and lever.
The other topic mentioned was wedges, I have always used a combination of wood and plastic just because I am really cheap and they work really well. Using a dead piece of hardwood that has aged they will not pop out of the cut, they work really well on windy days and when the wood is frozen, takes less than a minute to make a couple and costs nothing when you wreck them
You can make any taper wedge style you like and at any size
The other thing mentioned was ways to carry your axe and wedges. I use a tool pouch with a hammer holder that orginally comes on a leather belt holder. I cut the rivits off and then attach them to the tool pouch and re-revit it back on this give me a wedge pouch and a axe holder all in one
I bend the hammer holder up and over to hold on tight to the axe that and a combination of tape on the end of the axe keep it from coming out without me pulling on it; it beats searching through the brush in the last top if nothing else.
So post up yours..Bob
