Starting plunge cuts?

[clearance]

RES, others, my old fallers and buckers guidebook advises against boring severe leaners because the saw will be pinched by the super compressed wood. It says to use the triangle side cut method, this is what I do in all cases, I know how to bore cut from bucking logs so they don't slab out. Also, a big , powerfull saw will cut faster lessing the chance of chairing but don't rely on this. When I say triangle, imagine looking straight down on a stump, the holding wood is the base, two cuts on the side that meet at the start of the backcut complete the triangle. Barber chairs can be just deadly, here is a good idea, put a good chain up above the cuts, hook up the grab hook so the chain hangs over the undercut. Then if it does chair it will be restrained from causing mayhem, good chain, not some p.o.s..

 

[musher]

Dent's book, Professional Timber Falling, illustrates both techniques. He indicates no preference for which method to use, except that it depends on the circumstances and the faller involved.

 

[SWE#Kipp]

Plunge cut

at this link a swedish one http://www.skogforsk.se/KunskapDirekt/default.aspx?p=11362&bmp=11727

click on the text "Film For Bredband"
then click "avverkning med motorsag(10min)"

its a little movie about different cuts !!

/Kristoffer

 

[sawn_penn]

at this link a swedish one http://www.skogforsk.se/KunskapDirekt/default.aspx?p=11362&bmp=11727

click on the text "Film For Bredband"
then click "avverkning med motorsag(10min)"

its a little movie about different cuts !!

/Kristoffer

Great film. My Swedish is a bit lacking! I've been to Sweden, but just about everyone speaks flawless English so it's easy to be lazy and not learn anything of the language.

Thanks for posting the link.

 

[smokechase II]

great film

SWE:
Thanks for posting that. Boy that explains a lot to many folks. Even if you can't understand the language.
Do you have any other films or photos available?
Again, Thanks

 

[Fireaxman]

Cutting Leaners

I've been successful with no accidents or near misses on about a dozen pretty big post-Katrina leaners (30" to 36") with a "Salami" or "Arrow" cut. Keeping about a 30 to 45 degree angle to perpendicular, coming down not more than a third on the compressed side (top) and driving a wedge. Then meeting that cut from the bottom at about the same angle. No notch, just a snap cut. When they snap they slide down the angled kerfs and stab into the ground. Each time they slide down a little more of the top comes out of the tree they are leaning on. I'm making 3 to 6 cuts on each one before they get light enough at the butt that I can pull them out with the tractor.

What do you think? Have I just been lucky, or is this a safe way to get them down? Obviously, I'm not trying to market saw logs, just getting some dangerous trees on the ground and trying to save the trees they are leaning on. If I can do it safely, I climb the "Post" tree and cut as much of the top of the leaner out as I can before I start the work from the ground.

 

[clearance]

Fireaxman, what you are talking about I know, but with out wedges to cut down trees that are leaning into another tree. This is sketchy stuff, against the laws of man and nature. I reach up over my head and cut on angles sometimes from two sides so as not to get pinched. It is cool when the tree stabs into the ground, I cannot recomend this practice to anyone who is not really experienced with saws. It is totally against work regs. for damn sure. Don't go there kids.

 

[sawn_penn]

I've been successful with no accidents or near misses on about a dozen pretty big post-Katrina leaners (30" to 36") with a "Salami" or "Arrow" cut. Keeping about a 30 to 45 degree angle to perpendicular, coming down not more than a third on the compressed side (top) and driving a wedge. Then meeting that cut from the bottom at about the same angle. No notch, just a snap cut. When they snap they slide down the angled kerfs and stab into the ground. Each time they slide down a little more of the top comes out of the tree they are leaning on. I'm making 3 to 6 cuts on each one before they get light enough at the butt that I can pull them out with the tractor.

What do you think? Have I just been lucky, or is this a safe way to get them down? Obviously, I'm not trying to market saw logs, just getting some dangerous trees on the ground and trying to save the trees they are leaning on. If I can do it safely, I climb the "Post" tree and cut as much of the top of the leaner out as I can before I start the work from the ground.

I thought this was a pretty standard thing to do with hangups.

The safety nuts say "leave all hangups to be pulled down by a skidder.".

The cowboys say "keep driving trees into the hangup pile 'till it all comes down."

Somewhere in the middle people say "roll it off", and "salami slice it."

I've also heard of people putting a horizontal cut into the underside of the tree so that it doesn't spear in with a sharp point, and is easier to pull.

 

[1953greg]

i find that depth rakers set greater than .025 contribute to much more kick back.

i also use the "arrow" cut on right of way trees (4-8" diameter) that are directly or very near under power lines. this brings the tree near stright down and lessens the chance of a mistake. i wouldnt want to use this cut on larger trees i couldnt push off in case of a pinch.

good day 1953greg