# how to drop large sections of trunk ?



## inbilya (Nov 25, 2015)

I am removing a large Douglass Fir. its about 8ft away from the house. I have removed the branches and the top. I now have to deal with big wood. what is now left is a 40ft tall trunk 2 1/2ft diameter at the top, closer to 4ft at bottom. I used a DK slider to drop 16inch rounds into the landing zone. Then the last piece I dropped was about 6ft tall. I made all the right cuts as you would for felling a tree, then used a rope at the top to pull it and wedges as well. I noticed that bigger wood requires more energy. I really do not feel like dropping more 16inch rounds.
1) I want to drop taller pieces, because at this diameter they are heavy and hard to push even with the DK slider. then also I would much rather cut 10 ft sections into 16inch rounds on the ground. I would like to know if I can make a notch that is 80% of tree diameter and then just do a short back cut and not have to worry about roping or wedging? I would think that center of gravity would do it's part then. Let me know if this is safe and if you think it will work.

2) A while back I've seen large rounds about 5ft long with almost 45degree cuts. I imagine that was made to make it easier to drop them off the standing trunk. can anyone describe how this is done?


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## jefflovstrom (Nov 25, 2015)

Come back with a couple of picture's.
Jeff


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## BC WetCoast (Nov 25, 2015)

Reg Coates has a video on dropping larger pieces from a single stem removal. I think his notches were about 60%. If you are going to do this, I would suggest you put a rope around the top of the block and have someone pull it for you.

We'll also go a 32" block and push it off. Actually if you spin the block as you push, it goes off easier.

I don't know how much room you have, but do you have enough for a 20' piece then a 20' peg?


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## JRoland (Nov 25, 2015)

With a tree that size I could see why you don't want to keep dropping 16" rounds. 
A couple variables to look at here, like was said above, are
A. How much room do you have exactly?
B. Do you have someone to pull a rope to tip your pieces? Also do you have the saw to make all these cuts comfortably/ safely?
C. What are you going to do with the tree once it's down? If you make a 6' long cut with an angle on both ends that just plops down into your landing zone, then you have to come down and cut it up to move it before the next cut, that doesn't really save any time.


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## I'llbearealclimberoneday (Nov 25, 2015)

An 80% face cut without a tag line sounds like a good way to chance a piece falling backwards.

I usually have a groundman throw me a rope for chunks bigger than I can easily push.

What part of Portland are young in?


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

inbilya said:


> I am removing a large Douglass Fir. its about 8ft away from the house. I have removed the branches and the top. I now have to deal with big wood. what is now left is a 40ft tall trunk 2 1/2ft diameter at the top, closer to 4ft at bottom. I used a DK slider to drop 16inch rounds into the landing zone. Then the last piece I dropped was about 6ft tall. I made all the right cuts as you would for felling a tree, then used a rope at the top to pull it and wedges as well. I noticed that bigger wood requires more energy. I really do not feel like dropping more 16inch rounds.
> 1) I want to drop taller pieces, because at this diameter they are heavy and hard to push even with the DK slider. then also I would much rather cut 10 ft sections into 16inch rounds on the ground. I would like to know if I can make a notch that is 80% of tree diameter and then just do a short back cut and not have to worry about roping or wedging? I would think that center of gravity would do it's part then. Let me know if this is safe and if you think it will work.
> 
> 2) A while back I've seen large rounds about 5ft long with almost 45degree cuts. I imagine that was made to make it easier to drop them off the standing trunk. can anyone describe how this is done?


Is there any lay for what's left? If so I'm just up in Rainier and could jack it if needed.

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## jefflovstrom (Nov 25, 2015)

Where did he go?,,,,
Jeff,,,,


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## inbilya (Nov 25, 2015)

jefflovstrom said:


> Come back with a couple of picture's.
> Jeff



the picture doesn't say anything, I got it down another 10ft after it was taken


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## inbilya (Nov 25, 2015)

BC WetCoast said:


> Reg Coates has a video on dropping larger pieces from a single stem removal. I think his notches were about 60%. If you are going to do this, I would suggest you put a rope around the top of the block and have someone pull it for you.
> 
> We'll also go a 32" block and push it off. Actually if you spin the block as you push, it goes off easier.
> 
> I don't know how much room you have, but do you have enough for a 20' piece then a 20' peg?


How do I find that video? do you know what the name of it is? https://www.youtube.com/user/Recoates/videos?shelf_id=1&sort=dd&view=0 plenty to choose from.  / do you mean 32inch high peices? if so what is the biggest diameter can be pushed that way? I have enough room to bring down a 15foot long section, but that is pushing it. so I don't want to go over 10ft.


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## inbilya (Nov 25, 2015)

JRoland said:


> With a tree that size I could see why you don't want to keep dropping 16" rounds.
> A couple variables to look at here, like was said above, are
> A. How much room do you have exactly?
> B. Do you have someone to pull a rope to tip your pieces? Also do you have the saw to make all these cuts comfortably/ safely?
> C. What are you going to do with the tree once it's down? If you make a 6' long cut with an angle on both ends that just plops down into your landing zone, then you have to come down and cut it up to move it before the next cut, that doesn't really save any time.


A. I have room to bring down 10ft sections safely.
B. I have a helper and I have MS660 with 3ft bar
C. I was going to have him choke the log with rope, then wrap couple of times and use that to roll it with 2 ton winch, with help of peavey


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## inbilya (Nov 25, 2015)

I'llbearealclimberoneday said:


> An 80% face cut without a tag line sounds like a good way to chance a piece falling backwards.
> 
> I usually have a groundman throw me a rope for chunks bigger than I can easily push.
> 
> What part of Portland are young in?


you would hope the center of gravity would work in my favor, but I guess there might be some other force working against that??? 
what size chunks is your groundsman helping you pull off? 
I live in SE Portland, but this tree is at a friends place in Vancouver. 
I have done 10ft sections in past, but not as big of a diameter. Just want to find the least tiresome way to do this without compromising on safety


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## Skeans (Nov 25, 2015)

inbilya said:


> you would hope the center of gravity would work in my favor, but I guess there might be some other force working against that???
> what size chunks is your groundsman helping you pull off?
> I live in SE Portland, but this tree is at a friends place in Vancouver.
> I have done 10ft sections in past, but not as big of a diameter. Just want to find the least tiresome way to do this without compromising on safety


Do you carry any wedges up in the tree with you? 

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## inbilya (Nov 25, 2015)

There is a slight possibility that my other friend will bring a crane , because he wants these large logs to make tabletops out of. I've never done anything with a crane, but I guess we can figure it out.


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## inbilya (Nov 26, 2015)

Skeans said:


> Do you carry any wedges up in the tree with you?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


yes I drilled 2 of them and put a small rope through it that is tied to a DK slider, with plastic carabiner on other side to attach to the harness , so the wedges slide up and down that rope. I really like that setup. the rope has to be a bit longer than you would need for the slider


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## Skeans (Nov 26, 2015)

inbilya said:


> yes I drilled 2 of them and put a small rope through it that is tied to a DK slider, with plastic carabiner on other side to attach to the harness , so the wedges slide up and down that rope. I really like that setup


Going to say if I have a back leaner well cutting timber I'll back cut and set a wedge first then cut the face out just like a jack.

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## BC WetCoast (Nov 26, 2015)

inbilya said:


> How do I find that video? do you know what the name of it is? https://www.youtube.com/user/Recoates/videos?shelf_id=1&sort=dd&view=0 plenty to choose from. / do you mean 32inch high peices? if so what is the biggest diameter can be pushed that way? I have enough room to bring down a 15foot long section, but that is pushing it. so I don't want to go over 10ft.


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## inbilya (Nov 27, 2015)

BC WetCoast said:


>



thanks


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## tidy (Nov 27, 2015)

theres also this one, its more instructional. Wouldn't believe there's some ********** in the youtube comments having a go at REG, WTF


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## inbilya (Nov 27, 2015)

perfect. thanks


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## CanopyGorilla (Nov 29, 2015)

In the time it takes to read through this whole thread and watch all the videos, you should have been able to block it down in 16" chunks.


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## inbilya (Nov 29, 2015)

CanopyGorilla said:


> In the time it takes to read through this whole thread and watch all the videos, you should have been able to block it down in 16" chunks.


I am pretty busy doing other things. that job can wait. But when I get to it sometime this coming week, I'll know exacly what to do and what my opions are. 

no one so far commented on making 45degree all the way through cuts. Must not be common practice I guess


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## acer-kid (Nov 29, 2015)

inbilya said:


> no one so far commented on making 45degree all the way through cuts. Must not be common practice I guess


No. No it is not. That'll peel on you most definitely.

If you're familiar with felling.. Use uber deep faces, and be feathery on the backcut. If you're not.. The just put a ****ing tagline on the chunk if you plan on popping off 10' logs. Please.


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## CanopyGorilla (Nov 30, 2015)

inbilya said:


> I am pretty busy doing other things. that job can wait. But when I get to it sometime this coming week, I'll know exacly what to do and what my opions are.
> 
> no one so far commented on making 45degree all the way through cuts. Must not be common practice I guess


I guess I just responded kinda knee jerk. Also kinda kid gloves too because this is 101. When I hear someone whine about how heavy 16" pieces are I chuckle a bit and wonder if they aren't really cut out for this. Yeah, wood is really heavy. This is tree work. Also, I don't have a single client that would take "I am pretty busy doing other things" as a reasonable excuse to not have a spar on the ground and off their property in short order. This may sound harsh but is honestly useful advice if this is the line of work you REALLY want to persue.


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## inbilya (Nov 30, 2015)

CanopyGorilla said:


> I guess I just responded kinda knee jerk. Also kinda kid gloves too because this is 101. When I hear someone whine about how heavy 16" pieces are I chuckle a bit and wonder if they aren't really cut out for this. Yeah, wood is really heavy. This is tree work. Also, I don't have a single client that would take "I am pretty busy doing other things" as a reasonable excuse to not have a spar on the ground and off their property in short order. This may sound harsh but is honestly useful advice if this is the line of work you REALLY want to persue.


this guy not some customer. It is someone I know. He did not have a problem with it whatsoever. I was not whining , I am learning and wanted to figure out the most efficient way without sacrificing safety. also I wanted to do bigger pieces because they were getting heavy for my helper on the ground. I got it all down today. I used a deep notch - (probly 65%), then just wedged them over the usual way. 11ft pieces, without rope. that worked pretty well. The guy on the ground did not have to spend much energy with a peavey to roll them down a slight slope out of the way. they are going to my other friend , he is going to make tables out of them . thanks to everyone for input.


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## CanopyGorilla (Nov 30, 2015)

Ok, good job.


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## JRoland (Dec 1, 2015)

Glad you got it down. I'm thinking it may have been a "6 of one, half a dozen of the other" type of thing too. If you took 11 foot chunks off a 40' stub you ended up saving pulling a tag line up 3 times by wedging. Glad you didn't go with the large diagonal cut idea, didn't see that working as well, but also didn't have experience with that, was waiting to see other input, just like you....


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## rbtree (Dec 1, 2015)

We call it undermining the center of balance. As long the the section being cut is vertical and balanced, forming a 55 percent plus deep face is an excellent way to drop sections. Not only is no tag line needed, but I rarely even use wedges. Use the wood weight on the felling side of the stem, and she tips over smooth as silk every time. As has my bud Reg, I've utilized this technique for years.


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## treebilly (Dec 6, 2015)

The 45 degree cut is sometimes referred to as a bologna cut. I personally don't recommend it for long pieces as the top of the piece can roll back over top of you. It works great for larger diameter wood that is hard to shove off. 
Undermining the COG like you did works great. Your notches have to be pretty clean for it to work properly. You can actually "cut" lean into a log with this method. I experimented with it a lot before actually using it where I could do real damage if I screwed up.


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## inbilya (Dec 6, 2015)

treebilly said:


> The 45 degree cut is sometimes referred to as a bologna cut. I personally don't recommend it for long pieces as the top of the piece can roll back over top of you. It works great for larger diameter wood that is hard to shove off.
> Undermining the COG like you did works great. Your notches have to be pretty clean for it to work properly. You can actually "cut" lean into a log with this method. I experimented with it a lot before actually using it where I could do real damage if I screwed up.


sorry , what does " "cut" lean into a log" mean?


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## treebilly (Dec 6, 2015)

You can undermine the COG on a log with some back lean, and still get it to tip without any other assistance. On a perfectly straight log a touch over half way through will do it. With a few degrees ( can't give any real numbers here) of back lean you need to deepen your notch further. I will add again that this is something that should be practiced when nothing has a chance of being harmed. It is considered to be an advanced technique. Also your hinge will be very thin before the log will tip. 

This spar was felled opposite of the lean because of an asphalt driveway. The wedge on the stump was just pushed in by hand as a precaution and I smacked it onto the stump with the bar as it fell.

Reg Coates made a video explaining it a bit. I think it was simply titled " undermining the COG"


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## Skeans (Dec 7, 2015)

This spar pole for a sailing mast was over 50% of the diameter because of the height of the timber being 200 foot.

This smaller stick was slipped off the stump sideways ways to save it out. Take all these with a grain of salt being production timber falling.

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