Biggest tree to date!!

NWnewguy · Feb 6, 2007

I know you were probably expecting a really big tree. To me this one was pretty big because it was within falling distence to my garage. I used the power of "the hinge" and it fell within about 10' of where I was intending on it going. It was 34" in diameter and about 140' as measured by me pacing it off. I am pretty sure it was a Spruce and it had been dead for about a year and a few months. I was amazed by the amount of sap that was in the center grain. Anyway, feel free to critique it, I am always willing to listen to good advice. That is a Husky 575 with 28" bar that did the felling.

fishhuntcutwood · Feb 6, 2007

NWnewguy said:
feel free to critique it, I am always willing to listen to good advice.

You didn't hit your garage, so you're doing well.

A bit of fiber pull, but it happens. Make sure you're all the way up on your hinge before you pull your saw.

And are you sure it's a spruce? Looks a bit "Doug Firish" to me as well. We don't have many spruce out here.

Jeff

NWnewguy · Feb 6, 2007

Yeah, I was a bit short in the middle and it definitely shows after the fact. I thought I was good and straight and all the way up to the hinge, obviously I was a bit short. As far as it being a Doug Fir, I'm not too sure. Maybe some others could comment. I could add some pictures tomorrow of the grain if that would help. Thanks for the comments.

precaud · Feb 6, 2007

Wow, congratulations. 140 feet is some tree. That must have been very satisfying. I don't think we have trees that tall around here! The tallest I've tackled was 30" dia and 36 ft. high, felled with my little 011 with 16" bar...

TimberPig · Feb 6, 2007

Definitely Douglas-fir, not spruce.

As Jeff already said, good job on missing the garage. The fiber pull happens sometimes, even when you think you're straight up to the hinge, you sometimes are not. It's something that comes with more practice, and happens less often as you become more skilled in maintaining an even hinge amongst everything else you're concentrating on and thinking about while falling a tree.

Cedarkerf · Feb 6, 2007

Its a doug fir

Our main stay of evergreens. We have sitka spruce but it has smooth flaky bark. Give us a good stump pick. Good you missed garage.

Lakeside53 · Feb 6, 2007

140 is way big enough to get the heart going... like when you're in the back cut, you know there's no going back, and then a little breeze springs up and starts to rock the tree back on the saw...

but I, particularly like the tttttthHUMPFFFFF!

rbtree · Feb 6, 2007

Nice work, NWnewguy..and welcome to AS,

Hey, I've been accused of tooting my horn before, but you and others oughta get a kick out of this old thread. Be sure to read till the last post...as none of the links to the video work but in that post.......

Actually, I wasn't the falling fella....that was wiley_p

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=5336&highlight=146+foot+fir

Canyon Angler · Feb 6, 2007

I'm curious about this issue of "fiber pull" and what causes it. What went wrong? Was the hinge wood too thick? (I don't fell too many trees!)

opcorn:

fishhuntcutwood · Feb 6, 2007

Canyon Angler said:
I'm curious about this issue of "fiber pull" and what causes it. What went wrong? Was the hinge wood too thick? (I don't fell too many trees!) opcorn:

Yeah, fiber pull is when the wood fibers "pull" out of the tree instead of bending and breaking as they should in a well-cut hinge. It happens when you've got a bit too much hinge left, but the tree goes over anyway. And because of the extra holding wood, it's too strong to bend and pull the fiber right out of the spar or log.

What we have here is small, but it can get proportionately bigger with the tree, sometimes with several feet of fiber pulling out of the spar. It's bad for merchantable timber. For firewood, it's no big deal.

Jeff

GASoline71 · Feb 6, 2007

NWnewguy said:
Yeah, I was a bit short in the middle and it definitely shows after the fact. I thought I was good and straight and all the way up to the hinge, obviously I was a bit short. As far as it being a Doug Fir, I'm not too sure. Maybe some others could comment. I could add some pictures tomorrow of the grain if that would help. Thanks for the comments.

Good job dude! We gots lots o' those big 'uns around these parts. Like Andy said... nothin' like the sound a 30+ dbh 120+ ft tall tree makes when it hits the ground. Makes the earth shake!

A little fiber pull ain't a biggee like Jeff said. Wait until you get a sitback on a big 'un like that and you have to wedge that sucker over! That'll put your jewels in your throat!

Gary

MikeInParadise · Feb 6, 2007

I agree that if you didn't hit anything and it land where you want it, then that is a good fall.

Rbtree...I cannot believe that you would cut the tree for $200.00! Nice job but no way would I have attempted that in one piece. (I really need a nice icon doing the chicken dance here!)

I will stick to my brushing and clearing dropping trees in the forest, thank you very much!

rbtree · Feb 6, 2007

Speaking of spruce, y'all gotta read these articles....Today, I attended a very good Ed Gilman workshop on hazard trees. Paul Ries, Oregon forester, and one of the people called in to consult on the champion spruce, passed around pictures of the damage to it, caused by a decades old lightning strike, and exposed for all to see in the Dec wind event. I'm looking for pics..and find none, maybe I'l email Paul to have him send some. It's amazing that the tree didnt fail, the split is so huge.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07020/754196-37.stm
http://www.digitalmediatree.com/treehouse/comment/38944/

Canyon Angler · Feb 6, 2007

fishhuntcutwood said:
Yeah, fiber pull is when the wood fibers "pull" out of the tree instead of bending and breaking as they should in a well-cut hinge. It happens when you've got a bit too much hinge left, but the tree goes over anyway.

Oh, I get it -- thanks. Must be some serious forces for those fibers to break under tension and then just RRRRRRRIP out of the spar or log!

GASoline71 · Feb 6, 2007

yup... ya just gotta stay in the back cut long enough to keep your hinge (holding wood) narrow, but to not cut through it.

Unless you are doing some directional falling where you will leave a fatter hinge on one side than the other to help a tree fall where you want it. This really comes into play with leaners, and head heavy trees.

Gary

Tzed250 · Feb 6, 2007

Look out...

You better nip those pulled fibers off before the boss sees them :laugh:

Glad to hear that the job came out OK. Folks that have never felled big trees next to houses have no idea about the adrenaline rush that happens when you see the back cut start to open up, anf you know that it will all be over in a matter of seconds, good or bad!!!

FDB · Feb 6, 2007

Definately a doug fir, in fact that is our state tree. This thread has definately been informative for a newbee like myself, I have been cutting and splitting wood for a longtime, this last month has been the first time i have ever taken any trees down (all in the woods not next to houses). Now I know why those fibers are on the trees that i took down and what fiber pull is. Now I am ready to go out and get some more practice.

Tzed250 · Feb 6, 2007

Felling technique

You might check into some more advanced felling methods that let you keep better control of the hinge and increase the safety level. A search of this site will turn up plenty of info.

GASoline71 · Feb 6, 2007

Get the book by D. Douglas Dent... Professional Timber Falling, a procedural approach.

Only 15 bucks from Bailey's... you won't regret it.

Gary

troutfisher · Feb 6, 2007

Good job. I don't have the nerve to fall big trees near bulidings anymore. I've had a few close calls, and now I leave it to the pros. I love gettin' out in the woods though!

opcorn:

Biggest tree to date!!

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