Questions about learning the art of Felling

[canopyboy]

Some good example pictures. And your story about the last one just goes to show how many things can go wrong with something that seems simple if you don't really know better.

We like to preach leave it to the professionals, but how many of you learned a lot of your "knowledge and wisdom" by doing something you shouldn't have and were just lucky enough to be able to live and learn from it....?

I haven't needed that luck as much in recent years, but when I look back at my childhood and early twenties even, I'm often surprised I've made it this far.

 

[Ghillie]

Some good example pictures. And your story about the last one just goes to show how many things can go wrong with something that seems simple if you don't really know better.

We like to preach leave it to the professionals, but how many of you learned a lot of your "knowledge and wisdom" by doing something you shouldn't have and were just lucky enough to be able to live and learn from it....?

I haven't needed that luck as much in recent years, but when I look back at my childhood and early twenties even, I'm often surprised I've made it this far.

If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

Ok..

GREAT topic.

Not a pro. Also an engineer (mechanical & biomedical).

Been helping FIL farmer clear fences for the last two years or so.

This may be controversial but the Game of Logging classes I took really emphasized the need to set up the notch properly - spend more time 'aiming' your fall than actually cutting.

They also emphasized the value of the plunge back cut. It defines your hinge properly before all of the holding wood is gone.

In the photos provided, I saw no evidence of a really decent notch. The first description said there wasn't a notch. The second and third didn't comment on it. Did my inexperienced eye miss something?

Thanks for the discussion.

 

[True Blue Sam]

Good Eye! The second one had no notch, just a back cut. If you look closely a the pecan you will see a small notch cut out lying to the left of the stump. The logger took out this notch, but did not leave a hinge behind it. I think he wanted the tree to go to your left, but it was weighted to the right and was not properly set up or wedged. Gravity and the physical limitations of the wood took over.

I am glad you have had the GOL course. It will keep you safe. OSHA lists the open face method, the conventional cut (45 degree opening), and the Humboldt undercut as the only methods they approve. I use the open face, and bore cut for most trees I cut because it allows me to set up the tree, and check for pedestrians that may have wandered in before I turn it loose. I can also make a quicker getaway when my saw is not buried in the tree.

 

[canopyboy]

If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!

Amen Brother Ghilllie...

 

[pdqdl]

That's funny...I always thought I was indestructible, and would last forever.

That was when I was much younger, of course.

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

I am glad you have had the GOL course. It will keep you safe. OSHA lists the open face method, the conventional cut (45 degree opening), and the Humboldt undercut as the only methods they approve. I use the open face, and bore cut for most trees I cut because it allows me to set up the tree, and check for pedestrians that may have wandered in before I turn it loose. I can also make a quicker getaway when my saw is not buried in the tree.

Thanks - I think I might like to re-take the course. It's a bit pricey but I KNOW I didn't get everything I wanted to get out of it. They didn't explain some things as well as I would have liked regarding how much lean you can overcome.

I agree on being able to get the h*ll out of dodge quickly - but my philosophy has always been, "in the end, it's just a bunch of metal, gears, plastic, and some liquids... it can be replaced."

I have a healthy respect (maybe fear?) for what the saw can do and ALSO what that tree can do once it isn't attached to its roots anymore.

 

[Raymond]

Thanks - I think I might like to re-take the course. It's a bit pricey but I KNOW I didn't get everything I wanted to get out of it. They didn't explain some things as well as I would have liked regarding how much lean you can overcome.

I agree on being able to get the h*ll out of dodge quickly - but my philosophy has always been, "in the end, it's just a bunch of metal, gears, plastic, and some liquids... it can be replaced."

I have a healthy respect (maybe fear?) for what the saw can do and ALSO what that tree can do once it isn't attached to its roots anymore.

Just one step at a time Wet Ears. And before you know it,
you're at home looking at the bills the mailman brought you that day.

 

[Tree Pig]

Just one step at a time Wet Ears. And before you know it,
you're at home looking at the bills the mailman brought you that day.

yep but keep plugging away and your choosing what check to cash to pay them bills, so you dont have to spend all that cash in your pocket.

 

[smokechase II]

Caveat

"I am glad you have had the GOL course. It will keep you safe. OSHA lists the open face method, the conventional cut (45 degree opening), and the Humboldt undercut as the only methods they approve. I use the open face, and bore cut for most trees I cut because it allows me to set up the tree, and check for pedestrians that may have wandered in before I turn it loose. I can also make a quicker getaway when my saw is not buried in the tree."

=============

Just a quick comment on not getting locked into any one method:

In the world I come from; dead rotten wood and in recent or still burning wood the boring back cuts are usually to be avoided.

The reason - to keep you safe.

Collapsing trees and pinched bars etc.

May I suggest acquiring a variety of techniques and then selecting the safest on a tree by tree basis..................

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

"Measure twice, cut once" applies hear. MTL Dutch Siding shows some barberchair theory.

It also goes on to show how these forces could be trained after a decade or so of experience. But, for the most part, this dutch siding should just show here, that these small changes in face/hinge/backcut are very powerful mechanical commands. Whereby a small change, can give an immense change.

It should also be noted how crossed/bypassed facecuts can give a push (vs. a tensioned pull from hinge) in face. This push is more powerfull if the close is from the floor cut in a conventional hinge bypassing the upper cut; whereby the push is up the fiber column inline/unforgiving. But, if the early close is from the upper cut bypassing the floor, the pressure is more across the fiber column, so the fibers can flex more forgivingly.

Relief as the equal and opposite of force, is as important. The across fiber push gives more relief,s o is less powerful and less dangerous. Also, then too, a full 'dutch' across the face gives no place to go, no relief, so can 'shatter' or make a 'split decision' and the spar is violated as the rush of force forward is blocked forward, and to sides. On the other hand, blocking/dutching just 1 side of face, offers the other side as relief, for force to flow, and not build as much!!

These things work in our massive example of felling, but also in climbing and bucking. Mostly hear, i'd say, to L-earn why not to use them, to not use them purpose-fully. If you do dabble, try in bucking, or climbing when feeling confident; though you can still get into trouble if you person-ally call that wrong.

These are simple mechanics, but set to super loading, so everything matters, each tweak can alter the stack of multipliers immensely, thus altering the output!