FALLING VS. FELLING

[Rein]

Years ago, talking about dropping trees, the term was "felling". Those spikes are still called "felling dogs". How, when and why did the action begin to be called "falling"?

(Hope I'm not opening up a can of worms here.) ;-)

 

[woodfarmer]

I fell trees, I fall after a couple too many pops

 

[Sawdust Man]

On the west coast we always referred to the dudes that sawed trees down as fallers.
My grandpa and many of my uncles were loggers, and that's what they called it..
... "falling timber"
Felling just sounds silly to me....
Most of the timber fallers I knew also referred to the tools they used as "powersaws" growing up I never once heard a timber faller say the word "chainsaw".
In fact you'll even see road signs saying "falling timber" when you drive past a logging operation.

 

[Swanman]

Perty sure that timber fallers are the ones that fell trees. The rest of them fellers are running equipment and chasing cables and such.

 

[lwmibc]

Drove the hearse for a company where we did 25,000 cubic meters a year, every tree taken down by Daryl the faller. West coast, so I guess here they are fallers. Company president started work years before on Vancouver Island as a faller. Nice feller.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

I've been "cut'n" (falling/felling) timber in and out of remote logging camps in Alaska fir many years. In the logging industry on the west coast, including Alaska. Fallers/Fellers are known as "Cutters". When I showed up to my last job. The first night in camp during dinner. I was a strange face in the mess hall. Many of the crew came up and introduced themselves and said "you must be the new Cutter." Often after a good day in the strip and on the way back to camp in the crummy. A "Cutter" will say something like. "Had some good cut'n today". ( The slang term Cutters use "cut'n". Not to be confused with the proper english word "cutting"). "Felling Timber" is the proper term for the act of cutting down a tree. "Timber Faller" is the proper title for the person in the profession of Felling Timber. The proper term for a tree blown over by wind and completely uprooted is known as "Wind Fall" but a lot of us "Cutters". Call them "Blow Down". A tree broke off by wind anywhere from the stump up to the top with the root wad STIHL in the ground is known as "Wind Shear."

Us Cutters on the west coast and in Alaska STIHL call them "Power Saws" too. Hope this all makes sense Fellers!

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

 

[lwmibc]

Now wouldn't we all like to hear Bob Newhart having a phone conversation with Andy Griffith on this subject.

 

[Rein]

Thank you all for your thoughtful and sometimes humorous replies! I guess I'm going to have to look into the etymology of the terms, but I have to say, Kodiak had the most logical explanation - ""Felling Timber" is the proper term for the act of cutting down a tree. "Timber Faller" is the proper title for the person in the profession of Felling Timber."

As for me, I've dropped a few trees. ;-)

 

[northmanlogging]

dropping implies breaking. Felling/Falling or tipping, Tipping timber implies it was on purpose...
Fallers Fell timber, Cutters Tip Timber.
Fellers drink Beer and discuss the differences in linguistics.

 

[Sawdust Man]

Fellers drink Beer and discuss the differences in linguistics.

Truth!

 

[Robert K Meyer]

From NWCG Wildland Fire Chain Saws, S-212, Glossary of Terms

7.1. Bucker: See cutter in this section.
7.2. Chain saw operator: See cutter in this section.
7.3. Cutter (or faller, chain saw operator, sawyer, bucker): One who fells, bucks, or limbs trees. A cutter is also the cutting link of the saw chain.
7.4. Faller: A person employed in felling trees.
7.9. Sawyer: See cutter in this section.
10.7. Fell: To cut down trees.

 

[Rein]

dropping implies breaking.

Not in the least! I've dropped hundreds, if not thousands of sails and not one broke! ;-) Dropping has many meanings, and in our context I have always meant that I cut a tree to get it from a standing position to a horizontal position on the ground.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Not in the least! I've dropped hundreds, if not thousands of sails and not one broke! ;-) Dropping has many meanings, and in our context I have always meant that I cut a tree to get it from a standing position to a horizontal position on the ground.

Thousands without one break?! All of them 100% save out?! Impressive! Hard to believe, but impressive! Good on ya!

 

[Westboastfaller]

Years ago, talking about dropping trees, the term was "felling". Those spikes are still called "felling dogs". How, when and why did the action begin to be called "falling"?

(Hope I'm not opening up a can of worms here.) ;-)

This should be in the spelling & grammar sec?
Yeah, you opened a can of worms..lol. A Faller in 2022 should know that calling yourself a " Faller" is bad grammar. My phone will not accept it. I grew up on Vancouver Island. 46 yrs in BC.
(Live back in UK now.)
Every kid new what a Faller did. It was a prideful job. We knew the danger that came with it. People I went to school with, well there Father ended up in a wheelchair. Had to ask my older friend that lived there longer. " He was a Faller and got hit by a tree".
Neighbor "old Mel" he started when powers saws started. Guy showed me the injuries in the '80s. when I was 17yr. 6 different times he was cut. His arm was crippled . Arm was hanging off..helped out of the bush..leg hanging off.
Foot long scar across the stomach. That's a Faller in the day. That was a bit of a turn off. Anyway, the title..Faller would go back, I bet 1890s?

Funny you say this as I am 20 yrs younger than you.
It's very reagenal. The first time I heard ”feller” (feller buncher) was in the '80s.
In 1997 forestry/mill workers were all displaced and were aloud 7 grand in courses +20,000 and the head teacher told the head Faller that "you are a feller, not a Faller. To be a Faller would suggest you fall down" to my surprise, he took the lesson. Well had he if it was two guys? I think not.

Good thread and lots to add yet.

 

[northmanlogging]

Not in the least! I've dropped hundreds, if not thousands of sails and not one broke! ;-) Dropping has many meanings, and in our context I have always meant that I cut a tree to get it from a standing position to a horizontal position on the ground.

kool, try it with timber that regularly gets over 150' tall with dozens of stumps to miss (often trees over 200' tall)

i fell 1000's of alder reprod, never had one break, doesnt mean i can fall real timber

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Pretty sure it's an American thing.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Pretty sure it's an American thing.

Wha do you guys title a "Cutter/Sawyer/Faller/Feller/Hacker/Tipper/Chopper/Whacker/Dropper/Clown Who Cutts Trees" as in New Zealand? Hope its something different than the mentioned above. I'd be nice to have another title added on to the list of job title's that all refer to the same exact profession!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

This should be in the spelling & grammar sec?
Yeah, you opened a can of worms..lol. A Faller in 2022 should know that calling yourself a " Faller" is bad grammar. My phone will not accept it. I grew up on Vancouver Island. 46 yrs in BC.
(Live back in UK now.)
Every kid new what a Faller did. It was a prideful job. We knew the danger that came with it. People I went to school with, well there Father ended up in a wheelchair. Had to ask my older friend that lived there longer. " He was a Faller and got hit by a tree".
Neighbor "old Mel" he started when powers saws started. Guy showed me the injuries in the '80s. when I was 17yr. 6 different times he was cut. His arm was crippled . Arm was hanging off..helped out of the bush..leg hanging off.
Foot long scar across the stomach. That's a Faller in the day. That was a bit of a turn off. Anyway, the title..Faller would go back, I bet 1890s?

Funny you say this as I am 20 yrs younger than you.
It's very reagenal. The first time I heard ”feller” (feller buncher) was in the '80s.
In 1997 forestry/mill workers were all displaced and were aloud 7 grand in courses +20,000 and the head teacher told the head Faller that "you are a feller, not a Faller. To be a Faller would suggest you fall down" to my surprise, he took the lesson. Well had he if it was two guys? I think not.

Good thread and lots to add yet.

Yes! Very dangerous! Hundreds killed every year Felling timber! That's one of the reasons it's one of the top ten most dangerous jobs around the world! Maybe the whole town even!

There is a spelling and grammar section?!

 

[Jethro 2t sniffer]

Wha do you guys title a "Cutter/Sawyer/Faller/Feller/Hacker/Tipper/Chopper/Whacker/Dropper/Clown Who Cutts Trees" as in New Zealand? Hope its something different than the mentioned above. I'd be nice to have another title added on to the list of job title's that all refer to the same exact profession!

Well I'm not a loggers a$$hole but presumably a "feller". I'll have to find out what their nickname is curious now

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Well I'm not a loggers a$$hole but presumably a "feller". I'll have to find out what their nickname is curious now

Easy bud! I'm just taking the piss out of ya! No need for name calling! Besides I'm not a logger either. I don't log the timber. Loggers do that. I fell the timber!