Wedge stacking techniques?

[IndyIan]

I've been cutting for a while now but I haven't figured out how to stack wedges. Usually I get too ambitious in trying to fall a 10-12" dbh tree againist the lean, pound in one wedge from the back, then pound another in from the side very close to the hinge. I've got a felling lever which will work on these small ones once the wedges have it close to balanced but on big trees it doesn't have much effect. I've got a bunch of single rise plastic wedges 6 to 10"
Thanks,
Ian

 

[tek9tim]

You can get the rifled black bear wedges that stack really well, but they break easily. I'd suggest buying a couple of those, using them like training wheels, then going back to normal wedges once you get the hang of driving doubled up wegdes.

Also remember that wedges work best when they are being driven in the direction of fall. Putting one up next to and parallel to your holding wood will sometimes simply lift the tree off the stump breaking the holding wood, but only on the one side, opening up the window to go over backward. If you have the room, try to put your wedges in so that you could have room to sink one, then put 2 stacked next to it when the first bottoms out. Or, if the tree isn't so big, and you won't need all of the mechanical advantage you can get, start out with stacked wedges.

 

[IndyIan]

Thanks Tim,
I guess it could be that simple... Just drive two more stacked once one is bottomed out. Don't know why I didn't think of that myself. When you drive two at once, do you hit both of them at the same time? Alternate? I usually just bring a falling axe and it has a fairly narrow back which can mess up plastic wedges with any kind of miss hit.
Ian

 

[tek9tim]

It usually works the best if you can hit both of them at the same time, as squarely as possible, which makes for some weird attempts for positioning myself, but this is also why suggest getting a set of the stacker wedges to learn with, because they will stay in place fairly well without spitting out of your kerf, but as I said, they're weak, (I have literally broken 5-6 in half) so for long term viability, once you get some things figured out with stacking, go back to regular wedges and start stacking them.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

It also helps to have differnet sizes of wedges and stack and drive the smaller ones, bury them, and get a larger one (or two stacked) into that kerf. It's easier to drive shorter wedges stacked than two larger ones. You don't have to drive two stacked 12" from the start. You can drive one or two 5"ers and then start the largers ones, and remove the smaller one(s) as the kerf opens. By now hopefully your tree will be committed to your fall.

Did I say that right so it makes sense?

Jeff

 

[IndyIan]

Thanks for replys,
I think I've got a good handle on it now.
Ian

 

[Husky372]

Better than stacking wedges is to cut several cookies from your surroundings. What I do is I have one wedge in then put cookie in kerf put wedge in over it. You can make the cookies thin or thick depending how much lift you need.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

I drive some really big stuff with this method. All I buy is Madsen's 12" blaze orange. You don't need any "special" wedge. Unless of course you are little wood - then you will need nothing more than a smaller set of wedges.
If you think you need the lift have three wedges ready.
Start your first wedge - beat it up tight.
Take your other two and stack them. Of they squirt out you need to beat the other on up more. Put some dirt or duff in between the the two and re-insert them.
Beat one and then the other. Sometimes when stacked it will give one a few good hard whacks and then the other. It is amazing.
I am asuming you have a "manly" single bit axe and don't hit wedges like a little girl playing tee-ball.
Anyway I can show better than writing about it. Make sense out of what you can.