The SOB sat back on me!

[NCTREE]

:deadhorse:

Wow! I believe we are in the arborist 101, correct? Sorry for the ashholes that are here. Listen to the good advise and skip over the rest! Can be a huge learning curve. Hopefully a painless one.

 

[NCTREE]

I your not a PRO then your just a HO

http://www.arboristsite.com/arboricultural-injuries-fatalities/163530.htm

 

[Jeffsaw]

Lots of good advice. I like the plan (if it is safe to do) of detaching the saw from the bar to get it out of harms way. I almost lost a stuck saw once when the tree decided to fall over the wrong way. I was cutting pulpwood at the time. Then,getting a good rope up high in the tree (if it is safe to do) and attaching it to an anchored come-along far from the drop zone and winching in down should work okay. Good rope isn't cheap though and neither is a good come-along.

 

[grgbandkng]

If I understand the OP correctly, he was almost through his "relief" (felling) cut when the tree sat down? Sounds like he read the limb weight wrong to me. So he has a tree standing with the face and felling cuts in it? All that's holding the tree is the hinge? If I was him I'd call in a pro immediately if this tree is in any kind of populated area.

 

[ShermanC]

Here is some sage advice that could save your life and it's worth more than you think

I've been felling trees since '92 and kept count within a range of 100, at 4,000. Nine of those 4,000 were gigantic diameter trees and one had to be removed with a crane.
One year ago I thought the time had come to buy and read TREE LAW CASES by Lew Bloch. I wished I'd read it sooner for those 141 pages really opened my eyes and amazed me at what can be overlooked and what can go wrong.

Now that we have YouTube we can see amazing mistakes online. The listing in this thread of the crane that went through the house in California is a prime example. Get the book for about $51.00 plus shipping and soak it in. You'll be glad you did and you'll look at every situation, every friend and every tree in a different way.

 

[newsawtooth]

So me and a buddy decided to fell a nice sized White oak for firewood next winter. All was going well until I was almost done with my relief cut and a big gust of wind came howling in and sat the tree back right on my bar.

We don't have a tractor or winch to use and decided wedges would probably be the best way to go. I ordered a few 8inch wedges from Baileys and I'm hoping this will work. I can buy another bar if I have to, but I'd really like to avoid that.

I ordered 3 wedges, what's the best procedure to tip the tree over?

Man, if I had a nickel for every time I've had a pinched bar waiting on mail order wedges...super frustrating.

 

[Muffler Bearing]

I would make the wedges needed and complete the job. I would NEVER leave a tree like you described.

 

[inavacuum]

Wow!! You guys are hostile!

Let's Clarify.

This thread should definitely be in the Homeowner's section. I am obviously by no means an "arborist".

The Area:

The Tree is in the middle of the woods on my own private property. It is in no way endangering any structures or people. The area is only accessible by quad or horseback, so using a tractor or truck is out of the question.

The Tree:

Its about 26" in diameter, and yes all that is supporting it now is the hinge. Its very probable I misjudged the limb weight.

The Plan:

Like I said, this tree isn't near anything, it is about as remote as you could imagine. If I can't tip it over with the wedges, I'll try getting a line up in it and hammering in some wedges. Until then, I'll hope some more wind comes through and when I head back out there, it'll already have fallen.


I apologize for posting in the wrong section.

Is there anything I left out?

 

[ducaticorse]

Man, if I had a nickel for every time I've had a pinched bar waiting on mail order wedges...super frustrating.

LOL

 

[ducaticorse]

Wow!! You guys are hostile!

Let's Clarify.

This thread should definitely be in the Homeowner's section. I am obviously by no means an "arborist".

The Area:

The Tree is in the middle of the woods on my own private property. It is in no way endangering any structures or people. The area is only accessible by quad or horseback, so using a tractor or truck is out of the question.

The Tree:

Its about 26" in diameter, and yes all that is supporting it now is the hinge. Its very probable I misjudged the limb weight.

The Plan:

Like I said, this tree isn't near anything, it is about as remote as you could imagine. If I can't tip it over with the wedges, I'll try getting a line up in it and hammering in some wedges. Until then, I'll hope some more wind comes through and when I head back out there, it'll already have fallen.


I apologize for posting in the wrong section.

Is there anything I left out?

No biggie. Some of us take the biz quite seriously, and frown on ill prepared/unskilled performances. It's just bad news ya know? Don't take it personally, (I don't think you have). Too many clowns take "creative" constructive criticism by the more knowledgeable individuals on this board as attacks, or put downs, and then learn nothing from the experience. Keep your ears open, and your skin thick, and this can be a great place to learn. AND MARK THAT DAMN TREE OFF SO NO ONE GETS HURT IN THE MEAN TIME.

 

[r&r]

You could be bada$$ and throw another tree into that one taking them both down at the same time. This could be really bad if it got hung up though. A video would be necessary if you attempt this.

 

[inavacuum]

You could be bada$$ and throw another tree into that one taking them both down at the same time. This could be really bad if it got hung up though. A video would be necessary if you attempt this.

hahaha I wish I could pull that off.

 

[tree md]

I figured it was prolly on private property. Still not a bad idea to mark it even if it is on your own property. On the outside chance that someone trespassed and got hurt by it you would be liable. I would just never leave a hazard that I created unmarked.

Personally, I didn't take any offense to you posting your question here. It is a professional forum but I would rather see someone ask a question that try to figure it out on their own and maybe get hurt in the process.

If you do a lot of felling for firewood do yourself a favor and invest in a throwline, throwbag and tag line so you can get a rope in them. It will save you a lot of heartache in the end.

 

[r&r]

you could also use splitting wedges that you may have already depending on where your bar is on a 26in tree you could go straight in the back and not hit your bar/chain or go in parallel to your bar if need be, might be enough to move it over. (not recommended if you think you might have to cut more)
Also if its your first time using plastic wedges watch out for them flying back out at you while driving them sometimes they are hard to start especially in your situation with the tree already sitting back. A helmet with a screen would be best.

 

[inavacuum]

Well, we tried using a maul to wedge in but I think it tapered too fast, it got in to a certain point and would just bounce out with the next strike, that's why I decided to order the wedges.

As much as I'd like to invest in a forestry helmet, I'm not sure if that's something I"ll be able to do right now. How much does one usually go for?

 

[Muffler Bearing]

How much does one usually go for?

Bailey's - First Aid & Safety > Head Protection

 

[grgbandkng]

I figured it was prolly on private property. Still not a bad idea to mark it even if it is on your own property. On the outside chance that someone trespassed and got hurt by it you would be liable. I would just never leave a hazard that I created unmarked.

Personally, I didn't take any offense to you posting your question here. It is a professional forum but I would rather see someone ask a question that try to figure it out on their own and maybe get hurt in the process.

If you do a lot of felling for firewood do yourself a favor and invest in a throwline, throwbag and tag line so you can get a rope in them. It will save you a lot of heartache in the end.

Couldn't agree more......

 

[dingeryote]

Well, we tried using a maul to wedge in but I think it tapered too fast, it got in to a certain point and would just bounce out with the next strike, that's why I decided to order the wedges.

As much as I'd like to invest in a forestry helmet, I'm not sure if that's something I"ll be able to do right now. How much does one usually go for?

OMG!!

Leave the damn thing alone, flag it off to keep idiot tresspassers away from it and warn everyone in the family to stay the hell away untill it goes on it's own.

That Bar will be there two weeks from now, and clean up easy after the wind does the work.
It ain't worth getting dead over, and it's obvious you aren't wedge savvy yet.

No offense..seriously. Leave it alone untill you have boned up a bit on wedging backleaners and know what a solid hinge looks like, and can read a tree.

As far as Helmets go, any good tin or plastic safety helmet will work better than nothing and most folks know somebody that has an old one rolling around in the truck. Helmets are cheaper than coffins and E-room visits, and even the lousy helmets are better than a chineese made Ball cap.


Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[climberjones]

Well, we tried using a maul to wedge in but I think it tapered too fast, it got in to a certain point and would just bounce out with the next strike, that's why I decided to order the wedges.

As much as I'd like to invest in a forestry helmet, I'm not sure if that's something I"ll be able to do right now. How much does one usually go for?

Hey dont know how much hinge you left so not going to reccomend the wedge !if youdont have a strong tree work specific 100ft or so rope that you can get up it safetly with a running bowline than hazard tape off the area and walk away brother it will save you some major pain ! good luck and let us know! oh and by the way ask any go##am question you want on here!!

 

[fearofpavement]

So is the tree on the ground yet? Keep us posted.