Not sure this is really logging/felling (more like large scale brush cutting or forestry clearing) but what is the recommended method for cutting trees with less than 6" diameter at cut height? This would be something like Eastern Red Cedar that had invaded a pasture, and are about 5 to 10 years old. At 4" to 6" diameter many are fairly tall, about 15ft to 20ft, and quite capable of causing injury to the feller. However that diameter does not give a large space for an undercut. Suggestions?
Felling less than 6" diameter trees?
- Thread starter fsfcks
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
clearance
Addicted to ArboristSite
Stumpjump 'em. Decent, powerfull saw with a 18" bar. Just kidding, put in a little undercut, then backcut. Then they will fall, if they don't, push them over with your hands, both of them, don't run the the saw with one hand and push with the other. Keep the cuts low, your saw will not be hurt when it drops a little bit.
ShoerFast
Tree Freak
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
- Messages
- 25,843
- Reaction score
- 17,233
Yup!
Kind of fun to cut and push a bunch of 6" - 10" maybe a few 12" trees in a day.
The ones that seem more of a hassle are the bigger then saplings, smaller then 6" size, they seem just big enough to pinch the chain sometimes.
A small notch and a back cut, then push the tree over. Smaller trees need just an inclined fast felling cut. If a tree hangs up then an inclined slice or a pull with a rop should free it. Each tree should take 15 seconds, maybe 30.
ASD
Addicted to ArboristSite
how many ???????? if just a couple a saw works but if you have lot's then get a skid steer with a shear
Thanks for the comments - small notch seems the way to go.
ASD: For round the edges of the existing open pastures a chainsaw will work as it is more of a maintenance activity. However I have a large area to clear and am seriously considering the skid steer with tree shears approach. The alternative is some friends, a tractor, and possibly a brush cutting or clearing saw like the Stihl FS250, FS350, FS450, or FS550. Or just hire the entire job out, but that is going to cost me many $$$$ or even $$$$$!
ASD: For round the edges of the existing open pastures a chainsaw will work as it is more of a maintenance activity. However I have a large area to clear and am seriously considering the skid steer with tree shears approach. The alternative is some friends, a tractor, and possibly a brush cutting or clearing saw like the Stihl FS250, FS350, FS450, or FS550. Or just hire the entire job out, but that is going to cost me many $$$$ or even $$$$$!
I have an ongoing project for a client that is similar to this, gradually clearing off a LOT of "pencil pines" from a hillside. These things are 6" - 16" diameter and 40' - 60' tall and thick with brush above 20 '. It's been fun working through the puzzle of which ones to drop in what order so that they can fall clear of the others and miss fence lines and farm buildings. While it started out as a real job, the homeowner has been good to allow us to use this as filler job when necessary. We've dropped and chipped close to 50 trees so far and plan to do 20+ Friday.
We use a throw line, rope and then notch and pull like any larger tree. The height of these makes them too whippy and wind blown to not use something to guide them in the right direction.
We use a throw line, rope and then notch and pull like any larger tree. The height of these makes them too whippy and wind blown to not use something to guide them in the right direction.
BlueRidgeMark
Addicted to ArboristSite
I did 6 like that yesterday. No big deal. Notch, backcut, push over, repeat. They went from about 3" to maybe 8". Cedars & pines. 20 feet max.
But then, I only had 6 to do, so any big equipment would have been silly.
BlueRidgeMark - I wish I only had 6 to do, its more like 600 or more! On the other hand I have all my spare time this year and not so much money, so I'll try the chainsaw approach first and see how fast it goes. I might not last long before switching to a skidder with tree shears.
After re-reading your original post, I would go the tree shear route if possible. I can't imagine fighting the low brush of 600+ Eastern Red Cedars to get in close enough to drop them. It seems like more work than is necessary. If you can get a tree shear, you could drop them all from the safety of the cab and not be all scratched up and itching for weeks on end.
ak4195
ArboristSite Operative
low diagonal cut to the base of the stump,in the direction you want to fall,BEFORE your chain goes thru the last bit wood/bark,take your finger off throttle.Leave the bar in the cut,push that lil booger over with your left hand,grab your handle again,give a quick zip with the throttle in the last second before tree hits the ground.move left or right ,repeat.If you understand the forces at work,you can use the back of your bar as well.You might have to push them forward from your perspective,or if your lucky,pull them behind you.Keep this in mind as you dont want to wade through downed trees.
Snap cuts or "kerf cuts" work too,but you may have to "dance",as you lose control soon after the pecker pole commits.If theres a tangle of lower branches to deal with,raise your saw ,hit the throttle,snug up against the trunk,and let gravity take care of the pesky limbs,might have to do this 3x for each lil tree.
This is a grind not a race,so decide how much time /day you want to commit.You could do a couple of acres a day,then again,maybe spread it out over a week or more.If you get burned out or tired,it quickly becomes drudgery or worse.
Water up,PPE up ,keep chain sharp.Stop BEFORE you get worn out,thats a perfect time for at the very least thrashing your chaps,or work boots.
ak4195
Snap cuts or "kerf cuts" work too,but you may have to "dance",as you lose control soon after the pecker pole commits.If theres a tangle of lower branches to deal with,raise your saw ,hit the throttle,snug up against the trunk,and let gravity take care of the pesky limbs,might have to do this 3x for each lil tree.
This is a grind not a race,so decide how much time /day you want to commit.You could do a couple of acres a day,then again,maybe spread it out over a week or more.If you get burned out or tired,it quickly becomes drudgery or worse.
Water up,PPE up ,keep chain sharp.Stop BEFORE you get worn out,thats a perfect time for at the very least thrashing your chaps,or work boots.
ak4195
Last edited:
Frank Boyer
Addicted to ArboristSite
A crawler loader would clear 6" and less diameter trees at an acre every hour or so . That is pushed over, removing the stump and in piles.
ak4195
ArboristSite Operative
Have you thought about what your going to do once the pecker poles are down?Falling by hand X amount of land is one thing,topping/limbing/bucking/dragging is another.So moving and disposal approaches have to be considered too.And perhaps other considerations as well.
It doesnt have to be any more mechanical or fancy than a block n tackle rigging to the back of a truck.But the cheaper you go the more sweat equity you will invest,so you have to find the sweet point of a comprimise.
Good luck,take your time,be safe
ak4195
It doesnt have to be any more mechanical or fancy than a block n tackle rigging to the back of a truck.But the cheaper you go the more sweat equity you will invest,so you have to find the sweet point of a comprimise.
Good luck,take your time,be safe
ak4195
Burvol
Bullbuck
.
I've worked on a thinning crew and am now clearing out roads to keep from getting fatter until there are loggers to go out and harass again. Anyway, I have always just slant cut the little trees in the direction they are to go, if they are leaning heavy like the road ones, they're only going to go one way. You can swing them a bit by cutting the side you want to go to at the very end. I don't run into any big enough for undercuts much, nor do I want to bother with them much. I cut up each tree as I go so I can throw it off the road easier. It is easier to do as you go because then you don't have a big mess to wade through with the saw. Wear a hardhat cuz your gonna get dinged on the head a lot by the whippy little branches, eyes too. Be careful when "zipping" the saw along the trunk to get the branches off. I saw a guy get hit right on the head with his saw when it kicked back while doing that.
He had a hardhat on and was ok.
We figured an average of an acre a day was a good speed to shoot for. But you don't have to get production or speed so take your time. You'll be amazed at how it goes if you just work steady--not pushing things. When you get tired, the saw is going to start slipping and going into the dirt and rocks. You can handpile your slash and invite friends over for burning and hot dogs on a chilly wet fall day. You might invite them over earlier for exercise (piling slash) and beers. I know a lot of people would say go get equipment but I look at it as an exercise program. Weight lifting (the saw) and aerobics (packing the saw around and cutting) combined. It don't get much healthier.
He had a hardhat on and was ok.
We figured an average of an acre a day was a good speed to shoot for. But you don't have to get production or speed so take your time. You'll be amazed at how it goes if you just work steady--not pushing things. When you get tired, the saw is going to start slipping and going into the dirt and rocks. You can handpile your slash and invite friends over for burning and hot dogs on a chilly wet fall day. You might invite them over earlier for exercise (piling slash) and beers. I know a lot of people would say go get equipment but I look at it as an exercise program. Weight lifting (the saw) and aerobics (packing the saw around and cutting) combined. It don't get much healthier.
ak4195 - I've given a lot of though to what is going to be a large amount of brush. I can't find anyone round here that wants the wood, it is too small in diameter. Some will go for campfire wood, but most will get piled. I have a friend with tractor and front scoop to help with the piles. If this was Texas, and because they do so much clearing down there, the operators have the equipment to mulch it on site or to generate mulch at an off site plant. Any other uses would be welcomed!
slowp - I have the same thought. If I'm not being active doing work like this I would be paying for a gym membership, in basically paying twice!
slowp - I have the same thought. If I'm not being active doing work like this I would be paying for a gym membership, in basically paying twice!
Cowboy Billy
ArboristSite Operative
I will second the crawler loader.
I used a case W-14 wheel loader to clear this stuff. It would have been nice to have a set of teeth on the bucket to get the roots out better. But I was able to get the brush roots and stumps out in one shot. The trees I wanted to saw up I pushed the brush away from pushed over cut the stump off limbed it and carried it over to my log pile. Didn't get many logs out of the brush but it is now opened up for me to park my travel trailer on.
With the brush as thick as it is there. I had to push a trail in then push into the trail and to the burn pile.
Last weekend I was UP there and was cutting trees away from my pile so I could burn it. I was cutting 20" DBH cedar. And it was nice to cut a tree limb it. Pull it to the log pile. Push off the limbs and drop the next tree into the same spot. Push the limbs into the pile and not have to throw them or trip over them.
Billy
I used a case W-14 wheel loader to clear this stuff. It would have been nice to have a set of teeth on the bucket to get the roots out better. But I was able to get the brush roots and stumps out in one shot. The trees I wanted to saw up I pushed the brush away from pushed over cut the stump off limbed it and carried it over to my log pile. Didn't get many logs out of the brush but it is now opened up for me to park my travel trailer on.
With the brush as thick as it is there. I had to push a trail in then push into the trail and to the burn pile.
Last weekend I was UP there and was cutting trees away from my pile so I could burn it. I was cutting 20" DBH cedar. And it was nice to cut a tree limb it. Pull it to the log pile. Push off the limbs and drop the next tree into the same spot. Push the limbs into the pile and not have to throw them or trip over them.
Billy
Similar threads
