Leaning Tree

[ropensaddle]

I use wire core myself but there is tons of controversy over how good it really is. I would like to believe it improves your chances some, but I wouldnt say its as important as having two tie ins. If you have plenty of money to spend on gear then hell ya get one. If your limited then I would suggest buying two non wire core lanyards if your gonna be piecing out a trunk. I prefer a climb line as back up but double flip line is sometimes faster to just get the work done.

Wire core test <--- see video

I use the wire core but its adjuster stinks imo.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

Pretty cool video. I liked the videos of the chainsaw tests on boots and pants, too. I've never come close to cutting anything but tree with the saw flat out. Though, years ago I did nick a steel toed boot once. It was after the cut and the chain was coasting to a stop and it touched the boot. Thank God I have always worn steel toed boots. Anyway, that's where I think wire core is the most useful - after the cut when your pulling the saw out of the way and it's not fully stopped. I'm a belt and suspenders type - keep my climbing line and a 2&1 lanyard rigged as much as possible. Still think wire core is a good recommendation.

 

[BC WetCoast]

If you can build in 30 inches of room between the hinge and the backside, and the tree is 75 feet tall, you have a 30 segment tree, which should allow you to handle something more than 10 feet of backlean. 10 feet would need around 4 1/2 inches of wedging, so you will get tired of swinging your hammer, but it can be done if the tree has strong hinge wood. Take a look Here.

Of course, with a power line figured in you have to do a super-safety assessment, but you know that. Good luck!

I looked at your website and the pics on the right hand side. You left a tree with a undercut and a partial backcut OVERNIGHT???????? I hope you had it fenced off with a security guard.

 

[ropensaddle]

I looked at your website and the pics on the right hand side. You left a tree with a undercut and a partial backcut OVERNIGHT???????? I hope you had it fenced off with a security guard.

Yeah I was thinking that and my gosh I would have had that down in 15 minutes

 

[Tree Pig]

I looked at your website and the pics on the right hand side. You left a tree with a undercut and a partial backcut OVERNIGHT???????? I hope you had it fenced off with a security guard.

Yeah I was thinking that and my gosh I would have had that down in 15 minutes

Holy crap even if you had to climb it, you could climb, limb it out, get down and drop in less time then cutting them damn wedges took.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

I looked at your website and the pics on the right hand side. You left a tree with a undercut and a partial backcut OVERNIGHT???????? I hope you had it fenced off with a security guard.

:agree2::agree2::censored: :agree2:

 

[Garden Of Eden]

Ok, here are pics from one of the trees, they're all down safely, with 0 property damage. Yay! I took a couple days climbing and stuff to get a real good feel for it. I gotta say after a while it's not too bad. Stihl, I get what you're saying about the leg shake thing. I have no idea why it happened, I wasn't that high, or anything, just started wobbling. lol

I've a couple questions about this. All my stumps look almost identical, however, one of them has like 2 really long splinters on the butt of the tree. why did that happen? Also, do these look ok, or what can I do differently?

Thanks guys,

Jeff

 

[outofmytree]

Congrats on the safe finish. Everyone has to start somewhere and despite that I would always recommend training first, at least you took the time to ask some intelligent questions and then went nice and slow.

Welcome to the "I got sawdust in my undies" club.

 

[ropensaddle]

Ok, here are pics from one of the trees, they're all down safely, with 0 property damage. Yay! I took a couple days climbing and stuff to get a real good feel for it. I gotta say after a while it's not too bad. Stihl, I get what you're saying about the leg shake thing. I have no idea why it happened, I wasn't that high, or anything, just started wobbling. lol

I've a couple questions about this. All my stumps look almost identical, however, one of them has like 2 really long splinters on the butt of the tree. why did that happen? Also, do these look ok, or what can I do differently?

Thanks guys,

Jeff

I have climbed many thousands of trees and occasionally on removals wearing gaffs mine still shake really don't know the cause though. The stump in your pic is fine good depth, good level cuts but the hinge is not real straight, indicating the use of a saw too small to cut all the way across the tree.

 

[Garden Of Eden]

That's correct about the length of the saw. The smallest diameter base tree was 49.5". Largest 58ish. I couldn't get all the way in 1 shot. I "scored a line all the way around side to side of my face cut. So I could tell if it was gonna be straight or not. That way I could adjust before cutting the tree. Make sense? Since I knew it was bigger than the bar I wanted it level. Is there a better way? Also, how could I make my hinge straighter? Just better aim? Thanks.

 

[Tree Pig]

Stihl, I get what you're saying about the leg shake thing. I have no idea why it happened, I wasn't that high, or anything, just started wobbling. lol

Jeff

Its your body over producing adrenaline, just like after shooting a nice buck or whatever. I still get it at times but its not overpowering like it use to be.

Nice job by the way, keep safe

 

[True Blue Sam]

Way to go!

Ok, here are pics from one of the trees, they're all down safely, with 0 property damage. Yay! I took a couple days climbing and stuff to get a real good feel for it. I gotta say after a while it's not too bad. Stihl, I get what you're saying about the leg shake thing. I have no idea why it happened, I wasn't that high, or anything, just started wobbling. lol

I've a couple questions about this. All my stumps look almost identical, however, one of them has like 2 really long splinters on the butt of the tree. why did that happen? Also, do these look ok, or what can I do differently?

Thanks guys,

Jeff

You get splinters and wood pulled when the hinge is a bit thicker than optimum, or when the face closes on a narrow front opening. It's not a problem for tree removal work, and a thick hinge keeps your tree standing securely while you work. Too thick, and you will work harder wedging to the tipping point. Splinter and wood pull is bad if you are cutting grade or better logs, but since you are not doing that, don't worry about it now. Straight cuts on the front and back of the hinge are not difficult to master. Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EdOL3mWsZg Using your dogs to anchor the saw will really help you.

A wide face angle on the front will keep some trees glued to the stump all the way to the ground like this cottonwood:View attachment 104565

Others, like this black oak are a bit more brittle, and will break loose every time. The guy with the chainsaw in this photo had the natural ability to punch through on a straight line in one try, and make a perfect hinge every time. View attachment 104566


If you can do that, it's great, but be careful until you have the skill level, or you can blow out your hinge. View attachment 104568 IF you do this on the heavy side of the tre, you are probably OK, and can support it with a wedge. If you do this on the tensioned side, you have some major regrouping to do.

You did a great job getting those trees on the ground, and you have really bumped up your knowledge level. Keep up the good work!

The attachments don't seem to be working. Go Here to see the three photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/davidn.23skidoo/StumpPhotosEtc#

 

[Garden Of Eden]

You get splinters and wood pulled when the hinge is a bit thicker than optimum, or when the face closes on a narrow front opening. It's not a problem for tree removal work, and a thick hinge keeps your tree standing securely while you work. Too thick, and you will work harder wedging to the tipping point. Splinter and wood pull is bad if you are cutting grade or better logs, but since you are not doing that, don't worry about it now. Straight cuts on the front and back of the hinge are not difficult to master. Go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EdOL3mWsZg Using your dogs to anchor the saw will really help you.

A wide face angle on the front will keep some trees glued to the stump all the way to the ground like this cottonwood:View attachment 104565

Others, like this black oak are a bit more brittle, and will break loose every time. The guy with the chainsaw in this photo had the natural ability to punch through on a straight line in one try, and make a perfect hinge every time. View attachment 104566


If you can do that, it's great, but be careful until you have the skill level, or you can blow out your hinge. View attachment 104568 IF you do this on the heavy side of the tre, you are probably OK, and can support it with a wedge. If you do this on the tensioned side, you have some major regrouping to do.

You did a great job getting those trees on the ground, and you have really bumped up your knowledge level. Keep up the good work!

The attachments don't seem to be working. Go Here to see the three photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/davidn.23skidoo/StumpPhotosEtc#

I actually have a lot of customers who want to board out the logs. This guy wanted 22 foot logs. I just was curious why that happened like that. Now I know. I did one today with what I thought to be a real narrow hinge, but it broke real clean.

Also, I see a lot of guys use rope come-alongs. Normally if I can I anchor it to the one side and pull opposite of that so the tree doesn't fall on me, but on my face cut which is between the anchor direction and the pull direction. But I hesitate to pull a tree if I don't have to. Is that smart?

 

[True Blue Sam]

Pulling

As Ropensaddle pointed out, pulling can save hard wedging work. The guys with experience with winches, etc., need to weigh in here. I am a wedge pounder.

 

[ropensaddle]

Yup I use this on my bucket no wedges for me You are doing fine though now gets you a big saw and bar so you can cut all the way through! Yes I always kerf a line to know where I want my back cut too but with a bar that goes through or at least mostly through makes having a good clean hinge easier and straighter but you did well:clap

 

[BC WetCoast]

The next thing to learn if you are cutting for maximum grade is the Humbolt cut, where the wedge of the face cut comes out of the stump rather than the butt log.

 

[outofmytree]

GoE I always put a rope on a stick that I have ANY doubts about. If you pass it around the trunk and push it up with a rake or lean a ladder aginst the tree and push it up from there you will get all the leverage you need for most modest sticks. Down the track your "eye" will improve and you will need to use rope less and less but for the moment, the 5 minutes it takes to put that rope on could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in property damage.

Once again, kudos to you for asking questions. This will be the cheapest education you have ever had.

 

[SINGLE-JACK]

Humbolt cut

The next thing to learn if you are cutting for maximum grade is the Humbolt cut, where the wedge of the face cut comes out of the stump rather than the butt log.

A "fairly" good general reference for the humbolt cut:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/felling/cuts/humbolt_top_cuts.html

Plus a "clarification":

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/sections/directives/log_backcuts_cpl2122.html

A broader reference for the other cuts:

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/felling/cuts/notches.html