Trees you've cut

[davidwyby]

What about those old fashioned humboldt cuts where the face consists of two parallel cuts and then a "snipe" on the lower cut to let the butt of the log slide off the stump? Aren't they meant to expose more hingewood to allow the tree to hold on and not break off until the last minute to stop the log smashing itself on the ground? I wonder would something like that work here in my situation?

Yes, those originated in redwood and cedar I think which are soft but brittle. Having an open/gap face is always good for brittle and barber chain prone stuff. You don’t want the face closing. I think @chiselbit calls it having a “tall back wall” to the face. The hinge (theoretically) splits away from the stump and bends. For brittle wood the hinge needs to be thin, but (there are a lot of buts) too thin and it will just break off at the top instead of peeling away. I have vertically plunge cut the back of the hinge to free it from the stump but, but it is easy to get your angles off plunging thru the tree. I had an idea the other day to just vert plunge in a few inches on either side and drive wedges in there as well as the back cut to separate the hinge from the stump. The hinge also needs to be thick enough to support the weight of the tree to some extend. Some of the eucs I cut were very heavy and it appeared they were crushing the hinge as they went. I think a thin hinge is more appropriate for dead dry light brittle wood…and nothing is guaranteed with those.

This one I cut the hinge too thin, it broke at the top instead of peeling. Was going with the lean anyway. Probable would have been better to leave the hinge thick and gut it.

First one I vert plunged, second one I didn’t.

Skip to 7:30, this one probably hinged the best.

@Stihlalltheway

 

[davidwyby]

Red face cut

Yellow vert plunge/wedge.

Blue back cut.

Black intended split.



As @afleetcommand says, it’s always better to plunge and trigger on sketchy trees so that even if things go awry, your nugget isn’t down there by the tree…you’re up and gone as it starts to move.

 

[Catbuster]

Worked on a trails crew today with the Boy Scouts. Couple of nasty hangers, and I’ve kinda become their guy for chainsaw stuff or danger trees. Still not sure why… I finally got to run the 441 Randy built me with the setup I wanted to, 28” full comp round chain. It put a big, goofy smile on my face. I wish now I had sent him that really clean 461 I had. New(er) hard hat too. Eventually I’ll take the shine off of this one.

Did I bring enough tools? What you can’t see is my other 441, the Pulaski, shovels, McLeod, and all the other junk in the orange box.

 

[davidwyby]

I think I know why.

 

[Wolverine]

About 26” pin oak today.

 

[Ketchup]

About 26” pin oak today.

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I’ve got that same axe. Great for shaving bark and chopping fibers.

 

[Wolverine]

I’ve got that same axe. Great for shaving bark and chopping fibers.

It’s an effective wedge banger too. My dad used it to cut some poison ivy growing up the next tree to come down, an ash.

 

[Catbuster]

I think I know why.

Me too. It mostly has to do with the letter C and the number one. They have some things they act like are huge safety hazards when I just make a couple relief cuts and then buck them out, then have have 90’ rotten snags with no tops left leaning opposite the way they want felled and act like it’s no big deal. It’s always full of surprises, and I’ve had a few “walk away” trees. Flag it and let wind do its thing.

 

[HumBurner]

Me too. It mostly has to do with the letter C and the number one.

Those "official" things will always get you in trouble

 

[Maintenance Chief]

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Worked on a trails crew today with the Boy Scouts. Couple of nasty hangers, and I’ve kinda become their guy for chainsaw stuff or danger trees. Still not sure why… I finally got to run the 441 Randy built me with the setup I wanted to, 28” full comp round chain. It put a big, goofy smile on my face. I wish now I had sent him that really clean 461 I had. New(er) hard hat too. Eventually I’ll take the shine off of this one.

Did I bring enough tools? What you can’t see is my other 441, the Pulaski, shovels, McLeod, and all the other junk in the orange box.

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441 is a "go to " when there's lots to do.

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

These ash trees were leaning over a shed and there was a road with power lines right beside them. Attached a winch to the back of the tractor which I parked in the field and winched them over. Used an open face cut to prevent the face closing and the tree splitting. Worked a charm.

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

View from inside the shed.

 

[davidwyby]

 

[gurwald]

Cut this stump made up of 3 birches.
Made it on one chain even!

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

Here is a tree I am planning on cutting.
It's a back leaning sitka spruce right on a road with two powerlines right beside it. It's 80+ feet tall, nearly 4 feet wide at the stump and has been dead for 3-4 years. It's rotten.

My plan is to get two ropes into it 45 degrees apart from each other, pulling one with a winch and the other with a tractor. Hopefully this way I will eliminate the possibility of the tree breaking off it's hinge due to being rotten and falling sideways onto a powerline.

The young lad in the picture is around 6 foot tall and a good bit wider than me too.

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

This is my plan. Is there anything else anyone can think of that I should be doing?

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

Ash from today. Winched it to the back of a little Case-International. End of the branches ended up three feet from the lip of the power box.
660 was out in full swing cutting it up. Felled it with 462 because I was cutting above my head on one side.

Farmer wasn't happy when I told him €350 at the end of the day. That was the price for 2 men felling and cutting tree, all our own gear and fuel including a tractor. Could have gone a lot harder on him, I know any climber would have. Bear in mind this tree was back leaning, nearly 4 foot by 3 foot wide and 70 feet tall. Also right beside a 3 bay slatted shed. We were six hours at it before I had to go to the day job.

 

[Duce]

Ash from today. Winched it to the back of a little Case-International. End of the branches ended up three feet from the lip of the power box.
660 was out in full swing cutting it up. Felled it with 462 because I was cutting above my head on one side.

Farmer wasn't happy when I told him €350 at the end of the day. That was the price for 2 men felling and cutting tree, all our own gear and fuel including a tractor. Could have gone a lot harder on him, I know any climber would have. Bear in mind this tree was back leaning, nearly 4 foot by 3 foot wide and 70 feet tall. Also right beside a 3 bay slatted shed. We were six hours at it before I had to go to the day job.

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Ask if he would rather purchase you a new 462 or 660 for doing that tree?

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

Ask if he would rather purchase you a new 462 or 660 for doing that tree?

Haha I just noticed you are from Roscommon, Michigan. I am from Roscommon, Ireland.

 

[Duce]

Haha I just noticed you are from Roscommon, Michigan. I am from Roscommon, Ireland.

Yes, you are our sister city.