waist high or ground level

[pbtree]

I cut them as low as possible, unless there is a reason not too. (sometimes people ask me to leave the stump a bit higher, and they want to put a flower pot on it, etc...)

 

[BC_Logger]

mostly knee hight ( foot and a half ) gives me plenty of room for the full wrap , as for snags i cut them at waist hight and look up to look out

 

[SawTroll]

Low. I like working off of one knee. I also prefer swinging at wedges while they are low. Mostly cutting stuff for the yard right now and appreciate every extra board foot I can get.

When you all are cutting snags I hope you cut waist high, and look up.

Agree with you both!

Waist high is a waste, but some times yopu have to do it, for safety reasons....

 

[clearance]

quote by clearance:
Out in the bush I never see low stumps, where are you talking about? I like to cut where its good, waist high, might cut it low after. Snags are always to be cut high, safer that way.


Clearance, low stump hieght should be found on any crown land in BC that has been logged. I have seen blocks re cleared when the snow melts. Other then the loss of mechantable timber, beating up on skidders, the forest service can fine for leaving high stump hieghts; I have not heard of anyone getting fined mind you.

One advantage of cutting low with smaller timber is you can push with your shoulder. Pushing as you place the back cut will push the timber over against the lean; the lower the stump shot the more leverage generated. Some fallers employ pushers with 10' sticks to push smaller timber into lay to save on shoulder muscling and or wedging.

When it comes to snags you are right, it is generally safer to cut snags high to avoid unsound wood close to the ground. Well there is no formula to presscribe to every snag, I have found with snags that are small enouph to be pushed over against the lean [by my self] that cutting lower to generate more pushing leverage is safer then cutting higher and wedging. I personelly have had far, far more tops and widow makers etc break up and come into my position from wedging then dead trees losing there hing wood from cutting lower. Generally speaking, when it is avialable, cutting up with a safety wedge placed and knocking a snag over with another large live tree is safer then wedging it over. Obviously residential work does not lend itself to these scenerios well.

Yes, about snags, better to put in the cuts and then hammer them with another tree. Trees on the coast are not cut low, maybe not all waist high, certainly not on the ground like our Eastern friends. I have seen some real high stumps too, to avoid the swell, like on big spruces. You must be a lot stronger than me, I can't push that many trees I cut over by hand.

 

[Mitchell]

pushing trees over...

quote by Clearance:
Yes, about snags, better to put in the cuts and then hammer them with another tree. Trees on the coast are not cut low, maybe not all waist high, certainly not on the ground like our Eastern friends. I have seen some real high stumps too, to avoid the swell, like on big spruces. You must be a lot stronger than me, I can't push that many trees I cut over by hand.

HA ha. I do not push many trees over anymore myself; now that I have been working in the residential world where fellows pull on ropes...

I believe the forest practices code here in BC sets stump heights at 30 cm or 2.5 feet. I do not think it is worried about on bigger timber; at least in practice it has not been.
THe high stumps I hated cutting were 3'+ dbh trees on steep ground where your bar is below grade on the uphill side and face height or higher on the down hill side: shoulder workout with the face full of chips routine

 

[yooper]

Like the hydrants in Gay, huh?

Have ya been in the local bar? Its a hard two steps but its not relay a gay bar. Just called the Gay Bar:hmm3grin2orange: White city is the same big tall winter stumps. I logged all over there 15 years ago.7 years ago I did line Clarence in calumet in February. All the lines where in the back yards and we had to climb everything and drag all the brush through the snow(hell only got about 450 inches that year) went back in may to cut the high stumps and spray a little garlon3 and it was all ally ways that we worked in.It all could have been done out of a bucket!
Know wonder all the smart people(That come up here from the city) are power company foresters!!! they know the right way to save the public money

 

[beelsr]

Have ya been in the local bar? Its a hard two steps but its not relay a gay bar. Just called the Gay Bar:hmm3grin2orange: White city is the same big tall winter stumps. I logged all over there 15 years ago.7 years ago I did line Clarence in calumet in February. All the lines where in the back yards and we had to climb everything and drag all the brush through the snow(hell only got about 450 inches that year) went back in may to cut the high stumps and spray a little garlon3 and it was all ally ways that we worked in.It all could have been done out of a bucket!
Know wonder all the smart people(That come up here from the city) are power company foresters!!! they know the right way to save the public money

Yeah, I've been there. have the t-shirt _somewhere_. The first tiem I saw those hydrants I just burst out laughing and thought to myself, "and I thought I had it bad...."


I grew up in Petoskey. We used to do the two seasons joke: winter. and july. but the upper thumb gets more than its fair share of snow...

 

[beelsr]

Yes, about snags, better to put in the cuts and then hammer them with another tree. Trees on the coast are not cut low, maybe not all waist high, certainly not on the ground like our Eastern friends. I have seen some real high stumps too, to avoid the swell, like on big spruces. You must be a lot stronger than me, I can't push that many trees I cut over by hand.

taking down a few snags today - at waist height. On the last one (always the last one, isn't it , it lost a branch right after I started the backcut. I heard a crack and was already moving back when I looked up. Small branch, 6 -8' long, maybe 5", from 40-50' feet up. Still sticking in the ground. Missed the saw sticking out in the wind too...

Then the j&%$*&^ got hung up and had to pull it over with the winch. And then the trunk broke into 4 pieces as it was falling...

 

[Highclimber OR]

Whatever works for ya. Do what is safest because different trees call for different measures and either way works fine, by the way Beeslr glad everything came out OK. Gotta love those snags

 

[beelsr]

Whatever works for ya. Do what is safest because different trees call for different measures and either way works fine, by the way Beeslr glad everything came out OK. Gotta love those snags

Yeah, me too. That was a big advil headache....

I was tempted to post this in the "don't you hate it when" thread...

Since I sold the bandmill, I've been concentrating on snags on the property. Plus, the bleed a lot less this time of year....