Shake, Shake, Shake

[Kevin]

I notice that many climbers doing removals will make their face cuts, then the back cut stopping short then shake the tree top until it breaks and falls over.
Seems a little unregulated to me, does anyone use a felling bar to fell upper sections of trees?

 

[treeman82]

I know I don't do what you are talking about. If I am ever in doubt of having a piece go over where I need it to I just call for a 1/2" line and have somebody pulling as needed. Once the piece starts to go over they let go of the rope and if we need to pull the piece someplace else they pick the rope up again and man-handle it with that. If you are going and shaking the whole spar that you are on that is making the top go all over the place not to mention kind of throwing you off balance for when it does pop off. When I am removing the top of a tree; I make my face cut, then my back cut, once it starts going over I put the chain saw down and brace for impact. If you aren't prepared for that jolt you get when taking a top out, your gonna go for a nice little ride.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I think he is talking about chunking poerations where your doing a snap cut or mismatch cut on the chunk so you can put the saw down and control the piec going over or toss ing it out.

 

[treeclimber165]

You are right, Kevin. It is VERY unregulated. And dangerous. Usually done by climbers who don't know better or are being too lazy to set a rope or take smaller pieces. To trust the entire job outcome (profit vs. loss/injuries) on a notch cut in a balanced lead and 'shaking' the trunk to get the fall started in the right direction is foolish to say the least. I'm one of the lucky ones who has done that in the past and grown past that type of cutting.

Every climber you watch can teach you something. Some show you the right way, others teach you what NOT to do. I've learned from many. Even climbers that do a lot of wrong things can still show you something you can use, though. The secret is knowing what is good and what is bad technique.:angel:

 

[DDM]

All that is to much trouble I just Push the tree over with a Loader then cut it up with a sawzall.

 

[Nickrosis]

What kind of generator do you use for those jobs in the woods?

Nickrosis

 

[treeman82]

Sorry John, I thought he was talking about tops (brush) there. When I am getting the wood out of a spar (if I am not felling it at the base) I will take pieces at least 5' in length. I never did like taking small pieces (you gotta take em and throw em) I prefer to either set a small pull line at the top and make my notch at the bottom of the spar, or take the spar and put a block below the notch. Either way, I see no reason to cut firewood in the tree. I would much rather take out big pieces.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

DDM, why do you cut your loader up with a sawzall????

 

[Dave]

A good set of torches would be soooo much faster.

 

[Tim Walsh]

I carry, among other things, two small plastic wedges and a hammer. The wedges and hammer have holes drilled in them with some old poly throw line threaded through them and attached to a carabiner so I don't have to worry about them falling.

I have used them to wedged pieces over as well as to keep large pieces from pinching the saw on crane removals. It works great.

TMW

 

[Nickrosis]

Oooo, I'm a "Senior Member" now. Funny, my posts aren't any more mature than before...

Taking big pieces may be fun and may get your adrenaline rolling, but it increases your risk in everything. The risk of damaging or breaking your rope. The risk of crushing things with the wood. The risk of heat buildup. The risk of cracking blocks and other gear. The risk of the tree failing, particularly at the base. The risk of too much weight on your bar if it pinches. The risk of shaking the top beyond your control. The risk of any risks I didn't mention.

Taking smaller pieces may take a little bit longer, but you come out ahead in the long run because your equipment lasts and your damage record is better. Yeah! Crush the trees when you're out in the middle of nowhere, but in rigging scenarios with homes and people around, swallow the pride instead of biting the bullet.

Nickrosis