I could have used a little more bar...

[Patrick62]

Jack found another tree.
I managed to get it on the ground this morning.

Not much green left on it, and a deceiving leaner. I went back in there and dropped two smaller trees to make room for this monster.
Notched the thing really wide, and did the back cut. It stood there and laughed at me. A couple wedges, and it went on over.
I actually could have dropped it into the field to the right!!! just did not fit into my perception of possibilities!
30 inch bar, half skip on a 066
I could have used another 6 inches of bar.

 

[cookies]

After you cut the notch did you plunge cut through the center of the notch cutting the center where your bar would not reach when making the fell cut from the back?

 

[Patrick62]

No, I just worked it from both sides. I ended up pretty close to my notch, and it was still standing there!
Jeez... this is getting hairy. I went for the wedges, and put it on the ground.

 

[cookies]

I find nothing makes me not shlt right for a week like notching and back cutting 1/2" from the hinge but the tree does not fall or the damn wind randomly kicks up. I now use wedges every time, no exceptions and have a extras. As soon as I get to the 1/4 mark on the back cut I stop the saw, drive 2-3 wedges in, take a few breaths, watch the other trees and clouds for wind gusts, recheck my exits etc. I wouldn't shlt for a month if the tree sat back pinching my bar..

 

[Patrick62]

I wouldn't shlt for a month if the tree sat back pinching my bar..

Been there, done that.
Never go out without a backup saw. I have had to "back fell" several trees that I mis judged enough that the saw is pinched.
If things really get dicey... then the smart thing to do is to remove the powerhead incase things don't go as planned.
THen... move up a foot, and notch and fell it the right way this time...

 

[michpatriot]

I can totally relate, I recently picked up a jack and it now goes to every job...and my slingshot, and throwline and my bull rope, if I'm near buildings..most times they just go along for the ride..but the saw runs so much better when they are onsite.

 

[Woodslasher]

Someone on here has a sig that says, "I wish I had a shorter bar" -nobody. As for sketchy trees, I watched my brother have a leaner pine he was falling (that I declined to touch) fall sideways on him. Not towards the face cut, not towards the back cut, but along the holding wood. Fortunately it missed him, but that was still interesting.

 

[Skeans]

How deep was the face put in a 1/3 of the way? Looks like you nipped the center of the hinge anyways if you know the lean like that one find center of mass for your face it makes for a lot less beating in the long haul.


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[savageactor7]

Defiant trees are a real hair raising work out. Back in the bi-centennial when I first started wood cutting I started keeping an extra bar and chain as insurance.

 

[Patrick62]

I can guarantee that I screwed up the notch, and back cut.
First, it wasn't quite level... As for a third of the tree, I got that pretty close. the back wasn't terrible, but I did go too far expecting it to start falling over. Instead it just stood there and stared at me! I checked and I had plenty of back cut. The damn thing is balanced!!!! Damn it. Fetch some wedges.
Stacked a pair of them up, and just a few hits... it snapped some, and started to move.

It's on the ground. nothing got damaged, nobody got hurt.

I analyzed my stump, and will try harder to get it better the next time I drop a big one, but I am not used to doing that with a 30 inch bar...
I just might buy a 32" just because Jack said "wait until you see the next one".... However, I might have to go to full skip chain.
the 066 was struggling with half skip on the 30"....

 

[Skeans]

I can guarantee that I screwed up the notch, and back cut.
First, it wasn't quite level... As for a third of the tree, I got that pretty close. the back wasn't terrible, but I did go too far expecting it to start falling over. Instead it just stood there and stared at me! I checked and I had plenty of back cut. The damn thing is balanced!!!! Damn it. Fetch some wedges.
Stacked a pair of them up, and just a few hits... it snapped some, and started to move.

It's on the ground. nothing got damaged, nobody got hurt.

I analyzed my stump, and will try harder to get it better the next time I drop a big one, but I am not used to doing that with a 30 inch bar...
I just might buy a 32" just because Jack said "wait until you see the next one".... However, I might have to go to full skip chain.
the 066 was struggling with half skip on the 30"....

You shouldn’t need full skip on a 32 when I’m falling timber all the time I run 32’s and 36’s with with comp sometimes semi skip. When falling in normally around 1/3 to 1/2 way deep to help with wedging if I need to and what the tree looks like.


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[Maintenance supervisor]

I can guarantee that I screwed up the notch, and back cut.
First, it wasn't quite level... As for a third of the tree, I got that pretty close. the back wasn't terrible, but I did go too far expecting it to start falling over. Instead it just stood there and stared at me! I checked and I had plenty of back cut. The damn thing is balanced!!!! Damn it. Fetch some wedges.
Stacked a pair of them up, and just a few hits... it snapped some, and started to move.

It's on the ground. nothing got damaged, nobody got hurt.

I analyzed my stump, and will try harder to get it better the next time I drop a big one, but I am not used to doing that with a 30 inch bar...
I just might buy a 32" just because Jack said "wait until you see the next one".... However, I might have to go to full skip chain.
the 066 was struggling with half skip on the 30"....

I run a 34" full comp chisel on my 066 , your saw should not have a problem running it, something is wrong if it does, especially in pine. Check your oiler.

 

[esshup]

Running a 32" bar on my Dolmar 7900 I didn't see any change in cutting speed when using semi-chisel skip or non skip chain. We have sandy soil and sand gets everywhere on the trees, wither wind or squirrels I guess. The non-skip chain lasts longer between sharpenings for me.

 

[Woodslasher]

I can guarantee that I screwed up the notch, and back cut.
First, it wasn't quite level... As for a third of the tree, I got that pretty close. the back wasn't terrible, but I did go too far expecting it to start falling over. Instead it just stood there and stared at me! I checked and I had plenty of back cut. The damn thing is balanced!!!! Damn it. Fetch some wedges.
Stacked a pair of them up, and just a few hits... it snapped some, and started to move.

It's on the ground. nothing got damaged, nobody got hurt.

I analyzed my stump, and will try harder to get it better the next time I drop a big one, but I am not used to doing that with a 30 inch bar...
I just might buy a 32" just because Jack said "wait until you see the next one".... However, I might have to go to full skip chain.
the 066 was struggling with half skip on the 30"....

As others have said, that doesn't sound right. My dad's 372 does ok with full skip on a 32, so an 066 should be friggin' awesome with semi-skip on a 30. I'd do a compression test and go from there.

 

[Patrick62]

Compression is "ok"
Problem is that I am at 8000 feet elevation.
subtract almost 25% from whatever you believe a 066 should be doing.
It would pull the half skip chain on the 30" buried. With a light touch...
Hang a longer bar on the beast, and I will go to full skip.

 

[unclemoustache]

I nearly always have a tag line on the tree unless it doesn't matter where it falls or I know for certain it's going to go in the right direction.

Had a few pucker factors even with the rope on it, but all has gone well so far. Come to think of it, I still have to drop some stems from a locust tree - one of them leaning heavily toward the neighbor's fence. I rented a lift and took the top off already. The rope is already attached and waiting.....