Ok guys...give me hell

[hill]

Attempted to cut down my first tree a few weekends ago (a 15" white oak)....didn't go as planned. I figured it was an easy one to start out on. On a hillside, relatively straight....so I figured I'd make her fall down the hill...wrong! I made my notch (about 1/3 into tree) made my back cut about an inch above the notch. Thought I had everthing perfect when the tree rocked back and pinched my bar. After thinking about what in the hell to do, I decided I'd take my bar off my saw cause I didn't want the darn thing to fall on my saw if she decided to go. Long story short I ended up rocking the tree enough by hand that it broke loose and fell up the hill? Anyway, what in the world did I do wrong? Only thing I can think of is that the angle of my notch was too small (less than 45)? I'm scared to death to try again....help me out here. I guess the good news is my saw, bar, chain and myself will all live to try another day!

 

[mtngun]

That can happen if you don't use a wedge.

 

[B_Turner]

Guessing either backcut was too low (below notch) or the tree was leaning more backwards than you thought.

 

[tbuggle]

which way was it leaning to start with? any wind?

 

[Zodiac45]

Hard too say without seeing pix? Was it windy at all? Did the tree lean that way or have heavy branches on that side? So many variables. A small wedge may have helped?

 

[Husky137]

Always have wedges.

A couple of things might have gone wrong.

Most likely you misread the tree's lean because of the hillside. Just because the terrain slopes away doesn't mean that the tree isn't leaning uphill.

Another factor to consider is a strong prevailing wind. A strong wind in a tree your size can be enough to push a tree. Not likely though with out any leaves.

 

[litefoot]

which way was it leaning to start with? any wind?

Yep, the wind. Top loading (were there more limbs, branches on the uphill side). It's harder to determine the lean on a hill. But yes, get a wedge in as soon as you can. And it's not against the law to tie a rope to the tree and have someone pull in the desired direction. Anyway, good honest post. Welcome!

 

[2dogs]

There are many factors that can influence which way a tree falls, some are easy to read and some are difficult to read. Limb weight, wind, defects. Lean can be tough to read on a slope so you may need to use a plumb bob. How you place your cuts into the tree have a major part to play. Tall straight trees need wedges but nearly every tree should have them too.

 

[hill]

answers

Not windy at all...calm day. The tree did have a SLIGHT "elbow" up the hill, which may be the cause, but I certainly didn't think that was enough weight to make it fall up the hill. The back cut was definitely above the notch, I made sure of that part.

 

[cjcocn]

Always have wedges.

A couple of things might have gone wrong.

Most likely you misread the tree's lean because of the hillside. Just because the terrain slopes away doesn't mean that the tree isn't leaning uphill.

Another factor to consider is a strong prevailing wind. A strong wind in a tree your size can be enough to push a tree. Not likely though with out any leaves.

I vote for that option.

Not many hills around here, but even with a gentle slope it can be tricky to figure out the lean of a tree.

 

[greengoblin]

I would venture a guess that the hill starts at the north on rises to the south....In the northern hemisphere, trees tend to lean a bit to the south, even on the hills in my (very limited) experience due to when the sun is the majority of the time. Standing on the hill while evaluating the lean of the tree is very misleading, as you are aslo leaning while not knowing it. I would venture a guess that most "straight" trees lean to the south a bit. But I am usually wrong.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

ya i've been fooled, tree's on slopes are hard to judge if they in fact are str8 up and down or leaning. i try and stay away from them unless they need to absolutely come down or am in desperate need of firewood. glad 2 hear your saw and you made it. dont let it get ya down though get a good set of wedges and practice with them when bucking easier to get the hang of em horizontally at first rather that vertically.

 

[John Ellison]

Get back up on that horse and go.

Probably misread the lean. Or you made a Dutchman in the face, did'nt realize it and then pinched your bar when it sat down on the far side. Are you sure that your face cuts were clean and did not go past the apex? Wedges.
You did good by thinking to remove your power head, just be careful. Remove earplugs and be ready for anything. A length of cord is handy to tie to the handle in this situation in case #### starts happening you can run away and still retrieve your saw. Sometimes.

 

[hill]

wedges

So how's this work exactly....as soon as you bury your bar in the tree enough to fit a wedge you drive it in behind your bar? Sorry if this is a silly question. I do carry a few steel wedges in my "saw bag" but could not drive them in once the pinch already occured. Live and learn...I will try again once I get the nerve up again.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

get yourself a couple of good plastic wedges that way if you drive em in to far and you hit it with your chain it dosen't hurt your chain till you get the hang of it.

 

[greengoblin]

So how's this work exactly....as soon as you bury your bar in the tree enough to fit a wedge you drive it in behind your bar? Sorry if this is a silly question. I do carry a few steel wedges in my "saw bag" but could not drive them in once the pinch already occured. Live and learn...I will try again once I get the nerve up again.

I will give you hell for having steel wedges, get rid of them and get some plastic or wood ones. What do you think will happen when a metal chain hits a metal wedge? Best case is that you lose a few teeth off your chain. If you are unsure about the way a tree will fall, drive them in ASAP. Cut a bit, drive wedges and repeat.

 

[jburlingham]

I would only be guessing without seeing it happen, however it is likely if your back cut was too low that it would fall wrong. A wedge used properly could help, avoid the pinch.
It sounds like your fairly new to cutting, so I will post a link for you.
It is from the Department of labor, but it has helped many a new firefighter prepare for brush fire season.


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

 

[ckthorp]

I do carry a few steel wedges in my "saw bag" but could not drive them in once the pinch already occured.

Get plastic wedges. They're much easier on the saw if you accidentally hit them with the back of the bar or drive them into the cut too deep.

If you cut slowly and watch the cut, you'll be able to see the kerf just start to close. That's when it's time for wedges.

Someone also suggested rope but didn't mention that the rope needs to be attached before you make your first cut. Lots of people have been injured trying to use ladders or climbing to install a rope after the cut goes wrong.

 

[KarlP]

As an amateur who doesn't fell every day, I cut just about anything bigger than 8" with at least one rope tied up in it and have at least one wedge ready. Depending on size/lean of the tree coming down the rope(s) are tied off to other trees or have a person pulling on them. The wedge is in the pocket of my saw chaps. It takes an extra 10 minutes per tree to setup the rope and find the hammer for the wedge, but if you aren't working against the clock making a living its time well spent.

 

[greengoblin]

Get plastic wedges. They're much easier on the saw if you accidentally hit them with the back of the bar or drive them into the cut too deep.

If you cut slowly and watch the cut, you'll be able to see the kerf just start to close. That's when it's time for wedges.

Someone also suggested rope but didn't mention that the rope needs to be attached before you make your first cut. Lots of people have been injured trying to use ladders or climbing to install a rope after the cut goes wrong.

In my opinion, it may be too late to insert a wedge for most when the kerf starts closing....thus I think that they should be inserted ASAP... The sooner the better with me.

Also, with steel wedges, I think losing a chain is the best that could happen with a steel wedge, the worst is the chain hitting the wedge and spitting it out which can be devasting.