Newbie wedge question

[Gologit]

Well...I know I'm not the best...But when the best of the best all get together and need to know something...They call me

:hmm3grin2orange: And what do you tell them? "Wedges??!! We don't need no stinking wedges!!! Just tie all your bootlaces together and have the heaviest guy on the crew (and the fastest runner) pull that side-leaning SOB right on over. Be sure to get the bootlaces back when you're done...otherwise your corks'll come off and stay stuck in the tree"

 

[GASoline71]

Another beaut' of a pearl of wisdom from Bob...:hmm3grin2orange: :biggrinbounce2: :hmm3grin2orange: :biggrinbounce2:

Gary

 

[04ultra]

Well...I know I'm not the best...But when the best of the best all get together and need to know something...They call me

And we sure know what they call you..................:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:



.

 

[sperho]

Less filling! :monkey:

 

[ChuckinOhio]

Try another approach, no-one is right all the time, not even Andy.......:deadhorse: :deadhorse:

AND TROLL HAS GOT THE SPECS TO PROVE IT!:taped:


Chuck

 

[Timberhauler]

And we sure know what they call you..................:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:



.

And I really don't give a rats ass what you think.

:hmm3grin2orange: And what do you tell them? "Wedges??!! We don't need no stinking wedges!!! Just tie all your bootlaces together and have the heaviest guy on the crew (and the fastest runner) pull that side-leaning SOB right on over. Be sure to get the bootlaces back when you're done...otherwise your corks'll come off and stay stuck in the tree"

OK,it was funny the first time,but I've now had enough...I suggested using a BULL ROPE placed in the very top of the tree..Placed there by either a throwline or a climber..Then pulled with either a dump truck,new holland,or the CAT257 rubber track skid steer loader...How do you plan on getting more leverage than that from the BOTTOM OF THE TREE????......In cases where I cannot get a machine to pull with..I have tied off the top of the tree and used a wegde at the same time..I do this every single day and it has yet to fail..I know wedges have their place...I don't recall anything about using a boot lace or shoe string,or whatever the hell else,then pulling with a riding lawnmower,OR ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN A TRUCK OR SKID LOADER.As a business owner it is up to me to do things as safely as possible..

 

[Timberhauler]

Bull ropes have a time and place. I use one from time to time , but always back it up with wedges. What do you do when your pull line breaks?

The Samson stable braid rope has a 20,400 pound breaking strength...It ain't gonna break,and if it is a really big tree that need a hard pull,then I will set two bull ropes in it.

 

[clearance]

The Samson stable braid rope has a 20,400 pound breaking strength...It ain't gonna break,and if it is a really big tree that need a hard pull,then I will set two bull ropes in it.

You have been put in your place, by pros and amatuers alike, give up.:deadhorse:

 

[Tzed250]

I have used a rope plenty of times. It gives you a warm fuzzy feeling in your belly to know that if the holding wood in the tree you are working on gives it up that the $375,000 dollar house that is 30 feet away won't become an insurance adjusters next project. A rope in the woods, prolly a waste of time. As a safety device next to valuable property, it has a place.

 

[SawTroll]

..... A rope in the woods, prolly a waste of time. As a safety device next to valuable property, it has a place.

100% true, imo.....

 

[Husky137]

The Samson stable braid rope has a 20,400 pound breaking strength...It ain't gonna break,and if it is a really big tree that need a hard pull,then I will set two bull ropes in it.

Every line breaks, sometime,eventually.

 

[joatmon]

I have used a rope plenty of times. It gives you a warm fuzzy feeling in your belly to know that if the holding wood in the tree you are working on gives it up that the $375,000 dollar house that is 30 feet away won't become an insurance adjusters next project. A rope in the woods, prolly a waste of time. As a safety device next to valuable property, it has a place.

OK. First the disclaimer. I don't know jack about fellin' trees. I've done a few, and watched pros take down a few, but I'm a rank ametuer.

Now, it's very possible I'll ask TH to take down a tree for me someday. I like him, seem's honest, appears to be a family man, and he's provided lots of feedback from his experience.

TH has a method that works. Provided he's shooting straight, he's gotta lotta tress under his boots. Everyone has a slightly different method, and that's OK.

But, to suggest wedges are all that's needed in most cases while a rope is necessary for only a few, well consider this. I like the fact that he uses the same technique all the time. No thinkin' or debatin', just here's how we do it, let's get it done. Kinda like wearin' a seat belt. Well, I don't need it to just run a block to the store, but I needd it for the vacation trip. No, he does it one, safe way, and it becomes a habit. A safe habit is your friend.

Please consider this. Saving a $375k home makes sense. But, if you own a 50' trailer that's 20 years old, it is still a mans/womans castle and deserves the same care, caution and respect shown to a larger home.

Based on TH comments here, he can take out MY trees near MY castle.

TH, and TC, I'll drink a toast to you tonight.

Oh, I do realize that TH is big enough to take care of himself.

 

[John Ellison]

I believe the original poster was talking about falling trees in the woods. It does not matter how good you are with a saw or if you are the swinging Dutchman himself, some trees need some encouragment to go where you want. That means wedges, heavy equipment, ropes and or jacks. Wedges are the only thing a faller can easily carry on himself that is effective. A lot of wedging can be a sign of inexperience, but thats ok, we all have to go thru that learning process. There is only so much you can absorb thru books, AS, talking and watching. I think it is best to learn the basics in the woods with just wedges and no pull ropes. Then you will know just what a hinge can and cannot do.
Near a house, I would nearly always set a pull line unless it is a very easy slam dunk. I believe a properly set pull line/s is the most sure fire and stress free way to fell a tree in a must do situation.But,having wedges right there at every tree should be a no brainer. Think of all those sayings like Murphys Law, or Dont put all your eggs in one basket. The pull rope is just part of it, there is also the winch, rope come a long or whatever and also whoever is operating it. There are all kinds of links. If any things fails, a wedge could be the most valuable piece of equipment you have ever owned.
As a matter of fact, a wedge is the only thing in the woods that I can think of offhand that I have never seen fail. Who has'nt seen anything with moving parts fail, or the bozo thats operating it. A hinge will fail, but a wedge? No.

 

[begleytree]

differences between arbos and loggers

you guys are argueing about different methods for different situations.
don't know of any loggers who can climb, or throw a rope worth a crap, so they use wedges. their only target is the ground usually.
ropes have their place, and work much better than wedges in their application. sure, a wedge will induce lean in a general direction while a rope will pull a tree in an exact location.
as an arborist, I have wedges, but usually little use for them unless I'm flushing a stump due to tight quarters, and blocking down stubs.
jacks? honestly no need. ever. ropes and wedges are enough for the size stuff I cut here.

if you only use wedges, you are half assing it as much as a guy with only ropes. a wedge won't work on every tree in the arb world. we get the dead nasty stuff no one else will touch.
like TH, I too set ropes for loggers working edges along powerlines. they have enough sense to know when a wedge is done and its time for some leverage up high.
lots of differences between big timber in the woods and big nasty stuff beside your house.
all of this is provided, of course, you do your job making the right cuts to begin with.

from now on, no more felling discussions in chainsaw.
put them where they go. if you're an arb working next to a house, then CTC&C is your place, loggers and firewood droppers with no targets, use forestry and logging.
too many chances of someone getting the wrong idea when 2 or 3 different types of work all start argueing over methods. we all have ours that work where we work. chancing a fall along a house with wedges is as absurd as climbing and roping every tree while in the logging woods.
-Ralph

 

[SawTroll]

...you guys are argueing about different methods for different situations. ...

Not me and Tzed250.......:biggrinbounce2:

.... A rope in the woods, prolly a waste of time. As a safety device next to valuable property, it has a place.

100% true, imo.....

 

[GASoline71]

Me either... I cut mostly in timber... but on the occassion that I am in close proximity to a house or other property that can be damaged... I use a pull line to my winch. Been there done that.

Sooooo... I don't care what you guys think... nanny-nanny-boo-boo!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

Gary

 

[Gologit]

:hmm3grin2orange: Point taken, Ralph. I just flat wouldn't try to fall a tree leaning over my house. I'd call an arborist for that. And I wouldn't care what method he used,either. We had some really nasty cottonwoods taken down a while back that leaned out over my neighbor's walnut orchard. Watching those kids gave me a new appreciation for what arborists do. Damn hard work that was very well done. And compared to having to replace my neighbor's walnut trees if I fell a cottonwood on them it was well worth the price.

 

[SawTroll]

:hmm3grin2orange: Point taken, Ralph. I just flat wouldn't try to fall a tree leaning over my house. I'd call an arborist for that. .... .

I did that at the cottage last year, but used a double strong rope, and a strong man at the end of it - it went streight trough the opening I had made in the fence.
The backcut was secured from closing, by wedges......

 

[begleytree]

OK, edit previous post to read except sawtroll lol

ST, when something has to go one way and cannot for any reason go backwards one bit, we tie off. that is, notch the tree, run a come-along off another tree and cinch it down. making the backcut and watching it lay exactly where I want it is sweet heaven. plus if a guy is pulling, it always happens that when you need him to pull, thats when his feet slip, or he releases to get a better grip, ect. i'm saying eliminate the weak point in the rigging, and thats usually the human involved.

wedges would have to be the same. knock one in and lift that big SOB and tilt it over and watch it follow your notch perfectly right to where you aimed it.

although arbs and loggers use both rope and wedges, I'm sure each could teach the other a few things about their particular piece of kit. although I use wedges, I'd look as green with them to a logger as that same logger would look to me trying to use a rope.
we're all good at what we do (or we'd be dead/maimed by now), we just do different stuff to achieve the same results.
-Ralph

 

[clearance]

Fun

No one has talked about the fun of wedging over trees without a rope, by powerlines or houses. I am not talking about trying stupid stuff, just having some skill and confidence and making it work. I mean falling decent trees that are reliable, like Doug. firs, pines, birches etc, never cottonwoods or maples etc. Using ropes or excavators to fall is cheating, it ain't falling.