Safe Falling of rotting Ash

[Cricket]

LOL In my post I said "MIGHT" and "ALWAYS" because when it comes to cutting trees theres no such thing as 100% for certain and as soon as you think so, the tree spirits will show you otherwise.

Took down a 8" pussy willow once - no wind, no lean, even top, easily accessible. Had a rope in it, but was just to keep it out of some of my mother's landscaping, so never took the slack out - otherwise, really didn't matter where it came down, though of course I aimed for the best possible spot. Toward which it started a majestic slow lean - and then pivoted a good ninety degrees and came down just in the edge of her big oak. No real harm done, but I sure stood there with my mouth hanging open as it paused, pivoted, and then slowly drifted down.

Tree spirits indeed.

 

[Huskybill]

Burned willow once, smelled like the swamp was burning. I only burned it at 12 am while everyone was sleeping in the neighborhood.

 

[Dangerous]

From first movement to the chair was pretty quick, I was on the run so I only saw the tail end of it. Today's inspection didn't show anything to stall it or that the hinge had even flexed. The hinge was more than 3" thick. I noted today that it was straight across not tapered as I had mused that it might be. When I say first movement, I mean I heard a popping sound not that I actually saw anything move.

Ron

Has anyone ever experienced a barberchair while you were using a Bore or Plunge technique ???
My limited experience no but Not a pro.
many other have cut more trees than me and would appreciate their Comments insights and opinions.
Add your 2 cents we need maximum inputs to learn the most…
Dangerous !!!

 

[dboyd351]

It's believed that the Emerald Ash Beetle will not establish itself in Ireland and the British Isles because of our short cold Summers. Too cold for the little ***** to complete their life cycle.

Famous last words

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Has anyone ever experienced a barberchair while you were using a Bore or Plunge technique ???
My limited experience no but Not a pro.
many other have cut more trees than me and would appreciate their Comments insights and opinions.
Add your 2 cents we need maximum inputs to learn the most…
Dangerous !!!

No... that is definitely my preferred technique

 

[chipper1]

Has anyone ever experienced a barberchair while you were using a Bore or Plunge technique ???
My limited experience no but Not a pro.
many other have cut more trees than me and would appreciate their Comments insights and opinions.
Add your 2 cents we need maximum inputs to learn the most…
Dangerous !!!

No, but I've had very hard leaning storm damage tree that had fractures in it put the squeeze on my bar. This was a 20" red oak that was 85' tall, leaning 20' because the wind/storm tipped it and another 15' because it had a sweep in it. I had no idea there were stress fractures in it as everything looked solid until I got it down.
Forgot to add I was on the low side as there was another tree right next to it. I wasn't about to approach the back side with the saw without having my hinge set up.
I've also had ash squat down on my bar just when I finished my bore cut.
Little tip, don't use a saw with an outboard clutch if you feel this could happen, and don't have your dogs against the tree when you pop thru the opposite side .

 

[woodfarmer]

Has anyone ever experienced a barberchair while you were using a Bore or Plunge technique ???
My limited experience no but Not a pro.
many other have cut more trees than me and would appreciate their Comments insights and opinions.
Add your 2 cents we need maximum inputs to learn the most…
Dangerous !!!

Yes, but the tree had a big split running down it, so I new it was going to happen.

 

[woodfarmer]

This is what is happening with the ash here.
Took the twins out for a walk today.
Couldn‘t tell you how many Ash I’ve cut in the last 5 winters, 7-800 maybe 1000 who knows.

 

[Brufab]

I have had a couple barber chair clearing my dads build site. But these were really dead. They were so dry and basically barkless and had 1/2"+ vertical splits/cracks from drying out running up the trunk and those splits once the back cut started, and barber chaired the tree. The trees had lean and I felled them to their lean.

 

[woodfarmer]

Scare bleu, I don’t like these, I’m going to try to smash it with another tree but there is only one in the whole bunch leaning toward it and that might be a stretch.

 

[ATH]

How badly does that tree need to come down @woodfarmer ? I'd leave it if I could. I bet it will look a lot different (safer to get down) in a year or two.

 

[woodfarmer]

Too late, I need a videographer, I frickin nailed it. The top off the tree landed 50-60’ away driven right into the ground. If a person was standing under it, they’d have a front row seat to the Olympics in beyjing.

All these tres are on a trail so they need to come down.

 

[Brufab]

Nice work!

 

[woodfarmer]

Look at that!

 

[Brufab]

Look at that!View attachment 964884

Very common in michigan where the EAB killed them all off. I have witnessed alot of scary ash scenarios, mostly the top breaking out as tree is falling sometines catapulting it 20'+ past where it normally would have fallen.

 

[GrizG]

Too late, I need a videographer, I frickin nailed it. The top off the tree landed 50-60’ away driven right into the ground. If a person was standing under it, they’d have a front row seat to the Olympics in beyjing.

All these tres are on a trail so they need to come down.

Amongst my cutting chores is the removal and clean up of fallen trees, fallen branches, snags, and hazard trees along a rail trail. A majority of the trees are ash... they have deteriorated to the point where it is not uncommon for them to break off mid-stem of fall over because the roots are rotted off. Anything that could injure a trail user is targeted for removal. Recently we had a bad ice storm and there is extensive damage on the trail... guys have been cutting on there for days and that was just to punch a hole through the debris. The rest of the clean up is probably going to take months.

Yes the tree work is dangerous... we don't allow inexperienced people in there with saws and prefer those who are allowed to have formal training. For example, some of us have Game of Logging training, one has training from the National Forest Service...

Upon what kind of trail are you working?

 

[rwoods]

Here's a black walnut pretending to be an ash.


In his longer video version, he discovers that the piece sticking in his helmet is actually from an 8' or so branch that hit him.

If it had been a real ash, it would have unleashed multiple revenge branches at the cutter.

Ron

 

[sand sock]

Here's a black walnut pretending to be an ash.


In his longer video version, he discovers that the piece sticking in his helmet is actually from an 8' or so branch that hit him.

If it had been a real ash, it would have unleashed multiple revenge branches at the cutter.

Ron

I have watched the longer video trying to figure out what happened several times. The whole thing looks wrong from the beginning.
-Why would you be flush cutting , to drop a tree with branches. Go up 16 inches..get out of the balled up position.stand up and cut.
- he never watches the crown of the tree, its alwsy the kerf.
-the part that gets him is his retreat. He retreats to due south of the cut. To make a show for the camera. He got closer and behind the trunk. Instead of heading 45 degrees directly away..

 

[woodfarmer]

Griz, just a trail through the bush on my neighbours place, they have three young boys under 8 and like to use it for recreation.

 

[GrizG]

Griz, just a trail through the bush on my neighbours place, they have three young boys under 8 and like to use it for recreation.

I've got 22 miles of rail trail that I look after with a few other guys... We've got a LOT of trees down and a LOT widow makers there now due to a bad ice storm. The estimate now is that it will take us months to deal with all the hazards!