If you need jack(s) you're into some big wood. Or some real hairy scary stuff.
Ya, i've used them but don't like too. Those things seem to gain wieght the farther you have to pack them in. We had to use two sets of double pack jacks on a couple big'uns and man that = work.
One time we used a total of eight jack on one drop. The boss wanted to cut this tree like this for hazard safety reasons. Redwood, 13'9" of wood actual wood with 14" of bark on one side and 16" on the other on top of the 13'9" for a total of just over 15 feet. Had 4 sets of pack jacks in that monster with 1.5" plates top and bottom to help distribute the jack weight and pressure . Straight cuts and everything meeting perfect was absolutely neccessary. We had to drop it between two historical markers, one was a house and the other was a carriage house(barn).
Boss beat in a lathe stake in the middles and we dropped it less than half a width toward the barn from the stake. With out that set up it ould have been near impossible to make that work with this particular tree. He had a transit type scope watching us to make sure everything was cutting correctly.
Bro inlaw was on the other end of that bar and still has it hangin in his shop. Photo of the downed tree painted on the entire length. One cut was darn near a full tank for both of us. 3 or 6 tanks depending to get that b1tch on the ground along with 3 chains, one for each cut. I forget how long it actually took from starting the first cut to the thump when she hit the earth.
Once cut we could not touch it again. The state and historical people and a bunch of others were there.
A couple would have done fine, but I wasn't signing the checks. The boss called for it and it was used, we aren't in the habbit of questioning safety considerations all that often and this seemed like a time when overkill wasn't all that bad.
Cutting I usually have a single in the truck depending on where and what is happening. I will do just about anything I can to keep from having to use it though.
Owl
