Felling Trees

[mswabbie]

I want to harvest some mature pecan trees to make room to plant more. They average 24" in diameter chest high. I want to fell them and take them to the local sawmill. I have two questions. #1. What is the best way to make the felling cuts to maximize the length of the sawlog, and avoid splitting. #2. How long can I let them they lay on the ground before I take them to the sawmill.
Thanks for your help.

 

[geofore]

local sawmill

Why don't you call the local sawmill owner and ask? He'd be the one that would know what works best for his mill and what he prefers to handle. If you don't know yet which mill is going to take the trees call a couple of the local mills and ask. While you're at it ask about prices they pay for the wood you have. Of the three handiest mills to me one likes 10'6"'-12'8" but only cuts 10'-12', one will not do anything over 16' but wants the logs over 8'8" but not over 17'4" and one doesn't want any residential wood but will take up to 24'8" and cuts to 24' lengths. So call the guy you're going to sell to to ask what he wants, he'll be the best judge of what works for his mill. Then there is the pallet factory that takes about anything over 4'6" but I don't deal with them because it's easier to get rid of firewood at the price he offers.

 

[mswabbie]

I have been to the mill, know what lengths he prefers and what he will pay. My real question was, how do I make my felling cuts so that I will have a nice flat area, is the Humbolt the most commonly used felling cut, and how long can I allow the logs to lay on the ground.
Thanks

 

[geofore]

flat ends?

The felling cut is up to you, what are you comfortable with? You can always cut the ends to pretty them after you fall the tree, some mills want the logs long because they cut the ends at the mill, others not. Sounds like you want to save as much good wood as you can but go with what you're comfortable with. Humbolt? I'd say that works but have you read Murph's artical on felling cuts? He might disagree with me. It's up to you, the guy felling the trees to make that call.

 

[MasterBlaster]

WHUT is THIS?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Brian's gonna complain!!!

Nah, he ain't!

 

[mswabbie]

Where would I find Murphs article.

 

[glens]

You do not want to leave those logs lay on the ground very long at all.  Hickory are some of the quickest to become dirt again.

I'm not going to address the cutting question since to me it amounts to a person sitting on the side of the road holding their thumb in the air.  If they were walking and turned to stick their thumb up as I approached I'd stop nearly every time.  The Internet has got a great deal to say on tree felling, as well this site.  All you have to do is search it out a little.

Glen

 

[geofore]

Glens

It's still going to come down to what he is comfortable with on the felling cut. I should have put some smilies in when I mentioned Murph's article I emailed my thoughts on how long to leave them lay. Around here during hunting season if you leave them lay a week or two some yahoo will be in there with a chainsaw making firewood out of them, thinking he discovered a cache of free wood for the taking. He'd leave the tops, too much work, and go strait for the logs, easy pickings.

 

[mswabbie]

I did my first Humbolt notch yesterday and I have some questions. What is the best way to cut the angle cut, I came from the ground direction and cut up to the horizontal cut. That was tough. Would it be better to plunge at the horizontal cut and cut down. How many loggers fell trees without using any notch.

 

[Newfie]

A 24" DBH tree w/o a notch? Not a smart thing. I would go back to using a conventional notch if you are that uncomfortable using the humboldt. I'm not a believer in a humboldt saving more log than a conventional notch. The way I see it they both use up the same amount of wood on the log.

 

[056kid]

notch

One of my favorite notches is a hinge notch. It consists of a notch cut from the log at the stump. The notch is cut almost vretical, this saves almost all of the log if done right. I always make the felling cut by plunging about 1,5 inches from the notch and cutting out of the tree. I then stop the cut about 2 inches from the outside of the tree and cut into that. I have never split a log this way. Good luck

 

[Erick]

mswabbie,

I always cut my angle cut first on a humbolt and then cut the horizontal back to the angle to get my notch. Its easier to judge a straight line then to try to guess on an angle. Felling a tree without a notch none for me thanks I'll pass.