Falling wedges. What's good, what's not, and why?

[nw axe man]

Any links to photos of wedges used back in hand felling days ?

Look at usuall places but may have missed something.




..not biting

Ifhn, Here's some of my fathers steel that he used to use when falling. He never did any "handfalling" using an axe to chop the undercuts out. Back when he used these wedges he was using a two man saw, usually a Mac or Diston or Mercury. I have some of them hanging in my shop. As you can see by the one pic, they used to use plates to drive the steel between to lift the tree. The pics of the wedges leaning up against the axe are two different kinds. The wider ones were used for bucking wedges and the narrower ones used for falling. They were driven usually by a 12lb double jack or sledge hammer. In the last pic you can see a pic of the first aluminum wedges. They would fall apart pretty easily. However, the object of using them was the weight factor. When falling back in those days they used to work in "sets". This means that one guy would handle the falling chores and one or two guys would buck. When wedging over trees, they would usually wedge in sets also. One would take a swing at the wedges and the other would swing after him. I have on super 8 movie film my father and his brother doing this on a big fir. I've got to get my butt in gear and get those into DVD format. It took me two trips to the woodshed just to pack the few wedges you see here. When they used them in the woods they packed them in gunny sacks. I can remember going out with my dad with that sack hung over his shoulder. They would pack their saws first, then the gas and oil, then they'd go back for the wedges and sledgehammers.
Now, compare that to what we use today. Huge difference, huh?
I also put in a pic of a hand falling axe with a "bent" handle. This was done by hanging the wedges from the end of the axe handle every nite till the desired bend was acquired on the handle. The bend was given so when they cut out the undercuts, they wouldn't bark their knuckles on the tree. Just thought you might be interested in that little fact.

 

[Gologit]

Thanks for posting those pictures. That's what we were using when I first started...big heavy metal wedges packed in a gunny sack. My first year I did all the packing. That really brings back some memories...some good, some not so good.

I have to beg off on the old oil jug though. I remember seeing some hanging in shops but I never used one or saw one used. I'm not that old...

 

[dave k]

That has worn me out just looking at the pics of those wedges ! Nice detail about the bent axe handle thanks for posting them.

 

[nw axe man]

You're welcome, Bob.

Gentleman,
Years ago, when I was falling for a living, the thing that I realized that one of the things that I most loved about working in the woods was the camaraderie experienced by men doing what they do best. In this case falling and bucking timber. I haven't had experienced that since 1992 when I cut one of the last "big" timber sales. At least, not until I found this site.
I respect a man because he's a man. Some men garner more respect than others simply by the way they behave and exhibit what they believe in the way they live their lives. I see that in this site. I read what each one of you writes and see what each one of you likes by checking the like icon. It tells a lot about a man.
I don't know any of you other than what I read here. However, I can see that there are some men on here that I would have more respect for than others.
It's the same way in the woods. Because a man is a man we give him respect.
When there is a man on the crew who is behaving badly or can't keep his mouth shut and shows his foolishness for everyone to see, the best tactic is to pay no attention to him. One of two things is going to happen. Either he is going to start thinking about himself and wondering why he gets no respect or he's going to go somewhere else. It always takes two to tango. If there's only one there's no tango.
Yesterday when I left this site it was on page 12. This morning when I got back on it was up to 19. I thought to myself that there's a whole lot of information being shared here. Not so.
Almost all of the pages were dedicated to responding to a person that needs to get a picture of himself. I was disheartened.
I love bantering back and forth with you guys (and women). Like a lot of you, I'm good at what I do. However, it's different in every part of the world and I do appreciate how someone in Norway or Ireland or New Zealand takes care of a job. I don't know it all but I sure do love to hear how it's done somewhere else.
Maybe we could just let the ignorance slip away and communicate with each other on the things we all love to talk about.
Comments?
Most sincerely,
John

 

[Joe46]

Very well said John, and I couldn't agree more. I worked for a comparatively short time as a faller. To this day I still miss "most' everything that went with it.
I might add the ignore button is our friend.

 

[Gologit]

John, you're right. The best thing about this place is the good people and the exchange of information and experiences. I've learned a lot of things on here that I wouldn't have learned anywhere else.

There's always an ankle biter or a wannabe that tries to throw in with the big boys and impress everybody. In the woods we'd just ignore them or send them off to work by themselves or tie the sack to them.. Your analogy was good...we can do the same thing here.

Everybody has the guy figured out and it doesn't seem to bother him or make him change his ways. That tells me he's probably incapable of changing for the better. Why do we keeping beating our heads against that particular wall? Not much point to it. Somebody on here said that when you let someone anger you you've also let them control you...smart words.


LOL...I'll try to remember those words next time I feel a riggin fit coming on. :msp_wink:

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

For the average wood cutter a few 6" wedges can be a real help when falling and bucking. I find if you use the wedge early enough there is lees chance of the tree setting back. The brand of wedge is lees critical then having the with you in the woods. Mag wedges are rare to see some one use, the do take a pounding better then the plastic type.

 

[bitzer]

Just backed over my oil pan with the machine I just drained it from, havin a rough morning. Needed to cool off a little and holy crap this thread is still crankin!

Very well said John! Great pics too! Thanks for sharing. Hey in the first pic to the right of the picture of the guy hanging his head that says "monday morning," (great pic I might add!) what is the saw that is hanging off of the tongs for? It has two handles and more like waves instead of teeth. I saw one of those hanging up the other day around here and I was trying to figure it out. Something to do with removing bark? Thanks.

If I ever get a day I'll have to scan a bunch of pics I have out of book about logging in WI. Some really great pics of how it was done back then.

 

[Semi-Hex]

I have only a couple of 6" and more of the 8"ers. I tend to use more wedges than most since the wood here is so dense that the trees tend to sit back due to interlocking branches. They just need a little encouragement to start heading over.

 

[r&r]

I've gotten some of those hi vis green wedges recently and they seem to be really slick and pop out of the cut more often then the orange stihl or woodland pro ones I've used. They were cheap but I won't buy those again no reason to add the increased danger of flying wedges into the tree felling equation.

 

[056kid]

how many you got? I'l take them off your hands. .

 

[r&r]

Oh I'm still gonna use 'em just don't like to.

 

[GRTimberCO]

Good post John.

I don't know anywhere around here that has any old growth still standing. Most everything that is commercially logged is cut with some sort of feller buncher, skidded to the landing and limbed and loaded with a knuckleboom. The few years that I was trying to get my logging business off the ground I was cutting everything with a 385xp, limbing with either the 385 or my 455 rancher, skidding and loading with a big John Deere tractor. I can tell you that probably beats the ox and mule days but it still makes for mighty slow production. Like I've told most folks, I was getting killed trying to keep an ag tractor running in the woods, fuel was up to $2.50 and the wood yards were putting us on quotas. Someone asked if I was interested in selling the tractor. I thought a minute and said, "Yes! Yes I am." It took another six months to sell the old International log truck. I sold the saw a year after that and used most of the money to buy a new Beneli shotgun. I guess I've still got some sawdust left in my veins because I still dabble. Lately I cut with a 372xp and sell a few logs every once in a while. I've got a couple thousand feet of red oak bucked and ready to be loaded and sold in the next couple weeks.

A couple weeks ago a logger friend of mine and I just about had a deal worked out for me to fell trees for him in the evenings and on weekends based roughly on the “penny inch” concept that Greenwedge suggested. That got shot out of the saddle when Gilkey Lumber Company went to only buying 3 days a week. Maybe it will recover enough in the fall that I can pick up some regular extra work.

Wedges- Most of our saw logs are in that 20-28" category. I've only cut a handful that went over 3 feet so most of my wedging is insurance against getting pinched. I carry a couple 6 " and a couple 10". I also carry a few different wood ones that are purely sacrificial when I'm not sure if I'm going to get one back or not. I also carry a 2 1/2 pound boy’s axe to drive them because it’s so handy but may see if a heavier one is worth the extra aggravation.

I appreciate the education you give letting the dabblers like me hang around your campfire and drink a beer with you.

 

[T_F_E]

I appreciate the education you give letting the dabblers like me hang around your campfire and drink a beer with you.

Well said you learn more by listenin than you do by talkin. I don't say much but appreciate all the good info.

 

[RandyMac]

Thank you expressing yourself John. I feel pretty much the same way.
I lack tolerance, I would rather pop the sobs under the chin than listen to foolishness.
I have never quite learned to walk away.

I packed Ray's stuff, I knew we were in for it, when the steel wedges appeared.
He had two that seemed to be three feet long, that meant lifting something big
backcut first. Ray thoughtfully provided an 8# hammer. I hauled it too.

 

[nw axe man]

Thank you expressing yourself John. I feel pretty much the same way.
I lack tolerance, I would rather pop the sobs under the chin than listen to foolishness.
I have never quite learned to walk away.

I packed Ray's stuff, I knew we were in for it, when the steel wedges appeared.
He had two that seemed to be three feet long, that meant lifting something big
backcut first. Ray thoughtfully provided an 8# hammer. I hauled it too.

You're welcome, Randy.
You need to get that thing written and done. You keep tantalizing all of us with snippets, getting us all dressed up with no place to go. I think I speak for a lot of guys here regarding your writing.

 

[nw axe man]

I remember the '96 flood. Was working out near Boistfort somewhere and couldn't get across 6 to get back to Centralia, ended up taking the 1000 line over from Doty to the far end of Lincoln Creek. It was flooding there, too, but at least I could get across.

As for axe handles, I have been hanging them so that when the far end of the handle is touching the bench, the head is contacting about 2/3 of the way down. This puts the back of the handle about parallel with the back of the head, which is as it should be. I also prefer the bent "doe's-foot" handles because it puts the weight of the axe a few degrees ahead of the swing when cutting, and a few degrees behind when pounding wedges. I have several, but my favorites are an old Collins 2 1/2# and an old True-Temper 5#, both of which live in my work rig. I like shorter handles most of the time because they're easier to move around with, even though they're more work to use.

As for wedges -- I like the Madsen's cheapies, especially the seconds, mainly on account of the fact that I kill 'em fast and am probably not actually that good with 'em so there's no point in spending the big bucks on nice ones if I'm just gonna destroy 'em anyway. I carry 4", 8", 10", and 12" in the truck, and will load out the wedge pouch as appropriate. I have a couple of the triple-tapers and don't really like 'em -- by the time you get back to the sharper slope, you're not lifting much any more, at least in softwood. I can guess that they might be more useful in hardwoods.

HBRN: chill, man. Serious.

Alright, Nate. You didn't ask about my story about the Strohs axe head so I'm obliged to tell you.
It was during the flood of 96 that was so bad in the PNW. You mentioned that you remembered it.
I had a friend of mine call me from up in the Cispus valley. Said that the Cispus was eating away his land and that there were two nice cedars that were slipping into the drink. He asked if I would come up and get them down onto his property away from the river. They had a fairly good lean over it.
I stuck a draw notch in the first one using a 066 with a 42" bar. Nice cedar about 5 1/2' on the butt. I was using a brand new pair of Madsens cotton gloves and was proceeding to take up the slack by setting up the wedges. I tapped three 12" wedges into the tree before I started putting the beef to good use. The river was about 5' behind me and running hard. Just a little bit spooky.
I reared back the axe to make the first swing with my new shiny Madsens gloves and that axe slipped right through my fingers and went out about 40' into the flooding Cispus River. All I could do was stand there and look at the guy and laugh. He went to his shop and got a splitting maul that I used to wedge both trees over. That was when I found out that I really like having an axe that is designed for wedging use.
Later on that summer he called me up and wanted to come see me. When he came down he handed me that axe. I never thought I'd see it again. He had spotted it in the river when it went down, rigged up a "gig" pole, to use a term I didn't know about until this thread, stuck a piece of 9 wire on it and retrieved it. I still have it and use it with the same handle.

 

[Sport Faller]

Alright, Nate. You didn't ask about my story about the Strohs axe head so I'm obliged to tell you.
It was during the flood of 96 that was so bad in the PNW. You mentioned that you remembered it.
I had a friend of mine call me from up in the Cispus valley. Said that the Cispus was eating away his land and that there were two nice cedars that were slipping into the drink. He asked if I would come up and get them down onto his property away from the river. They had a fairly good lean over it.
I stuck a draw notch in the first one using a 066 with a 42" bar. Nice cedar about 5 1/2' on the butt. I was using a brand new pair of Madsens cotton gloves and was proceeding to take up the slack by setting up the wedges. I tapped three 12" wedges into the tree before I started putting the beef to good use. The river was about 5' behind me and running hard. Just a little bit spooky.
I reared back the axe to make the first swing with my new shiny Madsens gloves and that axe slipped right through my fingers and went out about 40' into the flooding Cispus River. All I could do was stand there and look at the guy and laugh. He went to his shop and got a splitting maul that I used to wedge both trees over. That was when I found out that I really like having an axe that is designed for wedging use.
Later on that summer he called me up and wanted to come see me. When he came down he handed me that axe. I never thought I'd see it again. He had spotted it in the river when it went down, rigged up a "gig" pole, to use a term I didn't know about until this thread, stuck a piece of 9 wire on it and retrieved it. I still have it and use it with the same handle.

nice, I bet the head wasn't too loose after sitting in the river for a couple months

 

[madhatte]

Alright, Nate. You didn't ask about my story about the Strohs axe head so I'm obliged to tell you.

That right there is a good tale of good fortune. I approve!

 

[Rounder]

Switched to this setup this year, got tired of stuffing my beater in the back of my belt. A pain in the butt, literally.

View attachment 189077

This is much better. The harness and scabbard came from a little company over in Smelterville, Id. They make a lot of nice stuff for fallers.

That is the famous tape nail that Cody likes to speak of on the end of the tape. Works good.

I'm not too picky about wedge brand. Don't really need anything over ten inches around here. Like I said before, I really like the 7.5" Stihl wedges when a tree spits a wedge. They can really go where no other wedge can.

The axe has a 3 pound head, which suits me just fine

A little off topic (not that it probably matters here, lol), but I bought myself a new pair of Viberg Calks after work today. I wish everything was made as well as those boots.

Take care - Sam