Leaning Tree Methods / Advice

[chuckwood]

You need to make it a point to get Jerry Beranek's book...Fundamentals of General Tree Work.
Jacking trees can sometimes cause more problems than it solves if a guy doesn't have a good basic knowledge of how the tree can react to the forces involved in using jacks. I've used jacks quite bit, regular tree jacks, and they can help you out of a tight spot if you know how to use them. Use them wrong and they'll make a bad situation worse.

Ok. I've just looked on Amazon.com and they have it. I'll add it to my library - thanks for the advice - it's very useful for me!

 

[slowp]

You can use a wedge with the bore cut. In fact, that is how the GOL guy taught us, you place the wedge in before cutting the back off, or when you have room to place a wedge.

There are so many ways to get a tree on the ground. I believe you must start falling at a young age to become proficient. Oh, and survive fairly unscathed too.

 

[woodchuck357]

This GOL stuff is all well and good, but it falls shy of the real knowledge of how to control a tree. Also on trees less than 12" on the stump I usually just snip em right of. Unless I really need them to go a certain way. If they are leaning hard then its a no face coos bay.

I don't know anything about this GOL stuff, guess I'll have to do some searching, I started using the boring cut explained earlier soon after we got our first one man chainsaw in the '50 s.
Most saplings under a foot in diameter I cut with an axe, just because I like swinging a hand tool. On a small heavy leaner that is going to be dropped in the direction of the lean, with the axe, I cut them almost all the way thru with a deep wide notch on the side toward the lean, then when it starts over give the back side a good lick to nearly sever the rest of the tree. Takes 8 to 10 licks on the face and one to the back, about 30 to 45 seconds. But leaves a stump 6 to 8 inches high.

 

[Gologit]

Ok. I've just looked on Amazon.com and they have it. I'll add it to my library - thanks for the advice - it's very useful for me!

Good plan. You seem serious about wanting to do things the right way and the safe way. That book is a great place to start.

 

[Vermonster]

Sounds interesting. How about some pictures of how you do that?

Good luck with getting a photo from that guy Bob. I call BS on his part.

 

[Gologit]

Good luck with getting a photo from that guy Bob. I call BS on his part.

Sounds like quite a procedure doesn't it? I'd really like a video of all that monkey motion.

 

[jimbojango]

Sounds like quite a procedure doesn't it? I'd really like a video of all that monkey motion.

Good luck with getting a photo from that guy Bob. I call BS on his part.

I will gladly take some pics next time i drop one. The pics you already saw in the thread are basically it. The "if you use and undersized jack" arguement... i'd like to see a 40,000 pound tree where I live much less a 100k tree. If fact, except for MAYBE a cyprus or a redwood they don't make 40k tree's in this country. The jacks work fine the plates work fine. I'm not sure why you guys don't like using jacks... its what they're made for.

 

[jimbojango]

Please listen Bob on this. Not that you shouldn't always listen to what Bob has to offer, but make a special point this time. Using mechanical advantage in a situation that isn't properly set for it can cause big problems.

Yes, they used jacks in epic redwoods, sometimes...

Yes, some trees now warrant jacks. But there's a hell of a lot more to it than sticking your car jack in there and going to town worry free.

LMAO, car jack. Bottle jacks aren't for cars big boy. Bottle jacks are for lots of other things. I actually sold jacks (Omega and Blackhawk) to companies that used them for many many things: jack houses up, jack natural gas compressors up to put them on skids, jack vehicles, jack farm machinery, trailer houses, tree's, metal beams ect ect ect.
To say that a jack is only useful for 1 small thing is pretty narrowly thought out. That's like saying my car can carry passengers, not the dogs, not the cats, not groceries, no soccer balls, no football pads.

 

[Gologit]

LMAO, car jack. Bottle jacks aren't for cars big boy. Bottle jacks are for lots of other things. I actually sold jacks (Omega and Blackhawk) to companies that used them for many many things: jack houses up, jack natural gas compressors up to put them on skids, jack vehicles, jack farm machinery, trailer houses, tree's, metal beams ect ect ect.
To say that a jack is only useful for 1 small thing is pretty narrowly thought out. That's like saying my car can carry passengers, not the dogs, not the cats, not groceries, no soccer balls, no football pads.

Sounds like you have your mind made up about jacking trees with your bottle jack and your jacking/falling technique. I've never logged in Kansas so I won't bother taking any more time to argue or advise. I've jacked a few trees but never in Kansas.

Thanks for telling us about Redwood and how it's logged Have you cut very much of it?

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Oh, thanks guys! I just learned that I have a lot to learn! Learned a little more about why a tree could chair on you.

To those who explained things and not just said don't do it, Thanks!

 

[jimbojango]

Sounds like you have your mind made up about jacking trees with your bottle jack and your jacking/falling technique. I've never logged in Kansas so I won't bother taking any more time to argue or advise. I've jacked a few trees but never in Kansas.

Thanks for telling us about Redwood and how it's logged Have you cut very much of it?

How i was told to fell them was told to me by a logger than felled cyprus tree's in North Carolina for 40 years. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing and he's the one that pointed out thats how redwoods were felled.

 

[Gologit]

How i was told to fell them was told to me by a logger than felled cyprus tree's in North Carolina for 40 years. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing and he's the one that pointed out thats how redwoods were felled.

Hey, no problem. Good luck.

 

[Vermonster]

How i was told to fell them was told to me by a logger than felled cyprus tree's in North Carolina for 40 years. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing and he's the one that pointed out thats how redwoods were felled.

Photos and vids and I'll be a true believer. No hard feelings eh?

 

[bitzer]

I will gladly take some pics next time i drop one. The pics you already saw in the thread are basically it. The "if you use and undersized jack" arguement... i'd like to see a 40,000 pound tree where I live much less a 100k tree. If fact, except for MAYBE a cyprus or a redwood they don't make 40k tree's in this country. The jacks work fine the plates work fine. I'm not sure why you guys don't like using jacks... its what they're made for.

A tree doesn't have to weigh 40k lbs to put 40k lbs worth of pressure on your jack. Wind and leverage. I like using jacks when they are necessary. Damn heavy things to drag around all day though. Mine weighs about 60lbs. I've already wrecked a couple of 12 ton stubbys and a 20 ton stubby. They were not on that big of trees either. Confidence is a great thing and absolutely necessary when falling timber. That and humility and wariness. Theres a fine line between confidence and stupidity sometimes. Also I do all of my work with one saw. It saves me a lot of time.

 

[Gologit]

A tree doesn't have to weigh 40k lbs to put 40k lbs worth of pressure on your jack. Wind and leverage. I like using jacks when they are necessary. Damn heavy things to drag around all day though. Mine weighs about 60lbs. I've already wrecked a couple of 12 ton stubbys and a 20 ton stubby. They were not on that big of trees either. Confidence is a great thing and absolutely necessary when falling timber. That and humility and wariness. Theres a fine line between confidence and stupidity sometimes. Also I do all of my work with one saw. It saves me a lot of time.

Yup, ....humility and wariness. The best fallers have a lot of both.

 

[Nuzzy]

LMAO, car jack. Bottle jacks aren't for cars big boy. Bottle jacks are for lots of other things. I actually sold jacks (Omega and Blackhawk) to companies that used them for many many things: jack houses up, jack natural gas compressors up to put them on skids, jack vehicles, jack farm machinery, trailer houses, tree's, metal beams ect ect ect.
To say that a jack is only useful for 1 small thing is pretty narrowly thought out. That's like saying my car can carry passengers, not the dogs, not the cats, not groceries, no soccer balls, no football pads.

If you have a system you're happy with and it works for you, great. I just don't want someone reading your post to think they can go out with their car jack or whatever, and then get themselves in trouble. Understanding dangers is part of good decision making.





Sent from sasquatch tapaterritory...

 

[flyboy553]

I used to know everything I ever needed to know. Then I put the book down, went out in to the real world and found out how little I actually knew, but sure thought I did. A person can't ever be unwilling to learn. Especially when it comes to cutting problem trees.

Who wouldn't want to know the best and safest way to put one on the ground! Or at the very least, know what isn't safe.
Very informative thread here. To the OP, thanks for starting it!

Ted

 

[jimbojango]

If you have a system you're happy with and it works for you, great. I just don't want someone reading your post to think they can go out with their car jack or whatever, and then get themselves in trouble. Understanding dangers is part of good decision making.





Sent from sasquatch tapaterritory...

Gotcha and agreed. But I did specify what type of jack I used and if you run a chainsaw without the common sense to know a 2 ton car bottle jack and a 20 ton bottle jack aren't the same then maybe you shouldn't be felling leaners and running chainsaws.
Any system that works that keeps you from dying to get them down is a good system.

 

[jimbojango]

A tree doesn't have to weigh 40k lbs to put 40k lbs worth of pressure on your jack. Wind and leverage. I like using jacks when they are necessary. Damn heavy things to drag around all day though. Mine weighs about 60lbs. I've already wrecked a couple of 12 ton stubbys and a 20 ton stubby. They were not on that big of trees either. Confidence is a great thing and absolutely necessary when falling timber. That and humility and wariness. Theres a fine line between confidence and stupidity sometimes. Also I do all of my work with one saw. It saves me a lot of time.

if its a leaner its already giving you all the leverage in the world (assuming you aren't trying to fell it another "wrong" way) and your jack is simply breaking your hinge. And yeah, jacks are heavy and they suck to drag around but they get the job done, make the job safer and btw if you pinch your chainsaw you CAN use a jack to retrieve your bar and then make up your mind how to fell the tree differently to not pinch it again. I've had tree's that i wanted to go one way and didn't, so a jack (when i wedge didn't help enough) helped me get my bar back and i moved about 4 inches and dropped it perfect. Like everyone says "tree's forget to read the rulebook"

 

[Gologit]

if its a leaner its already giving you all the leverage in the world (assuming you aren't trying to fell it another "wrong" way) and your jack is simply breaking your hinge. And yeah, jacks are heavy and they suck to drag around but they get the job done, make the job safer and btw if you pinch your chainsaw you CAN use a jack to retrieve your bar and then make up your mind how to fell the tree differently to not pinch it again. I've had tree's that i wanted to go one way and didn't, so a jack (when i wedge didn't help enough) helped me get my bar back and i moved about 4 inches and dropped it perfect. Like everyone says "tree's forget to read the rulebook"

You use a jack to help you fall leaners in the direction of lean?