triming/bucking questions

[jbone]

First and foremost: Yes I did a search on both, using every keyword I could think of but they didnt discuss what I am asking. So here it goes:

Im not sure what it is actualy called (trimming or bucking) when you fall a whole tree and go to remove the branches. A common problem I have been confronted with especially with pine trees is that these branches are often under tension and support the entire tree off of the ground. Is there any method you guys follow to safely removing these? Too many times I have tried to plan it out yet I still get branches snapping back at me or the entire tree at one point begins to roll after cutting many of the supporting branches in an uncontrolled direction. Any tips? Thanks!!

 

[Husky137]

Any tips? Put down the saw. If you can't limb a tree, you shouldn't be felling one.

Slow down and watch the wood as you limb. It will teach you a lot. I hope you wear chaps or you will be eating your saw soon enough.

 

[jbone]

Any tips? Put down the saw. If you can't limb a tree, you shouldn't be felling one.

Slow down and watch the wood as you limb. It will teach you a lot. I hope you wear chaps or you will be eating your saw soon enough.

Understood, but its not that I cant limb a tree, just curious if maybe theres a faster, easier, safer way of doing it.

 

[SWE#Kipp]

You just got to plan you limbing on big pines and make cuts to release the tension of the limbs in a secure way.
Also check how the stem is supported by the limbs before you cut them, so you can decide in how the stem is going too roll ,,, well thats how I do it but I believe you will get better answers then this

be careful !!!

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Im not sure what it is actualy called (trimming or bucking) when you fall a whole tree and go to remove the branches.

Bucking: cutting a spar/trunk/tree to lengths after it's on the ground.
Limbing: removing limbs after it's on the ground.
Trimming: removing limbs while it's standing, with the intent to leave it standing.

Common sense goes a long way. Look at where the tension is at, cut accordingly and get the out of the :censored: way. This is a fact of life. Don't try to cut branches that are holding the weight of the spar, but rather use them to your benefit. Take everything off on the three sides off the ground, then do what you can to buck the spar, getting it onto one of it's sides so you can limb the fourth side.

And thanks for searching first. Good for you!

Jeff

 

[Ed*L]

Jeff has it covered pretty well.
Don't be in a hurry and take time to clear cut limbs as you go. There isn't to much worse than stumbling around in branches/debris with a running chainsaw.

Ed

 

[John Ellison]

Yep, those guys have given you some good tips. Some times there is no fast way if you want to do it safely.
What are you doing? Making logs? Clearing an area to build something or?

 

[B_Turner]

Sometimes I have to remove a large tree that is down and spanning a great distance, and although I always manage to deal with it okay I have been meaning to get together with my brother a long time arborists or some else to see if there are other techniques than I use that might work out even better.

For example during the last storm I removed a pair of trees that were 28 inches in the middle and free spanned over 50 ft of bridge between a building it crushed and the top branches that was supporting the tree. I usually clear the tree and area everywhere I am going to cut, block it up on both sides of the middle, side bore through at the first cut to keep the tree from splitting, and then use wedges to work the first cut or two.

Can't cut first from the top sometimes because the tree is under so much tension that the bar would bind in the first 5 inches (before you could get a wedge in). Have considered first boring from directly above for wedges before the tree can setttle, etc.

One tree from the storm was spanning a crushed fence and it's rootball that was over 80ft of span at a height of around 5 ft. Was a bugger to get started.

Any hot tips on how to start when big trees are under those kinds of stresses? Like I said, I always manage, but think there must be more sophisticated techniques developed by those that do it these tough cases daily.

Here's a pic from the first tree.

 

[manual]

Bucking: cutting a spar/trunk/tree to lengths after it's on the ground.
Limbing: removing limbs after it's on the ground.
Trimming: removing limbs while it's standing, with the intent to leave it standing.

Common sense goes a long way. Look at where the tension is at, cut accordingly and get the out of the :censored: way. This is a fact of life. Don't try to cut branches that are holding the weight of the spar, but rather use them to your benefit. Take everything off on the three sides off the ground, then do what you can to buck the spar, getting it onto one of it's sides so you can limb the fourth side.

And thanks for searching first. Good for you!

Jeff

Good one, I also go from the bottom up while limbing

 

[Fudomyo]

Can't cut first from the top sometimes because the tree is under so much tension that the bar would bind in the first 5 inches (before you could get a wedge in). Have considered first boring from directly above for wedges before the tree can setttle, etc.

One tree from the storm was spanning a crushed fence and it's rootball that was over 80ft of span at a height of around 5 ft. Was a bugger to get started.

Here's a pic from the first tree.

I just put 3 close notches on the top side. Then you can always get your saw out. If you aim sucks (like mine) then when you finish from the bottom you'll hit the top cut easier. Just cut a 1/4 or a little more on the compression side. Then start from the bottom, just like you are doing in the pict.

 

[Lakeside53]

I find that many of the big storm trees have no clear tension/compression direction, and it varies as you remove the loading. All you can do is watch very carefully when making the initial "best guess" cuts for the slightest directional change and formulate your cut plan from there. I like to get the log into non-stressed sections first, then buck/round. I'm pretty good an not getting stuck, but now and then it happens... Many techniques - cut up, cut down are easy... if the access is available.. dropping in wedges.. Boring works often (but if you get stuck on a bore, you are really stuck!); big V or square bottomed notches (from the top) in areas of high stress work for me.

Cutting off big roof balls is the most challenging... for me...

Pic of root ball in #109

Cutting around post #149 or so..

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=40897&page=10

 

[jbone]

Yep, those guys have given you some good tips. Some times there is no fast way if you want to do it safely.
What are you doing? Making logs? Clearing an area to build something or?

Currently im clearing property for a friend who is building a house. Since we're taking down a lot of trees I wanted to find a better way of how to limb/buck them considering that is the most time consuming.

Also I think learning how to do it better can help during storms for clearing downed trees in the roads, while on calls for my FD

 

[jbone]

Lakeside53 I noticed in your pics from that thread, that you were cutting chunks out of each side rather than straight through. Why is that? - im still new to this

 

[musch]

Any tips? Put down the saw. If you can't limb a tree, you shouldn't be felling one.

Slow down and watch the wood as you limb. It will teach you a lot. I hope you wear chaps or you will be eating your saw soon enough.

This comment seemed to me a little harsh.
We all are in different stages of experience.
At least the guy came here to ask, instead of going off half cocked, and possibly hurting himself.

Just because you have knowledge and expertise in one area, means that there are a whole myriad of other areas in which you know literally nothing, and would look equally silly.

Lets not belittle people who post a good question that many others might well learn from. Many more people read these threads than participate in them.

 

[Ekka]

I assure you there are still many who get jammed in and go for another saw to cut the stuck one out.

Handy to have a mallet and wedges on you to.

I just watch the cut real close, see if it's opening or closing.

Depending on the dia of the spar try standing on the other side of the limb you're cutting off, so the spar/barrel/trunk is between you and the saw/limb.

Mate, just roll ya sleeves up, get amongst it and have a go, you only gain experience with experience. :biggrinbounce2:

I'm sure there's some Husky site in ZVEEDEN that shows some techniques, cant understand what the guy is saying but it's easy enough to follow along. They got some good techniques on video worth knowing.

 

[turnkey4099]

This comment seemed to me a little harsh.
We all are in different stages of experience.
At least the guy came here to ask, instead of going off half cocked, and possibly hurting himself.

Just because you have knowledge and expertise in one area, means that there are a whole myriad of other areas in which you know literally nothing, and would look equally silly.

Lets not belittle people who post a good question that many others might well learn from. Many more people read these threads than participate in them.

Yep. There isn't any one of us who knew what we were doing the first time we picked up a saw. Me? I'm still learning after 30 years.

Harry K

 

[sawn_penn]

I'm sure there's some Husky site in ZVEEDEN that shows some techniques, cant understand what the guy is saying but it's easy enough to follow along. They got some good techniques on video worth knowing.

If it's the video I think you're talking about it's pretty scary. No way I can limb that fast.

 

[flht01]

jbone,

Couple of comments to go along with the rest of the posts. I always try to have an extra saw or extra bar/chain around. I have trouble reading and predicting tension when limbing and have to cut out a pinched bar every now and then.

I know your original question isn't about safety gear (and you may already use it), but since I've become an AS member I've not only gotten better at handling a saw but have become a lot more aware of safety gear. I finally got around to getting a pair of chaps and I sure like them. Climbing around in a downed tree limbing makes me nervous, having the leggings on is just one less thing I have to worry about.

Good luck and thanks for asking the question.

 

[woodshop]

Any tips? Put down the saw. If you can't limb a tree, you shouldn't be felling one.

Slow down and watch the wood as you limb. It will teach you a lot. I hope you wear chaps or you will be eating your saw soon enough.

As most have said, this kind of thing just takes common sense and experience. I kinda try and do the physics in my head as I plan where to cut walking down the tree, but there are so many variables that you just have to kind of "wing it" sometimes, watching the tree and learning as you go, again using common sense.

As for Husky137's first comment that if you can't climb you shouldn't be felling... gee... so all those years I worked as a logger felling, bucking and limbing trees on the ground I shouldn't have been? ... because I can't climb one???? Cmon....

 

[blis]

If it's the video I think you're talking about it's pretty scary. No way I can limb that fast.

Link?