Self analysis of a screw-up

[AussieSawyer]

Hello everyone,

New to saw ownership and to the forum. At the end of the third day with my new saw (455 Husqvarna, already good friends with this machine, having run 5 tanks of fuel so far), I undertook one of my larger tree cutting endeavours - and shouldn't have (tired at that point, after 6 pm). I knew before getting underway that the tree would hang up - it's the only one in the area that I wanted brought down. Once it was laid over, I decided to start sectioning. I could see which side of the trunk was under tension (underside), but for some reason (new habit?) I still moved to the underside to complete the cut - jamming in the process.

Although I managed to separate at that point with 2 wedges, everything went straight to the ground, now pinning the lower part of the chain under the corner of the trunk. The only way out of that was to beat laterally on the trunk with a sledgehammer, and coerce the wife to ease the saw out!

Questions for the pros

1. When cutting for this type of landing, how should I have modified my initial cuts at base? (I see that my scarf was undersized, even for a clear fall). Should I have separated the trunk from it's base before going anything else (it was still attached with hinge wood as I went for the 2nd cut).
2. What is the next action after the fallen tree has settled against others? Was I more or less doing the right thing?

I know that in this case, had I stayed on the top side of that second cut, the saw probably would have just gone clear through. But I also need to learn about known dangers inherent in that type of airborne (suspended trunk) cut. This might have been a good time to put in several parallel cuts, to more carefully see how the tension was playing out.

As I move to each tree, I am clearing out local areas around the base, clearing and mapping out escape routes, etc. (establishing good practices as I go).

Tomorrow, I clean off the bar and chain and find out if either needs to be replaced! (oh, and retrieve wedges that I drove into the soil in a futile attempt to ease the trunk away from the chain - it doesn't work).

Your comments will be appreciated.

Grant.

 

[Natster]

Well, I think it's obvious.....
You need another saw, to cut the first one free, and then use the 1st one to cut the second one out!
Welome to chainsaws.
We all hang one, once in a while.
I once found a bar, and chain, in a 1/2 cut tree. Been there for years.
N

 

[holeycow]

Sometimes you need to make “felling cuts”, like a notch and back-cut in leaners...you make room to eliminate the pinch. Sometimes you make that thing slide down with a cut to move it sideways. or you pull it sideways as it pinches. Anyway, that looks like an easy one. I probably would have started much farther away from the stump with an undercut to fold that thing in half. It’s trickier when it’s still on the stump. And pictures don’t ever tell the whole story.

 

[The Lorax]

First of all get yourself some plastic wedges, not steel. If you nick one with the chain it won't screw the cutters up.
If you beat a wedge in vertically from the top cut down towards the log it will actually raise the log up.
Hard to believe but it works and will free your bar.
Terry Hale on Youtube has some very good videos of sawmanship and wedgemanship if you are interested.

 

[Natster]

Another trick, is to cut down, far enough so the bar is buried, then put sticks into the top of the cut. Continue cutting. Add another stick, if it has sideways stress. The sticks hold the cut open, preventing a pinched bar. Especially handy for big logs, on the ground.
N

 

[Haironyourchest]

Trees in the condition are subject to all kinds of weird tension stresses and gravity. Any kind of cutting will change the "flow" of forces and can be counterintuitive and unpredictable. Also dangerous. Best thing is sever the stem from the stump first, as you speculated. This is "safer" but difficult to do without pinching your bar. It's impossible to explain in words, but basically you need to slowly cut away the hinge from one side, chipping away bit by bit with a wide cut, until the stem is holding to the stump by just one corner of the hinge. Then roll the stem off the stump with a bar, using the hinge corner holding wool as a pivot. This will only work if the crown is not too entangled in the crowns of the standing trees. Also you need a bar. Once the tree is on the deck, you can go ahead and section from the butt end up. But better than that is to pull the butt and stem right out with a hand winch. Slow work, and if it's dug into the ground, more problems. Nothing about removing hung up trees is easy or simple without serious equipment and/or experience.

For a beginner, it's better to buy a no-name power polesaw for this, at least it gives you a bit of distance from the danger zone if something goes haywire.

 

[AussieSawyer]

... If you beat a wedge in vertically from the top cut down towards the log it will actually raise the log up.
Hard to believe but it works and will free your bar....

Thank you for this. When I initially approached the jammed saw (in log), I did look at putting a wedge from top and driving it in, but my calculation was that this would increase the crushing forces on the pinched bar. (Forcing the top part of the cut open would cause the bottom part to be crushed together harder). Interesting. As alluded to here, gaining experience and 'feel' for this will come with time. Thanks again.

 

[AussieSawyer]

Another trick, is to cut down, far enough so the bar is buried, then put sticks into the top of the cut. Continue cutting. Add another stick, if it has sideways stress. The sticks hold the cut open, preventing a pinched bar. Especially handy for big logs, on the ground.
N

Thank you Natster. I presume that wedges, if you have them, are preferable in this case?

 

[Natster]

Well, you can use a sharp knife, and make a dozen of these sticks, sharpened at one end, and they are:
Disposable
If you hit one with saw, no problem.
Plentous
And such.
A plastic wedge is in limited supply, ie, you won't want to carry a dozen. They fall out of the cut easily,
And, cost money.
Plastic fellers wedges have their place, but learning the stick trick can be done anytime, with a pocket knife.
Do what works...
N

 

[grizz55chev]

I never go out cutting with out at least 2 saws, and your falling technique needs some practice. A proper undercut, might have been more effective at falling that tree so as not to get it hung up. When I do see them hung like that I cut halfway from the top down, then finish the cut from the bottom up, paying close attention to any movement while making the cut, it’s a loaded bomb waiting to go off so proceed with extreme caution. Even a small tree can fool ya sometimes, never underestimate the danger.

 

[tug]

I do not have a link but if you google it look for the forest service training manual I think it is 212. I believe there are youtube videos of their training procedures also. I know there are other sources also.
A couple things I am seeing , plastic wedges and something to pound them in with. A single bit works well and it you chop your saw out if you do not want to buy another saw. Plus you can use it a wedge in some cases.
On your initial cut it look like you read the tree wrong. On a green multi branched tree, it really matters what the canopy looks like there is a lot of weight up there.
Your face cut is way too large for anything but something leaning in that direction. Your holding wood is too small.
On your second cut you have compression at the top, tension on the bottom. Then you have compression from the top of the tree pushing towards the stump. That is what got you. If the tree was cut loose from the stomp. There would be a place for it to fall away or for the stump to move.
If you check out you bar it is likely the rails just got pinched shut. They can be opened.
Green trees of that size and any larger and especially in hard wood are heavier than hell. All you can do is cut them loose and steer them towards the ground with wedges and holding wood.
One big difference I would recommend is fall from the standing position. Then go back and stump your tree. If your not a logger it make no difference in where you cut the tree. Hope this helps

 

[arathol]

I think the tree wasn't at all free from the stump. The face cut closed and stopped the tree from falling further, and as a result it wasn't as hung up as you thought. The compression side and tension sides were reversed from what you thought they were. When you cut it, the upper part tried to continue falling free from the lower part, pinching the saw when you cut upwards.
From what I see, you did the separation cuts backwards and at the wrong angle. The cuts should have been vertical in relation to the ground, not the axis of the tree. With a smaller tree like this, make a bottom cut about 1/3 of the way through. Pull the saw about 2/3 of the way out, and finish the upwards cut, leaving the other 2/3 uncut. Once you cut through to the top, push the saw all the way into the wood and start your downward cut, following the kerf you just opened. When you finish the cut the tree will fall straight down and won't pinch the bar. Just make sure you have the compression and tension correct when doing this. If the tension and compression is reversed, the cuts should be made in the reverse also, ie start at the top and work around to the bottom. There isn't much weight at the top of that tree, so you can get away with doing it this way, its simple and easy. If the tree was larger or had much more weight at the top creating more tension you'd need to use a somewhat different approach, using a bore cut and a trigger to prevent a barberchair event when you cut through the tension wood. Just remember, once the tree has been cut but has not completed its fall to the ground, its a whole different ball game. Anything can happen, and you better be able to judge what the tree will do when you start cutting or you could get hurt.....

 

[vhmtach38]

I have pinched a saw a time or a couple (2)...three times...now take 3 saws into the bush..!!