Took a big one today

[Revturbo977]

I'm reading out of it given half a back cut, then one wedge, and then the stump that it leaned out to the right or had an obstruction as he pulled it to the left. OP released the compression side, put a wedge under it then went to his tension/ pulling side to torch er off. He used techniques he's comfortable with, as others mentioned the tree hit the mark, and nobody hurt. That's a successful day IMO, good job man!
Humbolts are also good for stretching a tree out, meaning you can get it to jump forward off the stump after it tips so far........the butt closes on the bottom of the face, snipe the front third of the face and it'll give a little whip into the tree it will launch/jump under it own momentum with the fall direction. Used to clear an obstacle or a severe terrain change to save out saw logs. Or if you need it get within reach of a haywire when getting firewood. I know my explanation isn't very good and probably more confusing than anything. So the snipe is cutting the front third at a steeper angle the the bottom face cut in a humbolt, so the tree accelerates giving it the momentum to fall and land farther from it's stump. I know when I said making it "whip" that everyone is thinking you're a crazy fool because that's ask in for limbs and tops to break out and come down whoopin knowledge knots on the melon. Anyway, sorry for the confusion and safe cutting gents

That's exactly what I did. My bar couldn't reach all the way through, so I bored through, set the hinge then pulled around the back. Set a wedge, pulled over around the rear, set another. I then pulled all the way around , setting double wedge, and finished it off. There was a ton of uneven ground

 

[Woos31]

That's exactly what I did. My bar couldn't reach all the way through, so I bored through, set the hinge then pulled around the back. Set a wedge, pulled over around the rear, set another. I then pulled all the way around , setting double wedge, and finished it off. There was a ton of uneven ground

Looks good man, got er down where you wanted to, and still up right and takin air so that's what counts. Only thing I mighta done different was put my stacked wedges on the other side so as they wouldn't lift so hard right there on your pulling wood possibly breaking it before it swung around to where you needed it to. But it still worked out and that's just my thought on it, but I weren't there neither

 

[rwoods]

When notching a big oak like that, I like to notch to split. Dont know how to explain, but I use a small face cut and cut slowly on the back cut. I want the tree to self split, sort of barber chair. As soon as the tree starts falling the way I want it to, I just backup and let gravity do the work. It saves a bunch of noodleing and maul swinging trying to split those butt cuts. Might leave a ugly stump with splinters sticking up, but I can take care of those tall strings easier than busting those large rounds.

With all due respect to your innovative method, this approach can get someone killed especially with red oak. Even without the small face and intentional slow cutting, a red oak can barber chair quicker than you can say the words. I am sure with your intentional approach you are standing to the side and you are consciously trying to limit the size of the chair, but if the stem snaps off it can kill you just as quick. If you should happen to be behind it when it chairs, it can kill you without snapping off. Nothing you probably don't already know.

The techniques loggers use to prevent a barber chair isn't all about saving the log. IMO anyone falling red oaks or other barber chair prone trees needs to be familiar with and practice these techniques. There are plenty of posts on this site that address proper techniques.

On the other side of the mountains,

Ron

 

[muddstopper]

A barber chair can happen at anytime. With that I will agree, my methods are not for everyone. I am not going to try and justify what I do or how I do it. If the method isnt for you, or your not comfortable doing it that way, then dont. The biggest majority of my wood is red oak and I have cut tons of it. I will say this, if your cutting a tree with intentions of letting it split as it falls, you dont stand beside the tree and watch it fall, you make your cut, get the tree moving and then get out of the way. If it barber chairs your not in the line of fire. A true barber chair is not what I try for, I want the wood to crack and split without leaving half the tree hanging on the stump. Cutting a open face cut, you are cutting a 90degree wedge of wood out of the stump. Conventional face cut, your only cutting a 45degree wedge out. The open face cut will allow the wood to almost completely hit the ground before the wedge closes up. The conventional face cut only lets the log fall half way before closing up. Its that half way felled and the face cut closing that puts tension on the tree causing it to split or barber chair. Convention wisdom is you cut your face cut about 1/4-1/3 the dia of the tree. For a cut to split, I like to cut about 1/3-1/2 way thru the trunk. I will flat cut the back cut, cutting level with the bottom of the face cut. I cut until the tree starts to fall, and it will fall fast. At that point, I get away from the tree. Usually the tree will crack and split as it falls, but it doesnt barber chair. Been a while since I have seen a barber chair and I believe that was a tree that had another tree hungup in it.

 

[Gologit]

A barber chair can happen at anytime. With that I will agree, my methods are not for everyone. I am not going to try and justify what I do or how I do it. If the method isnt for you, or your not comfortable doing it that way, then dont. The biggest majority of my wood is red oak and I have cut tons of it. I will say this, if your cutting a tree with intentions of letting it split as it falls, you dont stand beside the tree and watch it fall, you make your cut, get the tree moving and then get out of the way. If it barber chairs your not in the line of fire. A true barber chair is not what I try for, I want the wood to crack and split without leaving half the tree hanging on the stump. Cutting a open face cut, you are cutting a 90degree wedge of wood out of the stump. Conventional face cut, your only cutting a 45degree wedge out. The open face cut will allow the wood to almost completely hit the ground before the wedge closes up. The conventional face cut only lets the log fall half way before closing up. Its that half way felled and the face cut closing that puts tension on the tree causing it to split or barber chair. Convention wisdom is you cut your face cut about 1/4-1/3 the dia of the tree. For a cut to split, I like to cut about 1/3-1/2 way thru the trunk. I will flat cut the back cut, cutting level with the bottom of the face cut. I cut until the tree starts to fall, and it will fall fast. At that point, I get away from the tree. Usually the tree will crack and split as it falls, but it doesnt barber chair. Been a while since I have seen a barber chair and I believe that was a tree that had another tree hungup in it.

Good luck to you.

 

[bitzer]

A barber chair can happen at anytime. With that I will agree, my methods are not for everyone. I am not going to try and justify what I do or how I do it. If the method isnt for you, or your not comfortable doing it that way, then dont. The biggest majority of my wood is red oak and I have cut tons of it. I will say this, if your cutting a tree with intentions of letting it split as it falls, you dont stand beside the tree and watch it fall, you make your cut, get the tree moving and then get out of the way. If it barber chairs your not in the line of fire. A true barber chair is not what I try for, I want the wood to crack and split without leaving half the tree hanging on the stump. Cutting a open face cut, you are cutting a 90degree wedge of wood out of the stump. Conventional face cut, your only cutting a 45degree wedge out. The open face cut will allow the wood to almost completely hit the ground before the wedge closes up. The conventional face cut only lets the log fall half way before closing up. Its that half way felled and the face cut closing that puts tension on the tree causing it to split or barber chair. Convention wisdom is you cut your face cut about 1/4-1/3 the dia of the tree. For a cut to split, I like to cut about 1/3-1/2 way thru the trunk. I will flat cut the back cut, cutting level with the bottom of the face cut. I cut until the tree starts to fall, and it will fall fast. At that point, I get away from the tree. Usually the tree will crack and split as it falls, but it doesnt barber chair. Been a while since I have seen a barber chair and I believe that was a tree that had another tree hungup in it.

Intentionally splitting trees out is a game of russian roulette and by your picture yer not as spry as some. What happens when she splits, but doesn't come down? You're making a bad situation worse. Getting the wood on the ground in one piece is your best bet. I'm guessing you haven't had one explode on you. Sheer like lightning kind of thing. It will scare the **** out of any man. No you aren't doing anything special, its just dangerous. Why not just back cut em if you want to see em split?

 

[muddstopper]

I believe a few folks think I am taking a bigger chance than I actually am. While its not likely anybody commenting here could make the trip to my neck of the woods, your more than welcome to come up and watch. Granted I am not cutting the big timber found out west, but I have cut my share of what big wood we have.

 

[c5rulz]

A barber chair can happen at anytime. With that I will agree, my methods are not for everyone. I am not going to try and justify what I do or how I do it. If the method isnt for you, or your not comfortable doing it that way, then dont. The biggest majority of my wood is red oak and I have cut tons of it. I will say this, if your cutting a tree with intentions of letting it split as it falls, you dont stand beside the tree and watch it fall, you make your cut, get the tree moving and then get out of the way. If it barber chairs your not in the line of fire. A true barber chair is not what I try for, I want the wood to crack and split without leaving half the tree hanging on the stump. Cutting a open face cut, you are cutting a 90degree wedge of wood out of the stump. Conventional face cut, your only cutting a 45degree wedge out. The open face cut will allow the wood to almost completely hit the ground before the wedge closes up. The conventional face cut only lets the log fall half way before closing up. Its that half way felled and the face cut closing that puts tension on the tree causing it to split or barber chair. Convention wisdom is you cut your face cut about 1/4-1/3 the dia of the tree. For a cut to split, I like to cut about 1/3-1/2 way thru the trunk. I will flat cut the back cut, cutting level with the bottom of the face cut. I cut until the tree starts to fall, and it will fall fast. At that point, I get away from the tree. Usually the tree will crack and split as it falls, but it doesnt barber chair. Been a while since I have seen a barber chair and I believe that was a tree that had another tree hungup in it.

Well I guess the old adage, "Don't try this at home applies here".

 

[bitzer]

I believe a few folks think I am taking a bigger chance than I actually am. While its not likely anybody commenting here could make the trip to my neck of the woods, your more than welcome to come up and watch. Granted I am not cutting the big timber found out west, but I have cut my share of what big wood we have.

I live in WI and coming from cutting millions of board feet experience, its never serious until it is. The woods has a way of humbling everyone.

 

[muddstopper]

Like I said, if you dont feel comfortable with it, then dont do it. I cant explain how I do it and the million or two trees I have cut dont seem to mind. Enuff is Enuff.

 

[cantoo]

We all get lucky sometime. I was lucky I was wearing glasses doing something I had done 100's of times.

 

[muddstopper]

Heres the deal, some seem to think I am intentionally barber chairing trees and making them split 20ft up the trunk. That is not what I do. I can about bet that what I am doing is no different than what they do when they fell a tree. Only difference is that I stop sawing a few seconds earlier than someone trying to make a clean cut. When I stop cutting I know the tree is going to fall to the ground and I walk away as it falls.. Usually this results in the trunk cracking and splitting for a couple of feet, but it does not result in the tree splitting or barberchair ing 20ft up the trunk . Sometimes the tree doesnt even crack and just pulls strings of wood out of the center, but I dont care, its firewood, not lumber wood.

 

[Gologit]

Like I said, if you dont feel comfortable with it, then dont do it. I cant explain how I do it and the million or two trees I have cut dont seem to mind. Enuff is Enuff.

That's a lot of cutting. You've been very busy. And you're right, I probably won't try your method. It wouldn't work on the trees I cut and would probably get somebody hurt.
But just for grins, try it our way for a couple of trees and see how it works...humboldt or standard face, flat back cut, leave a hinge, and try to fall everything in an aimed direction. Just for fun...you might like the results.

 

[muddstopper]

That's a lot of cutting. You've been very busy. And you're right, I probably won't try your method. It wouldn't work on the trees I cut and would probably get somebody hurt.
But just for grins, try it our way for a couple of trees and see how it works...humboldt or standard face, flat back cut, leave a hinge, and try to fall everything in an aimed direction. Just for fun...you might like the results.

Well, I realize you dont think I can or ever have done anything other than firewood hacking. Thats OK, doesnt matter. I was logging and driving a log truck long before I was ever in highschool. I dont do that type of work anymore, so now I "am" just a firewood hack, think what you want.

 

[Gologit]

Well, I realize you dont think I can or ever have done anything other than firewood hacking. Thats OK, doesnt matter. I was logging and driving a log truck long before I was ever in highschool. I dont do that type of work anymore, so now I "am" just a firewood hack, think what you want.

Okay, it's your story and you can tell it any way you want to.
But "a million or two trees"? C'mon now... maybe you're exaggerating just a little bit?

 

[muddstopper]

Maybe a little on that one. I never took time to count, but its a good a brag as "I cut millions of bdft of timber. Just saying.
Anyways, No one here knows what someone else has done or been thru unless they where there when it happened. I felt i was being judged by a few for no good reason. Maybe my own fault, but the know it alls think they have to prove something, I'm not a know it all and I dont have to prove anything.
What was this thread about, I forgot.

 

[bitzer]

I cut and landed 1.2 million bf last year. Just me, my saw, and my forwarder. Thats the truth of it. My point being was I cut a HELL of a lot more wood than you and I know what can happen when you let a situation or your brain go idle. I'm trying to point out to those reading this that what you are doing is wrong and can get someone hurt or killed. Intentionally letting trees split whether its 2 ft or 50 is plain stupid and will get you hurt one day whether from the chair itself or having to cut one down thats all bound up.

 

[muddstopper]

I cut and landed 1.2 million bf last year. Just me, my saw, and my forwarder. Thats the truth of it. My point being was I cut a HELL of a lot more wood than you and I know what can happen when you let a situation or your brain go idle. I'm trying to point out to those reading this that what you are doing is wrong and can get someone hurt or killed. Intentionally letting trees split whether its 2 ft or 50 is plain stupid and will get you hurt one day whether from the chair itself or having to cut one down thats all bound up.

well, I cut one tree last week, and I didnt let it get my blood pressure up.

 

[Revturbo977]

with a site full of amateurs looking for useful information on how to keep themselves alive, myself included , I wouldn't go around giving out your methods . People tend to believe what they read way to easily on the Internet and personally I wouldn't want someones death on my conscious due to shaky practices .

 

[Marshy]

Can we all just agree that the cut used is not an open cut? Looks like wide conventional cut to me. Carry on.