# tree tried to kill me



## vancouverbc (Sep 23, 2014)

I put a notch in tree but it just flew in the air and landed where I was standing.


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## MasterBlaster (Sep 23, 2014)

Well I'll be double ding danged!


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## HuskStihl (Sep 23, 2014)

Wowzers. Glad you are OK (if you're not posting from a hospital bed). Which side did you notch?


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## forestryworks (Sep 23, 2014)

Some people just need an ass whoopin' when messing with straight grained wood and crappy saws.


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## GrassGuerilla (Sep 23, 2014)

opcorn:


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## vancouverbc (Sep 23, 2014)

yep, the chain was quite dull and too lazy to make proper notch because tree had 30% lean. i knew to expect a peel but didnt expect gymnastics.


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## forestryworks (Sep 23, 2014)

The chain was too lazy to make a proper "notch" or the operator was? And what's a "30% lean"? We speak in degrees here. GrassGuerilla might want some more popcorn now.


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## HuskStihl (Sep 23, 2014)

That's why I asked what side you put the notch in. That tree was a chair just waiting to happen. Glad u'r ok


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## Gologit (Sep 24, 2014)

vancouverbc said:


> yep, the chain was quite dull and too lazy to make proper notch because tree had 30% lean. i knew to expect a peel but didnt expect gymnastics.



You'll probably be getting a lot of advice very soon about barberchairs, proper cutting technique, chain sharpening and the dangers of being ignorant. Take the advice.
You're messing with things you don't understand. You need to school up.


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## Marshy (Sep 24, 2014)

vancouverbc said:


> yep, the chain was quite dull and too lazy to make proper notch because tree had 30% lean. i knew to expect a peel but didnt expect gymnastics.


 
You have no business cutting wood like this with that attitude. Do your family and friends a favor and either become educated or put the saw away, funerals are no fun for anyone.


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## vancouverbc (Sep 24, 2014)

the lesson is that a very cautious person with lots of experience can do this. the biggest blunder might have been not noticing that the hinge was not working. the tree was leaning at 30 degrees which gave me false sense of safety. this incident occurred because i cut to relax and my mind was on other things.


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## NorthernBreeze (Sep 24, 2014)

I'm a total newb and not ready to attempt widow makers yet, if ever. From what I've seen most guys notch the side in the direction of lean(compression) , then bore and create hinge, leave a trigger then release the trigger and look out! 
Looking like the side opposite or tension was notched. If I'm incorrect someone please correct me, I want to be educated. 
Glad you weren't hurt!


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## rwoods (Sep 24, 2014)

vancouverbc said:


> the lesson is that a very cautious person with lots of experience can do this. the biggest blunder might have been not noticing that the hinge was not working. the tree was leaning at 30 degrees which gave me false sense of safety. this incident occurred because i cut to relax and my mind was on other things.



Believe there is more to the story than relaxing and inattention. Either you are just messing around with your post or you have lots to learn. You had no hinge (the tree made it own and could have killed you). There is no security in a lean other than the directional security you get when the lean is in the direction you want the tree to fall. A lean creates the danger of a stem under strain. One result is what you experienced. Ron


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## nbouley010 (Sep 24, 2014)

Was that attached file at the bottom a picture of the notch you made?


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## rwoods (Sep 24, 2014)

Thanks for pointing out the attached file; I didn't see it. Looks to be an incomplete face cut together with a lot of powder. OP must have borrowed one of my chains. Ron


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## Saddle Mander (Sep 26, 2014)

Does that even count as a notch?


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## Marshy (Sep 26, 2014)

Saddle Mander said:


> Does that even count as a notch?


 
No, Ive seen better from an axe.


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## Joe46 (Sep 26, 2014)

I can't add anything to this. If you don't know how to cut Alder, don't. You might want to start going to church, because God kept you alive for a reason!


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## Gologit (Sep 26, 2014)

vancouverbc said:


> the lesson is that a very cautious person with lots of experience can do this. the biggest blunder might have been not noticing that the hinge was not working. the tree was leaning at 30 degrees which gave me false sense of safety. this incident occurred because i cut to relax and my mind was on other things.



Please keep us informed of any other adventures.


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## LegDeLimber (Sep 27, 2014)

Just from crawling through some of these threads, You guys have shown me the usefulness of thinking of a few things like bore cutting to finish a LOW risk barber chair situation.
Not familar with that species of tree, how the wood snaps or (dosen't?) bends or let alone cutting it under that sort of lean.
Looks like the notching stage is a fair chance for a an amateur of my grade, to get a an easy bar pinch.
Granted chain sharpness and cutting speed always are helpful for getting your saw out from under the as yet moving mass.
But the lack of knowing when and where to apply that rip snort is why I'm finally sticking my curious neck into one of these threads.
I figure it's a safe bet that most of you folks have fallen more trees on an average day, than i have in my life, to date.
Has been a little bit bit more of some messy, twisty storm downed or dozer pushed mess though, So even though a fellow sees the micro cracked bark and other signs of wood twist and bend loads, nothing like some saw time and a long ago tank repair from a 1" limb slap to drive the realities home.

Well after dose my wind, Anyone got the time to spend on telling a guy,
who'll probably never get to use whatever knowledge I might absorb, 
what would have been the best way to get that Victor snap-trap down?

If it matters any, the notching is where I'm most curious.
You guys do often paint some pretty lucid descriptions in the Pro Faller sections.
With a few photos amongst various threads I can actually get a decent mental image of what's being discussed, more often than I had ever expected to.
But for the love of pete, when you put up link to some fine work 
(especially the fire line stuff, geeze talk about a deadlines no reworks) can I please have a link to ones without music?
I want to hear what the saw is doing, how it's loaded Speed/time/lenght of cuts tells me much.
when the wood begins to creak and graom and snap.
might even hear a fiber pull squeak in there to help let me know when things are begining to happen.
Hope I haven't scarred you guys by lettin' ya'll know a city-idiot has caught a word or two
of the Faller Speak!
And Slowp's comments are often enlightening to a fellow if he's willing to listen.
Yeah I know She's got an Anti-fan club, But it still gives some broader perspective.
Take it for "know thine enemy" or just how get by some day to day operational procedures
and not get surprised and delayed as often.
Just sounds like as with many other work types to me though.
Even some the sacred marker paints banter has been enlightening.


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## HuskStihl (Sep 27, 2014)

The cutting of leaners with the boring or coos bay method has been discussed at great length. Search "coos bay" and/or "falling leaner" and hopefully a bunch will pop up


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## Marshy (Sep 27, 2014)

I think the best advice you will receive is stay away from leaners for now and develop your skills on straight trees. Gettin the fundamentals down first will help you assess and handle the leaners. A proper hinge cut is key to any felling. If you botch the hinge then predictability and control are lost. Combine that with heavy loaded leaners and you have the making for injury.

No one in their right mind would hop on a pro MX bike and try hitting a 40ft table top on their second day so why take the same risk in the woods?


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## Matt81 (Oct 1, 2014)

Saddle Mander said:


> Does that even count as a notch?



Not even close! The 2 cuts are not even within a cooee of meeting up. The top cut is poorly aligned and incomplete and the hinge surfaces were not cleaned up to allow the hinge to work as it should. It cannot even be called a notch except in someones imagination. A lot can be foreseen from looking at a notch/scarf. That one tells me that i'm glad i'm looking at it from my keyboard and not in person when the back cut was made. Fairly obvious that bad things were going to happen.



Marshy said:


> No, Ive seen better from an axe.



An axe? Heck i know someone that could have done a better job with their teeth! Heres the bloke you want when your saw chain is dull and you are too lazy to do a correct scarf and wish to soil your trousers......


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## Grizzly Adams (Dec 7, 2014)

'tree tried to kill me'

I think that would have been an unintended suicide.


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## lone wolf (Dec 7, 2014)

vancouverbc said:


> View attachment 370044
> View attachment 370021
> I put a notch in tree but it just flew in the air and landed where I was standing.


Your supposed to run before that happens!


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