Trees hung up in other trees....

[clearance]

Ummmmm??

Basically reaching up with the saw and cutting fenceposts. Not allowed, but it works great.

 

[Bermie]

Basically reaching up with the saw and cutting fenceposts. Not allowed, but it works great.

I wouldn't say 'not allowed'...more like don't do it unless you have LOTS of experience...and can run like helll

 

[gwiley]

I wouldn't say 'not allowed'...more like don't do it unless you have LOTS of experience...and can run like helll

When he says lots of experience, he is thinking of a specific kind of experience. That is being able to identify the forces acting on the trees in this state and to be able to predict how those forces will release once a cut is made. Torsion (twisting) and compression/tension can be loaded on a hung tree in ways that you don't expect. The best way to be able to identify how these combined forces will move a tree is by having watched it before, actively predicted where the load is based on the tree structure and position and predicted how it will release, then understanding where your predictions were wrong and learning to improve those skills by watching another sawyer get tossed like a rag doll by a violent and unpredicted effect.

 

[danieltree]

I only thought I knew how to cut trees till I worked a few hurricanes. I generaly do the fence post thing. When I cut I pay attention to what my kerf is doing and what the hung top is doing. Slow slow slow. cut a little and stop, you will get to a point that the kerf starts to open if you get it cut enough and stop at the right moment it will peal down slowly as you walk away to safety. I take small blocks usually no more than about 3 feet. As you cut the tree begins to straiten up this is were it gets dangerous. If the tree is not to big you can cut a lever and place it under the butt of the log and inch it back just pay attention because when they let go it happens quick sometime. I have put some large trees on the ground this way. If the angle is right and you can safely do it make a top cut then undercut so as to make the butt drop hard a few feet. this will knock the top loose sometimes. There are a lot of ways to skin this cat as each hung tree is different. My best answer for how to do this would have to be slow, study every cut and play it out in your head .​

 

[Bermie]

When he says lots of experience, he is thinking of a specific kind of experience. That is being able to identify the forces acting on the trees in this state and to be able to predict how those forces will release once a cut is made. Torsion (twisting) and compression/tension can be loaded on a hung tree in ways that you don't expect. The best way to be able to identify how these combined forces will move a tree is by having watched it before, actively predicted where the load is based on the tree structure and position and predicted how it will release, then understanding where your predictions were wrong and learning to improve those skills by watching another sawyer get tossed like a rag doll by a violent and unpredicted effect.

THAT's what I mean...!

And the next fella who said 'go slow'...he's right too, because if you are going slow you can see when you got your prediction wrong (that WILL happen at some point) and have time to either correct or run!

 

[treeslayer]

too slow can hurt ya though, sometimes. you gotta read the wood. barberchairs?

run like hell is the key thing sometimes.

 

[canopyboy]

I usually find a way to strap or chain the base and drag them out by the base until they fall. Winch, 4x4, tractor, or whatever you can find.

I try to avoid cutting hung trees at all costs.

I had a dead pine get hung up once. Ok, more than once. But this one I wrapped a chain around the butt and figured I'd drag it out with the truck.

Ooops.

The other tree didn't want to let go and came with it.

The truck was still relatively new to me, and I was feeling kind of cool about having ripped out an extra tree with it. Til I realized I had a lot more cleanup to do.

Dang it.

 

[treeclimbertree]

I wouldn't say 'not allowed'...more like don't do it unless you have LOTS of experience...and can run like helll

Why cant you just spear cut and once the curf starts to close pull the saw out and bore cut through just under the first cut and drop them in?

 

[foursaps]

guess i'm a member of this club too. selective cutting a small tract of land and had 2 hangups out of 18 trees last weekend. i hooked up the choker to the base (as low as i could), then hooked it to the atv. gave em a couple jerks and down they came. has worked multiple times, just keep an eye behind you to make sure nothing is going wrong.

 

[Bermie]

Why cant you just spear cut and once the curf starts to close pull the saw out and bore cut through just under the first cut and drop them in?

why can't you? I don't know because I can't quite picture what you are suggesting, and what if your tree is not thick enough for a bore?
The main thing when dealing with hungups is CONTROL...the straighter up and down the hungup is, the less predictable it becomes...and you end up working right underneath it...