Is Stump Jumping a Recognized Felling Technique?

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Glen, I like the analogy. It is funny how what we sometimes do seems dangerous to the casual observer, but we give it no thought at all after we have thought it out and repeated it several million times, however, the danger is always there though, that's why we like doing wild and crazy things. After all it's not the destination, it's the journey. LOL
The Master of Disaster.
John

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'ld like to see what the reaction would be if the wrong people saw me one hand top-chain a 200 over my face...

There would be mucho-freako-out-o...

 

[tony marks]

dang u gypo .. i tried that on this ladies family oak. something went wrong and she was still cussing when she finally got outa what was left of her house..
i didnt say nothin as i was busy foldin my license plate up so she couldnt read what was on it. . i did hollar back at her.. fer her to call my attorney ,,john lambert in canada somewhere..

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hi Tony, not a problem, just tell her there is no extra charge. LOL
Will take more vids of stump jumping soon, I have my eye on some really nice stems since I developed Basswood breath.
John

 

[Gypo Logger]

Check out the cool stump jump. It was an 8" Ironwood, but really 9" because of the diagonal cut.
What some people will do to get a few jollies. LOL
John

 

[Gypo Logger]

Here's another victim that took a dirt nap.
John

 

[Lawn Masters]

Thats some mighty nice work there Gypo. The last time I tried to do this sort of cutting I wound up getting out my spare bar and chain to get the first one out of the tree. that was pretty bad, lucky for me I had a spare bar and chain with me that day.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Staying right on topic, the EHP 7900 is coming around real nicely.
Here it is stump jumping a 10" Ironwood. It will be noted that the chain does a little jig thru the cut. This was because I was using a 1.3 mil chain in 1.6 mil bar.
John

 

[MasterBlaster]

Sweet!

Now, imagine doing that at 60+ feet!

 

[smokechaser]

I don't know if its a term from the east coast or a arborist term but we call that slick-stumping. Some of the guys I know call it bastard-cutting. The only thing Ive ever seen called stump-jumping is using a standard face cut(not a humbolt) and putting a wedge or a piece of wood back into the face cut opening, and cutting the tree like you normally would except you continue to cut as the tree commits to fall. Basiclly severing the rest of the holding wood. it make the tree "jump" off the stump as the face cut closes and the holding wood breaks or is cut. Ive done it to move a log out af a fireline so that I wouldnt have to cut more of it to make a opening on the ground. It reallly works good if you gotta tree leaning or branch heavy on the downhill side.

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

That technique is all I do when i'm trying to clear an area of 1-4 inch trees. There's no way I'm gonna cut hundreds of little wee notches all day. I gotta get a Greffordised saw some day so I can try that on a big tree.

That's an impressive cutting saw by the way. Not only great sharpening, but huge power, no doubt. :alien:

 

[JJackson]

I see many stump in the forest cut that way...USFS for some reason I rearely see nothces in their smaller trees.

 

[smokechaser]

yup, we cut that way alot. Its mostly our thinning crews that cut with that slick-stumping technique. I guess our thinners forget that they get paid by the hour not the piece. Safely done with highly skilled cutters is one thing but I see too many of the young bucks trying to copy the old hands and they get themselves into trouble. We try to teach the correct way to cut first and then show them the little tricks to speed up, but you know how the young guys are. Balls to the wall at all times.

 

[xander9727]

Larger than 5" dia and it's supposed to have a notch.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Not if yur saw iz sharp!

 

[smokechaser]

I agree
A face cut (even if only a kerf) should probably be in trees over 5 or so inches.

But if you have a sharp saw, and depending on the lean, the branch load, the direction of desired fall, direction of desired lay, and the species of tree, slick-stumping can be done on trees up to 9 easily.

 

[xander9727]

Originally posted by MasterBlaster
Not if yur saw iz sharp!

I don't make the rules (or even agree with most of them).

However, I do like to know them so I won't get fines.

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's a 'lil different down here, I 'magine.

 

[xander9727]

Yeah, you guys get hurricanes! Everyone has a chainsaw.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Stump jumping is a science and fine art. It entails knowing your saw and chain, but mostly sawing in such a fashion that the tree doesn't even know what hit it by zeroing out all gravity and lean by making the cut on the exact angle required. So basicly it's just kicking the butt of the tree off the stump at the right speed and angle. It would be and an understatement to say I have stump jumped 1,000,000 stems off their stump on Van Is. between 81'and 83' with a 266. But that's just another unchallenged record I hold.
John