Falling pics 11/25/09

[nw axe man]

Well this is awkward. Felled a relatively decent poplar a couple of days ago and wanted to post a pic, but uh... it feels miniscule now next to that absolutely badass pic coastal posted!

Anyway, here it is anyway. (First poplar I've ever felled btw, and noticed it needed a thicker hinge than I'm used to from other threes.)

You know, it's different in every part of the world. Yes, there's big trees to cut here in the PNW and there's some very good fallers. I would think the biggest thing to think about is doing the very best job you can do and be professional where ever you are. I agree with Gologit, there are very few snobs on this site. There are, however, a lot of encouragers here. I appreciate all the pics that are sent here, both of larger trees and smaller trees being felled. Don't feel bad about sending pics of your nicer trees especially when it appears that you know what you're doing. We all enjoy them.

 

[bitzer]

Nice set of pics & vids, Bitzer! Some ugly looking pines you got there. I'm surprised to hear you are an autodidact! That makes me to appreciate your performance even more.

If you start to get problems with your back some of these days, I suggest you start limbing by the side of the stem, not walking on it. I mean, that way you don't have to bend your back and you can lay the weight of the saw both on the stem and on your feet instead of the backbone. I admit, it's PITA to stumble on the ground.

I need to try that soft face some of these days.


Sam

Hey thanks! Yeah even though I didn't pull that one all the way around I figured I put the effort into making the clip I could at least show it. Usually once you start in on the back cut you see movement of the top. Oh well. Thats about as tight of a spot I've ever tried this face on. Now I know. Wide open is best. I just need bigger trees so I can solve that back thing!

 

[nw axe man]

View attachment 187325View attachment 187326View attachment 187327View attachment 187328View attachment 187329 Here's a few pics taken the week before Memorial day in central Ore. I'm doing a demo tree for a class using some short bar technique that can be used on larger trees for C class fallers. I'll have to post the rest of the sequence on another post as this one didn't have enough room on it.

 

[nw axe man]

View attachment 187340View attachment 187341View attachment 187342View attachment 187343 These are the rest of the series of shots of a nice Ponderosa pine that leaned over a $100,000 outhouse. For some reason they didn't want it on top of the crapper. Imagine that. It was a real heavy leaner and I did manage to pull it away from the outhouse. If it hadn't been a demo tree I would have used a humboldt undercut and use a Dunbar on it to hold it to the stump longer. As it turned out I didn't need it. Love that pine. Cuts like butter and smells so good. Just wish I could have taken it home to my mill.

 

[Metals406]

 

[Metals406]

 

[Metals406]

If it hadn't been a demo tree I would have used a humboldt undercut and use a Dunbar on it to hold it to the stump longer. As it turned out I didn't need it. Love that pine. Cuts like butter and smells so good. Just wish I could have taken it home to my mill.

What's this Dunbar you speak of?

 

[madhatte]

Ah, you make it look so easy!

 

[nw axe man]

What's this Dunbar you speak of?

This is what may be called a "sizwheel" that I've read about on some of these threads.
I've know about it for years and have used it very successfully on both hardwoods and softwoods. One of the first times I used it I had about a 4' oldgrowth fir that I had to pull around. It worked so well it went much further up the hill and I busted it all up.
I don't like to use a dutchman, rather, I like to estimate the downhill lean and use that amount to gauge the distance out to where the top of the tree will hit and aim that much higher. That way you aren't trying to put a tree into a smaller undercut, which is what you're doing when you leave a dutchman in the undercut. This puts undue strain on the upper holding wood causing it to break off too soon. The first pic is of one tree while the others are of one that leaned incredibly downhill over a brand new bridge that was under construction. Just before they placed the bridge they looked up the hill and realized that when this one fell it would take out the bridge. It works very well.
I believe the name "Dunbar" is from a gentleman in southern Oregon that came up with it. I'm sure others have figured it out also but this is where the name supposedly came from.

 

[nw axe man]

Ah, you make it look so easy!

After this many years I'd better be able to make something look easy. Either that or pick blueberries.

 

[Metals406]

This is what may be called a "sizwheel" that I've read about on some of these threads.
I've know about it for years and have used it very successfully on both hardwoods and softwoods. One of the first times I used it I had about a 4' oldgrowth fir that I had to pull around. It worked so well it went much further up the hill and I busted it all up.
I don't like to use a dutchman, rather, I like to estimate the downhill lean and use that amount to gauge the distance out to where the top of the tree will hit and aim that much higher. That way you aren't trying to put a tree into a smaller undercut, which is what you're doing when you leave a dutchman in the undercut. This puts undue strain on the upper holding wood causing it to break off too soon. The first pic is of one tree while the others are of one that leaned incredibly downhill over a brand new bridge that was under construction. Just before they placed the bridge they looked up the hill and realized that when this one fell it would take out the bridge. It works very well.
I believe the name "Dunbar" is from a gentleman in southern Oregon that came up with it. I'm sure others have figured it out also but this is where the name supposedly came from.

WOW! Talk about maximizing holdwood! The siswheel I have seen is cut in a little differently than the Dunbar you have pictured below -- though I am personally aware of three variations of that "style" of undercut.

Awesome posts mang!

 

[Gologit]

Good stuff.

 

[dave k]

Thank you for posting those pics of the Dunbar, I have a job to do later in the year in a tight wood simlar to the job Bitzer was doing and I'm sure that I will several chances to try the cut out !
As a pal of mine said every day is a school day, you never stop learning.

 

[RandyMac]

Man I'll bet that was noisy.

 

[nw axe man]

Man I'll bet that was noisy.

Yeah, you can just imagine all that wood pulling out of the stump and the noise it made. If you have any good holding wood at all this is sure a good method of pulling trees around. There were about 12 people there watching this, some of them loggers. None of them could believe how this held to the stump. The tree had at least 5 fortys in it. I'm looking for a pic that shows the downhill lean but can't seem to find it on my home computer. When I get to work I'll post it then. You're pretty close to southern Ore. Have you ever heard of this guy Ray Dunbar?

 

[nw axe man]

Thank you for posting those pics of the Dunbar, I have a job to do later in the year in a tight wood simlar to the job Bitzer was doing and I'm sure that I will several chances to try the cut out !
As a pal of mine said every day is a school day, you never stop learning.

Use it, but use it wisely. As I said, this works really well. So well that you can pull them much further around than what you might want. If it hooks one up the hill you can wind up with a butt in your lap.
You're right on with the school day. When we think we know it all is when we get bit. Especially in this business. I know a few guys that fit that mode and they're always bragging about how they have this scar and that break how many times they've been hurt. Those are the ones to stay away from. They've just not got it figured out yet. I guess you might say, "don't be that guy."

 

[RandyMac]

No, I haven't heard of him by that name, I didn't do much of anything in Orygun.
I did however run across a few Rays in the woods, spent time with a couple.

 

[bitzer]

This is what may be called a "sizwheel" that I've read about on some of these threads.
I've know about it for years and have used it very successfully on both hardwoods and softwoods. One of the first times I used it I had about a 4' oldgrowth fir that I had to pull around. It worked so well it went much further up the hill and I busted it all up.
I don't like to use a dutchman, rather, I like to estimate the downhill lean and use that amount to gauge the distance out to where the top of the tree will hit and aim that much higher. That way you aren't trying to put a tree into a smaller undercut, which is what you're doing when you leave a dutchman in the undercut. This puts undue strain on the upper holding wood causing it to break off too soon. The first pic is of one tree while the others are of one that leaned incredibly downhill over a brand new bridge that was under construction. Just before they placed the bridge they looked up the hill and realized that when this one fell it would take out the bridge. It works very well.
I believe the name "Dunbar" is from a gentleman in southern Oregon that came up with it. I'm sure others have figured it out also but this is where the name supposedly came from.

Awesome pics man! You're right about the dutchman. When the subject was brought up about a year ago or so, Burvol had very similar things to say. I think he equated all of the pressure of the dutchman to a vise. Your pics of the Dunbar are what I have come to understand what the sizwheel looks like. Burvol mentioned that he'd get roots pullin out of the ground bringing them in sidehill. In high value hardwood I can't see getting away with that kind of fiber pull though. It does have awesome holding power and I'd love to see it on some tall wood in action!


Anytime in life when you think you've got the bull by the nuts he bites you in ass. School time can get ugly in the woods.


Honestly for the regulars on here that really know their stuff I'd be honored to pack their gear. I make 50-70% of my living with a saw in my hands depending on the time of year or the frequency of jobs I can rein in. I've been doing it for 8 years now and I would not put myself in the category of pro and even if I pick up a full time gig that I'm hounding around for I still don't think I could ever call myself that. Everyday I learn how much I don't know.

 

[Rounder]

Got to come home from the motel last night, and start a new unit just up the road from home. Couple quick, crappy pics before the hike out. Can't tell in the pic, but the fir are really nice. About 1/3-1/2 have to be quartered down the hill so's I can pull a log off them. Got to keep the hookers and yarder man happy.

Oh, yep I do have to put the raised backcut on the stump. ####ing OSHA/ work comp.

Moose #### everywhere, maybe I'll trip over a nice shed. Almost ate dirt last week when I stepped on a nice 6 point elk shed, lol.
Hope you all are well. Out to the shop for me - Sam

View attachment 187401View attachment 187402

 

[Metals406]

Got to come home from the motel last night, and start a new unit just up the road from home. Couple quick, crappy pics before the hike out. Can't tell in the pic, but the fir are really nice. About 1/3-1/2 have to be quartered down the hill so's I can pull a log off them. Got to keep the hookers and yarder man happy.

Oh, yep I do have to put the raised backcut on the stump. ####ing OSHA/ work comp.

Moose #### everywhere, maybe I'll trip over a nice shed. Almost ate dirt last week when I stepped on a nice 6 point elk shed, lol.
Hope you all are well. Out to the shop for me - Sam

Looks like some decent wood for sure Sam! Glad the new gig seems to be going good.