FELLING WEDGE size

[forvols]

I was cutting some oak this weekend, blown over trunks are partly suspended off the ground about 3ft (trees are 16-24" diameter). Well after about 3 pinched bars I figured I need some wedges. Used a steel splitting wedge to get the bar out and finish the cut, but that makes me kind of nervous. Carlton bar held up well though no damage.

I was looking at the plastic orange ones on baileys. Is a 10in wedge a good all around size for felling and bucking? or do I need to order a few of different sizes. Largest wood I cut will be 2ft dia and smallest is probably 6-10in dia.


Tony

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Assortment

Wedges are pretty cheap insurance and as you've already found handy as heck.

In my woods bag I always carry at least two each of the 5.5 inch, 8 inch, and 12 inch. Plastic wedges don't weigh a lot so carrying extras is not a big deal. In my woods bag I also carry a 3 lb hammer for driving the wedges as it's easier to carry around in the woods than an ax or maul.

Take Care

 

[betterbuilt]

I have some 8inch wedges. The major thing to know is the plastic is brittle on some of them and if you miss they will break. You get what you pay for so either get a bunch of cheap ones or a few good ones.

I used to use some white oak wedges and they worked pretty good also. I think if you have iron wood or Osage orange or elm they would be even better wedges.

 

[cnice_37]

My experience is I grab the 8" the most. So get a few of those. I'm usually in the <24" category and have used the 10" once for felling, and mostly bucking the larger diameter stuff.

Once you start using the wedge (for felling and bucking) you'll wonder how you did without.

For bucking, using a couple on opposite sides of larger rounds is the key.

 

[redprospector]

From what you're saying, I think 8" would be good.
In my business we cut similar size stuff, but conifer's
Me and my guy's carry a 5 1/2" and 2 8" wedges in our pouches all the time. If needed there are 10's & 12's in the truck, but they are rarely used.

Andy

 

[Sagetown]

Like you all I've ever used was a steel splitting wedge. Just this year, I decided to try Bailey's plastic stuff. I got a couple of 8" and 5" wedges with a pouch to carry them on my belt. Man; those things are great on hardwood. First time use, the log was pinched shut, and that wedge slipped right in. No bouncing out like the steel wedge. I was sold.

 

[Circle B MN]

5's and 8's all the way. I have a dozen or so in an old milk crate that I use for my firewood tools. They work even better if you use them before you get pinched. Half way through the cut, grab a 5" out of your back pocket and set it by hand in the cut. As you finish the cut, the wedge falls out. If it hits the chain on the way down, not big deal, its plastic and cheap...

 

[SawTroll]

Assortment

.....

Yes, that is the key word!

 

[forvols]

Thanks everyone. I did place my order yesterday I got 4/5.5", 4/8" and 4/10" of the orange plastic wedges at Baileys. That should cover me pretty good.

Tony

 

[rob066]

When felling remember to use wedges that will give enough lift to tip the tree. But do not bottom out against the hinge of the tree you are cutting. The bigger the tree the bigger the wedge you can use.

 

[Gologit]

Thanks everyone. I did place my order yesterday I got 4/5.5", 4/8" and 4/10" of the orange plastic wedges at Baileys. That should cover me pretty good.

Tony

Good choices. Get a wood rasp to smooth up the edges when you hit them with your saw or when you break them off.

Some guys will use a rasp to score up the flat surfaces a little so they're not as prone to slip or spit back.

 

[forvols]

Good choices. Get a wood rasp to smooth up the edges when you hit them with your saw or when you break them off.

Some guys will use a rasp to score up the flat surfaces a little so they're not as prone to slip or spit back.

Hey thats a good idea. I got one I will throw it in my wood cutting bag

 

[newmexico]

good assortment

All good advice above. (Hadn't even thought of "roughening up the wedges")

For felling I'd think that the longest wedge you can get away with will give you the most mechanical advantage. It won't lift it the fastest, but it will lift it the strongest. Good axe helps too. M*V^2 mass comes into play just because you can only swing so fast. longer handles on the axe help with velocity. up to the point where you get a good square hit on the wedge.

For bucking -- sometimes if you just realize the forces on the log and cut accordingly you can get away from the need to use a wedge. It's a little trial and error and it never hurts to have a wedge set in the kerf -- just in case --

 

[thejdman04]

8" and less is all I usually us.

 

[sesmith]

I was cutting some oak this weekend, blown over trunks are partly suspended off the ground about 3ft (trees are 16-24" diameter). Well after about 3 pinched bars I figured I need some wedges. Used a steel splitting wedge to get the bar out and finish the cut, but that makes me kind of nervous. Carlton bar held up well though no damage.

I was looking at the plastic orange ones on baileys. Is a 10in wedge a good all around size for felling and bucking? or do I need to order a few of different sizes. Largest wood I cut will be 2ft dia and smallest is probably 6-10in dia.


Tony

I mostly use the 6-8 inch plastic ones from Bailey's when felling. Mine are getting kind of getting stubby lately.

The way I'm reading your post, these trees were down and leaning on something else. If so, I'd make most of my bucking cuts part way from the top while the tree was up and easy to work on (but NOT through enough to pinch the bar). Then I'd finish with back cuts from underneath, in the places where the bar would be pinched with a top cut, to get several large logs down on the ground, and finish all my cuts while holding the smaller logs up with a timberjack. No wedges needed in this case.

BTW, I always carry a spare saw just in case...it's embarrassing to leave a pinched bar behind in the woods.

 

[forvols]

I mostly use the 6-8 inch plastic ones from Bailey's when felling. Mine are getting kind of getting stubby lately.

The way I'm reading your post, these trees were down and leaning on something else. If so, I'd make most of my bucking cuts part way from the top while the tree was up and easy to work on (but NOT through enough to pinch the bar). Then I'd finish with back cuts from underneath, in the places where the bar would be pinched with a top cut, to get several large logs down on the ground, and finish all my cuts while holding the smaller logs up with a timberjack. No wedges needed in this case.

BTW, I always carry a spare saw just in case...it's embarrassing to leave a pinched bar behind in the woods.

I do carry 2 saws and usually I am pretty good about reading the tree for pressure points. These trees are blown over still connected to the root ball with the trunks up off the ground for the most part. I had been working the tops. Got about a cord out of that. With the limbs there were lots of split and under pressure limbs so I proceed slowly. The wedges will definitely make the rest of the cutting easier, hopefully.

 

[stihl sawing]

Get an assortment of sizes, A wedge can be worth it's weight in gold when you need it. If your falling trees, you absolutely need a few. A steel splitting wedge is not a good one for bucking. Even if you don't hit the thing it can drop down after you cut through and hit a tooth on the saw. A plasti wedge is something that should always be with you.

 

[Gologit]

These trees are blown over still connected to the root ball with the trunks up off the ground for the most part. I had been working the tops.

Have you had any stand back up yet? If they're blowdowns and the hole from the rootwad is still there sometimes they'll want to do that.

Sometimes it's better to make your first cut at the base...just to prevent standup.

 

[redoakneck]

5's and 8's all the way. I have a dozen or so in an old milk crate that I use for my firewood tools. They work even better if you use them before you get pinched. Half way through the cut, grab a 5" out of your back pocket and set it by hand in the cut. As you finish the cut, the wedge falls out. If it hits the chain on the way down, not big deal, its plastic and cheap...

5" ers in the back pockets +1. I don't even know they are there and I can whip them out real quick. I cut a small log to use as a hammer, then I don't loose another tool in the grass or leaves.

 

[cnice_37]

I cut a small log to use as a hammer, then I don't loose another tool in the grass or leaves.

Now that is good thinking!