Who uses felling wedges in the tree?

[tree md]

Just wondering how many of you guys use felling wedges in the tree; IE topping/chunking?

I come from the East coast and I never saw a climber use felling wedges. Not even here where I live now in OK. All climbers I have worked with, known, seen, including myself has just used a rope to pull tops, chunks and trees over. First time I saw a climber use felling wedges was on a visit to Cali where I saw a climber who was 60 years old taking down a redwood using wedges to drop the top and the chunks. I thought it looked pretty slick for the top but a little unnecessary for the chunks. Anyway, I am planning on getting me a set of felling wedges and using them in the tree when applicable. How many of you guys use them in the tree?

 

[yibida]

Handy to have.

Hi Tree MD,
I use wedges when I'm felling trees from the ground to assist in a side or back lean but I would normally use a high set rope most of the time. As I have done logging in the past it has become a good technique to use in some situations in conjunction with a back release method.

 

[arbadacarba]

Using wedges keeps things simple and safe. I use them any time I am in the slightest doubt about what a tree wants to do.

 

[Rftreeman]

No need for them here, I use ropes.

 

[prentice110]

every now and then, not too often though. Mainly just to keep the cut open when Im climbing. Im kinda skinny and it hurts my back on bigger logs to keep pushing. Have you seen that rattle wedge thing yet? Pretty slick...

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

i more favour an olde semi truck tire spoon that fits the kerf well, and can use as lever. to me that beats wedge (with keeper string) and then needing something to 'hammer' it in.

 

[ozzy42]

High set rope does much better.

 

[Tree Pig]

I think what he is asking is if any climbers are using wedges while in the tree? Correct me if I am wrong MD. I use wedges all the time on the ground with the right trees, its a lot easier and faster to bang a couple of wedges in then it is to through a rope. But a more risky tree will get a rope or even wedges and rope.

 

[TheTreeSpyder]

High set rope does much better.

Mostly look at this for short, 'stocky' pieces that don't have the length that rope would give great leverage, sometimes use rope pull and push of wedge/lever.

Also, A rope can flex what you are standing on in reaction by pulling across(this is one place where lacing over the top and then down back to tie off low, to give more flip and perhaps some stabilizing downward pressurethru column of spar can help IMLHO), whereby, a lift/push of wedge / lever sends reaction down the spar column you are standing on with less flexing of your 'mount'.

 

[Raymond]

Never beat a wedge in up in a tree, just a rope.
But I've had a couple times I wished I did have one.

But then someone would of had to let go of the rope
and get it and at the time that wasn't an option.

DAMN just thinking about this one particular time
is making my palms break out in a sweat.

 

[Cletuspsc]

I used to use wedges quite often when I was going solo or down a ground guy. I Have a 12inch "blue type" (dono who makes em but there hard) with a 3/8th hole drilled threw the fattest part and a short 6 or so inch loop of line so I can hook it to my saddle and then the same thing dome with a 2.5lb mini sledge with about a 10 inch long handle. It works good for me.

 

[Raymond]

i more favour an olde semi truck tire spoon that fits the kerf well, and can use as lever. to me that beats wedge (with keeper string) and then needing something to 'hammer' it in.

Now I like that! All smooth, with a hole and string
hanging from my saddle, for just the right trees.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Depending on the tree and the conditions, I have a few wedges with holes and strings on them, and a small mini sledge I take up with me. Start pounding until the piece starts moving, then grab your wedge and hang on.

 

[tree md]

every now and then, not too often though. Mainly just to keep the cut open when Im climbing. Im kinda skinny and it hurts my back on bigger logs to keep pushing. Have you seen that rattle wedge thing yet? Pretty slick...

Yeah, I have seen the little rattle wedge deal in the sherrill catalog. Pretty cool looking gadget.

Like I said, I have never utilized a wedge much. The old guy I saw taking down the redwood in Cali made it look pretty slick directing his chunks with the wedge. We always used ropes but the wedges can come in real handy.

 

[Blakesmaster]

It's hard to judge from the ground whether or not you'll need wedges in the tree. There's only been a few times where I could've used one while aloft but I never carry them through a whole climb with me. Since I don't carry them it's usually easier to just run up the tree another coupla feet and tie a pull line than to send a groundie after wedges and a hammer and pull them up. I suppose if I can judge from the ground that they would make the job go quicker I'd carry them up but I've yet to do so. When I'm on the ground I use them ALL THE TIME. Love me some wedgies. Everything from felling to bucking I gots one in ma pocket ready ta pound in.

 

[southsoundtree]

very infrequently.

The is a place for them. think about windy days on pieces that otherwise would not need a rope.

Also, easier to put a wedge or two in the pocket (you can use one to bang the other in place ) than keep hauling up a rope, which can be much heavier, and time consuming.

I think I might start using them more, now that I think about it.

 

[newbym]

I'd say that I use them about 1-2 times a month

Just had some up with me in a cottonwood today, but didn't end up needing them. Sometimes I like to have them in case the wind comes up enough to keep a large, fluffy top from going over without a little extra. We have a kit that's ready to be sent up that includes 2 small bucking wedges and a short handled axe, all tethered and easy to attach to the saddle. When you know the wood you're in, you can overcome some pretty amazing leans or limb-weight with just a wedge and save yourself a 20'-30' (or more) climb just to set a line.

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

i use a bar and wedge for big chunks pry a little slip the wedge in prya litle slip the wedge in. on big cookie blocks i use the wedge as a ramp to help me slide them off the tree with the help of the bar of course.

 

[Mapleman]

I use a climbing wedge (4-inch) sometimes when I don't want to pinch my bar while chunking out big rounds. Also, I've used it if there is a possibility the wind could rock a top back on the bar and jam me. It's happened to the best of us, and it ain't fun waiting for another saw and staring at the cut, hoping it doesn't break back on you. I've also had to rig a pull line above me with a pole saw by snaking a rope up through a crotch. I usually secure the saw with a lanyard to a branch below the cut just in case the saw is jammed in the cut and decides to exit with the top when it gets pulled over.

Jamming a saw generally happens toward the end of my work day or when I'm sore and tired, and it's usually at this point I ask myself why I didn't take the extra time and climb up the another 15 or 20 feet to rig a pull line. But sometimes that extra 15-20 feet can seem like 50 when you're beat.

 

[tree md]

I use a climbing wedge (4-inch) sometimes when I don't want to pinch my bar while chunking out big rounds. Also, I've used it if there is a possibility the wind could rock a top back on the bar and jam me. It's happened to the best of us, and it ain't fun waiting for another saw and staring at the cut, hoping it doesn't break back on you. I've also had to rig a pull line above me with a pole saw by snaking a rope up through a crotch. I usually secure the saw with a lanyard to a branch below the cut just in case the saw is jammed in the cut and decides to exit with the top when it gets pulled over.

Jamming a saw generally happens toward the end of my work day or when I'm sore and tired, and it's usually at this point I ask myself why I didn't take the extra time and climb up the another 15 or 20 feet to rig a pull line. But sometimes that extra 15-20 feet can seem like 50 when you're beat.

That happened to me onetime when I was taking a large top out of a Cottonwood. I probably would have been OK if it weren't for like a 15-20 MPH wind in my face. I only had one guy working with me and did have a tag line set but the top sat down on my saw and pinched it. My rope hand hollered that he didn't think he was going to be able to pull it over and was afraid it was going to come back on me. If I would have been thinking I would have secured my saw lanyard to the tree but I was concerned about the top and just left it in the tree and rapped down real quick. Once on the ground I tied the top off to keep it from breaking over backwards. I didn't want to just pull it over and let my saw fall to the ground. I was going to climb back up and secure it to the tree with a lanyard but my rope man talked me out of it. He was right too. I don't know what I was thinking when I considered climbing back up under an unsecured top and saw. My rope hand said F the saw, we can replace it. We can't replace you. He was right. We pulled the top off and believe it or not the saw remained in the kerf. I climbed up the backside of the tree and reattached my saw to my lanyard. Not one of my most stellar moments for sure. Like I said, I believe the top would have come over fine had it not been for the sustained high winds. Sure could have used a wedge that day though.