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Directional felling

Started by Larry, March 26, 2004, 05:26:43 PM

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Larry

Saw on another thread that redpowered used wedges to directional fall a tree.  I think picking a place for the tree to land is the best thing since sliced bread so thought I would open up the discussion a little more.  Almost every saw has gun sights to help set up your hinge.  You can see them on my saw as I keep them marked with a black Magic Marker to highlight them.

Just as in rifle shooting you have to compensate for windage and side lean of the tree.



Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Kevin

In a critical situation I opt for the gunning sticks.
The corners of the notch must be in the right place in order to place the tree where you want it.
The saw sights get used most often.

Stan

Look like they are on the top of the saw. How does that help when the saws in the bottom of the notch and the sights are lookin' at the ground?
I may have been born on a turnip truck, but I didn't just fall off.

redpowerd

ive also read cutting your bottom cut last enables you to see your bar completeing the notch, using your 'scope' to line up the cuts. this makes sense to me, allthough ive never done it for some reason. think ill try today.

oh, i find markers on those lines wears off much too quickly, as you can see in your photo, so i use a testors paint pen.
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Kevin

We got into this a while back.
It doesn't matter how you start or end as long as the corners of the notch end up in the correct place.
Most instruct on making the top cut first but I think many loggers prefer to make the bottom cut first.
The bottom line is, if the cut at the apex is bad clean it up and make sure the corners of the notch are where they need to be.
Always try to make the notch and felling cut in clean wood free from defects.

slowzuki

I've been doing directional felling I suppose, but without wedges it can be... interesting...

Ken

redpowerd

QuoteMost instruct on making the top cut first
why is this? i allways have problems with the top cut on the notch, usually starting it a few times to get it lined up right.
i know this is because i cant see the far end of my first cut, i can only guess, aim, look, cut, look, guess, look, guess, look, cut......and so on.

the top cut first sounds like a more efficient way to cut, as you can look right on down the cut untill your saw flings out the notch.
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Woodhog

One of the high tech tools I use for directional felling is a

PUSHPOLE, I always have a light weight piece of spruce about 16 feet around, many of my trees get the final
start with a good shove with the pole high up as I can get in into the tree. I like to see then slowly lift off the wedge when I push and then crash bang away they go ( I hope)...

Jim Spencer

In case a push pole might not work on a bad leaner, I sometimes use a Hydraulic jack.  I cut a spot to set it in and put a little pressure on it and then cut the knotch.
I use a flat piece of steel over the 1-1/2" round top though.
I buried the top of the plunger so far into the tree one time that I could not get it out and worked on it for hours.

slowzuki

I hear you on the jack...

A tree a few weeks ago, it didn't go all the way over and while I was watching it start to tip, a wind came up and set it back on the back cut.   Of course it wasn't budging and now it had a good lean the wrong way. >:(

100 ft of rope, comealong and 2 hours later it came down ;D

I've got to get my winch wired up!
Ken

tony_marks

   now u talkin. i can put one where i want it pretty fair. but if theres an building close. its gonna get winched.. i seen too many freaky things happen ... a good example is that wind mentioned in a previous post.. plus if a tree is to big for my winch an equipment to correct if necessary .. i just dont do it an call somebody thats got the rite stuff.. some of the oaks here are big enuff that if they get as much as an 3-4 ft run on u ,they can sling my truck an winch around like their toys.. that is if i givum a chance ,which i dont. :)

redpowerd

man, i cant decide on a 26, a 36, or a new dolmar 64

either or, im sendin my saw to dan or ken,
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Duane_Moore

 ???redpower.  how are measureing your bars for length?, the method I use is to hold the saw in your hands in down position, then select a bar that will reach the ground bearly, this will keep you from bending over when you cut. and not to long to get into the ground at the cuts end. too short you bend all day. too long and you are into the dirt a lot, you get tired holding a long bar up. the normal man at 6'0" uses a 28" bar. anything over this should be used for flat sawing. Hope this helps.or bucking on a sawbuck.most saws will balance out with a 28" bar. longer will be nose heavy and hard to handle. any other comments welcome. Duh---Duane
village Idiot---   the cat fixers----  I am not a complete Idiot. some parts missing.

redpowerd

im 6 foot, and i dont need anything over a 22" bar, at all. :o
i allways use sawbucks, and if one aint handy, ill buld one with limbs.
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Oregon_Rob

Duane,
I tend to agree with you about not running more bar than you need, but the local loggers around here are in love with the 32" bar. I see way more 32's than anyting else. Personaly i like to run 20-24" for felling/bucking work.
Chainsaw Nerd

Duane_Moore

 :P thanks guys, the longest bar I run is 28" just put it on a 371XP I picked up. am real happy with it for bigger sticks.it balances real well for me. and the saw handles it well. have some longer bars around. put them on and put in the back of pickup when going to town, really inpresses the kids. :D get home and take them off, I guess this would be a show off, Huh? only kidding, we do have some long bars for the BIG trees. 090G has a 52" but is a man killer. I stay with mostly 22" bars, they handle good for me. and most stuff is only 18" to 24" we cut, I also use a  Timber Jack a lot --Old Age. God Bless, Duh---Duane
village Idiot---   the cat fixers----  I am not a complete Idiot. some parts missing.

Preston

I can really tell there is some good darn fallers in this group! You know in the last 8 years of my fallin experience following different helicopter companies and being in Alaska for little over a year I've only heard about the guning sites on a saw a few times! My father is the one that tought me about them gunning sites and I live by them they really help in that big wood and small wood too! Glad to know there is some guys in here that are pros trust me been around some of the worst but some of the best I've been around and learned allot from them older farts!
Preston
Preston

Oregon_Rob

Preston,
Welcome to the site.
With that Bio, I expect that you will be able to contribute to the site quite a lot. Give us a little insight as to what life is like following them whirly thinges that pick ups tha sticks.

Kindest Regards,

Rob
 8)
Chainsaw Nerd

Larry

I tried putting in the bottom cut first yesterday and today.  It seemed easier to cut the tree closer to the ground but made it much harder to get the notch cuts to match up especially on the off side that you can't see.  Am I missing something here Kevin?

Had a big RO to cut and my only hole to drop it in was between a big walnut and this small walnut.  Lined up the RO just right and figured I would just brush the small walnut with a limb on the RO.  As you can see, I brushed it all right. :'(  :(


I'm going to cut the walnut for firewood so nobody can ever see the evidence of sloppy felling. :-[ :-[ :-[

Preston,
I'm in the older fart category but smart enough to know that there are a lot of things I can learn from you young un's.  Welcome.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Kevin

The more you cut the better you'll get at it.
Take your time and dont hurry.
You get a feel for where the cut should go and if you aren't sure you can aways go to the other side and check on it.
The important thing is try and not to go any more than one third of the tree in on the notch and if the cuts don't match then clean them up so that they meet.
Keep an eye on your felling cut so the distance from the hinge is the same on both sides.
Later on you can try and turn a tree by cutting one side of the hinge early and watch the tree turn towards the side that is still attached.
It's a little bit of art and a lot of science. ;D

Sometimes you can't help but touch something but the tree should generally fall where you want it to go.
If it turned and fell away from the lay then there's a reason for it.
Wind, frozen wood,unbalanced top, or an improper hinge are the most common.
If something went wrong then study the stump and look at hinge to see how it broke, there's a story in every stump!

Larry

Never had much luck with cutting one side of the hinge early.  Did think about putting in a dutchman on one side to swing the tree as it was about half way down which might have worked but didn't want to take a chance on splinter pull.  Your right – every stump has a story and I study them all.  Here is the one that did in the walnut.


Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

Kevin

The hinge looks narrow and not very high but it might be the picture.
That hinge just by looking at the picture would have broke early without much left to control the initial fall of the tree.
There also appears to be more sapwood on one side.

Did it fall in the direction of the arrow?


Preston

Thanks For The Warm Welcome Guys!
Thats a good point always study the stump! If you make a mistake look to see if there was any mistakes at the stump! For one thing that i always had a problem when useing my gunning sites is keeping my bar level and trust me the longer the bar the harder it ! First cut wether it be humbolt or face cut make sure your bar is level on both cuts! I had a hard time with this but later found out it is important in big wood exspecaily when you have to start your face cut with a 36" bar and then slide the 60" bar in too finish the cutt! And practice it makes almost perfect I learn everyday I'm out there! Oh and Rob well that was exciting but now I'm a married man and got to see all I wanted to see but one thing I do miss and thats fallen up in Alaska Southeastern! Loved up there! Put my skills to the test! Gunning sites helped me allot! But remember always keep an open mind my father always told me and you can learn alot! Thanks again guys for the welcome!
Preston
Preston

redpowerd

Quotetried putting in the bottom cut first yesterday and today.
i was referring to cutting the bottom last, so you can see down your angle cut and match your corners with your bar, seemd to work for me, dont think ill go back, unless i forget to change my habit.

cutting out more of the hinge on one side is usually a last second decision, if you see the tree start to tip somewhere it aint supposed to go. sometimes you need it for a messed up notch, if its not aimin right, then you plan on removing more of one side of the hinge to compensate.

im with kevin,
i think mabie your backcut was a litte low, larry.
but whats with the sapwood concern?
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Kevin

Red;
The sapwood isn't uniform on both sides and it will affect the hinge.

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