Ekka
Addicted to ArboristSite
Video of what we did today featuring the 1/4 cut technique in detail. 
8meg and 5.22mins
just click on here
8meg and 5.22mins
just click on here
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Video of 1/4 cut technique
- Thread starter Ekka
- Start date
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MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Interesting. I'm more trusting of a rope over wedges.
It's a shame they just didn't trim those pines.
They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.
It's a shame they just didn't trim those pines.
They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot.
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MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
You are correct, sir!
Treeman14 said:
that's what I thought too, but were afraid to ask..
Lumberjack
Banned
I dont understand it either. What advantage is the 1/4 cut over a trad cut? I just dont see it
Lumberjack
Banned
Copied from the TH:
"Imagine if you are trying to fell tall but skinny trees, you cut your scarf to the fall direction, and if you did your back cut in one fowl swoop imagine the back of the bar might still be sticking out of the back of the tree ... you can't get a wedge in there ... you might have the tree sit on the bar if it were windy or a back leaner ... so the quarter cut gives you the opportunity to get a wedge in.
The felling direction is always the direction of scarf.
If you have a side lean you wedge that side first, but do not pound away trying to lift or straighten the tree ... what I did in the video was wedge that side to take the weight of the lean on that wedge. When you do the second part of the quarter cut up to the hinge yo wedge that too. Then by alternating how you hit the wedges you get that tree over in direction of the scarf.
Also, we are not talking major leans etc ... if it were like leaning 15 degrees etc you better back it up with rope.
With those trees they were basically too skinny to do the back cut in one swoop and get a wedge behind the saw.
I hope this explanation helped, it is a very handy technique to know, especially on tall skinny stuff."
It makes sense to me now, but I am with Butch, I perfer a tag line over wedges.
"Imagine if you are trying to fell tall but skinny trees, you cut your scarf to the fall direction, and if you did your back cut in one fowl swoop imagine the back of the bar might still be sticking out of the back of the tree ... you can't get a wedge in there ... you might have the tree sit on the bar if it were windy or a back leaner ... so the quarter cut gives you the opportunity to get a wedge in.
The felling direction is always the direction of scarf.
If you have a side lean you wedge that side first, but do not pound away trying to lift or straighten the tree ... what I did in the video was wedge that side to take the weight of the lean on that wedge. When you do the second part of the quarter cut up to the hinge yo wedge that too. Then by alternating how you hit the wedges you get that tree over in direction of the scarf.
Also, we are not talking major leans etc ... if it were like leaning 15 degrees etc you better back it up with rope.
With those trees they were basically too skinny to do the back cut in one swoop and get a wedge behind the saw.
I hope this explanation helped, it is a very handy technique to know, especially on tall skinny stuff."
It makes sense to me now, but I am with Butch, I perfer a tag line over wedges.
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
This seems like a good trick to have in the bag, along with the throwline and tagline. There are times when there isn't an anchor for the tagline. Or you might not have the sacrificial groundie along that day. Then, once the tree is on the ground you have to get the rope unsnaggled, coiled and moved to the next tree. By using this method the groundie can be coming along behind doing other work.
Getting a wedge in is always nice. For a job like that it would be handy to have a carpenter's belt pouch for the wedges and hammer. It shouldn't be necessary to carry around that big maul/ax, use a small hatchet or hammer.
Thanks for putting the time into posting the video.
Getting a wedge in is always nice. For a job like that it would be handy to have a carpenter's belt pouch for the wedges and hammer. It shouldn't be necessary to carry around that big maul/ax, use a small hatchet or hammer.
Thanks for putting the time into posting the video.
Ross Turner
ArboristSite Operative
I was taught that cut years ago,It was called the Swedish felling cut as it was developed for the Nordafeller felling cushion which operated off the emmissions from Husqvarna saws.
Today the saws are no longer available,but i place a felling bar in the first part of the cut(this stops a tree sitting back)then carry on the same as Ekka with the second cut but the first cut would be as low as possible.
As Tom says its a great cut to know.
Today the saws are no longer available,but i place a felling bar in the first part of the cut(this stops a tree sitting back)then carry on the same as Ekka with the second cut but the first cut would be as low as possible.
As Tom says its a great cut to know.
Ekka
Addicted to ArboristSite
It's way faster to cut and wedge than set ropes in trees with lots of branches like those pines.
I just walked along cut, wedged and felled. The groundies were limbing up and chipping the pines.
With the second one on the video that you saw go over, well thats how easily they usually go over if there's no lean to wrestle with, you have to cut a scarf and do a back cut anyway, it doesn't take that much longer to bang a wedge in.
Problem with a lot of those pines was they were too thin to get a wedge behind the bar.
Hey MB, that's exactly what the customer is going to do, concrete a new driveway and carpark down that back area ... but it's no paradise, just a home run business next to a major motorway.
I just walked along cut, wedged and felled. The groundies were limbing up and chipping the pines.
With the second one on the video that you saw go over, well thats how easily they usually go over if there's no lean to wrestle with, you have to cut a scarf and do a back cut anyway, it doesn't take that much longer to bang a wedge in.
Problem with a lot of those pines was they were too thin to get a wedge behind the bar.
Hey MB, that's exactly what the customer is going to do, concrete a new driveway and carpark down that back area ... but it's no paradise, just a home run business next to a major motorway.
MasterBlaster
TreeHouse Elder
Haha. Poor pines!
chris_girard
ArboristSite Member
I too was taught that cut back when I got my state loggers certification. Works great out in the woods and in the urban forests as well, though I will always use a tag line when needed.
Ax-man
Addicted to ArboristSite
Just a question, wouldn't a bore cut work just as good. Bore in with the nose of the bar behind the hinge, cutting the opposite way you would for a normal back cut but leave a tab of wood to hold the tree, take the saw out, drive your wedges in from both sides of the tab, cut the tab, if the tree needs a little more wedeging just drive them in a little more.
Good video Ekka, how much does one of those vid cameras cost , gotta get me one, some day.
Larry
Good video Ekka, how much does one of those vid cameras cost , gotta get me one, some day.
Larry
John Paul Sanborn
Above average climber
On really skinny leaners you can bore twice in through the face so you set your wedges in the back of the tree with a shim and feather them up.
These methods are mostly for places where you cannot get a rope up into the tree. I know guys who have gone through GoL and do not use ropes much any more.
These methods are mostly for places where you cannot get a rope up into the tree. I know guys who have gone through GoL and do not use ropes much any more.
BigUglySquirrel
ArboristSite Operative
About that...I used the boring technique on a fair sized pine that the top broke out of and had a decent amount of lean to it. Could have notched and backcut, but wanted to practice. Was felling it into concrete so I limbed it off then notched it. Made my bore on one side, then the other....tab broke prematurely. No harm done, we had the bases covered and I realize that I didn't leave enough of a tab to hold (we're ALL still learning). My point is that the 1/4 cut looks like a more "foolproof" technique, if you will. Thanks for the vid ekka, good stuff.
Great vid, thanks for that ekka! Great for thinning to waste operation.
pbtree
Addicted to ArboristSite
I like the video - but then again what do I know??????
