Felling technique for "telephone poles"

[davefr]

I've been felling normal doug fir for years but I've got some that are tall, narrow, very few limbs, well balanced but they're proving to be unpredictable to fell. I can best describe them as resembling telephone poles. (they've been surrounded by "normal" doug firs so they've grown very spindly.

I'd guess they're about 8-10" diameter max. and up to 30-40' high. No limbs except for the very top.

Using a conventional notch and backcut they tend to want to lean backwards even though they're balanced. I can't wedge them very well during the backcut since they're so small in diameter. (chainsaw bar takes up the whole backcut).

I need to adapt my technique for these poles.

Should I extend the notch to beyond the center line? (vs. approx. 1/3 into the trunk)

Should I cut the backcut first, wedge it and then do the notch?

I was briefly reading about these methods in Berinek's book (Fundamentals of Tree Work).

What's your preferred method of reliably felling these long thin poles??

TIA

 

[frodo]

did you think about pulling them with a rope:monkey:

 

[Canyonbc]

Ya i have cut a lot of small doug. firs just like your talking..

We normally cut a 1/3 face like normal...have a rope up there..put a guy or two on the rope..and just cut the back...just the power of a man or two pulls them right over.

Truck, winch, mini skid steer, etc. is much better...and needed in bigger trees

 

[davefr]

Thanks. My good friend John Deere has been helping me with these. I was hoping for a successful felling technique to avoid the rigging hassles.

 

[Canyonbc]

On trees that skinny i dont no what else...

I have my self a throw weight and line

then rigging line...i get the tree down in 5 minutes.

Thinking about it...never tried it not sure how it would work...cut your face standard 1/3...and your back cut...instead of bein horzintal...why not try an angle...45 degrees going down..maybe it will help it from falling backwards..

dont no if it will work...but i guess worth a thought...

just my thought

 

[John Ellison]

If you are not around a house or power line, I would do just as you mentioned yourself. Make the backcut first, drive in a wedge, make the face and then drive it on over. The trick is in knowing how hard to drive in the wedge before you cut the face. If you drive it in too far on a tree that only has a slight lean it will want to fall before you get the face cut out.

 

[Dadatwins]

Thinking about it...never tried it not sure how it would work...cut your face standard 1/3...and your back cut...instead of bein horzintal...why not try an angle...45 degrees going down..maybe it will help it from falling backwards..

Very dangerous, don't do this, especially on a back leaner. It will not prevent a tree from falling backwards. If you can't wedge it, then a rope tied 2/3 or higher up the trunk is probably the best way.

 

[Canyonbc]

O really..

ok well i will know never try it.

I always use a rope or wedge, or both most of the time....

Just trying to think new ideas.

 

[Magnum783]

You can try the third idea. You cut you notch just like normal gunned precisely where you want the tree to fall. Then for your back cut divide it in half. cut on side preferably the more dangerous of the two side first drive in a wedge then but the the other side using the nose of the bar. The allows you to drive the wedge and still make the proper back cut. Ekka has a few videos around here where he has shown this done with great success. Not sure what else to tell you other than to use the rope and good old John Deere.
Jared

 

[Canyonbc]

Any idea what this techinque is called...or the link to Ekka's video on it...i remeber seeing it a while back, but want to see it again...???

 

[geofore]

rigging hassle?

Thanks. My good friend John Deere has been helping me with these. I was hoping for a successful felling technique to avoid the rigging hassles.

What hassle is a throwball and rope over the lowest limb and around the trunk? Massdan comealong on the rope for pull in the direction of the fall you want? A couple extra pieces of equipment is cheap insurance to direct the fall. It adds a few miniutes to set up but it loads the tree to go the right direction. I don't see the rope rig as a hassle, insurance of the direction of fall. Even without the Massdan a rope controls and limits where the tree can fall, short of breaking the rope or tree you can limit where it can fall.

 

[Canyonbc]

Oh ya....

heck throw ball and weight what $ 25 bucks...

Bull Like - well depends on size

most versatile and on my favorite, is the cum along....150 bucks or so, 35 feet cable 4,000 pounds pull...does perfect with smaller trees.

 

[2FatGuys]

Just be careful not to overload the little pencil trees before you cut. I've seen guys torque down on them with a come-along before cutting and snap those skinny suckers. There isn't much wood to an 8" tree 40 feet tall.

I prefer to use a bull line and a simple 3:1 or 4:1 setup and set the tension manually. It takes less than 5 minutes to get the rope into the tree, set the anchor, insert the pulleys with an automatic prussick "progress hold", and put the necessary tension on the tree. Trucks and come-alongs create barber chair opportunities that I don't need.

 

[Canyonbc]

Ya the can put too much on...

Personally...

i like to cut the scarf in front first...then start to tention it up, not really tight..just to start to see tree bend...then cut the back.

Your prolly right though on a doug. fir that is 10 '' and 40 ft tall...wont need a cum along...

 

[superfire]

Falling help

smaller face depth,more like this ---)) > ((---, also angle back cut up about 25 degrees above the face cut then wedge like a petin the dog nice and gentle.
Just
My Beer Monies Worht
Cheers Mates

 

[Ekka]

This is very easy, use the 1/4 cut technique and smack them puppies down in a jiffy.

This is a video showing the technique up close.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=33471

The technique was also used in this video, 3 at a time and they held stable to the tickle.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=54104

You need high ramped wedges as you dont want the wedge rammed into the hindge wood.

 

[booboo]

Check out Ekka's video thread of the 1/4 cut technique. He demonstrates it on palms, as I recall. I've used it on whippy red maple and poplar, it should work on doug fir. It takes a little getting used to, so don't try it around a house or power at first.

 

[booboo]

DOH!

Maybe I should read the whole thread before posting!

 

[Ekka]

Did a BooBoo did ya? :biggrinbounce2:

 

[lees trees]

I use a cheaterjack alot less stess in rigging and more than enough power to push your trees. yea its my baby.