Depth of face cut

[fixit1960]

I dropped a 75 foot Siberian elm yesterday that was almost straight up. About 30" across the base. It was on the edge of a filed which, yesterday was a mass of snow, ice and water amidst the corn stalks. No way to pull it even if I could have gotten something in the field. I had to drop it almost straight south as I had a 3 phase power line to the east about 50 feet away. The service to the house is to the north about 40 feet. Trailer and structure to the west. Heaviest part of the tree was to the EAST. The main mass wasn't much off center but enough to make me squirm. Visions of REC showing up on Sunday afternoon to reattach 2 or 3 phases of wire. Me and the neighbors all out of power. It would not have been pretty.
Made the face cut exactly where I wanted it to drop, cut a wedge out about 1/3 into the face. Start the back cut and left about a 3" hinge. Started with 2 10"plastic wedges and drove them all the way in. Made a little crack. Now I'm out of plastic wedges. Go to the shop and get my steel splitting wedges. Drove them in off center of the plastic. The plastic are loose and the trees cracking but not falling. Its moving in the right direction but slowly. Now I'm sweating bullets, too hot for all the gear I have on and ....nerves...So I stack the plastic one on the other and drive them in . I have everything in the crack, about a 3" crack now. Finally it's popping and swaying and over it goes. Exactly where I wanted it. Longest 5 minutes of my life I'll tell you. If that hinge had broke and it went east....well I'm sure the girl friend wouldn't have been as impressed...

So yes you can use steel splitting wedges to drop trees. Just don't underestimate you back cut because at that point you ain't going back in..

 

[Trx250r180]

Me and my shallow face cut and high stump. LolView attachment 410203

Why did you chain the saw to the tree ?

 

[svk]

Visions of REC showing up on Sunday afternoon to reattach 2 or 3 phases of wire. Me and the neighbors all out of power. It would not have been pretty.

You have to wonder how often this happens when someone does a whoopsie while felling....

 

[fixit1960]

You have to wonder how often this happens when someone does a whoopsie while felling....

I work for a power company and I know it would have been VERY expensive. I don't know for sure but doubt whether the home owners insurance would have paid for it. I know I didn't want to find out. We're talking thousands.. 2 trucks, 4 guys, Sunday at double time. Probably 4 hours labor.........that would have been an expensive tree.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Why did you chain the saw to the tree ?

Mostly because I was making a carrer of taking down that oak and I had to overnight at the base of the stump and I didn't want the 088 to disappear while I was sleeping.

 

[zogger]

I swear I saw that on youtube.....

Oh for sure it would have been a funny, how NOT to fell a back leaner! hahahaha! At least with my custom jackie chan moves I didn't get squershed.....

 

[fixit1960]

Mostly because I was making a carrer of taking down that oak and I had to overnight at the base of the stump and I didn't want the 088 to disappear while I was sleeping.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Another shallow undercut. Good thing I had the load binder. Lol

 

[Trx250r180]

Why the chains ? The shallow face make them chair ?

 

[zogger]

Another shallow undercut. Good thing I had the load binder. LolView attachment 410219

Now which is that, a skinny face cut, or a backcut in advance you can wedge?

 

[Gypo Logger]

Why the chains ? The shallow face make them chair ?

So chance of chairing, the 088 cuts faster than the tree can fall. Lol

Now which is that, a skinny face cut, or a backcut in advance you can wedge?

Both. Lol

 

[Trx250r180]

So chance of chairing, the 088 cuts faster than the tree can fall. Lol

Both. Lol

Was told once where a chain belongs ...........Only one you need whips around your bar ,and straps well they belong on .......

 

[Oldman47]

So chance of chairing, the 088 cuts faster than the tree can fall. Lol

Both. Lol

Why worry about cutting speed? Use a plunge cut and get your hinge all set up. When you are ready cut the holding wood loose and let her drop with no risk of a barber chair.

 

[Hedgerow]

Why worry about cutting speed? Use a plunge cut and get your hinge all set up. When you are ready cut the holding wood loose and let her drop with no risk of a barber chair.

Something tells me he had no intention of those trees having a hinge by the time the face clapped shut...
Just a hunch..

 

[Trx250r180]

Something tells me he had no intention of those trees having a hinge by the time the face clapped shut...
Just a hunch..

Was it all the veneer logs in other posts ?

 

[Hedgerow]

Was it all the veneer logs in other posts ?

Hard to say..
But on the good Walnut these guys here are dropping, they'll do about anything to get every inch out of a stick..
From boring the heart out, to chasing the tree off the stump.

 

[Hedgerow]

Oh...
And pounding wedges all day just plain sucks...
Needed at times, but still sucks...
Glad I don't have to do it..

 

[Gypo Logger]

Walnut, yes!

 

[Woody912]

You have to wonder how often this happens when someone does a whoopsie while felling....

I went to cut a tree because I was afraid it would fall on a power line and then forgot about the power line!!!!! Limb hit the line, stayed up but shut off the power. Very serious embarrassment

 

[bitzer]

I dropped a 75 foot Siberian elm yesterday that was almost straight up. About 30" across the base. It was on the edge of a filed which, yesterday was a mass of snow, ice and water amidst the corn stalks. No way to pull it even if I could have gotten something in the field. I had to drop it almost straight south as I had a 3 phase power line to the east about 50 feet away. The service to the house is to the north about 40 feet. Trailer and structure to the west. Heaviest part of the tree was to the EAST. The main mass wasn't much off center but enough to make me squirm. Visions of REC showing up on Sunday afternoon to reattach 2 or 3 phases of wire. Me and the neighbors all out of power. It would not have been pretty.
Made the face cut exactly where I wanted it to drop, cut a wedge out about 1/3 into the face. Start the back cut and left about a 3" hinge. Started with 2 10"plastic wedges and drove them all the way in. Made a little crack. Now I'm out of plastic wedges. Go to the shop and get my steel splitting wedges. Drove them in off center of the plastic. The plastic are loose and the trees cracking but not falling. Its moving in the right direction but slowly. Now I'm sweating bullets, too hot for all the gear I have on and ....nerves...So I stack the plastic one on the other and drive them in . I have everything in the crack, about a 3" crack now. Finally it's popping and swaying and over it goes. Exactly where I wanted it. Longest 5 minutes of my life I'll tell you. If that hinge had broke and it went east....well I'm sure the girl friend wouldn't have been as impressed...

So yes you can use steel splitting wedges to drop trees. Just don't underestimate you back cut because at that point you ain't going back in..

If the tree is leaning ahead, but isn't falling you need to cut the hinge up some more. 3" of hinge on any elm is a lot. Thats why it didn't tip. Also plastic wedges can be stacked. I always carry three. Leave the splittint wedges for splitting.