A Request From An Urban Forester

[Husky288XP]

Can you post some pictures of you guys wedging over trees with a slight lean, to show how you over came a lean with just wedges?

 

[Ryan Willock]

Doesn't show the lean very well at all but here you go.

 

[Ryan Willock]

Here's the back cut.

 

[rumination]

Ryan,

I'm a little unclear from the photos. Did you make a bore cut, pound the wedges into both sides of the bore, and then release the strap to let the tree go?

Thanks

 

[JimL]

thats how I do 95% of all my trees. Bore it, wedge it then cut the strap.

 

[rumination]

Thanks Jim. I've never tried that before. I am more likely to use ropes than wedges most of the time, but I'm interested in learning more about using wedges when felling. I figure the more techniques I know, the better.

 

[Ryan Willock]

Yep, thats how I did it.

 

[glens]

If "release the strap to let the tree go" was not accompanied by further (aggressively) driving any or all of the wedges then it wasn't a case of "over came a lean with just wedges".

I don't consider a lean being "overcome" until the lean is between the range of 90°-270° (exclusive) from the direction of fall.  It's not uncommon in such cases to have very many wedges in the back cut (more so as the direction of fall approaches 180° from the direction of lean), with instances of them being stacked to generate the lift necessary to get the tree over-center.  The force sometimes necessary to accomplish the task requires the back cut to be, while horizontal (level) along the horizontal (level) hinge, perpendicular to the stem in in the direction perpendicular to the hinge, even if that means the cut will not be horizontal (level) in that direction.  If anyone disagrees with that statement, trust me when I say it's no fun (at best!) to have the tree separate along the growth rings on the side (top or bottom, actually) of the cut forming an acute angle to the grain as a result of the wedge pressure.

Glen

 

[Ryan Willock]

Glen, come spend a day logging with me.... You'll get to do all the wedging you want and then some!!! I snug my wedges up before I sever the strap then pound like h@ll to drive the tree over.

 

[glens]

I may take you up on that offer some day, Ryan.  My response was a bit more to "rumination" as it seemed he might have thought it was a walk in the park to take a tree against its lean with wedges.  I've had every wedge in my bag in a tree and scrounging for more before.  Sometimes the notch material even gets used as back cut filler; a situation I'm sure you've encountered.

The strange thing is I feel inclined to leave the hinge a little thicker when it's absolutely imperative the tree not go backwards, and that makes for extra work on top of the extra work...  Another hard decision to make sometimes is whether to leave the hinge nearer the perimeter to gain leverage in the back cut or to move the hinge nearer the center to reduce the amount of lift necessary.  Do you have a preference either way?

Glen

 

[Ryan Willock]

Well off the record I have a habit of using a deep humbolt when I have one that I have reason to believe will be a pain to wedge over. I've found that taking a humbolt 1/2 through (NO MORE than that!!!) will make it easier to wedge. I also use K and H 10'' triple taper wedges as I have found no equal to them insofar as durablity and "drive-ability". I too leave the hinge thicker when I do that because of the increased risk of the hinge tearing out at the wrong time or wrong direction.

 

[Ryan Willock]

Oh, I've also had trees where an eight pound hammer wouldn't have driven the wedge and thats where the skidder comes in

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

any of you guys had a saw get jammed [tree sits back] up before you have had chance to put in a wedge ????..its never happened to me yet but im waiting ..i only knock over probably on average one tree a day even then most of the top will have been removed first [arborist] ..i'd realy love a week back in the woods felling conifers to hone my felling skills that im afraid are sometimes lacking through lack of practice

 

[glens]

Originally posted by ROLLACOSTA
any of you guys had a saw get jammed [tree sits back] up before you have had chance to put in a wedge ????

Yeah, but only when I'm showing off, naturally.  It's only ever been a minor inconvenience for me, but I'm waiting...

Glen

 

[wiley_p]

ryan, do you look for opportunity to "drive" trees with another?

 

[John Ellison]

Sometimes its the best way. Just have to make sure your not going to build a tipi.

John

 

[wiley_p]

Ifr a guy watches the top instead of the kerf you get about a one second jump on getting setback, remember get a wedge into the cut as soon as there is room regardless of anything but a definite favor to the lead.

 

[Ryan Willock]

I know the response is a little late but yes I have been known to play domino's a time or two.