# Limbing Straight Pine Trees



## secureland (Apr 16, 2009)

Hi,

You folks in this forum have a lot of experience limbing trees with heavy saws. I'm sure you've figured out the best way to limit movements to save energy and get the job done quickly at the same time.
I'm cutting some straight pine that needs limbing. What's the best way to do this? Up one side then the other? Or one branch ring at a time, moving the saw around to the other side?

Thanks for any replies,


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## tlandrum (Apr 16, 2009)

if the logs big enough i walk it limbing all limbs as i go,if its small i just pick a side and limb it as i walk beside it. either way limb all limbs as you pass by them.jmtc


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## MR4WD (Apr 16, 2009)

stand on top of it if you can, then go along and bump the branches off. Otherwise, if it's flat ground up one side then down the other. 

Pines around here are have drooping crowns, making it easier to limb from the top down for what it's worth.


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## rngrchad (Apr 16, 2009)

I dropped three pines into my neighbors yard last week. I stood ontop and limbed both sides of the tree as I went. I was suprisingly tired by the 3rd tree! 372xp w/ 28" bar. I shoulda grabbed the 346. 

You loggers who do this day in and day out are some tough mofos!


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## 056 kid (Apr 16, 2009)

hands down the best way to limb nice straight trees is to find you a good turn in your skid road where there are lots of smaller trees or a big oak lap that you can back your drag up with a skidder/dozer and break the tops and limbs right off. 

When its really cold this technique also works ok with hardwoods!


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## slowp (Apr 17, 2009)

All the guys here walk down on the tree going side to side as they go, and often have their measuring tape spooling out as they go. There's an effort to cut flush with the tree because rigging crew guys have been hurt and killed from falling on stobs then bleeding heavily. The mills want the logs that way too. Limbing is the nasty job. It seems like it is slowly being replaced by leaving the tree whole and using a processor on the landing. But slowly...


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## Burvol (Apr 17, 2009)

slowp said:


> All the guys here walk down on the tree going side to side as they go, and often have their measuring tape spooling out as they go. There's an effort to cut flush with the tree because rigging crew guys have been hurt and killed from falling on stobs then bleeding heavily. The mills want the logs that way too. Limbing is the nasty job. It seems like it is slowly being replaced by leaving the tree whole and using a processor on the landing. But slowly...



We call those "Pig Ears" the stubs that some don't flush right, or get busted off. When you saying limbing is the nasty job, that's where full comp shines 
Try full manufacture with skip and you'll see the difference right away. 

Yes, taking a butt log or two lengths is most common anymore. Guys are cracking the steel housing in those processors because they push too much through. Yes, I have seen some that will take a 40" stem, but that doesn't mean it's diggin' it. Especially White Fir (shear weight of the pig) or Pine (big, strong, gnarly limbs). Big Pine sounds like an explosion going through the processors (Warratah). 

There will always be room for guys like me, as long as we're still cutting things that resemble logs, not poles


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## Billy_Bob (Apr 17, 2009)

Actually saving my "back" is the main thing and this is done by using a long bar so you don't need to bend over.

Then my main concern is which limbs will spring back and smack me in the face after I cut them. So I look at what I am about to cut and think about it before cutting - take my time.

Or limbs which are supporting the tree. Don't want the log to roll over and squish my foot! I might save these for after cutting up the log - depends on each situation. You can make a series of partial cuts on a limb to release energy and slowly lower the log or slowly release the "smack you in the face" energy.

But sometimes you have a bunch of limbs up in the air all pointing the same upward direction. Then you can walk along and just cut, cut, cut.

The bottom line is I am in no hurry if it is a mish-mash mess of inter-twined limbs, logs, and built up energy. I look at each limb and think... What is going to happen when I cut that limb?


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## Burvol (Apr 17, 2009)

056 kid said:


> hands down the best way to limb nice straight trees is to find you a good turn in your skid road where there are lots of smaller trees or a big oak lap that you can back your drag up with a skidder/dozer and break the tops and limbs right off.
> 
> When its really cold this technique also works ok with hardwoods!



You must be in pulp wood. We manufacture logs to specs that mills actually want. You know, like flushed limbs and correct trim.

Wasting wood is lazy, a shame, and good reason to let it stand.


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## 056 kid (Apr 17, 2009)

Burvol said:


> You must be in pulp wood. We manufacture logs to specs that mills actually want. You know, like flushed limbs and correct trim.
> 
> Wasting wood is lazy, a shame, and good reason to let it stand.



i cut pulp and saw logs.

I dont know where you get wasting wood from its really very efficent, try it...


Poplars are a big part if what i cut, if the top dosent bust out when she hits the deck a good backing up takes care of that. 

as far as correctness, I let the logs get graded and bucket at the landing unless the skidder cant get it down the road. Shenandoah hardwood never complained a bit from our work...


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## Meadow Beaver (Apr 17, 2009)

Burvol said:


> We call those "Pig Ears" the stubs that some don't flush right, or get busted off. When you saying limbing is the nasty job, that's where full comp shines
> *Try full manufacture with skip and you'll see the difference right away*.
> 
> Yes, taking a butt log or two lengths is most common anymore. Guys are cracking the steel housing in those processors because they push too much through. Yes, I have seen some that will take a 40" stem, but that doesn't mean it's diggin' it. Especially White Fir (shear weight of the pig) or Pine (big, strong, gnarly limbs). Big Pine sounds like an explosion going through the processors (Warratah).
> ...



:agree2: Full comp will out perform due to the plain fact that it has more cutter teeth than a full skip chain does. Hence it's gonna buzz through limbs much faster.


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## redprospector (Apr 17, 2009)

Burvol said:


> You must be in pulp wood. We manufacture logs to specs that mills actually want. You know, like flushed limbs and correct trim.
> 
> Wasting wood is lazy, a shame, and good reason to let it stand.



You beat me to it.
Pulling a limb out of a log can ruin an otherwise good log. I've seen a few guy's loose their job over that.

Andy


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## 371groundie (Apr 17, 2009)

limbing straight pine, or spruce, or fir, or any other softwood i use the way that was taught me at game of logging training. european in origin, it works pretty good. 

standing on the ground with the stem on your right, left foot ahead of right. start with a forward motion of the bar up the stem on your side of the log as far as you can comfortably reach. turn the saw so the recoil side is up, and using the top of the bar, cut the limbs off the top of the log, starting where you left of on the previous stroke, and working towards the butt. now flip the saw so powerhead is resting on the log and the bar is on the far side of the log. work forward using the top of the bar. 
step forward and repeat. every two steps or so, move your right foot away from the log so you can bend over and nip the limbs under the log. 

this is the general instruction, there is some little movements of the saw to get the knots trimmed close. also, rather than putting the saw down to move brush, use the bar to move the limbs (works best on limbs less than 2in diameter) get the bar under the limb, pick it up and a little burp of the throtte will send that limb flyin! depending on the size and thickness of the brush you are making you may also want to make some extra cuts in the brush you are about to step on as you move forward.


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## Burvol (Apr 17, 2009)

MMFaller39 said:


> :agree2: Full comp will out perform due to the plain fact that it has more cutter teeth than a full skip chain does. Hence it's gonna buzz through limbs much faster.



It's smoother for sure. Skip not only dulls faster but has the tendancy to be more jumpy when going at a good clip while limbing. Most guys that I have known to run skip swear by .30 on the rakers, while I like .25 or so with full comp. 

You have to lower your rakers a touch more to get close to the same bite as comp. (square anyway)


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## Meadow Beaver (Apr 18, 2009)

Oh yeah full comp is way smoother when your limbing, skip has that rough, slow feel to it. That's because it is.


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## mercer_me (Apr 18, 2009)

I just cut one limb at a time going from side to side, Just wach out for spring poles.


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## Meadow Beaver (Apr 18, 2009)

Your got dang right, those sidewinders sucks.


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## 056 kid (Apr 18, 2009)

redprospector said:


> You beat me to it.
> Pulling a limb out of a log can ruin an otherwise good log. I've seen a few guy's loose their job over that.
> 
> Andy



you have got grater risks of screwing up a log by dropping it so the forks dont hit flat.


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## redprospector (Apr 18, 2009)

056 kid said:


> you have got grater risks of screwing up a log by dropping it so the forks dont hit flat.



I don't feel like argueing about it, or trying to convince you of anything. So what ever floats your boat. What do I know?

Andy


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