Falling wedges. What's good, what's not, and why?

[bitzer]

Got into some warm water fish here in VA, few bass, lots of pan fish. i am kiching myself for not bring more gear with me,(its all packed up ready to be moved) once I return to the left side I plan on hooking my first king salmon but that is a big thing. I know NOTHING about the water where Im moving to, I do know that there is plenty of it!


You got it Boss.

Yeah I swear you can never have enough gear and you kick yourself in the ass when you've left behind exactly what you need. I'll be wettin some lines this weekend. First long break from work in a while. I hear Mr. Daniels and the wind through the north woods callin me already!

 

[bitzer]

Holy #### balls, I go to work and come back and this thing's still alive.

Back on topic. That little Stihl wedge is quite the trick piece of equiptment. Had a big cold front blow in today. Last hour of the day of course. Nice fat rotten, uphill leaning fir. That little bastard will drive into anything. Best 5 bucks I've spent in a long time. No...you're not supposed to get pinched......especially when posting on internet forums full of big bad timber fallers......But I'm just a regular faller......and I get pinched......and that little wedge is amazing.

Bitzer, I like the wedge pouch, seems like a good set up. My pockets are quite stretched. Lol.

Lots of good info here...but.....ignore button....use it.

Hope you all are well and busy - Sam

Those wedges really aren't half bad. Anyone who says they never get pinched is fulla ####!

Thanks! Yeah I'm a nut about keeping stuff on me. Its just a single carpenters pouch I modified. The string leads to my ear plugs case, which also attaches to my glasses that tuck in on the other side. I'd lost a pair or two before I tethered everything. I also have a smaller pouch that clips to my belt on the other side that holds two chains. Works for me.

 

[Joe46]

Well since this thread has taken a few turns, I'll try to take it a little farther of course. Couple of things I haven't seen mentioned are a shovel and and fire kill. When I cut on NF land I always had to pack them in after April 15 or May 15th whenever they deemed fire season was even though most of the time you couldn't have started a fire with a blow torch.

 

[Rounder]

Well since this thread has taken a few turns, I'll try to take it a little farther of course. Couple of things I haven't seen mentioned are a shovel and and fire kill. When I cut on NF land I always had to pack them in after April 15 or May 15th whenever they deemed fire season was even though most of the time you couldn't have started a fire with a blow torch.

Joe, we got reamed out for not having shovels and extinguishers in knee deep snow. Reamed. Lol.

It's drier than you'd think out there.........

 

[Greystoke]

I hate wedges...I love tree jacks...and the trees I have used them in

 

[slowp]

Joe, we got reamed out for not having shovels and extinguishers in knee deep snow. Reamed. Lol.

It's drier than you'd think out there.........

Must've been somebody trying to get certified because that is just stupid.

 

[Greystoke]

I'm pretty sure it was 2 inches bigger than Cody's. At least a good foot taller as well. And you saved yours out better. I'll be sure to remind him of the stats...umpkin2:

Are you hackin on me?...I saved mine out all the way...all 130 feet of it since it was a stob that the old timers left...33 bushel...Yayeah!

 

[Rounder]

Are you hackin on me?...I saved mine out all the way...all 130 feet of it since it was a stob that the old timers left...33 bushel...Yayeah!

I'm a sucker for a cheap shot.......lol.

 

[paccity]

Holy #### balls, I go to work and come back and this thing's still alive.

Back on topic. That little Stihl wedge is quite the trick piece of equiptment. Had a big cold front blow in today. Last hour of the day of course. Nice fat rotten, uphill leaning fir. That little bastard will drive into anything. Best 5 bucks I've spent in a long time. No...you're not supposed to get pinched......especially when posting on internet forums full of big bad timber fallers......But I'm just a regular faller......and I get pinched......and that little wedge is amazing.

Bitzer, I like the wedge pouch, seems like a good set up. My pockets are quite stretched. Lol.

Lots of good info here...but.....ignore button....use it.

Hope you all are well and busy - Sam

gettin more. sam on that rotten sucker did you use a slooping back cut.:msp_razz:

 

[Rounder]

Paccity, as I said, I am not a big bad internet timber faller. Therefore I lack the ability to utilize the sloping backcut in large rotten trees. Given as such, I probably have no bussiness whatsoever in such wood...................................................

 

[paccity]

HA! i'm sure you do just fine.

 

[2dogs]

OK, now I will make trouble. Maybe. What kind of wedges does one use in the GOL class? I should have asked for recommendations at the GTG for GOL ASAP. I really hate acronyms.

I have a few for bucking stuff up and the wedges are the ones from the seconds bin in Madsens. I'm not sure what makes them seconds.

For GOL your choice is between ABS and PVC.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

For the most part 6" wedges work for the majority of trees around my neck of the woods. Why criticize something different if you have no knowledge of it and are unwilling to try it:msp_unsure:

 

[Greenwedge]

Greenwedges are terrific! They are also totally affordable and require no axe! I know, I know.....you gota have em......I'm a fan of grass valley 10" and Double Tapers 15 maybe 16" banana wedge. Good tools!

 

[lfnh]

For the most part 6" wedges work for the majority of trees around my neck of the woods. Why criticize something different if you have no knowledge of it and are unwilling to try it:msp_unsure:

What species ? hardwood / softwood ? dbh





like shoe gum, just follows ya around

 

[2dogs]

For the most part 6" wedges work for the majority of trees around my neck of the woods. Why criticize something different if you have no knowledge of it and are unwilling to try it:msp_unsure:

Did you mean 16"?

 

[Gologit]

Paccity, as I said, I am not a big bad internet timber faller. Therefore I lack the ability to utilize the sloping backcut in large rotten trees. Given as such, I probably have no bussiness whatsoever in such wood...................................................

Yeah...me either. After all these years and all those snags I found out that I must have been doing it wrong. I never used a "sloping back cut with properly placed wedges". Ever. It's just a damn miracle that I've survived this long and people keep hiring me. :hmm3grin2orange:

I have some real nasty snags to cut pretty soon so maybe I could get Hbrn to draw me a diagram of his special falling technique. Better still, maybe he could come down and fall them for me. I'll sub the contract out to him...just as soon as he gives me some references, proof of insurance, and can show us he has at least one running saw.

It's pretty steep ground, and brushy, with a few snakes and some poison oak. The snags are along an aquaduct so you have to be a little careful of that. But it only takes an hour to pack in...downhill. Packing out is a little longer. I'm sure Hbrn would do just fine.

 

[madhatte]

I wonder if any of my burning snag failures would have gone any smoother had I used the "sloping backcut with properly placed wedges" method?

 

[Gologit]

I wonder if any of my burning snag failures would have gone any smoother had I used the "sloping backcut with properly placed wedges" method?

Dunno. Not, probably.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

Most trees I cut are soft wood. I did not say 16".