When im logging i use wedges alot and here is how i was told to use em... I put in my knotch then i drill the tree on one side leaving my like i would if i was just cutting the tree..... cut from dat working aroung till i pass the back leaving the other side un cut then start beating the wedge in place.... then go on cutting from where u left off for a inch or so beat some more etc etc till ya get to the hinge on the other side.... if it does not fall then beat the hell out of it hehehehe it will work..... Good luck think safe
How to properly use wedges...
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smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
bow tie how to pics
Here are the first of the bow tie slides.
Here are the first of the bow tie slides.
smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
more slides
The rest of the bow tie how to's.
Sorry I didn't get enough of the finish of the cut to show all.
But you should have an idea about it now.
The rest of the bow tie how to's.
Sorry I didn't get enough of the finish of the cut to show all.
But you should have an idea about it now.
fishhuntcutwood
Full wraps and long bars!!!!!!!!!
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You're a logger, and you learned how to use wedges here?
Edit: Nevermind! I read that wrong! I thought you learned how to use wedges from AS! Sorry.
manual
Addicted to ArboristSite
Always like these wedge threads.. Always good information .
Thank guys.
Thank guys.
I log monday ,friday whe weekend is when i do tree removel on the side i was trimming trees befor i was logging......I think of it as having the best of both hehhehe
Burt and SmokeII, Nice, I like the looks of that. I like to wedge up the back cut first too, but do it a quarter at a time. Your way looks better to me with both sides supported. Will definatly be trying that.Good piscs and diagrams.
Its been awhile since I've fell a big one but I would cut them (undercuts)in half or thirds too. And if my cuts weren't quite right a couple of wedges would help to pop the undercuts out.
I am not man enough to run a big saw all day without help from my thighs.
Its been awhile since I've fell a big one but I would cut them (undercuts)in half or thirds too. And if my cuts weren't quite right a couple of wedges would help to pop the undercuts out.
I am not man enough to run a big saw all day without help from my thighs.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
Sure wish I'd read this thread before I just knocked over the biggest Alder I've seen aroud here (28dbh)... but... I used the truck, ropes, snatch blocks and wedges (to jack it up to over vertical from 60 back)... so maybe it doesn't qualify here 
Great thread guys... !
I'm printing this one out and leaving it in the truck!
Great thread guys... !
I'm printing this one out and leaving it in the truck!
Last edited:
SawTroll
Information Collector
Wedges are a must - I don't fell or buck anything without having them handy.....:rockn: :rockn:
smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
bow tie and Tim Ard
In Tim Ards eBook; "The Complete Guide to Chain Saw Safety and
Directional Felling", he shows a method of center boring the tree in line with the desired direction of fall. Look at the photos below.
The objective here is to be able to place multiple longer wedges in slots on smaller diameter trees. (When I've tried this I found that three wedges effectively functions as two. But wedging this close to the hinge does move a tree top quickly so its not really a concern here.)
It is similar to the bow tie. Isn't illustrated here as a back-cut prior to face. But it could be. With a smaller diameter tree stacking wedges may not be possible. So this layered slots technique could be modified to accomplish the same as the bow tie in small dbh's. {Caution on cutting the wedges when you make your face).
The final parts of the backcut are finished with slightly offset cuts, just below the wedges. This is generally undesireable on larger timber, (not connecting cuts precisely), but isn't a big deal here if uniform on both sides.
I would recommend Tim's book, available from; http://www.forestapps.com/e-book/ .
In Tim Ards eBook; "The Complete Guide to Chain Saw Safety and
Directional Felling", he shows a method of center boring the tree in line with the desired direction of fall. Look at the photos below.
The objective here is to be able to place multiple longer wedges in slots on smaller diameter trees. (When I've tried this I found that three wedges effectively functions as two. But wedging this close to the hinge does move a tree top quickly so its not really a concern here.)
It is similar to the bow tie. Isn't illustrated here as a back-cut prior to face. But it could be. With a smaller diameter tree stacking wedges may not be possible. So this layered slots technique could be modified to accomplish the same as the bow tie in small dbh's. {Caution on cutting the wedges when you make your face).
The final parts of the backcut are finished with slightly offset cuts, just below the wedges. This is generally undesireable on larger timber, (not connecting cuts precisely), but isn't a big deal here if uniform on both sides.
I would recommend Tim's book, available from; http://www.forestapps.com/e-book/ .
smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
a couple other thoughts
Drive the wedge that is nearest the finishing back cuts the hardest. If it is one further up it can be harder to extract. I learned that after one tree.
On face height, if you're dropping a tree that leans 5 degrees opposite its lean, the face will need to be 95 degrees to maintain the hinge holding all the way to the ground. (Don't worry about that dimension. But you should make a wider notch than normal.)
Drive the wedge that is nearest the finishing back cuts the hardest. If it is one further up it can be harder to extract. I learned that after one tree.
On face height, if you're dropping a tree that leans 5 degrees opposite its lean, the face will need to be 95 degrees to maintain the hinge holding all the way to the ground. (Don't worry about that dimension. But you should make a wider notch than normal.)
smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
rot and bow tie
I'm going to suggest that the use of the bow tie should only be on solid trees.
While it is possible to do it on trees with just a small amount of rot in the very center. This is difficult to determine.
I wouldn't want to do it.
Maybe Burt will jump back in here.
Burt, who taught you this cut and what do you think about the rot question?
I'm going to suggest that the use of the bow tie should only be on solid trees.
While it is possible to do it on trees with just a small amount of rot in the very center. This is difficult to determine.
I wouldn't want to do it.
Maybe Burt will jump back in here.
Burt, who taught you this cut and what do you think about the rot question?
im sorry all the way im seeing the wedging going on here is all new to me.... The way i do it i us on center rot tree as well as the good trees....I drill the side and work my way around the tree after i get over 1/2 way around it i drive a wedge in the side cut some wedge some...... I use the hinge on the side im cutting last to help pull the tree around.... So as for as saying anything bout the way u all are showing to wedge em down is new to me..sorry i can't help
boatermark
ArboristSite Lurker
Wedge Location
Smokechase II, I think I need to start sending all my replies to you first for editing. Great input and great information.
I think I may be to blame for the discussion around the placement of wedges close to the hinge. I think I may have tried to explain that, once you have completed creating the desired hinge and you are working on a backcut, many times you may place a wedge as soon as you have space in the backcut to do so, regardless of location. Maybe call this an insurance wedge, not really the wedge you might drive with the but end of your axe.
You see, before I learned more about felling and using wedges, it was in my mind that you wouldn't place a wedge until you had space in the backcut directly opposite of the direction you wanted the tree to fall (so that means I thought this was the ONLY place you would put a wedge in). You would then drive this wedge to push the tree over where you wanted it to go. It wasn't until I learned more about the hinge (strength, size, shape, etc.) that I realized hinge has a lot more to do with the direction of fall.
I hope this clears up any confusion I may have caused. Smokechase II did a great job at describing what considerations have to be taken when placing wedges in different locations.
Smokechase II, I think I need to start sending all my replies to you first for editing. Great input and great information.
I think I may be to blame for the discussion around the placement of wedges close to the hinge. I think I may have tried to explain that, once you have completed creating the desired hinge and you are working on a backcut, many times you may place a wedge as soon as you have space in the backcut to do so, regardless of location. Maybe call this an insurance wedge, not really the wedge you might drive with the but end of your axe.
You see, before I learned more about felling and using wedges, it was in my mind that you wouldn't place a wedge until you had space in the backcut directly opposite of the direction you wanted the tree to fall (so that means I thought this was the ONLY place you would put a wedge in). You would then drive this wedge to push the tree over where you wanted it to go. It wasn't until I learned more about the hinge (strength, size, shape, etc.) that I realized hinge has a lot more to do with the direction of fall.
I hope this clears up any confusion I may have caused. Smokechase II did a great job at describing what considerations have to be taken when placing wedges in different locations.
blis
Addicted to ArboristSite
I fell and buck everything without wedges :hmm3grin2orange:
FSburt
ArboristSite Operative
Bow tie and rot
Hi Bill good hearing from you again. I was taught this method by a local faller who does alot of roadside falling and falling around private residences. As far as the rot is concerned if the corners are sound then it is just less wood you have to cut. I Say that i would not use this if I only 1 to 2" of sound wood on the corners. The key to this cut is capturing the strength of the younger wood on the outside part of the bole, that is why the holding wood on each corner is pie shaped with the wide side on the edge. One other point when doing this type of cutting is the make a deeper undercut, I usually take mine to 1/2. Dont be afraid to put in wedges as you get room because the more wedge surface you have to aid lifting the tree to easier it is on you. I am send a photo to show what the stump looks like after the tree is down. You can leave a little more holding wood then the photo shows though got a little overzealous on this one. Who said we don't cut Giant Sequoia anymore. This one was killed in a fire we had during the summer. Sad shame it was planted in the early 1920's when this was our forest supervisors office property.
Hi Bill good hearing from you again. I was taught this method by a local faller who does alot of roadside falling and falling around private residences. As far as the rot is concerned if the corners are sound then it is just less wood you have to cut. I Say that i would not use this if I only 1 to 2" of sound wood on the corners. The key to this cut is capturing the strength of the younger wood on the outside part of the bole, that is why the holding wood on each corner is pie shaped with the wide side on the edge. One other point when doing this type of cutting is the make a deeper undercut, I usually take mine to 1/2. Dont be afraid to put in wedges as you get room because the more wedge surface you have to aid lifting the tree to easier it is on you. I am send a photo to show what the stump looks like after the tree is down. You can leave a little more holding wood then the photo shows though got a little overzealous on this one. Who said we don't cut Giant Sequoia anymore. This one was killed in a fire we had during the summer. Sad shame it was planted in the early 1920's when this was our forest supervisors office property.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
blis
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep -we saw the size of your trees in the last photo you posted...
Cant change the climate, you know...
But seriously, i´ve felled ~30cm trees without wedges and my dad has felled even ~70cm trees without wedges.... But ofcourse, trees are bigger there and everything that works here may not work there
smokechase II
Addicted to ArboristSite
burt
Impressive. Nice job again. How much lean/weight were you fighting in the Sequoia?
Got any more photos of the bow tie so I can improve my PowerPoint?
Permission to use that photo?
Thanks
Impressive. Nice job again. How much lean/weight were you fighting in the Sequoia?
Got any more photos of the bow tie so I can improve my PowerPoint?
Permission to use that photo?
Thanks
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