Extreme leaner. How would you drop it?

[JeffHK454]

You can perform any magical cut you want on that tree..gravity is controlling where it goes.

 

[CoreyB]

You can perform any magical cut you want on that tree..gravity is controlling where it goes.

That is very true.
I just want to make sure gravity and I are on the same page.

 

[olympyk_999]

That is very true.
I just want to make sure gravity and I are on the same page.

well if you are unsure on the gravity part...its always pulling down...unless you are cutting standing on your head you should not be too confused

 

[Philbert]

well if you are unsure on the gravity part...its always pulling down...

Let's get the Australians to chime in on that. . .

Philbert

 

[bitzer]

You can perform any magical cut you want on that tree..gravity is controlling where it goes.

Trying not to have the tree blow up in your face is the point here. Gravity is just one of the factors, not the solution. No one is trying to control where it goes with magical cuts. Just trying to cut it up safely.

 

[olympyk_999]

Trying not to have the tree blow up in your face is the point here. Gravity is just one of the factors, not the solution. No one is trying to control where it goes with magical cuts. Just trying to cut it up safely.

throw a chain around it...done...was one of the first comments
its 1 tree, hes not doing this professionally, therefore not going to be best as doing the cuts necessary to bring it down with out something holding the tree together...

 

[Gypo Logger]

Chains and binders work fine, but only used them when dealing with a valuable tree who's butt I didn't want to shatter.
Dealing with leaners is mostly about removing as much wood first without getting pinched or chairing the tree.
Plunge cutting leaners is mostly reserved for trees over 16". Reducing the diameter of the tree by cutting ears is another way of dealing with leaners.
In the final analysis, it all about mechanics and cheating gravity all at the right time.

 

[Marshy]

Probably be as simple as a shallow open face cut and normal back cut. Snipe the sap wood real shallow on the edges and just cut the back. It'll likely fold over and go down easy. The damn thing looks like itvgrew in this position. It doesn't look large enough to plunge cut.

 

[KiwiBro]

No matter how good the technique, if he ain't using stihl ultra at 48:1, that sumbutch tree is going to chair, guaranteed.

 

[Trx250r180]

Probably be as simple as a shallow open face cut and normal back cut. Snipe the sap wood real shallow on the edges and just cut the back. It'll likely fold over and go down easy. The damn thing looks like itvgrew in this position. It doesn't look large enough to plunge cut.

You just described a coos bay cut

 

[bitzer]

throw a chain around it...done...was one of the first comments
its 1 tree, hes not doing this professionally, therefore not going to be best as doing the cuts necessary to bring it down with out something holding the tree together...

Yeah yer right, trying to improve yer cutting skills is stupid.

 

[bitzer]

Probably be as simple as a shallow open face cut and normal back cut. Snipe the sap wood real shallow on the edges and just cut the back. It'll likely fold over and go down easy. The damn thing looks like itvgrew in this position. It doesn't look large enough to plunge cut.

Probably explode like lightning.

 

[olympyk_999]

Yeah yer right, trying to improve yer cutting skills is stupid.

on something like this...yeah it is... you don't start on the most difficult task first...you work up to it
all of this advise you give is good, but you give it as if you would be the one doing the work (with your experience/saws) no one even knows what this guy has for a saw, never mind experience...who knows, maybe he has never even cut a tree down before?
or his saw could be some turd with a chain so dull it can't even cut butter...is this the kind of saw you would want to cut a tree like this??? don't think so!
you say you have learned this stuff the hard way and lucky you haven't been hurt...this guy might not be as lucky...
put a chain on it!, then if he still wants to screw around with fancy cuts, he can with out it blowing up in his face!
he could even leave it a little loose, then he could see if it came apart during the cut...

 

[Marshy]

I say let it split, less work to do at the end to make it into firewood.

 

[hardpan]

Can't stop now. Some say we are over figuring this little tree. Yes but there is a lot at stake. I think it was Gologit who said experienced fallers are dying at alarming regularity due to tree accidents.

My question for the day is "boring the heart out"? I have read it often but have never seen the dimensions and now we have Marshy who I'm guessing is an engineer (conclusion from the force vector diagrams) and bitzer who we all know is the real deal for falling trees in the real world. Let's say we have a solid 20" hard leaning tree and not interested in saving the log or donating a saw or blood to the effort. We start with an open shallow face 4" deep. We now have 16" of wood left and want to bore the heart out, starting from the center of the notch. Dimensions of the heart bore? How about 6" wide and 9" deep?

I am not discounting a chain wrap, coos bay, basic limb cut procedure, or any other viable options and as always there are no guarantees.

 

[Marshy]

In that size wood you described just cut your face, plunge cut from the side behind your hinge and cut your back cut from inside out. If it's a heavy leaner like this then leave a trigger. It's the smaller wood that become more complicated, like 8-10" diameter where you don't have room to plunge. Then you have to use other methods already described. There's always an alternative though and it depends on the experience of the person and what method they are most comfortable with given the situation.

 

[hardpan]

I say let it split, less work to do at the end to make it into firewood.

Pre-split logs are fine with me but chairs, I've had a few and they scare me. Exploding stem, never been at one and don't want to.

 

[olympyk_999]

but chairs, I've had a few and they scare me. Exploding stem, never been at one and don't want to.

but lets not throw a chain around it, to basically eliminate the risk of either

 

[Marshy]

but lets not throw a chain around it, to basically eliminate the risk of either

The problem is, the chain won't eliminate the risk its just a backstop or damage control for when it happens. Getting to the point skill wise for not needing the backstop is the real goal here. Personally, I've never seen anyone do such a thing or even talk about doing it until I came to this sight. Makes me wonder how common of a practice it really is. Like is this some thing professionals do or just homeowners.

 

[bitzer]

on something like this...yeah it is... you don't start on the most difficult task first...you work up to it
all of this advise you give is good, but you give it as if you would be the one doing the work (with your experience/saws) no one even knows what this guy has for a saw, never mind experience...who knows, maybe he has never even cut a tree down before?
or his saw could be some turd with a chain so dull it can't even cut butter...is this the kind of saw you would want to cut a tree like this??? don't think so!
you say you have learned this stuff the hard way and lucky you haven't been hurt...this guy might not be as lucky...
put a chain on it!, then if he still wants to screw around with fancy cuts, he can with out it blowing up in his face!
he could even leave it a little loose, then he could see if it came apart during the cut...

I get your point. He did mention he has cut some leaners and he usually bores them. He asked how we would do it so he is looking for other options. When I started out I was given a saw and told put a notch here and cut here. It was a 30 second tutorial from a guy who usually backcuts everything. Then he left for the day. I had several hundred ugly and often hard leaning boxelders to cut. I learned a lot that week or two alone. That was 7-8 years before I bought a skidder and went into production logging. I've always read up on techniques, tried them, improvised, and used my own. I still do. Learning how to safely control a tree with just a saw is a good thing and there is always a learning curve. I've never chain wrapped a tree so I have no experience with that. I would think it would work until it doesn't. The guy was looking for options and didn't come across as a complete idiot to me.