Just good practice so that it is there when you need it. Also good when bucking to avoid surprises.
Philbert
Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)
- Thread starter mainewoods
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Philbert
It wasn't a problem until a few people purposely took things way too far so the major sites got blocked out.
I use a wedge for both felling and bucking. Saves a lot of bar pinch. I don't however have any use for an axe or hatchet while cutting. I prefer a sledge hammer for tapping in wedges. Also take along a good sized pry bar which has saved my bacon a time or two.
Not dissing anyone's axe. Lol. This is just what works for me.
Not dissing anyone's axe. Lol. This is just what works for me.
also prefer brightly colored wedges cause the 365 likes to fling them!
I restore plastic wedges after saw contacts and flights:
(Before)
(After)
(These were not my wedges - I just 'cleaned them up' abit).
Philbert
(Before)
(After)
(These were not my wedges - I just 'cleaned them up' abit).
Philbert
What do you use? I recall you telling about fixing them before. I was in a hurry and used a flap wheel on a die grinder in a pinch. It worked on but if you let it get too hot it could melt a little and flow and make a hard black blob. Stinky.
If any doubt, I hook a cable in the tree and winch the direction I want it to fall. More control that way. But to be honest, I dont cut trees around peoples houses and most of what I cut in the woods, I can let fall the way they want to go. I also dont cut trees for a living, if I did, I would probably have a bigger tool box to pull from.
I don't cut for a living either but can tell you that people who do don't rarely hook cables winches or come-alongs o the trees. You can tip a tree quite will with just one wedge. Matter of fact, I can count one hand the number of trees that I've even used a rope on.
I have a small woodworking shop, so I use a fine tooth bandsaw to cut the ends off flush, and a stationary belt/disc sander to round over the mushroomed heads and reshape the bevel. *The trick I leaned (accidentally) is to sand into the wedge for the final bevel! Sanding away leaves a gloppy mess of melted plastic that has to be cut off; sanding into the wedge leaves that nice finish shown in the last photo, above.
If I did not have these tools available, I could still cut off the wedges flush with any fine tooth hand saw (hacksaw, coping saw, Japanese pull saw, etc.), and reshape the bevel with most portable, power sanders (belt, orbital, etc.) with the right sandpaper - I would have to experiment. I have also done this with a sharp block plane, which leaves a very smooth finish, but it takes a little longer.
Philbert
I have roped many trees that are near houses, power lines, roads, etc. Better safe than sorry, you never know what the wind will do, so don't take unnecessary chances when it matters. If you don't have a rope on a tree that gets blown the wrong way, you are F***ed.
Every tree I attached a rope or cable to never fell anywhere except where I intended it to!
You are exactly right. It might take 15 minutes to rig up a tree but would take a lot longer to fix what went wrong if it didn't go where you wanted it to.
Been wanting a limbing saw, but I may just get some chaps and the helmet/faceshield/earmuffs with that money.
Here's mine.
But he's not well at the moment
Moving right along, my blue gum is starting to look a bit less like a deformed spider, a tank or two at a time.
I'm loving those big split free rounds that I can shoehorn into the fire. Just. Or maybe not, I'll find out I guess.
Well, it's slightly less like a deformed spider. A tank even with a freshly sharpened chain doesn't go that far in dry blue gum. Lots of BTUs though per round and they're good to go.
Still solid!
I went to hook up the trailer today to find that one of the tyres was delaminating. Buggrit
. Well there's the spare. Buggrit . It's so old that it's cracked and deformed. Lady farmer has a trailer, as well as the 4WD as well as the farm as well as the wood I've been cutting on it and turns out she's happy to let me go nuts. Picked up a coupla trailer loads and it was stinkin' hot and humid which made it less fun than usual but at least it wasn't raining like it did through most of October. I measured the dimensions of the trailer, loaded with the peppermint I cut last week that I thought was about 1/3 cord for 1 tank in the 460 and it turned out to be 1.25 cubic metres. Lucky guess.
I'm loving those big split free rounds that I can shoehorn into the fire. Just. Or maybe not, I'll find out I guess.
Well, it's slightly less like a deformed spider. A tank even with a freshly sharpened chain doesn't go that far in dry blue gum. Lots of BTUs though per round and they're good to go.
Still solid!
I went to hook up the trailer today to find that one of the tyres was delaminating. Buggrit
. Well there's the spare. Buggrit . It's so old that it's cracked and deformed. Lady farmer has a trailer, as well as the 4WD as well as the farm as well as the wood I've been cutting on it and turns out she's happy to let me go nuts. Picked up a coupla trailer loads and it was stinkin' hot and humid which made it less fun than usual but at least it wasn't raining like it did through most of October. I measured the dimensions of the trailer, loaded with the peppermint I cut last week that I thought was about 1/3 cord for 1 tank in the 460 and it turned out to be 1.25 cubic metres. Lucky guess.
nomad_archer
Addicted to ArboristSite
I second this opinion. I didnt think I needed a 70cc saw until I had one. If it needs a 20" bar or more I pick up the 70cc saw. Otherwise the 50cc or 40cc saws get the call. But I run the 365xt more than the others. You really do need to 70cc saw.
I dont plan on keeping it on my hip. Just to help carry it to where I am working. I dont like any handled tools on my belt when I am working wood because they catch on everything. Also I use my wedges mostly for bucking so the x15 is sufficient. When felling I have a 5lb maul, mini sledge, x27 all available if needed. I dont do much felling, I prefer that the tree already be on the ground if possible.
nomad_archer
Addicted to ArboristSite
ENABLER!!!!!!
SO?
For real on the 70cc though. I dropped a large elm last year and I was working on it with a friend. He had my 50cc saw (albeit a poulan but with a muff mod and full chisel) while I ran the 70. I was at least twice as fast from limbing to moderate size up to say 12". Saw is heavier, yes but does so much work. I think back to what I was doing a couple years ago cutting 30" ash with that stock poulan and safety chain. Thank you arboristsite and CAD.
I remember running that 70cc husky and thinking "jeez, I'll never need more power than this". That was before I got my hands wrapped around the handles of the ms460! Lol.
I remember running that 70cc husky and thinking "jeez, I'll never need more power than this". That was before I got my hands wrapped around the handles of the ms460! Lol.
tpence2177
ArboristSite Operative
So I may get the huztl 372xp next and build it and may just get an already preassembled crankcase too cause I am pretty sure I can do everything but that. I can probably do that just don't know how the wife feels about a crank in the freezer and the case in the oven lol
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
benp
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep!!!! I always have one in my back pocket when out cutting in the woods.
You never cease to amaze Philbert!!!!!
Good job.
