RandyMac
Stiff Member
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Inexperienced feller looking for advice.
- Thread starter OH_Varmntr
- Start date
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OH_Varmntr
Burner of stored sunlight
Hammerlogging mentioned butt kick. Why does a higher stump create a harsher butt kick than a lower stump?
Also, I've been using what appears to be a Humboldt notch, when it looks like a conventional notch would be much easier for me, especially as I'm thinking about cutting lower stumps.
I'd like to find a full wrap for my 360P...
This has surely turned into an interesting thread.
Also, I've been using what appears to be a Humboldt notch, when it looks like a conventional notch would be much easier for me, especially as I'm thinking about cutting lower stumps.
I'd like to find a full wrap for my 360P...
This has surely turned into an interesting thread.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
I'm thinkin' maybe the Hammer meant because the stumps are higher, that perhaps the trunk might motate around some.
I almost always left waist high stumps, 'cause being to close to the ground made me dizzy, you know, bein' a god and all.
I almost always left waist high stumps, 'cause being to close to the ground made me dizzy, you know, bein' a god and all.
Good hooktenders with good crews are seldom seen on the landing. Maybe when rigging up the yarder. They are often harried individuals, having to pack heavy things around and climb trees. Perhaps they caught a glimpse of you while they were up in the tree? Hooktenders have a good grasp of the Stinkeye Concept. One guy wore a white hardhat because it bothered the crew. Note the excellent paint job in the photos.:smile2:
View attachment 212742View attachment 212743
They get to leave high stumps.
This outfit would have one of the Gods lay out the corridors and pick out the lift trees/stump anchors.
I would dutifully mark the corridors and trees knowing that I would make another climb up (it was downhill yarding) to OK the new trees which the hooktender wanted. I started losing weight on that sale. The hooktender picked trees that were way the hell up--maybe he wanted to get closer to the Gods?
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Yup...I'd see them in the brush and on the landing. And they do work hard, I'll give 'em that. I never was on a job where the hooktender climbed. I'm sure there are some who do but I usually saw some younger guy who was doing the rigging up. The hook would always have two or three guys who wanted to learn climbing and could get up the tree good enough to hang a block or two.
'Course, like I said, we didn't usually pay much attention to them. The only time we watched real close was when we noticed a saw get sent down. Then we'd usually watch the fun...or whatever might happen. That was in the days before video cameras. Too bad, too. Sometimes it got really entertaining.
And, just for the record...fallers aren't really Gods. Gods have to work too hard, never get a day off, and get blamed for everything that doesn't go right.
Royalty might be a better word to describe fallers. Royalty is still at the top of the pecking order but they don't have the same thankless responsibilities as Gods. Royalty gets some time off. And they have serfs to take the blame when things go wrong.
Yeah...Royalty...that's much better than Gods. If you're into titles, that is.
'Course, like I said, we didn't usually pay much attention to them. The only time we watched real close was when we noticed a saw get sent down. Then we'd usually watch the fun...or whatever might happen. That was in the days before video cameras. Too bad, too. Sometimes it got really entertaining.
And, just for the record...fallers aren't really Gods. Gods have to work too hard, never get a day off, and get blamed for everything that doesn't go right.
Royalty might be a better word to describe fallers. Royalty is still at the top of the pecking order but they don't have the same thankless responsibilities as Gods. Royalty gets some time off. And they have serfs to take the blame when things go wrong.
Yeah...Royalty...that's much better than Gods. If you're into titles, that is.
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RandyMac
Stiff Member
Royalty is it?
I am known as Emperor Rat Bastard the First on a 12th century wargame site and to a few on AS.
I earned a reputation as being deliberately ruthless and as dangerous to my allies as I am to enemies.
I am known as Emperor Rat Bastard the First on a 12th century wargame site and to a few on AS.
I earned a reputation as being deliberately ruthless and as dangerous to my allies as I am to enemies.
You're from France?
RandyMac
Stiff Member
nah, just get irritated when they don't my orders, things happen. besides, the French are only dangerous to themselves.
Is the top of that resting on the way down,,,or is that really fast film?
Very good advice here. Makes it easy to overthink this.
Best way to learn is cut alot trees & try not to hit very often.
Very good advice here. Makes it easy to overthink this.
Best way to learn is cut alot trees & try not to hit very often.
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I am a princess. All girls are. Even if they live in tiny old attics. Even if they dress in rags, even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses.-- Sara Crewe, from the 1995 movie version of A Little Princess.
Another story. The two hooktenders and the sleepy forester.
The sleepy forester had not brought coffee with her on what turned out to be a bright and sunny day. She stumbled up the hill after scarfing down a sandwich, to "check stuff". She had seen the chainsaw being sent up the hill on the rigging, but she figured she wouldn't be close to where it was going. She was looking for the godly fallers.
She was wandering across the hill, yawning, and enjoying the sun. It was fall, and soon her world would be plunged into endless days of drizzle and dankness. She saw two guys, one with an orange hat, starting to fall a tree. She did not have her glasses with her. The glasses might get paint on them, and it was hard to walk with them on. Across the hill she ambled, feeling safe since she was uphill, and the tree would be felled the other way, as that was where the closest corridor was.
She heard a wedge being slammed on, and then an "Oh ____!" and saw the blurry man figures scampering away from the tree. She was still sleepy and unable to process the details. The tree came her way and she felt the wind of it as it landed with a WHOMP nearby. She continued on her way.
The two blurry figures were not the royal fallers. They were two hooktenders. That crew was put together when the market crashed. The company had laid off the lowly rigging rats and had a crew of all their hooktenders working instead. They were sheepish, as was she.
Another story. The two hooktenders and the sleepy forester.
The sleepy forester had not brought coffee with her on what turned out to be a bright and sunny day. She stumbled up the hill after scarfing down a sandwich, to "check stuff". She had seen the chainsaw being sent up the hill on the rigging, but she figured she wouldn't be close to where it was going. She was looking for the godly fallers.
She was wandering across the hill, yawning, and enjoying the sun. It was fall, and soon her world would be plunged into endless days of drizzle and dankness. She saw two guys, one with an orange hat, starting to fall a tree. She did not have her glasses with her. The glasses might get paint on them, and it was hard to walk with them on. Across the hill she ambled, feeling safe since she was uphill, and the tree would be felled the other way, as that was where the closest corridor was.
She heard a wedge being slammed on, and then an "Oh ____!" and saw the blurry man figures scampering away from the tree. She was still sleepy and unable to process the details. The tree came her way and she felt the wind of it as it landed with a WHOMP nearby. She continued on her way.
The two blurry figures were not the royal fallers. They were two hooktenders. That crew was put together when the market crashed. The company had laid off the lowly rigging rats and had a crew of all their hooktenders working instead. They were sheepish, as was she.
The Humboldt is for logs being sent off to the mill. They want every inch of usable wood to cut lumber. More $$.
For firewood it does not matter. Whatever is easier for you! You can even make it 90 degrees with cuts in the log portion as well as the stump portion (both Humboldt and conventional) to keep the hinge attached after the tree falls. (To make it easier for bucking.)
For stump height, I would ask the property owner what they prefer. (Being nice...) If too low and grass and weeds grow up and cover the stumps everywhere, then people could trip on them or vehicles run into them. So the property owner may prefer they be high enough so they can be seen. Or may not care.
OH_Varmntr
Burner of stored sunlight
I was told stump height didn't matter, whichever was easiest for me. I'm just trying to stay away from bending over too much.
I'm going out to cut tomorrow. Just bucking and limbing since I'll be alone.
indiansprings
Firewood Purveyor
When we do fall timber I always make my cuts about waist high or a little above, just because it is comfortable for my back. Depending on the landowners wishes, we'll almost always go back at the end with some crapped out chains and flush cut them as close as we can. That way if they are brush hogging or driving a truck across their property they won't tear anything up. If the tree was alive I spray the stump with tordon and diesel to kill it. I am going to try to do the swedish candle method on about a 30" oak out away from anything. I'm going to use a big eye bolt to screw into the block portion and lift it out with the loader and pour diesel and old motor oil in it and light it off and see if it will burn the stump out.
ryan_marine
ArboristSite Guru
Come down to Mt. Vernon for a day and I will help you out. There are plenty of trees. Even enough to answer most what if a tree is doing this to help you learn a lot.
Ray
Ray
OH_Varmntr
Burner of stored sunlight
I appreciate the offer! I'm about 2 hours from you. I'm tucked way up in the NW side right on the border.
OH_Varmntr
Burner of stored sunlight
Went out this morning. Felt like I made some improvement.
I slowed waaay down and paid more attention to what I was doing.
Here's a few stumps from the day...
This one looks like the stump split, but it's bark that's hanging down...
The backcut was a bit too high on this one, but it worked okay.
I slowed waaay down and paid more attention to what I was doing.
Here's a few stumps from the day...
This one looks like the stump split, but it's bark that's hanging down...
The backcut was a bit too high on this one, but it worked okay.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
Noticeable improvement.
Just a suggestion, go a smidge deeper with the face cut and take a chip off the bottom cut.
Just a suggestion, go a smidge deeper with the face cut and take a chip off the bottom cut.
BIG improvement.
OH_Varmntr
Burner of stored sunlight
Thank you.
RandyMac, what's the purpose of the chip off the bottom cut?
RandyMac, what's the purpose of the chip off the bottom cut?
RandyMac
Stiff Member
That chip's proper term is "snipe" and will cause the butt to jump away from the stump. It provides a clean, straight edge for contact at the stump. It is useful when felling trees with considerable swell or flare at the base.
