Learning to Fell Small Leaners, Please Help

[Burvol]

Hi Burvol,
I agree, hands-on experences where empiracal knowledge is passed down from a skilled knowledgeable person to a learning person has tremendous value. For that reason I've been looking at the Game of Logging chainsaw courses.
The beauty of forums like this is that people freely choose to contribute (or not). Local loggers or arborists might not take time out of their busy schedule to show another local how to do it. I see there's a tremendous amount of experience on this forum, and hope to someday have the knowledge to pass on skills to my family and others. Until then, I'll contribute what I can, where I can, and enjoy the free exchange of ideas on the forum.

Coming soon.... I'll cut the tree down!

Bill

Right on Bill, gotta give a guy a lot of credit for taking the incentive.

 

[2dogs]

Ha,ha yep I hear ya 2Dogs,

This old place is on the coast of Maine and was a Sea Captains house. It had a small island called Round Island on the deed up until the 1960's when an owner before me gave it too the state. It's was used to offload cargo back in the day and then smaller boats brought it into Port. I've researched the house back too 1790. Before that you can't tell if it was a land grant or household. Here's a pix of the east side. There's a deck over too the left accessable from the upstairs bedroom. Nice view of the water. The house faces south and the bay. It's an L shaped deal.

That really is beautiful. Thanks much for sharing.

 

[Gologit]

Well, you know how it goes...First off, got have a 361 on hand (I actually own one and like it ), Calculate the exact lean in degrees, figure out how to incorperate a "bore cut", etc, etc, then take all of that out with you and figure it out. Maybe having someone local that can help would pan out better.

Yup. It sems like everyone is looking for a magic formula that'll make the tree go exactly where they want it to. Like..."If I do exactly THIS, the tree will do eactly THAT"

Wouldn't it be great if it worked that way? About all you can do is apply all the basics and follow all the rules and remember that trees don't really care where they fall...because every damn one of them is different.

Do your best...but stay light on your feet and be ready to run.

 

[Gologit]

That really is beautiful. Thanks much for sharing.

+1 Great old house. Hey, whatever happened to my book? I know you sent it on but what who has it now?

 

[Burvol]

Yup. It sems like everyone is looking for a magic formula that'll make the tree go exactly where they want it to. Like..."If I do exactly THIS, the tree will do eactly THAT"

Wouldn't it be great if it worked that way? About all you can do is apply all the basics and follow all the rules and remember that trees don't really care where they fall...because every damn one of them is different.

Do your best...but stay light on your feet and be ready to run.

That's right, they are all a little different. I just GO CRAZY at times reading all the "trick bag" stuff on here, and then the fall out of everyone doing the "eye peck" ritual. I would have to say, even the most experienced and well trained fallers would say, just go cut the damn tree!

 

[slowp]

Wow, cool house. 200 year old dwellings here are rock shelters, they're the only thing that won't rot. Good luck with the tree, I know nothing that would help you.

 

[Zodiac45]

+1 Great old house. Hey, whatever happened to my book? I know you sent it on but what who has it now?

Hey Bob,

I sent to Logbutcher.

 

[Zodiac45]

Took her down today and just in a nick of time. Tramp Bushler you were absolutely right about the bore cut. She was a big ole hollow log at the butt end. Probably 6"-8" of solid wood all the way around. I did a very shallow face then ran the saw round while pounding a couple 12" wedges too keep her thinking about the right direction. The second wedge took a hard hit, disappeared and over she went right down the slot. Glad it's done now cause she might of snapped and took out my powerlines if I'd waited much longer. All the tops were good and solid though so I should get some good crackling hatmatack firewood out of it.

 

[tramp bushler]

143 Dolmar

Good deal Zodiak ;; Its nice when they go where they should .. Is that your 143 in the pic ? . I cut timber with one years ago for part of a day in the early 90,s I was cutting out of Coffman Cove ...It had very good power , I was in a nice patch or 2 bushel Hemlock , with a 36 " bar and if I remember 3/8 semi skip chain ... It was a year prior to the 394 Husky coming out ...The 2 problems they had were, the handle bars wern,t very skookum and there was not much for dealers ... But power and performance wise it was the equal to an 056 Mag II and pretty much the same as a 2100 Husky ...... I most definately prefered it to the 056 , but the 2100 was just too tough to beat ......

 

[Zodiac45]

Good deal Zodiak ;; Its nice when they go where they should .. Is that your 143 in the pic ? . I cut timber with one years ago for part of a day in the early 90,s I was cutting out of Coffman Cove ...It had very good power , I was in a nice patch or 2 bushel Hemlock , with a 36 " bar and if I remember 3/8 semi skip chain ... It was a year prior to the 394 Husky coming out ...The 2 problems they had were, the handle bars wern,t very skookum and there was not much for dealers ... But power and performance wise it was the equal to an 056 Mag II and pretty much the same as a 2100 Husky ...... I most definately prefered it to the 056 , but the 2100 was just too tough to beat ......

Tramp,

That's a 120si and is a really nice saw in the same vein as a 044 or 372xp. Probably more 044 since its a torquer more than screamer but it's my favorite all rounder. My 143 is down for the count at the moment awaiting parts that are getting harder to come by. I agree those 2100 are a great old saw. I'm looking at one too use on my Alaskan mill. Hard too beat them for reliability and guts. Quite the anchor though!

 

[slowp]

That ought to be enough firewood to heat that house for a day!

 

[Zodiac45]

That ought to be enough firewood to heat that house for a day!

Lol Yep! Actually most of the tops are still good and a bit more. The rest punked out. Might get a half a cord out of the deal though. We just finished another job close by. Took the equiptment out this morning. I left myself a smattering up there too!

 

[secureland]

Finally Cut Tree-Video

Finally got a chance to cut the tree (small tree, but I'm learning)
Used Wedges made From White Ash Tree
Had to Tidy up the Face Cut
Wife made Second Video Look like REAL Steep Ground, lol
The Backcut was 2" higher than the Bottom of the Face Cut (too high?)
The Wedges are Helpful
Thanks for all the help from you Experienced Pros!
Please tell me where i can improve!






Prepare for Steep Ground Cutting

 

[redprospector]

I've seen a lot worse looking stump's left in the wood's by people who cut trees every day.
In my opinion your back cut was a little high. In the video I never saw you sight the tree, guessing & hoping is a bad habit to get into.
I think that while you're learning the basics on small trees, you'd do better to cut straight into the "face cut" rather than dogging in and rocking the saw so much. If you're going to dog it in, then set your dog's and bring the bar around untill your sights are lined up with the target. Make it a deliberate motion, rather than back and forth.

The tree's down, no one is dead, and nothing is crushed. I think you did pretty good.

Andy

 

[Zodiac45]

Cool Video's Secure!

Thanks for taking the time too post them. How did you get that tree to grow sideways in the second? :monkey: Anyways, I agree with Red, that you were a bit high on the backcut. I usually try for a inch up from the face bottom. If I am higher than that, I'll angle the back down slightly too the correct height. Well done though, and good example of wedge use.

 

[secureland]

I've seen a lot worse looking stump's left in the wood's by people who cut trees every day.
In my opinion your back cut was a little high. In the video I never saw you sight the tree, guessing & hoping is a bad habit to get into.
I think that while you're learning the basics on small trees, you'd do better to cut straight into the "face cut" rather than dogging in and rocking the saw so much. If you're going to dog it in, then set your dog's and bring the bar around untill your sights are lined up with the target. Make it a deliberate motion, rather than back and forth.

The tree's down, no one is dead, and nothing is crushed. I think you did pretty good.

Andy

Thanks for the reply,
"Sight the tree", what does that mean?
That was a bit too much rocking trying to get a good cut and the dogs set.
I don't even know if there are sights on this saw. It's a 455 husky

Thanks for the suggestions,
Bill

 

[redprospector]

Thanks for the reply,
"Sight the tree", what does that mean?
That was a bit too much rocking trying to get a good cut and the dogs set.
I don't even know if there are sights on this saw. It's a 455 husky

Thanks for the suggestions,
Bill

Trampbushler covered it pretty good in post #5. The lines on your starter cover, and clutch cover, and usually on top of your saw are like gun sights.
When you finish the "face cut" you should get behind the saw and make sure the lines are pointed at your target. You can't be as accurate from above, or beside the saw.

Andy

 

[tramp bushler]

Sights on saws

Yes the Sights are lines on the starter cover and clutch cover....Your owners manual .should illustrate their use , but you need to get right down and sight in the cuts , The horizontal face cut is the most important .... You actually aim the cut , and thereby the tree ....

Don,t worry about having to do a little extra work to get the face just right ..It,s important to have a good face you don,t want any full face Dutchmen ..It would take in person to teach swinging trees so just stick with the basics ,,They work ..

Plastic falling wedges are what you need .7" 10" and a 12 " , Medium to hard , one side textured ..... If you look at how much holding wood you broke , that is an indication that you wern,t cut up as close as you could have been ....but as long as you have a good face you shouldn,t have a problem with barber chairing ....