Felling Lever Info Figured i'd Share

[Squid327WFD3]

I was looking on Google for better information on felling levers when i came across this video and figured i'd share is I'm sure most of you know how a lever is used but for the few that had questions on one its a little more insite

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...mages?q=felling+lever&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&sa=N

Dan

 

[Bermie]

He's got his saw and the lever (steel) in the same cut, never a good idea, that's what a split level cut is for.
The felling lever with a turning hook is a very useful tool, especialy if there is the chance a tree might sit back, and for turning a hung up tree off the butt after you sever the hinge.

 

[maxburton]

I much prefer setting a line in the tree and using a rope puller to pull it over. That way I feel like I can always add power. I get a little nervous using only wedges. I've never used a lever before, but they look useful for pretty straight trees.

 

[clearance]

I guess levers are ok for little trees, even so, can't really think you can do much with one. I use wedges, you can lift a pretty big tree away from its lean (within reason) with a few plastic wdges and a 4 1/2 pound axe. And yes, a line in the tree if there is doubt or a big lean, or powerlines.

 

[smokechase II]

lever stuff

Look at the video just above the lever one.
How to get a tree that is hung up out with a winch.
It is the same tree that the lever is used on.
Is this an advertisement for the lever or the winch?

Note on the levered tree that the backcut is at an angle. It appears the sawyer was diving the bar a bit. That is inefficient from the standpoint that either a wedge or lever cannot lift a tree as well as it can on a level cut.

Granted this stuff is for smaller trees.

Note how this tree was cut using an open face technique.
Open face falling is a production technique used on smaller timber that was developed out of Scandinavia. The face is wide and that helps with control of the trees fell longer. OK that is neat.
BUT, generally open face cutters make shallow faces that do not go very far into the tree. A face that is deeper will provide a better release. I.e., less wedging needed and the tree will go over faster. More likely to reach the ground.
The typically shallow open face cut is more difficult to either wedge or lever than a face that is in 1/3rd.
Many 'production techniques' should be viewed with some skepticism by fallers. Open faces can make for greater log utilization by not going very far into the butt log. Fallers be aware though, of the reduced efficiency of this cut and the greater difficulty it can present.

Again, meant for smaller timber where you can get away with it most of the time.

 

[Bermie]

Yes, a lever is for smaller stuff, up to about 18". Still a handy tool.

 

[Husky372]

Smokechasher I disagree with your reasoning on the open face cut. It is the thickness of hinge that is going to determine how fast or slow the tree falls (thick hinge slow thin hinge fast). The idea behind using an open face is that tree stays connected to stump longer hence more control. Instead of hinge breaking half way down it can/will still be connected when tree is down

 

[smokechase II]

hinge

You've got part of it right. Hinge thickness is the major factor in descent rate.
But, if you get the hinge to break off sooner, that does speed up the trees fall.
(This is contrary to open face philosophy. Must have control to the ground.)
In a dense forest, deliberately breaking the hinge at about 40 degrees can speed the fall and get 'er down. Option two; in a safe setting, keep cutting to break the hinge as the tree commits directionally to speed the fall.
This can work where amount of control is not as important as speed to make it through.

Your point should have been that breaking the hinge to speed the fall would not have worked on getting that tree to the ground. It was hung with very little movement and breaking a hinge that soon not only would not have worked, it would have been foolish.

 

[smokechase II]

Wedge stacking technique

Another quick thought.
Look at how the wedges were stacked in the lever video.

Using wedges with the lever is good.
However, the cutter here would do well to utilize appropriate wedges angle stacked as described in Tim Ard's eBook and elsewhere. Just more efficient and removes one bore cut while at the base of the tree.

 

[xtremetrees]

Your point should have been that breaking the hinge to speed the fall would not have worked on getting that tree to the ground. It was hung with very little movement and breaking a hinge that soon not only would not have worked, it would have been foolish.