Felling Tips???

[Typhoon]

Well, I have met many people over the years who have different ways of making felling cuts. I learned my method from a professional feller. But, theres always room for improvement. So here is my method, and feel free to blast away!! I decide where I want the tree to fall, depending on tree lean and obstructions, then I cut my notch on the falling side. Then I plunge in leaving a hinge, and cut towards the back and leave a descent size strap. Then for the last cut, instead of coming in straight from the back to cut the strap, I come down at a steep angle (just like the first angled cut you make for the notch). Any suggestions? Im having good luck with this method. Thanks!
-Brad

 

[Ryan Willock]

I personally just come straight through the back after having set up my hinge.

 

[bwalker]

There is something to be said for keeping it simple. Simple notch and straight through back cut works for me. Some times when felling wood that splinters easily(red oak, cedar) and or heavy leaners I will use the bore cut method.

 

[JimL]

i cut 99 percent of my trees like you described.

doing it this way gives me time to fine tune my hinge wood.

 

[Jacob J.]

Ok you guys- I have a problem with people who come down at an angle on their backcuts. There are three reasons-

1.- If you end up having to wedge that tree, you will not get "lift" from your wedges, instead you'll push the tree off the stump.

2.- In older trees, large trees, or hardwoods with rot, you'reincreasing the chance of "barber chair", because you weaken the tree laterally too much before it starts into your undercut and that means trouble if you're working around obstructions, like structures or power lines.

3.- If the tree sits back, and pinches your saw, you're going to have a more difficult time cutting your bar and chain out ( provided you have an extra chain and bar to cut yourself out with, which you should. )
As a rule of thumb, you need to go above the highest point of your backcut to make a face pointing in the opposite direction to fell a set-back tree, and you need to be the distance equaling the full diameter of the tree above your original back cut to avoid "splitting out", or barber-chairing, when making your second back cut.

 

[JimL]

I don't cut many rotten trees. No value in them.

2nd, i use wedges on 99.9% of trees i drop, only case is a heavy leaner.

Ive had some trees set back on me before, most memorably was a 40" sycamore, it hat to go one way, no choice, took about an hour but i drove it over with wedges..

 

[Ryan Willock]

Jim, I have to deal with that "has to go there" at least a couple times a month. I'd like to have tree jack but the smallest one silvey makes weighs 30lbs, I'm not lugging that around!

 

[JimL]

Originally posted by Ryan Willock
Jim, I have to deal with that "has to go there" at least a couple times a month. I'd like to have tree jack but the smallest one silvey makes weighs 30lbs, I'm not lugging that around!

that big sycamore was on a property line and the other land owner was a prick. he would have sued me for smudging his grass. he threw a fit about a bunch of saw dust in his pasture.

 

[bwalker]

Jim, I have to deal with that "has to go there" at least a couple times a month. I'd like to have tree jack but the smallest one silvey makes weighs 30lbs, I'm not lugging that around!

Why not just use a hd bottle jack? I heard of logger that uses them on occasion around here. Besides, Ryan since you have a compact tractor and you need to skid the log anyway is weight really a issue?

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i think that the throw line for placing a real line into a tree, to help correct lean, brace, steer, force hinge stronger etc. for `$20 is the way to go on many questionable things, as well as about all other things i fell.

i would think that it takes one heck of a shelf so far back from a hinge to give leverage and be safe demands quite a sized tree. i think that lifting with jack/wedges is one of the few things maximized by a more forward hinge. (Giving more lifting leverage, being farther back from the pivot of the hinge)So, using these lifts best (shallow hinge), can minimize other helpful forces /patterns(from deeper hinge placement). Like the farther back the hinge comes, the more forward lean you have to pull away from you, less fiber flexing to target etc.

i face the tree the way i want it to fall, inspect the face for crossed cuts (bad), also decay/deformity etc. The lower the hinge is the more leveraged pull that the lean has. The farther back the hinge comes, adjusts the lean further form the hinge except on back lean).

The wider part of the tree the hinge comes too, the more leveraged control to pulls (or pushes from other trees etc.) the hinge has. Also, the farther under the side lean the pivot of the hinge can get. Also, Stumper has shown that the long slender hinge is more flexible and seviceable than a short fat one.

i set the pulls to positively place the tree forward. Any side pulls (speaking of in healthy wood fiber for control) i slant the bar on the final backcut to to make it pull more to the opposite of the lean. In this way the side lean is cancelled, and the tree just falls with the forward lean. Leaving a tapered triangle hinge patter long across the face,that points to the side that pulls fall off balance from face.

Always look for pulls to be NE etc. Very few are NN, i assume i must make some correction, everything carries better in balance, every machine works better in balance. i assume i have to slant bar on every backcut to balance the pulls. So that only gets me to about 98+% right....

Wide mouth face gives most control of speed and direction, due to ride on hinge lasting longer. Crossed face cuts invoke the usual type of the deadly dutchman force, the unintentional one! Extra pull from line, extra pull from C.o.B. (freed up from hinge helping to direct OffSide Lean across hinge) places extra leveraged force on hinge. Hinge, like any other machine can take that force and make it fast/weak or slow/powerfull. The backcut sets the deciding time frame. If the hinge releases faster under the pulls it wil make fast/weaker hinge machine, if backcut forces slow timing, then the force of the forward pulls can make a slow/powerfull hinge. Slow/powerfull hinge generally can give most control, wide open FaceCuts that you BackCut to center apex of FaceCuts, can offer that control over a wider sweep (till faces meet or leveraged pulls override hinge strength etc.)

Orrrrrrrr something like that!
:alien:

 

[John Ellison]

I see no advantage at all in an angled back cut and like Jason mentioned there are several reasons not to use it.
In the absense of heavy equipment and a cool operator the Big Shot and a Maasdam power puller is the cats meow if its a have to situation. I hate long wedgeing sessions.

 

[chainsawworld]

if you are wedgeing trees over, the down angle back cut will offer no assistance. the stump will actually peel off under the wedges as you attempt to lift the tree.
stumps need to be flat and level.
marty

 

[JimL]

I drive my wedges in some before i cut the last bit of holding wood, this puts preasure on it, when it is cut, its already headed over, i every so often have to go back and beat on them some more..

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i've read references to the slanted BackCut doesn't come thru the grain right for best hinging (can't remeber exacltly why).

i've always seen it as a 'scared' techniche, that only really had contradictions to it. One of which is that if ya need any stopping power at all, especially beyond pressure of closed kerf (if it sits back), let alone checking that with wedged pressure, you're probably doing something you shouldn't anyway......

The forces from the size, weight and speed of a falling tree are so immense that if things are so unsure you think you need a backstop like that to the direct opposite direction than fall; there is a problem. For noone should be in the batter's box, minischule to all those forces, and not at least know that tree is going forward IMLHO!

The higher the line, the more the pulling leverage (farther from hinge pivot), Big Shot is great if ya got stiff enough wood up high to pull. Power Puller is nice 1 or more fellas on a simple 3/1 'Zrig' pulling at high leverage can do wonders. All the extra leveraged force can help with direction,then left over from that it forces the hinge to be strong or fast in response to that extra force, by whether it folds slow or fast; a lot of which is determined by the BackCut.

All this works climbing free falling, rigging adjusting for different angles of pull, same science. Forcing strength in hinge, maximizing strenght to pulls of motion and lean.

Orrrrrrrrrr something like that!
:alien:

 

[Stumper]

In Typhoon's defense. The method he described is perhaps overly cautious for most situations but it isn't unsafe or very problematical. Boring the backcut to a strap is good technique for heavy 'forward' leaners- it isn't necessary on most trees. Since Ty is only angling the strap portion of his backcut it doesn't preclude using wedges-it just requires 2 set on opposite sides and driven alternately. That isn't as efficient as a good wedge in the center but it can still work. The lip left by the little angle cut of the strap could concievably stop a slide over the stump but it isn't the best way to do that. The single biggest error most people make besides inadequate face cuts (don't make narrow and shallow little notches!) is failing to make the backcut above the face. A high backcut : A. lets the hinge seperate at the rear (front edge of backcut kerf) and flex forward maintaining a longer control distance falling into the face before tearoff. and, B. Gives a nice, big, kickback stopping, lip on the stump. Of course "high backcut" is a relative term-- make a backcut way above the face and the tree has trouble "finding" the notch -it may not start hinging evenly but hold and hold then suddenly move. Depending upon species and size 2-3 inches above the point where the face kerfs met is about right for the back cut.