oic, thot u was bucking for General.... * * * Lt/Gen...I know them lol.
By the way, in the post above I had written the letters on the beginning of this OPEforum, it should hardly be removed, but I know some felt threatened by the mere mention of the adversary. In there defense, it did get pretty ridiculous for a while right @svk .
'only in America! kissed but not..... !!'Yeah, I'm gonna get put on another list.
Probably get flash-banged any day now
But that wouldn't happen in America.
In the hen house with the chicks! lolLike ***.
Heck I'll probably get a strike now towards. Where's the "fox" when we need him
You are allowed to keep the gun, but not mags over 10 capacity. Either have to buy new ones, or permanently disable the old ones for over 10.
I agree with everything you said. Unfortunately, the vast majority of my falling is snags...just the nature of my work. It's often a fun challenge, but I approach almost every tree with an abundance of caution and respect. Even the trees that appear solid at the base, often have very compromised tops. Not uncommon for the firs or even the pines, that I'm usually cutting, to have tops that died back many years before the rest of the tree did. Or trees that are burned/burning.I talked about snags and their different stages of decomposition a while back. Now I'd like to go a bit more in depth on the subject.
First, let me say without offending anyone here, because there are many different skill levels among us on this forum when it comes to our felling fundamentals! Im not telling anyone what to do or how to do it. I'm simply offering advice and my opinions!
If you are just learning the basics and new to timber felling. I DO NOT! recommend trying to fell moderately to highly decomposed snags! It is always best to call someone with at the very least a decent amount of experience at it.
If you do chose to do so. I highly recommend having a friend or neighbor standing by at least a tree length away as a safety watch. Incase things go bad and someone gets hurt!
Now then. The two snags in this pic are in a fairly tight corridor of OG Spruce. Both are approximately 70 to 80 foot tall and about 18" to 20"on the stump. View attachment 1014188View attachment 1014187The snag on the right is moderately decomposed with a limb locked top. The snag on the left is highly decomposed and free standing. However, neither are at the point of crumbling down, but either can easy break in half or loose their tops!
That being said. Never assume anything when dealing with decomposed snags! The core my be more sound than the outer ring of wood and vice versa, or the entire snag may be at an extremely severe stage of decomposition and ready to crumble! IMOP,
When boring snags. Use little throttle and pressure when boring in. While at the same time KEEPING YOUR HEAD UP!!!. Trust me if the snag is highly decomposed. You won't need much of either! Often a bore test will tell you how safely it can be fell. If it feels like mulch and paper mache.It is probably at the worst possible stage of decomposition and ready to crumble! Walk away! Smash it from a distance with a live bigger tree or use heavy equipment if possible. Of course this all depends on the size of the snag also. Now I know that lot of you don't have the luxury of using live timber or heavy equipment when doing tree removal for private land owners, If this is the case. I would suggest discussing your options with the land owner.
Let me say this again so there is no confusion!
Moderately decomposed snags can possibly be felled somewhat safely but are Stihl dangerous.
Severely decomposed snags can possibley be felled, but it can be very dangerous to do so.
Extremely decomposed snags are extremely dangerous to fall and will often crumble or break off the stump with no indications early into your first cut.
That being said. ALL SNAGS ARE DANGEROUS TO FALL! Regardless of the stage of decomposition.
When felling any snag in tight corridors or corridors at all, and when limb locked.
Examples:
Tops breaking off the moment the snag starts to commit if the stag is limb locked.
Breaking off the stump due to rotten or punky holding wood. Resulting in loss of control of the fall.
Buckling in half with the top half coming back at you if the snag strikes another tree.
If you're removing several trees when clearing land and come across a limb locked snag. Most often it is best to just cripple the snag with a face cut, back cut and a big hinge and let it go with the tree that it is locked in.
Be completely aware of your surroundings. Think about what your going to do if the snag strikes this tree or that tree, and what direction it is most likely to buckle back if it dose strike any particular tree around you.
Never turn your back. Sometimes all you have to do is step to the side a few feet. Other times you may have to run like a bat out of H**L!
Have at least three escape paths planned out. Cut brush to do so if necessary. Remember, if you lose control of a snag or a live tree, Anything can happen!
Well gentleman. I haven't covered it all because I haven't experienced it all! Nobody has when it comes to timber felling, but I hope I made some since while covering some of the basics when it comes to felling snags!So until next time....
Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!
That's pretty crazy out of a tree that sounds as though it looked solid.I agree with everything you said. Unfortunately, the vast majority of my falling is snags...just the nature of my work. It's often a fun challenge, but I approach almost every tree with an abundance of caution and respect. Even the trees that appear solid at the base, often have very compromised tops. Not uncommon for the firs or even the pines, that I'm usually cutting, to have tops that died back many years before the rest of the tree did. Or trees that are burned/burning.
Different species of trees rot in different ways. A lot of our dead standing pines will have very punky sapwood, yet still be solid enough in the center to cut.
I've been dealing with a lot of dead tanoak at work, those will be deceptively weak. I just had an oopsie at work with one a couple weeks ago. The leaves were still on it and they had just started to turn brown. I was only in my gunning cut, at about my minimum depth for a face, when it suddenly cracked and set down on my bar. I ended up taking the powerhead off and cutting it with another saw. I didn't even bother putting a face cut in with the 2nd saw, as that would've been suicidal at that point. Just triggered it from behind and dove behind a big old redwood, as the back 1/2 of the tree turned to splinters. Surprisingly enough, my expensive 28" Stihl lightweight bar survived with no damage.
It was actually a good lesson to a couple of my guys at work. I probably sound like a broken record when I preach to them the dangers of even just walking underneath dead tanoaks...naturally, they get kinda complacent about some of the safety topics. They were amazed how quickly a solid feeling tree failed.
.
Did you just put a rivet in yours or buy new.
Very good point on snags or live timber that appear solid can Stihl have rotten tops!I agree with everything you said. Unfortunately, the vast majority of my falling is snags...just the nature of my work. It's often a fun challenge, but I approach almost every tree with an abundance of caution and respect. Even the trees that appear solid at the base, often have very compromised tops. Not uncommon for the firs or even the pines, that I'm usually cutting, to have tops that died back many years before the rest of the tree did. Or trees that are burned/burning.
Different species of trees rot in different ways. A lot of our dead standing pines will have very punky sapwood, yet still be solid enough in the center to cut.
I've been dealing with a lot of dead tanoak at work, those will be deceptively weak. I just had an oopsie at work with one a couple weeks ago. The leaves were still on it and they had just started to turn brown. I was only in my gunning cut, at about my minimum depth for a face, when it suddenly cracked and set down on my bar. I ended up taking the powerhead off and cutting it with another saw. I didn't even bother putting a face cut in with the 2nd saw, as that would've been suicidal at that point. Just triggered it from behind and dove behind a big old redwood, as the back 1/2 of the tree turned to splinters. Surprisingly enough, my expensive 28" Stihl lightweight bar survived with no damage.
It was actually a good lesson to a couple of my guys at work. I probably sound like a broken record when I preach to them the dangers of even just walking underneath dead tanoaks...naturally, they get kinda complacent about some of the safety topics. They were amazed how quickly a solid feeling tree failed.
That is most often the case with all snags. Except maybe a select few in very early stages of decomp! I forgot to mention that in my post! Thanks for picking up my slack and good on ya! 
The bar should never come completely out of the cut. Once you're a bar depth in to the cut. Repeat this process every half inch deeper you get into your cut. You should eventually feel your bar start to to bind up as you swing the bar out if the tree starts to sit forward. Especially twords the outer ring of the tree! The kerf will most likely start to close twords the outside of the tree before twords the center! Just like a back leaner sitting back on you in a back cut if you don't set a wedge. If you do feel it start to sit forward. Stop Sawing before you get hung up in the cut! Trust me! I've had to take my power head off. Throw on my spare bar and cut my self out numerous times! 
Its no fun! 
It actually didn't chair at first, a really weird incident. I hear ya on the feeling for bind, I'm actually usually pretty cognizant of the tree starting to bind, or at least watching for any movement in the top, in the gunning cut. This one suddenly cracked horizontally, directly behind my kerf, but set down before it cracked all the way through.Very good point on snags or live timber that appear solid can Stihl have rotten tops!
Next time you start your first cut on one of those tanoaks that appear as the last one that chaired on you, (or at least it sounds like it chaired) try backing out of your cut every half inch deeper you get into the cut. You should eventually feel your bar start to to bind up, but not always. We can't assume anything when it comes to Danger Trees!
Definitely makes sense.
Nobody was threatened by the mention of it, it simply got out of control with all of Randy’s blowhards purposely posting links in every comment to spam this place. So glad that is over with.I know them lol.
By the way, in the post above I had written the letters on the beginning of this OPEforum, it should hardly be removed, but I know some felt threatened by the mere mention of the adversary
In Mass we are allowed to use hi-caps in any pre- ban gun regardless of the 10 round mag limit. The mags must be made before the ban went into effect.
It gets the job done in a hurry.
Isn't all this good ole boy banter supposed to be on facebook? I'm here to learn about chainsaws, not some lonely old grinders daily news.A lot of areas have changed. Many houses have been torn down and many brought back to life. Still room for progress though. @Aknutter
Yeah, I still don't believe overall it could be much better. I know there are many nice areas down that way, but much like many larger cities I find the best thing about them is putting them in the rearview mirror.
It was very cool, both the cat, and the experience
I used to run off 8 mile a good bit, beautiful area lol. I cut thru there to get back to the mill to reload for a trip back to GR, I could beat the traffic on the expressway when it was backed up.
Don't worry, some new criminals are coming to town now, so there will be many "improvements", and since there are great friends with woman "of the state" and the great Canadian actor to the north, I'm sure all will be well in Detroit/Mi.
Good read, not sure where you're at on these things, but I think theres something everyone can learn here.
https://sociable.co/technology/grea...ban-transformation-hq-cornerstone-in-detroit/
