# Anybody sharpen their wedges???



## earache (Feb 25, 2011)

Seriously! The plastic ones. I am REALLY hard on wedges. Obviously, they will shorten, but that's ok. Wedges aren't cheap enough to throw away.


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## 2dogs (Feb 25, 2011)

Uh...yeah.


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## Gologit (Feb 25, 2011)

Everybody is hard on wedges. That's what they're for. Sharpen them with a wood rasp, a horseshoer's file, or cut new angles with a band saw.
If they're cracked or big pieces of the head are missing, throw them away.
.


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## RandyMac (Feb 25, 2011)

To the point of diminishing returns.


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## Gologit (Feb 25, 2011)

2dogs said:


> Uh...yeah.


 
Uh...yeah? Uh...yeah???!!! C'mon, I know you've been ill but...damn. :msp_wink:


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## RandyMac (Feb 25, 2011)

Bill is a bit quiet.
I'm tired, thinking in ####s


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## earache (Feb 25, 2011)

Gologit, thanks for the bandsaw idea. Hadn't thought of that. Precisely why I posted such a seemingly ignorant question. To warrant legitimate responses. Iron sharpens iron...


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## Gologit (Feb 25, 2011)

RandyMac said:


> Bill is a bit quiet.
> I'm tired, thinking in ####s


 
#####s? As in 056Kid ####s ? Or something more civilized.

Find me a good running 125 if you can. I think I got the bug. Or maybe I'm just bored.


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## RandyMac (Feb 25, 2011)

I am irritated
I raised the colors, primed the cannon, checked the edge on the cutlass, cranked the rudder to starboard, going in through a cloud of smoke and hot iron.


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## bitzer (Feb 26, 2011)

earache said:


> Gologit, thanks for the bandsaw idea. Hadn't thought of that. Precisely why I posted such a seemingly ignorant question. To warrant legitimate responses. Iron sharpens iron...


 
I've actually hit them with a belt sander, bench grinder, and a crosscut saw too. A good coarse grit can give you decent shape.


Randy, hit the throttle and bring it in!


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## 2dogs (Feb 26, 2011)

Gologit said:


> Uh...yeah? Uh...yeah???!!! C'mon, I know you've been ill but...damn. :msp_wink:


 
Bob this is about as witty as I get, especially recovering from the flu. Plus my truck has been in the body shop for over a week. I got it back yesterday and promptly blew the steering box. My driveway looks like the Exxon Valdez has been parked there. I haven't even picked up a chainsaw in 3 weeks. Woe is me.

I'll make a comeback in a few days. Right now I'm at my own pity party. Fortunately I'm serving steaks and Buffalo Trace.


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## Gologit (Feb 26, 2011)

2dogs said:


> Bob this is about as witty as I get, especially recovering from the flu. Plus my truck has been in the body shop for over a week. I got it back yesterday and promptly blew the steering box. My driveway looks like the Exxon Valdez has been parked there. I haven't even picked up a chainsaw in 3 weeks. Woe is me.
> 
> I'll make a comeback in a few days. Right now I'm at my own pity party. Fortunately I'm serving steaks and Buffalo Trace.


 
Steaks? Buffalo Trace? See, it ain't all bad.


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## ms290 (Feb 27, 2011)

i dont sharpen mine. well at i never thought about doing it. i just beat them till they die. seems to me every time i use one the saw gets all jealous and takes a bite out of at least one or two. anybody ever try to make some out of wood? i think that would be a good idea.


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## Gologit (Feb 27, 2011)

I've made quite a few out of wood. You can really customize them for taper and size. Oak works well but my favorite is almond. You might have some hardwood back there that would work better. Cut rough blocks with your saw and shape them with a bandsaw and a rasp.

And, if you snag one with the saw you just add it to the firewood pile.


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## ms290 (Feb 27, 2011)

Gologit said:


> I've made quite a few out of wood. You can really customize them for taper and size. Oak works well but my favorite is almond. You might have some hardwood back there that would work better. Cut rough blocks with your saw and shape them with a bandsaw and a rasp.
> 
> And, if you snag one with the saw you just add it to the firewood pile.


 
good to know. i was just thinking of going to lowe's or something and getting some 4x4 or 6x6 posts to hack up with a band saw. i do have a never ending supply of natural hardwoods here in OK. so ill give that a go. would sure be cheaper that buying wedges all the time.


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## zogger (Feb 27, 2011)

*Mostly all I ever have used*



ms290 said:


> i dont sharpen mine. well at i never thought about doing it. i just beat them till they die. seems to me every time i use one the saw gets all jealous and takes a bite out of at least one or two. anybody ever try to make some out of wood? i think that would be a good idea.



Never even owned a plastic wedge yet, I just cut hardwood wedges and smack em in hard. Now in a pinch I have used old axe heads and maul heads and been REAL careful cutting once they are in there.

I was thinking of cutting/grinding the edge off of some of them, then epoxying on something else a couple inches deep, proly just some wood, but haven't done it yet. 

Oh, the wooden wedges don't last long either, but I have made them work numerous times. If it looks like I might need some, I'll cut a dozen or more right on the spot from something else, and just keep smacking them in all through the cut.

Goofy thought I had once (ya, I have lots of those). Ever see those "jaws of life" tools the firemen and emts use? Like a chainsaw motor that drives two jaws open, used to mash open like wrecked cars and stuff. That might be an interesting tool to tryout as well, staying within design specs. Well, maybe not for felling, but perhaps for a quick de-pincher to get the saw out.

I know they make specialty jacks for felling, but never tried one, they are spendy for me. I do use my truck jack to pick up logs to put wood under them for bucking though, do that a lot.

Mostly I am lucky around here, it usually doesn't matter which way a tree falls, so I just work with the lean and take advantage of the wind. I'll hold off a big (for me) drop until conditions are ideal sometimes. I'm not working under contract or by the hour or anything like that, so I can take all the time I want to do wood, from felling it to whatever else I do with it.

I have BIG MAMBO RESPECT for heavy weights moving.


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## 2dogs (Feb 27, 2011)

There was a chainsaw powered falling wedge made but I can't remember the name of the thing. It was Stihl or Husqvarna or maybe Russian. I've never seen one in real life, just on youtube.


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## zogger (Feb 27, 2011)

*Well, that's cool!*



2dogs said:


> There was a chainsaw powered falling wedge made but I can't remember the name of the thing. It was Stihl or Husqvarna or maybe Russian. I've never seen one in real life, just on youtube.



My google-fu is failing me now, can't find a video of that thing.

At least I don't feel all that goofy, someone else thought it might work so they built one.

A hand pump hydraulic one would work as well and proly be a lot cheaper. I've got some bottle jacks here are twenty tons rated, so something like that size but with expanding jaws....

But, I'd like to see that vid if you can find it again! thanks in advance!


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## ChrisF (Feb 27, 2011)

2dogs said:


> There was a chainsaw powered falling wedge made but I can't remember the name of the thing. It was Stihl or Husqvarna or maybe Russian. I've never seen one in real life, just on youtube.



The Nordfeller by Husky. 


[video=youtube;7AGLFLvima4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AGLFLvima4[/video]


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## 2dogs (Feb 27, 2011)

There you go! It took someone smarter than me to find a vid on the wedge. However that is not the vid I had seen before, wrong music. There must be more good vids out there on this device.


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## GLOBOTREE (Feb 27, 2011)

ChrisF said:


> The Nordfeller by Husky.
> 
> 
> [video=youtube;7AGLFLvima4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AGLFLvima4[/video]


 
that is a very interesting and handy detail!


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## Samlock (Feb 27, 2011)

ChrisF said:


> The Nordfeller by Husky.


 
That was an 80's idea. I have not seen one in the woods myself. An old fellow told me, as he was working for forest company "Enso" at the time, the company tested the airbag. It was supposed to save some backbone of the loggers. But it did not work at all in real life.


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## 056 kid (Feb 27, 2011)

Does anyone ever clean up the wedges with their saw? That's what I have done in the past. Dogwoodshhh and hickory work good for wedges So does ash, all of them usually split in the middle after you beat them good, but they work.

Speak of wedges makes me think about trees that I never could get to lift, ones that I fully expected to have no problems with but just wouldn't budge. I think wind was the culprit. . Has anyone had a tree that would not lift?


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## Meadow Beaver (Feb 27, 2011)

056 kid said:


> Does anyone ever clean up the wedges with their saw? That's what I have done in the past. Dogwoodshhh and hickory work good for wedges So does ash, all of them usually split in the middle after you beat them good, but they work.
> 
> Speak of wedges makes me think about trees that I never could get to lift, ones that I fully expected to have no problems with but just wouldn't budge. I think wind was the culprit. . Has anyone had a tree that would not lift?


 
I had i tree with three 8" wedges all the way in the back, tree was leaning about 30 degrees. I was whooped and went over to take a breeak, all of a sudden it fell like nothing was holding it back. :msp_confused:


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## dancan (Feb 27, 2011)

I've cleaned some of mine up on a table saw , grinder , belt sander , chainsaw (not intentionally ) and with my axe .



056 kid said:


> Has anyone had a tree that would not lift?


 
Little wedge eater .







Hard lean in the direction I didn't want it to go .
Stacked two after that and I won .


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## Philbert (Feb 27, 2011)

Plastic wedges get beaten up and cut all the time. Like others have said, if they are just banged up, I smooth off the bumps and re-shape them on the belt sander (not really 'sharpening' them) to get more life out of them. If they are cut or chewed up bad, I may trim off some of the bad part first with the bandsaw.

Metal splitting wedges need to be dressed periodically too. I use my bench grinder to touch up the points and remove any peened over or mushroomed parts at the top - otherwise pieces can go flying when struck, or you can rip up your hands just handling them. On a pair of heavily used ones I picked up at a garage sale last year, I had to cut off the mushroomed edges first with an angle grinder, before dressing them on the bench grinder.

Philbert


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## Gologit (Feb 27, 2011)

056 kid said:


> Speak of wedges makes me think about trees that I never could get to lift, ones that I fully expected to have no problems with but just wouldn't budge. I think wind was the culprit. . Has anyone had a tree that would not lift?


 
Sometimes on real soft wood, like cedar or Redwood, the wind will set the tree back on your wedges with enough force to push them down into the wood. This can happen fast if you're using small single taper wedges and you haven't doubled up yet. It's usually a sign that maybe you're trying to hit the lay with too much wind to really be able to do it.

LOL...it's also a sign that you might have radically misjudged the lean. Happens. If you get one that's stuck, and if time and situation permit it, walk quite a ways back from the tree and read the lean again. Sometimes a little distance will change your perspective. The worst I ever had was a Redwood that sat back on me. Last tree of the day, the wind had come up right smart, big hurry to go home, didn't take enough time to read it right...you know the routine. It ate every wedge I had. I had to hike a half mile up to the road, get the jacks, hike back, and finish the tree. My falling partner was really sympathetic, too. He said he'd wait right there by the tree 'til I got back...just to keep people out of the danger zone. :msp_rolleyes: We jacked the tree into lead but it redlined the gauge a couple of times. I had to pry some of the wedges out of the stump with a screw driver. Also had to buy my partner's supper for him for making him work overtime.


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## JRepairsK70e (Feb 27, 2011)

once you trim your wedges they work better because the taper gets thicker sooner so you get the lift sooner and still have room for bar clearance specially in those 12to 16 inch trunks , hate driving wedges in and pinning the bar in the cut .good idea to have some new and some trimmed imho jk


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## Ramblewood (Feb 27, 2011)

Meadow Beaver said:


> I had i tree with three 8" wedges all the way in the back, tree was leaning about 30 degrees. I was whooped and went over to take a breeak, all of a sudden it fell like nothing was holding it back. :msp_confused:


 
View attachment 174054
View attachment 174055

I cut this 32" cherry and buried 2x8" and a 10" wedge . NOTHING ! Used a couple of soft alum. wedges for more lift . NOTHING ! Sent my partner down with some logs and told him to bring up a splitting wedge (ouch). While waiting, I stuck the point of my peavey in the back cut, got a shoulder under it and, after a few nut-busting heaves, she tipped over ! I was so pleased with myself, I carved my initials in the stump with the saw . Then I discovered this discussion group, saw all the REALLY big stuff you guys tip over, and felt very humble . Baby steps !


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## 2dogs (Feb 27, 2011)

Gologit said:


> Sometimes on real soft wood, like cedar or Redwood, the wind will set the tree back on your wedges with enough force to push them down into the wood. This can happen fast if you're using small single taper wedges and you haven't doubled up yet. It's usually a sign that maybe you're trying to hit the lay with too much wind to really be able to do it.
> 
> LOL...it's also a sign that you might have radically misjudged the lean. Happens. If you get one that's stuck, and if time and situation permit it, walk quite a ways back from the tree and read the lean again. Sometimes a little distance will change your perspective. The worst I ever had was a Redwood that sat back on me. Last tree of the day, the wind had come up right smart, big hurry to go home, didn't take enough time to read it right...you know the routine. It ate every wedge I had. I had to hike a half mile up to the road, get the jacks, hike back, and finish the tree. My falling partner was really sympathetic, too. He said he'd wait right there by the tree 'til I got back...just to keep people out of the danger zone. :msp_rolleyes: We jacked the tree into lead but it redlined the gauge a couple of times. I had to pry some of the wedges out of the stump with a screw driver. Also had to buy my partner's supper for him for making him work overtime.


 
I've also had wedges break a rotten stump so that the wedge went down and never moved the trunk. On a small Tamarak Pine that was hung up I had the wedge break the hinge and left the tree sitting on the wedge. Not fun.


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## hammerlogging (Feb 27, 2011)

For sure, usually from going too fast, I;ve had the rot thing be a probelm too, but then sometimes its just uncalled for behavior, I had a chestnut oak last year that will always be remembered, probably 30" stump, a little back lean but no big deal, turned out to be the heaviest mother ####ing chestnut oak of all time, must have been growing back when John the Baptisit was still in business. Up on a ridgetop, heaviest tree, damn i pounded on that ####er. Got another faller over to help me even, we had 7 wedges and us 2 men working that one over.

Of course, when this situation arrises, I always peak around to see what would happen if I just dumped the ####er wherever, if it ain't worth wearing yourself out over.....


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## Gologit (Feb 27, 2011)

hammerlogging said:


> Of course, when this situation arrises, I always peak around to see what would happen if I just dumped the ####er wherever, if it ain't worth wearing yourself out over.....


 
:msp_biggrin: That's always a temptation...and every once in awhile it's good to give in to temptation.


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## RandyMac (Feb 27, 2011)

Temptation? Whats that?


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## hammerlogging (Feb 28, 2011)

another word for spiders.


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## RandyMac (Feb 28, 2011)

Ok, got it.


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## 066logger (Feb 28, 2011)

i have had several trees that just wouldent quite tip on over and found an awesome solution on accident lol. i was using a metal handled splitting maul to beat wedges cause i accidentally rolled a log over my axe the day before :censored:. well anyway the maul is almost shaped like a single bit axe with a slow taper and about a 36" handle. but i just stuck the taper of the maul in my back cut and lifted on the handle while standing to the side of the tree. i lifted a 3 foot oak over without much work. it seems to work best to use steady pressure cause it takes a sec for the tree to start to tip but once it does she normally goes right over. i have used this on prolly 30 trees since then and only had 1 or 2 that i couldent get over with wedges and a maul. its a little heavier to carry around but sure works good. oh i also like to use this on trees with dead limbs cause its a steady slow movement vs fast bounces that sometimes break limbs loose.


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## Philbert (Mar 1, 2011)

066logger said:


> . . . i just stuck the taper of the maul in my back cut and lifted on the handle while standing to the side of the tree. i lifted a 3 foot oak over without much work. . . .


 
What you discovered is the 'felling lever' or 'felling bar' that is used in Europe and promoted by Husqvarna.






Philbert


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## floyd (Mar 3, 2011)

Bench grinder. The axe that trashed them in the first place.

There you go , blame it on the axe.


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## dancan (Mar 3, 2011)

Philbert said:


> What you discovered is the 'felling lever' or 'felling bar' that is used in Europe and promoted by Husqvarna.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 









I don't go to work without it .
Handier than a wedge in the right size timber but not so much when you have to tip large trees against a heavy lean .


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## paccity (Mar 3, 2011)

Gologit said:


> :msp_biggrin: That's always a temptation...and every once in awhile it's good to give in to temptation.


 
if you didn't give in what would you get done.


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## ms290 (Mar 5, 2011)

i too use the "felling maul" lol. that what i call it. they work great for felling and splitting. sometimes depending on how manly i feel at the time i even split right after bucking.


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## joesawer (Mar 5, 2011)

Lol Trees that wont lift? Nope I have never had tree that would not lift. One that spit the wedges out and they would not go in no matter how hard you hit them. Setting your wedge sooner helps to prevent this sometimes.
A crooked hinge can make a tree very hard to get moving also. 

A few years ago I was thinking about giving in to temptation on a 48 dbh ponderosa that i had spent way to much time on and cut the hinge finer than I believed would hold that nasty woolly thing up.I was about to dump a tree backward over my wedges and looked behind me where the tree really wanted to go, and the whole helicopter crew and other assorted spectators where standing there, if the too thin hinge popped about a dozen people would die.
And many of them should have known better and would always get offended when you tried to tell them anything.


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## 066logger (Mar 7, 2011)

dancan said:


> I don't go to work without it .
> Handier than a wedge in the right size timber but not so much when you have to tip large trees against a heavy lean .


 
thats totally cool. i figured surely somebody had patented the idea because it works so well. got any ideas on where a person could find one of these in the states?


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## dancan (Mar 7, 2011)

066logger said:


> thats totally cool. i figured surely somebody had patented the idea because it works so well. got any ideas on where a person could find one of these in the states?


 
Any Husky/Jred/Stihl and Oregon dealer should have them listed in their catalogs .
I'll try and get you some part # if you have no luck .


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## dancan (Mar 7, 2011)

505 69 43-01 136 cm 
505 21 69-01 140 cm

Jred or Husky part numbers


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## Philbert (Mar 7, 2011)

Baileys

Bailey's - Husqvarna Felling Lever with Cant Hook

Some of the other sponsors may also have them.

Philbert


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## 056 kid (Mar 7, 2011)

So that stick is for lifting trees over?

LOL. .


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## 2dogs (Mar 8, 2011)

056 kid said:


> So that stick is for lifting trees over?
> 
> LOL. .


 
I think the felling lever is like GOL, that is designed for use in tree farms in Sweden where all the trees are of even age and none of then nearly as large as our timber trees. The farm has had 2 or 3 thinnings, none of the trees are limb locked or even leaning. The felling conditions are ideal. Just don't try lifting a 3 or 4 foot dbh wild tree with one.

None the less it is another tool for the toolbox. But like GOL don't expect it to work on our big stuff.


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## dancan (Mar 8, 2011)

056 kid said:


> So that stick is for lifting trees over?
> 
> LOL. .


 Yup !


2dogs said:


> I think the felling lever is like GOL, that is designed for use in tree farms in Sweden where all the trees are of even age and none of then nearly as large as our timber trees. The farm has had 2 or 3 thinnings, none of the trees are limb locked or even leaning. The felling conditions are ideal. Just don't try lifting a 3 or 4 foot dbh wild tree with one.
> 
> None the less it is another tool for the toolbox. But like GOL don't expect it to work on our big stuff.


 


dancan said:


> I don't go to work without it .
> Handier than a wedge in the right size timber but not so much when you have to tip large trees against a heavy lean .


 
No GOL here !
I don't think it'd be as useful a tool in BC or the PNW but in our mix of forest around here it is as handy as wedges for getting trees on the ground in the direction you want and can even be faster than hammering on wedges at times .
I've not had to sharpen it yet but have lost it twice to have it been found by an excavator operator .


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## 066logger (Mar 8, 2011)

2dogs said:


> I think the felling lever is like GOL, that is designed for use in tree farms in Sweden where all the trees are of even age and none of then nearly as large as our timber trees. The farm has had 2 or 3 thinnings, none of the trees are limb locked or even leaning. The felling conditions are ideal. Just don't try lifting a 3 or 4 foot dbh wild tree with one.
> 
> None the less it is another tool for the toolbox. But like GOL don't expect it to work on our big stuff.


 
lol i have used my axe on about 5 trees that were over 5dbh otstir:. and yes they were wild trees. i had used a couple wedges on most of them and they were almost over so instead of wasting time and hammering in another wedge i just lifted them over. theirs no reason to condemn somebodys idea just cause u cut (wild trees) lol. although looking closely at the felling bar it doesent look like u get quite the leverage that i do. the maul has a 36 inch handle thats twisting a 2.5" head in the cut vs the other thingy you are basically just inserting it and lifting instead of twisting if that makes any sense lol. thanks for the part numbers ill hafto check them out and see if they fit my budget lol :msp_thumbup:


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## 2dogs (Mar 8, 2011)

066logger said:


> lol i have used my axe on about 5 trees that were over 5dbh otstir:. and yes they were wild trees. i had used a couple wedges on most of them and they were almost over so instead of wasting time and hammering in another wedge i just lifted them over. theirs no reason to condemn somebodys idea just cause u cut (wild trees) lol. although looking closely at the felling bar it doesent look like u get quite the leverage that i do. the maul has a 36 inch handle thats twisting a 2.5" head in the cut vs the other thingy you are basically just inserting it and lifting instead of twisting if that makes any sense lol. thanks for the part numbers ill hafto check them out and see if they fit my budget lol :msp_thumbup:


 
I really can't type any slower or make the words louder so please go back and re-read my post. I did not condemn the felling lever I only gave my opinion on how it was developed. I don't care how you use a splitting maul and I did not comment on that. I will say that hanging around the stump as the tree is falling trying to tip it more is foolish. You could get yourself injured or killed that way. Especially with the 5' dbh trees you are cutting. Please, just set your wedges and get out of the danger zone.


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## paccity (Mar 8, 2011)

opcorn:


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## Philbert (Mar 8, 2011)

So . . . . anybody sharpen their plastic wedges after they get banged up?

Philbert


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## paccity (Mar 8, 2011)

ya, dress them up alittle, if there to short they don't work as good.


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## Philbert (Mar 8, 2011)

paccity said:


> ya, dress them up alittle, if there to short they don't work as good.


 
After you dress 'em up, do you take them out?

A guy at Baileys told me something that is obvious in retrospect, but I really had not thought of. He mentioned that most wedges are the same thickness, regardless of length, so the longer ones give you more gradual lift - are easier to tap in. 

I had only really thought about wedge length with respect to the diameter of the tree, but duh!

So the shorter wedges (after dressing) might still be useful for other tasks, like keeping in your pocket and getting your guide bar unstuck when crosscutting, even if it is not so good for felling anymore.

Philbert


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## paccity (Mar 8, 2011)

Philbert said:


> After you dress 'em up, do you take them out?
> 
> A guy at Baileys told me something that is obvious in retrospect, but I really had not thought of. He mentioned that most wedges are the same thickness, regardless of length, so the longer ones give you more gradual lift - are easier to tap in.
> 
> ...


 
exactly right. it's nice to dress them up before i take them out. and more surface area for lift.


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## 2dogs (Mar 8, 2011)

Philbert said:


> After you dress 'em up, do you take them out?
> 
> A guy at Baileys told me something that is obvious in retrospect, but I really had not thought of. He mentioned that most wedges are the same thickness, regardless of length, so the longer ones give you more gradual lift - are easier to tap in.
> 
> ...


 
The longer wedges give greater lifting force and generally are indeed sized to the tree. You can only put so much force into each blow of the axe so a longer wedge with a more gradual taper works kinda like a longer lever. I have some 16" wedges that are thicker but will really lift a large dbh tree. The double and triple taper wedges can offer more lifting force too.


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## Gologit (Mar 8, 2011)

2dogs said:


> I really can't type any slower or make the words louder so please go back and re-read my post. I did not condemn the felling lever I only gave my opinion on how it was developed. I don't care how you use a splitting maul and I did not comment on that. I will say that hanging around the stump as the tree is falling trying to tip it more is foolish. You could get yourself injured or killed that way. Especially with the 5' dbh trees you are cutting. Please, just set your wedges and get out of the danger zone.


 
 That's good advice to the rookie...I'll add just a bit. Until you've dropped a few and have a better idea of how long you can hang at the stump it's best to just get out when it starts to talk. Chasing a hinge to steer a tree isn't always necessary. Learn to wedge. Soon.


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## bitzer (Mar 8, 2011)

066logger said:


> lol i have used my axe on about 5 trees that were over 5dbh otstir:. and yes they were wild trees. i had used a couple wedges on most of them and they were almost over so instead of wasting time and hammering in another wedge i just lifted them over. theirs no reason to condemn somebodys idea just cause u cut (wild trees) lol. although looking closely at the felling bar it doesent look like u get quite the leverage that i do. the maul has a 36 inch handle thats twisting a 2.5" head in the cut vs the other thingy you are basically just inserting it and lifting instead of twisting if that makes any sense lol. thanks for the part numbers ill hafto check them out and see if they fit my budget lol :msp_thumbup:


 
That maul trick will work until you snap the handle and believe me that will happen quicker than ####. Just like prying with a shovel. Its not what its meant for. That thing is probably a little heavy to drag around the woods all day too.


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## Gologit (Mar 8, 2011)

paccity said:


> exactly right. it's nice to dress them up before i take them out. and more surface area for lift.


 
:msp_biggrin: Hmmmmm...long winter up there in Oregon eh?


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## paccity (Mar 8, 2011)

Gologit said:


> :msp_biggrin: Hmmmmm...long winter up there in Oregon eh?


 
HA! :msp_biggrin:


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## stihl waters (Mar 8, 2011)

066logger said:


> lol i have used my axe on about 5 trees that were over 5dbh otstir:. and yes they were wild trees. i had used a couple wedges on most of them and they were almost over so instead of wasting time and hammering in another wedge i just lifted them over. theirs no reason to condemn somebodys idea just cause u cut (wild trees) lol. although looking closely at the felling bar it doesent look like u get quite the leverage that i do. the maul has a 36 inch handle thats twisting a 2.5" head in the cut vs the other thingy you are basically just inserting it and lifting instead of twisting if that makes any sense lol. thanks for the part numbers ill hafto check them out and see if they fit my budget lol :msp_thumbup:
> 
> I've got something that will fit your budget logger and work every bit as good as a felling lever. A leafspring spring out of a pick-up works ,just pick a leaf of whatever length you like ,I have a long and a short one,the taper at the end allows them to slide easily into the cut. I usually use it with the curve facing to the ground, works better than the ones you buy. Leaves out of a heavy duty or 3/4 ton are great,very best of steel. Try it,but if you get any ideas about patenting it I want my cut!!! The bit of give in the spring seems to make them lift even better and I've never broke one. I suppose if you want to feel like you've gotten something all shiny and new you could paint it up to match your saw colors !


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## paccity (Mar 8, 2011)

might work for you , but i'll pass. no offence.


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## stihl waters (Mar 8, 2011)

I've been logging for 30yrs. and using them for the last 20,works for me, as far as anyone else I guess it's up to them. Just thought I'd throw it out there.


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## paccity (Mar 8, 2011)

yup, what works for some might not work for me.:smile2:


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## 066logger (Mar 8, 2011)

I will say that hanging around the stump as the tree is falling trying to tip it more is foolish. You could get yourself injured or killed that way. Especially with the 5' dbh trees you are cutting. Please, just set your wedges and get out of the danger zone.[/QUOTE]

lol. i was just picking fun, but one question? if the tree is falling then why would i be trying to tip it? :confused2: but honestly i would rather be lifting on a maul while watching the sky and any widowmakers that are up their and also standing to the side of the tree than standing behind a tree with all my attention on pounding wedges. just a thought. i think my sense of sarcasm sometimes gets me into trouble because people cant sense that im just pokin a little fun.:msp_thumbsup:


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## 066logger (Mar 8, 2011)

I've got something that will fit your budget logger and work every bit as good as a felling lever. A leafspring spring out of a pick-up works ,just pick a leaf of whatever length you like ,I have a long and a short one,the taper at the end allows them to slide easily into the cut. I usually use it with the curve facing to the ground, works better than the ones you buy. Leaves out of a heavy duty or 3/4 ton are great,very best of steel. Try it,but if you get any ideas about patenting it I want my cut!!! The bit of give in the spring seems to make them lift even better and I've never broke one. I suppose if you want to feel like you've gotten something all shiny and new you could paint it up to match your saw colors ![/QUOTE]

ahh yes theirs a good idea. a leaf spring should be indestructible and inexpinsive also. thanks for the idea. im going to fiddle around with it some more and see if i cant fine tune the tecnique. if i get anywhere ill post pics :msp_thumbsup:


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## Gologit (Mar 9, 2011)

Philbert said:


> So . . . . anybody sharpen their plastic wedges after they get banged up?
> 
> Philbert


 
Probably.


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## Dayto (Mar 9, 2011)

ee


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## stihl waters (Mar 9, 2011)

Mostly I do use wedges, no metal ones either,sorry to disappoint you. I simply offered up an alternative to buying a felling lever or "falling lever" if it makes you happy. I do call it falling but the term for those levers is felling levers at least that's how they're named in the brochures I've seen. Yes you'll have to give us all some "felling" lessons for us poor easterners then maybe we'll learn to do it the left coast right way !!

One thing I do know for certain is that there's not a whole lot of nuclear physicist brainiac types among us or we'd have found an easier way to make a living !!


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## Philbert (Mar 9, 2011)

Dayto said:


> out here on the westcoast of B.C we are Fallers


 
The women here call us '_fellas_'.

But if we started on grammar in these posts, . . . 

Philbert


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## Dayto (Mar 9, 2011)

As Mentioned in my original post , Im not trying to be Insulting are comming across as a ####### , I was just expressing my thoughts. Its just sometimes I think guys come into Falling/Felling a little "untrained" so instead of be able to learn the skill and gain confidence of there Ability they turn over to these "Tactics" of timber falling.


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## stihl waters (Mar 9, 2011)

Fair enough,big diff. between what I fall and what you do, our biggest trees max out at about 4ft. & 110,& they're pretty scarce now. Company I work for is sitting on 6000 acres of prob. the best timber left in this whole little backwards province and all we've got to cut on it are a few roads !! It's just not fair !


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## Dayto (Mar 9, 2011)

Out here is pretty spotty 2.


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