White oak split

[Tim Krause]

We were clearing a house lot with some fairly nice oak. about 85% oak with a dbh of 28- 34". I was felling one of the biggest white oaks with a humbolt type face. as she started to fall she started popping. Tried cutting faster but it was to late. I cut the top off and she split in two right down the middle. has anybody ever had that happen?

 

[PA Plumber]

Glad you didn't get hurt. Could you send a picture?

 

[perchhauler]

White oak is known to split like that.. I'm cutting white and red oak on a job I have now, and I'm having someone else do my felling, dont want to screw up any of that nice stuff... Steve

 

[turnkey4099]

We were clearing a house lot with some fairly nice oak. about 85% oak with a dbh of 28- 34". I was felling one of the biggest white oaks with a humbolt type face. as she started to fall she started popping. Tried cutting faster but it was to late. I cut the top off and she split in two right down the middle. has anybody ever had that happen?

I had it happen on a big willow a couple years ago. The split started at the top after I removed the first (from the butt) crotch and propagated further down with every round I cut off.

Harry K

 

[Tim Krause]

Glad you didn't get hurt. Could you send a picture?

no pictures of that one.

 

[Timberhauler]

When I am falling big white oaks.I break out my 660 stihl or my 395 husky,and I make 100% sure where I want the tree and make sure I can get it there.Once that is done,I cut my notch and lay into it hard and fast.I like to try and cut all the way through it before the tree starts falling....White oak splits in a heartbeat.I once had one split on me and destroy a brand new saw(A 372 that was only about two hours old).

 

[burlman]

had the same happen on a red oak tree split in 2 all the way up some 30 feet broke in 2 halves and fell each way. I was working to fast trying to stay ahead ov the dozer following me . Made my notch to shallow, as the tree started over the notch closed to early, but instead of a regular barberschair i got the full length shear instead. If I have any odd looking trunks, seams, holes, suspicions. we take a heavy chain and bear trap and wrap it around the trunk as tight as we can get it. especially when we are winching on one. Chalk it up to expieiances as long as the chalk mark isn't around where they found you lying

 

[redprospector]

I hate it when that happens.
We were taking out a bunch of pecan trees several years ago, they had been planted 10' apart and never transplanted. The trees averaged 24" DBH, and leaning to the outsides of the patch pretty hard. After the 3rd one in a row split I tried a bore cut, had to use it on every tree, but no more splitting.

Andy

 

[Wismer]

Bore Cut is a must. Try using a couple ratchet straps around the trunk. It's usually enough to hold it together.

 

[tawilson]

This site has got me using the bore cut more and more. I used to use it just for cutting off stumps, now I use it every chance I get.

 

[climb it]

the game of logging technique, will help rule out the chance of splitting and really increase your safety. You should look into that if you wanna stay alive, chase cutting is outdated.

 

[John Ellison]

chase cutting is outdated.

There are large numbers of professional fallers that would disagree with that. I am not saying that GOL techniques are not useful.

 

[sILlogger]

well i suppose that im a logger of the days of yore!!! i match cut(chase cut) several big'uns in the last 2 days while logging. but yes, it is more dangerous, you have less control and you are more apt to split. did i mention that i need to have ball* of iron, because u have to stay there and burn it off the jump. the bulk of the cutting i do is using either the spur or hinge cutting method. works out great and if u do it right you won't split a thing.

 

[climb it]

Im sorry, I take that back to an extent, cutting trees that are known to split and have heavy crowns is more what I am talking about. I know plenty of guys that think gol is a bunch of bs, and they are great fallers and rarely split trees, but why take the chance?

 

[John Ellison]

No need to be sorry, I agree with you to a certain extent. In certain situations I will use that plunge cut and release every time. It is just that I dont believe that it is the best way to go every time for me. But for a way to teach all kinds of different people to use in all kinds of situations I do believe that it is probably the safest.

 

[climb it]

couldnt agree more, you gotta have more than one trick up your sleeve.