Felled my first tree

[Streblerm]

Thanks to all who offered constructive criticism. For those who took this as an opportunity to bash a homeowner But hey, I guess I asked for it .

I don't have any before pictures, but I will snap some of the site to show some of the obstacles I had to work around. The tree didn't really have any natural lean and was situated right next to a healthy looking pin oak that I want to keep. They were so close in fact that it looks like one tree is growing out of the other's stump. there was also a fence to contend with.

Anyway, I chose to fell it in the direction that the largest branch seemed to be. This also happened to be about 135deg from my only escape route.

I looked up probably more than I watched my back cut. As soon as the tree started to fall, I shut off the chainsaw and walked carefully away along the fence. I looked over my shoulder a couple times to make sure it wasn't coming my way. In truth, I never saw it hit the ground. It stayed on the stump. I don't know whether that is good, bad, or indifferent.

As far as the notch and back cut goes... I was going for an open face notch. I see now it needed to be a little more open. On the back cut I was shooting for 2" above the notch. I still don't think it was THAT much over two inches, maybe three at most. It might be the angle of the camera. I already split all the wood so the opportunity to take another pic with a refrence item is gone.

Again, thanks for the criticism. I think I'm on the right track, I just need a little more practice.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Tzed250]

Check this out:

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

 

[clearance]

Check this out:

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

Meanwhile, back in the real world...................

 

[rreidnauer]

:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[clearance]

Meanwhile, back in the real world...................

I was mocking the site, sorry if I wasn't clear, the cuts pictured when you first click on this site are just pathetic, I guess they are "safe" but lame and gayer than a three dollar bill. The picture that comes up when you click humbolt, saying it is wrong because the undercut is too shallow is the way its done, in the real world, by pro falllers in the west, that is.

 

[SawTroll]

Did Tom put you up to this?:monkey:

That thought did strike me too.......:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[jrclen]

Here is a dead oak I felled today. Talk about unpredictable. If you think it fell in 2 directions you would be right. I was working my way toward the hinge on my back cut when all heck broke loose. I heard a big crack and the trunk opened up vertical right before my eyes. The saw pinched so I left it and used the escape route behind me. I turned around in time to watch the two halves fall in opposite directions. The new saw is fine, first tree it cut too. Check out the fence line through the trunk. The trunk was about 24". I cropped the stump picture for obvious reasons.:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Tzed250]

I was mocking the site, sorry if I wasn't clear, the cuts pictured when you first click on this site are just pathetic, I guess they are "safe" but lame and gayer than a three dollar bill. The picture that comes up when you click humbolt, saying it is wrong because the undercut is too shallow is the way its done, in the real world, by pro falllers in the west, that is.

:monkey:

 

[clearance]

:monkey:

Why you giving me the monkey look? I have seen tens of thousands of big stumps, fell many trees although I am not a faller. Do you think I am talking sh*t?

 

[Tzed250]

Why you giving me the monkey look? I have seen tens of thousands of big stumps, fell many trees although I am not a faller. Do you think I am talking sh*t?

Why are you getting all defrosted? The original post ask for critique, and the first post you make is to slam something I included, then you get all bent when I jerk your chain a little. You might not be talking sh*t, but your posts shure do smell like it sometimes. Whats with all the negativity anyway? Don't you have some Agent Orange to go apply somewhere?:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[clearance]

Why are you getting all defrosted? The original post ask for critique, and the first post you make is to slam something I included, then you get all bent when I jerk your chain a little. You might not be talking sh*t, but your posts shure do smell like it sometimes. Whats with all the negativity anyway? Don't you have some Agent Orange to go apply somewhere?:hmm3grin2orange:

I tells it like I sees it, I fall trees, I cut them down from the top, I use tecniques that I have been shown by better men than me. Now, not talking about anything off-topic thats fair game, but what have I ever said in regards to treework that is bs? Lets hear it.

 

[Tzed250]

I tells it like I sees it, I fall trees, I cut them down from the top, I use tecniques that I have been shown by better men than me. Now, not talking about anything off-topic thats fair game, but what have I ever said in regards to treework that is bs? Lets hear it.

See Klarentz, I never said anything you said about treework is BS, but you have said methods other than yours are BS. You have no absolute proof that the methods you use are the best all the time. What you have, is an opinion.
I have an opinion too. You know what works for you. I know what works for me. You started this discourse by saying "meanwhile, in the real world". Guess what chief, your world is no more real than mine, got it!

Why dont you use your energy to add to this discussion, instead of trying to take something away from it. Lets hear it. Enlighten us all if it is not to much trouble.

 

[ddhlakebound]

Here is a dead oak I felled today. Talk about unpredictable. If you think it fell in 2 directions you would be right. I was working my way toward the hinge on my back cut when all heck broke loose. I heard a big crack and the trunk opened up vertical right before my eyes. The saw pinched so I left it and used the escape route behind me. I turned around in time to watch the two halves fall in opposite directions. The new saw is fine, first tree it cut too. Check out the fence line through the trunk. The trunk was about 24". I cropped the stump picture for obvious reasons.:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

I've followed this thread with interest, and tried not to be critical, but....

jrclen, you are a fairly lucky fella.

People are telling you to learn and practice on green trees because they're generally safer and more predictable. So what do you do? You go out and find the deadest codom oak you can, and start cutting.

It's very important for your saftey to be able to recognize whats going to happen when you start cutting. To me it appears that you notched one side of the codoms, then started your back cut on the other, pretty much like notching one tree, then starting your backcut on another. Very not safe.

I wasn't onsite, and didn't see the tree beforehand, but on a tree like that, I think I'd either ratchet strap it together, or log chain it together, then install a pull rope to pull paralell to the included bark junction, tied off to so it can't fall backward. (Preferably with mechanical advantage to pull, but at least a truck.) Notch perpendicular to the split, then have wedges ready to go in the backcut. Set up a nice thick hinge, then pull or wedge it over, keeping the tree together til it hits the ground, and giving you a much more clear escape path.

I'm scared to wonder what the stump looks like, since you weren't willing to post it, and you posted the one to start this thread.

Learning how to fell trees through trial and error is a chancy undertaking. Do what you want, but at this point I'd say you are a danger to yourself.

 

[jrclen]

I've followed this thread with interest, and tried not to be critical, but....

jrclen, you are a fairly lucky fella.

People are telling you to learn and practice on green trees because they're generally safer and more predictable. So what do you do? You go out and find the deadest codom oak you can, and start cutting.

It's very important for your saftey to be able to recognize whats going to happen when you start cutting. To me it appears that you notched one side of the codoms, then started your back cut on the other, pretty much like notching one tree, then starting your backcut on another. Very not safe.

I wasn't onsite, and didn't see the tree beforehand, but on a tree like that, I think I'd either ratchet strap it together, or log chain it together, then install a pull rope to pull paralell to the included bark junction, tied off to so it can't fall backward. (Preferably with mechanical advantage to pull, but at least a truck.) Notch perpendicular to the split, then have wedges ready to go in the backcut. Set up a nice thick hinge, then pull or wedge it over, keeping the tree together til it hits the ground, and giving you a much more clear escape path.

I'm scared to wonder what the stump looks like, since you weren't willing to post it, and you posted the one to start this thread.

Learning how to fell trees through trial and error is a chancy undertaking. Do what you want, but at this point I'd say you are a danger to yourself.

Hold on a just a second here. You have me mixed up with the guy who posted his first fell. Now back off just a little if you don't mind. I fell nothing but dead oak if I can. Been doing it for firewood now for about 45 years. I'm no pro but I've done a few. There was no indication from the outside that the tree was rotten in the center. I didn't show the stump because that would miss the point I was trying to make to the new guy about dead oaks can be dangerous. As for my method, I made a face cut about 1/3 of the tree and a large opening. I hit no bad wood. I then made a back cut 2 inches above the notch. I pounded in a wedge when I got deep enough to get one in. Again, I hit no bad wood. I was watching the chips coming out of the saw as I always do when I am not looking up for falling limbs. I stopped two or three times to set the wedge deeper. Now, what happened, was the rotten spot in the trunk started up at the first crotch and came down the center of the trunk to about 3" above my back cut. It was behind my hinge wood and parallel with it. Now you may want to use your vast knowledge of felling to tell me I was doing this wrong, and I will listen if you do. I always listen. But get the facts before you go off on me next time. Thanks. Yes I was lucky.

 

[ddhlakebound]

Hold on a just a second here. You have me mixed up with the guy who posted his first fell. Now back off just a little if you don't mind. I fell nothing but dead oak if I can. Been doing it for firewood now for about 45 years. I'm no pro but I've done a few. There was no indication from the outside that the tree was rotten in the center. I didn't show the stump because that would miss the point I was trying to make to the new guy about dead oaks can be dangerous. As for my method, I made a face cut about 1/3 of the tree and a large opening. I hit no bad wood. I then made a back cut 2 inches above the notch. I pounded in a wedge when I got deep enough to get one in. Again, I hit no bad wood. I was watching the chips coming out of the saw as I always do when I am not looking up for falling limbs. I stopped two or three times to set the wedge deeper. Now, what happened, was the rotten spot in the trunk started up at the first crotch and came down the center of the trunk to about 3" above my back cut. It was behind my hinge wood and parallel with it. Now you may want to use your vast knowledge of felling to tell me I was doing this wrong, and I will listen if you do. I always listen. But get the facts before you go off on me next time. Thanks. Yes I was lucky.

jrclen, sorry for mistaking you for the OP, I made the incorrect assumption that the OP had gone out and tried again, on a harder tree. I see now that you were posting a somewhat similar situation which didn't go right.

It's good that you had a wedge in it, but the point I was making is that you didn't recognize the included bark junction (post 27 photo 0407,0408), and notched one lead, then backcut the other. I'm not surprised you didn't hit bad wood, it looks like you were cutting just below the base of the included bark.

Anyway, thanks for setting me straight about my error, and no disrespect inteneded, we all have one not go right now and then. I mashed a perfectly good cedar tree last year, felling a big elm which had me scared because there was only one escape path. I left too much holding wood on the closed in side, and pulled it that way, into the cedar, even with a rope in it, and wedges. Thankfully, it didn't touch the barn it was leaning out over.

 

[jrclen]

but the point I was making is that you didn't recognize the included bark junction (post 27 photo 0407,0408), and notched one lead, then backcut the other. I'm not surprised you didn't hit bad wood, it looks like you were cutting just below the base of the included bark.

No harm done ddh and I agree that I should have seen the junction. If I look close I can see the ridge in the bark that should have tipped me off. And yes I did notch one lead and back cut the other. Perfectly in line with the included bark. The crack sound and the pinched saw was the back half of the tree sitting down on the stump and wedge, having come loose from the front half. And my getting away was not all luck. It was having 4 clear escape routes, cleared the thick brush away from the tree all around, and knowing when to boogie out of there. The rest was luck. I was lucky the entire tree didn't tip in the same direction with half of it loose. I think the half on top would have slid back down as it tipped, resulting in a tree going who knows where. Of course by then I was well clear. But your points are well taken. Like I said, I always listen. And I bet the new guy will too. I never take these heavy trees for granite. I bet I will look closer next time. I've felled other trees with bark inclusions. But I knew about it on those. And I agree about new guys practicing on smaller live trees before taking on the big ugly dead ones. That was kind of my point for the post and pictures.

 

[clearance]

See Klarentz, I never said anything you said about treework is BS, but you have said methods other than yours are BS. You have no absolute proof that the methods you use are the best all the time. What you have, is an opinion.
I have an opinion too. You know what works for you. I know what works for me. You started this discourse by saying "meanwhile, in the real world". Guess what chief, your world is no more real than mine, got it!

Why dont you use your energy to add to this discussion, instead of trying to take something away from it. Lets hear it. Enlighten us all if it is not to much trouble.

Ok, Zed, maybe I was a little harsh, sorry, peace.

 

[Tzed250]

Ok, Zed, maybe I was a little harsh, sorry, peace.

No problem...we're good