Biggest tree to date!!

[Tree Sling'r]

Better keep doing exactly what you just did. You get these guys telling you about too much fiber pull your'e gonna keep sawing to avoid it next time and YOU will hit your garage.
That is a Doug Fir.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Better keep doing exactly what you just did. You get these guys telling you about too much fiber pull your'e gonna keep sawing to avoid it next time and YOU will hit your garage.

You mean because he'll end up cutting through his holding wood?

If you're addressing me addressing his fiber pull, he asked for a critique, to so I gave him one. I also reitterated that it's really only a problem with merchantable timber, and not firewood.

Jeff

 

[Tree Sling'r]

You mean because he'll end up cutting through his holding wood?

If you're addressing me addressing his fiber pull, he asked for a critique, to so I gave him one. I also reitterated that it's really only a problem with merchantable timber, and not firewood.

Jeff

Not singling anyone out in a post - what you addressed was what I would have. If asked about it.
I am just reading the writing on the wall.
A new guy to the stump will more than likely be worried about stump pull on his next adventure because it was advised after his first.
A new guy to the stump will be more than likely to saw a little more as the tree starts to go and the next thing you know a corner is sawed off.
The stump pull is minimal, but the structure is smashed.
Your gonna get stump pull off doug fir more than any other conifer. It is a tough tight fibered wood.

I am assuming most of you know how to use the sights on your saw? If so make a mental note after double checking your under cut - then apply that mental note while putting in your back cut.
Take time to walk around the other side of the tree to check you low wood and after you are satisfied make your way around with your back cut and eventually find your mental note and use you sights.
This way you will know how much wood you can spare in your hinge (if you use your sights in both cuts - with common sense) you will have an even hinge which will also keep pull minimal.
Make sense out of what your can.

 

[tek9tim]

a doug fir, in fact that is our state tree.

Negative. Not our state tree. Western Hemlock would be the correct answer there.

 

[FDB]

Negative. Not our state tree. Western Hemlock would be the correct answer there.

sorry you are right, The non sheared doug fir is our state christmas tree

 

[Tzed250]

Well...

Fiber pulls are a result of a hinge that is to wide. Proper hinges are a result of proper technique, and no pulled fibers are the result of a proper hinge. the man asked for some critique, so we poked some fun, then made some suggestions. Yeah, cutting away the holding wood would be bad, but if you are gonna do the job, do it right.

 

[NWnewguy]

I am slightly confused. I cut the face cut and then cut the back cut about 1 1/2" above the bottom of the face cut. I think all I did wrong was to leave my face cut a little short in the middle. How would I have to do it to cut through the holding wood? Maybe I should just get the aformentioned book. I really do encourage constructive criticism and if it is in the form of humor that is all the better. I will post a pic of the actual hinge tomorrow when there is enough light to take a picture. I bought a Nikon D50 about 6 months ago and any excuse to use it is a good one.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

You likely didn't cut far enough into your backcut, and your holding wood was too thick. Thin enough to let the tree go over, but not thin enough to just break like it should. Rather, it bent and as the tree went over, it pulled the fiber out of the spar....thus the term.....fiber pull.

I'm betting that the picture of your stump will show a wide hinge, or at the least, wider in the middle (that's where your pull was at) than on the edges....just a hunch. I could be wrong.

And just as an aside, the next step beyond fiber pull is a split and barber chair and/or the tree kicking back. This can be a problem on any tree, but moreso on head leaners.

Hey bro, where are you in Western WA? Near P.A.?

Jeff

 

[Tzed250]

Boring cut

An open face cut(90 deg included angle) with a level back cut that was bored in place is a fairly safe way to get the thickness of the hinge just right.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/felling/cuts/cuts.html

 

[boatermark]

Fiber Pull

One trick I learned to help avoid fiber pull is to bore out the middle of the hinge, maybe about a bar width to a little more. Obviously you couldn't afford to do this on a smaller diameter tree, but could certainly be done on a tree with a diameter like the one in the photo. From what I learned, this wouldn't have a large negative effect on hinge strength. Just some food for thought regarding fiber pull.

 

[GASoline71]

boatermark, that technique is usually used on heavy head leaners, and not to keep fiber pull to a minimum... as does the Coos Bay cut. Lots of tricks and techniques when it comes to fallin' trees. However, knowin' when to use them is the main thing.

Gary

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Agreed, the bore cut is suited for headleaners, and is best left to those instances. A chain sharp enough to keep up with the tree is the best tool in your arsenal.

Jeff

 

[NWnewguy]

Incriminating Evidence

Alright, here are the pictures I promised and like I said earlier I got a bit short in the middle. I think the next time I fell a bigger tree like this I am going to use my drywall square to see if the bottom of the face cut is even all the way across. I would think that would do an alright job preventing what you see in the pictures. Most of the trees I cut down are smaller Alder or dead Maples. They are a whole lot easier and require less planning. They don't get the heart pumping quit like this one did though. BTW Fishhunt I live a little North of Poulsbo, about an hour away from P.A.

 

[Lakeside53]

It doesn't look at that bad to me! Maybe too bit deep on the face cut... I've done way worse... Classic Doug fir..

 

[tek9tim]

Yeah, looks pretty good. Maybe work on getting your face a little cleaner. Ultimately, you want your sloping cut to be a single plane until it meets your gunning cut. It looks like you came up a little short on your first sloping cut, so you just cleaned out the corner to make things meet. This works just fine, but can have an effect (depending on severity) on where the tree goes. I'd say it's better than 98% of the stumps I see out in the woods. Just remember, a good stump is not nearly as important as solid judgment, safe practices, and knowing why you do what you do.

 

[FDB]

Lots of good info I am just soaking it in. I wish that i had a camera internet chainsaw so when I am out next week taking down trees I could get these great pointers of what I am doing right. Its funny how when I am going somewhere with my wife now I point out to here the stumps and how they did a good job, LOL. She thinks I am crazy.

 

[Gologit]

Yeah, looks pretty good. Maybe work on getting your face a little cleaner. Ultimately, you want your sloping cut to be a single plane until it meets your gunning cut. It looks like you came up a little short on your first sloping cut, so you just cleaned out the corner to make things meet. This works just fine, but can have an effect (depending on severity) on where the tree goes. I'd say it's better than 98% of the stumps I see out in the woods. Just remember, a good stump is not nearly as important as solid judgment, safe practices, and knowing why you do what you do.

Well said...especially "knowing why you do what you do". When you know that, you're on your way to being a better faller.

 

[Lakeside53]

I'd say it's better than 98% of the stumps I see out in the woods.

That's why I always trim off my stumps! :jester: :jester:

Truth - I do it to stop someone (like me) getting hurt on the doug fir spikes! You (or some kid playing ) can get impaled way to easily.

 

[Tree Sling'r]

Alright, here are the pictures I promised and like I said earlier I got a bit short in the middle. I think the next time I fell a bigger tree like this I am going to use my drywall square to see if the bottom of the face cut is even all the way across. I would think that would do an alright job preventing what you see in the pictures. Most of the trees I cut down are smaller Alder or dead Maples. They are a whole lot easier and require less planning. They don't get the heart pumping quit like this one did though. BTW Fishhunt I live a little North of Poulsbo, about an hour away from P.A.

Your hinge looks great. What many of the fella's don't quite understand is the height of our trees in the NW. That weight of the tree is a magnum of a force. The sap in the stump is also a reason there is so much pull. Don't know the science behind it, but that is the way it works.
Just a tough butted doug fir - the hinge is fine, don't change a thing - other than that under cut - its backwards:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

That is a nice hinge. And like I said in my first post, it happens. Usually just exacerbated by the uneven backcut, or leaving meat in the middle.