What kind of wedge is used here?

[smokechase II]

steel wedges

Clearance:
I thought the primary reason metal wedges were outlawed was mostly because of how steel ones would have bits of metal shoot off and often do eye damage. Of course cutting with a saw is part of it too.
There was an account on this site where ART from California had a hunk of steel in his brow from 52 years ago.
I do use magnesium ones on occasion, with safety glasses of course, wedge heads in good condition, good green hinge wood. I love the way they lift.
Bailey’s disclaimer for their steel head wedges is, “Be sure you are wearing safety glasses when driving these wedges.”
So, has anybody had the newer steel headed plastic ones or the full magnesium wedges have any metal fragments fly off?
(Madsen's sells magnesium wedges and has for years. But they do not carry the steel headed ones.)

Onelick: I've seen your posted photos where you use a plastic wedge right next to and parallel to the hinge. Forgive me, but I think that is less than intelligent compared to wedging from or near the rear.

A simple way of mitigating the chainsaw part of this is practicing good work habits like not cutting any wedge, ever. Consider other cutting techniques like a face bore slightly off-set from your back-cut etc.

 

[clearance]

Yes, I fell with the mag. wedges, beat them like a redheaded stepchild with my Arvika axe. Little chunks came off them, shiny there for a bit.

 

[tek9tim]

Onelick: I've seen your posted photos where you use a plastic wedge right next to and parallel to the hinge. Forgive me, but I think that is less than intelligent compared to wedging from or near the rear.

Placing a wedge near & parallel to the holding wood does give you less mechanical advantage than placing one in the rear. I usually use wedges in this fashion when I'm in for the long haul of wedging over a tree, but more as chocks to keep the tree where I've got it rather than for lift. This allows you to pull one of your lifting wedges out of the back to add & stack, rearrange, or whatever you need to do.

The number one mistake I see people making when wedging snags is poor rythm. Pound the wedge, watch the top sway forward, back, and as it sways forward again, smack the wedge, then repeat. This does 2 things, 1 it keeps the top from breaking out by making the bottom of the trunk move forward at the same time as the top is moving forward. Second, it makes for less work. As the tree is swaying forward, it is leaning off of your wedge, thus making it easier to drive. The first one isn't quite as important in green trees, but the amount of work you can save yourself is well worth paying attention.

 

[treeman82]

I've got 2 steel wedges that I use once in a blue moon. If I am falling large diameter trees, then I will break out my large steel wedge once I have the saw in a ways. Sometimes I will also use it for ALAP'ing a large stump or splitting logs. Besides that, I use plastic.

 

[John Ellison]

The thing about pounding on metal wedges is if its vertical as in splitting firewood you're usually alright and the bystanders have to watch out. Horizontal as in driving a tree over and the shrapnel will go down or right at you.
Steel wedges will lift more but they are more trouble than plastic.
The saying in the woods if you were cutting wire rope {old axe head and sledge} or driving railroad spikes or staples in a stump was... " If you want to see dont look". Of course years ago nobody wore eye protection and you learned to pull your tin hat down low and dip your head right before impact.

 

[smokechase II]

wedges near hinge

Tek9;
You're right on the wedge thing, I do use wedges by the hinge on occasion. But not as a GOL type of event to get a tree over with a regimented type of back-cut. Just tapped in snug and no more as an insurance policy, not beating them or myself.
I concur on the timing of the wedge driving. It is also another way to get people to look up.
(Your first cutting should be accompanied by looking up that instant. Your first and perhaps all of your wedge slaps {on some trees} should be done with that quick glance up. Theory; any vibration could be the sponsor of something coming loose).
This type of philosophy is more tailored to those who deal with trees/snags on fires. Sort of a healthy paranoia.

 

[pbtree]

The hard heads are awesome, ain't they?

They certainly are!

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Yes, you can stack wedges, falling wedges only, be real carefull doing this, sometimes they spit out, like a bullet. Again, within reason. Stacking increases the angle, so this is why they are more likely to spit than a single wedge. It is also a good idea to put two wedges close to the saw (holding wood) so that if the wedges you are lifting the tree with spit out, the saw wont get pinched and you can start again. If the saw gets pinched because you misjudged the lean and didn't set a wedge take your axe and cut down to the backcut from above untill there is room to stick in a wedge.

If your wedges are slipping take a handful of dirt and stick it in between the two wedges when you stack them. Also, when driving wedges on a heavy leaner drive two wedges side by side. Hit one and then hit the other. You will be amazed on how much easier it is. I always pack at least on extra wedge in my pack. That way if I need too I can get it and while I have at least one buried I can get the other free and stack. That extra lift at that point will more than likley get the tree over. I never bury both of my wedges for that reason. Just in case I need to get one free. As far a mag. wedges I use the mag driver for beating purposes only. Though they do drive good they make for better beaters. Besides at $18 a pop I would rather not ruin one. I go through about 3 a year. I pack one in my wedge pouch along with two Madsen's Blaze Orange 12"s and never have any issues. Of course if it is that obvious I will just jack it over.

 

[clearance]

TreeS, thanks a lot for the tip about dirt between stacked wedges.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

TreeS, thanks a lot for the tip about dirt between stacked wedges.

Anytime:greenchainsaw:

 

[mike385]

one thing that I have started to do when stacking is, put the wedges at a 90degree angle to each other. It seems to work for me and they don't want to slip as easily as when in the same plane.


I will have to try that dirt thing though, so simple.

 

[smokechase II]

wedge stuff

Mike:
I think the reason the angled stacking works better is there is less friction because of reduced surface contact between wedges and also possibly some additional reduced friction where the wedges aren't touching each other and because of that they give a little more at those spots.
Increased friction may be the reason tree sling'rs dirt thing keeps them from popping out. I gotta try that. Might just have learned something else today.

 

[Onelick]

Smokechase II, I have never advocated, nor in any pictures that I posted have I put the wedge right next to the hinge. The wedge has always been put as far away from the hinge as possible to get the maximum lift that that particular size wedge provides and the size tree allows. 10" wedges provide 3/4"-7/8" lift and 12" wedges provide 1"-1 1/8" lift depending on the chain's kerf.
Here's a little trick for those of you that stack wedges: Try putting a little saw dust between the wedges. That provides more friction between them.

 

[smokechase II]

wedge stuffing

Will saw shavings/chips work?

 

[smokechase II]

photo questions

Can't tell in this photo if the wedge is next to the hinge or just mid way back.
Would suggest wedging from the rear unless trying to counter a lean a bit.
Then maybe at a 25-30 degree angle max to help a tapered hinge.

Possibly order of fell too. If the stump was still a tree that you're headed to,
it is a better safety zone. Then it gets dropped last.

The smaller diameter guys that are in your photos, were they spring poles
or is that a GOL cutting technique? Sorry, but I'm not familiar with those 4"
or so stems being cut most of the way then all the way just above, otherwise.

I like to look at both the tree going and my footing. Since I can't do that at
the same time, I'd suggest moving away at an angle where you can do a
couple steps, then glance back. Locally, we teach fairly strongly to not
dead head away, some rare exceptions to seriously cover ground, but
maybe one shouldn't be there anyway. Worst case scenario was in 1977
or 1978 where we had a trainee in SW Oregon run after cutting holding
wood and was hit something like 72 feet from the stump.

 

[clearance]

picture

I do not like the looks of that picture one little bit. Why is the wedge there? Why is the guy not looking up to see what the tree is doing? Why does he have his hand on the trigger, the saw in front of him? Looks like too big of a wedge for tree size, is that why it is there? I like to move quickly away, looking up, at the same time moving my saw so I am holding it with the bar behind me, with my left hand. The guy was hit 72' from the tree he was falling, wow.

 

[1I'dJak]

plunge cuts, wedges right by the hinge....new stuff to me....straight and simple... humboldt, backcut, wedge if needs be... faller told me once of back cut first(not all the way though), put a wedge in but leave enough room to put bar back in... undercut, then back to the back-cut... worked pretty good... did production thinning...size ranged from dog hair to about 3'....when i'd go to my piece I'd always have a spare bar and chain so if i got pinched it could take the saw from the pinched bar, put the spare barnchain on and fly at 'er... the production aspect was pretty dangerous though... alot of times didn't bother to use undercuts, just stump jumped em and let them slide of the bar... unsafe and a bit of an art...

 

[clearance]

Thats right Jak, humboldt, backcut, wedges down she goes. The saying is undercut, backcut, ****. I used to space, never anything over 10", stump jumped all day, 266XP, 18" bar. Stump jumping is a blast once you figure it out. Falling- I have put the backcut in first, but only on trees that were to small to wedge over the usuall way. I am not a certified faller and unlike a few tree service guys I have worked with, I don't pretend to be one, certainly never call myself a faller, pounded a few trees though if you know what I mean.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Can't tell in this photo if the wedge is next to the hinge or just mid way back.
Would suggest wedging from the rear unless trying to counter a lean a bit.
Then maybe at a 25-30 degree angle max to help a tapered hinge.

Possibly order of fell too. If the stump was still a tree that you're headed to,
it is a better safety zone. Then it gets dropped last.

The smaller diameter guys that are in your photos, were they spring poles
or is that a GOL cutting technique? Sorry, but I'm not familiar with those 4"
or so stems being cut most of the way then all the way just above, otherwise.

I like to look at both the tree going and my footing. Since I can't do that at
the same time, I'd suggest moving away at an angle where you can do a
couple steps, then glance back. Locally, we teach fairly strongly to not
dead head away, some rare exceptions to seriously cover ground, but
maybe one shouldn't be there anyway. Worst case scenario was in 1977
or 1978 where we had a trainee in SW Oregon run after cutting holding
wood and was hit something like 72 feet from the stump.

This picture reminds me of the beer league slowpitch softball player who wears the sweat bands, the pin striped baseball pants with a belt, eye black, the $300 hundred softball bat and then hits four little dribblers back to the pitcher. It is amazing how people want to look the part before they know what they a playing.

 

[1I'dJak]

266xp...classic.... one of the best saws around...hard work that spacing.... quite a racket it was too....the bigger stuff i was spacing was one of the best jobs i've ever had...we were to thin out the riparian zones (30-50m adjacent to river) to about 350/ha.... stands were 30-50yrs....were told to make sure of stand diversity (not just biggest and best) and were to to screef (scar up the bark with the saw) to promote wildlife tree characteristics on the odd tree... it was nice...in the woods, by a river... i remember feeding horse flies to the coho in the streams....