What's the best way to buck a tree that's lying flat on the ground....

[Recoil Rob]

without grinding my saw into the dirt? It won't roll and it's too heavy to lift.


Thanks, Rob

 

[Tim Gardner]

Rob, start in the middle or 1/3 of the way down the log and cut it until just before hitting the dirt. Then you should be able to tear the remaining wood fibre when you roll the smaller piece.

 

[che]

I found this 'logjaw' at a garage sale...$5. It's helped alot.

I saw something similar at Tractor Supply Company yesterday.

Che

 

[buckwheat]

nice find, che. Log jaw, cant hook, or a peevie hook gives you the leverage to roll a larger log once you have made your cuts on the top side of the log.
I purchased my cant hook at the local Ace Hardware for $60. None of the regular salespeople knew what I was talking about until the old guy in the back came out with one. You could tell he just loved being able to show up the 'young guns' in the store. Turns out he had done quite a bit of logging in his younger days. We have a good talk about saws and cutting every time I go in there now.

 

[Toneman]

Baileys has a similar product as well.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Thanks, guys..

that's a tool I should get. Any idea if they are carried by Home Depots or Agway's?


Thanks, Rob

 

[tony marks]

northern hasa heavy duty one for 37 bucks. i have one ,but its seems its never with me when i need it.if u are interested .

 

[Fish]

"It won't roll and too heavy to lift?"

So how is my ex-wife?

 

[Ed K]

I start my cut from the top, as soon as I can get a plastic wedge in behind the chain without hitting it, give it a wack. when your down close to the ground pound on the wedge some more, it'll lift the log a little to let you finishyour cut.
Ed K

 

[Tony Snyder]

Fish, You are just full of mischief. There is no hope for you.

 

[turnkey4099]

There are few logs in my experience that don't have an air gap somewhere down the length. Usually there is more than one. I start at the top and cut rounds (not all the way through) until I come to a spot that allows going through, sometimes have to use a wedge to keep from binding. That will usually wind up with a section that can be rolled.

Harry K

 

[Ryan Willock]

if its too big to turn by hand and I'm momentaraly too uncordnated to carefully cut the last of the wood with out rocking out then I just roll it over with my John Deere or New Holland

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

Can't hooks are nice!

Wedges work. Usually site out air pocket too under some sections, or fairly loose, so i can cut ramp in small log and pound under with sledge, to clear ground some.

i think worst is tree on ground compressed from crown to stump (seems like it fell on it's head, compression is hard to chase out), best is none of that, softly put on brush or logs to give buffer/expansion to ground concussion, and forgiveness zone when cutting.

Could cut pocket that restricts upward push and fit 4x4, or 2x8 lever into pocket as hook for lever. Place log under lever as pivot.


Cut a strong notching that restricts upward pull, low on 1 side that will catch a rope like a hook, throw over top and hook to mule (truck). Safer with 1 smooth flowing wrap around/ and or catch line for rope snap/release or 90 degree pulley redirect. Don't pull too hard, take it easy. Don't break line or be inline with it.

In all rolling over, make sure their are no restrictions to roll on forward side especially.

Cutting across slightly, doesn't feed force straight into gravity as fibre gives more gradually under less direct pull. IMHO..

:alien:

 

[John Ellison]

Bucking

On thick barked trees that are flat on the ground, you can cut the last bit with your bar tip (carefully) and watch the color of the sawdust.
John

 

[turnkey4099]

"i think worst is tree on ground compressed from crown to stump.."

Odd, first shot out of the cannon for this year I cut my first tree and promptly layed it acrross stumps 4' high about 6' from the butt. I -may- have been able to steer it clear but there were other considerations. Cutting it was no problem after I got the top 15' (small stuff) taken care of. Just cut 3-4 rounds until the bar begins to pinch and then come up from the bottom on the last cut to free the short log. This one was laying in a "V" on the stumps so there was no danger of it rolling. The ones I hate are the ones that kick back just enough to wind up with the butt precariously perched on the stump free to roll either way.

Harry K

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

2 very good tips!

Still remeber the ol'guy that taught me to watch for the color change in saw dust coming into bark, especially meatier, red bark!

If ya have stump on any kind of log etc., carefully cut some off heavy end, trying to come close to leaving it balanced on supporting pivot, let the seesaw keep weight off either end(by the counter balancing ballast of the lighter side), as you work back and forth. Sometimes not doing so makes so much more work......

i try to cut high legs off (that won't make it pitch) and leave skeletonized to supporting legs, especcially ones from my side!!

Some times knotching on a slow fail hinge a leg on the far side so it rolls that way as i move back the other from it the other way....

Sometimes that is too dangerous, so make hinge,by back cuttting a supporting leg almost to failure in it's face, and final, remote detonation by pole saw, or hitch on weakened leg tied to mule (truck).

 

[Recoil Rob]

Well it turns out a friend had a rusty old cant hook that was in the garage when he bought his house. Ugly but fills my need. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

Regards,
Rob Di Stasio