Pic Combining Tapered Hinge with Dutchman Step Lift

[TheTreeSpyder]

Here is one i did the other day, exercising and expanding things of these topics. Using both the pull in hinge to left, and Dutch push in face to left at same time to clear house.

Backpressure across hinge preseved with taper is important to maximize pull at widest end of hinge, also to stabilize and prevent twisting to pulling side of hinge. Just a square block of fibre for hinge on opposite side from lean will not only present a pull and pivot to that side; but also the open end of the square block of fibre towards lean will allow more flexing in that direction of the hinge fibre, than if hinge is tapered down narrower across hinge. Even the thin end of the taper, keeps more hinge fibre from giving way and flexing towards lean; thus taper across gives more back pressure to pulling side of hinge allowing more powerfull pull. Notice that rot in hinge can vary this as well as saw, making face inspections for rot or saw violatrions to fibre before backcutting prudent.

Dutchmans are/ can be very dangerous; as with speed; become a direct reflection of the most power the mass and levergae of the tree has to offer all at once. So i use their 'physics' more in snap cuts, topping, SwingDutchy in rigging, balancing freefall limb's pulls etc.; not very much in felling; where they can really show too much of their power, but at the same time, easier to witness/ imagine their functions raised to this scale.

When i do use part of a Dutchman force(lift/push in the face, from early closing face) in felling it is sparingly; and with keen eye on safety, necessity and lessons gleaned. Here i had camera made available so i could share it. Most of the lessons i see-k in using DutchMan is not of doing more DutchMans; but rather the constant proper-ties going on in all hinges closing and their power, contributions and warnings to the whole system/act of cutting anything in any direction.

Or something like that.........
:alien:

Photo is retouched (to show more hinge fibre where later it was cut out with saw) and labeled with simple, built in, 'free' Windows MSPaint. Clean, powerfull, free and simple; but lacks text editing. Good available starter.

 

[Stumper]

But be carefull. Wood fiber doesn't always behave as planned. (Which Spydy is aware of.)

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Good advice; for sure!

For tough or questionable ones: use line, hinge, dutch, wedge to spread out load and totally over power and secure. always aware that the mechanics doesn't care if that last chunk of fibre/wood is gone from saw or rot, it does the same thing; so even making perfect cuts, might find yourself faced with these situations; that prudently must be realized and evaluated to see if they in their state compound or neutralize another problem present.

This is some of my view of the magic and power in the tapered shape for giving the most pull to the side acorss the hinge to fight for you. It is all in the limiting of flexing over of the fibers,the taper holds more of the fibres from flexxing, while placing off balance of fibre in high leveraged position in hinge; thereby giving this pull maximized. Also as the ending fibres of this backpressure pull to the fat side of the hinge, in tapered hinge are compressed under lean, taper coprrects. So that pressing down weight further makes an impenetrable wall to hold the pressure in and serve it to fat side (opposite) of hinge.....

Orrrrrr something like that!
:alien:

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

All these considerations i find the same in bucking, rigging, lifting with crane etc.; all flexing wood under pressure and balance/off balance with immense force. If the wood will do part of the werk; then anything else you add gives more security too. Giving wider dynamic range of adjustment, quicker; nothing is easier to adjust/ carry securely than something in balance. Kinda like a higher SWL, whereby there is more overpowering force to focused task; with wider range for error/misscalculation.

That kinda comes to some kinda 'tilt' put on about every off balanced cut (about all of them); with a thinking saw. As anything else done so much and commonly, looked at like that; the commonalities and feel can grow.


With not too much imagination it may be seen, that the first picture, turned slightly towards you could be a branch 50' in the air. The same dutch lift from face up, and pull up from fibre, can werk to keep a limb high and sweeping over more obstacles, more securely if it can correct a whole tree. Especialy, if line assisted, especially a tight line at a high leverage point on load. All the powers add up to control of the load to a higher capability and security.

The same strategy, can be used in bucking a spar supported at both ends; especially chasing the compression of folding out to the side, rather than to the top where compression would be maximized. In sweeping any direction but down

So these skills can be studied, used, expanded in many more places than jsut the single felling, in the comprehensive view. Then taken on as more ordinary, and with feel for them. IMLHO

Orrrrr something like that!
:alien:

 

[chris_girard]

Instead of using a tapered hinge have you ever compensated for side lean by gunning your sights away from the intended direction of fall as they teach in the Game Of Logging course?
That way you could take advantage of using a full width across your hinge.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Yes i have, tried that first, as i wasn't really absorbing all of Dent's book, and it does give correction against lean's pull. But now consider that ('your' way)is to be satisfied with the hinge failing by so much, rather than positive mechanics. That is partially backed up by anything riding does so better in balance Moving Day and the tapered strategy of balancing works bucking, lifting, freefalling limbs, rigging etc.; whereby and when the method you pro-pose fall short in those forms; handling virtually the same task of correction. Tapered hinge fits those i beleive, giving more confidence; also exercise all of the set's skills, through purposeful enactment, monitoring as i do any single hinge in felling, bucking etc.

Also, within a straight hinge under side lean i visualize a naturally occuring tapered hinge pattern within the hinge irrespective of it's shape. Due to the pulls in the hinge fibre from the lean itself, enacting them. For the part of the hinge, under the lean, doesn't pull, for it is compressed fibre, only tensioned/stretched fibres pull. (i visualize that the 'hinge ride phase works on pulls from opposite sides, the 'faces slapping' /tearoff phase working mostly on pushes to opposite sides. So, i see the tapered hinge as the naturally invoked power that we jsut tune, but the way for most correction. i think that even a wedge lift from rear lean side or dutch lift from front under lean; both invoke a tearing across in tapered hinge pattern naturally as part of their power. In fact the residual amount of adjustment they give after tension/compression is off wedge/dutch steps have pitched their efforts into the motion and the motion continues on the hinge (now tapered) without any help from wedge/ duthc correction after they aren't loaded/pressurized. So i think taper theory flows through normal hinge, tapered hinge, wedged hinge (to side), dutched hinge (to side). The only correction i don't see that is a high leverage line going up to the offending off balance leverage and offsetting it, unloading hinge from the direction correction, but only when the rope's fibres are in state of pull, the second any slack in line/ the mucho less correction to lean it gives. Many pairallels between rope fibre pull/correction and wood fibre hinge pull/correction; hinge can be better of the 2 though, as a passive force, is self adjusting to lean, rope pull is a specific value, and unloads as motion proceeds towards your pull. Whereby, the motion is away from hinge, giving it increasing leveraged control as line grows slack. A high leverage line can also make any hinge fold stronger/slower or faster/weaker. the increased pull can force a stronger hinge sometimes muscling tree slowly over to ground, or if saw takes more fibre quicker, than hinge folds weaker/faster under the added pull (if hinge doesn't fight it) IMLHO.

So, just as a 'lean' or bend in our line leverages load on the line, with the most leveraged fibres, directly opposite the lean. This gives those fibres the most leveraged load and the most leveraged control. This weakens a rope, by isolating load mostly to fewer and fewer fibres as bend/lean increases on that arc. IN a tree felling with our saw, we can do something for that, that we can't do woth the rope fibre, with our saw, we can isolate more fibre to the higher leveraged position of the arc directly opposing lean, thereby giving that pull more power, naturally wanting to balance to center.

So i beleive in a balanced ride, balanced slapping of the faces and serving squarely forward as best science, and kinda leave allowing for so much failure out to the side of hinge compared to lean as 'get by'; and not as universe-ally usable and exercisable because of it. Every once in a while i will use a mix of the 2, the taperd hinge (maybe with kerf into hinge under lean to make a swing dutchy, the kerf giving push to same side as tapered hinge pulls-away from lean), and be trying to get the tree to turn to road closer etc. and know my usual methods i'm already useing won't quite make it, so over gun too away from lean, to sprinkle the effect you speak of on top of the mix, for even more pulling power........and experimentation!


Orrrrrr something like that.....!
:alien:








Dang, no body 'warned' the 'new guy'..........

 

[murphy4trees]

I used to use the gun to compensate for side lean... and even will still from time to time in addition to using the taperred hinge... And it only took one afternoon of experimenting with the taperred hinge to make a believer out of me.
I'd like to know more about the program you referred to.. Calling logging a "game" sounds somewhat misguided to me... Sounds like they could also benefit from re-reading Dent.

 

[chris_girard]

Wow Spyder, I'm going to have to reread that post a couple of times to try to understand it all.
The Game Of Logging is a world-recognized training curriculum that teaches chain saw skills. Developed in the 1960s by Soren Eriksson, a Swedish logger turned training instructor, the Game Of Logging combines Scandinavian logging techniques with the latest systems for working safely around trees.
The "game" refers not only to the friendly competitive aspect of the training, but also to the necessity of having a winning plan for felling trees and working safely. The program breaks apart chainsaw work into steps that are practiced throughout the course. A scoring system helps focus participants' attention on the most important details and allows them to measure their progress each day.
The above info comes from the Noreast Regional Game Of Logging Competition Program, sponsored by Northeast Woodland Training.
www.woodlandtraining.com
(603) 826-4030

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i think i also saw a Stihl tape accreditting him with 'inventing' plunge cutting the centher face through hinge to cause less splintering of valuable timber at wides part, fewest branchings. Theorizing also, that you would eliminate the eldest/stiffest fibres and be preserving the most flexible for better/smoother/ farther hinging; it seems to werk for me. i beleive it can undermine some of the pulling power in hinge agianst side lean, by reducing drastically 3 different ways the amount of fortifying back pressure the punched out piece, and it's placement, shape undermines for the fibres against lean.


Here is a pic to try to explain how i see tapered hinge as so naturally pervassive to control lean (being caused by it) thatt he tapered theory applies itself automatically within a regular strip hinge, a wedge to lift agianst lean, or even a step dutchman to throw away against lean. So, being an underlying power behind these corrections and increasable by the 4th common correction (high line pull), everything comes back to the hinge pattern, and maximizing it. IMLHO Taking what nature does by herself, and giving it more.

Seeing as i can use it to correct a whole tree, i use it on branches in a tree, even balancing pulls to throw free falls different ways, or for more of side spin etc., let alone augmenting rigging support, and position delivery like an extra butt tyed support line that you sever lazily, rather than lowering on it; after it has buffered shock and helped deliver load to under rigging point to be lowered.

Use the dutch step as a face kerf under lean for more help to add up to task's requirements. etc.

i see/use/grow this theory in all cuts. Even when when using straight strip hinge; it is because the load is balanced on axis of travel (either leaning directly towards, centered, or leaning directly away from travel); and loads without leans outside the axis of travel, don't get corrected by hinge. If a pull forward can only come from a highline at an angle (pulling at a slant to desired fall); then might put tapered hinge in to fight just like that pull was lean.


Or something like that..........
:alien:

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

The preceding picture should show how fibre in SE corner of hinge fights both the N pull of the fall, and W pull of the lean away from fall, the most to give most control. Also how this pattern is so prevalent and powerfull it shows up to control things unasked, and been helping us all the time, even with other methods. Therefore the same things that undermine strength in this pattern, can somewhat successively compromise the strength in other means that depend on compromised hinge against lean (rot, cut decreasing leverage or backpressure to hold against lean).


This explains some of the logic of this in different form, to recognize the universal commonalities between the 2 examples:Carrying everything in Balance

 

[murphy4trees]

Check out this pic...
This work was done by a local company that underbid me by 500 out of 1800 job... I was asked to move an elm log on the site and went over to check out the cuts on this oak removal. Can you figure out what happenned here and why the guy who made this cut needs a crash course in cutting notches?

 

[murphy4trees]

Notice there is no jagged fibers as are usually found in a good hinge....

 

[Newfie]

That is an interesting pic Dan. Looks like he failed to get the tree to commit until he had cut clean through the hinge. i guess after that point what's the real use of a face cut, might as well just stump jump the whole thing with the same success and danger.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Pretty good analysis,

And it looks like it tried to take the saw!
Also, i think if the bottom facecut came beyond the top face cut, the subsequent felling is more prone to barberchairing, especially the deeper back the kerf comes beyond top face cut. especially risky in dry/dead perhaps some already fracturing on the lenght of the spar....

i think that the truck pulling power does as any other pull, even the C.o.B. pull. As any force applied, it only has so much speed to power ratio; as speed goes up, power goes down as all else. This force is leveraged down the length of the tree to the hinge. So the extra pull of truck straight (or anything else) can make the hinge fall weak and fast (more backcut) or slow and powerfull to control the immense increasing leveraged load with less fibres supporting scenario of felling(less backcut, more fibre as it hinges forward) for more powerfull hinge under pull.

But before, that can happen it must have clear direction, any offside pull eats up part of the force that could be helping to make a stronger hinge (folding slow under more load, with more fibre); has to constantly go to fighting the OffSide lean (perpendicular to fall) every inch of the way; the residual power going towards flexxing the hinge with more power(either faster or stronger folding in response).

IMLHO; The hinge pull can do a lot of that directional work with tapered hinge, leaving the rest of the natural or added pulls to bring tree to target, using all the power availed to bring it fast or more controlled with the power availed, freed up from not steering. For the steering takes extra force, like pulling straight on a stuck truck with wheels turned; it will take more force unless you pull the way the stuck load steers, or something else pulls truck away from where it steers, as pulling truck's power is now freed up to pull truck out with most power/speed.

Orrrrr soemthing like that.....
:alien:

 

[murphy4trees]

Rocky,
I love how you add a good story and funny little rant to go with the physics... You took me right there with you and I suppose there are a few here whom might learn a thing or two from your additional critique....
When I first got on this jobsite, it took me a minute to figure out what was going on with this cut (and several other cuts). It's clear although he made a nice wide notch, the bottom facecut (floor) bypassed the angled face cut by several inches.... Effectively creating a kerf facing cut. Then the backcut was slightly higher than the floor of the face (kerf), so the backut bypassed the kerf before the fibers let go..... This created the same effect as a kerf cut with no hinge... the piece just snapped and fell.
I remember barber chairing a big leaning maple before I knew the physics of felling. It wasn't until years later that I learned how bypass cuts on the face cause barberchairing... That barber chair actually made the job easier because we were loading the wood by hand back then..... It really scared me though and I was lucky to have walked away unhurt.