Show us your stumps!

[rwoods]

Today I felled another hazard tree while at the range. This dead ash didn't even wait for the back cut. It cracked just as I started a bore to set the hinge. About 6" deep with the tip and the tree let go. I will be glad when I am done. Every trip there I spot at least two more. My backlog keeps growing; currently it is more than a dozen.

No back cut, just the beginnning of a bore.


Bore


Possibly some firewood up from the stump.


Cleared area will soon be open to public. Thus this tree had to go.


Be safe,
Ron

 

[chipper1]

Today I felled another hazard tree while at the range. This dead ash didn't even wait for the back cut. It cracked just as I started a bore to set the hinge. About 6" deep with the tip and the tree let go. I will be glad when I am done. Every trip there I spot at least two more. My backlog keeps growing; currently it is more than a dozen.

No back cut, just the beginnning of a bore.
View attachment 1028683

Bore
View attachment 1028684

Possibly some firewood up from the stump.
View attachment 1028685

Cleared area will soon be open to public. Thus this tree had to go.
View attachment 1028686

Be safe,
Ron

Shows just how sketchy they are.
What amazes me is while portions will be very punky, other portions that look identical are rock hard.

 

[Sierra_rider]

Shows just how sketchy they are.
What amazes me is while portions will be very punky, other portions that look identical are rock hard.

We don't have those out here, but we do have a really sketchy species of tree local to where I work. It's call Tanoak and is afflicted with disease called sudden oak death.

Some will be extremely weak despite appearing semi-solid. I had a scare with a larger one this summer...I was still in my gunning cut when it broke and set down on my bar. Despite a visual crack that formed around the circumference of the tree, it just hung there and I was able to at least get the power head off(462R.) I ended up grabbing another saw and just sent it without ever getting a face cut into it.

Luckily my 28" lightweight bar emerged without damage.

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Ha

Today I felled another hazard tree while at the range. This dead ash didn't even wait for the back cut. It cracked just as I started a bore to set the hinge. About 6" deep with the tip and the tree let go. I will be glad when I am done. Every trip there I spot at least two more. My backlog keeps growing; currently it is more than a dozen.

No back cut, just the beginnning of a bore.
View attachment 1028683

Bore
View attachment 1028684

Possibly some firewood up from the stump.
View attachment 1028685

Cleared area will soon be open to public. Thus this tree had to go.
View attachment 1028686

Be safe,
Ron

Hard to say for certain because Im not familiar with Ash. However, by it may be a good thing that it broke off the stump as you started your bore. If you had made it all the way through. The snag could have possibly sat down on your bar while compressing the hinge at the same time. Resulting in either not breathing off, and trapping your saw, buckling any where from the top down out of control, or simply breaking off in your intended face cut direction just like it did. All this depending on The stage of decomposition of course! That's why I don't plunge cut snags without a vertical bore test in the intended face cut area and back cut area first. I Seldom plunge cut snag's anyway. Had them go wrong a few times to many. This is all just simply my opinion bud and I'm glad it worked out for ya without mishap!

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

We don't have those out here, but we do have a really sketchy species of tree local to where I work. It's call Tanoak and is afflicted with disease called sudden oak death.

Some will be extremely weak despite appearing semi-solid. I had a scare with a larger one this summer...I was still in my gunning cut when it broke and set down on my bar. Despite a visual crack that formed around the circumference of the tree, it just hung there and I was able to at least get the power head off(462R.) I ended up grabbing another saw and just sent it without ever getting a face cut into it.

Luckily my 28" lightweight bar emerged without damage.

I remember you mentioning that in a post soon after it happened!

Snags will often sit back and away from their lean. Especially with to shallow of a face. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that's why you got hung up. I just thought I'd mention it. I always try to expect the worst when dealing with snags! Simply can't predict them IMOP.

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

 

[weimedog]

CLEAN off Your Stumps... Hobby farm stuff because inevitable they will "bite" you in the future if they are left long.

 

[chipper1]

We don't have those out here, but we do have a really sketchy species of tree local to where I work. It's call Tanoak and is afflicted with disease called sudden oak death.

Some will be extremely weak despite appearing semi-solid. I had a scare with a larger one this summer...I was still in my gunning cut when it broke and set down on my bar. Despite a visual crack that formed around the circumference of the tree, it just hung there and I was able to at least get the power head off(462R.) I ended up grabbing another saw and just sent it without ever getting a face cut into it.

Luckily my 28" lightweight bar emerged without damage.

Is that the same species you posted about in the scrounge thread, Cali black oak?

I remember you saying that before too, I was happy for you the lightweight bar made it out okay, they have gotten very pricey these days, obviously I was glad you made it out okay too .

Ha
Hard to say for certain because Im not familiar with Ash. However, by it may be a good thing that it broke off the stump as you started your bore. If you had made it all the way through. The snag could have possibly sat down on your bar while compressing the hinge at the same time. Resulting in either not breathing off, and trapping your saw, buckling any where from the top down out of control, or simply breaking off in your intended face cut direction just like it did. All this depending on The stage of decomposition of course! That's why I don't plunge cut snags without a vertical bore test in the intended face cut area and back cut area first. I Seldom plunge cut snag's anyway. Had them go wrong a few times to many. This is all just simply my opinion bud and I'm glad it worked out for ya without mishap!

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

I've not ran into a problem boring large dead standing trees, but I've gotten pinched up more than once dealing with storm damage, while you can read the pressure on them as they were a normal tree you fell, there's no way to know what any of the stress fractures inside caused by it still being attached to to the root ball will do once you start cutting, whether boring or cutting in from the outside.
I may have a couple pics of some of those special occasions where I got pinched up, one ended up with two saws in the tree, third try was a charm
Found it .

And another.
This one was twisted torqued along side another tree, after I cut the upper portion of the tree off it and it sprung back into its previous location, I attempted to cut straight across the stump since it was leaning where i wantedit to fall. She bound up on me multiple time(although I didn't get stuck), as you can see it was quite the mess internally. No, I didn't split this.

 

[Sierra_rider]

Is that the same species you posted about in the scrounge thread, Cali black oak?

I remember you saying that before too, I was happy for you the lightweight bar made it out okay, they have gotten very pricey these days, obviously I was glad you made it out okay too .

I've not ran into a problem boring large dead standing trees, but I've gotten pinched up more than once dealing with storm damage, while you can read the pressure on them as they were a normal tree you fell, there's no way to know what any of the stress fractures inside caused by it still being attached to to the root ball will do once you start cutting, whether boring or cutting in from the outside.
I may have a couple pics of some of those special occasions where I got pinched up, one ended up with two saws in the tree, third try was a charm
Found it .
View attachment 1028784
And another.
This one was twisted torqued along side another tree, after I cut the upper portion of the tree off it and it sprung back into its previous location, I attempted to cut straight across the stump since it was leaning where i wantedit to fall. She bound up on me multiple time(although I didn't get stuck), as you can see it was quite the mess internally. No, I didn't split this.
View attachment 1028786

Tanoak is a different species than the Black oak and actually not a true oak tree. I try to learn something from every tree that doesn't go exactly to plan, but you're never going to completely remove the risk. With those trees, I just approach them like they are actively trying to kill me.

Storm damage/blowdown/windfall sucks. IMO, cutting burned/rotten hazard trees at work is a safer practice than cutting large windfall trees. The storm damage here usually happens during a snow storm, which adds another hazard. They often involve powerlines and the snow makes it difficult to run out an escape path.

The other major scenario for me is cutting windfall from windstorms. Some of the ridges up in the mountains will sometimes see hurricane force winds...we ride dirtbikes on a lot of those trails and I often carry one of my top handles when clearing trail. Between the small saw and the windfall, it's an extremely dangerous practice IMO...there are some pretty crazy binds to deal with when you have a bunch of toothpicks all over a steep hillside.

Christmas last year:

I don't take pictures as often as I should, one of the safer cuts while out on the trail:

The old set up, I've since acquired a 2511t that is now the bike saw(also mostly replaced the 201 for climbing too.)

 

[Sierra_rider]

I remember you mentioning that in a post soon after it happened!

Snags will often sit back and away from their lean. Especially with to shallow of a face. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that's why you got hung up. I just thought I'd mention it. I always try to expect the worst when dealing with snags! Simply can't predict them IMOP.

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

Mine set down on me before I even finished the face cut. It's been awhile since I cut it, but I remember it had a head lean(but not a heavy lean) and I went with a shallow face cut on it as I was cognizant of it sitting down on my bar. Instead of the kerf slowly closing, it just cracked/popped and set down. If it had any more head lean, it would've likely fallen instead of merely sitting forward.

I'm all for trying to learn things and avoiding future problems, but I kinda chalk up that one to "bad stuff sometimes happens when cutting sketchy trees."

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Tanoak is a different species than the Black oak and actually not a true oak tree. I try to learn something from every tree that doesn't go exactly to plan, but you're never going to completely remove the risk. With those trees, I just approach them like they are actively trying to kill me.

Storm damage/blowdown/windfall sucks. IMO, cutting burned/rotten hazard trees at work is a safer practice than cutting large windfall trees. The storm damage here usually happens during a snow storm, which adds another hazard. They often involve powerlines and the snow makes it difficult to run out an escape path.

The other major scenario for me is cutting windfall from windstorms. Some of the ridges up in the mountains will sometimes see hurricane force winds...we ride dirtbikes on a lot of those trails and I often carry one of my top handles when clearing trail. Between the small saw and the windfall, it's an extremely dangerous practice IMO...there are some pretty crazy binds to deal with when you have a bunch of toothpicks all over a steep hillside.

Christmas last year:

I don't take pictures as often as I should, one of the safer cuts while out on the trail:

The old set up, I've since acquired a 2511t that is now the bike saw(also mostly replaced the 201 for climbing too.)

And on the seventh day! God created the 300!


WW2 munitions bunker.


Front yard.


Ride Fun, Ride Hard, Ride Off-Road!

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

And on the seventh day! God created the 300!



Ride Fun, Ride Hard, Ride Off-Road!

Nice ride!

I'm starting late at my age...but I bought a KTM 300xc-w to do some trails riding.

Been a street rider for a long damn time...but this dirt stuff is all new. Spent 4 hours at an offroad park that had some really great single track slow technical stuff. Several trails were well over my head, but man what fun. I was sore the next day. Can't wait to get back on it.

 

[Squareground3691]

And on the seventh day! God created the 300!
View attachment 1028857

WW2 munitions bunker.
View attachment 1028858

Front yard.
View attachment 1028859

Ride Fun, Ride Hard, Ride Off-Road!

Mine doesn’t have a motor lol .

 

[rwoods]

Ha
Hard to say for certain because Im not familiar with Ash. However, by it may be a good thing that it broke off the stump as you started your bore. If you had made it all the way through. The snag could have possibly sat down on your bar while compressing the hinge at the same time. Resulting in either not breathing off, and trapping your saw, buckling any where from the top down out of control, or simply breaking off in your intended face cut direction just like it did. All this depending on The stage of decomposition of course! That's why I don't plunge cut snags without a vertical bore test in the intended face cut area and back cut area first. I Seldom plunge cut snag's anyway. Had them go wrong a few times to many. This is all just simply my opinion bud and I'm glad it worked out for ya without mishap!

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

Though I have experienced only one barber chair with dead ash, I typically treat them all as chair candidates. Until recently, I seldom use bore cuts. However, after watching some of the others here seemingly routinely using that method on dead ash, I recently began to use it more often as it generally keeps me to the side of the tree and less behind the tree. However, after the trigger tear-out a few Saturdays ago and yesterday's almost complete tear-out, I am reconsidering as, in effect, you are cutting the most likely to be sound portion of the tree first if you bore to set the hinge first. I doubt I will get a favored method dialed, as I am down to a few 20"+ ash. The remaining are about 10" to 15" which I wouldn't bore.

I never say never, as there are benefits to each method, and I have a lot to learn.

Ron

 

[woodfarmer]

What happened here?View attachment 1021468View attachment 1021469
Dooooe!!!

 

[woodfarmer]

I’d say it went over backward

View attachment 1022049
This one looks to have cost you a bar (that had no business being there to get stuck in the first place), & you've had to make wedges, & it's hung up. A standard face cut & back cut would've put that over in the clear 20' to the right all day every day & maybe cost you 6" of a but log that wasn't that great in the first place.
Food for thought...

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Though I have experienced only one barber chair with dead ash, I typically treat them all as chair candidates. Until recently, I seldom use bore cuts. However, after watching some of the others here seemingly routinely using that method on dead ash, I recently began to use it more often as it generally keeps me to the side of the tree and less behind the tree. However, after the trigger tear-out a few Saturdays ago and yesterday's almost complete tear-out, I am reconsidering as, in effect, you are cutting the most likely to be sound portion of the tree first if you bore to set the hinge first. I doubt I will get a favored method dialed, as I am down to a few 20"+ ash. The remaining are about 10" to 15" which I wouldn't bore.

I never say never, as there are benefits to each method, and I have a lot to learn.

Ron

Most definitely! Everyone of us have more to learn because nobody knows it all, and Snags can not be taken lightly. The moment a guy thinks he has one figured out. He can often soon find out he doesn't!

Cut safe, stay sharp, and be aware!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

Yesterday, I was asked to fall some hazard trees at our county shooting range in an area where they are building a sporting clay course. I left a large red oak that I deemed too hazardous to wedge.

Three larger ones from yesterday.

Red oak - will make some good firewood for the wood ministry.
View attachment 1024764

Ash - this one will also make good firewood, but notice how it tore out before I got the trigger set even though it was sound enough to fall across a ravine and take out a small tree without busting. Never trust a dead ash no matter how sound it appears.
View attachment 1024765View attachment 1024766View attachment 1024767

Another ash, I didn't have a place that provided a 45 degree rear exit so I notched the face for a little jump and I ditched the saw and ran upon committed movement. It busted all to pieces so no firewood, it will stay in the woods.
View attachment 1024768

Today, I ran a line and cut the red oak that I left yesterday. I put a little tension on the line and lightly tapped in two wedges. When the wedges loosen a bit, I tapped them snug and then pulled the tree down with my truck. This one had about 25 feet of good firewood material in the lower stem. The rest looked to be too far gone; I don't really know for sure as it was closing time and I had to scat.
View attachment 1024769

Same red oak - I took this picture as I was walking to the truck to get a magnet. The DSP valve vibrated out of my saw during the face cut. Found I had put my magnet in the wrong tool box which, of course, I had left at home. I finished cutting with an open port. Hard to beat those old MACs. I will have to come back another day to look for the valve.
View attachment 1024770

Here are a couple pictures I took yesterday at the range of some stumps made by another back in the spring. Notice the first one where the tree fell 90 degrees from the intended fall. One of the guys involved was almost hit sometime during their venture. I was called in several days later to fall some larger partially cut trees that one of them left; all had a single sloping cut as these pictured.
View attachment 1024771View attachment 1024772View attachment 1024773

Be safe,
Ron

Just in case you were wondering Ron. People who think they know what they are doing. Produce steep sloping back cuts, because they think or read somewhere. That it is a barber chair preventer.

ITS NOT!

 

[Kodiak Kid]

woodfarmer

In regards to the question you asked "what happened here" ?

I answer "mistakes were made!"!

 

[weimedog]

A little demonstration And yes .. somewhat staged but works.

 

[Sierra_rider]