best book on felling?

[imagineero]

Hi all,
Am looking to buy myself an early christmas present and would like a book on felling. I think my technique is pretty good (doesn't everybody?) but would like to add a few of the more technical notches to my my arsenal. Has anyone tried Professional Timber Falling: A Procedural Approach by Douglas Dent? I'm probably not so much in the market for a climbing book as I' pretty happy with where I am climbing wise at the moment, but more technical info on felling, chunking and tricky takedowns is definitely welcome!

Shaun

 

[MCW]

Hi mate.
NSW Forestry has a really good manual. Unfortunately I leant mine to a guy and you know the rest...
I'm sure there are a multitude of other good books though.

Aso don't get too excited about some of the fancier cuts - in 99.99% of domestic, non logging situations they're not necessary. If you're involved in timber production and fibre pull is an issue with quality and the mill then some of them have merit.

 

[timbrjackrussel]

Try this link http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/index.html

 

[imagineero]

Try this link http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/index.html

Thanks Russel... Thanks to you I now know what a chainsaw is, can name its parts, as well as knowing what 'limbing' and 'bucking' are. I'd always wondered about that.

Seriously though, this is all great stuff if you've never used a chainsaw in your life, but I've already dropped a few thousand trees. I'm looking more for advanced backwoods techniques, special notches and tricky fells.

Shaun

 

[MCW]

I'm looking more for advanced backwoods techniques, special notches and tricky fells.

Shaun

Well you've come to the right place Shaun. On AS everybody is an advanced felling guru Even when they've never felled a tree

 

[imagineero]

Hi mate.
NSW Forestry has a really good manual. Unfortunately I leant mine to a guy and you know the rest...
I'm sure there are a multitude of other good books though.

Aso don't get too excited about some of the fancier cuts - in 99.99% of domestic, non logging situations they're not necessary. If you're involved in timber production and fibre pull is an issue with quality and the mill then some of them have merit.

Will keep an eye out for it. I confess, I do get excited about fancier cuts ;-) Good basic felling technique plus wedges covers almost all standard situations. But I'm really interested in adding a few new techniques to my skill base. True, I might never use them, but even knowing them adds some knowledge about trees. Good clean notching is really important in clean fells, and I make a point of marking an X on the ground when I fell and trying to land on it... I use bore cuts occasionally, but always keeping my eye out for new skills

Shaun

 

[flushcut]

The book by Douglas Dent is probably the most technical and a good read for covering all bucking situations and felling, but the diagrams are a little hard to follow at times. Fundamentals of General Tree Work is a great book full of all kinds of info and worth picking up. I would say both books together cover it all, aside from personal experience.

 

[MCW]

I confess, I do get excited about fancier cuts ;-) Good basic felling technique plus wedges covers almost all standard situations. But I'm really interested in adding a few new techniques to my skill base. True, I might never use them, but even knowing them adds some knowledge about trees. Good clean notching is really important in clean fells, and I make a point of marking an X on the ground when I fell and trying to land on it... I use bore cuts occasionally, but always keeping my eye out for new skills

Shaun

Yeah I agree. Fancy cuts are fun sometimes just to try. But as you'd be well aware there is a time and a place for them and generally in someone's backyard or under the pump with time limits isn't the place

 

[slowp]

The best "book" is going out and pestering the professionals.

 

[imagineero]

Yeah I agree. Fancy cuts are fun sometimes just to try. But as you'd be well aware there is a time and a place for them and generally in someone's backyard or under the pump with time limits isn't the place

I'd really like to learn some of the corkscrew type felling techniques. I've seen them a few times years ago, but back then it was a bit too advanced for me so I didn't pick up on the finer points.

totally agree that at work is not the time or place. I don't gamble with clients, property or my business. I only use guaranteed techniques, if the risk is too great then I just don't do it. I'm sure there are pruning/felling techniques that aren't any riskier but would improve my productivity in certain circumstances though...

It's very subjective where' you'll draw that line in the sand. The jobs I take on are generally cream, even though I often do them at half the price of other tree companies. Prices are generally silly up here though, even though there doesnt seem to be a lot of work. I quote what I think is a fair price, and add some contingency. I end up making about $90/hour on most of my take downs. At this rate, I dont mind too much if a job takes an extra half a day, and that time up my sleeve allows me to be careful. For every extra hour, my hourly rate drops of course, but it doesnt get desperate. Because tree work accounts for only about 10% of my work, I dont really need to sweat it. Tree work is a pleasure for me

Still, if I learnt a few more techniques, it might reduce the tie I spend on jobs, and I could pass some of that saving onto my customer. The big motivator for me though is that I like to be at the top of my game in anything I do. That's a big driver for me to get out there and learn new skills, get experience, and do it a little better each time

 

[Tzed250]

.


This manual will take you a long way. There are many on this site that will disagree with the methods in it, but I used them in a proffesional setting and never lost a drop of blood.

Production Felling Through Safety


.

 

[MCW]

I'd really like to learn some of the corkscrew type felling techniques. I've seen them a few times years ago, but back then it was a bit too advanced for me so I didn't pick up on the finer points.

totally agree that at work is not the time or place. I don't gamble with clients, property or my business. I only use guaranteed techniques, if the risk is too great then I just don't do it. I'm sure there are pruning/felling techniques that aren't any riskier but would improve my productivity in certain circumstances though...

It's very subjective where' you'll draw that line in the sand. The jobs I take on are generally cream, even though I often do them at half the price of other tree companies. Prices are generally silly up here though, even though there doesnt seem to be a lot of work. I quote what I think is a fair price, and add some contingency. I end up making about $90/hour on most of my take downs. At this rate, I dont mind too much if a job takes an extra half a day, and that time up my sleeve allows me to be careful. For every extra hour, my hourly rate drops of course, but it doesnt get desperate. Because tree work accounts for only about 10% of my work, I dont really need to sweat it. Tree work is a pleasure for me

Still, if I learnt a few more techniques, it might reduce the tie I spend on jobs, and I could pass some of that saving onto my customer. The big motivator for me though is that I like to be at the top of my game in anything I do. That's a big driver for me to get out there and learn new skills, get experience, and do it a little better each time

Yeah I know what you mean. The local tree guys are criminal with what they charge. But that's because they've created this aura where what they do is voodoo magic or something

 

[RandyMac]

Better than a book, it's interactive.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=116358

 

[Skip17]

I had that book by Douglas Dent, I think it was called "Proffesional Falling with Douglas Dent". It was a great book, but I never got to read the whole thing. I took it on a fire assingment, let another guy borrow it while we were on standby, got called on a fire, and never saw my good buddy again. I would like to find it, buy it, and read it front to back.

 

[Tzed250]

Better than a book, it's interactive.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=116358

Why is Randy always right?


.

 

[leeha]

Why is Randy always right?


.

Because he's been there and done that.
Experience speaks for it self.



Lee

 

[MacLaren]

Better than a book, it's interactive.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=116358

Thank you.

 

[kevin j]

An old timer long ago gave me some advice I have treasured ever since: 'If it is too easy, make it difficult.' The situation was not about saws, but he meant if the task at hand was a slam dunk, routine, done a hundred times before, that was the time to stretch and try a new technique or method or idea.

To translate/apply to saws: If a tree is a simple chop and drop in wide open space with no obstacles, no real time constraints, no real danger, then I have tried to learn something new. Fell it against the lean, across the lean, into the wind, different cuts, etc. Be alert, but if something goes badly, the consequences aren't so high. Better than trying something new because it is actually needed, and must work right, for the first time.

 

[RandyMac]

When yer hot, yer hot.

Not always right, but often enough.
Believe me, I have had some noisy miscalculations, educational to say the least.

 

[Tzed250]

When yer hot, yer hot.

Not always right, but often enough.
Believe me, I have had some noisy miscalculations, educational to say the least.

To go on record, I consider Randy's input most valuable. Among many pretenders, he is the real thing.

Post on Randy....


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