Aluminum felling wedges

[davidwyby]

Maybe screw some hard heads together with the screws at an angle with the tips sticking out the opposite side to prevent popping out

 

[Philbert]

Maybe screw some hard heads together with the screws at an angle with the tips sticking out the opposite side to prevent popping out

That’s certainly some out-of-the-box thinking!

Now I’m thinking of laminating wedges: alternating layers of aluminum with ABS, kind of like Damascus steel . . .


Philbert

 

[Duce]

Maybe screw some hard heads together with the screws at an angle with the tips sticking out the opposite side to prevent popping out

That’s certainly some out-of-the-box thinking!

Now I’m thinking of laminating wedges: alternating layers of aluminum with ABS, kind of like Damascus steel . . .


Philbert

Heck yes! I am going to try this!!!

 

[Philbert]

Heck yes! I am going to try this!!!

Lots of photos please!


Philbert

 

[crowslayer17]

This could be you Dave, not damaging your aluminum wedges!

 

[Duce]

Lots of photos please!


Philbert

Took two used ugly wedges and made one bigger ugly wedge. Was not going to use any of redheaded ones for first try, besides those seem to stack just fine. Those Husky wedges are not ones I would buy again. Epoxied, drilled, ran in threaded bolts, ground heads off, welded edges with iron, hit it with belt sander, done but still ugly. See how it holds together after it is beaten on.

 

[Philbert]

Took two used ugly wedges and made one bigger ugly wedge.

!!!!!

I like it! Interested to see how it holds up!

The screws still make me a little nervous: I am sure my saw would find them. Maybe dowels instead?

There must be some type adhesive for ABS type plastics, or maybe they can be ultrasonically welded?

When reconditioning plastic wedges, I now only bevel the edge on one side, so that they can stack better.

(Thought I had a photo in the attached thread: will look for it.
https://opeforum.com/threads/wedge-renewal.13185/ )

Philbert

 

[davidwyby]

Maybe bolt one hard head plate to both wedges too. Flat head socket head cap screws.

 

[Duce]

!!!!!

I like it! Interested to see how it holds up!

The screws still make me a little nervous: I am sure my saw would find them. Maybe dowels instead?

There must be some type adhesive for ABS type plastics, or maybe they can be ultrasonically welded?

When reconditioning plastic wedges, I now only bevel the edge on one side, so that they can stack better.

(Thought I had a photo in the attached thread: will look for it.
https://opeforum.com/threads/wedge-renewal.13185/ )

Philbert

Agree, thought about using maple dowels and epoxy them in. Figured those grade 8 threads would be far enough out. When running them in, it melts plastic and they become bonded. Thought when driving them, fronts should get pinched together. Never know unless I try, waiting for heat and humidity to let up. Loathe seeing more dead oaks on property, beginning of summer knew there were about 6, now it's more like 11 or more. Took down 3 when snow finally left. Gypsy moths and oak wilt have stressed them again.

 

[Philbert]

(Thought I had a photo in the attached thread: will look for it.)

It was a thread in ‘a different forum’!


The illustration shows why I shape the tips into a single bevel (‘BB’) for stacking, when reconditioning plastic wedges.


Philbert

 

[Maintenance Chief]

Agree, thought about using maple dowels and epoxy them in. Figured those grade 8 threads would be far enough out. When running them in, it melts plastic and they become bonded. Thought when driving them, fronts should get pinched together. Never know unless I try, waiting for heat and humidity to let up. Loathe seeing more dead oaks on property, beginning of summer knew there were about 6, now it's more like 11 or more. Took down 3 when snow finally left. Gypsy moths and oak wilt have stressed them again.

I wonder how a pvc glue for plumbing would work ?, I know they have some really hot stuff that melts the plastic pipe together.

 

[afleetcommand]

I used to find Zinc wedges and they would bail me out of a bad situation from time to time. I think you are going in the right direction. By the time you need a "metal" wedge, your chain is the least of your worries

 

[Duce]

Took two used ugly wedgesView attachment 345355 View attachment 345356 View attachment 345358 View attachment 345359 and made one bigger ugly wedge. Was not going to use any of redheaded ones for first try, besides those seem to stack just fine. Those Husky wedges are not ones I would buy again. Epoxied, drilled, ran in threaded bolts, ground heads off, welded edges with iron, hit it with belt sander, done but still ugly. See how it holds together after it is beaten on.

It held together. Hitting those bolts with chain would be different story, didn't hit them

 

[davidwyby]

I used to find Zinc wedges and they would bail me out of a bad situation from time to time. I think you are going in the right direction. By the time you need a "metal" wedge, your chain is the least of your worries

I have found they work well and don’t damage a chain but they chip easily. Magnesium is supposed to be better for chip resistance.


Another idea I had the other day when @Woodslasher and I were pounding wedges a lot…gut the hinge, open conventional face and just pound the (metal?) wedge all the way through. Would allow for a longer wedge in a smaller tree that needed a lot of wedging. We were pushing them through other tree limbs.

 

[JB-PlantHeirloom]

I used to use steel wedges for really tough trees that needed lifting, but, I found the hard head plastic wedges worked almost as well without worrying as much about chain contact and having the saw come back at me or nuking a chain in the middle of a hazardous tree removal.

I do have these cute little 3-4 inch iron or steel wedges with a hole at the end. They are so thin, I think they were used to keep the kerf open on two man saws.

 

[Nutball]

David, you could probably thread a steel cone and try drilling it into the kerf. It would need a polished finish, and a bit of oil might help it lift heavy trees.

 

[RCBS]

Seen the Euros using these before.

 

[Farmchuck]

I heard using aluminum wedges causes Alzheimer’s.

 

[Philbert]

I heard using aluminum wedges causes Alzheimer’s.

I heard that, but I forgot why.


Philbert

 

[JB-PlantHeirloom]

My steel wedges, I never knew they were that expensive until I looked I googled them and found an eBay listing or two.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/195515632048

I just keep them for a companion kerf wedge for my two man saws since plastic wedges tend too be too big. I should sell them and use the money to buy something useful such as bon-bons because unless my kids have a huge change of heart, they will probably end up as scrap metal somewhere when I die. I already saved them from the scrappers (metal "artist") one time.

Now I know why the hole with the 1/2 round channel exists. I originally thought maybe if you stacked them together, it formed a hole where you could slip in a small pin so they would be locked together for stacking. I guess it is as simple as it prevents the raw hide retrieval loop from being squished in the cut. I thought they were meant for keeping kerfs open, maybe even for climbers, and not for tipping trees.