Felling notches

[Turkeyslayer]

When boring start with the bottom of the bar, cutting a cavity into the side of the tree at WOT, when the cavity is at least as deep as your bar is wide swing the saw into the cavity so that the tip of the bar points straight in the direction of the planned bore cut.

It is also advisable to practice getting the feel of boring on some previously downed trees.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

Also when boring it is good to know how to use your gunning sights, for you dont want to bore in and severe your hinge.

 

[Turkeyslayer]

If unsure on any technique, take a cutter course or talk to a local logger and see if they will let you come learn some techniques for a little free labour.

Always remember if you think a tree is beyond your capibilities leave it to a professional or mother nature. No tree is worth your life.

 

[RandyMac]

LMAO Randy... Yep... The sawboss I worked for would have snatched a guy up by the suspenders, and then put a boot in your a$$...

...then sent ya out chasin' or chokin'...

Also... never, ever, challenge the wit of the oldest guy in the crew... don't ask me how i know... all I can say is, I was young and mouthy. Not a good combo...

Gary

Oh yeah. I got sent off to set chokers for a week atleast twice, once for not following directions, another for decorating a hillside with a big Doug Fir snag. It bothered me some, but I knew I was going back cutting.
The guy who taught me most of what I know, didn't make it through the winter, along with two other oldtimers I knew, we are about to nail the lid closed on that era of logging.

 

[Busmech]

When I started cutting full time I ask the old timer on the crew what the most important thing to remember was, he said get the hell away from the stump in the best direction possible( away from the direction of fall) then look up at the top, thats where most of the trouble comes from. I was in my twentys then, I'm almost 60 now and it has served me well.

 

[BuddhaKat]

its not a competition..

:agree2: Yep, no doubt about that.

 

[ropensaddle]

A winch is fine but on big trees no winch will work. Not to mention most trees are found in the mountains with no access by truck or dozer.

I totally disagree with this statement my winch has pulled huge trees over with no problem.
I also have used conventional 99.5% with no problems and can count bore cuts on one hand in 25 years of pro tree work. Most times my 20 ton pto winch uproots medium sized tree 20"
dbh if I want it to!

 

[stihl sawing]

Probably if i don't think it will come down with a conventional or a face cut, i'll let it be. I agree practicing on one on the ground. I may try that but i won't just up and try something that i've never done on a big tree. I will admit that i would be too scared, That's not a bad thing either. Being scared to do something has probably kept me alive or being severely injured all these years. I have cut some big trees and winched them over, now i'm sure the face cut and the wedges kept it from rocking back.

Been lucky to have never had a barber chair but have dropped them where i wasn't aiming. The couple i remember doing that on were hollow.For guys like me just stay with the safe practices and if it looks to hard to do, let a pro take care of it for you.

 

[2dogs]

its not a competition..

No it is not a competion. I want to see 056 kid make it to 056 oldfart and not end up a statistic. Every young buck thinks he's bulletproof, myself included at that age, but I don't think someone as young and inexperienced as you should be handing out advice. Some of it careless, some of it bad. We all get a little mouthy at times.

 

[2dogs]

I totally disagree with this statement my winch has pulled huge trees over with no problem.
I also have used conventional 99.5% with no problems and can count bore cuts on one hand in 25 years of pro tree work. Most times my 20 ton pto winch uproots medium sized tree 20"
dbh if I want it to!

Ughh! OK by big trees I mean 3' plus, not 20" or 24" trees. In the mountians here our trees can have quite a bit of lean, like leaning out away from the slope up to 45° from vertical. Big trees can lean 25° to 30° and still remain standing. At least for awhile. No winch can handle a 4' DBH-200' tall redwood. AND... in the mountains you can't always drive to the tree. If you have never cut big softwoods like we have out here why do you have an opinion?

 

[stihl sawing]

Ughh! OK by big trees I mean 3' plus, not 20" or 24" trees. In the mountians here our trees can have quite a bit of lean, like leaning out away from the slope up to 45° from vertical. Big trees can lean 25° to 30° and still remain standing. At least for awhile. No winch can handle a 4' DBH-200' tall redwood. AND... in the mountains you can't always drive to the tree. If you have never cut big softwoods like we have out here why do you have an opinion?

Very few trees like that here, Have cut some three foot across oaks and not even close to 200 feet high. Winches are pretty stout but i gotta agree, don't think they would handle a tree that big.

 

[smokechase II]

More wisdom

The Lord is my Bull Buck; I shall not complain.
He maketh me lie down big fir in green stands:
He leadeth me beside muddy landings.
He restoreth my mixed gas:
He leadeth me down skid rows for His chokers.

Yea, though I drive where log trucks ‘roll’,
I will fear no hillside: For thou art with me;
Thy bullard and thy chaps, they comfort me.
Thou preparest snoose before me in the presence of OSHA;
Thou annointest my head with rain; My boots runneth over.

Surely chips and stump shot shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell where I make a view forever.

 

[smokechase II]

Thread

I assume there are no further questions on notches.

Move to another thread.

Nothing to see here.

 

[2dogs]

The Lord is my Bull Buck; I shall not complain.
He maketh me lie down big fir in green stands:
He leadeth me beside muddy landings.
He restoreth my mixed gas:
He leadeth me down skid rows for His chokers.

Yea, though I drive where log trucks ‘roll’,
I will fear no hillside: For thou art with me;
Thy bullard and thy chaps, they comfort me.
Thou preparest snoose before me in the presence of OSHA;
Thou annointest my head with rain; My boots runneth over.

Surely chips and stump shot shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell where I make a view forever.

Nuff said. Musta been quite a few trees laid down for the ark. Since you are on good terms with the Big Yarder Engineer in the sky could you ask him what kind of mill Noah had?

 

[2dogs]

I assume there are no further questions on notches.

Move to another thread.

Nothing to see here.

Hey did you see I just made A faller? I am now certified to cut 8" trees under direct supervision.

 

[True Blue Sam]

Hey did you see I just made A faller? I am now certified to cut 8" trees under direct supervision.

When you get out on a fire they will have you cutting whatever they need as long as you are comfortable doing it, unless you get a real bureaucrat over you.

 

[2dogs]

When you get out on a fire they will have you cutting whatever they need as long as you are comfortable doing it, unless you get a real bureaucrat over you.

I am a Calfire contract employee and classified as an expert. They don't look at certifications. We are having a cool humid spring so I may never get a call.

 

[BuddhaKat]

Hey did you see I just made A faller? I am now certified to cut 8" trees under direct supervision.

Well now that you're certified to cut the big stuff, do you mind if I come over and watch you work for a few days? I'm going for my certification to cut 3" (tall) trees and I could sure use some tips from a pro.

 

[ropensaddle]

Ughh! OK by big trees I mean 3' plus, not 20" or 24" trees. In the mountians here our trees can have quite a bit of lean, like leaning out away from the slope up to 45° from vertical. Big trees can lean 25° to 30° and still remain standing. At least for awhile. No winch can handle a 4' DBH-200' tall redwood. AND... in the mountains you can't always drive to the tree. If you have never cut big softwoods like we have out here why do you have an opinion?

I would almost bet my winch could handle a four foot by 200 foot redwood and if I can't drive there if I have enough cable and snatch blocks no big deal. I have pulled many 56" dbh trees over with my set up and I am confident but do know limitations however leverage is a valuable tool in tree felling and with 40000 lbs of pull at say a hundred foot height you would be surprised at what it can accomplish. I do know there are a few trees in your area that could test my winch but they would have to be obviously impossible for my setup to not work especially double snatch blocked. I will not stutter to say my winch is way better than any wedge. You went right to 20" and assumed that I considered them as big lol I have cut quite a few in the plus 60" dbh and two in the 70" dbh here and while I will say and understand they are maxed out at 125' to 155' the physics are the same. Uprooting a 20" oak takes considerable pull was what I was meaning not I considered a 20" large

 

[smokechase II]

2 dogs, 3 cats and a house full of ______________

Hey did you see I just made A faller?

Opps, I thought you said; "Hey did you see I just made a faller?"

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With any luck you can b improved next year.

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C ya' later.