Hi fellas, been a while. Hey, I was wondering how you use wedges to direct a tree ? In particular, I'm not sure how you keep the chain from hitting the wedge while in the backcut. I'm assuming you drive a wedge once you get the back cut started correct ? If so, I'm also assuming you need enough room to start the cut again once wedged. I'm also thinking that wedging isn't practical on smaller diameter trees since there would be virtually no room for the wedge and a saw bar.
HOW TO... use wedges
- Thread starter Dale
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avalancher
Arboristsite Raconteur
Im sure you know this already, but if you are going to do any cutting after pounding in a wedge, PLASTIC WEDGES ONLY.
If the tree is small enough not to allow a lot of room between the wedge and your hinge, stack more than one wedge, giving more lift with a smaller amount of wedge driven in to the tree. Pound your wedges in stacked in the center of your back cut, then plunge cut into the tree,staying on the back side of your hinge.Watch the hinge that you dont get into it.After plunging both sides of the tree, stop cutting and pound some more on the wedges.You should at this point be able to wedge the tree on over.Even if you hit a wedge with the chain, you arent going to damage the chain that a quick swipe of a file wont take care of, and you might take a little meat off of the end of the wedge. No big deal.
scotclayshooter
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ekkas Quarter cut works well in small trees with wedges
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=23294&page=4
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=23294&page=4
Wet1
Addicted to ArboristSite
On small trees I do the back cut first, pound in a wedge or two, then do the face cut leaving enough hinge/holding wood. I then go back and give the wedge(s) a couple of bangs and the tree typically goes right over.
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
Me too, works great. Just don't cut off your holding wood. I pound the wedge by hand, and use the axe after I cut the face.
forestryworks
Addicted to ArboristSite
be sure to look up at the top
it'll tell you whether to
keep pounding the wedges
stop and head down safe path
cut more holding wood
be sure to look up
it'll tell you whether to
keep pounding the wedges
stop and head down safe path
cut more holding wood
be sure to look up
A. Stanton
Addicted to ArboristSite
Dale, I'm sure others will answer your question. But if you really want to see how to use wedges, buy the dvd for AxMen or watch the show if they replay it on the History Channel. I tried it and it works.
You're kidding, right?
forestryworks
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ghillie
Addicted to ArboristSite
+1 on Beranek's book, -10 on the Axmen dvd unless you are looking for a soap opera.
Thanks for all replies fellas. This is particularly interesting.
"On small trees I do the back cut first, pound in a wedge or two, then do the face cut leaving enough hinge/holding wood. I then go back and give the wedge(s) a couple of bangs and the tree typically goes right over."
Question, ehwn you say small, how small are you talking that this method is effective ?
"On small trees I do the back cut first, pound in a wedge or two, then do the face cut leaving enough hinge/holding wood. I then go back and give the wedge(s) a couple of bangs and the tree typically goes right over."
Question, ehwn you say small, how small are you talking that this method is effective ?
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
Trees that are too small to accomodate the saw bar and wedges at the same time.
motoroilmccall
ArboristSite Guru
Quarter cut is your real only viable option that never risks pinching the saw, or cutting through your hinge wood.
1. Bore into the tree pointing the bar directly toward where you want the tree to fall (with the bar parallel to the ground obviously).
2. Put your wedge in that bore cut and gently tap it in.
3. Cut your notch or face cut, right about level with your bore cut if you can. Tap your wedge in to make sure its tight.
4. Cut the two straps you have left, on either side of the bore but higher than the bore cut, and leave your hinge. Don't cut directly over the bore cut, just on either side, if the tree is leaning to one side, cut that strap last (the one that is being pulled, not compressed, by the lean).
5. While your hinge wood is holding the tree up start beating on your wedge. The tree will fall exactly where your bore cut is pointing (if your hinge is accurate anyway).
I use this method fairly often for cutting trees that are too big to push over, but too small to wedge over traditionally, and I've never had a tree do anything out of the ordinary while doing it, just make sure you leave enough hinge wood, and pound the heck out of that wedge to break the fiber bonds that go vertically from your bore cut to your 2 back cuts (one on either side of the bore cut and slightly above).
1. Bore into the tree pointing the bar directly toward where you want the tree to fall (with the bar parallel to the ground obviously).
2. Put your wedge in that bore cut and gently tap it in.
3. Cut your notch or face cut, right about level with your bore cut if you can. Tap your wedge in to make sure its tight.
4. Cut the two straps you have left, on either side of the bore but higher than the bore cut, and leave your hinge. Don't cut directly over the bore cut, just on either side, if the tree is leaning to one side, cut that strap last (the one that is being pulled, not compressed, by the lean).
5. While your hinge wood is holding the tree up start beating on your wedge. The tree will fall exactly where your bore cut is pointing (if your hinge is accurate anyway).
I use this method fairly often for cutting trees that are too big to push over, but too small to wedge over traditionally, and I've never had a tree do anything out of the ordinary while doing it, just make sure you leave enough hinge wood, and pound the heck out of that wedge to break the fiber bonds that go vertically from your bore cut to your 2 back cuts (one on either side of the bore cut and slightly above).
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Wet1
Addicted to ArboristSite
I think I'll stick with the method I've been using but I might have to give this a try just to add it to my bag of tricks. A couple questions... When you do your initial bore cut, do you go all the way thru the hinge/tree and then use that as your start for the face, or do you stop the bore cut at the hinge? Also, how high above the bore cut do you make the side cuts and how close (in the horizontal plain) do you come to the bore cut?
Cowboy Billy
ArboristSite Operative
Motoroilmccall great write up
Thanks
If I follow correctly
Bore cut 90 deg to what the face cut for the hinge will be. Insert plastic wedge
Make face cut and hinge.
Then cut from the remaining wood from the bore cut to the hinge.
Thats a lot nicer than what I was doing. Since I was mainly cutting for fire wood or making trails in the woods. I would make my face cut up to 1/2 the dia of the tree to move the balance point of the hinge over then make my back cut.
Billy
Thanks If I follow correctly
Bore cut 90 deg to what the face cut for the hinge will be. Insert plastic wedge
Make face cut and hinge.
Then cut from the remaining wood from the bore cut to the hinge.
Thats a lot nicer than what I was doing. Since I was mainly cutting for fire wood or making trails in the woods. I would make my face cut up to 1/2 the dia of the tree to move the balance point of the hinge over then make my back cut.
Billy
AKKAMAAN
ArboristSite Guru
Good post....this is a safe way to do it....I've used a similar way....think a video would be good....go prevent misinterpretation.....Take a look at this article..http://www.usa.husqvarna.com/loggers_chain_saw_techniques_felling_trees.aspx
here is a video...if 100% sure tree will go YOUR way, this method ok....http://www.metacafe.com/watch/278681/tree_felling_with_chain_saw_bore_cut_demo/
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
The video shows bad things.
1) the undercut is not deep enough into the tree.
2)The undercut has an angle far surpassing 45 degrees.
3) The backcut is level with the undercut, not stepped up.
4) As he saws the back cut towards the holding wood he does not check the side away from him
5) He never looks up.
And the saw is mighty dull, and little ppe, and more, but thats enough.
I would have had that tree on the ground, safely, in far less time.
Isn't it safer to cut the straps *below* the height of the bore cut so there is less risk of the saw being caught in the cut if the tree goes over prematurely?
Edit: I dont know - I'm asking based on what I've read in other posts here on AS.
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motoroilmccall
ArboristSite Guru
Alright, to answer the questions...
You don't cut below the bore cut (which does go all the way through the tree for whoever asked) when cutting the straps, if the wedge is in and tight it will keep the tree from leaning back onto the bar because there is solid wood above and below the wedge at all times, there's nowhere for the tree to lean back on, no kerf. I understand what you're saying Grubs, but if the tree is small enough to tear your strap wood, you should just be doing a one cut slice to drop the tree, not messing with a quarter cut. I suppose you could cut below the bore, but then you're back cut would be lower than your face cut and you'd barberchair pretty bad. These cuts never leave a good looking stump, but you can always flush cut it later if you're really that anal.
Your face cut goes slightly above your bore cut, at least thats how I do it, I want all the hinge wood I can get with a lot of these tree's. If its pretty straight, and the weight isn't off center, then you can use the bore cut for you're face cut level. But remember, your straps should be cut higher than your face cut.
As far as how close you come to your bore cut with the strap cuts; you'll need to overlap your strap cuts slightly with your bore cut to make sure you don't have fibers left still holding the tree, if you don't overlap you end up with 2 sets of fibers that can make the tree unpredictable, -_- if the two outside dashes are your strap cuts, and the inside dash is the bore cut, you still have wood holding the tree from falling at the "l" (-l_l-). So you need to overlap the strap cuts, just not too much.
Here's a picture of how it should look, the black lines are your bore cut, and then strap cuts, the red line is where your face cut should be, just on the other side of the tree. Also with this tree, its probably big enough to wedge over with the standard method, but its the best pic I could find. Cut the strap on the right last, it'll be safer the way the tree is leaning.
I don't have anything to be able to take video, otherwise I'd post one...
You don't cut below the bore cut (which does go all the way through the tree for whoever asked) when cutting the straps, if the wedge is in and tight it will keep the tree from leaning back onto the bar because there is solid wood above and below the wedge at all times, there's nowhere for the tree to lean back on, no kerf. I understand what you're saying Grubs, but if the tree is small enough to tear your strap wood, you should just be doing a one cut slice to drop the tree, not messing with a quarter cut. I suppose you could cut below the bore, but then you're back cut would be lower than your face cut and you'd barberchair pretty bad. These cuts never leave a good looking stump, but you can always flush cut it later if you're really that anal.
Your face cut goes slightly above your bore cut, at least thats how I do it, I want all the hinge wood I can get with a lot of these tree's. If its pretty straight, and the weight isn't off center, then you can use the bore cut for you're face cut level. But remember, your straps should be cut higher than your face cut.
As far as how close you come to your bore cut with the strap cuts; you'll need to overlap your strap cuts slightly with your bore cut to make sure you don't have fibers left still holding the tree, if you don't overlap you end up with 2 sets of fibers that can make the tree unpredictable, -_- if the two outside dashes are your strap cuts, and the inside dash is the bore cut, you still have wood holding the tree from falling at the "l" (-l_l-). So you need to overlap the strap cuts, just not too much.
Here's a picture of how it should look, the black lines are your bore cut, and then strap cuts, the red line is where your face cut should be, just on the other side of the tree. Also with this tree, its probably big enough to wedge over with the standard method, but its the best pic I could find. Cut the strap on the right last, it'll be safer the way the tree is leaning.
I don't have anything to be able to take video, otherwise I'd post one...
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