Ash tree drop

[WolverineMarine]

Looked good to me.

Don't forget to look up now and again though. The top tells you what's going on.

And make your backcut on the same side of the tree you faced it on.

I think I got the idea here..make the back cut on the same side of the tree..as in if you make the knotch on the right side...make the back cut on the right side as well..that pretty much what I did..and as far as what someone else said about the knotch needing to be 90 degrees or whatever..I think thats crap..the hinge wood keeps the tree from twisting once its in motion..the knotch steers the tree and determines when that portion tree will pop free from the soon to be stump in a matter of thinking..every situation is different...
This isn't my 1st rodeo..I was trying out my video camera on my new phone and thought I'd show off a little...

As far as the music goes..if I could have..I was gonna let it play to Billy Curringtons "thats how country boys role" but youtube wouldnt let me do it..oh well

 

[rmihalek]

There's probably not too many trees in a forestry exam that have a retaining wall blocking the preferred escape route. That's the difference between an exam and the real world.

Well if I did that on my forestry exam- I would not pass- they ask our felling notch to be 60 -90 degrees - so with this thin slice I wouldn't pass- plus the holding part ( should be 10 % here ) wasn't there - and you should have a 45 degree back-away area from opposite of tree felling direction to do it....

 

[ctrees4$]

Well if I did that on my forestry exam- I would not pass- they ask our felling notch to be 60 -90 degrees - so with this thin slice I wouldn't pass- plus the holding part ( should be 10 % here ) wasn't there - and you should have a 45 degree back-away area from opposite of tree felling direction to do it.... Thats the answer for what my forester exam consisted of; plus of course chainsaw safety;upkeep; working parts; maintenance and right cutting depths and techniques - and of course +-4 feet difference when felling [from the center point (you pick the spot before cutting a wedge and its measured 45' from stump) is failed]

When you finally put your books down and pick up a chainsaw you will realize that all that bs is only good for passing a test.

 

[ATH]

.....and as far as what someone else said about the knotch needing to be 90 degrees or whatever..I think thats crap..the hinge wood keeps the tree from twisting once its in motion..the knotch steers the tree and determines when that portion tree will pop free from the soon to be stump in a matter of thinking..every situation is different...

On smaller trees, a wider open face cut will give them more momentum before the wedge closes so they will have enough force to pop off of the stump. Of course a more open cut will give larger trees more momentum as well, but they are heavy enough and have a deeper wedge so this is generally not necessary. Like you said every situation is different, and I don't see any need to make such a wide wedge on a tree that large - looked good to me as is!

 

[Blakesmaster]

On smaller trees, a wider open face cut will give them more momentum before the wedge closes so they will have enough force to pop off of the stump. Of course a more open cut will give larger trees more momentum as well, but they are heavy enough and have a deeper wedge so this is generally not necessary. Like you said every situation is different, and I don't see any need to make such a wide wedge on a tree that large - looked good to me as is!

That's pretty much the exact opposite reason for doing an open faced notch. An open notch of 90 degrees or better will allow your hinge wood to guide the tree to the ground before the notch closes and forces your hinge wood to break.

These one size fits all rules of doing your backcut from the same side you notch, and always doing an open face are ####in' stupid though if you ask me. Every situation is different which is why I love this industry. You have to use your head on the job and always make adjustments based on safety, production and obstacles. Guys that write the rule books and others that quote them continuously for us only serve to dumb down our workforce and take away the need for experience and common sense. It's likely to get someone killed.

 

[WolverineMarine]

that's pretty much the exact opposite reason for doing an open faced notch. An open notch of 90 degrees or better will allow your hinge wood to guide the tree to the ground before the notch closes and forces your hinge wood to break.

These one size fits all rules of doing your backcut from the same side you notch, and always doing an open face are ####in' stupid though if you ask me. Every situation is different which is why i love this industry. You have to use your head on the job and always make adjustments based on safety, production and obstacles. Guys that write the rule books and others that quote them continuously for us only serve to dumb down our workforce and take away the need for experience and common sense. It's likely to get someone killed.

+1

 

[WolverineMarine]

Well if I did that on my forestry exam- I would not pass- they ask our felling notch to be 60 -90 degrees - so with this thin slice I wouldn't pass- plus the holding part ( should be 10 % here ) wasn't there - and you should have a 45 degree back-away area from opposite of tree felling direction to do it.... Thats the answer for what my forester exam consisted of; plus of course chainsaw safety;upkeep; working parts; maintenance and right cutting depths and techniques - and of course +-4 feet difference when felling [from the center point (you pick the spot before cutting a wedge and its measured 45' from stump) is failed]

This reminds me of when I was in the police academy and they would tell us all this stuff that we should do word for word bye the book blah blah blah..when I finally got out on the streets..my FTO told me forget all that useless crap because most of it will get you killed..all that stuff may help you pass an exam bro..but once you get out in the real world..you're gonna be lost in the sauce..I'm not trying to attack you and say book work doesnt have its place as I'm always a man trying to learn something new..but realize its a tool just like anything else..its there to help you when the need arises and the situation allows and the book and the real world are often VASTLY different and dont take every possible variable into account..

 

[sgreanbeans]

that's pretty much the exact opposite reason for doing an open faced notch. An open notch of 90 degrees or better will allow your hinge wood to guide the tree to the ground before the notch closes and forces your hinge wood to break.

totally true

 

[Blakesmaster]

I'm not trying to attack you and say book work doesnt have its place as I'm always a man trying to learn something new..but realize its a tool just like anything else..its there to help you when the need arises and the situation allows and the book and the real world are often VASTLY different and dont take every possible variable into account..

You said it much nicer than I did. lol That type of mentality just gets under my skin though. Instructors always push their pet method as the only way to do the job. I could go on for awhile but that's off topic. Good job, btw!

 

[pdqdl]

Those pet methods are usually forced onto the students so that they will at least understand how it should be done under ideal circumstances by someone who may not really understand what they are doing.

On the other hand, if ol' TonyX3M is taking forestry courses, why aren't they teaching him to do a humboldt (or some other variation) in order to maximize the wood value being harvested? I'll bet you could follow 10 timber fellers around for solid month and you would never see a 90° notch.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Those pet methods are usually forced onto the students so that they will at least understand how it should be done under ideal circumstances by someone who may not really understand what they are doing.

On the other hand, if ol' TonyX3M is taking forestry courses, why aren't they teaching him to do a humboldt (or some other variation) in order to maximize the wood value being harvested? I'll bet you could follow 10 timber fellers around for solid month and you would never see a 90° notch.

Actually, Pdq, the biggest proponents of open face notching in my area are the GOL guys. They teach a straight down cut for the top of the notch and then a normal horizontal lower cut keeping all of your notch in the tree's buttress. This maximizes the wood harvest better than a humbolt would. The humbolt really only maximizes the yield if cutting on a slope and and the lay is downhill.

 

[pdqdl]

Well...I guess if you are only cutting off the flare at the buttress, that would qualify as a really open face, but that's probably only done that way when the flare is wide enough to allow getting a wide enough hinge.

Either way, that still isn't sticking to some formula that requires a 90 degree angle.

Humbolt? You're right of course; that's why I suggested "or some other variation" as well as the humbolt. My point is only that a forestry course should be teaching a variety of techniques suited to the application, not just the "one size fits all'' approach.

 

[murphy4trees]

rules are for people that don't understand the "why"

nice drop.. (and they call me a lawn torturing maniac)

Ps an wasy way to get around the tight escape route would be to use a pull line on a machine and get out of there before callingt for the pull... especially with that forked top, that sucker could have flipped and rolled over, though it wouldn't have come back...

 

[WolverineMarine]

rules are for people that don't understand the "why"

nice drop.. (and they call me a lawn torturing maniac)

Ps an wasy way to get around the tight escape route would be to use a pull line on a machine and get out of there before callingt for the pull... especially with that forked top, that sucker could have flipped and rolled over, though it wouldn't have come back...

that was like one of the VERY few I have ever taken out that big before..ya..that retaining wall was a mother trust me..and all that wood..had to get hauled up the f-ing hill by hand..I know..I did it mostly myself..there was really no other way..I thought about hauling the logs up with the big winch on my truck..but didnt want to mess the lawn up any more than you already saw I had...only good news about that job was I got another ash removal job thats about twice as big as that one just down the road in the same complex..and that one..I think I'm gonna sell the logs to a guy with a mill..make a little extra than just giving it away for firewood this time

 

[pdqdl]

Good luck on the logs. Those ash logs are probably riddled with borer tunnels, so they might not have much value for lumber. That's not really my area of expertise, though.

 

[WolverineMarine]

Even if he only gives me 40- 50 bucks for all of it..thats still better than giving it away for nothing..and I think they call those tunnels in the wood ambiance or character..something sappy like that..LOL:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[ATH]

Emerald Ash Borer stays on the outside - just between the bark and wood, so the lumber is still perfectly fine.

 

[pbtree]

I have tried to turn it off but cant figure out how..if you do..lemme know

Theres a small dead hickory you cant see in the back ground until the tree is about going down..I picked up that one also..and another ash that makes that one look small..its prolly a 75'-80' footer..I love it when the saws screamin and people start wandering down to see what you're doin..LOL

Nice job!

 

[WolverineMarine]

Emerald Ash Borer stays on the outside - just between the bark and wood, so the lumber is still perfectly fine.

there are those wonderfull little D holes that are scattered every few feet or so from the emerging bugs..I'm not a bug guy so I dont know the whole life cycle..I just know I do see some holes that go to the heart wood so.. for the most part..thje wood is still usable..